Real Breaking News: Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer

[funcroc]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=164880

 

Obsidian CEO: RPG devs, beware the MMORPG

 

Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart reckons MMORPGs could negatively impact the popularity of the RPG genre if the design of games like Neverwinter Nights doesn't take MMORPGs into account.

 

"For instance," Urquhart explained in an interview to be published on CVG shortly, "it used to be fine to make an RPG that was just wandering around and hacking things up with the player having very little effect on the world around them. Why play that game now if you could just play a MMO?"

 

He believes it's key that developers of non-MMO RPGs look closely at what the genre offers over MMORPGs to ensure the RPG genre doesn't lose out to the increasingly popular massively multiplayer online world.

 

"I think those of us that make non-MMO RPGs need to look at what a single-player/small multiplayer RPG can do that MMOs can't and spend our time and effort on those things", Urquhart said.

 

"For example, in Mask of the Betrayer, we can make the world react more to your personal decisions than any MMO could hope to. We can let you impact your companions and the game's NPCs - and the entire story outcome - in ways that MMOs cannot."

 

Looking at the future of the RPG genre, he added that he'd "like to see RPG focus more on the world that they take place in with particular focus on making the player a real part of that world."

 

"Many RPGs, including some that I've made, allow the player to just stomp around and not really have to worry about the world that they are playing in. I think that really limits the feeling of you being in that world, which is what I certainly want when I'm playing a great RPG."

 

"I want that escape from reality and the more we can do to give that to players the better", Urquhart explained.

 

Keep eyes peeled for our full interview with Feargus Urquhart hitting soon.

[Morgoth]

Yeah Fergie, yeah!

[Spider]

Now, that is a description of Masks that makes my mouth water.

[Pidesco]

Go Feargus!!!

[Cantousent]

My gut instinct, from reading various articles, is that Obsidz is doing something folks have discussed for a long time. I honestly think that Feargus is putting his money where his mouth is and banking on PS:T. Not the exact same thing as PS:T, because MotB is an expansion of NWN2, but something that aspires to the exact things PS:T had, only better.

 

Over the years, I think the bean counters have been concentrating on the things PS:T did wrong more than the things that it did right. Folks have wanted to capture some of the die-hard enthusiasm of the PS:T fan but they haven't wanted to travel the same road to get there. Feargus, from what I can tell from some of his statements, isn't banking on something that borrows a few concepts from PS:T but is essentially entirely different. He seems to believe that there was something more to PS:T than critical success and commercial failure.

 

I'm more and more intrigued by this game. I'm tired of games where I click through every dialogue option because I just. don't. care. about what happens to anyone. I'm tired of games where I view my companions as tactical units rather than friends (or even enemies). I'm exhausted by worlds that mean nothing to me other than land on which to walk from battle to battle.

 

Obsidian has aspired to greatness. It has hinted at greatness, sometimes even whispered of it, but NEVER achieved it. Obsidian has shipped no product that stands as an enduring classic in game design. ...But this, THIS, is an opportunity. It's time for Obsidian to stop aspiring for its place and to reach it.

 

I'm going to follow this game because I've been waiting for the successor for nearly ten years. I don't like to be exploited. Who does? ...But Feargus can exploit my love of PS:T by making sly references to it because, at the end of the day, I won't care if he exploits me if he can deliver on his promises.

[Sand]

In any case I will spending the money on NWN2's expansion. I hope they do many many many more expansions for the game.

[funcroc]

Dev Profile Q&A: Kevin Saunders, NX1 Lead Designer

 

WarCry: How did you come to be employed at Obsidian? Did you start as a night janitor and work your way up or just land in the big bucks slot right away?

 

Kevin Saunders: I joined Obsidian over three years ago as a senior designer on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords. I'd previously worked mostly on MMOGs or RTSs (or both!) and was interested in getting involved in role-playing games. I hadn't actually played many Black Isle games, but I was familiar with their reputation and had respect for the owners after interviewing with them. I also liked the idea of working for a smaller company where I could really contribute.

 

For KotOR2, I did some work on Nar Shadda, but was more involved on the systems side of design, working on the items and crafting, creature auto-balancing, influence system - things like that. I was the lead designer on project "New Jersey", which was never announced, and then helped with finishing up NWN2 over its last six months or so.

[Xard]

So that confirms it. PNJ is DEAD, long live PNJ!

[Atreides]

Btw a suggestion for MotB:

 

Have the quickitem rows be hotkeyable too. Only one row's displayable at a time and we need to hit the tiny up/down buttons to scroll across rows currently.

 

I'd use the other rows much more often if I could access them quicker. For example if i want quickitem 5 on row 8, I could go Shift+8 (to get to row then 5 for quickitem 5.

[Xard]

It's already in game. IIRC Ctrl + number of row = instant transfer

[mkreku]

Hmm. This expansion sounds more interesting that Neverwinter Nights 2 ever did.. and I don't even like Planescape: Borement!

 

I'm officially interested.

[Xard]

Lolz, Obsidian made stupid mistake with 1.05 patch TLK

 

Link

 

Contains some "spoilers", and one moron in second page (or was it third) gave actual (plot) spoiler which WAS NOT REMOVED BY MODS GODDAMNIT! Baka...

 

Anyway, my post is containing some "spoilers" about expansion now on...

 

New races:

Half-Drow and Genasis

it seems. Of course, everything can change.

 

Party members:

Safiya, Gann, Okku, One of Many, and Kaelyn are party members.

 

Gann and Safiya are romance options.

 

 

Well, other stuff (and that goddamn spoiler if you wish) you can read from that topic or do more indepth research by yourself with TLK files.

 

But really, this is awesome.

Female Red Wizard

as romance option!

Edited May 30, 2007 by Xard

[Atreides]

It's already in game. IIRC Ctrl + number of row = instant transfer

Yay!

[Sand]

Lolz, Obsidian made stupid mistake with 1.05 patch TLK

 

I don't think it was a mistake. I think it was a "teaser."

[Xard]

Heh, maybe. Still, giving out plot info barely stands as teaser for me.

 

So, whachya people think about those "spoilers"?

[Sand]

I like to keep Neeshka and well continue my romance with Elanee.

 

Actually I would like a romance with Neeshka.

 

Truth being a three way with Neeshka and Elanee would be really nice.

[Diamond]

Truth being a three way with Neeshka and Elanee would be really nice.

The precedent was actually already set in HotU.

[taks]

Truth being a three way with Neeshka and Elanee would be really nice.

there are many ways in which to view this statement, none of which are anything less than sad and sick.

 

taks

[Pop]

Hmm, say, will this campaign be easier to mod than the OC? I wonder if we could take that 15-20 hours and extend them a bit

[funcroc]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/static/EEl...AZATjAxInxS.php

 

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer at A-Kon

 

Obsidian Entertainment has announced that they will be presenting Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer at this weekend's A-Kon fan convention in Dallas, Texas. The full details:

 

Obsidian

[funcroc]

2 new screenshots

[Darque]

[metadigital]

2 new screenshots

Nice.

 

Bok could probably pimp his rig as a platform for devs to showcase their latest screenies on ... and get a sneaky first look at the game as payment.

[funcroc]

NX1 A-KON Presentation Report at NWVault

[Gfted1]

Whats an homunculi?