Neverwinter Nights: EE - Plans and more

I personally can't cope with the appearance of the game anymore. Loved it several years ago and certainly got my money's worth but wouldn't putting time and energy into NWN2 be more productive? Its a real party based DnD product. I played it late in the patch cycle and had a great time. It looks very good even today and always had a ton of potential if the bugs and features could be addressed.

NWN2 is pretty clunky, awkward and only marginally prettier in certain areas.

I would definitely prefer a properly updated NWN - but that would require actual work.

Ideally, I would just want NWN3 from developers with talent and vision. As in, not Beamdog.

NWN2 has a much better implementation of the rules though. However, the tools are both more powerful and also time consuming, so unless they intend to create new tools for it, it's unlikely to gain a lot of traction in the community.

Originally Posted by Maylander
NWN2 has a much better implementation of the rules though. However, the tools are both more powerful and also time consuming, so unless they intend to create new tools for it, it's unlikely to gain a lot of traction in the community.

It's 3.5 - but I wouldn't say "better" in terms of execution. Also, I assume PRC stuff will be compatible - in which case NWN has a much richer community for mods and stuff.

But if you take a look at animations and UI - NWN2 really is a piece of shit.

NWN, at least, is smooth and fast - and looks great for its time. A proper update would almost certainly be a more pleasant experience.

Anyway, to each his own.

Originally Posted by NewDArt
Ideally, I would just want NWN3 from developers with talent and vision. As in, not Beamdog.

HEY NOW - Beamdog DOES have talent and vision …

… not the type of talent and vision to pull off something like NWN3 … or a significant update to NWN …

But still, talent (for putting together decent updates that expand to many platforms) and vision (for seeing the money to be made with multi platform releases of these games with modest updates … )

Originally Posted by txa1265
HEY NOW - Beamdog DOES have talent and vision …

… not the type of talent and vision to pull off something like NWN3 … or a significant update to NWN …

But still, talent (for putting together decent updates that expand to many platforms) and vision (for seeing the money to be made with multi platform releases of these games with modest updates … )

I probably have a little more exclusive concept of the word "talent"

I'm not saying they're not good at their job. I really wouldn't know - because I don't know the job description.

But going by all the previous EEs - there's nothing there that requires actual talent (or vision) to create.

Otherwise, you're right

NWN didn't really need an EE. It's not old enough to have any trouble running.

What really needs an EE is pool, curse, secrets, champions, deathknights and dark queen.

You're making a little bit of sense these days SJ

I would love proper updates to those games.

Don't agree that NWN couldn't benefit quite a lot from an EE - it would just have to be an actually enhanced edition.

The fact that I would love one is probably why I'm a little annoyed that this one is so pathetic.

The problem I see is the part of NWN I would like to see improved is what they will not improve - personally i find the graphics a bit low in resolution on larger monitors. Of course they (beamdog) did little to improve the graphics of the older games. I mean I'm not a graphic whore but in the old days I use 15 and then 20 inch monitors and these days I use 27 inch monitors with far denser pixels than the smaller monitors.

Originally Posted by NewDArt
Don't agree that NWN couldn't benefit quite a lot from an EE - it would just have to be an actually enhanced edition.

Ideally, I would just want NWN3 from developers with talent and vision. As in, not Beamdog.

Originally Posted by you
The problem I see is the part of NWN I would like to see improved is what they will not improve - personally i find the graphics a bit low in resolution on larger monitors. Of course they (beamdog) did little to improve the graphics of the older games. I mean I'm not a graphic whore but in the old days I use 15 and then 20 inch monitors and these days I use 27 inch monitors with far denser pixels than the smaller monitors.

This is where I benefit … since I started using iPads I have also been using smaller screen gaming systems - 13” Alienware and 11.6” Mac. Just grabbed the 12” MacBook - and of course now bought NWN EE so I can try it out

Starting with NWN2 as a base for more development to realize its vision is simply more productive than messing with NWN. Look how long it took CDProject to modify Aurora into something compelling. Start with NWN2 and fix its shortcomings.

Originally Posted by ToddMcF2002
Starting with NWN2 as a base for more development to realize its vision is simply more productive than messing with NWN. Look how long it took CDProject to modify Aurora into something compelling. Start with NWN2 and fix its shortcomings.

That would take a LOT more work to actually enhance - meaning it's even less likely to happen with Beamdog.

To make it competitive graphically with NWN2, they would need to add some extensions to the .mdl files to include larger versions of the bitmap files, increase the allowed polycount, add LoD parts (with the old version being the lowest), and enable normal mapping, better shadows, and surface smoothing. They would also need to allow larger areas, NWN2-external area style editing, and greatly enhance the toolset (which kind of sucks compared to NWN2). The NWN style is also a bit cartoonish, so a makeover of the models is in order. Finally, the core modules should be reworked to improve the story and content.

I.e. they have their work cut out for them.

Originally Posted by SirJames
NWN didn't really need an EE. It's not old enough to have any trouble running.

Yeah, because crashing every hour or so (that if you are lucky, it crash on start up for some) on a AMD system or running the game on Linux/Mac with your CD version (the Diamond edition on gog is windows only) with the latest official patch (required by a lots of mods) because BioWare never bothered releasing the latest official patch on all supported systems aren't troubles…

The AMD issue thing is what made me uninstall the Diamong gog version after a few hours last year when I wanted to try the recommended Aielund Saga.

Originally Posted by rjshae
To make it competitive graphically with NWN2, they would need to add some extensions to the .mdl files to include larger versions of the bitmap files, increase the allowed polycount, add LoD parts (with the old version being the lowest), and enable normal mapping, better shadows, and surface smoothing. They would also need to allow larger areas, NWN2-external area style editing, and greatly enhance the toolset (which kind of sucks compared to NWN2). The NWN style is also a bit cartoonish, so a makeover of the models is in order. Finally, the core modules should be reworked to improve the story and content.

I.e. they have their work cut out for them.

Exactly. Why not mod the tool sets, scripting engine and AI of NWN2 and move forward? This makes no sense to me

What I really, really would want them to do, is to reactivate tessellation for the game. It is still buried in the code as a TruForm function, but they should be able to write a DX12 / Vulcan wrapper for the function calls.

Remember ?

Oh gawd the Beamdog complainers are back. Why not just start a thread called RPGUnwatch?

I don't have a problem with Beamdog. They have done some nice work.

All of the games they've done up to now have profited from extra content. Extra character building options, extra companions, et. That's in addition to improved resolutions, graphics, U.I., et. We've heard some people have problems running NWN without it crashing. For them a new version makes sense. Also for people who want to play on tablet. It just seems feature poor in comparison to the other EEs they've done. Hopefully there will be more to it then just what they've revealed.