NWN2: Forumite Impressions

[Setzer]

Yes, and this is a NWN2 problem. It's a problem with the game not my hardware.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

whatever. in the end, however, expecting this to perform the same as oblivion is a waste. the game is what it is, and if you want dynamic lighting and shadows, you're gonna have to accept the fact that the video card can't do it at the resolution you require.

 

taks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It can't? Here are the specs of my card.....

 

LINK

 

My video card isn't the issue, it's perfectly capable of handling 1680x1050, dynamic lighting and shadows. The problem is the game.

[taks]

It can't? Here are the specs of my card.....

 

LINK

 

My video card isn't the issue, it's perfectly capable of handling 1680x1050, dynamic lighting and shadows. The problem is the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

obviously your card can't handle the game no matter what its specs are, otherwise you wouldn't be posting in here about how it sucks running dynamic lighting, shadows and 1680x1050. just because the specs say "true HDR lighting support" does not mean it will automatically be optimal with this game, at this resolution, with reasonable frame rates.

 

taks

[Cyric]

From a plot related perspective, I'd wager not even the Elder Scrolls games are non-linear, which is what we were talking about: non-linear plots.  I haven't played through the main plot of either Morrowind or Oblivion, but I don't remember approaching them from a different perspective.

 

They are more of an open sandbox game, with lots of quests in it (and a longer main quest).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Designed to simulate no doubt, non linear game play.

 

How do you define non linear game play/plot? By freedom given to the player to do as he/ she wishes in a given game environment or by multiple but finite prescripted and as such predefined path ways in the game?

 

Both these options only attempt to capture or give the player the "illusion" of freedom. Hence, it can be argued that games no matter how open ended they may seem can never truly be non linear. They can only be pseudo open ended. Even the universe we live in is thematically prescripted as it must conform to certain pre

[Setzer]

It can't? Here are the specs of my card.....

 

LINK

 

My video card isn't the issue, it's perfectly capable of handling 1680x1050, dynamic lighting and shadows. The problem is the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

obviously your card can't handle the game no matter what its specs are, otherwise you wouldn't be posting in here about how it sucks running dynamic lighting, shadows and 1680x1050. just because the specs say "true HDR lighting support" does not mean it will automatically be optimal with this game, at this resolution, with reasonable frame rates.

 

taks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is EXACTLY why the problem is with NWN2 NOT my hardware.

[taks]

i never said there was anything particularly _wrong_ with your hardware, either. really it is more of an overall compatibility issue, i.e. your particular combo obviously has more issues than others. the game is a graphics hog. get over it. there aren't many other games out there with this complexity running so many different cool options (water, lighting, shadows, etc.) this combination has obviously pushed graphics cards to their limits.

 

taks

[Setzer]

there aren't many other games out there with this complexity running so many different cool options (water, lighting, shadows, etc.)  this combination has obviously pushed graphics cards to their limits.

 

taks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oblivion?

[taks]

a different game running on a FPS engine. no shadows or dynamic lighting that i can find. hence the word "different."

 

taks

[alanschu]

Designed to simulate no doubt, non linear game play.

 

How do you define non linear game play/plot? By freedom given to the player to do as he/ she wishes in a given game environment or by multiple but finite prescripted and as such predefined path ways in the game?

 

Both these options only attempt to capture or give the player the "illusion" of freedom. Hence, it can be argued that games no matter how open ended they may seem can never truly be non linear. They can only be pseudo open ended.  Even the universe we live in is thematically prescripted as it must conform to certain pre

[Setzer]

a different game running on a FPS engine.  no shadows or dynamic lighting that i can find.  hence the word "different."

 

taks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[taks]

you're the one that said "i'm not comparing NWN2 to oblivion except the one mention..."

 

you're also the one in here whining, not me. it's actually sort of funny.

 

taks

[Setzer]

and you're the one making inaccurate statements which is actually pretty hilarious.

 

I believe you were the one that made the statement "there aren't many other games out there with this complexity running so many different cool options (water, lighting, shadows, etc.) this combination has obviously pushed graphics cards to their limits" to which I responded with Oblivion and then you make the statement that Oblivion doesn't have any shadows or lighting effects, which is false.

[Jorian Drake]

and you're the one making inaccurate statements which is actually pretty hilarious.

 

I believe you were the one that made the statement "there aren't many other games out there with this complexity running so many different cool options (water, lighting, shadows, etc.)  this combination has obviously pushed graphics cards to their limits" to which I responded with Oblivion and then you make the statement that Oblivion doesn't have any shadows or lighting effects, which is false.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Could you two just do a duel like in the good ol' times please?

 

 

 

(new smileys yay)

Edited November 7, 2006 by jorian

[Lare Kikkeli]

lol @ setzer.

[Setzer]

lol @ setzer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hey Lare, thanks for your input. You've been way more helpful than taks has been in resolving my problem. I can finally play NWN2 thanks to you! Even DA's in this world can still be useful. :dragon:

Edited November 7, 2006 by Setzer

[Setzer]

and you're the one making inaccurate statements which is actually pretty hilarious.

 

I believe you were the one that made the statement "there aren't many other games out there with this complexity running so many different cool options (water, lighting, shadows, etc.)  this combination has obviously pushed graphics cards to their limits" to which I responded with Oblivion and then you make the statement that Oblivion doesn't have any shadows or lighting effects, which is false.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Could you two just do a duel like in the good ol' times please?

 

 

 

(new smileys yay)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That actually would work but I'm afraid taks would give me directions on where to meet and then end up going somewhere else -- and then tell me those weren't the directions he gave me.

[Lare Kikkeli]

i'm just slightly amused at your "it's not my card, it's the game!!"-attitude. 100 % dynamic lighting and shadows is hard to pull off at higher resolutions, and nwn2's got that whole day cycle thing too. the models and animations might not be nothing to write home about, but the lighting and shadows more than make up for them.

[Setzer]

i'm just slightly amused at your "it's not my card, it's the game!!"-attitude. 100 % dynamic lighting and shadows is hard to pull off at higher resolutions, and nwn2's got that whole day cycle thing too. the models and animations might not be nothing to write home about, but the lighting and shadows more than make up for them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I believe Oblivion uses dynamic lighting and shadow effects and I can run it perfectly at 1680x1050. This is why I feel it's a problem with the games engine working with my hardware, not my hardware being inadequate to run the game.

 

I'm giving taks a hard time because he started off with saying that my LCD and running the game at it's native resolution was the problem and then turns around and says he never said my monitor was the problem.

Edited November 7, 2006 by Setzer

[Lare Kikkeli]

i'm just slightly amused at your "it's not my card, it's the game!!"-attitude. 100 % dynamic lighting and shadows is hard to pull off at higher resolutions, and nwn2's got that whole day cycle thing too. the models and animations might not be nothing to write home about, but the lighting and shadows more than make up for them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

So, you're saying the lighting and shadow effects in NWN2 are more advanced than any other game on the market right now? I highly doubt this to be the case....but if you say so.....

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

i'm not sure if they're THE most advanced, but they're pretty advanced and as far as i know pretty badly optimized. thats a real killer combo

Edited November 7, 2006 by Lare Kikkeli

[Darque]

Come on kids, settle down.

[Pop]

Fight Fight Fight Blood Blood Blood yeah, that's the stuff.

 

So, was anybody else underwhelmed by the ending? Anybody?

 

If it's not blatantly obvious, I'm now having a hard time distinguishing between the NWN2 discussion thread and the NWN2 impressions thread.

[J.E. Sawyer]

I believe Oblivion uses dynamic lighting and shadow effects and I can run it perfectly at 1680x1050. This is why I feel it's a problem with the games engine working with my hardware, not my hardware being inadequate to run the game.

Oblivion's environmental shadows are all pre-baked, not dynamic.

[Tigranes]

Oblivion claimed to use dynamic, then dropped it later, yes.

 

Anyway, why does it matter whose fault (game or computer) it is, and who is wrong and who is right? That's not helping your quest to get the game working Setzer. If you aren't satisfied with taks' suggestions then ask some others to help you, I don't think anybody can be even bothered to dig up and find out what exactly was the issue anymore.

 

Now. Question for those who have the game:

 

Has the toolset been changed at all from the pre-order toolset? I.e. is the Undo button no longer gimped, etc?

 

And is it true the loot / power / difficulty progression is too wanton, a la KOTOR / JE games? How long does that sense of 'early game' last?

[mkreku]

In the greater scheme of things this dumbing down of RPGs is a part of the leftist outlook, for which I have nothing but contempt and derision as it ends up dragging the entire human race down to the level of the least common denominator.

I don't think Jack Thompson is a "leftist"..

[Pop]

And is it true the loot / power / difficulty progression is too wanton, a la KOTOR / JE games? How long does that sense of 'early game' last?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where'd you hear that? o_O I found the loot progression to be pretty seamless. Of course, you'll find just +1 daggers at the beginning, but by the end you're not finding hordes of +5 greatswords. Like BG2, the vast majority of the enchanted items you'll find are +2, with slightly more +1s at the beginning of the game and +3s at the end. But it's not like the original NWN, where the scaling is obvious.

 

As far as difficulty goes, there are certainly difficult fights (the party AI doesn't make things any easier ) but there's never anything that's impossible, just so long as you're given the chance to buff a bit beforehand, which is always the case. But there are plenty of fights you'll end up reloading for, especially when you've got the rare spawning enemy groups and especially enemies with constant ability drain and fear tricks, as I've found. Save aplenty.

 

I found the sense of "early game" is lost just about as soon as you get out of West Harbor and start moving north. When you get Khelgar and Neeshka and you've got what could pass for a party, the game really starts.

[Tigranes]

Well, if we take the example of SoA, near endgame you could find magical items dropping from just about anything, and you'd be selling cartloads of +2 items without thinking twice. I suppose this is inevitable in a game that goes up to level 20, though. Still, sounds good.