Forums > Game Forums > Neverwinter Nights 2 > Interesting mods in development.
The Fabulous King (1332) on 1/13/2008 7:17 PM · Permalink · Report
Finally players have the chance to revisit the setting of Planescape. And what could be seen in the trailer, they really captured the essence of the setting. Also there's no chance to see a commercial game based in this setting, since it was cancelled quite some time ago (I say this to avoid stupid statements like: "I better wait the sequel to Torment.")
This game was once known as Baldur's Gate III (though no connection with the child of Bhaal). It seems that the lead designer Josh Sawyer was still carrying some emotional baggage from the cancellation of this game that he just had to give it life as a mod. This might take some time since he's also the lead designer/writer of the new Aliens RPG.
- David Gaider's mod. He's the lead writer of the new Bioware RPG Dragon Age. There's not much info about it other than this:
I finally broke down and have begun plunking away on a NWN2 module. It's rather nice, actually, with all the patches and community content out there, now -- I've spent more time downloading hakpaks and area prefabs from NWVault in the past couple of days than anything else.
My friends, of course, think I'm crazy.
Them: "Don't you do this sort of thing for a living?"
Me: "Yes."
Them: "And you're doing this for...?"
Me: "For fun."
Them: "You find this fun?"
Me: (after swearing a blue streak following the fifth unsuccessful try at getting a tile to bake properly) "Ummm... sort of."
Them: "Couldn't you just write a book or something?"
Me: "Go away."
So I'm working on Return to the Keep on the Borderlands -- which is mainly an exercise at me figuring out how the toolset stuff actually works. I am enjoying building areas far, far more than is really healthy. And can I say that I love the conversation editor? I think I can. Kudos to the DMFI team, by the way -- definitely going to include that.
Whether I actually get this done, I suppose we'll see. My queue of "games I'm supposed to play" has grown long and Dragon Age is a demanding mistress. She leaves little notes on my monitor that say "ME: #1, YOUR FUNNY LITTLE SIDE PROJECTS: #2".
It's sad, I know.
St. Martyne (3648) on 1/14/2008 9:22 AM · Permalink · Report
Those look quite interesting, although the acting in Purgatorio is noticeably worse than stellar performance of Mask. Oh, well. As for the sequel to Torment, well, I don't think I would want that. Revisiting the setting is good, but the story of the Nameless One is over, there's very little to add.
As for BG3, I'd better see him put more effort in Aliens game. After completing NWN2 I've come to understand that I had enough of traditional Forgotten Realms for the life of me.
And, DI, what about existing ones? I am currently playing Mask Of The Betrayer, so I might as well check up on some existing mods. Maybe a pointer for a good overview of them?
The Fabulous King (1332) on 1/14/2008 5:59 PM · Permalink · Report
Purgatorio is of course a non-professional work. And it's not a sequel, just thought I mention it.
As for BG3, I'd better see him put more effort in Aliens game. After completing NWN2 I've come to understand that I had enough of traditional Forgotten Realms for the life of me.
Oh don't worry, he is putting a lot of effort in the Aliens RPG. They are trying to figure out how to do an RPG that would be like the Ocean Hotel of Bloodlines and still have turn-based combat (just kidding). But try to look it from his side. He came to work in Interplay in hopes of being involved in the next Fallout project. All he got to do was Icewind Dale II. The projects where he put his heart and soul into like BG3 and Fallout 3 were cancelled. And BG3 was almost done. Now is his chance to give life to this project. Also, it was BG3 (Interplay's decision) in name only, in style and tone Black Hound would have been totally different from the freaky elvish Baldur's Gate 2.
Mods please.
Here is the list of current finished mods for NWN 2. I haven't checked them yet out so I can't give any recommendations.
St. Martyne (3648) on 1/14/2008 8:37 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Drunken Irishman wrote--]Purgatorio is of course a non-professional work. And it's not a sequel, just thought I mention it. [/Q --end Drunken Irishman wrote--]
I understand. And the acting is not even bad. It just strikes me that after playing NWN2 and Mask, looking at the familiar conversation system and graphics feels weird due to the lack of stellar voice-acting.
And I know it's not a sequel. I've done my homework, you know. And learned that the game is the first in the planned (what is it with developers these days? a virus?) trilogy, and that the game's lead has already been hired by Obsidian.
[Q --start Drunken Irishman wrote--] But try to look it from his side. [/Q --end Drunken Irishman wrote--]
I don't even have to. A game designer, which in his spare time does games he won't have profit from, obtains a God-like status in my eyes by default. ;-)
As for Forgotten Realms. It's not even style and theme I am concerned about. Mask is clearly something we haven't quite seen yet. But it's still full of continuous references to all the FR related stuff. Cyric, Lathander, Celestial beings, Ilmater, Helm, Waterdeep, red wizards, Luskan, Underdark, Drows, Icewind Dale, Ten-towns, oh well.
Another thing is that you can't have Forgotten Realms without AD&D-related stuff. That means, for example, same spells all over again, - I already cringe every time I cast Melfs Acid Arrow, Agannazar's Scorcher or Minor Globe of Invulnerability. Come to think of it, those same spells get on my nerves even more than all those Curaga, Thundaja and Fira from you-know-where.
And I won't even start on races and classes.
[Q --start Drunken Irishman wrote--] Here is the list of current finished mods for NWN 2. I haven't checked them yet out so I can't give any recommendations. [/Q --end Drunken Irishman wrote--]
Yup. Been there. Sadly no decent overview anywhere, I remember there were lots of them in the days of NWN1 modding boom. You can't just check everything and see for yourself.
Anyway, I'm not among the impatient. I'll wait.
The Fabulous King (1332) on 1/14/2008 9:09 PM · Permalink · Report
Josh Sawyer and David Gaider are also one of the few developers that participate in theoretical game design discussions with fans. That actually makes me like them even more.
Chris Avellone on the other hand spends most of his free time in Myspace, he hasn't bothered to talk with the fans since 2005.
Plus David Gaider is a Codex fan and I love when he participates there. For example there was a thread that started with the typical Bioware bashing and then he came and everyone started to worship him. That was hilarious.
Other difference between Josh Sawyer and David Gaider and Warren Spector for example in theoretical game design is that the first approaches it in the technical detailed way, the second holds writing most dear and the third is more idealistic in his approach.
St. Martyne (3648) on 1/14/2008 9:42 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
Heh. From what you say those guys sure love to talk. Let's see if they can back up their words with something substantial.
That especially concerns Warren Spector.
And, as far as I am concerned, the future of RPGs (and just great games) currently belongs to the guys, with their names ending in "ski". ;-)
Pseudo_Intellectual (66362) on 1/14/2008 10:13 PM · Permalink · Report
Another thing is that you can't have Forgotten Realms without AD&D-related stuff. That means, for example, same spells all over again, - I already cringe every time I cast Melfs Acid Arrow, Agannazar's Scorcher
The canon-breaking thing is that most of these "(x)'s Magic Thingy" spells -- Bigby, Tenser, Melf, etc., all refer to World-of-Greyhawk-specific characters from the early days of D&D playtesting. Wrong campaign setting for these spells!
St. Martyne (3648) on 1/15/2008 11:53 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
I didn't realize that. I still only vaguely imagine how a common pen-a-paper roleplaying session happens, let alone participating in one.
But what you said provides even more reasons to get rid of them.