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NWN2: Forumite Impressions


Darque

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I'm not sure if I necessarily agree that there isn't a sense of closure.  Sure, it's anticlimactic (You defeat the KoS, and in the process get killed).  It reminded me a bit of the Fallout ending, where you do everything, and then get exiled.  The presentation maybe could have been a bit better.  Maybe after the KoS is dead you can try and run away, but have the door collapse before you can run.

 

 

 

It's not so much that I mind an unhappy ending, I loved the ending in Fallout for example.

 

I would have liked to have known what happened to my character though. Preferably have a say, but not necessarily. More importantly, I would have liked to get a final word about my companions, their feelings on what just happened and plans for the future. As it is, it's just left hanging. But like I said, if an expansion comes around, then all is well.

 

 

Warning, Torment spoiler ahead:

 

As it is it reminds me a bit of the ending in Torment if you don't have enough Int and Wis. You meet TTO, revive your fallen comrades (if you can trick him away) and then pummel him and instantly get thrown into the Blood War. That ending (which was my first playthrough) also felt lacking. I cared about those people and wanted to at least get to say goodbye.

 

Now, on my third playthrough I did have enough of the relevant characteristics to get TTO to merge with me and thus I got a final chat with my companions. That made a world of difference and their was indeed the sense of closure that had been lacking before.

 

Something similar here would have been nice. Maybe just a cutscene after the KoS has fallen where the survivors take a few moments to celebrate the victory and swear about the betrayers and then see the temple begin to collapse around them. Then go to the final cinematics. That would have helped as well. The game was so driven by the companions that I really would have liked their input on what had just transpired.

 

 

Edit:

Also, if they would have flat out said that the protagonist and companions died, then maybe that would have been ok as well. But as it was, they more or less say they didn't die, but escaped out into the planes. So I didn't get any closure at all from this.

 

Edited by Spider
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I can understand the sense of closure with the comrades.

 

I don't remember them saying they escaped through the planes, but just that they were crushed, and couldn't be found (which would make sense).

 

I also think we should talk like this in Volo's thread, all the time.

 

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I agree about the Volo thread.

 

As for the ending, didn't they say that the temple had vanished and couldn't be found? If I didn't hate the end fight so much, I'd go check right away. I have a save just before summoning the KoS himself.

 

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Sounds like sequel preparations.

 

 

Especially when taken with the last few screens. >_<

 

I saw the setting up of several touchstones for future games, but sequels? Not in the traditional sense. NWN3 will have about as much to do with NWN2 story-wise as NWN2 had to do with NWN.

 

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Sounds like sequel preparations.

 

 

Especially when taken with the last few screens. >_<

 

I saw the setting up of several touchstones for future games, but sequels? Not in the traditional sense. NWN3 will have about as much to do with NWN2 story-wise as NWN2 had to do with NWN.

 

 

Expansions, sequels, whatever you want to call them. >_<

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Well, after renovating my living/gaming area I plugged in my PC, loaded up NWN2 and played for around 20 seconds before the game crashed horribly with a blank blue screen and refused to boot up again. >_<

 

I don't know if it's NWN2's fault (I've been playing it for hours without too much difficulty) but my PC is now being repaired by a professional while I've resorted to installing BG2 on an antiquated rig for my RPG jollies.

 

Sod it...

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First impressions from a NWN2 n00b >_

 

Summed up: Having great fun >_

 

I'm playing on a laptop and crossed my fingers, that it would run. It did, without any major trouble. It didn't like the dynamic shadows, but that was about it. Not sure how to estimate framerates, but it runs as smoothly as a politicians election lies.

 

I don't get it what all the whining about the graphics is about, my only complaint there is the walk/run animations which honestly suck. I noticed that in Kotor2 too (Kotor1 had nice walk/run animations).

 

I decided to do a "test run" first, created a warlock and played until finishing the tutorial and the first "dungeon". I got my first two party members (and I already want to strangle one of them, kudos to a well written character, she really *is* annoying). The dwarf on the other hand is a pretty good conversationalist... if he would just stop talking... >_

 

I can't really say anything about music and sound as laptop speakers just doesn't do it any justice. When I finish building my new pc, I might be able to enjoy it in 5.1 :)

 

As for rules/combat/difficulty/game mechanics etc. I'm not really entitled to an opinion. I never really played PnP versions "like it was intended to be used".

 

That also means, I am unlikely to spot bugs, left outs, add ons, other things considered heresy by D&D radicals, 3.5 purists and other extremists.

 

Now off to start a new game with a character I intend to finish the game with. Duellist prestige class looks like my thing... :D

Edited by Gorth

“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein

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Thanks :)

 

I do put some effort into not selecting all the "black boxes" in the forum :cool:

“He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein

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I agree about the graphics, they are nice. Keep in mind not everyone knows the intricacies of tweaking their video card for the best possible display. :) The game looks wonderful on my computer with a relatively old 6800GT.

 

The animations do need work. When characters run they have about 15% glide built-in, so it doesn't look right. And when the game lags internally and warping fails to kick in, you can watch them glide along the ground without moving their legs. Had this happen to several orcs in one battle, and it looked ridiculous. This was never an issue for me in NWN. (Overall I prefer NWN2's graphics, but NWN's animations.) Too bad developers can't leave what works alone.

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Yup. But another animation thing; is the lack of animation for cleave attacks intentional(had to be cut) or a bug?

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Yup. But another animation thing; is the lack of animation for cleave attacks intentional(had to be cut) or a bug?

 

Intentional if by lack of animation you mean a separate attack animation like the one which triggered the Cleave. There actually is an animation for Cleave which consists of a purple swipe effect. I like it.

 

This was a good choice on Obsidians part.

 

Im playing a frenzied berserker, and there was a round where I was surrounded by 15 or so mephits and I killed them all in about a couple of seconds due to massive numbers of free cleave attacks. This is by the rules but would not be possible if there was an animation for cleave.

 

It simply isnt possible to animate an instantaneous action - this is only possible in a turn based game.

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Yup. But another animation thing; is the lack of animation for cleave attacks intentional(had to be cut) or a bug?

 

Intentional if by lack of animation you mean a separate attack animation like the one which triggered the Cleave. There actually is an animation for Cleave which consists of a purple swipe effect. I like it.

 

This was a good choice on Obsidians part.

 

Im playing a frenzied berserker, and there was a round where I was surrounded by 15 or so mephits and I killed them all in about a couple of seconds due to massive numbers of free cleave attacks. This is by the rules but would not be possible if there was an animation for cleave.

 

It simply isnt possible to animate an instantaneous action - this is only possible in a turn based game.

Tell me then, how was this possible in NWN1, becouse animations were there for it?

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