The Future of NWN Round Table Discussion,
Part 2

By Jay Watamaniuk

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NWN Community Wish List

What developments would you like to see in the NWN community in the future?

Maximus: I would definitely like to see people who haven't tried multiplayer give it a go. We have an upcoming project to help in that effort, but there are already so many ways for people to get involved with multiplayer that they owe it to themselves to give it a try.

Rizzen: I would like to see the online convention (like NWCon) completely sponsored and promoted by BioWare to their entire community and through publications. I would like to see prizes and tournaments for up-and-coming Dungeon Masters to show off what they are capable of. I think this would really bring out hundreds of new Dungeon Masters to the community, which, in turn, brings out an even greater number of players. I'd like to see video instruction for Dungeon Masters in downloadable format. The main thing is to get more fresh DMs in the mix so that everyone can experience what its like to have a DM'd game.

Steelwind: I think we are largely in a holding pattern right now. When CODI and DLA release, along with any new upcoming BioWare content, I think everyone involved can create an important perception that the game continues to grow. That's important in retaining player interest in the face of new games with prettier engines.

Lycius: I would like to see BioWare actually acknowledge and support the PW community, or open source the dedicated server client so the community can fix the issues with it.

Papermonk: I'm looking forward to BioWare's upcoming content - I think we'll see some very interesting and worthwhile work come out of it.

Poetic Colossus: A mod titled, "Deekin: Drawn, Quartered, Immolated in Burning Oil, and Spread to the Four Corners of Faerun." Wistful thinking, I know. I'd like to see more of a focus on multiplayer modules made DM friendly, much like Lazybones', Jason Robinson's and the DMFI Initiative's great efforts. Plus, more players need to be made aware of Neverwinter Connections and the services it provides. So many players are out there are languishing in fugue plane hell.

LadyRolePlay: I would like to see a CEP for tilesets for one. I would like to see more interior tilesets produced (recently, I went looking for interior tilesets to give a change of pace and didn't find nearly as many interesting ones as the exterior tilesets). Improved graphics and engine are likely a must, and NWN is too backward in its presentation.

More involved official mods would be a plus also. Official NWN just really lags far far behind the pleasure or involvement of many single mods, let alone the Baldur's gate series. If mod makers can make such engrossing games, and a game such as Baldur's Gate can happen, it ought to be not all that hard. After all, with the great mods and BG, it's been the story and the way the PC interacts in the world that made them. I suggest BioWare take a close look at what it is about the top rated mods that makes them so popular.

Do you think the NWN community can be duplicated in the future with a completely different game? Why or why not?

Maximus: You have to give the community the right tools and inspiration. The rest will take care of itself.

For example, if the toolset in Dragon Age was too difficult, the planned GM client was dropped, and not enough thought was put into making the game as open as possible, then I wouldn't be surprised to see the game not reach the critical mass that NWN has enjoyed.

Also, let's say Dragon Age had concepts that were too "alien" to fantasy gamers, or had systems that just weren't fun playing, then that too would limit Dragon Age from becoming the spiritual successor it's aiming to be.

However, with the right foresight, planning, and construction of tools, there is no reason why Dragon Age can't enjoy a community as large as NWN.

Papermonk: Sure...I mean, the D&D license certainly has something to do with the popularity of this game because it's easy to approach for people aware of it, things people already know, and so on. But I think the growing awareness in people of who developed a game and that meaning something allows the "licensing effect" to diminish somewhat. I think with a good game and proper support it'll happen again, certainly.

Steelwind: This is really difficult to say. I'm on the fence on this one.

There is no one reason why NWN succeeded so well. It was a correlation of forces at the right time. Factors I would consider important are: BioWare's dedication to the game, after-market support, and community building; the D&D Brand; the D&D Rule system; the success of NWVault as a central website; pre-release hype and sizzle in huge amounts; a vibrant pool of module authors; the success of the NWN Forums; the toolset; the ease of use of a tile-based map creation system; substantial community utility creation and user-to-user support; innovative custom content community; innovative and dedicated PW world building community; the dedication of the folks at Neverwinter Connections. If you take any two of those factors away, you start to have a real hole in the community and the way it has grown.

So, do I think the NWN community will happen again with Dragon Age? I would not rule it out, but I am not bullish on it. D&D matters among casual gamers and avid PnP players. I am uncertain as to whether or not Obsidian will be able to repeat BioWare's success. I have no doubt that Obsidian can create a good sequel - but creating a sequel to a game and repeating BioWare's success in creating NWN's community is not the same thing at all. Triple A developers with a long-term view of the market are, sadly, rare as hen's teeth. Which is a roundabout way of saying that I think all the parties involved have to drift apart to learn the reasons why the licensor and the licensee were so successful together. Right now, I think the only way to do that is for each party not to be as successful apart as they once were together.

It's time for you guys to "see other people" without actually getting a permanent divorce. :-)

Lycius: Anything is possible, but Neverwinter Nights received its initial draw from D&D geeks. Any non-D&D game would be hard pressed to win over a community of D&D players that have been faithfully playing their game for years. I, for instance, loathe what has happened to my game. However, it's still D&D and I still play it.

Rizzen: Yes, I sure do. However, some of the same formula will need to be followed. Make sure it's multiplayer, make sure it has a wide range of gaming styles (cooperative, hack & slash, scripted, etc.), and give someone the ability to manage the flow of the game. This may not be full blown DMing, however, it needs to be something close. I know that NeverwinterConnections.com would never have been what it is today without DMing.

Poetic Colossus: Tough call. The setting of NWN in the Forgotten Realms campaign was a big draw for a lot of players and DMs, but I'll reserve judgment until I see what comes down the pipeline.

LadyRolePlay: Take a look at what made the success. The sets and ability to build. But, you know, D&D has been around a long, long time for a reason. Take a look at those reasons: the ability to make the world, tell a story, and live a character in that story. NWN has done exactly that, plus provided the infrastructure to do so via the Neverwinter Connections site and boards at BioWare! You must have that part there too. But, by taking the D&D intellectual property and making a reasonably user modifiable game with a very easy-to-use toolset and a DM client, the way has been paved. Something like Neverwinter Connections, either as a community project or as something done by BioWare, is also a necessity. So, yes Dragon Age can be a success with a DM client, toolset, and Neverwinter Connections also.

I not only think it can be, I am certain it will be. The question is, will it be BioWare or some other company with some other game. Likely, there will be more than one company trying this. Things enjoy an initial surge, and if they're good enough, many stay on. I've seen this shake out at Neverwinter Connections and with persistent worlds as well. BioWare, I do believe, is coming out with a new one is it not...in this mode? Something that might help with the transition is to use the boards. Some key people moved the system and made it a success, such as Rizzen. Some folk like me have unwittingly become, ahh, ones that draw some attention. BioWare, unlike someone coming brand new to it, has a system, structure, and people *grins* in the gaming community to help make it happen. Because that structure, once the game goes gold, is everything to its success.

Without "new" blood from new releases the community would likely peter out. Game engine advancement without wholesale destruction of what went before, without complete undermining of familiarity, is the best tactic I think. But, keep in mind, "global" updates to multiplayer options not available at release dates makes it hard and requires more co-ordination. Heck, I have friends all over the world, literally, and this does create quite a lot of chaos when the releases are not timed "world" wide. Same would go for any new game I think.

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