February 2002

Neverwinter Nights Magazine Ad
Posted Saturday, February 23, 2002 - 14:13 CET by Mollusken

A two page ad for Neverwinter Nights has appeared in the gaming magazine Computer Games World. You can view a scan of the ad here.

In the Games section of Sorcerer's Place you can preorder Neverwinter Nights.

Icewind Dale II Tentative Kits List
Posted Saturday, February 23, 2002 - 11:07 CET by Tiamat

Posted by J.E. Sawyer in the Icewind Dale II Kit Discussion board.

Fighter Kits

LANDSKNECHT: Typically a heavily armored front-line fighter, the landsknecht breaks apart enemy formations and creates an offensive menace that is hard to overcome. The landsknecht focuses most of his or her expertise on brute force weapons and heavy armor.

Advantages:
* Landsknechts automatically start with a point in the two-handed weapon fighting style.
* 3rd Level: Long Reach: When using melee weapons, the landsknecht's effective reach is increased by one. E.g.: a longsword's reach goes from 1 to 2, a spear's goes from 2 to 3.
* 6th Level: Hold Ground: When activated, this ability slows the landsknecht to quarter movement. For the next five rounds, the landsknecht gains a +2 generic AC bonus and 2 points of damage reduction. This power is usable 3/day.
* 9th Level: Knockdown: When a landsknecht critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (15 DC) or be knocked unconscious for 1 round. Only living creatures can be affected by such an attack.

Disadvantages:
* The landsknecht cannot start gameplay with weapon specialization.
* The landsknecht cannot gain proficiency in bows, slings or darts. They require too much finesse for front-line fighter.
* The landsknecht cannot use shields, and cannot specialize in the weapon and shield fighting style.
* The landsknecht may never achieve grandmastery in a weapon.

COULD REPLACE FIGHTER: MERCENARY

RAVAGER: Living a life of violence, the ravager is a warrior who revels in slaughter, leaving maimed and terrified opponents in his or her wake. Unlike the barbarian, who enters a berserk state to down foes with powerful blows, the ravager inflicts awful, painful wounds on an opponent with malicious glee.

Advantages:
* 3rd Level: Vile Wounds: When a ravager critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude save (15 DC) or suffer a bleeding wound that causes 1 point of damage per round for 10 rounds.
* 6th Level: Cruelest Cuts: After activating this ability, which lasts for 3 rounds, all of the ravager's blows have an equal chance blinding the target or reducing his or her movement by 2 points unless a Fortitude save (20 DC) is made. It can be used 3/day.
* 9th Level: Chaotic Maelstrom: Once per day, the ravager has the ability to invoke a circle of quasi-magical blades similar in effect to the blade barrier spell. The ravager's chaotic maelstrom causes less damage (3d6 slashing), but the ravager is immune to the blades' effects and can move through them without fear of personal harm.

Disadvantages:
* Ravagers gain one proficiency every four levels, instead of every three.
* Ravagers lack the focus to gain grandmastery in any weapon.
* Ravagers only gain half the benefits from any healing effect (e.g., a healing spell normally gives back 8 hit points; the ravager only gains 4).

Restrictions:
* Ravagers cannot be lawful or good.

COULD REPLACE FIGHTER: WIZARD SLAYER OR FIGHTER: MERCENARY

WEAPONS MASTER: a warrior that has been specially trained to be one with his or her weapon, weapons masters are often held in high regard: in Kara-Tur they are known as kensai - 'sword saints' - and are similarly revered among the moon elves of Evereska. They are deadly and fast and are trained to fight without encumbrance, some considering armor the crutch of the martially unskilled.

Advantages:
* Bonus +1 attack bonus and Damage /3 levels.
* +2 armor bonus.
* -1 bonus to Speed Factor for every 4 levels.
* May use 'Focus' ability one time per day for every 4 levels: this ability lasts 10 seconds and makes all attacks do maximum damage.

Disadvantages:
* May not use missile weapons.
* May not wear armor.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE:

Advantage:
* Bonus +1 attack bonus and damage /3 levels. All weapons that they wield are considered +1 magical weapons for every three levels they have. Maximum +5.
* +1 generic armor bonus, +1 every three levels.
* -1 bonus to Speed Factor for every 4 levels.
* May use 'Focus' ability one time per day for every 4 levels: this ability lasts 10 seconds and makes all attacks do maximum damage.

Disadvantages:
* May not use missile weapons.
* May not use armor.
* May not use shields.
* May not specialize in weapon and shield style.
* May not use magical weapons.

WIZARD SLAYER: This warrior has been specially trained by his sect to excel in hunting and attacking spellcasters of all kinds.

Advantages:
* Each hit on opponent spellcaster increases the chance of spell disruption by 5%.
* Gains 1% magic resistance each level.
* +4 attack bonus and Damage vs. Wizards and Sorcerers.

Disadvantages:
* May not use any magic items except for weapons and armor.

Ranger Kits

ARCHER: The archer is the epitome of skill with the bow. He or she is the ultimate marksman, able to make almost any shot, no matter how difficult. To achieve their level of skill, archers sacrifice attention to melee weapons and racial enemies.

Advantages:
* Archers may achieve Mastery in missile weapons.
* Every 4 levels he or she gains the ability to make a called shot once per day. When he or she activates this ability, any shot made within the next 10 seconds is augmented in the following manner (according to the level of the archer):
4th level: -1 to attack bonus of target.
8th level: -1 to Saving Throw vs. Magic of target.
12th level: -1 to Strength of target.
16th level: +2 bonus to Damage.
These effects are cumulative.

Disadvantages:
* An archer may only become proficient in Melee weapons; he or she may never specialize.
* Archers may not select hated enemies.

GIANT KILLER: The classic heroes of countless tales throughout the Realms, giant killers are rangers who devote their efforts towards the protection of civilized lands from evil giants and their kin.

Advantages:
* +1 attack bonus per level vs. Giants, Ogres, and Trolls.
* +1 to Damage per level vs. Giants, Ogres, and Trolls.

Disadvantages:
* Giant killers may not select a racial enemy.
* Giant killers are unable to track.

STALKER: Stalkers serve as covert intelligence-gatherers, comfortable in both wilderness and urban settings. They are the spies, informants and interrogators... and their mastery of stealth makes them deadly opponents.

Advantages:
* +10% to Stealth.
* May make Sneak Attacks as if a Rogue of half the Stalker's level.

Disadvantages:
* May not wear armor greater than Studded Leather.
* May only use a Rogue's selection of weapons.

Paladin Kits

CAVALIER: The name "cavalier" represents an attitude rather than a profession. The cavalier is a fearless combatant against monstrous opponents, inspiring others with his or her fearless dedication and prowess in battle. Cavaliers always fight at the front of every battle, choosing to use close-combat melee weapons over weapons with reach.

Advantages:
* +3 Attack Bonus and Damage vs. demonic and draconic creatures.
* Remove Fear 1/day/level.
* Immunity to poison.
* 3rd level: Emotion Control: Courage 1/day.

Disadvantages:
* May not use missile weapons, halberds, or spears.
* May not use armor less than splint mail.

INQUISITOR: The inquisitor has dedicated his or her life to finding and eliminating practitioners of evil magic and defeating the forces of darkness.

Advantages:
* May use Inquisitor Dispel Magic 1/day/4 levels: ability is used at speed factor 1.
* Immune to hold and charm spells.
* 7th level: Spell Shield 1/Day.
* 9th level: Miscast Magic 1/Day.
* 15th level: Anti-Magic Shell 1/Day.

Disadvantages:
* May not use Lay on Hands.
* May not cast priest spells.
* May not use Cure Disease.

VOTARY: Grim, intensely devoted champions of their faith, votaries are the bane of all evil priests. Votaries are known for their vehement dislike for all foreign religions and their skill at dispatching the agents of such faiths.

Advantages:
* +4 attack bonus and Damage vs. Clerics and Druids.
* 1 additional spell per spell level the votary is able to cast.
* 1 additional Holy Smite per day/4 levels.

Disadvantages:
* May not use Lay on Hands.
* May not use Cure Disease.

Cleric Kits

SILVERSTAR OF SELUNE: The goddess of the moon, Selune, is popular across the Forgotten Realms. Her priests are champions of goodness and freedom. They preach tolerance and acceptance and wage war against hatred and ignorance.

Advantages:
* May cast Moon Motes (cone of electricity, 4-16 damage) 1/3 levels/day.
* May cast Moonblade 1/5 levels/day.
* May cast Wall of Moonlight 1/10 levels/day.

Disadvantages:
* Cannot turn undead.

BATTLEGUARD OF TEMPUS: Priests of the god of war can be found wherever there is conflict in the Realms. They believe that the execution of war makes civilization stronger for future generations. Battleguards act in the belief that death on the battlefield is one of the most honorable ways to die.

Advantages:
* Battleguards can use and gain proficiency in any weapon type.
* Battleguards can incite a berserk rage in themselves 1/4 levels/day.
* Battleguards can cast Prayer 1/5 levels/day.

Disadvantages:
* Battleguards cannot turn undead.

DREADMASTER OF BANE: The most feared and reviled deity in the Forgotten Realms, Bane is the lord of strife, hatred, and tyranny. His followers fight each other almost as much as enemy faiths, which is one of the prime reasons their devious priesthood has not dominated the Realms.

Advantages:
* Dreadmasters are immune to all Fear effects.
* Dreadmasters may cast Cloak of Fear 1/4 levels/day.
* Dreadmasters may cast Dominate 1/5 levels/day.

Disadvantages:
* Dreadmasters may not turn undead.

Druid Kits

AES DANA: Among the more civic-minded of druids, the aes dana are well versed in history, frequently assist war bands, and heal the wounded after battle. Druids like the aes dana are often found in the Moonshae Isles.

Advantages:
* +10 to Lore.
* 3rd level: Cure Moderate Wounds 1/Day.
* 5th level: Prayer 1/Day.
* 7th level: Recitation 1/Day.

Disadvantages:
* Cannot shapeshift into animals, only elementals at high levels.

AVENGER: A member of a special sect within a druidic order, a druid of this type is dedicated to fighting those who would defile nature. Avengers have powers the average druid does not; additional abilities that have been earned through extensive rituals, a process that is very physically draining.

Advantages:
* 3rd level: Beast Claw 2/Day.
* 5th level: Spike Growth 2/Day.
* 7th level: Thorn Spray 2/Day.

Disadvantages:
* May not shapeshift into animals, only elementals at high levels.

SHAPESHIFTER: These druids master their shapechanging abilities much more extensively than others and train intensely to increase their powers throughout their life.

Advantages:
* All normal druidic shapechanging powers.
* 9th level: shapeshift into arctic boar.
* 11th level: shapeshift into black panther.
* 13th level: shapeshift into shambling mound.

Disadvantages:
* Do not gain Poison Immunity.
* Do not gain Timeless Body.

Rogue Kits:

ARCANE ROGUE: Combining the skills of a rogue with minor magical powers, the arcane rogue is a potent scout and decoy. The arcane rogue focuses less time on lethal combat than his or her fellow rogues.

Advantages:
* +10% to Use Magic Device.
* 5th level: Invisibility 1/day.
* 9th level: Improved Invisibility 1/day.
* 11th level: Dimension Door 1/day.
* 15th level, Shades 1/day.

Disadvantages:
* -10% on all rogue skills except Use Magic Device.
* Cannot make Sneak Attacks.

ASSASSIN: This is a killer trained in discreet and efficient murder, thriving on anonymity and surprise to perform his or her tasks.

Advantages:
* May coat weapon in poison once per day per 4 levels. The next hit with that weapon will inject the poison into the target, dealing out 6 damage every 6 seconds for 30 seconds. A saving throw vs. poison limits damage to 6 total. The strength of the poison increases at 10th level. At 20th level, it also slows targets.
* +1 Attack Bonus and Damage.

Disadvantages:
* Only 15% per level to distribute on skills.

SWASHBUCKLER: This rogue is part acrobat, part swordsman and part wit... the epitome of charm and grace. A swashbuckler fights with dramatic flair and deadly precision. Due a swashbuckler's healthy sense of pride, they do not deign to learn the roguish talent for Sneak Attacks.

Advantages:
* -1 to AC/5 levels.
* +1 to Hit and Damage/5 levels.
* May specialize in any weapons available to thieves.

Disadvantages:
* Cannot make Sneak Attacks.

Bard Kits

BLADE: The Blade is an expert fighter and adventurer whose bardic acting abilities go towards making him appear more intimidating and fearsome. His fighting style is showy but also quite deadly.

Advantages:
* Blades automatically have an extra proficiency slot in the Two-Weapon fighting style.
* 3rd level: Trick Shot: When Blades critically hit, they cause Blindness (50% chance) or Slow (50% chance) for five rounds unless a save vs. death is made. Undead, constructs, and elementals are immune to these effects.
* 5th level: Offensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 attack bonus and a +2 bonus to damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.
* 7th level: Defensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 generic armor class and saving throw bonus for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.

Disadvantages:
* Only has one-half Lore value.
* Can only play the Ballad of Three Heroes bard song.

RIDDLEMASTER: This bard uses odd, confusing riddles to infuriate and dazzle opponents. As a riddlemaster gains experience, he or she learns more powerful riddles in the same manner that a traditional bard learns songs.

Advantages:
* 3rd level: The Infuriating Dilemma: This riddle is so annoying to the target that he or she goes berserk for five rounds. It is useable 3/day.
* 5th level: King's Logic: The riddlemaster presents a logic puzzle so fascinating that the target is stunned for five rounds. It is useable 3/day.
* 7th level: Gram's Paradox: All enemy creatures within 20' of the riddlemaster are confused for five rounds. It is useable 1/day.
* 9th level: Foolproof: The riddlemaster is immune to all confusion, fear, and berserk effects.
* 11th level: Conundrum: The target of this incredibly difficult riddle is subjected to a Feeblemind spell. It is useable 3/day.

Disadvantages:
* All deaf/silenced creatures, elementals, undead, animals, and constructs are immune to the riddlemaster's riddles. Creatures with Intelligence under 5 or over 19 are immune to the riddles as well. All creatures receive a saving throw vs. spell against the effects.
* Riddlemasters only gain the Ballad of Three Heroes bard song.

SKALD: This is a tribal bard who is also a warrior of great strength, skill and virtue. His songs are inspiring sagas of battle and valor, and the skald devotes his life to those pursuits.

Advantages:
* Skalds have +1 attack bonus and Damage with all weapons.
* 3rd level: Heroic Inspiration: Every time a member of the party (PC) dies, the Skald gains +1 attack bonus and damage, up to a maximum of +5. This bonus lasts as long as enemies are in view.
* 11th level: Inspire Fury: At 11th level, the Skald gains the ability to incite Blood Rage 1/Day.

Disadvantages:
* Skalds have -10% to Pick Pockets and Use Magic Device.
* Skalds gain half as many points in Pick Pockets and Use Magic Device, per level.

Sorcerer Class

Sorcerers are practitioners of magic who were born with the innate ability to cast spells. It is thought that the blood of some powerful creature flows through their veins; perhaps they even are the spawn of dragons walking in humanoid form. Regardless, the Sorcerer's magic is intuitive rather than logical. They know fewer spells than wizards, and acquire spells more slowly, but they can cast spells more often and have no need to select and prepare spells ahead of time. Sorcerers cannot specialize in magic the way wizards do. Other than these differences, a Sorcerer is very similar to the wizard.

NOTE: A sorcerer does NOT learn spells from scrolls. He chooses new spells with each level. A sorcerer's prime requisite is CHARISMA.

Hit Points per Level: 1-4
Weapons Allowed: Club, Dagger, Dart, Heavy Crossbow, Light Crossbow, Halberd, Mace, Morning Star, Quarter Staff, Spear.
Armor Allowed: None.

Monk Class

Monks are warriors who pursue perfection through contemplation as well as action. They are versatile fighters, especially skilled in combat without weapons or armor. Though monks cannot cast spells, they have a unique magic of their own. They channel a subtle energy, called ki, which allows them to perform amazing feats. The monk's best-known feat is their ability to stun an opponent with an unarmed blow.

Hit Points per Level: 1-8
Weapons Allowed: Club, Dagger, Dart, Long Sword, Mace, Morning Star, Scimitar, Short Sword, Sling.
Armor Allowed: None

Advantages:
* The monk can make 1 unarmed attack per round; he gains an additional attack every 3 levels.
* As the monk increases in levels, the damage his fists inflicts does as well:
Level 1-2: 1-6
Level 3-5: 1-8
Level 6-8: 1-10
Level 9-11: 1-12
Level 12-14: 1-12
Level 15-17: 1-20
Level 18+: 1-20

* A monk's natural armor bonus gets better as he goes up in levels. His armor bonus starts off at 11, and then increases by 1 for every 2 levels.
* Stunning blow, once per day for every 4 levels. All attacks in the next 6 seconds force the victim to save or be stunned. NOTE: this special ability automatically modifies a Monk's normal attack, no targeting needs to be done.
* Monks have the Deflect Missiles ability. This gives them a +1 to their armor bonus vs missiles for every 3 levels.
* The monk gains a +2 to save vs spells
* A monk starts off moving at +2 move, then +1 move every 5 levels.
* 5th level: Immunity to all diseases, and cannot be Slowed or Hasted.
* 7th level: Lay on Hands to heal 2 hit points per level
* 8th level: -1 to speed factor
* 9th level: +1 to all saves. Immune to charm. The monk's fist is considered a +1 weapon (+2 at 12th, +3 at 15th)
* 11th level: Immune to poison
* 12th level: Another -1 to speed factor. Fists are considered +2 weapons.
* 13th level: Quivering palm spell once per day. This spell gives them one hand attack. If they hit an opponent, the opponent must save or die. NOTE: this special ability automatically modifies a Monk's normal attack, no targeting needs to be done.
* 14th level: The monk gains 3% magic resistance per level (starts at 42% at 14th level)
* 15th level: Fists are considered +3 weapons

Disadvantages:
* No armor, limited weapon selection.

Barbarian Class

A barbarian can be an excellent warrior. While not as disciplined or as skilled as a normal fighter, the barbarian can willingly throw himself into a berserker rage, becoming a tougher and stronger opponent.

Advantages:
* They move at 2 points faster than the usual character
* Barbarians are immune to Sneak Attacks
* Can rage once per day per every 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use). Rage gives them +4 to constitution and strength for 5 rounds. Gives a 2 point armor bonus penalty and +2 to saves vs magic (for 5 rounds). Rage also gives immunity to all charm, hold, and fear spells
* At 11th level the barbarian gains 2 points of resistance to slashing, piercing, crushing and missile damage. He gains 1 additional point of resistance every 4 levels thereafter.
* The barbarian gains 1-12 hit points per level instead of a fighter's 1-10.

Disadvantages:
* A barbarian cannot wear full plate, plate mail.
* A barbarian cannot gain Weapon Mastery, High Mastery, or Grand Mastery.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Friday, February 22, 2002 - 14:45 CET by Arwen

Jay Watamaniuk, Community Manager:

NWN Accesibility Options: Interesting question. Most of the game can be run off the mouse using the radial dial system. The keyboard is used to essentially speed things up by using the Quickbar (the function buttons at the top used for fast retrieval of potions, spells etc.)and communication like Quick Chat.

Another use of the keyboard is the number pad that is laid out like the radial system allowing quicker sifting through the menus.

So the exclusive use of the mouse should be fine but you will need to be quite good with knowing where your selections are.

NWN Wednesdays: I thought I might step in here and talk about the Neverwinter Wednesday stuff as I see that many, many threads have popped up today as we were getting stuff ready to go. I remember writing up a big piece about this last week but I'll write this up as a refresher for people who missed what I talked about before.

We are releasing new stuff about NWN on Wednesdays. We can't give a specific time during the day as things come up that distract us from having any kind of idea when, exactly, that will be. We also can't be specific on exactly what is being released as we prepare different things ahead of time and they go through the approval process or demand time from specific people who may be caught in something or even out of town. While we may have an idea what will be ready, it has sometimes turned out not to be true. We also have items come back early from the approval process that we were not expecting, and so we end up going with something other than what we were expecting. We can't be specific, that's the bottom line.

I have seen the reaction to any kind of promise we have made which hit a snag and wasn't delverable. Folks were sorely disappointed and sometimes expressed themselves in ways that are not acceptable on these boards and are not representative of the vast majority of people who post here. So, having learned that lesson, I don't want to make promises that might get derailed along the way. As a result, I need to ask people to expect something on Wednesday but with no details beyond that.

I also want to avoid the whole big up and 'secret' thing as it resulted in such a strong reaction that individuals were actually threatening our moderators. Obviously that wasn't tolerated. I would rather be very shocked by that sort behavior then be expecting it as was the case when it happened.

We have a great vocal community here that comes here for information and discussion and a great, silent community that comes here to read the information and discussion. The extreme stuff isn't needed or desired by the looks of things.

Sorry about the length of this but, as always, I want to be clear.

10 questions: We have a very fine collection of specific questions from some of the most frequent posters on these boards. These are not Top 10 Questions, but specific questions from individuals that we asked...

Answers from Greg Zeschuk (with help and sage advice from Trent Oster).

Q: What is the status of the DM client and are there any major limitations with it?

[Greg] The DM client is up and running - it is currently undergoing QA testing internally. There aren't really any limitations per se - it allows you to teleport around to different maps, manipulate creatures and items in all kinds of interesting ways, and to even enter command line instructions that can be executed in the module. Overall we think it is both easy to use (with nice and simple GUI driven system) and quite powerful. Post a thread to the board if you have any specific questions that you want answered on it and we'll do our best to address your question.

Q: I know that the aim of NWN is for small one DM controlled modules. However, many are trying to link these modules together and form a kind of MMORPG-lite environment. Have any tools been created or modified with persistent worlds in mind? Or is this segment of the community going to be blazing it's own trail through script writing?

[Greg] We haven't developed specific tools with only persistent worlds in mind, instead all of the tools and code take into consideration that the game can contain multiple players and act accordingly. Some of the basic features like encounter groups scale to match the number of players in a group.

As far as linking modules together (and servers together for that matter) you're probably aware of the portal system that's been coded to allow players to travel from server to server. That's as far as we've gone at this point.

Q: How hard would it be to script an NPC raising in level, and what would the script/trigger be like?

[Greg] We've developed an easy way to script NPC leveling that will be available for review in the campaign we create. The quick non-technical summary - when a NPC levels he or she will be replaced by an identical NPC of the new desired level. It's a quick-switch maneuver that should be transparent to players (and quite effective).

Q: Just how easy (or hard) is it going to be to insert user created art? Also, is there a way to update a client from the server, installing these new objects when the server D/Ls the module, and if not, and the module says "obj01 at xxx/yyy", what shows up there if that object file is not on the client?

UPDATED - we double checked the following information and this is the updated version
[Greg] It's easy to support user created art - we're developing a system we call 'hack packs' that refers to content created by players beyond the stuff normally done in the tools (including new models, textures and animation). These hack packs are associated with specific modules within the toolset and are required on the client side for you to play that module.

If you want to play on a server running a module with a specific hack pack, you will need to have just that specific hack pack installed, prior to connecting to the server. If you don't have that hack pack installed, you won't be able to connect to the server. The client does not require the entire module. This is our current plan for initial release. If required by time pressure we will hold the hack pack support for post release.

Q: Can we have an overview on just exactly how cut scenes will be developed using the tool set? For example...will there be a scripting wizard specifically built for creating cut scenes? Can a player be forced to carry out certain actions during a cut scene? Can players be frozen while a cut scene is playing? Are cut scenes presented in letterbox format? Can you put a pitch-black screen with nothing on it except for text, to simulate a chapter title announcement? Can the camera pan across the screen following a moving object such as a squirrel? Any information regarding cut scenes will be very much appreciated.

[Greg] Cut scenes are a very complicated issue - you have to consider them in the context of a multiplayer game.

We have a movie player that will be used to compile rendered movies (as well as other graphics used to tell the story) outside the game, such as before modules - these cut scenes will be features of the campaign we ship with the game. This is the first layer of cut scenes that will be present in the full release.

For in-game cut scenes things get a little more tricky. Because there is a possibility of multiple players in a game, and there is also a possibility that all of the players aren't going to all be at the right 'spot' to trigger a cut scene we're trying a few different things to make the cut scenes viable. The first thing we're trying to do is to integrate the cut scenes into the game in real time - instead of stopping the game for the cut scenes to occur we do them as the game is running - and the player sees them from their perspective. The reason we can do this is the game AI and pathfinding is considerably more sophisticated than the Baldur's Gate series and NPCs should be able to execute their scripts to completion even if they are interrupted. With regard to actually stopping the game, we can do this (an easy way within the system is to trigger a Timestop spell and allow the characters you need to move to execute their actions) but it's not something we recommend in a multiplayer setting. Currently we're not giving specific scripting control over camera actions due to the incredibly large number of things that could break. Also, cut scenes are not letter boxed (with the exception of the rendered ones if we so choose).

Q: So what's your favorite spell affect so far? Describe it please.

[Greg] The snazziest spell effect so far is Firestorm - at its name describes it rains fiery death down on the game world with spectacular flame and explosive effects. It fills practically the entire screen with destruction, regardless of the camera positioning. Overall, it's just plain jaw-dropping.

Q: Is variable movement going to be implemented for races (Halflings, Dwarves, and Gnomes), and not just the classes (IE Barbarian and Monk)?

[Greg] Variable movement will only be in for the classes. Variable movement will not be in for races.

If that question has been already been asked or cannot be answered...

How will tower shields, not to mention partial cover, work in NWN? More importantly, will it be implemented?

[Greg] We do not account for cover in the game, and tower shields will give an AC bonus.

Q: As you may or may not know I am a big Sorcerer fan. And in big I had a lot problems searching stuff while in a battle. Lucky the pause function was there, but in NWN its not. So my question is how have (or if ) you have simplified the user interface for faster game play. So pretty much I would like you to explain how the user interface will look and how it will help us be more efficient.

[Greg] There are two things that should make casters with a lot of spells (like Sorcerers) quite happy. First, using the radial menu with the keypad is shockingly fast - once you know where the spells you frequently use are located you can get to them with a few simple taps of the keypad (all of the numbers on the keypad are assigned to each of the eight directions corresponding to the radial menus).

Understanding that the keypad/radial menu combo might not be enough - we have three levels of quickbars available at the base of the screens accessible via the function keys - F1-F12. Also, by holding Shift or Controls you will get alternate bars - giving you a total of 36 quickslots into which you can place spells, feats, and items.

As a Sorcerer you can load up your quickbars with all of your favorite spells and with relative easy they should all be one key press (or one combined key press) away.

Q: The lack of the toolset for Linux and Mac is unfortunate but understandable. It has been speculated whether the toolset is runnable under various emulators; specifically my hope lies with Wine, a Windows API emulator for Linux. What I'd like an answer to is whether anyone at Bioware has tried running the toolset under Wine, and what happened. Did it work at all? Maybe worked well? And if you managed to get it to run, will you post tips/instructions on what settings are needed for Wine to manage it?

[Greg] We have yet to try this. We'll have someone here run it and see what happens.

Q: Will the game have tutorials for the toolset, scripting, and if so, will they ship with the game or be downloadable?

[Greg] Due to time constraints we're probably not going to be able to create tutorials as lavish as we would like to ship with the game. Currently our plans include the creation of primarily online tutorials on how to build modules that will be available shortly after the release of the game. Also, we're counting on the active members of the community to help out each other by trading tips on building modules. Also - we're going to include the 'source' to all of our modules so people can see how we do things.

Emotes: There are some great emotes I have seen so far like salute and bow.
I'm not sure if an emote but, I did manage to see one of our designers making a room with a bunch of skeletons on the ground worshipping something. Looked pretty creepy.

Running/jumping: Well we were considering jumping horses that can climb but we had to cut that along the way
Your question, however, was answered correctly- you can run but cannot jump.

David Gaider, Designer:

Treasure for encounters & placed creatures: 1. Is it possible to assign treasure to placed creatures (not encounters)? For example, the goblins placed in the E3 2001 demo movie.

Yes, you can place it in their inventory.

2. For encounters, do we populate a treasure list the same way we populate the creature list? For example, can I design an encounter to drop either 1gp, 5gp, or 10gp?

Yes, you can put this in their script. We actually do this in the official campaign...we have on many creatures 'generic' treasure that we use a number of scripts to generate, assigning it a value of 'small', 'medium', 'valuable' and so on.

3. Can I, either by script or toolset design, base the treasure drop on the creature selected from the list? For example, can I configure an encounter that spawns either 1 orc, 2 orcs, or 3 orcs to load 1gp, 2gp, or 3gp depending on the creature that is spawned?

Well, sure. Using the encounter wizard, you can have a variable number of orcs spawn in, right? And then the amount of treasure that is on each of them will be determined by the random script above. Such a script could also be applied to, say, a chest... and you could very easily alter such a script to put more treasure in the chest the more orcs that were spawned in (as an example).

Tile levels: I'm no artist, beeglebug, but I know that we can have a player walk on 'top' of a building or tower that is three or four transitions high and have them 'look down' at the city below. I also know, like you mention, that several tiles (like the pits) physically go below 'ground level'.

While I can't answer just how deep a tile could potentially be constructed below ground level, it would certainly be possible to build a very high tile that looks down not only four transitions 'deep' but below ground level, as well.

I've built areas previously where I raised every tile to the fifth heigh transition...making that the new ground level, in effect (I did this to make a canyon, fyi)...so I know that can be done. Hopefully someone can come on and tell you whether there is a limitation to the depth or not, but this could work for you as well (if I'm making sense).

Height transitions per area: Ok, my bad... I thought there was a limit of five 'heights' in an area, simply because I've never worked with a full-size area, I guess. Ratbert is completely right, however...the limit is 1 height transition per tile.

I just went and made a 32x32 area and picked a point on the far right of the map and kept raising it. The result literally looks like a mountain. I was blown away. It is HUGE. A plunked down a bunch of ramps so you can climb it and jumped in-game... and the resulting feel of height is incredible.

So there is a LOT of room as to how high you can potentially make your model. The only limitation, of course, being that there is an 'edge' to the landscape that an aerial view might look kind of funny (depending on where you looked down from... I suspect a large tower in the very middle of a 32x32 map would still look impressive). There is also a limit to the distance you can see, too, even with the minimum fog effects on. Still looked fantabulous, though.

Halfling feet: Nope. Halflings don't have bare, hairy feet in 3rd edition anymore.

Armor on NPC monsters: For most of the monster animations, you will be able to give them whatever equipment you like...whether or not you will see it on their animation depends on whether or not it was set up for that creature.

For the most part, you won't see armor that you put on a creature. The majority of them, however, can display all weapon types and (often) shields. Some of the humanoid monsters that have variations to their models have varying levels of armor, tho.

As mentioned above, the sheer number of armor skins required for the player races alone prohibits this from being extended to all creatures as well.

Blade Barrier: I haven't seen the Blade Barrier spell in action in the game... but I did pull up the NWN spell description and it reads as it should. According to the description it is an offensive spell, not a defensive one, with an area effect.

Seeing as the Spell Pass has already been done, I imagine the description would have been changed if it was otherwise.

Multiple throwing weapons: No, you can only equip one throwing weapon at a time.

Stanley Woo, Quality Assurance:

D&D turn system ans combat in NWN: I'll try and give combat an explanation.

Combat is real-time. Everyone moves, and does all their actions at the same time. There is a six second round, in which, you can only do as much as you would be allowed to, based upon the 3E D&D rules.

An example:
You are playing a Sixth level fighter.
You are fighting against 4 Orcs.

In the first six seconds of combat:
You attack the first orc twice.
All four Orcs attack you.
The Guards on the other side of the map keep patrolling.
The other people exploring the module keep doing whatever they are doing.

There's no pausing, stopping, or "Turns" as in PoR2.

Craft skill rank: For the cosmopolitan gamer on the go, BioWare has included shortcuts to all your favourite parts of character creation. Has this ever happened to you?

BioWare has automated everything from recommended ability scores to recommended feat and skill selection! We'll have you going in no time!

But BioWare, you say, I don't want to play POR2! I acutlaly want to choose my skills, ability scores, and feats!

And you CAN! For the high-maintenance, detail-oriented gamer, we've included a fully operational point-buy system! Everyone from your little brother to your mom (who, buy the way, is a hottie) will be able to sit down with the game and make a character in less time than it takes to explain to your loved ones what Neverwinter's all about!

So say goodbye to limited character creation rules and awkward character sheets. Don't worry about your inability to look sohpisticated and worldly while throwing the dice. You'll never have to be ashamed of your CRPG again!

Baldur's Gate II Review
Posted Thursday, February 21, 2002 - 19:04 CET by Mollusken

Wargamer has posted a very long review of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn.

I could go on and say a lot more good things about Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, but I would rather not keep you here all day. This is an amazing RPG, and by far the best I've ever played. It offers tons of cool monsters, interesting items, powerful spells, varied quests, and a plot I really enjoyed. When considering playing Baldur's Gate 2, there are two real things to consider. First, at a bare minimum this game will suck up about 100 hours of your life; the Coalition ground forces managed to eject Iraq from Kuwait in that same amount of time. That assumes that you stick to only the necessary quests. That also assumes you never replay BG2 as a different character class or decide to be an evil character and become Amn's scourge instead of its savior. One has to wonder whether or not reading Tolstoy or spending time with friends and family (and yes role-players do have real friends and family) might not be a better use of four days of one's life. Second, this is not Diablo II; killing monsters is a lot slower and more complex than just clicking on a demon and hacking it to death. If you completed Diablo II and were left with a desire for more enemies and faster action this may not be the game for you. If, however, you looked at Blizzard's latest product and admired the artistic way in which they told the story but otherwise thought the plot was pretty weak, then you may want to head out to your nearest games shop and pick up Baldur's Gate 2.

Read the whole review at Wargamer.

NWN Progress Report
Posted Thursday, February 21, 2002 - 10:37 CET by Mollusken

IGN PC has posted a NWN progress report, which also contains a few questions and answers from BioWare's Trent Oster, Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka.

The designers and developers at Bioware are known as perfectionists, and given that Neverwinter Nights has been in development for nearly five years now, it appears as if Bioware's philosophy of fine-crafting and making sure it's right the first time will certainly be apparent yet again. But the big question still remained in our heads: "When in the hell are we actually going to be able to play this amazing sounding game?" Thankfully it appears that the long wait is nearly over!

IGNPC: What's still left to be done?

Greg Zeschuk: At BioWare we do significant story and content reworking in the final months of development based on feedback from people testing the game (this includes everyone that plays it, not just the testers). Our opinion is you can't really finish a story until you can fully experience it -- this is usually right at the end of the development process.

We also go through extreme degrees of polishing art and optimizing code. We typically work on our games for a long time, so we put a lot into prepping them to their maximum quality before we release them. We also try to fix every bug we can possibly find (this is quite a challenge considering the various hardware ranges and products that exist on the PC).

In essence -- we're making it fun!

Read the whole article here.

Icewind Dale II Interview
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 21:04 CET by Mollusken

Freelancer has done an interview with Black Isle designer Dave Maldonado. Of course the interview focuses on general aspects of the upcoming Icewind Dale II.

[Yurg] In your interview to GameSpy you mentioned a reworked interface. How does it look now? The screenshots don't show it off yet...

[Dave] We think people will be mighty pleased with the re-tooled interface. Three "final candidates" were spread around the division last week and I believe the favorite is being implemented as I speak... or write, rather! There ought to be some tasty screenshots soon enough...

[Yurg] How do our avatars look like, are there any new models, more frames of animation for PCs/NPCs/monsters? Can we hope to see some spectacular spell FX from PS:T (they really, really rocked)?

[Dave] We're using BG2's PC avatars. The new monsters and spell effects are pretty sweet, definitely up to par with the IWD work - and in some cases, even more cool!

Read the whole interview here.

NWN Druid Class Analysis
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 20:50 CET by Mollusken

Shaderaven at Neverwinter Vault continues his NWN class analysises, and this time he looks into the druid.

Living far outside of the cities, druids strive to be at one with nature. Just as clerics gain their spells from the gods, so do druids also. What separates the two though is the druid nature abilities. All druids have the ability to befriend an animal who will follow the druid as a close companion. Beyond this ability, they eventually are able to pass an area without leaving tracks and walk through even the thickest brush without difficulty. As they gain in skill, they are also granted the ability to change into the shape of a chosen animal.

Visit NW Vault for the rest.

Boards O' Magick Up!
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 18:24 CET by Sorcerer

Yes... Finally!

I know you've been just as impatient as we were. Go post now to make up for all the lost time. ;)

Site up 95%, Boards Coming Soon
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 17:43 CET by Sorcerer

Oh, here's the latest scoop.

We have 95% of everything up, so all pages EXCEPT the IWD screenshots and online walkthrough should be up already. This missing bit will be uploaded shortly.

We are currently setting up the boards as well, so they should be up in less than an hour, if everything goes according to plan.

Stay tuned...

(For those of you who missed it, our ex server had a total HD failure so we had to set up shop on a new server. 10 days of message boards activity were lost.)

Icewind Dale II Article at GameSpot
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 15:11 CET by Mollusken

In their last number of GameSpotting, GameSpot has written a small article about Icewind Dale II.

Normally, I'd use this space to gloat about how none of you could ever possibly guess the obscure game reference I just made with the title of this GameSpotting column. Instead, I'll talk about Icewind Dale II, the upcoming RPG sequel from Black Isle Studios. The company recently announced the game in an interview with GameSpot PC, and I'm definitely looking forward to it. Like Black Isle's other recent RPGs, the original Icewind Dale was based on official Dungeons & Dragons rules. But unlike any other game before it, it was up against one of the toughest competitors it could ever face: Blizzard's Diablo II. In fact, the two games were released on the same day, but Icewind Dale actually held up pretty well, since it was a solid hack-and-slash game that remained very true to its source material (at least as much as the game engine would allow).

The whole article can be found at GameSpot.

Brian Fargo Interview at GameSpot
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 15:07 CET by Mollusken

Founder and former CEO of Interplay, Brian Fargo, answers some questions over at GameSpot.

GameSpot: Thanks for talking with us. Can you tell us briefly about your reasons for leaving Interplay? How long have you been planning your departure?

Brian Fargo: I don't think it comes as a surprise that the last three to four years have been tough and certainly not fun. Somewhere along the line I ended up doing purely executive and financial management functions with very little creative, design, talent scouting, marketing, or any other work I enjoy. That said, I accepted the role I was thrust into and managed to lower the bank debt from $40 million to almost zero while still managing to maintain quality and ship some phenomenal games like Sacrifice, Baldur's Gate, Fallout, and so on. After coming very close to securing several deals for the acquisition of the company in early 2001, only to see them fail due to too many interests and then having a financing deal go sideways after Titus announced its intent to take over, I knew it was time to go.

Read the whole interview here.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2002 - 10:04 CET by Marnix

Bob McCabe, Writing & Design:

Making Maps: If you're just painting down an empty map, it's going to take you about 3 seconds - if that. If you want to me an interesting looking map, but still have nothing going on within, it's probably going to take you closer to 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how big the map is and how picky you are about the look of things (and how many times you start over to get it just right).

One thing that would make that a bit more headache-inducing late into the show, however...if you've got creatures or objects placed on a tile, you have to move or remove them before you can edit the tile. It's not really hard to just grab them, shove them over a tile or two, edit and replace.

Immortal NPC's: Characters can be flagged as mortal or immortal. The actual terminology is something like "killable", but like "placeable", that don't fly with me. The same goes for whether or not your NPCs can be attacked. Regardless, it's up to you to decide whether your NPCs are "normal" or not. And for all of the arguments against using it, a single-player game with no DM can end pretty quickly if you accidentally kill the character that gives you all of the quests.

David Gaider, Designer:

Planar Tilesets: Just a comment...I've seen a few people sometimes requesting planar tilesets, and I'd just like to point out something. Keep in mind that we're not only developing the D&D ruleset but that we do have an official setting, as well...the Forgotten Realms. This does not include Planescape, Greyhawk, Kara-Tur, Spelljammer, Ravenloft, or any other campaign setting.

I'm not saying it's impossible that we would ever expand beyond the FR license, but the fact is that the FR setting as it stands is what NWN is being developed for.

If there is an expansion, I've no doubt that it will likely involve some new tilesets. Whether there is an expansion, however, and what it will contain has yet to be determined. All I'm saying, however, is that NWN is specifically based in the Forgotten Realms...not in the D&D universe at large. Planescape may be adjacent to and reachable by people in the FR, sure...as is Greyhawk (technically), Ravenloft and the others...but that NWN is being developed specifically for the FR setting, itself (and, yes...arctic, desert, jungle and other types of tilesets would be part of the FR, I'm not referring to those).

It would be nice to do some planar tilesets and so forth...what's a good D&D game without an occasional jaunt to the planes? We are not restricted from adding in elements from Spelljammer or Planescape, sure, but the priority will be developing the FR setting and not the D&D Universe at large. I'm in no position to rule it out, of course...I just thought I would urge caution to some who may be expecting a bit much in terms of the setting scope.

Penguins: I don't know how they got in there...but, yes, oddly enough there are penguins.

Boats: You can get on the ship. Not sure if there is anything that would qualify as a really good boat interior. You could probably put something together with the interior tiles that would look good. There are both docked ships as well as a ship that is entirely surrounded by water.

There's no moving water animation that I've seen (except on the fountains and waterfalls and such)... we've no plans on including ship travel with this release, so it's hard to justify a reason to include it. There might be some coastal sound effects, but only Dave Chan would know for sure.

I set up an area, myself, and put the ship on it...it definitely looks like you're on a ship at sea that way (fog's nice, too). It does not really look like the ship's in motion, tho... no effects that can think of that would fake it, either, unfortunately.

Swords: Flipping through the list of weapon types, we have:

Bastard Sword
Greatsword
Longsword
Rapier
Scimitar
Short Sword
Two-Bladed Sword

Each have their own unique selections for their appearance, though some have more options than others.

Making Modules: Basically, you spend very little time putting together the actual tiles for the maps. A lot of stuff that you do often (like area transitions) is mostly automated... so you can create large areas that connect to each other fairly swiftly. Background scenery is, more or less, painted in...it takes literally no time at all.

Once you start adding placeable objects to a map, it takes a bit more time. I find this part enjoyable, tho, as it adds a lot of detail and makes things come to life. Even right now, there's a whole pack of 'standard' items and creatures that you could literally just drop in wherever you'd like.

The time-consuming parts could be considered the following:
- dialogue (it CAN be simple... but can also be as complicated as you like. Fortunately we've got some generic dialogues that the module-maker can use and edit as he wishes, making dialogue a lot easier. This will allow you to create an assortment of simple plots, information-providing NPC's and ambient characters without even having to know how to script or have good dialogue structure.)
- creating creatures (the wizard can make this very simple... and you can spend as much or as little on the details as you like)
- scripting (this CAN be a big one... it all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. There are a lot of scripts included and annotated that you can use or modify right off the bat. If you have really complex things in mind, it can take a while).
- journals (you don't have to use these...but the ability is there, and it's a great way of rewarding XP. If you have a DM overseeing a game, tho, even that's not necessary.)

Hmmm... can't think of other things right off the bat. Naturally, we spend a lot of time on dialogue and scripting and going through and making sure everything just so... and it'll be no different for any end-user who wants to make a very complicated and large campaign. It doesn't have to be so complicated, however, is my point... and fortunately the simple stuff is easy and all your time can be devoted to the stuff that really makes a difference in your module.

Changing Maps: You can alter the map at any time. All you need to do is have the 'map' function on the painter selected and you can edit away.

Trap-setting: There are two ways to set traps:

1) by laying down a poly trigger (same as BG2) that has a script attached.
2) by applying a trap script in the Trap section of containers & placeable objects.

At current glance, there are 4 categories of pre-cooked trap scripts... Average, Minor, Strong, and Deadly... each with about 10 different scripts in them.

Placeable Walls: No walls as placeable objects, no. Not a bad idea... but I'm wondering how it would be possible to make a believable fit between actual tile walls.

Unless the plan is to put down walls on their own so, say, a building was demolishable or something. Not sure how that would work. At any rate, there's nothing like that in the objects currently.

Current testing-char: Still using my female bard, at the moment. I'm loving some of the animations that can play... walked into a tavern that Preston had put together and I was really struck at how cool it looks to have all the people physically look like they're talking/arguing/pleading and such. Scripting the emotes works really well (pounded down a door in the bordello to be greeted by the courtesan and her customer angrily shaking their fists at me and displaying all kinds of angry text... that looked really cool. I actually felt like I had intruded.)

Had a good laugh when a certain naughty erinye in a certain tower didn't recognize that my character was female... although I guess demonesses are allowed to be a bit racy, eh?

Monsters & Equipment: Yes, to close out the thought, the biped set can also wield any-and-all armor and weaponry.

For most of the monster animations, you will be able to give them whatever equipment you like...whether or not you will see it on their animation depends on whether or not it was set up for that creature.

For the most part, you won't see armor that you put on a creature. The majority of them, however, can display all weapon types and (often) shields. Some of the humanoid monsters that have variations to their models have varying levels of armor, though.

As mentioned above, the sheer number of armor skins required for the player races alone prohibits this from being extended to all creatures as well.

You could add the armor onto the giant, but most likely you wouldn't see a corresponding change in the giant's model. He still gets all the proper effects from wearing said armor, though.

If you didn't want the player to be able to take/use that armor, you could mark it as 'non-droppable' so it won't appear on his body. Otherwise the player could take it and wear it as per normal.

Giving the giant weapons, however, would make them appear on the model properly.

Nathan Frederick, Quality Assurance:

Toolset Facelift: The toolset is currently undergoing a gui/interface facelift.
Anything shown to you right now, would look nothing like what you get to use.

Jonathan Epp, Quality Assurance:

Fences: Yes, you can shoot arrows and cast spells on people when there is a fence between you and your target.

Brenon Holmes, Programmer:

Visuals: Perception is relative, it's entirely based on what you see and hear as a player, not on what other people see... each creature has a unique perception of the world. However the visual effect system used in the scripting language is an entirely different beast altogether as it simply applies effects to objects with no thought as to relative perception or anything of the sort... something either exists or it doesn't. However as David mentioned this is something that has been brought up by design so we'll probably be looking at this at some point...

Site Upload Details
Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2002 - 20:23 CET by Sorcerer

I was hoping that I would have everything up by now, but alas, it was not meant to be. The guy that was supposed to upload the backup of the message boards (and the rest of the Games files) has been gone all day so all I could do was finish uploading the BG2 subsection and upload the base of the IWD1 subsection.

So currently the PoR, Torment and NWN subsections are still down completely. Boards are also down. IWD1 subsection is up, sans the screenshots and the online walkthrough.

I expect that all of this will be up in the next 24 hours, but since this is totally out of my hands, I can only wait.

And please, tell everyone you know who visits SP to read the notices such as this one on the front page. By the amount of mails I'm getting telling me that this or that is down, you'd think no one bothers to check the front page.

Icewind Dale 2 Forum Update
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 21:49 CET by Tiamat

J.E. Sawyer, Lead Designer

Race/Class-Restrictions: The multi- and dual-class options available in IWD2 will be the same as in IWD. Currently, classes still use 2nd Ed. race/class restrictions, with a few notable changes (elves can be druids, duergar can be cleric/rogues). This may be loosened more over time, but there are a few things that are highly unlikely to change:
* Races that do not use human avatars will not be able to be monks. There are no monk avatars for demihuman races.
* Races will not be allowed to take new multi- and dual-class combos like ranger/bards or druid/bards or paladin/clerics.

Kit Restrictions: It operates in the same manner as BG2. Dual-classed characters will be able to start with a kit, then hop over to the new class. I'm not sure how equipment restrictions work once the original class has been passed.

Will dual-classed characters be able to choose a kit for their second class? No.

Will a dual classing character have minimum ability score requirements to dual No.

Is it true that paladins and bards can’t be dualed from or to? That is correct.

Can you dual to or from the 3E classes? No, I do not believe so. You may be able to dual from barbarian, as it is technically a fighter kit (yes, I know that is listed separately, but in code, it is a fighter using a kit).

Undead Hunters: There are nowhere near enough undead in the game to justify the existence of the Undead Hunter. The undead are actually scarce enough that the cleric kits currently have the least troublesome disadvantage in the game.

Will there be Insane Mode? Yes, I mean as an option. And I never "tout" level limits. Honestly, who really cares what level you do or don't get to?

Point Buy: The point value is easy to change. I would prefer that it start a little lower, but not everyone believes in my stoic outlook on RPGs. HAW HAW.
Please kill me.

Kit Ideas: Here are some more kit ideas for your disapproval:

Landsknecht: Typically a heavily armored front-line fighter, the landsknecht breaks apart enemy formations and creates an offensive menace that is hard to overcome. The landsknecht focuses most of his or her expertise on brute force weapons and heavy armor.

Advantages:
* Landsknechts automatically start with a point in the two-handed weapon fighting style.
* 3rd Level: Armor Optimization: Landsknechts are masters of scavenging and piecing together bits of armor. Even without armor, the landsknecht layers his or her clothing and equipment in such a manner that they constantly have a +1 generic bonus to their armor class.
* 6th Level: Knockdown: When a landsknecht critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (15 DC) or be knocked unconscious for 1-3 rounds.
* 9th Level: Critical Attack: Activating this ability causes the landsknecht to lose one attack per round, but all attacks during this time receive a +2 bonus to critically hit.

Disadvantages:
* The landsknecht cannot gain proficiency in bows, slings or darts. They require too much finesse for front-line fighter.
* The landsknecht cannot use shields, and cannot specialize in the weapon and shield fighting style.
* The landsknecht gains proficiencies at a reduced rate, once every four levels.

Ravager: Living a life of violence, the ravager is a warrior who revels in slaughter, leaving maimed and terrified opponents in his or her wake. Unlike the barbarian, who enters a berserk state to down foes with powerful blows, the ravager inflicts awful, painful wounds on an opponent with malicious glee.

Advantages:
* Ravagers are immune to the effects of fear.
* 3rd Level: Vile Wounds: When a ravager critically hits an opponent, the target must make a Fortitude save (15 DC) or suffer a bleeding wound that causes 1 point of damage per round for 10 rounds.
* 6th Level: Cruelest Cuts: After activating this ability, which lasts for 3 rounds, all of the ravager's blows have an equal chance blinding the target or reducing his or her movement by 2 points unless a Fortitude save (20 DC) is made.
* 9th Level: Spirit Blades: Once per day, the ravager has the ability to invoke a circle of spirit blades similar in effect to the blade barrier spell. The ravager's spirit blades cause less damage (3d6), but the ravager is immune to the blades effects and can move through them without fear of personal harm.

Disadvantages:
* Ravagers start game play with two weapon proficiencies.
* Ravagers lack the focus to gain grandmastery in any weapon.

Restrictions:
* Ravagers cannot be lawful or good.

Can single class thieves get 2 points in Single Weapon Style? Yes.

Who in will be using a single one handed weapon without a shield? People who like doing double damage more often.

Halflings: Hmm... I actually can't think of any halfling NPCs in IWD2. A few dwarves and gnomes, but no halflings come to mind.
Oh, wait. Yes, there is a halfling in Targos. He's the only one, though.

Deep Gnome: The Deep Gnome may be changed to more by-the-book stats, depending on how the bonuses for various ability scores work out. The listed specs were based on the original stats, in which wisdom and charisma were big fat throw-away scores.

Weapon Styles: Four weapon styles have been implemented:

Weapon & Shield Style:
One Slot: +1 to AC when shield is equipped.
Two Slots: +2 to AC when shield is equipped.

Single Weapon Style:
One Slot: +1 bonus to Critical Hit when single weapon is equipped.
Two Slots: +2 bonus to Critical Hit when single weapon is equipped.

Two Handed Weapon Style:
One Slot: +1 to Damage when two-handed weapon is equipped.
Two Slots: +2 to Damage when two-handed weapon is equipped.

TWO WEAPONS: This weapon class allows the character to fight using two weapons.

One Slot: Penalties for two-weapon fighting are reduced to -2 for the primary weapon, -6 for the secondary weapon.
Two Slots: Penalties are reduced to 0, -4.
Three Slots: Penalties are reduced to 0, -2.

I'm not sure if the two-weapon fighting style description is accurate, but the others should be.

The Blade Kit: Currently, the Blade kit has been implemented as listed:

BLADE: The Blade is an expert fighter and adventurer whose bardic acting abilities go towards making him appear more intimidating and fearsome. His fighting style is showy but also quite deadly.

Advantages:
* Blades automatically have an extra proficiency slot in the Two-Weapon fighting style.
* 3rd level: Trick Shot: When Blades critically hit, they cause Blindness (50% chance) or Slow (50% chance) for five rounds unless a save vs. death is made. Undead, constructs, and elementals are immune to these effects.
* 5th level: Offensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 attack bonus and a -2 penalty to damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.
* 7th level: Defensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 to Armor Bonus and Saving Throws and a -2 attack bonus penalty and Damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.

Disadvantages:
* Only has one-half Lore value.
* Can only play the Ballad of Three Heroes bard song.

There has been some rending of beards and garments among the flower of France because of the Blade's OS and DS. How would you feel if the OS and DS were changed as follows:

* 5th level: Offensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 attack bonus and a +2 bonus to damage for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.
* 7th level: Defensive Spin: When a Blade activates this ability, he or she gains a +2 generic Armor Class and Saving Throw bonus for ten rounds. He or she can use this ability 3/day.

Offensive Spin: It does not increase their BAB, just their total attack bonus. People were right, though, the blade was losing bard songs and gaining a power that gave equal bonuses and penalties. That's not a good trade. The bard's songs are "pure cream" -- except for the fact that the bard is occupied playing them. The blade's powers should be a little less powerful, but shouldn't occupy his or her time.

Blade Songs: After a little further thought, I think the blade should also get the Siren's Yearning and War Chant of Sith at 9th and 11th levels, respectively. He/she would still lose access to the Tale of Curran Strongheart, Tymora's Melody, and the Song of Kaudies. That makes the benefits/disadvantages a little more even. Does that sound reasonable?

The Blade and Lore: He does get half lore value, which is a powerful blow to a bard.

Is the Blade's only thief skill pickpocketing? And Use Magic Device.

The Riddlemaster: The riddlemaster is a master of knowledge and, in that aspect, I think the kit fits the spirit of the bard quite well. Bards are performers and the kings of obscure knowledge. The riddlemaster excels at obscure knowledge at the cost of performance abilities. That's the way I look at it, anyway.
Well, that and the fact that the riddlemaster is just a cool concept, IMO.

XP Table: Currently, all characters use the 2nd Ed. fighter's XP table. Priests and rogues got significant boosts to their abilities that arguably put them on par with the weakened warrior classes. Wizards are still wizards, and they have spell disruption now, but they don't advance as slow as the mystics from Dark Crystal.
*waits for explosion*
However, this could change. When Daddy Weirbucks did a conversion of all the creature files to support 3E saving throws, we included something that gave each creature a 3E Challenge Rating based off of the XP they granted. It's not a terrific 100% conversion, but it always comes within 1 CR of a creature's 3E counterpart. We could use 3E CRs, but that still doesn't solve the messy multiclassing issues.

The Captain: Well, this kit seems to be going over like a lead zeppelin. BTW, it has not been implemented yet.
I wouldn't write the captain off completely, but, put it on the back of some list somewhere.

Voice Acting: It would, indeed, be great. And extremely, extremely expensive. We love, love, love to have a lot of good VO in our game. However, given a budget of X dollars, we would rather have 5 very good actors doing a small number of parts than 20 so-so actors doing many parts.

Are race-class combinations open? That is quite possible, but it has not been decided upon. Not everything can be opened up -- demihuman monks, for instance.

Adding New Multi-classes: We have considered it, but the odds of it happening are looking slim at this point in time. We only have one programmer on the project, and he's devoting most of his time towards fixing bugs. Darren Monahan, our producer, is also quite a programmer, but he has to balance occasional programming tasks with managing the team.

Will humans be able to multiclass, and the other races dual class? Quite possibly.

XP Penalties: Yes. You will only be one level behind "other" multiclassed characters. When you reach 10th level, the penalty is lifted, and you should stay one level behind the other characters for the rest of the game.

Will the Forest Gnome be Implemented? Possible, but highly unlikely.

Icewind Dale 2 Forum Update
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 21:19 CET by Tiamat

JE Sawyer, Lead Designer

IWD2 Logo: I figured some of you guys might like to see the IWD2 logo at a decent resolution. Here ye go: http://feedback.blackisle.com/images/iwd2logo.jpg


Sub-Races are Overpowered: The testers have, to date, disagreed with you. People play standard elves as often as dark elves, shield dwarves as often as duergar, humans as often as tieflings.
Being a level lower than everyone else as a single classed character is annoying.

How big a difference will the XP penalty make? It will make exactly one level of difference, actually. A moon elf fighter with 250,000 XP can be 9th level with his or her standard bonuses. A dark elf fighter with 125,000 XP is 8th level and gets an additional +2 to intelligence, faerie fire 3/day, magic resistance, day blindness, and vulnerability to fire spells.
BTW, the reason the penalty ends at 10th level is to keep dark elves and other races one level behind everyone else, instead of many levels behind everyone else. If they kept their penalties, the moon elf fighter above would be 20th level with 3,000,000 XP and the dark elf would be 14th level with 1,500,000 XP. That's a little severe.

Racial Bonuses: We're not bowing at an altar, here. Not all racial bonuses and penalties can be implemented according to the FRCS totem pole. In fact, the deep gnome's Non-Detection power (and Non-Detection in general) downright screws up the whole game when combined with Invisibility. Drow cannot levitate or cause globes of darkness to appear. Ghostwise halflings cannot telepathically communicate with other halflings (and even if they could, how often would that come into play?). In the course of adding and subtracting the various powers that sub-races can and cannot have, we find ourselves balancing according to what is left of their abilities.

2nd Edition Multiclassing: 2nd edition multiclassed characters will, in the vast majority of cases, be superior to any single classed character you can come up with.
A 7/7 fighter/mage is better than an 8th level fighter AND an 8th level mage -- even if you take high mastery into account. A dual-classed fighter/mage is superior to that, since you can milk all the grandmastery benefits as well. This is why so many people dual-class characters from fighter to another class. This is also why I loathe 2nd Ed. multiclassing. Kits should be compared to the base class, not to multiclassing. If you do that, you may make the startling revelation that 2nd ed. multiclassing is really really really really dumb.

The Captain Kit: It seems to be pretty useful in IWD2. There aren't as many undead creatures in our game. I can ask the testers again, but they seemed to like it.

The Ninja kit is mammals-only: It simply limits the ninja kit to mammal races. Only mammals possess the ability to a) be totally awesome b) flip out and kill anyone.

Realistic Weapon Purchase: "Realistically", a mopey blacksmith in Kuldahar shouldn't even have +3 weapons to sell you. If he did, he wouldn't be in Kuldahar. We suspended that bit of realism to give the player access to nice store weapons. In exchange, we took away the "realism" of being able to slaughter him and take all of his items.

Magical Armor: There are very few suits of magical armor in the game greater than chain mail.

Point Buy: The point totals aren't finalized yet.

Why IWD2 is not a 3E game: 1) Feats. Take a lot of time, hard to implement well.
2) Skills. Not so much programming time, a lot of designer time.
3) True 3E multiclassing. A hell of a lot of programming, design, and QA time.
Those are the three main reasons. If we could implement those, we'd only be missing bits and pieces -- oh, and attacks of opportunity, which I doubt many people would miss.

Stat Increases: The vast majority of statistic increasing effects in 3E are enhancement bonuses. Instead of subdividing effects for those 10% of items and spells that grant goofy bonuses, we just lumped them all together.
Besides, some of those different bonus types are often used in the most cheesy ways imaginable. Check out the Armor of Command in Defenders of the Faith. That's just ripe for abuse by a paladin or blackguard with a Cloak of Charisma.

The Haste Spell: Haste will give one character one additional attack. Improved Haste (6th or 7th level, I believe) will give all allies in an area of effect one additional attack.

Does Defensive Harmony render Defensive Coordination redundant? No, since generic AC bonuses always stack with each other. We may place a cap on generic AC bonuses to keep AC within the realm of the sane, but generic AC bonuses need to stack to be the "catch-all" of bonuses.

The Captain Kit: Would you guys rather have an Improved Forced March as a 9th level ability instead of Defensive Coordination? Defensive Coordination would be removed entirely. I think the captain is reasonably balanced, as written. Adding another power on would stretch that.

Saving Throws: Did I mention that we are using 3E saves and DCs? When a spell is cast at a character, their saving throw must meet or exceed the DC of the spell being cast. The spell DC is 10 + spell level + ability score bonus.
Ability score bonus is the 1 for every two points above 10, -1 for every two points below 11. It is based on your class. A mage with an 18 intelligence increases the DC of his or her spells by +4. A bard with a 16 charisma increases the DC of his or her spells by +3.
A mage with a 20 intelligence casting Abi-D's Horrid Wilting would force a save with a 10 + 5 + 8 = 23 DC. High level characters have a good chance of making the save, but the difficulty does increase.

Kevin Osburn, Line Producer

Interface Screenshots: Once the interface is done we will release some screenshots detailing the functions of the buttons. The interface is coming together now, and it looks great.

Site Fix Report
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 19:11 CET by Sorcerer

We're making progress, albeit more slowly than I expected. Unfortunately the bulk of the site (all Games subsections except BG and IWD2, and the whole message boards) is still down.

I'm waiting for the guy who has that 10 day old backup to upload all of that, so I can do nothing but wait.

Please bear with us a while longer...

More Financial Trouble For Interplay
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 18:51 CET by Mollusken

The following was announced in a press release from Interplay:

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interplay Entertainment Corp. (Nasdaq: IPLY - news) announced today that it received a ``deficiency notice'' from the Nasdaq Staff dated February 14, 2002, stating that for the last 30 consecutive trading days, Interplay's common stock has not maintained a minimum market value of publicly held shares of $15,000,000 and a minimum bid price per share of $3.00 as required for continued listing under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules 4450(b)(3) and 4450(b)(4), respectively. Additionally, Interplay does not meet Nasdaq's alternative listing requirements, which require, among other things, that Interplay have a stockholders' equity of $10 million, a minimum market value of publicly held shares of $5,000,000 and a minimum bid price per share of $1.00. Interplay has been provided 90 calendar days, or until May 15, 2002, to regain compliance. Interplay intends to make every effort to regain compliance prior to the May 15, 2002, deadline. If Interplay fails to regain compliance, the company expects to be notified by Nasdaq that its securities will be delisted.

The whole press release can be found at Yahoo.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 18:45 CET by Arwen

Jay Watamaniuk, Community Manager:

User-made content: We have given considerable thought to how players will be able to add new art, sound, and music content to the modules they create. We have a designed a system that we think should make people happy. I'm not going to discuss it though until we've totally nailed it down though. Once we've got it totally figured we'll be sharing it with all of you.

With regard to tools such as GMAX used to create art - it's something we're certainly open to (and coincidentally we use 3DS MAX for all of our 3D development at BioWare) and we will consider when the time is right.

People will be able to create their own AI scripts within our toolset - we are shipping a basic text editor and compiler that will make creating scripts fairly easy (it includes descriptions of commonly used functions and similar little features to make script creation more smooth).

More details on Henchmen: a. You can only have one henchman. You can have a total of five types of companions, but only one of each type. Therefore you could have one henchman, one summoned monster, one animal companion, one familiar and one dominated monster.

b. Yes, they can level up, BUT this is a designer scripted function. There is no built in level up system for henchmen (as in BG). What we do is replace the henchmen with a new higher level version of the henchmen when you ask him to level up through dialogue.

c. There are no built in features to support henchmen at this time. All of a henchman's actions must be done through scripting and dialogue. We'll probably include a henchman template that mimics the actions of our campaign henchmen.

How many people/monsters/items can be onscreen: This is a very difficult question to answer in an accurate fashion. Right now we are still optimizing the engine on a daily basis so our benchmark changes. The largest issue with creature numbers is the hardware you have running the game. For our extremely low minimum spec system (PII 300mhz, TNT2, 96Mb of Ram) you can turn down the graphical detail to bring up the frames per second the game is rendering. For a higher end system you can turn on every graphical option and witness NWN in full glory. It is possible on a high end system to cover the entire visible area with creatures if you so desire. On a lower end system to keep performance up it is best to limit the number of creatures in one area to a more reasonable level.

Screenshots and movies: We apologize for the relatively quiet period in PR recently - this will change momentarily (in fact, it probably has already by the time you read this!). Out of courtesy to our new publisher, Infogrames, we wanted to ensure we approached future PR for Neverwinter in way that was consistent with both BioWare's and Infogrames' preferences and goals. We've now met several times with Infogrames staff, and the great news is that we are both very excited about the potential of Neverwinter, and we have a plan worked out for the PR on the game - hence, the PR (screen shots, movies, community site, and a few very cool surprises in the next couple of months) will be rolling out soon! We have a lot of great ideas that we're looking forward to providing to our fans.

Chat: For chat you have the basic options such as shout, whisper (which is also tell), a normal chat mode, an OOC(Out Of Character) chat, a party wide chat and a special DM chat. As a user you can toggle which messages appear in your chat display. You also have the option of splitting your chat into two panes and setting different filters per window. You can for instance set it up so all the in-game combat rolls appear in one panel and only party chat appears in the other window. Right now all chat types are enabled and server operators do not have the option of disabling them. This has been a request from our fan base in the past and if we can fit it in before ship we will.

NWN for a console system like Xbox: This is a really interesting idea - one that we have and will certainly talk about with our publisher, Infogrames. In many ways Neverwinter has always been designed with other systems in mind - after all the game is being co-developed for Mac and Linux, for example, and the interface (the radial menu system) is one that would potentially work well with a console controller. We don't have any specific plans at this time for the Xbox but it would be something well worth exploring - the Xbox is a great system and one that BioWare definitely plans to support as a company.

Minimum specs: Definitely not! We want Neverwinter Nights to be playable by as many people as possible! Just because we support slower systems doesn't mean that the game won't look amazing on higher end systems. Our graphics group is working very hard to make the graphics engine in Neverwinter Nights extremely scalable - the game will look good on a lower end system, but it will look sizzling on a higher end system.

Number of CDs: We're still working out how our data will be arranged. We haven't received all of the final voice, music, and sound effects so we aren't able to determine how we're going to structure the data on the final version (this is something we learned from the Baldur's Gate series). Our goal is certainly to use less CDs than the Baldur's Gate games.

Our publisher, Infogrames, would be responsible for determining if Neverwinter Nights will also be shipping on DVDs. I'm quite certain we're never going to ship on DVD only (CDs are still the essential media for most gamers), but there's also no reason why Neverwinter Nights won't be able to ship on DVD that I'm aware of. I believe it will end up being a Marketing and Sales decision.

Importing of BG and BGII characters: In NWN we will not be supporting the importing of BG characters. In the past we had expressed a desire to do so, but after recent events we revisited the earlier decision. We now have a slight conflict regarding this feature, as NWN in published through Infogrames and the BG line of games are published by Interplay. We also found this planned feature to be somewhat redundant after we noticed our QA team had already re-created all their favorite character from the past using the toolset.

Expansion packs features: I have to be honest. At this time the entire team has a serious case of tunnel vision. Every thought is on how to get NWN finished and polished to a level we are happy with.
After NWN releases we will all take a break and then we can start thinking again about the future.

Derek French, Assistant Producer:

Graphics placeholders for custom graphics: Custom content needs to be in a hackpack. If you don't have the hackpack, you won't be able to connect to the server.

This does not affect portraits as those are downloaded to the client a la Half-Life decals.

On faction values :I think a system from 1 to 100 offers a good range. Baldur's Gate and BGII used a much smaller range for one global reputation.

Sheathing weapons: In the cities you typically get a negative reaction when you talk to someone with a drawn weapon. In the city of Neverwinter you usually have to put your weapons away in order to get useful dialogue.
It will take time to sheath and draw weapons, so make your decisions before you enter combat.

Toolset vs scripting: The goal with the toolset was to release an adventure development environment where you could quickly create simple adventures. With added skill, time and desire you could create more in-depth adventures. In the end, we use the same tool you will be using. We have writtien many of the generic scripts required for basic adventures and many more complex scripts for specific plots. So you should be able to create an adventure without ever looking at the scripting language, but if you can script you can do everything we can.

Scripted events: We provide a number of events which can fire of specific scripts, such as onattacked and ondisturbed (failed pickpocket, etc...) These event scripts are much more efficient than basic heartbeat scripting so I would encourage you to think of things in a more event based framework. Heartbeat scripts have some overhead, not a large amount, but when you load an area with NPC characters all running complex heartbeats you will notice a framerate hit.
We still have a lot of optomizing to do so I can't even attept to give an accurate picture of the hit. (to head off the next question in advance)

David Gaider, Designer:

Scripting and NWToolset: I posted another message like this, before, calming down someone who had the same concerns you do. I wish I could link to it.

At any rate, let me say a few things that may alleviate your concerns...

First off, the language isn't based on C++...it's based on C. There's no object-oriented stuff involved, and it's fairly easy to get the hang of. Easy for me to say, right? I do this for a living? Not really.

I came onto NWN from the SW project not having a single clue about scripting. I knew a couple of basics about C programming from a course I took last summer...but that didn't give me much of an advantage except that I knew that you didn't put a semi-colon after every statement (but I couldn't remember which ones you did and which ones you didn't).

I learned the basics of scripting without anyone showing me how to do it in about two days. Mostly I looked at the vast array of generic scripts that are available in the toolset...all of them are heavily commented to instruct you on how they work and what they do. If I was stuck on a script, I could easily scroll through the generics and find something that gave an example of what I wanted.
The script editor has built-in debugging for the grammar, as well. This is expected, I guess...but I didn't have it when I was scripting for BG2, and grammar is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome for a beginning scripter. In the BG2 script editor, if I mixed up the Object and Target in a command, it didn't tell me that that was my problem and point out the line where the problem occurred...it just said I had an error.

The basic scripting I learned works for about 80% of the scripting I do. Occasionally I run into something a bit more complex...and at that point I again look for an example, work through it based on the list of commands (most of them are self-explanatory...what would you suppose ActionGiveItem() does?) or change what I want to do so it's a bit simpler.

Don't get me wrong...there is no way we can put together a wizard which will script for you and make things easy like the wizards for mapping and module-making. There IS a learning curve involved...and people who are already familiar with C will have an easier time making advanced scripts off the bat. It just appears more intimidating than it is, however. Trust me... after a few days working with the script, you'll look at stuff like the code you posted and automatically be translating it in your head to English (or whatever language you happen to speak).

Bows: There are both longbows and shortbows...quite distinguishable from each other even at a glance. Both, as well, have three 'areas' (top, middle, bottom) which have four appearance settings each. These change things like the appearance and elaborateness of the grip, the shape of the bowshaft itself and any ornamentation on the the top...giving you bows from plain jane to some elaborate double-shafted bow with ivy swirls and curls ends (or anything inbetween).

Each area may also be set to one of three colors (light brown, dark brown, grey).

The end combination of appearances and colors gives you not only a different icon but is represented in the bow on the character, as well.

Bow animations (off-topic): I know. I keep telling the animators you don't use a bow by smacking the enemy over the head with the shaft repeatedly... but they never seem to learn.

Custom appearance: All the menus for selection of creature faces & weapon appearance and such were recently changed to drop-down menus... primarily, I assume, to make it easier to use custom material.

Does EXP have to = Combat: You can tie XP rewards to a plot through the toolset's journal system and give the players XP through scripting... none of that involves killing anything.

Monks: From personal experience, a monk with high stats is THE most powerful character in the lower levels. Only when the party starts getting higher in level does the monk lose a bit of power... simply due to the fact that his fists don't become magical weapons (for purposes of penetration) for a long time.

A Monk with at least a decent Wisdom has as good an AC as a heavily armored fighter, has Flurry of Blows for a decent number of attacks, stunning attack and Improved Trip that he can use with any of those attacks, extra fast speed, he can heal himself...

...the Monk is basically a ninja, hands down.

As for how the Monk will translate into NWN, exactly, remains to be seen. We are not here to balance the 3rd edition ruleset, tho... any balancing we will do is with regards to how those classes are translated onto the computer.

Designing scriptable romances with henchfolk you travel with: Triggering conversations at certain spots many not work if the PC doesn't visit those spots. Triggering conversations on timers might mean you have a romantic conversation in the midst of a real time battle.

What you have to keep in mind, though, is that NPC's don't initiate dialogue...not even if they're henchmen. You can have them speak or display a line that might indicate to the player that they wish to speak, perhaps...but they can't initiate a dialogue tree on their own.
So a romance written via henchmen will work the same was as an NPC romance. It requires the player to initiate dialogue and progress the romance. You can engineer timers (or other prerequisites) in the dialogue script that 'reveal' new dialogue paths whenever conditions are right, if you want to have the romance progress over time.

So no mushy stuff as a brigade of umber hulks descends upon the party.

Issuing quests: That's essentially correct...your NPC cannot start into a dialogue sequence without the player's initiation. They can start a 1-box dialogue (a dialogue that has no responses selectable by the player) or they can display strings over their head (and these can get as complex as you like, via scrpting...and it's an easy command).

So you could have a quest initiator approach the player and say 'Excuse me, adventurer... might I have a word with you?'. Perhaps wait a moment and, if still not selected, "I have an offer that I think you might want to hear." If you want to put in an effort, you can have a whole conversation in this manner (there are examples of NPC's in the official campaign who talk to each other extensively this way...great for eavesdropping).

And the villain can still rear up and display 'How dare you enter my abode!' before he attacks.

Or whatever variation you would like. It just isn't pathed dialogue.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but the point is that it's up to the player whether or not actual dialogue is going to be initiated.

Singleplayer: Not having a whole party (and their interactions) is certainly a different style of play, but it doesn't have to automatically default to hack-and-slash. I miss the party banter, myself, but that doesn't mean all interesting conversations, romantic possibilities and roleplaying are automatically dashed.

Party moving together: Well, there's nothing keeping players together on the same screen or in the same area or anything like that. Quite the contrary... in the official campaign, if the party wants to split up and go to different corners of the city to pursue quests, they can do so.

The scripting is set up to support this, as well... NPC's will remember who they talked to or gave quests to, so if another party member haplessly wanders by the object of someone else's quest, they won't be treated to dialogue that they shouldn't be getting. "You want what from me? What letter?"

There's no method of toggling the party movement that I've seen or heard of. If you want to keep the party together, it's going to have to be through environmental or story means rather than by slowing movement artificially.

Actually, we've been playing with the movement interface quite a bit. I've seen both the point-click-and-run type of movement as well as the 'train' movement (you move the mouse to face the direction you wish and hold down the mouse button to move in that direction).

I don't know which of those will end up in the game, or if it will be some version...but you do have more control over your movement than, say, in BG2. There is walking and running, for instance...it won't solely be a matter of run & wait for the monks and barbarians in the party.

That said, a monk may still have to slow down and walk for a bit or wait at the end of the hall for the little halfling to catch up. Fact of life... time to get that little bugger some boots of striding

PC models: Having a bunch of models using the same basic skin saves a lot on processing speed. In the official campaign, stock characters will look a lot alike, yes. That said, you don't have to do that in your own campaign...NPC's are constructed just like PC's are, so you can have a crowded city street with 50 individual-looking peasants if you wish.

You will notice a performance hit for it, tho.

Armor covers basic clothing...pants, boots, gauntlets and such. These show up. Rings and amulets and small things... while it would be cool... are not seen on the model.

The only problem I forsee with it, personally, is that the color palette of the armor determines the palette of everything the player is wearing (which is 6 different color options). Without making the gauntlets, boots and so forth seperate from the main skin (as helmets, shields, weapons and other hand-held stuff is), those items would have to conform to the palette.

It may be possible to change the style of boots on the player when they put on a pair of Boots of Striding...but they would change color depending on who wore them. A minor point, perhaps?

Then there's the complexity of seperating the boots, gauntlets, et al from the main skin. It may have been done that way for simplicity's sake (due to the sheer number of skins, as is).

Maybe someone from the art department can comment, but they're pumping out content at a frenetic pace as it is to meet the requirements as they exist.

What do you think? Would it make that much of a difference?

Class specific quests: The official campaign isn't as long as BG2 was... so there's far less time to devote to lots of quests that will only be seen by one class. There are some class-specific quests, however... as well as some quests that could be done by anyone (conceivably) but are more beneficial to one class.

As far as the story goes, we're trying to offer enough recognition of a player's individuality and options for alignment (man can evil people ever make money hand over fist) without sacrificing too much of game length.

Trent Oster, Producer:

Scripting and NWToolset: Quote:
just a little elaboration on the script wizard thingie....
as i understand it, you will for your example create the transition.. in it there will be a requirements area... you check it for yes and it will prompt you for the item requirment.. you scroll through the list till you find (kobold leaders killer sword) and click it... then you set it to party only.. then you are done the toolset will automagicly generate the script for you that sets that transition to be party only and only work if they have the item specified
the only time you will actually have to drop down and do scripting yourself should be when you want to do some really kewl effects.... for example in this case with scripting you could have a horde of kobolds appear on the horizon getting slowly closer then have it fade out and go to transition

Sadly, this is not so. We pre-cook the work for the most common cases. There is no item in the form to active a transition. The easiest way to do what you want would be creating a door type transition. You could lock the door and put the key at the end goal of the area. Without any scripting you have the plot you desire.

Nathan Frederick, Quality Assurance:

Bows: There's also crossbows in addition to the long and short bow... with its combinations of sections and colors.

XP: You can use the DM client to directly grant XP.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 14:43 CET by Arwen

Jay Watamaniuk, Community Manager:

Neverwinter Wednesdays: I need to clear a few things up that have been jumping around the board recently because I am getting the impression that a few things here have the potential to become a bigger situation then they need be.

I'm talking about Neverwinter Wednesdays. Every Wednesday we will be releasing, to the best of our ability, some new piece of news, information, shiny bit or interview for people to take a look at, discuss, fiddle around with and pick apart because we want to give you the first look at anything we have to show about NWN.

Now let's get specific.

This Wednesday (Feb 13th) we will be releasing some good stuff, which is ready to go, but we won't be ready with everything we had hoped to provide. That will, however, make upcoming Neverwinter Wednesdays even better.

Additionally, we'll be releasing more brain-shatteringly exciting new stuff as we get it, not forcing you to wait until the next Neverwinter Wednesday (though rest assured, there will be something there, next Neverwinter Wednesday). Sometimes we'll give stuff to the press and fan media, and sometimes we'll release it right here on the good-old Neverwinter community message board. The point is, we're going to be releasing lots of stuff.

We have some new partners in the NWN mix now, and we are working our way through the communication pipelines as we speak. We are both learning a new system for talking to each other and the end is near.

The bottom line is we don't want to disappoint anybody. I want to make sure that we understand you to the best of our ability.

Neverwinter Wednesday is about as official as it gets from now on and each week we will get something cool up here, but it will take many forms and suit different tastes week to week.

Finally, let me say that of course, we will be releasing movies and screen shots; every game releases movies and screen shots. We have, however, built up this community because we want to be sure we understand your unique needs as avid forums posters, RPG advocates, and computer gamers. I wanted to give you the opportunity to ask for different stuff from us and we will do our best to accommodate that when we prepare content.

So I'm hoping this generates some discussion of ideas. The whole point of these boards to give us an idea of what is important to you.

Multiple shadows: Yes, but the more light sources you have the more expensive it gets.

'There can be multiple lights, but shadows will only be cast from one light at a time. I think your answer has given the impression that there will be multiple shadows at once, which we cannot do (I think because of OpenGL limitations).'

He also cautioned that things are still not nailed down and may be subject to changes.

Modules and environment: While you cannot set gravity in an area you still can simulate different effects of a hostile environment as was suggested by Dhalgren through scripting.

Trent Oster, Producer:

Encounter: Q1. We need to know what system the encounter generator uses to scale the difficulty. The only two plausible options seem to be:
a) The encounter is scaled by the trigger PC plus ANY characters (affiliated or not) within some arbitrary radius of the trigger (which may or may not be able to be set by the DM).
b) The trigger PC plus their party members (if any), possibly with the option of being able to exclude party members that are outside a certain distance.

Option a is what we have planned. A fixed radius check when someone enters the radius.
Right now we are testing another system which continues to spawn creatures until: a) the encounter is exhausted of cr points (each cr spawned in takes a cr point from the encounter) b) all the creatures spawned currently are killed.
You can also set a reset timer for when the encounter is reset if you wish.

Q2. We need to know what happens if another group enters the encounter area (crosses the trigger) while the first encounter is still underway. Plausible options are:
a) Another encounter spawns, independent of the first, using whatever system (from Q1 above) Bioware implements to scale it.
b) Another encounter spawns which seeks to "balance" the first encounter according to the new arrivals, adding only enough creatures to raise the CR of the total encounter to challenge the new party.
c) Nothing happens, as the system will not spawn a second encounter until the first has been dealt with.

Option b is the closest option here. In the current system the encounter will continue to spawn creatures as new characters enter util the encounter is exhausted or the currently spawned in creatures are all killed

Portals as Placeable Objects: There will be a placeable object portal.
It can just be decorative if you so desire or it can be an are transition or server portal.

Pushing through throngs: We don't have pushing and bumping in yet and boy do we need it.

As to creature numbers a Geforce 2 MX should be able to handle a reasonable number of creatures on screen. As to what reasonable means, I'd say more than 10 and less than 70

Realistic lighting/shadow effects: In fact, we discovered a way to make the existing static area lighting more dynamic, giving better day/night transistions. The bottom end can disable the snazzy features for a better frame rate, but when you plunk your hard earned cash down for a GeForce 3 you are going to get all the flash we can cook up.

Bob McCabe, Writing & Design:

Changing alignment: You can change your alignment in-game by wildly diverting from your given alignment. As well, you can create modules that take advantage of this alignment-divergence however you see fit.

Alignment will change based upon actions in-game. For example, threatening people might be a way to change your alignment, as would undergoing a quest that is not suited to your current alignment. For the most part, however, we've tried to keep things somewhat minimal in this regard. If you want something more extensive, my best suggestion is to add in a few rewards here and there that are more in-line with what you feel is appropriate.

For example, we provide a quest where you have to help an eldery woman cross the street (using your set-up ) and say that not doing so causes your alignment to shift a few points toward evil.

You don't agree with us, so you look at the reward script and add in the line to shift alignment a few points toward evil, and a few points toward chaos as well.

Since all of those scripts will be written, it won't even require scripting effort on your part.

Racial and class modifiers: I'm not really sure about the speed implementations, so I will stay quiet on that topic. As for the humans point - when 3rd Ed first came out, a bunch of us looked it over and thought it was very neat how humans got bonuses that the other raises didn't get. We thought humans would be the most desired race, which would make most gamers play humans, which would mean an on-line 3rd Ed world would be mostly comprised of humans, just as most towns in the Forgotten Realms settings are comprised of humans. Oh well... we thought it was neat

I think there were similar thoughts about the fighter and rogue for massive feats and skill points, which would balance out with perceived notions that everyone's a fighter or mugger.

Kits, classes and appearance: You don't have a paper doll - just your 3d model. So you make your character's model match the portrait and off you go.

The 11 classes from the PHB will be the classes that you may choose from. There will be kits only in the sense of packages that will help you pick through your feats and skills.

Adventures created by other players: You may download an adventure from the internet, and play it on your own with your PC.

Speech seen on screen: I believe text bubbles always pop-up. I know you can filter the chat bar, and even split it in half, filtering each half as you will. For example, you might want the right pane to display combat information only, and the left pane to display party-to-party dialogue only.

Wisper mode for NPC: I'm not sure how it will work in its final incarnation, but as it is - you click on a portrait and you tell that PC information that only he may hear. I'm sure this will be further tweaked.

Scripting difficulty : A 10 year old will probably be better at scripting than most of us

Scripting is pretty easy. I had no trouble learning the basics needed to do simple plot scripting. Anything more advanced will be provided by BioWare or more than likely easily found on the internet.

Initiating dialogue from a distance: This is one of those things where we're all making programmer's lives miserable. At first, you clicked on the NPC, walked over to him, and initiated dialogue. People didn't like this. Programmers changed it. Then, you could click on an NPC and you were instantly in dialogue mode. This seemed funny, too, and we complained again. The main reason was that you could be 20 meters away and still init. The current version seems to init. dialogue if you are within the NPCs comfort zone, which is something like 5 meters at present. If you are outside of that range, you move to within it to init. dialogue. If you are already within, dialogue is initiated normally. The radius seems to change now and then, though.

Quote:
What happens if you can't see the NPC (but you know he's there because you can 'hear' him)? For instance: two guys in different prison cells talking to each other: they can't see each other but they can still talk.

If it was an NPC, then no, you can't initiate dialogue unless you have visibility. If it's two PCs, then it would work like chat. If you were determined to have side-by-side cells, as opposed to cells across from one another, and you needed to have dialogue with a prisoner from another cell, what I would do to get around it is place a trigger that the PC could interact with. To provide one example, the PC approaches the wall of his cell and sees a text pop-up that there is a small crack in the wall, and through it he can see another prisoner. By clicking on the wall, the PC would be able to initiate dialogue.

Gender based quests: There will be some quests that are modified based upon your gender, but not specifically quests that only females or only males get.

Burning objects: Ambient objects can be stacked. You can create a roasting pit, drop a fire into it, add a smoke animation, and then even add a particles effect to make it look like little tendrils of burning wood are floating up into the night sky. I've done just this thing before, and if you line it up right, it'll look perfect from all sides.

As for placing them ON objects, I'm not exactly sure. I would assume yes.

Imprisonment: Cages aren't like they are in BG2's beginning. They would be larger prison-like devices. As such, you can drop in whatever you want to drop in. Hold Person spell effects are included.

Invisible wall: Maybe with some fancy scripting you could create an impassable area to simulate an invisible wall. Otherwise, I don't think so.

Musical Instruments: Since you can put a trigger on anything, it isn't hard to make anything able to be manipulated by the PC. Ambient Objects have a default use action which you would script. In this case, the PC tries to use an Ambient Object and gets a dialogue window. The PC enters into a string of musical notes, and a song is played back afterwards, or step by step. Is that what you're looking at doing? (trying to make sure I answered correctly).

Shipwreck: There are ships in the rural tileset. I know you can have them off of a dock. I'm sure you can make a free-floating one as well, for just off-shore.

David Gaider, Designer:

Debugger for the script editor: The script editor debugs your scripts when you compile them... it makes sure you've got your semi-colons in the right place and that you've used your commands as you're supposed to. This is quite handy, especially if you're not familiar with the 'grammar' of scripting.

You can use all the commands properly and the end effect may still not work as you wanted it to, though...and to debug those kinds of problems, you have to do it the old-fashioned way.

Forest tileset: The plain old 'forest' tile in the Forest tileset has lots of versions that you can cycle through. Yes, one of them has no trees on it at all and is just grass.

You need a transition between them. If what you're envisioning is one massive area where the player travels from forest to grassy plains to the city in one continuous stretch (like, say, you're traveling in Dark Age of Camelot or Everquest or similar), then you need to re-arrange your thinking.

You CAN use all the tilesets for what you need, you just need to compartmentalize how you're going to use them. You can even use different tilesets within the same building, so long as you don't mind a really short load between rooms.

The only trouble some people will get into, and this is unavoidable, is when they want features in a single area that the tileset doesn't cover (and where transitions just won't cut it). The only thing that can solve that is the use of custom tilesets... and while that will certainly be possible (and there are already plans for these) I wouldn't suggest it will be the easiest customization for people to learn.

Recombining tiles from fifferent sets: I hesitate to say yes simply because I haven't seen it done. I imagine, however, that this is how most custom tilesets are going to be made.

I think you're talking about the walkmesh... and yes, that's one thing that would make custom tilesets more difficult. But some changes would be primarily graphical in nature.

What if you wanted the height transitions in the city tilset to be cliffs (like in the rural set) instead of brick walls? What if you wanted to change the architecture of the buildings? What if you wanted to change the grass in the city tileset to sand, for a desert city?

Hard to say what will actually be do-able, as the method for adding user-content hasn't been finalized, but none of them involve playing with the walk-meshes and are far more conceivable than, say, swapping entire buildings or large objects and changing the pathways by which characters would walk around them.

All I can say for sure, though, is that we want to make it as easy for users to put their own content into their modules. What is the easiest way to implement that has yet to be determined.

Female monsters in NWN: I must admit that the lack of anything other than male versions of monsters irritates me to no end as well. Some creatures (beholders, lizard men, kuo-toa, etc.) you're just not going to get much physical variation on, sure. But they would be dressed/adorned differently, wouldn't they?

I remember when I was looking at doing caves with goblin and orc tribes and such... where are all the female and child goblins and orcs? I remember playing the Hill Giant portion of the giant series... that had female hill giants and even giant children.

Grrr...

I know why the official release won't have it. We're trying to include as many different monster types for people to use as possible, and some of them already have more than one variant for the same model (shamans and chieftans, for instance, for some of the humanoid monsters).

Maybe some artistic type out there will come up with some more skins for the models to get some more variants. Or maybe this could be a suggestion for an expansion... certainly coming up with more skins is easier than coming up with more models.

New features: A lot of people, upon hearing about NWN, automatically have ideas flying through their head about things they'd like to do with the game or modules they want to create. The major limiting factor for us is time... given enough of it, we could implement everything that technology would allow. At some point, though, we have to cut out things that we just can't do right now and put out a game that works and has most of what people want.

I think everyone understands that, thankfully... just as everyone understands that 'most' means 'not everybody'. Everybody hopes that 'most' includes them and all their ideas...whereas 'most' will likely mean most of their ideas but not all. Disappointing, perhaps, when you realize that part of the campaign you imagine just can't be done unless you wait for either user-made content or an expansion. How you react to that will depend on whether you're a glass-half-empty person or not... the fact will be obvious, in the end, at how much CAN be done.

That's not going to stop people from being disappointed. Being a hardcore D&D fan, myself, I know my first reaction upon seeing the monster list was "where are the XXXXX's?"... followed soon by "what do you mean there aren't any XXXXX's?! Are you kidding me?". Then I saw the rest of the list... wow, that was huge. I still grumbled about not having my damn XXXXX's... only my favorite critter in the world... but I can understand why they're not there (I guess) and I'll live with it. And let's face it, with a monster list like that, living with it won't be that hard. I have a feeling, too, that in time content (official and not) will build up for the game until it is staggering.

For now, though, I know what everyone's thinking. Why don't we just tell you all exactly what is and isn't in the game so we can plan our modules accordingly? Well, beside the fact that we still aren't 100% sure what will end up in the release (and that's a pretty big 'beside' all on its own)...can you imagine? An 18-page thread on the color of fire giants and you want us to tell you that XXXXX's aren't in the game, too? Egads! Storms of protest, chaos everywhere! God forbid we try to keep anyone focussed on the positive side of things!

Seriously, though, that stuff will come, no matter how far off it might seem. Pr building up to release is a fact of life. We do know that the hardcore fans want, well, basically everything in the game... which means some will be naturally disappointed and will express it here with varying degrees of vehemence. We know it and expect it... and it will, to a degree, gauge what we work on when and if an expansion is made. Expect people to groan if their plans for NWN don't meet the reality. And while we at Bio may not need to be 'taken to task' for every decision we make (they are all hard... do you think we as gamers jumped up for joy at the prospect of no climbing/swimming/riding?), everyone has to keep in mind that feedback is what this board is for.

David Chan, Audio Producer:

What is NWN coded in?: The engine is written using MS VC++ and the Toolset is in Builder.

John Bible, Programmer:

Multiple shadows: Multiple shadows at the same time are not, nor will be included for the initial release of NWN --- once, multiple shadows were supported but they were subsequently removed. This decision had nothing to do with OpenGL or Direct3D, since the technique we use is generic to any particular API; the problem is that the fill and polygon rates required for multiple shadows on every object in the game are excessive (extremely excessive actually).

NWN Cleric Analysis
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 8:42 CET by Mollusken

Shaderaven at NW Vault continues his NWN class analysises, and now he's done with the cleric.

The gods are present in everything, watching, guiding, or destroying and clerics are their obedient servants. In reward for this devotion, clerics are granted divine powers to wield in service of their god. Just as mortals can be evil, good, or anywhere in between so can the gods. In addition their divine magic, clerics of a good deity have the ability to force undead creatures to flee while clerics of an evil god may gain control of these creatures.

Clerics make a fairly solid tank (up-front defender). They get d8 HPs, have spells to augment their ability to survive, and can wear armor/use shields without restriction. Unless the group doesn't need the cleric to put him or herself into harm's way, I think this should be kept in mind during development.

In NWN, it may be a very good class in single player, and a valuable ally in multiplayer because of the above. There's always the need for healing/protection and a class that can perform multiple functions in single player without having to branch out to many multiclasses will be one worth considering.

Learn more about the cleric here.

Icewind Dale II Preview
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 8:35 CET by Mollusken

The Armchair Empire has posted a preview of Black Isle's upcoming CRPG.

The game is looking like it will be a reasonably lengthy affair, clocking in at about 30-40 hours of gameplay, and even more if you play in the improved Heart of Fury mode (that’s the exceptionally high difficulty mode, for those who don’t know). The game is not only looking fairly large in terms of time consumption, but in the sheer girth of the world to be explored. The game is slated to be larger than that of the original Icewind Dale. However, what is not clarified is whether it is larger than Icewind Dale Proper, or if this includes the size of the game once you factor in the Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster expansion packs. The level cap will also be set at the 31st level for those in Heart of Fury mode, and slightly lower for those playing at easier difficulties.

Read the whole preview here.

Icewind Dale II Designer Diary
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 8:32 CET by Mollusken

Dave Maldonado, Black Isle designer, has written part one of a Icewind Dale II designer diary.

So... work began on Icewind Dale II: "Electric Boogaloo" in late July 2001, pretty much the day TORN was canceled. Call me cold, but I was grateful that there wasn't any time to mope and whine about it. Anyhow, the designers had decided on a rough story (Josh Sawyer, I believe, was responsible for the initial proposal - see, I don't even care enough to do the research - that's how "gritty and real" this designer diary is - maybe the Pope wrote the initial story, WHO KNOWS, hey he might like Dungeons & Dragons) within a week's time and the game's areas were divided up amongst us.

Turn your browser over to RPG Vault for the rest.

David Chan Developer Profile
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 8:25 CET by Mollusken

BioWare sound engineer David Chan has written article about himself over at Penny Arcade.

A few months after working in the systems department, Greg asked me if I knew anyone that was into audio that might be interested in BioWare. He knew I had some experience as an audio producer and that I dabbled in music. I couldn't believe my luck, I proceeded to jump up and down shouting, "Pick me! Pick me!" - which was not a pretty sight. They needed someone to help put placeholder sounds into MDK2 because our publisher was too busy at the time to give us temporary material.

Then I started planning sound for Neverwinter Nights. Planning sound is an interesting process. It's like trying to build with Jell-O, because game design is such a fluid thing early planning must also be fluid, or so I have learned. You have to imagine what you think might possibly go into the game and make decisions based on that. When things change you sometimes have to go back and start all over again. It's the part of this industry that frustrates me the most, but I am learning to accept and work with the uncertainty instead of fighting it.

Read the whole article at Penny Arcade.

Downtime Report
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 7:42 CET by Sorcerer

Yesterday, the server SP was running from experienced a fatal hard drive crash. Everything on it was wiped out. We are currently setting the site up anew on this server but it will be another 24 hours or so before everything is back to normal.

The last backup of the message boards is unfortunately 10 days old so anything posted there in the last 10 days has been lost. Also, once we get the boards back up, any people who registered during that time will have to do it again.

Thanks for your patience... and curses to this rotten luck. :(

Site News - New Additions
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 7:37 CET by Sorcerer

PayPal Donations

If you look below the site's interface buttons, you'll notice a small PayPal button. The text below it links to a page where it is explained why donations are needed. So, if you want to give a dollar or two to a good cause, now there's an easy and secure way to do so.
Thanks in advance to all of you who will show your support for Sorcerer's Place!

Subsection Updates - Games -> Baldur's Gate 2

In the Walkthroughs & Guides subsection, the link to Vlad's BG2 walkthrough has been changed. The only other new addition has been made in the Tips, Tricks & Hints subsection in the form of an NPC guide.

Subsection Updates - Games -> Icewind Dale 2

A number of things were changed or added in the Walkthroughs & Guides subsection. The listing of class kits has been updated with the exact details about the ranger kits. Also, the Mercenary kit has been removed from the list and replaced with Captain, which is BIS's current alternative to the Mercenary kit.

The listing of races and subraces was updated with the latest info so it is now much more detailed as well.

A link to the downloadable audio interview with Josh Sawyer has been added.

Finally, I've posted the details about the Monk, Sorcerer and Barbarian classes on a separate page. The only significant change from BG2 is that the Sorcerer class now actually utilizes Charisma as the prime requisite.

I've also added 3 wallpapers in the Miscellanea subsection.

Subsection Updates - Games -> Neverwinter Nights

Only one addition was made here. Check the Miscellanea subsection for the link to a cool dialogue editor which works similarly to the one that will ship with the game.

Subsection Updates -> Fantasy Books

I seem to have forgotten to elaborate how people can make purchases of other items not listed on SP via Amazon (and still give us credit), so I've added the details to the Fantasy Books section into page. Please make all your Amazon purchases this way... Thanks!

On the first page of the Forgotten Realms books subsection you can now download a sample chapter of the collector's edition of Salvatore's The Cleric Quintet.

On Page 2 of the Forgotten Realms books subsection, I've added the latest addition to the Cities series, The Jewel of Turmish by Mel Odom. You can also get a sample chapter of it on the same page.

In the 3rd Edition D&D books subsection, a number of new titles can now be pre-ordered. Among the FR material, Faiths & Pantheons and Silver Marches. Of the various guidebooks, the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook and Epic Levels Guidebook. Of the various accessories, you can pre-order the Book of Challenges and the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game.

Last Week's Poll Results
Posted Monday, February 18, 2002 - 7:35 CET by Sorcerer

What we asked:

Q: Will you buy Icewind Dale 2?
(481 votes total)

Drool, yes, drool (327) 68%
Hmm, not sure yet (100) 21%
Nah, not interested (54) 11%

We ran a very similar poll a few months ago (before IWD2 was actually announced) and, not surprisingly, the results now that the game has actually been announced are very similar to what they were back then.

The exact same percentage of people (a good majority of 68%) have voted in favour of buying the sequel to Icewind Dale.

A little less people (now 21%, back then 29%) took the middle option. These will probably wait for previews and reviews to either convince them to buy the game or not.

Interestingly though, the number of people who voted for the third option (11%), has risen substantially since the last poll where only 3% of all who voted said that they will not buy the game.

Site News - New Additions
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2002 - 19:27 CET by Sorcerer

Section Updates -> Games

It's been a while since I had to add any new games... Well, today is one such day. I have added the Icewind Dale II subsection to the subsection index. Check it out.

Subsection Updates -> Baldur's Gate

An updated version of the character creation guide has been added to the Tips, Tricks & Hints subsection.

Subsection Updates -> Baldur's Gate 2

Starting on top, as usual, an updated version of The Darkest Day walkthrough has been added to the Walkthroughs & Guides subsection.

In the Editors, Hacks & Custom Characters subsection, you'll find two new additions from ShadowDaemon. In this update we have a mod that makes bastard swords either 1 or 2-handed, and two new spells.

Further down on the same page you will notice a set of 14 Monty Python portraits, and another of 6 LoTR ones.

Subsection Updates -> Icewind Dale 2

Now for the big one in this update...

In the Walkthroughs & Guides subsection, you'll spot 3 things. First is a compilation of various interesting details about the sequel to Icewind Dale, next is a listing of known class kits (with some extra info I managed to find) and a listing of known races you will be able to play in the game. (Now why do I have a feeling everyone will be playing either an Aasimar, Drow or Tiefling, mmm?)

In the Tips, Tricks & Hints subsection you can find the official FAQ, and 4 new cool-looking monsters with descriptions.

If you check out the Miscellanea subsection, you'll find the press release BIS sent out and a page with some monster concept art, wallpapers and portrait paintings.

There is also the Screenshots subsection with 15 screenshots of battles and spell-hurling. You get the idea. Too bad we don't get to see any interface shots yet, though.

Last, but not least, I set up an Icewind Dale II forum on our boards as soon as the game was announced. It is getting populated nicely and there seems to be much interest in the game. Drop by and post if you have any questions...

Subsection Updates -> Community

Just one update today, an entirely redone IRC Services & Chat Commands list. You can find the link to it at the bottom of the Chatrooms page. This list has some extra commands for the java chat client noted near the end, and is generally better laid out and easier to navigate.

In the Related Links subsection, the link to the official Icewind Dale II website has been added.

Icewind Dale 2 Forum Update
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2002 - 15:15 CET by Tiamat

Kevin Osburn, Line Producer

Thac0 and Negative AC: Both of those have been removed. Believe me, I know....I made the changes

Mp3 Release: We will probably be releasing at least one .mp3 at some point in time, just don't know when yet. As soon as I find out I will update everybody.

Summoned Monsters: Summoned monsters will not turn hostile if you start attacking them.

Importing: You will unfortunately not be able to import your IWD characters into IWD2.

Load Times: We are trying to cut down on the load times, but currently we aren't sure if they will be better than previous IE games.

Game size: Icewind Dale 2 will be on 2 CD's.

Extreme mode: Enemies hit harder, and have a few more hitpoints.

J.E. Sawyer, Lead Designer

Will the game have a subtitle? Nope. It's just Icewind Dale 2.

Inventory and Weapons: Currently, inventory and weapon slots work as they did in IWD:HoW.

Game Timeline: IWD2 takes place around 1310 DR, which is after IWD, but several decades before the Time of Troubles.

Kits: We could implement fifty more kits -- just not in the time available for us. The little wild mage code we have is incomplete. That's my understanding of it, anyway. We would essentially be building it from scratch.

Playing as a Drow: The very first people you encounter in Targos (besides the captain of the Wicked Wench) are two guards. If you walk up to them with a drow, they immediately assume that you're part of the attacking force. You can convince them that you are there to help, but their initial reaction is the assumption that you're an evil bad monster. Some people respond with more obvious hatred.

Will there be romances/sex in IWD? No and no.

Will we have dual-wield? Yes.

Will we have weapon styles like BG2? Yes.

And if the answer to those two is yes, will thieves have dual-wield properly implemented? Yes.

IWD2 Rules: If you are skeptical about how the rules are being mixed, wait for the game to be released and read reviews to see if it seems worthwhile.

Goblins: The worgs and their goblin riders are one creature. Think of them like the mounted units in Age of Empires. You're essentially trying to kill a fast, tough goblin with a ranged melee attack (the spear).

Monster Models: A few monster models were brought over from Torn, I believe. Jason Manley left the company a few months ago and now works for Troika.

Will any race/class combo be allowed? This is a possibility.

Human Racial Characteristics: Currently, humans have a slight bonus to their XP. This may grow in value if multi/dual-class options are opened up.

Exotic Races: We have a copy of the 3E Forgotten Realms Player's Handbook. That's what we're basing the tieflings and aasimar off of.

NWN Interview at Gaming Groove
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2002 - 7:59 CET by Mollusken

Gaming Groove has posted an interview with Greg Zeschuk and Trent Oster. The interview mainly focuses on the mod building, gameplay and multiplayer parts of Neverwinter Nights.

GamingGroove: This will be the second game to come out using the 3rd Edition of the Dungeons and Dragons rule set. We all know how badly Pool of Radiance turned out and more than a few are worried about the same deal with NWN. How closely to the Pen and Paper rules have you been able to remain and what are some of the examples where a change was needed due to limitations?

Greg Zeschuk: We are using experience gained adapting the 2nd Edition AD&D rules for use in Baldur’s Gate to make sure that our 3rd Edition D&D rule implementation is impeccable. We are allowing extreme player customizability with regard to Skills and Feats, as well as careful attention to all of the rules. Even though we’ve got over 5 years of experience working on D&D games we’re still being very careful in our adaptation of the rules – the first rule we learned on Baldur’s Gate was don’t change the system, and we’re sticking to that with Neverwinter Nights.

GamingGroove: Was Trent manhandled by Gnomes as a young boy or something? Where does the hatred of these little people come from (bet he doesn't like kender either!!)? Why not dwarves too? I mean if you're gonna hate little people, you might as well hate them all. What's the "real" story behind this pathos?

Greg Zeschuk: I believe it’s their pointy, bulbous noses that bother Trent. Aside from that I haven’t any other suspicions as to the source of his dislike for Gnomes.

Trent Oster: It all dates back to a D&D group I played with. We had a grief player who had a Gnome illusionist character. We would spend hours listening to him describe the stupid illusion spells he was casting and the desired effect. We saved his useless butt so many times we all became quite sick of Gnomish characters. So ever since I’ve carried the motto: The only good Gnome is a dead Gnome.

Read the whole interview here.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2002 - 3:15 CET by Arwen

Jay Watamaniuk, Community Manager:

Demo movie: Oh, we got something better than a movie in the works...

And that, my anxious friends, is a promise.

Frustration over the release date: The use of the Internet as a marketing tool has created a bit of a monster PR-wise. Everything is immediate and cutting edge. The price that is paid is development of large, complex things has not got any faster- just the pipeline through which a developer can communicate to potential customers. The waiting is therefore about- note the careful science here- a billion times harder with constant updates. This is a vicious cycle; on the the one hand no announcements, no news and suddenly the game appears which can hurts sales. Cultivating, on the other hand, a community with news, up-to-the-minutes reports, and designers interviews and so on creates a passionate audience BUT that same audience can become a angry mob or a confetti throwing parade watcher in a split second.

I suppose each side has it's advantages and drawbacks. Since we have little control over how people react- our job is mostly managing reaction as best we can when things do not go as planned, I can only hope that the constant message of 'we make good games and sometimes that takes time' is accepted. We cannot force people to trust that we are doing the very best for a game. This is odd because our doors only remain open if we make good games- and only the last game counts. The public is very fickle and cannot be counted on to be loyal or even rational sometimes. That is not a negative statement- it is just a fact when you deal with many, many people.

If we create a community, we also have to be prepared to accept the responsibility for care of that community and cannot hide from it when it is inconvenient. We also accept it is easier to react with complaints then it is to support with praise- that also comes with large groups of passionate people.

In this immediate medium we have chosen to have a presence within, we will do our best, as we have always done, to contribute to this volunteer community who has provided us with feedback, incentive, motivation and a reason to work until midnight implementing something not terribly important in the grand scheme of things to make a good game. I can assure you that people here care about what goes on within this community as you are the most vocal members of the larger world community who will play this game. You spend time here and contribute here on your own time and that, in itself, is an impressive feat. So when things get rough within these forums, and people get mad, disappointed or downright crazy we try to remember that not only folks here at BioWare invested time into this project. We realize that all of you have as well. That is a our reason for making a good game. Too much time by too many people has been spent to hand over something unworthy.

I'll say it again- we make good games. The price can be high in patience, but it will be worth it. That I can promise.

David Gaider, Designer:

Halfling/Gnome buildings: No, there's no small-size buildings for a settlement. The city tileset was designed to make Neverwinter itself... so has the architecture to accomodate it (and there's only room for so much, after all, though it'd be nice if we could have everything). Halfling/gnome buildings are not a bad idea, though... if enough people are demanding them once/if an expansion is made, that could definitely be done.

Intelligence and insight option in dialog: That's a good point. However, your own example says that a simpleton with low Intelligence but a high Wisdom might have great insight... insight being the operative word.

I guess it would depend on how you look at insight and reason. Figuring out how to solve a puzzle, to me, would require reasoning. Having good insight might give you some clues on how to solve it, though. Coming up with a clever idea or a particularly incisive question requires more insight (or intuition) than reason... though having superior reasoning certainly wouldn't hurt in implementing such a plan or in phrasing such a question.

The lines are a bit blurred in that respect. I'll keep it in mind when I'm putting together the Insight options.

Dialogue scripting: Via scripting, you can create a variable and set it on a creature (including the PC)... and the variable is then set only on that creature.

For instance... you could have this script:

SetLocalInt(GetPCSpeaker(),"I_Am_A_Demon",1);

This would set the "I_Am_A_Demon" variable to 1 on the PC speaker (used in dialogue, which is what I'm used to scripting... there are numerous other ways of selecting the PC, tho).

Then, in the dialogue trees for the peasant, you could have the top dialog tree (the "AAAHHHH! A DEMON!") have the following starting condition:

int StartingConditional()
{
int iDemon = GetLocalInt(GetPCSpeaker(),"I_Am_A_Demon");
if (iDemon == 1)
{
return TRUE;
}
return FALSE;
}

If the PC speaking to the peasant had that variable set to one, the first tree is therefore true... the peasant screams and can have a script that makes him run away. If it's false, it keeps moving down the list of other starting conditions (looking for high wisdom, high int... or whatever else, in order of importance) until it hits one that is true or hits a default (one that has no script)... which would be the "Hello."

But you can set as many unique variables as you like, on the PC or otherwise.

You don't have to script dialogue. If you don't, however, you can only have one place where the dialogue can start.

And when you script a starting condition, the wizard actually puts together most of a script for you. It automatically supplies you with the following:

int StartingConditional()
{
int iResult;
iResult = <>;
return iResult;
}

All you need to do is plug in the check it makes...making this auto-script good for any simple starting condition you might need to do.

Derek French, Assistant Producer:

Localization: Just to be clear, there is no decision on this topic one way or another. Historically, our other games have come out English first, with other languages 4 to 6 weeks later. With BG2:ToB it was closer to 3 weeks for the non-english version. We don't have any more information for you at this time, but we will post when we get this resolved.

Expansion pack: Adding more is not usually a good idea at this point. We have enough stuff going through testing and shakedown that adding more now would just complicate things and stretch the development time even longer.

Script editor beta: No, sorry, the script editor is an integral part of the Toolset. And to head off the next question, no, we cannot release the Toolset early because it requires all the game data to be there as well. There is no easy way to separate the Toolset and the game.

David Chan, Audio Producer:

Release delay: Honest folks, we are all doing what we can to make sure NWN is all that it can be and more. When we say we are aiming for a certain time period it means we are working our collective b*tts off to get it done as close to that date as possible. However, one thing I have learned from Greg and Ray is that if they or anybody else at the company thinks it's not done then it goes back in the oven until it is.

Everyone on the project stays extra hours and puts in a lot of work to meet the goals, but from the top down the message has always been quality before quantity. It's not uncommon to see either of the head honchos in late at night playing the game and making notes.

Greg and Ray are passionate about games and it shows, it's one of the reasons I love working at BioWare. People here play games and know the pain of release delays, so please don't think we are ever jerking people around. We appreciate our fans and are trying to make a game that will keep people playing for years to come.

The release date has always been when it's done and it's done when we know it's as kick *** as it can be.

Bob McCabe, Writing & Design:

Rumor Database for Dialogue: If I had to do something like this, knowing as much about scripting as I do (meaning that I'm at the basic level) I would write up one dialogue filled with all of my rumors. Then I would place a starting condition on the rumors dependant upon global state of the plot or what-filter-have-you, insert a few drop down to the next rumor 20 percent of the time randomness, and boom, you have your rumors.

Then, I would set up a bunch of new dialogue lines that would check to see who the PC was speaking to. For example, if I'm speaking to the mayor, then have the mayor start with this line. At the end of the dialogue, I'd link to the rumor dialogue lines and have that end the conversation.

I'm sure that there are much nicer or more elegant ways to do it, but that would be the easiest way for me to go

You can give every NPC in the game the same dialogue file, should you wish. You could also give that dialogue file to triggers and ambient objects. It would make for a very surreal world, but hey - whatever, right? And yeah, you can script dialogue in so many millions of different ways that someone with real programming talent is going to hurt themselves

Jonathan Epp, Quality Assurance:

Tiles: Going with more smaller areas as opposed to fewer larger areas is the way to go, generally speaking. Having 4 16x16 areas instead of 1 32x32 area will run better, especially on lower-end machines.

Icewind Dale II Forum Update
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2002 - 2:06 CET by Darien

Tom French, Programmer:

AI Scripting: We've tried to improve the AI as much as we possibly can in the Inifinity engine. The AI in the game is all driven through thier scripting system which in many ways is a limiting factor. I would have to say the major improvement in IWD II will be the spell casters not casting spells at their targets unless it is a "cast worthy" target. This change isn't even in yet, but I just need to get a couple of days to rewrite the script spell casting system and it'll be in across the board at that point.

Also in IWD II you'll see a larger variety of types of combat and combat styles. We made over 550 little plug in scripts that can be plugged together in different combinations to create different varieties of combat. It's helped the process go much smoother so far. Plus then having these script type events isolated allows us to make tweaks and changes to these little scripts to improve them and it works immediatelly.

Hope that helps. I've got to get back to my areas.

Worg Fighting Without Its Rider?: Currently, I'd have to say unfortunatelly no. This would be cool, but pretty impossible in the Infinity engine to pull off. I tried to figure a way out how to do it but it didn't really work the way I wanted to plus since there's no way to target specifically one or the other we decided it would be a bit strange.

You never know though. I could find a work around in time and we might be able to work something out. We'll just have to see.

J.E. Sawyer, Lead Designer:

Game Mechanics: Most of the fundamental game mechanics will be 3E (Base Attack Bonus instead of THAC0, 3E saves instead of 2nd Ed. saves, 3E AC scale and armor types, 3E ability scores, etc.), but class and multi-class options (and the presence of kits) will stay 2nd Ed.

Thac0 and Negative AC: Yes, characters now have Base Attack Bonus and positive AC. Also, all armor bonuses are classified according to type (armor, shield, deflection, dexterity, and miscellaneous). Armor bonuses are ignored for touch-based spells, making them much more useful in many battles.

Fighter Kits: Here are the current kits. QA doesn't like the Mercenary so much right now, so he may change.

KENSAI: This class is also known as the 'sword saint', a warrior who has been specially trained to be one with his or her sword. They are deadly and fast and are trained to fight without encumbrance.

Advantages:
* Bonus +1 to Hit and Damage /3 levels.
* -2 bonus to AC.
* -1 bonus to Speed Factor for every 4 levels.
* May use 'Kai' ability one time per day for every 4 levels: this ability lasts 10 seconds and makes all attacks do maximum damage.

Disadvantages:
* May not use missile weapons.
* May not wear armor.

MERCENARY: Mercenaries are soldiers who sell their services to the highest bidder. Traveling great distances in harsh conditions for coin and fame, the mercenary is a man or woman who must master a variety of weapons and styles to satisfy his or her employer's needs.

Advantages:
* Two extra proficiency slots at 1st level.
* One extra proficiency slot at 6th level.
* Carry weight increased by 50%.

Disadvantages:
* Unable to start with Weapon Specialization.
* Unable to achieve Grand Mastery in a weapon.

WIZARD SLAYER: This warrior has been specially trained by his sect to excel in hunting and attacking spellcasters of all kinds.

Advantages:
* Each hit on opponent spellcaster increases the chance of spell disruption by 5%.
* Gains 1% magic resistance each level.
* +4 to Hit and Damage vs. Wizards and Sorcerers.

Disadvantages:
* May not use any magic items except for weapons and armor.

ARCANE ROGUE: Combining the skills of a rogue with minor magical powers, the arcane rogue is a potent scout and decoy. The arcane rogue focuses less time on lethal combat than his or her fellow rogues.

Advantages:
* +10% to Use Magic Device.
* 5th level: Invisibility 1/day.
* 9th level: Improved Invisibility 1/day.
* 11th level: Dimension Door 1/day.
* 15th level, Shades 1/day.

Disadvantages:
* -10% on all rogue skills except Use Magic Device.
* No backstab or crippling strike.

ASSASSIN: This is a killer trained in discreet and efficient murder, thriving on anonymity and surprise to perform his or her tasks.

Advantages:
* May coat weapon in poison once per day per 4 levels. The next hit with that weapon will inject the poison into the target, dealing out 6 damage every 6 seconds for 30 seconds. A saving throw vs. poison limits damage to 6 total. The strength of the poison increases at 10th level. At 20th level, it also slows targets.
* +1 to Hit and Damage.

Disadvantages:
* Only 15% per level to distribute on skills.

SWASHBUCKLER: This rogue is part acrobat, part swordsman and part wit... the epitome of charm and grace. A swashbuckler fights with dramatic flair and deadly precision. Due a swashbuckler's healthy sense of pride, they do not deign to learn the roguish talent of backstabbing.

Advantages:
* -1 to AC/5 levels.
* +1 to Hit and Damage/5 levels.
* May specialize in any weapons available to thieves.

Disadvantages:
* No backstab, sneak attack, or crippling strike.

Skills and Feats: We are currently examining the possibility of integrating skills and feats. So far, feats look somewhat possible, skills look less possible. Feats are currently not in the game. We recently investigated the possibility of including them. It's possible, but unlikely.

Thieves: Like 2nd Ed., but with the addition of the Use Magic Device skill. UMD allows thieves and bards to use wands and scrolls that are normally restricted for their class. Difficulty is based on the level of the effect they are trying to invoke. If they succeed at using the device, it works perfectly. If they fail, they take 1-6 points of magical energy damage for every level of the effect they were trying to invoke.

Bards: All of the HoW bard songs are still in the game. There have been a few changes, though.

* War Chant of Sith now regenerates 3 hit points per round instead of 2, but it only heals in the presence of enemies.

* Riddlemasters and Blades do not get access to any bard songs other than the basic battle song, the Ballad of Three Heroes.

Cleric Kits: There are three cleric kits:

* Silverstar of Selune
* Battleguard of Tempus
* Dreadmaster of Bane

I am the lead designer, but most of the "leading" is done. I was needed on another project -- the one I left to work on IWD2.

We removed all of the alignment restrictions on cleric spells. "Realism" aside, it annoyed a lot of people.

Races: Here they are (as presented in the game):

Humans:
* Aasimar
* Tiefling
Elf
* Moon Elf (standard)
* Drow Elf
* Wood Elf
Dwarf
* Shield Dwarf (standard)
* Gold Dwarf
* Gray Dwarf
Gnome
* Rock Gnome (standard)
* Deep Gnome
Halfling
* Strongheart
* Lightfoot
* Ghostwise
Half-Elf
Half-Orc

I think that's all of them.

Unique Items: They all still have good histories. None of them are quite as long and detailed as Pale Justice or The Salamander's Tongue, but they aren't brief, either. All of the area designers contributed to the unique items. There are over one hundred unique magical items in the game: a +1, +3, and +5 version of every weapon type (+1, +2, and +3 for missile weapons), three power levels of every armor and shield type, and three power levels of rings, robes, boots, etc. These are all static drops. Random generic magic items are still in the game. And man, there are many different random generic items. Damien Foletto made something like... 500, I think.

Weapon Specialization: BTW, let me break down how specialization, mastery, high mastery, and grand mastery work in IWD2, so everyone can get their crying in nice and early.

* Specialization: +1 to hit, +2 to damage, NO ADDITIONAL ATTACK
* Mastery: +3 to hit, +3 to damage, ALSO NO ADDITIONAL ATTACK
* High Mastery: +3 to hit, +3 to damage, +1 critical hit range, YET AGAIN, NO ADDITIONAL ATTACK
* Grand Mastery: +3 to hit, +3 to damage, +1 critical hit range, chance to stun target, IT'S THE END OF THE DAY, NO EXTRA ATTACK IN SIGHT

That's they way the design currently stands. It is unlikely to change. For those of you who may be tempted to cry: fighters still beat the crap out of anyone and anything that gets in their way. Really. Paladins and rangers are still effective in melee, but fighters are even more effective. They're just not as grossly effective as they used to be.

Multiple Attacks: IWD2 uses 3E's Base Attack Bonus progression for granting multiple attacks.

When a character hits +6, +11, +16 Base Attack Bonus (the progressions are quite similar to 2nd Ed. THAC0 decreases), they gain an additional attack at -5 to hit. Thus, a 7th level fighter has one attack at +7 and a second attack at +2. A 16th level fighter has one attack at +16, a second at +11, a third at +6, and a fourth at +1.

Fighters and warrior types are not the only classes to benefit from this progression. When a wizard or rogue hit +6, they also get a secondary attack at +1. Of course, their BAB progression is much slower than a fighter's.

Fighters, barbarians, paladins, and rangers all use the best BAB progression (1/level). Clerics, druids, monks, rogues, and bards use the same table, which is not as nice as the fighters'. They get their second attack at 8th level, their third at 15th. Wizards and sorcerers have the worst. They get their second attack at 12th level.

Criticals: My hope is that we can include some passive and modal feats that will offer alternatives to heavy weapon point dumps. If not, you'll have to live with increased crit chance. Basically, the increased chance means that you'll critically hit on a roll of 19 and 20. You can also find keen weapons in the game that increase that by another point, to 18, 19, and 20. Single weapon style increases your crit chance as well, so you can take that to 17, 18, 19, and 20. If any enemy is unfortunate enough to face such a character while he or she is under the effects of the new 9th level wizard spell Executioner's Eyes, they would suffer a critical hit on a roll of 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Ouch.

Spell Disruption: Spell disruption is not automatic in IWD2. The caster makes a check. The difficulty of that check is modified by the level of the spell (higher = more difficult to maintain), their level (higher = easier to maintain) and their con (higher = easier to maintain).

Environments: There are a good mix of indoor and outdoor environments. The earlier portions of the game focus more on outdoor exploration and the middle and later portions tend to take place in interior environments.

However, later in the game, there is a nice journey to a remote location that is quite different from Icewind Dale.

Playable NPCs: Nope, no CNPCs in IWD2. You should (hopefully) get more than enough replay out of the many races, sub-races, classes, and kits.

Gameplay hours: On this matter, I will comment only with the following: your mileage may vary. If you believe gameplay hours will be a concern, wait for reviews from news sites and/or friends, then decide whether or not it will be worth your time and money.

Tough Races: Since we are using 2nd Ed. XP charts, "tough races" suffer XP penalties through name level. This puts the drow and duergar (for instance) a level behind the rest of the party. The testers seem believe this is enough of a hindrance that such characters are by no means automatic party choices.

Character Generation: Characters will be generated using a point buy system on an unweighted scale. The ability scores use the 3E scale. All racial modifiers are +2 or -2. A moon elf, for instance, would have a maximum 20 Dexterity, 16 Constitution.

I can't remember the number of points, but the scale is not weighted. It costs one point to go from 11 to 12, one point to go from 18 to 19. It uses 3E's ability score scale. Bonuses start at 12 and penalties start at 9.

The stat values may or may not start at 10. Right now, I believe they start at 8. Really, in the end, the amount of points is what matters.

Sub-races: Yes, tieflings and aasimar are listed as sub-races of humans. Technically, half-elves and half-orcs could fit under that classification as well, but they seemed distinctly different from the plane-touched. No gensai, sorry.

Screenshots: The screenshots are at 800x600, I believe. The interface is absent because we are in the process of re-making it. And by re-making it, I don't just mean a cosmetic texture/color swap. Darren is taking a close look on ways that we can organize the interface to make the game more enjoyable.

Race/Class Restrictions: That's a tricky one. Race/class restrictions may be lifted, but the characters will still only have the best class combos available from IWD/HoW. Class/weapon restrictions are still being shifted around. Currently, clerics can use what are classified as "simple" weapons in 3E, which includes spears, crossbows, and similar weapons.

Multiclass Restrictions: We would have liked to have true 3E class and multiclass options, but it's the most daunting of conversions.

All of the class combos allowed in IWD will be allowed. Also, a character can start in a kit and then dual if the base class allows dual-classing. Yes, this means that you can play Kensai/Mages. However, Kensai/Mages aren't all that awesome in IWD2 -- at least, that seems to be the consensus from QA.

Dual-Wielding: Rangers start out with a point in Two Weapon Style. Some other classes can take Two Weapon Style (thieves, for instance), but only rangers start out with a point in it. Any character can use two weapons -- just not well.

Gameplay: It has a very good mix. The first part of the game is oriented around simple puzzles and heavy combat. The middle game has some very puzzle-intensive areas (thanks to Dave Maldonado and Rob Holloway). The last half of the game has some very intense, heavy combat with at least one completely insane puzzle.

I think you'll find it's a great deal like TotL.

The focus in IWD2 really is on party creation and advancement, heavy combat, puzzle solving, and focusing on a very linear story. If you like those elements, you should like IWD2.

Attacks of Opportunity?: No. Implementing AoO would be a nightmare for IWD2 for a number of reasons.

No Interface Screenshots: That's because the interface and all spell icons are being completely re-done by Brian "SMENZ" Menze and co.

World Map: The world map is divided into three separate maps. The first map goes from Maer Dualdon to the western pass through the Spine of the World. The second map stretches between the western pass, south of the Spine, to just west of the eastern pass. The third map is a great mystery. OoOOoOOoOoOOh.

Once you enter a new map, you are restricted to exploration in that section of the world.

Revisiting IWD I: Yes, you will return to Kuldahar, Dragon's Eye, and one other Icewind Dale location. Of course, a lot can happen to a place in thirty years...

XP Tables: Drow and duergar lose 50% through 10th level. Tieflings and aasimar lose 35% through 10th level. Deep gnomes lose 60% through 10th level. They may be losing some of their powers and some of their XP penalty, though.

Singing Bard Script: Yes. There is one, courtesty of Chad Nicholas. He's actually made a lot of new PC scripts. I like Druid Offensive Caster the best.

Weapon Damage: Spears currently do 1-8 points of damage, as they did in HoW. Hammers still do 1d4+1, I believe.

Weapon Range: Actually, spears, halberds, and two-handed swords all have a range of two melee units in IWD/HoW. They will remain that way for IWD2.

Megavillian: One of the first megavillains you encounter in IWD2 can be seen on the homepage. See the blue woman at the far right of the title bar? That's Sherincal, an unpleasant individual. BTW, she is introduced during the prologue of the game.

The concept art is also a little misleading. The concept makes it look like she is wearing boots and a helmet. As Dave wrote, that's part of her actual physical makeup. In the game, she looks even more monstrous.

Sherincal = Demon?: No, but just as bad.

Testers Favorite Class/Race/Kit Combo: Not all of our testers have internet access. However, they seem to like the Dreadmaster of Bane, Wizard Slayer, and Archer. Mercenaries and Skalds are not too popular at the moment. We might have to adjust them to make them more appealing.

Oh, also, people seem to like the wood elf and gold dwarf subraces.

Bonus Spells: We are working on giving clerics, druids, rangers, and paladins bonus spells for high wisdom, wizards bonus spells for high intelligence, and sorcerers and bards bonus spells for high charisma.

Class modifications: Paladins and rangers got earlier spell access in HoW. Thieves also got sneak attack and crippling strike in HoW. Those are are all still in IWD2. Monsters follow the same rules as PCs. Classes are being modified along the lines they were in HoW. Specialty priests are still handled as kits.

It is a mishmash of rules, but it actually works quite well.

Ability point every 4 levels?: I think Darren is trying to work that in, but I'm not sure. We're working on implementing stat increases. By level 28, you could have +7 stat points. Of course, that's a total gain of +3 modifiers (+4 if you started on an odd stat), so it's not that big of a deal.

18 Strength: +4 to hit, +4 to damage
25 Strength: +7 to hit, +7 to damage

Music Composer: Inon Zur is doing the IWD2 music, with some interaction from Jeremy Soule to keep the same feeling.

Portraits: Justin Sweet is making new portraits. The ones he has completed look terrific. Unfortunately, he tends to be a perfectionist -- he hasn't quite put the finishing touches on them yet. You can see some of Justin's work here: http://www.justinsweet.com/

You may remember his art from the opening of Icewind Dale; he did the illustrations of the battle between Jerrod and Arrakon.

Magic Bucklers: Yes. There are, at bare minimum, three magical bucklers in the game: a +1 buckler, a +3 buckler, and a +5 buckler.

Wild Mage: There will be no wild mages / wild magic in IWD2. We did not feel that they were worth the time to implement. Also, it's arguable that wild magic and wild mages don't exist at this point in the FR timeline.

Misc: 3 saves: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.

Currently, inventory and weapon slots work as they did in IWD:HoW.

Tracking: like HoW.

Familiars: None.

Contingencies and Sequencers: No.

Spell Protections/Counter-Protections: No.

Multiplayer Enhancements: Same as HoW.

NWN Release Date Clarification
Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 - 16:48 CET by Darien

From the Official NWN boards, here's a bit more detail about the release of Neverwinter Nights, courtesy of Ray and Greg:

BioWare's new publishing partner, Infogrames, has just announced in their press release that Neverwinter Nights will be launched worldwide in Summer, 2002. We apologize for the delay in getting back to you during the day today - we want to try to clarify this date announcement since so many people have been posting about it on the message boards.

Please understand that we are committed to releasing games when they are finished, polished and ready for the world. For a game as complex, epic and multifaceted as Neverwinter Nights, this is especially the case. The massive scope and flexibility intrinsic in the Toolset, the DM Client and the Official Campaign will be unprecedented in the gaming world and, as a result, we must carefully test every aspect of Neverwinter Nights. With a new publisher, there is a new plan for marketing, QA, localization and distribution.

To that end, BioWare and Infogrames now feel that Summer 2002 (which could mean as early as May or June) is a good conservative estimate of the distribution date - guaranteeing a game worthy of the quality inherent under the titles of Dungeons and Dragons, Infogrames and BioWare. We are still aiming for the same development completion targets that we were aiming for in the past, but Infogrames and BioWare both want to provide a safe target window for the game to be ready in terms of the things that are covered by the publisher working in conjunction with the development team - distribution, localization, marketing and testing.

Thanks - as always as we get more information we'll update you. Our fans are very important to us.

Ray Muzyka Greg Zeschuk
Joint CEO's BioWare Corp.

Icewind Dale II Interview
Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 - 16:36 CET by Darien

RPGVault has interviewed J.E. Sawyer about the sequel to Icewind Dale. Sawyer talks about the storyline, gameplay, and how some of the 3E rules are implemented in the game.

Jonric: Will there be other changes or additions related to the 3E rules? And will there be any that arise from other sources or influences?

J.E. Sawyer: We are also incorporating kits and sub-races. The former are specific to 2nd Edition and the latter have been around since Unearthed Arcana. Both are being implemented so that they will be as appealing as any core class or race. I have been adamant about striving for balance between the core classes and kits and core races and sub-races. Many of the kits are modified versions of what appeared in Baldur's Gate II. At least one of the kits from each class group has been entirely replaced with one kit specifically for Icewind Dale II. For example, the Berserker and priest of Talos from Baldur's Gate II have been replaced by the Mercenary and the Dreadmaster of Bane.

There are a few new spells in the game that were taken from the 3E Player's Handbook and the new Forgotten Realms supplements (Flensing, Gedlee's Electric Loop and others). We are also working on changing the mechanics for interrupting spellcasting and turning undead to model the way they are handled in 3E.

Read more.

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2002 - 0:29 CET by Arwen

David Gaider, Designer:

Dialogue trees: In any given dialogue file, you're likely going to have several different 'starting points' for dialogue... and therefore several different trees.

If you have a character who starts off saying 'can you help me?' and other times says 'you sure are stupid', those have to be different trees. When a character's dialogue is selected, the game starts running through the various dialogue conditions' scripts... if the conditions in the script are true, it runs that tree. If not, it can fall all the way to the 'default' tree, which is a starting condition with no scripting (meaning it's always true).

As far as the difficulty for scripting starting conditions, it depends on how complex you want to get. Most of the time it will be very easy... you're looking at the setting for a single global or a particular stat (like the Charisma of whoever they're talking to). If you want to mess with timers and the like, it can get a bit more complicated, but chances are that there's going to be plenty of examples of scripts like that already in the game (and those are heavily commented to describe what they do, so you won't be left guessing).

Persuade option in dialogue: The Persuade option is available to everyone, as it defaults to Charisma. The total modifier to the die roll, then, is the Persuade skill rank + the Charisma bonus. If someone didn't have the skill at all, they might make an Easy DC check, but probably not otherwise without a very high Charisma.

The Insight option, on the other hand, will only show up for those with a Wisdom of 14+. Like all links in dialogue, they can be scripted to be either TRUE or FALSE... which will determine whether or not they appear.

Converting to vampirism: There's no function for a conversion to vampirism built into the game, if that's what you mean. Vampires as monsters are included, though, and it's possible you might be able to script someone becoming a vampire...though it certainly wouldn't be easy.

Government: Well, the short answer is yes. What you have to do, though, is think about what direct effect that government/taxation system has on the player. How does the government collect the taxes? Do you write an NPC who demands money from the players? Does this NPC taxman try to search for the party? How does the government react when the players break the law (the 'no magic' rule would be very easy to duplicate with an area-specific script)?

Environment in the campaign: There's really too many to list off. We're using every tileset available to us, though...what the final count is has yet to be determined.

Magical weapons giving off light?: Yes.

NPC's sticking their tongues out?: No.

Sending data from server to server: Quote:
To send data from one NWN server to another, since direct communication is not possible, will we be able to give a character a scroll or some other item, to indicate they have completed an adventure and have the other server look for that item as they enter?

Replace 'server' with 'module' in the above quote and yes... that's completely correct and quite easy to do.

Birds: Sort of. They're flying at head level, after all, not soaring into the clouds. If you think about it, they're regular models with no body, no legs, and big flapping ears.

Phoenixes: Not in the initial release, no.

Derek French, Assistant Producer:

Mac and Linux ports: Sorry, its been a super busy day here and I haven't had much time for the boards. Yes, at this time the Mac and Linux versions are still happening. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner.

Elven paladine: Resurrection spam.

What is the NWN team doing?: The biggest misconception is that the first 2 years involved a full team that was coding and generating story and art. This was not the case. NWN has been in full production for just over 2 years now.

BioWare replies: I reply on average once every 2.356 hours.

NWN plug in BG: Yes, it was a plug. But working on TotSC did not impact NWN at all. They were totally separate teams. BioWare usually has about 2 to 3 projects on the go at one time and the work on one has no direct impact on the other. All the work we are doing on NWN does not impact Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.

DirectX: It is a common misperception that if a game uses OpenGL for its rendering that it does not require or use DirectX. That is not true.

DirectX is still required/used in NWN. We are using OpenGL for rendering, not Direct3D, but that does not remove/exclude using the other parts of DirectX that work really well.

I don't remember exactly what parts of DirectX we are using in NWN (I will have to check with the guys on Monday), but DirectX is still required for the game to work.

Icewind Dale II Official Site Launch
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 20:49 CET by Darien

Here it is, people. Black Isle's new official site for Icewind Dale II. Amongst the pages you'll find news, screenshots, and a bestiary which includes the bugbear, goblin worg rider, and hook horror. Check out the site here.

NWN Interview with Greg Zeschuk
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 20:17 CET by Darien

BioWare joint CEO Greg Zeschuk recently chatted with HomeLan about the upcoming release of Neverwinter Nights and the settlement with Infogrames. Here's a short excerpt from the interview:

HomeLAN - Now that Infogrames is the publisher for Neverwinter Nights, do you feel that they will do a good job marketing the title?

Greg Zeschuk - We’ve extremely confident in our new publishing partner, Infogrames, to do a great job in all of the areas they’ll be responsible for. In particular, Infogrames understands the importance of solid marketing for a Dungeons and Dragons title as they hold the license for a number of years and all the effort they put in builds future value. We’ve only been working with the folks at Infogrames for a very short time but we are really impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail.

Neverwinter Nights Release Info
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 20:04 CET by Darien

Infogrames has sent out a press release concerning the release of Neverwinter Nights. They will be partnering with Bioware to publish the game, and the release date has finally been set. Are you ready?

Neverwinter Nights will be available worldwide in Summer 2002 and can be pre-ordered today at all videogame retail outlets.

If you want to read the rest of the press release, you can find it here.

Icewind Dale II Screenshots
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 19:50 CET by Darien

Here are some Icewind Dale II screenshots from GameSpot. The sequel to Icewind Dale is scheduled to be released May 28th, but until then, check these out!

Icewind Dale II Q&A
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 19:44 CET by Darien

GameSpot PC has a three-page interview with Darren Monahan covering the soon-to-be-released Icewind Dale II. Here's a short bit about some of the new features you can expect to see:

GS: Will Icewind Dale II be using any of the new features from Baldur's Gate II, such as character kits, high-level spells, monsters, and so on?

DM: You bet. Some really great features from our BioWare friends will be showing up in Icewind Dale II, as well as a number of new ones. For example, dual wielding, class kits, high-level spells, monsters, and much more. We've taken some of the features BioWare made for Baldur's Gate II and expanded upon them for Icewind Dale II, like adding new character kits such as the mercenary, dreadmaster of bane, and the votary. We took the kit idea a step further, and players can choose from a number of subraces like drow elves or tieflings. We also have more than 50 new spells, bring the total over 300, at all power levels (including a number of ninth-level spells, like executioner's eyes, aegis, and more). The biggest improvement has been the implementation of some 3rd Edition rules. Say "bye bye" to THAC0 and negative AC.

Read the full article.

Icewind Dale 2 Announced!
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 17:00 CET by Sorcerer

Finally, I might add. Well, here's the really short version for all of you who won't bother to read the press release below:

-uses the Infinity Engine (so no 3D)
-all the improvements from BG2 & ToB
-all kits & classes from BG2, plus Mercenary, Giant Killer and the Dreadmaster of Bane as new kits (among others)
-new sub-races including the Drow, Tiefling, Aasimar and Duergar
-over 50 new spells such as Executioner's Eyes and Aegis, bringing the total to over 300 spells
-new items, weapons, monsters
-projected release date May 28, 2002

The website for Icewind Dale 2 is not up yet, but expect it shortly.

Read the whole press release here.

(And yes, we will be covering the game on SP, in the news and on the forums.) ;)

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 - 0:48 CET by Tiamat

Noel Borstad, Programmer:

Avoiding giants by hiding in small doorways: What should happen is that as soon as you step through the doorframe the giant will no longer be able to plot a direct path to you (it takes personal space into account when pathfinding) so he will attempt to find any other paths that he can... which might mean using some other door to come attack you from behind. If that's not possible, he will give up and resume normally scripted behaviour.

Scripting Damage Avoidance: That's where you come in! ;) Either script 'em to run away, or give them a ranged attack so that they can fight back.

Jay Watamaniuk, Community Manager:

How long has NWN been in development? You are not going crazy. NWN has been in development for about 4 years. Trent O. spoke at length today at the company meeting about that very thing.
That's a long time, but as the man said-'It's really, really big'.

Neverwinter Wednesday: The idea of Neverwinter Wednesday is still a go. We are finishing up some PR details with our new publisher, however and I do need to wait on confirmation of a few things. After that we should be not only back on track, but have a bunch of new stuff for you. Derek and I are working on the FAQ revamp and when that clears a few hurdles for new content etc, it will be slapped up here.

Level Cap: Pretty much everybody is correct. NWN, upon release, is only including the rules in the Players Handbook which only deals with characters up to level 20 (in total). There may be some confusion about level cap due to people reading the Forgotten Realms Handbook, which NWN takes place in, and seeing characters who are about 187th level :) . The rules for beyond 20th level are not out yet and thus have not been included in NWN.

Guild Requirements: I am in the process of planning the NWN Community Page, Phase I. This means that we are shooting for an initial set of features which will be changed, added-to etc. as the community develops. I would like some suggestions as to what would be a reasonable thing to request from folks who wish to create a guild, or have created a guild and want it in the Guild section of the official NWN Community Page.
Initially, this would simply be a listing of guilds that have been looked at, and approved for listing in the official Guilds page by BioWare. Hopefully more features will be added later as the Community Page matures.
My ideas for requirements so far are:
- Your guild has a web site.
- You have a written document explaining your guilds basic tenets, beliefs and expected conduct for members.
- You grant permission for BioWare staff to read through your guild material (kind of important :) )
- You grant BioWare staff the right to refuse your guild registration based on any perceived violation of the basic rules of conduct which will be based on the rules of behavior for posting on the NWN boards (basically nothing illegal, slanderous, insulting etc.).
I am making this document up in the next week or so and would appreciate any constructive input into this will be the rules for your section of the Community Page. I am not locking this thread so folks can actually comment here. I humbly, humbly request that any posts are relevant :)

More: I am looking for suggestions on what I should request for Guild submissions as you folks are the experts on what makes a good guild and how I can attempt to limit 'unworthy' guilds from being listed on the official site. If you have ideas on that, post them here.

More on checking out guild first: I was talking about looking at the beliefs, ideas etc. behind a guild. I would assume that these things would be posted for all to see on a web page but it is nice to gain permission before invading someone's guild. If a link to your guild is posted on the NWN page you can't have objectionable material displayed to the public or, indeed, in private either. The basic rules of these boards, for example, (no porn, no hate literature etc.) are what I need to make sure do not exist on whatever guilds get a link on the NWN site.
As for secret rituals etc. I need to think about that as I'm sure there will be those out there who have the public statement "Love Animals Above All Else" and then when you become a member they have questionable photos of sheep. :)

Info Releasing: We are in discussions about the specifics of who does what PR-wise with our new publisher. We have lots of stuff for you but need to iron out the little bits. Infogrames has been very accommodating in the discussions and we want to make sure everything is 100% clear as we have just formed this partnership. I hope that clears things up for everybody.

Upcoming Information: Huge thanks to everyone for stepping in and clearing some stuff up- I appreciate it very much. We just finished up our morning PR meeting and yeeehaw ! we have some cool stuff coming up. Just hang on until the meetings with our publisher are completed and baby, we got the goods.

David Gaider, Designer:

Dialogue: Having the dialogues end at the same spot wasn't done for VO (Voice-Over) purposes, really. It was done because:

a) different kinds of replies, even if they arrived at the same point, was actually a request from the message board. Some fans said the options presented often didn't 'talk' like their character and they wanted more flavor.

b) I know everybody ideally wants dialogues and stories to go in a million different paths, with every choice you make leading to some different plotline completely, right? Well, ok, maybe not that bad, but sometimes it seems like that's what's actually being asked for.
While that would be a dream come true for the hardcore fan who intends to play the game through ten times, take the following into consideration: the 'wider' plots become, the shorter they are... and the less of them there can be. That means we could have, say, 3 really diverging plots that had lots of responses and let you do anything you wanted to... and you'd finish the section in about half-an-hour; or you could have 30 plots that had one or two divergences (maximum)... and you'd finish the section in about 10 hours. Most people are only going to play the game once, and the idea is to maximize their experience and not put too much time into a feature or plot that, say, maybe 5% of the audience might even see.

Ideally we want to get somewhere in-between... have a quality plot that allows the player some flexibility without having it meander all over the place and have its width get out of control. We've heard plenty from the fans on their view of the dialogues in Torment, BG2/ToB and Fallout... and we're trying to incorporate some of these ideas into the dialogue in the NWN official campaign. It's quite different.
There is one more limitation, even in that regard however, and it's one most fans don't seem to understand:

c) Word Count. There is a high cost associated with word count, especially with a game that is going to be translated into many different languages. When you're talking about a cost per word , a game like BG2 that had about 1.2 million words, is nothing to sniff at. I remember ToB... as an expansion, its word count was quite draconian simply because it was an expansion pack. Expansion packs are supposed to be small... and we still managed to put in 200,000 words (about twice as much as we were supposed to) and more story than one is supposed to in an expansion pack. Of course, what the hardcore fans wanted was a sequel (and all the length and detail that goes along with that), but that's beside the point.

The point is that we still have a limitation in the NWN official campaign... but that at the same time we are trying to incorporate a lot of what people have been asking for. A couple of examples are:

- skill checks inside of dialogue (you often get the option to use Persuade, for example)
- characteristics affecting dialogue (one example is the use of Wisdom for 'insights'... dialogue responses that will come up only for characters with a high Wis that shows them coming up with a particularly incisive question)
- dumb dialogue (for those PC's of low Intelligence, they will now sound like it)
- more alignment options (more options for people of extreme alignments... such as the common option when being rewarded for a good-aligned quest: there is usually the 'good' option to turn down the reward as well as the 'evil' option to demand a higher reward or you'll beat the crap out of the plot-giver.)
- PC recognition (a bit more often, details about the PC will be recognized... particularly race and class. For example, a Barbarian who speaks to an innkeeper will likely be greeted by a groan and a plea not to destroy his hotel room like the last Uthgardt that stayed there.)
These are a few examples, at any rate. The best thing, however, is that while we may be limited as to our word count... a player making their own module certainly isn't. Plus you're always free to take the official campaign's dialogue and add to it or alter it as much as you prefer... so all the wits who say they can do better will now have to put up or shut up. :)

I think that's what I'm looking forward to the most... the fact that someone out there is going to write something brilliant and I'll get to play it. Until then, rest assured that the Design department here is breaking its collective backs trying to wow you guys with the official campaign. It may not be focused on much simply because the MP aspect of NWN is so unique... but it's definitely there and VERY important to us that we get it right.

Tilesets: 1) There are no castle tiles in the rural tilesets. The Good Castle/Evil Castle tiles exist in the city tileset, currently.
You could create, though, a castle that has empty space around it (cobblestone) and a wall surrounding the edge of the castle area...have that all be one 'area' in the module. When they go through the outer walls, they transition to a rural tileset with the town...bordered on one side by a wall (which is the outer wall of the castle). Two seperate module areas, two different tilesets.

2) When you say 'have this rural area surrounded by city tilesets', keep in mind that the different tilesets have to be in different areas. You have 'tiles' which are single area block (in-game roughly 10 foot square)...tilesets are a big selection of tiles with a common theme, only one of which may be in use in a single area.

Areas can transition to another area very simply, though. You can simply walk down a road, walk off the edge of the map, go through a door, walk through a gate...whatever you wish. Keep in mind, though, that if there's no 'edge' to the current area (a wall, a row of buildings, a cliff face, etc), the player 'sees' the terrain continuing along according to what he's currently walking on.

Example?

OK, on your map you have a field of grass with a single path leading up to the edge of the map. At the edge, you transition to another area...where you immediately have a high wall and the path leading up to a city gate.

Limitation: when the player reaches the edge of the map on the 'field of grass' area, what they visually see is the road continuing on straight ahead, along with more grass, even though they've reached the edge of that map. They don't see the city walls which are (presumably) directly ahead of them. In such a case, all you can do is imply space. The road on one map 'leads' to the city...but it's not just 10 feet away. Since you have an overhead view, it's not like the player can see way off in the distance, anyway, so the difference doesn't have to be much. Just something to keep in mind.

The End of the World: The edge of an area can be comprised of pretty much any tile. There is then non-accessible, shaded tiles placed beyond the edge of the area made up of the same tile that is at the edge, so you don't have an abrubt chop-off.
An example of this is if you have a docks area, and along the edge is water, the water will appear to go off for as far as you can see.

Area Borders: Like Nathan pointed out, you don't HAVE to place a border around an area. The terrain will appear to continue past the border (as I also mentioned in my last post above). If you do want borders, there are tiles which are specifically good for that...and several in each tileset. I'm not going to go into a point-by-point list, but the city tileset has walls, water and castle tilesets rather than just buildings. The rural tileset also has water and two types of walls (wooden and stone) which are good for borders. In both cases, the 'raise/lower' function also can be used for this purpose (and looks good).

Building a castle in a cavern: The cavern tileset only has a few crude buildings. There are numerous types of cave openings, though... you could probably have one of those going into a large stone wall border and have the castle as the interior. Personally, I wouldn't say that the cavern tileset translates very well into underground cities/fortresses or the like (not large ones, anyway), but you could probably cobble something half-decent together via the placed walls/cave entrances/placeable objects.

Pathways in the cavern tileset: Mmm... no, no brick/cobblestone pathways exist in the cavern tileset, nor on the placeable object list. I don't know how that would work as a placeable object, either... for one, it'd have to be huge, and for another there'd be a lot of them. We do have placeable floor designs, but that's a whole different ball of wax.
They are merely patterns that you can lay down as an object... not interior flooring. :) An example is a summoning circle that you just place on the floor.

Bottomless pits around castles: You mean around the exterior of the castle? No, not currently. The pits exist in the forest and crypt tilesets... not in the city tileset. I imagine, once again, that you could take the pit tile and combine it with city tiles to make a unique tileset... but I don't know how complicated that would be.

Making Road Blocks: If it was available in the tileset. There are no path-blocking rockslides in the current tilesets, but that doesn't mean one can't be made.

Adjustable Wall Heights: Walls and cliffs are made by using the 'raise/lower' function...you have up to five elevation levels available. They are of uniform heigh and while they cannot be stacked directly on top of each other (you can't have one sheer cliff five levels high), they are stackable in a staggered fashion (like a staircase...though you can do this in as irregular a fashion as you wish).

Adjustable Towers: There are no 'adjustable' towers...the only towers that exist are those that have been modeled and exist in a tileset. From the ground, though, you certainly can't see the top of them (you can't see the top of most things that are over one storey high). You CAN go to the top of the tower, however, IF there is a 'roof level' that exists in the model.
One of the smaller towers we have has such a level, and if the player goes to the top of it you can see an interesting view of the area around. Not the whole city...just the area (although that's usually pretty big). It actually doesn't look that bad, either, as the fog effects make the ground buildings look sort of hazy and distant...and if your area is large enough and the tower far enough away from the edge of the map you won't detect any irregularity visually in that way.

Forest Tileset: I just popped over to the toolset and made a map pretty close to the one you have planned. The Forest tileset works just groovy for what you have planned. Unlike the Rural tileset, though, you can't currently 'raise/lower' the tiles in the Forest as you can in the other tilesets (this may be a temporary thing, though, as the option is on the list...so that may be added).
Regardless, there is a 'cliff' tile in the Forest tileset which is much more impressive (and tall) than the normal cliff-faces...so if you have a cliff, a walkable area and a pit tile beside it it all looks very impressive and mountainous.
And no...the Rural tileset and the Forest tileset aren't being combined into one. That would limit a lot of your options if that happened.

Underground or Drow Cities: Being able to build underground cities and such Underdark stuff might be something we'd consider with an expansion... but the cavern tileset alone probably won't do what you're thinking (like I said earlier).

Can one not have a long corridor with rooms opening up on both sides, with furniture or bar counters and tables and so on in them? You could thus have a sort of an underground or dwarven city, with the corridor being the main street. It won't be a very rich looking city, but it might just about do. Yes, you can do that. The cavern tileset DOES have a couple of crude buildings, as well. You can also have cave openings which transition to an interior tileset... which would probably be the best way to go. Like you said, the city wouldn't look that rich... a bunch of caves in a cavern... but add a bunch of placeable objects into the mix and it might look like an actual settlement.

Quests and Alignment Changes: The quests can be assigned an alignment (if the DM chooses), or the DM can script alignment changes on plot resolution... if he feels that the resolution is skewed towards any alignment. If the resolution is very Good-aligned, as you suggest, then we can script the player to 'nudge' towards Good either a small, medium or large amount.

Does Neverwinter Nights use Unicode? No idea what Unicode even is, personally.

Professional typography in the dialogue: Uh-huh --- 'I'll think about it.' ;)

XP Through Journal Entries and Scripting: Actually, there is a way. XP is applied through the journal entries in the following fashion:

- using the journal wizard, you can create journal entries for plots, which as many individual entries as you'd like (for each step along the way). The journal entry (as a whole, for the plot) has a tag... and each entry can be given a priority, a picture, and even marked as the 'finishing' entry. You also (most importantly) mark what the XP value for the plot is.

- via scripting, you can apply the XP:

RewardXP("PIRATE_PLOT1",100,GetPCSpeaker()); This applies 100% of the XP for PIRATE_PLOT1 to the PCSpeaker and his party (this one used in dialogue, obviously, as many are).
RewardXP("HIGHLAND_PLOT2",25,GetPCSpeaker(),FALSE); This applies 25% of the total XP for HIGHLAND_PLOT2 to the PCSpeaker...but only him, not his party.

and so forth...

The thing is, you CAN put a negative value in for a plot's total XP value. So... if I were going to include the possibility of deducting XP, I might perhaps create a journal called "XP_DEDUCT" with a total value of, say, 10,000.

Then, if I want to deduct 1,000 XP from someone, I simply apply 10% of the XP for "XP_DEDUCT" to whoever. You don't HAVE to write anything for the journal entry comment (other than "shame on you!", if you wanted).

I was thinking of making a "ROGUE_XP" journal entry to award xp for picking locks and disarming traps in a module I'm doing.

Hmmm...I hope this wasn't confusing. Please don't blast me with a million questions... gah! (runs for the hills)

What happens to a character if they lose enough XP that it should make them "drop" a level? Good question. I'm not actually sure... the possibility of deducting XP in the manner I suggest was just an idea. I've never actually tried it. I will try it out. I suspect one of two things:
1) Similar to level drain, the player actually loses the level. Or, more likely...
2) Nothing. The player will just have that much farther to go to advance.
We'll see. I might just smell a bug report, here...

Weapon Animations: Not sure about the attacks question (haven't seen it in operation, myself...my bard only has one attack per round currently), but I can answer the first two easily enough.
All weapons included have unique animations.

Are sickles in the game? Yes. Scythes, too.

How many official modules is Bioware creating? Well, we have the one really big campaign... which is a series of four modules in a successive storyline. There may be other modules that come with, as well, of varying sizes. That depends on what gets done/how much time there is and so forth.

Scripting: Well, it really depends on what you're trying to script. The script events are different for modules, placeable objects, creatures, areas and so forth. Maybe that's where the confusion is coming in.

Conversation Trees: There's nothing commercially available to store conversation trees that I can think of, if that's what you're asking.

Insight vs Sense Motive: Insights are extra dialogue options for those with high Wisdom... they are more incisive questions or options that relate simply to the character being smart (generally allowing the player to gain extra information, or to do it quicker, but sometimes getting them unique things) and is not a skill check of any kind.
Sense Motive is a skill used to detect when someone is bluffing or lying to you... and doesn't even relate to the Insight option in my example, so I have no idea where you came up with this comparison of yours other than the fact that 'Sense Motive' and 'Insight' vaguely sound like they might do the same things (and which means you didn't actually bother to read the original post).

Applying the True/False condition to the dialogue branches: You add a script into the 'Text Appears When' section. There is a default script that comes up that allows you to easily plug in a TRUE/FALSE statement that calls upon one thing (a global, a stat, etc.)...since these are the most common scripts.

Just as an example, the check for the Insight script is:

#include "NW_I0_PLOT"
int StartingConditional()
{
int iResult;
iResult = CheckWisdomHigh();
return iResult;
}

I don't think it gets much simpler than that.

Does Wisdom have to be 14 to use Insight: The CheckWisdomHigh() function is one that is set into the "designer include" script (the first function called there, the 'include'). In that script, it sets the CheckWisdomHigh() to return true if the PC's Wisdom is > 13. If you wanted to change that, you could always change that number in the script or simply write a quick one of your own (very easy).

Stats: Well, I've posted elsewhere on how much skills and stats affect dialogue... so I won't repeat it here. I will say, though, that in my current run-through of the official campaign, my charismatic bard gets positive reactions from most people she meets and is very persuasive...so I'm really getting the most out of NPC interaction. If the character had a low charisma/int/wisdom, then she just wouldn't have access to as many options or quests.

Some characters might be better at combat, and therefore better at the quests that require it... but many quests can be solved in more than one fashion (though not all), and some don't require combat at all (stealth & persuasion can often by-pass combat altogether, if you choose).

This is speaking of the official campaign, of course. How you make your own modules is up to you... but having all kinds of checks for stats and skill use is very simple. Check out the advanced scripting skillz needed for a Persuade check:

#include "nw_i0_plot"
int StartingConditional()
{
return AutoDC(DC_EASY, SKILL_PERSUADE, GetPCSpeaker());
}

And that's it. That's the automated one, with three difficulty settings (Easy, Mid, Hard). If you wanted to set the DC exactly and roll a die just as in PnP, that's also pretty simple:

int StartingConditional()
{
int iSkill = GetSkillRank(SKILL_PERSUADE,GetPCSpeaker());
int iRoll = d20();
int DC = 25;
if ((iRoll + iSkill) >= DC)
{
return TRUE;
}
return FALSE;
}

Of course, you don't HAVE to declare the DC here...could just put it in the IF statement... but trust me, this is very basic scripting (even if it puzzles you to look at now) and will take you about 5 min to recognize and learn once you see it at use within the scripts.

But anyway, the question was about role-playing in the dialogue and not scripting, so I'll shut up now.

Cavern Tileset: You can have wide passages using the generic cavern tile, but there is a basic width to the 'corridor' tile...so you can't narrow them without having a new tile for it. So if what you're imagining is having very narrow, single-file-only passages...then, no, the basic Cavern tileset doesn't allow that.

Nathan Frederick, Quality Assurance:

Second Floors: No, the buildings with walkable second floors are separate buildings, and are not directly adjacent to the cliff, so you would not be able to walk across (due to the gap)

Parks: As for parks, yes, there is park stuff for the cities.

Inventory GUI: There are indeed slots, and weight. The actual gui tends to fluctuate a lot, so I can't really give you anything solid on that aspect at this moment.

Giant Tree: There is a giant tree which takes up 4 tiles (2x2).

Placeholders: Placeholders (or lack thereof, since there's pretty much no art to them ;) ). I've seen the inventory gui change its appearance more times than I can count :)

Anxious Silence: Nothing has been said about many things, some for reasons of legality or PR mechanics, some for suspense (can't give all the goodies out, after all), but most, simply because they haven't been finalized. People have demonstrated a tendency to get very upset if, at a later date, something is no longer the way we said it was a while ago. So until things are fairly certain to not change regarding a topic at hand, we tend to not say anything. And no, the simple disclaimer of "This is how it is currently, it might change" does not work. That seems to be the first thing that is ignored and/or forgotten.

Transitions: There are two basic types of area transitions: Doors, and triggers.
Doors have built-in transition capability, so that you can simply link doors together. These work in such a way that you open the door, and then you can click on a transition poly within the door (much like the doors in BG2 were interacted with)
Trigger transitions are painted, and can be pretty much any size or shape. You can set them to fire on entering the trigger, exiting them, clicking on them, on heartbeat (say for a timed teleporter), or a customly scripted reason.
You can set transitions up to be two-way, or one-way, by default. If you get involved, with some custom scripting, you can have the destinations change.

Bob McCabe, Writing & Design:

The Game: We've gone on so much abut the single player game that it is sickening. And we've also mentioned too many times that the single player game = the multiplayer game. And we've mentioned that the campaign is something that we're striving to make better than BG2, and also take the great elements that were in BG1 and neglected in BG2, and put them in there as well. Sheesh! :)

Must DMs follow the 3E rules? It really depends. What kind of rules are we talking here? Are you asking if a DM can make to hit rolls based on d100, and affect the bonuses each class gets? No, I doubt you'll be able to deviate in that way. I won't say more because more clarity is needed in this question, unless I got it right already...

Starting Items: I believe each character starts off with a starting package. Generally, it's a torch, clothing, and a normal weapon.

Progressive Character Growth: This is completely up to the player and the DMs / MOD creators. it won't happen in our campaign, but not everyone agrees that the way we run things is the way things are meant to be run, right?

Ambient Objects: I'm not sure if ambient objects can be set to appear through a script... guessing? i'd say yes, but my guess is worthless. why do i guess yes? because there was a strange bug where, when you killed a monster that had an inventory - instead of being left with a bag or small chest or pile of loot or what have you, you were left with an... armoir! Ya know, one of those big ol' dresser things, right? They're an ambient object, so... putting 2 & 2 together to get 3.14.

Beating the Single-Player Game: Just a quick defense to say that we're not implementing monty-haul OR wimpy encounters to allow people to play through in single-player. It's hard to explain it without letting people actually "play" through the game. We've said in the past that the game can be gotten through with any class. What this means is that a lot of the time, our encounters have multiple solutions. Think that shooter game... Deus Ex? I didn't really play it (Halo is my first first-person shooter - I know, I know, I need to play Unreal), but their encounters were set the same way. If you had tech skills, you could de-activate the alarm and walk through. If you had fighting skills, you just slaughtered the huge numbers ofguards that arrived when you triggered the alarm. If you had stealth, you triggered the alarm with a diversion, then snuck through the encounter.
That is what we're going for. You have to be good to accomplish these feats, but you don't have to be a super fighter / wizard / rogue to do it, either. And, so far, there has been some stumbling there. The game in some areas is hard for this class or easy for that class. But that's why there are so many people playing through the game - so we can get the balance right. And yes, there are going to be encounters that you might not be able to get through unless you are particularly skilled. In those cases, you have to find another route, or hire a henchman to help you. Anyway, hopefully this clears the matter up slightly :)

E3: I'm going to e3 again this year (one way or another), as will likely half of the company (judging by past years) and we'll by hyping up neverwinter nights, for certain. whether it's a post- or pre-release hype, or official or unnofficial hype, is something i won't speculate on ;)

DM tutorial: I'm pretty sure that we're going to have a module that is a DM tutorial. That would go a long way in helping to learn some of the controls and ideas of DMing.

Body Types: Originally, I believe, there were 4 phenotypes. That has been reduced to three. It's basically a thin phenotype, a normal/muscular phenotype, and a heavy phenotype.
You can challenge me as much as you want, but the fact remains that I created a new character today and when I came to the "select body type" option, I received a thin choice, a normal/muscular choice, and a heavy choice :) Yes, we did say that the difference between thin and normal was too minor to make it a worthwhile choice, but by making normal slightly more muscular, skinny really stands out as different, and looks good as well.
There were originally four body types: Yes! :)
The thinnest one of the four was the one that got dropped: Originally? Yes! :) We can go from there. I don't want to rock your world too much ;)

Ambient Objects: Hmm... I would define it more as the make-up of the environment. Trees fill the forest, etc... in that sense, perhaps, it is off-the-mark as a little too all-encompasing. But just the same, creatures can be placed, tiles can be placed, items can be placed...

Rob Bartel, Co-Lead Designer:

On the death of a creature... Yup, you can stick a "CreateObject" script on the OnDeath event of a creature, if you like, allowing you to spawn in a tree, a sofa, a waypoint, another creature, a map note, a container, a... you get the picture. ;)

Derek French, Assistant Producer:

Z Axis: No Z axis so nothing can be placed under or over something. I should have said, only 1 Z value. I just meant that it equates to having a non-function Z system because nothing can be stacked. There are height variations. I really should build what you are suggesting so I can properly describe how it looks.

Hack Packs: I think I understand your question. User content must be in hack packs, and hack packs go in our hack pack directory. Unless the module you are playing requires a hack pack, nothing is loaded. If you are playing the Official Campaign nothing external is loaded. If you are tossing files into our Override folder, you are playing with fire. Other peoples hack packs can't affect other modules or games.

Official Campaign: We are shipping the Official Campaign, playable solo or multiplay that encompases about 60 hours of gameplay and will take your character from level 1 to the low teens.

NWN and Diablo: NWN is quite different from Diablo. We are not running any servers. NWN is geared towards those PnP sessions with your friends, so you won't really encounter the same issues. With the NWN Toolset, everyone is getting the same ability to hack any part of the game. It kind of defeats the purpose of cheating.

NWN EULA: I have already asked some of these questions and this is what I have been told. There will be no plain language version of the EULA. We will not be able to comment on specific situations with the EULA after it is published, because we are not lawyers and it could be construed as giving legal advice. We will be able to speak in broad terms about the EULA as to our intentions. For example we have already said that any form of revenue generation will be prohibited by the NWN EULA.

Tech Support: This is only the second time that I have seen a NWN question in the Off Topic forum. I wonder what causes this?
Infogrames will most likely have primary support duties for NWN and Dave will coordinate support stuff for us.

Trent Oster, Producer:

Leveling Up: The level up pace in NWN is faster than in our previous games. The main reason is the 3rd Edition rules. The system is baised towards much faster advenacement. As well in NWN you are only leveling one character, while in BG you were leveling six, so to keep a feeling of advancement the leveling will be faster. In BGII you started at a higher level (based on if you imported a character or not). In NWN you start as a first level chaarcter and move up to a 20th level character, which took us four titles to do in the past. (BG, BG ToSC, BGII SoA, BGII ToB).

NWN Soundtrack: The music for NWN will be good.
The person responsible is very good and we are working together to ensure a quality soundtrack which enhances our vision of the game.

Modules & The EULA: With the number of parties involved in NWN (Infogrames, WoTC, Bioware) the EULA will have to be pretty comprehensive. We haven't got a draft together yet, so I can't really offer anything.
If you have the best module in the world and don't want others to get it, set up a server and let them play it so they can enjoy the experience. You don't have to upload it for people to enjoy it.

David Chan, Audio Producer:

Sound Codecs: To clarify, sounds will be .wav, music will be .mp3 and voice might be .mp3. We haven't decided on the final voice format.

Music Transitions and Ogg: One piece of music will fade out and the other will fade in. Music will not play back to back. Ogg looks cool, but like I have stated before, we have decided on MP3 because it is widely accepted.

Last Week's Poll Results
Posted Saturday, February 2, 2002 - 19:47 CET by Sorcerer

What we asked:

Q: If you have seen The Lord of the Rings movie, how would you rate it?
(704 votes total)

5 (excellent) (501) 72%
4 (123) 17%
I haven't seen it (42) 6%
3 (19) 3%
2 (10) 1%
1 (awful) (9) 1%

I won't comment much on this poll since the results speak for themselves, so only a few observations:

The vast majority of people who voted (72%) really liked the movie, rating it 5 stars (excellent).

The next big group of voters (17%) gave it 4 stars, still a very good score.

6% of people who voted haven't seen the movie (waiting for the DVD?!).


And finally, combined, only 5% of all poll participants rated the movie either 3, 2, or 1 (awful).

Neverwinter Nights Forum Update
Posted Saturday, February 2, 2002 - 16:43 CET by Marnix

Trent Oster, Producer:

Using Torches as Weapon: Sadly, you cannot use torches as a weapon in NWN. We had to code torches as specific objects which cast light. The best option is a ring of light and a club with a fire damage property if you are out for some smacking with flaming sticks.

Remotely DM-ing: You can DM, play, or administer your server remotely. The server monitor program allows you to load modules, boot/ban and a number of other fun things remotely.

Monk attack animations: The monks will get a few extra attack animations.

David Gaider, Designer:

Negative reactions on the interface quality: You can relax on the GUI. The GUI is never polished until nearly the end... until then, it's totally utilitarian. Same thing was with BG and BG2, all the purty stuff doesn't get added on until right before the very end.

Dialogue length: A single dialogue section looks best at about 25 words... but you can go up to about 40 words if you really need to. Any longer than that and you risk it being too big a 'block' for most to read and too long to fit in the regular dialogue box that appears on the screen.

Persuasion and Insight: Well, it's obviously an attempt by the PC to convince the person they're talking to of something... we use it to cover bluffing, bribing and lying, as well. In the dialogue responses, it would look like this:

"Here you go, then... 100 gp, as agreed. I hope that will be a sufficient reward."

1) [Persuade] The task was a difficult one... don't you think a higher reward would be appropriate?
2) That would be fine.
3) No, no... no reward is necessary for me.
4) Cough up some more gold, old man, before I slit your throat.
5) [Insight] Maybe. I wonder what would happen if I told the rest of your guild about what you're up to?

Where each response heads may be rather obvious. The Persuade response, however, should have two branches... one being the 'successful' branch and the other being the 'failed' branch. All you'd need to do is put the generic skill check script on the successful branch (which is set to Easy, Mid or Hard DC). If the script = TRUE on that branch, it means the character made their check.

Will the Persuade/Insight option only be available for characters that have skills in these options? The Persuade option is available to everyone, as it defaults to Charisma. The total modifier to the die roll, then, is the Persuade skill rank + the Charisma bonus. If someone didn't have the skill at all, they might make an Easy DC check, but probably not otherwise without a very high Charisma.

The Insight option, on the other hand, will only show up for those with a Wisdom of 14+. Like all links in dialogue, they can be scripted to be either TRUE or FALSE... which will determine whether or not they appear.

Will I be able to cut and paste them into NWN from Word97? Yes. Be careful of things that Word likes to auto-insert, though. For instance, my Word likes to take the ellipses I use (the '...' pauses) and replace them with a character that isn't recognized by the editor.

Can we make indoor areas that have no walls around them? Indoor tilesets do automatically put up walls. If you paint the tiles to the very edge of your area, though, the walls disappear... and you have the effect you wanted.

Jay Watamaniuk, Community Manager:

Say I have a dialogue which requires the PC to enter a certain password, is it possible to use a box where the password can be entered? The best solution here is to have the dialogue option appear only if the PC has found the password elsewhere in the module by questing.

Do I have to fight in complete darkness (at night and in dungeons) when my PC is using a 2 handed sword? No, the minimum amount of light given to a player even when blind or in total darkness is enough to see but you will be hampered in being able to spot enemies at a distance.

Imprisonment: I asked Preston about this: Imprisoning PCs is actually easy. You can transport them to the dungeon by having them cross a trigger and transporting them there. The prison can have a door which is configured to be indestructible, magically protected or in need of a key to open. By using the right combination of properties you can set up the player's escape in many different ways; bashing the guard, pick pocketing the guard, picking the lock, smashing the door etc.

Is there also a drinking animation included? I'm not sure, don't quote me on it but I do believe it is in.