Neverwinter Nights Forum News

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(Originally posted by chevalier)

Here are today's Neverwinter Nights forum highlights. Please take into account that these are only single parts of various threads and should not be taken out of context. Bear in mind also that the posts presented here are copied as-is, and that any bad spelling and grammar does not get corrected on our end.

David Gaider, Designer

Advertising: Part of the difference here is that we have a bunch of people on this board who like to think they are liberated, intelliectual and in possession of good taste. Nothing wrong with that. It's not uncommon, and I'd like to think that imagination is conducive to good thinking. However, I am sensing a big difference between how some people would like things to be and how they actually are.

For starters, advertising people do not think you are stupid. Nor are they, themselves, stupid. Advertising works on memes... the subconscious manipulation of certain themes that draw the attention of the potential buyer. And that's all it's trying to do. Decisions to buy are made by your conscious brain... flashy pictures and sexual memes aren't going to convince your conscious brains of anything. But they might draw your attention long enough and perhaps influence which decision your conscious brain ultimately makes. Sound cheap? Maybe. But memes are everywhere. You use them, too. What do you think first impressions are all about?

You think you aren't influenced by memes, girls as well as guys? You think you make all your decisions based on the right half of your brain with which you are posting to this forum? Well, let me ask you this, then:

Is your most-commonly played character physically attractive? Just how attractive? Why is that? (And, yes, there is always the character who goes the extreme other end of the spectrum, like the wizened wizard... but ask yourself then just how impressive he is in other ways?)

Is there a reason the non-beautiful portraits we included in BG1 were universally despised? I think there is.

I know we'd like to think we're all above this kind of influence, but there it is. And I'm not saying that we shouldn't be more conscious and aware of what images we are using and why... but I also believe there is more rhyme and reason behind what the advertising folks cook up than mere pandering.

Rob Bartel, Co Lead Designer

Digital Distribution:

Quote: Excellent, I see this as Bioware finally starting to directly chart the NWN course and thus support that course far better than ever before.

Yes, that's definitely our intent. The goal isn't to charge money for the existing level of service that we're currently providing for free. Instead, we're hoping that DD revenue will really drive the Live Team, allowing us to expand on our current level of service and offer some entirely new things to the community that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. What's more, we're hoping that this new level of service can cross over to our other upcoming titles as well and not be limited solely to the NWN experience. But the realization of that dream will ultimately depend on the nature of those future titles and the financial viability of the DD Project as a whole. In other words, cross your fingers and hope it goes gangbusters.