Rhomal

To be specific: a. rendering (graphics) engine has been re-written from scratch b. toolset has been re-written from scratch c. pathfinding has been re-written from scratch d. the GUI has been (mostly?) re-written from scratch. (Now uses XML) The rest of the engine has been heavily modified. Thus I do think the proper name is Electron. Aurora is dead AFAIAC when it comes to nwn2.

For what its worth you may like the forums on nwn 2 news if you are not a fan of the Biosidian forums but want to talk about nwn2. I have collected several members who do not like the bio forums. The devs read the nwn2news forums as well to boot. FYI

If you people would just follow my site you wouldnt be throwing guesses around like there is no tomorrow... Q2 2006 is the current release date. Its been in the FAQ for quite some time now.

Really? What sites are those do you mind me asking? And your welcome to those that said thanks

Colorized versions of the screen shots by Mr. Fish now posted on the front page of nwn 2 news. FYI

Since EB and Gamestop are in talks to merge (last I read few months ago) you prob dont have to wait very long. I beleive the article said GS parent company was buying out EB. But been awhile since I read that so I may have the details confused.

Can do that at EB, have so several times.

Jade Empire runs at 30 fps, isn't very responsive, uses vague collision, and has a pretty shallow input and attack priority system. Battle Raper II probably will be a better fighting game than Jade Empire was. JE's fighting system doesn't detract from its qualities as an RPG, but comparing it to what I would consider action games (God of War, Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry) is slightly questionable and comparing it to fighting games (Soul Calibur II, Tekken 5, Dead or Alive) is very questionable. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Fair enough. I am not disputing what you state about it, and from the sounds if you you are much more aware of the specifics then I am. I have no issue admiting I am wrong or dont know. Again, I just posted my comments on the impression I got from the reviews I read. Either way since its a console game,a dn I dont play such, this is the main reason why I didnt bring it up.

I am not a console gamer (ie have not owned a console since the sega genesis). Which I suppose putting aside what JE is or isnt, that is prob the reason I didnt mention it in my article. I was focusing on PC gaming. Frankly couldnt care less about consoles. IMO CRPG and console is a oxymoron, but thats just my view.

I must have read at least 3 or 4 reviews of JE and while they all gave it quite nice marks I never walked away with the impressions of it that you had. Is that the fault of the reviewers, you or me? I dont know, but I suspect like most instances such as this the truth is somewhere in the middle. With that said I have no issue giving you the benefit of the doubt it has more RPGish elements then the PR or reviews made it seem. But if it was the next best thing in CRPGs one has to wonder why it didnt sell any better then its so-so numbers if it was that much different then the next fighting game. My 2 coppers

To address both in one post: JE is a typical console fighting game. Thats why I dont see it as anything more then that. I will admit I never played it (nor do I have any interest in it) but from reading the reviews I dont see anything that makes it more that what it is. I think its a well done fighting game granted. But at the core its not much different then if you bought the latest mortal kombat. Why do I put DE and Bloodlines above JE? Correct me if I am wrong but from what I have read on JE the following is not possible/seriously implemented in the game: a. several ways to get around many/most obstacles other then combat b. your actions have a noticable effect on the game world c. your stats effect dialog and dialog options/NPC reactions d. depending on your choices, several endings. e. strong story with depth. I think the above are key points of any good CRPG. Wait a sec... didnt a hightly praised to this day crpg have all those elements too? Might have heard of it, was called fallout. I do not beleive FP or 3rd person view makes a CRPG or not. I think its how those views are used that matters. As for the snyde comment, of course I do not think I am some CRPG god. I am just a guy who is expressing his opinion, is that not allowed? I dont call or imply such when you post a opinion I disagree with. Nor am I stopping you from putting up a site and posting your own commentary. If you dont like mine so much I INVITE you to do the same.

Then you need to re-read the article. I pat on the back the likes of Deus Ex and Bloodlines. The, IMO, successful merging of 2 genres. Moving forward with technology is great. But deluting the CRPG so it more resembles a twitch game isnt what I consider 'evolving' or moving forward on a positive note.

As long as you still love me, in the end thats all that matters On a serious note, I really couldnt care less if ppl agree with me or not, the point of all my commentaries is to stir debate and get the gears in our heads that dont get enough use too turn a bit. Without debate and discussion and re-evaluating where we are at as a community, we are, as history has proven time and time again, will just become stagnet and die a slow death as we are run over by other gaming sub-groups. Agree with me or not, as long as you become part of the process rather then watching for the sidelines I feel I did a good thing.

Its called fostering discussion and perhaps some interesting/productive debate. [sarcasm] I can see by the recent threads on these forums that such really isnt needed, what was I thinking? Certainly Obsidian was foolish to want to shut these forums down with all the high brow and reasoned discussion. [/sarcasm] I will refrain from posting such in the future, as apparently you people perfer posting comical images and laughing like oblivious teenagers and hurling insults over anything else. My bad.

Where did I ever say I was a supporter of the Aurora engine? And I am a Obsidian mod who happens to be on the bioware forums, not Bioware mod. That is a significant difference. But either way what does have to do witht he price of tea in china or effect my commentary?

How so? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> But then you criticize Sir Tech for not adapting, while at the same time criticize SSI for trying to adapt. Given what I thought you were talking about from the title, the the way your post went, I had a hard time figuring out what your point was. Maybe if I had clicked on the link and finished reading it would have made more sense, but what you posted here didn't seem to make much sense. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well its hard to discuss this topic if your not even going to bother reading the artcle. If your not going to invest the time to do so I see little reason to do the same.

How so?

I can see trying to foster discussion on the topic was a waste in this forum... heh...

I like my "hardcore" cRPGs but I don't think the decline has anything to do with other genres as such. Anyway, this bit seems contradictory to me - you say they kept the old mind sets but isn't your whole complaint that cRPG makers didn't keep the old mindsets? What sort of innovation do you mean? Do you mean the latest graphics technologies? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was refering to the ones that went under like Sir Tech, as they were still producing very pondorous, crude looking CRPGs in the wake of the RTS and FPS boom, which in the end killed them. Later in that paragraph I state others went the action-rpg route. I think if Sir Tech and SSI for exmaple, jumped on board with the RTS/FPS makers with the DX, and then infant 3D card technology they could have done a better job keeping their fan base and not loose as much due to little more then 'wow' factor. For some reason back then it seemed it was a badge of honor for CRPGs to look a generation behind visuals. It seems the genre is just getting out of that mindset, that you -can- have strong visuals AND a good story.

My bad if that happened. The forum was giving me SQL errors up the arse while I was trying to get this posted... I didnt note any other post taking but this one.

So news paper editors who print editorials are being a 'preacher' too then by your logic? I feel its a disservice if you have a soapbox not to use it. Agree or disgaree with me fine, I have no issue with that. But dont tell me to 'sit down and shut up'. If I have the chance to stir debate, ideas and opinions you bet I am going to do so. It would be a crime not to have the ability for such and not use it. As a community discussion and nuturing ideas is our life blood. If you dont agree with the above thats your choice, dont read my posts then. But dont tell me in effect to 'shut up'.

Why do we put up with you? The answer is the same, because thats the way things are. Have anything of substance to add or are you going to whine over non-related things as you enjoy doing? Dont hijack this thread with your typical BS. Dont like my posts dont read them. Moving on.

It is undeniable the influence first person shooters (FPS) and real time strategy (RTS) have had on computer RPG

It is undeniable the influence first person shooters (FPS) and real time strategy (RTS) have had on computer RPG