Neverwinter Nights (thing)

After what seems like an eternity, Neverwinter Nights, the new game from BioWare has been released. After the disappointment of the new Pool of Radiance game several months ago, many gamers have been eagerly awaiting a new RPG from the makers of the highly successful, and critically acclaimed Baldur's Gate series of games. As mentioned previously, the release date of this game has been moved back numerous times, both causing a heightened sense of anticipation, and an increasing feeling of frustration. Eventually, the company bit the bullet, and released its latest work for the world to see - and given the critical nature of many of those who love these types of games - judge.

Neverwinter Nights is the first game produced by BioWare to be based completely on the 3rd Edition D&D rule set. The change to 3rd Edition rules was a huge one for the game of D&D, and would have meant that much of the code written for the Baldur's Gate games was useless. While I'm sure it's not the only reason, it's probably one reason that the gaming engine has been completely re-written. Neverwinter Nights introduces several changes to the gaming experience, including:

• A rotating and zoomable 3D view. You have the ability to zoom in on your character in the midst of battle, zoom out while winding your way through the cities, look at your character from almost any direction. A major change, and it looks really nice. As noted below however, there are some who are not too happy with the limitations of this 3D view.
• A move away from the party based character system. Whereas throughout Baldur's Gate, you picked up companions along the way, until eventually you had half a dozen different characters under your control, Neverwinter Nights is primarily your character. You are able to hire one henchman, and assuming you have the ability, summon various companions. But the only character you have any direct control over is the one you first created.
• The change to the 3rd Edition Rules. New features include a totally new way of using skills - where skills are actually useful, and necessary. Feats you can acquire along the way, enabling you to perform extraordinary deeds, use different combat techniques, or modify the way your spells work. Under 3rd edition, you can customise your character to a large extent, meaning no two characters will ever really be the same. There are new classes to choose from also, such as the Monk - an unarmed warrior, skilled in fighting with bare hands and feet, needing no armour. Eventually, becoming a magical being, perfectly attuned to the surroundings. Also, the Barbarian, a powerful fighter, taken to entering a state of rage, and laying waste to anyone foolish enough to stand in his path. Generally not given to intelligent conversation, the barbarian may resort to intimidating people around town to gather the information he needs. Although even then, he may not understand what he's been told...
• Some of the most interesting dialog choices I've seen in a PC RPG so far. Dialog choices are dependant upon your intelligence, charisma and wisdom. Depending on your alignment, you may have different choices in dialog, some of which can be pretty amusing. Feel like lying to someone, telling them you have a cure for the plague, and taking their gold for the cure? You can do this, then watch as realisation dawns on your hapless victim's face. Be prepared for your alignment to shift towards the side of evil for making choices such as this though!
• The ability to have a Dungeon Master in your game. The one big difference between PnP D&D and PC Based games, is the lack of the DM. Neverwinter Nights is the first game to introduce DM's in your games. The DM plays on a separate computer, and can modify the game in real time, possessing the power to mould the gaming experience in almost any way as the game progresses. They can add creatures and items, possess creatures, and fight as them, to name only a couple of their powers. Instead of hopping into a game with your friends, and breezing through levels, with a pretty good idea of what to expect, the DM can make it a much more interesting, enjoyable experience.

Gaming Community Reaction

The reaction to this game has been mixed, to say the least. Reading through the forums, at the official Neverwinter Nights web site ( http://nwn.bioware.com/ ) you can see reactions from both sides of the spectrum. On one hand, many people love the game, and are keen to talk tactics - how can they get the most powerful character, talking to the finest detail, where every choice matters. On the other hand, some people feel completely let down, and are virtually demanding their money back. There are a few reasons for this, the most common being:

• What some people perceive as a weak single player campaign. Many people feel that the single player aspect of this game was not all that good, and on the whole, quite easy to complete - even on high difficulty levels. There has also been vocal disapproval at the level 20 cap on characters. This isn't a decision BioWare made though - the official D&D 3rd edition rules only cater for players up to level 20. (some speciality levels follow, but they're anything but standard).
• The camera angle. It's incredible how many people are furious at the camera angle used in the game, practically begging that it be lowered, even a few degrees. The camera is designed such that you never ever see a horizon, you simply can't get down low enough. Lots of people are pretty pissed off about this, and refuse to believe that it's simply not possible for BioWare to change this in a patch.
• The Aurora toolkit. And this is probably the point of most discontent. Put simply, it's not as simple to use as BioWare made it out to be. People have bought the game, then discovered that a lot of the game functions are scripted in C. Not knowing C, they're mightily pissed that the toolkit that was hailed as easy to use, is not really all that easy. Much arguement has resulted over this, and I think that both sides have a valid point. BioWare advertised their toolkit as being simple to use, many times, in various places. Even on the game packaging, it reads as though any old joe could grab the toolkit software, and whip out a module, no hassles.
  
  However, the other side of the arguement is that the scripting language provides a much more powerful editor than a simple point and click interface ever could. The editor is limited only by the imagination of the module creator, almost anything is possible. If a module designer had a good enough knowledge of the scripting used in this toolkit, it's entirely possible that they could create something that the game designers never, ever dreamed off. Thus, the longevity of the game it assured, once talented designers learn how to use the power of the toolkit, and start to examine it's possibilities. It's starting to happen already, but you get the feeling it's nothing but the tip of the iceberg so far. Some official documentation for the toolkit will make a difference too!

It's been a very long wait for this game, and personally, I'm in no way disappointed. And I can't help but feel, that the best is yet to come.