Neverwinter Nights 2 Designer Diary #1 - Welcome to the New Neverwinter
Designer Chris Avellone kicks off our designer diary series for this anticipated role-playing game by laying out some of its new features.
Neverwinter Nights 2 was recently named our Best Role-Playing Game of E3 this year, and for good reason. The sequel to 2002's acclaimed and best-selling Neverwinter Nights will introduce beautiful graphics and a greater emphasis on storytelling. At the same time, all the tools introduced in the first game have been enhanced, so you'll be able to create your own levels and adventures and then share them with friends and strangers alike on the Internet, or download someone else's creation and enjoy that instead. (Unfortunately, existing Neverwinter Nights modules won't be compatible with the sequel.) With the game due out later this year, we'll kick off our designer diary series with designer Chris Avellone, who gives us some insight into what Obsidian Entertainment wants to accomplish.
Role-Playing for the People
By Chris Avellone
Designer, Obsidian Entertainment
 Neverwinter Nights 2 introduces a new graphics engine, so there's a lot more detail on screen than in the original. |
Obsidian was excited for the opportunity to do the sequel to Neverwinter Nights. Our first task was to determine exactly how to take this extremely successful franchise and evolve it even further for the casual player and the hardcore fans and mod builders. We didn't want to change it entirely. The first game provided a single-player campaign, multiplayer, and the signature toolset that allowed players to build their own Dungeons & Dragons modules to run for their friends or even release to the public on a variety of sites. Many of those modules have received numerous accolades, and many of those same module builders have used their skills to even land jobs within the game industry, and we hope to continue that trend in the modules we see built for Neverwinter Nights 2.
It was no easy task, however; not only did we have the high expectations of the first game and the expansions to live up to (easily five to six years of a labor of love by Bioware and company), but we also had to see in what ways we could improve the toolset, the gameplay, and the graphics even further. In the end, we did end up recoding a great deal of the toolset to make changes for the fans and make scripting and layout a bit easier, and I think the mod community will be pretty happy with the end result. The exterior environment changes alone are pretty amazing, with a variety of tinting and layout options allowing you to modify the skybox and the terrain to create cool fantasy locales or even fantastical extraplanar locations such as Baator or the Abyss.
 The new camera will let you zoom in close in on the action, so it looks more like an action game at times. |
The creatures were no small matter, either. In fact, some of the monsters in the game are not only gruesome and deadly, but they are extremely large as well, such as the red dragon. We received a lot of support and feedback from Wizards of the Coast on making sure the look of the monsters and characters were just right, and the end result is a pretty impressive selection of foes for the player to match swords (and occasionally wits) with.
The creatures aren't the only thing we're showcasing in the game, though. Few models have received the same amount of attention as the player character models themselves, and we allow a broad spectrum of character visual options for you to adjust as you see fit to get the type of character you want. You can select hair color, highlights, skin tone, eyes, and even more with each player character and customize them until they look and feel like your character. But the visual look alone is only half of it. We also allow for a number of new base classes (warlock) and a range of prestige classes (among them Shadow Thief of Amn and Arcane Trickster) to define your character the way you want and choose the career path you want. In addition to the warlock, we have the classic range of D&D professions, such as the fighter, ranger, paladin, rogue, druid, priest, wizard, sorcerer, and more, and even familiars and animal companions to accompany you on your adventures.
The battles you'll have over the course of the game range from epic fights against legions of enemies to up-close and personal, one-on-one combat with a frenzied berserker boss. The camera control really lets you zoom in and see you and your companions in the midst of battle. When the camera's behind your character's shoulder, seeing the towering umber hulk or the swipe of a dragon's tail truly becomes impressive. If you prefer a more tactical feel, we also support the camera jumping to full isometric view, so you can get a feel for more multiopponent tactical battles.
We welcome any comments or suggestions you guys may have, so if you have any thoughts or feedback, or come visit us to chat about other stuff on the Obsidian Entertainment forums. We welcome anything you'd like to share. This isn't the last developer diary and video interview, by any means. We have many more developer video diaries coming up, and we can't wait to reveal some more of the cool stuff we're showcasing in Neverwinter Nights 2. Check back here from time to time, and I hope you're looking forward to Neverwinter Nights 2 as much as we're looking forward to delivering it to you and seeing what modules you can build with it.
-GameSpot
Neverwinter Nights 2 Designer Diary #2 - Crafting Cinematic Worlds
Obsidian Entertainment executive producer Darren Monahan explains how Neverwinter Nights 2's enhanced graphics engine will add a cinematic quality to the game.
The traditional computer role-playing game usually starts you off as a destitute slob of an adventurer who must fight against dastardly rats until he can gain higher experience levels and start laying claim to fabulous treasures with his party of elves, wizards, and, possibly, skeletons. Obsidian Entertainment's Neverwinter Nights 2 will attempt to go beyond the stereotype by offering a massive single-player campaign, as well as a full set of editing tools that will let players create their own online adventures. In this designer diary, executive producer Darren Monahan explains how the game's enhanced graphics will add a cinematic touch to all that hacking and slashing.
Crafting Cinematic Worlds
By Darren Monahan
Executive Producer, Obsidian Entertainment
 The game will allow for cinematic lighting and huge 3D environments. |
When we first set out to design Neverwinter Nights 2, we looked to the community as a source for inspiration and ideas. We had found that many users wanted even more options and greater control through the toolset to bring their worlds alive. One of the first big departures from the first game we decided upon was to allow our designers (and you!) the ability to sculpt exterior areas using a system called "height mapping" instead of the tile-based system in the original NWN. We liked this idea because it would make for more organic and natural areas in the game, and would really help distinguish between travel within dungeons and close quarters to a more-expansive, 3D feel for exteriors. Throughout the course of the game, you will scale the sides of mountains, look over deep chasms, and visit cities that sit atop great cliffs overlooking the Sea of Swords.
A major challenge in building our new rendering technology for Neverwinter Nights 2 was to continue the dynamic theme of the first game. We wanted to let you modify everything in real time and have it displayed in game and in the toolset as soon as the change was made. To this end, we implemented several powerful systems with the goal of empowering you to create more-cinematic worlds and experiences.
One of these systems is a fully dynamic day/night cycle. In designing this system, we identified all the key components: Yep, you need a sun, and you need a moon. You need clouds, a sky, some settings for fog, and stars for your nighttime sky. With the next-generation renderer we created, we decided we really needed to go all-out and provide a whole slew of other options. Let's start with what we've done with the skies. In NWN2, you can control the color of both the upper atmosphere (also known as the zenith) as well as the horizon. This allows for beautiful sunrises and sunsets, with mixes of purples and oranges. You can vary cloud density anywhere from sparse clouds to thick overhead cover. You can control the velocity at which clouds move. You can also control the wind, which causes trees in the game to shake. Imagine creating your own module where the skies are dark, clouds roll by with tremendous speed, and the wind blows heavily. You can really set up some dramatic and epic moments with these tools.
SPOILER ALERT: This cemetery may or may not contain skeletons. |
For the day/night cycle, we let you customize a handful of stages. As time passes, the game morphs between your stages in realistic ways. In these stages, you can modify how intense the light of the sun or moon is, how much fog is present at that time of day (allowing for foggy mornings that clear up as you approach noon), as well as setting how "bloomy" the world looks. If you love the way Fable looks, for example, and want to have your module convey that same style, you can jack up the bloom settings. If you prefer a more realistic, gritty look to the world, you can tone these down. Sound like too much control? Don't worry--the game comes with a default set of day/night cycles that we use in our campaign. If you just want to use those, you can simply apply them to your modules. But if you want to create the next "time of troubles" or modules that take place in one of the nine hells, you can take advantage of your power to control the skies.
-GameSpot
Neverwinter Nights 2 Designer Diary #3 - Designing an Epic, Flexible Story
Senior designer and creative director Chris Avellone explains how the story in Neverwinter Nights 2 will let you be a hero, politician, general, or criminal.
Classic role-playing games combine hack-and-slash gameplay, character development, and an epic story--and these are all goals that the team at Obisidan is working on with Neverwinter Nights 2. The follow-up to the popular 2002 role-playing game that had you saving the fantasy city of Neverwinter from evil forces. Neverwinter Nights 2 promises to take the adventure further, with a beautiful 3D graphics engine as well as a powerful and flexible story that will have you experiencing all sorts of new adventures. To explain, we have Chris Avellone, the game's creative director from Obsidian Entertainment. Neverwinter Nights 2 is scheduled to ship around month's end.
Choose Your Own Adventure
By Chris Avellone
Designer, Obsidian Entertainment
 You can be a warrior, a mage, or even a ladies man in Neverwinter Nights 2. |
One of the initial goals of Neverwinter Nights 2 we had here at Obsidian was to create an epic, cinematic storyline to drive you forward--to make you realize that you are not only advancing in level over the course of the game, but taking on increasingly advanced political and tactical challenges, as well. We wanted your decisions to prove important for not only yourself and your party, but also other prominent non-player characters and factions in the game, to the point where you can even change the balance of power within the city of Neverwinter itself.
It's very easy to label a game as "epic," but what we tried to do was make sure we nailed down exactly what constitutes an epic storyline and then implement it. We wanted to keep the stakes high and the enemies powerful, as well as give you a key role, not just from an adventuring perspective, but also as a general, commander, and even a ruler of your own military stronghold. We give you a choice of being a politician, criminal, or advisor, as well, but that's up to you to choose. Whatever occurs, you will find yourself engaged in several battles over the course of the game--sometimes commanding large groups of troops on the battlefield, and at other times, diplomatically fighting for your reputation in a courtroom where it seems all the evidence is piled against you.
 You can also play as a female character, if you choose. |
The story in Neverwinter Nights 2 begins with a series of brutal attacks in the Mere of Dead Men, including your home of West Harbor. These attacks begin to escalate up and down the Sword Coast, and you find yourself in the middle not just of a growing war in the Forgotten Realms, but a battle that has been raging across the dimensional planes for centuries. To make matters worse, you find yourself fighting wars not on just one but several fronts. There's the politics of Neverwinter and the challenges of fortifying your own stronghold, as well as enemies from Luskan in the North and the extraplanar githyanki that have declared a crusade on you. You find yourself locked in battle with all these factions, but you're in a position to play them off against each other to buy time and learn more of the events and history that led up to this conflict, and how to end it once and for all.
But fortunately, your character isn't alone in this fight. The companions in Neverwinter Nights 2 have undergone an overhaul from the first game. Not only do they play more of a crucial role in the storyline, but they also have a depth to them that you can choose to explore over the course of the game depending on your interest. They have been revised in terms of game mechanics, as well, and while you can allow them to act on their own (as a personal frustration of mine, ally spellcasters often act much smarter than my own character does in combat), you can command them and issue them direct orders, equipment transfers, and even guide their level-up decisions, as well. At times, you may even be able to convince them to change their class over the course of the game, although this may involve finishing a vision quest or two and gaining their trust through the influence system.
 There are a number of character races, including the hulking half-orc. |
Our influence mechanics system is based on the one we set up for Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. While Neverwinter Nights 2 does offer a range of alignment options for your good, evil, lawful, and chaotic actions, the influence system also allows for an additional level of repercussions for decisions you make that are not on the alignment axis. For example, contrasting opinions on magical theory, nature versus civilization, and even how much of a rein you put on creativity itself in light of threats you and your characters face. Each of these actions can cause your influence with certain companions to go up or down over the course of the game and govern how much they involve themselves (or leave) at certain points in the game.
Obsidian has also tried to import several cinematic techniques we learned while working on our previous Star Wars title. We have cinematic cameras and cutscene setups for a number of major dialogues and interaction sequences, as well as a host of animation states that can be used in player-created adventure modules. We do allow for over-the-shoulder camera play and also offer a free-range tactical isometric view to better give orders to allies and soldiers in combat (which proves important in several battles). Being able to move the camera around also allows a better perspective of the environments and creatures the artists have whipped up for the game (many kudos to our art team)--the dragon alone is a terrifying sight to see in the game in over-the-shoulder mode, even before it blasts you with its breath weapon.
In any event, we're working hard on polishing the game for release, and we hope to have it in your hands soon. We're even more excited to see what the community does with the toolset, as well, and get a chance to play modules they create.
-GameSpot
Neverwinter Nights 2 Designer Diary #4 - The Coolest Things in Neverwinter Nights 2
Lead designer Josh Sawyer introduces us to his favorite features (like arson) in Neverwinter Nights 2, the sequel to 2002's acclaimed fantasy role-playing game.
Role-playing games such as Neverwinter Nights 2 immerse you into another world, and another life. You can take on the role of a warrior, thief, magician, and more, as you pursue a great quest, usually to defeat evil. With Neverwinter Nights 2, however, the focus is on improving the role-playing experience, as you can do lots of activities that you weren't able to do in the original game, like engaging in a little arson on the side for fun. It sounds a bit twisted, but that's how lead designer Josh Sawyer likes it. And in his designer diary, Sawyer tells us what he loves about the game. Neverwinter Nights 2 is scheduled to ship around the end of the month.
10 Things to Do in Neverwinter 2
By Josh Sawyer
Lead Designer, Obsidian Entertainment
There will be lots to see and do in Neverwinter Nights 2, the follow-up to 2002's acclaimed RPG. |
When developing a game, it's important for the developers to play the game. This might seem obvious, but it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we're making something that other people are going to use. We're making entertainment appliances, and a user's experience goes beyond what can be imagined, expressed in an area document, or visualized in an editor. It's a series of moments made up of their interactions and reactions to what the game gives them. It can't be expressed as some sort of abstracted arithmetic, despite the fact that it's composed of things that can be easily listed and understood: accessibility, curiosity, wonder, fear, anger, excitement, disappointment, satisfaction, pacing, frustration, amusement, and so on.
To understand why anyone would pick our game up or put it down, I set out on a three-week adventure through the highs and lows of the Neverwinter Nights 2 official campaign. There were, in fact, some lows. But, guess what, this article is meant to entice you to buy the game, so we'll skip the lows and go right to the highs. You should rest assured, though, as Obsidian's bug-fixing gnomes have constructed an antibug golem to automagically fix any and all problems I experienced during the course of my play-through. With that in mind, please join me as I recount my top 10 coolest things in the Neverwinter Nights 2 official campaign.
1. Cool Tutorial - I never get tired of playing our tutorial. Actually, that's a lie. I've played our tutorial about 30 times, and when I start it up now, I long for the sweet release of death. However, I do not want to murder everyone involved in the creation of our tutorial after 30 sessions! That means that if you play through it once or five times, you'll love it! Seriously, it's a lot of fun. You get to help a child engage in theft, and you can expose the fraudulent flimflams of an old man and his pig. What else can you ask for? You might be asking, "But can I beat up some jerks with clubs?" You got it, pal.
 Bluffing your way is an option, though you might tick off a lot of people along the way. |
2. Role-Playing - When I made my character, Sass Afrass, I gave her the tale-teller background trait. I decided to role-play this by "bluffing" (lying) any time I had the [LIE] or [BLUFF] options in dialogue, regardless of how terrible the results of failure might be. I had a lot of opportunity to do this! Also, I had a lot of opportunity to fail my bluff checks because I didn't put many points into bluff. Often, people got mad at me and attacked me with magic missiles, and my character slowly started telling the truth. I think my character learned a little something about honesty and I learned a little something about life!
3. Guyven of the Road - Who is this dude? Why is he hiding in the grass all over the Sword Coast? What secrets does he know? These are mysteries you can solve if you find this discrete halfling during your travels. Then again, maybe you aren't a cool enough explorer to be Guyven's pal. Find him, before it's too late!
4. Death's Herald +5, Hellbane +3, and Fiendbreaker +4 - I bet these sound like the names of magic items I found in the game. You'd be wrong, my friend! These are magic items I crafted in the game from adamantine ingots and fire beetle glands and a bunch of garnets. Crafting in our game takes a long time, but when you can make a flaming frost cold iron greatsword +3, it's pretty much worth it. Given Dungeon & Dragons 3.5's damage-reduction rules, it's nice to be able to have a full toolset, so to speak. "Sorry, Ms. Werewolf, you're taking the express train to shocking frost alchemical silver greatsword +4 town!" And colors/italics/boldface? Yeah, you can type those in the name field when you enchant items. I tried to make a rainbow staff to celebrate the diversity of my party, but the field wasn't long enough.
Greetings Ribsmasher!
5. Take Back the Streets! With Money! And Fire! - One of the routes through the game can be achieved by joining the city watch of Neverwinter. However, you can be a really corrupt watchman, which is pretty sweet. Bribery and graft are awesome! Alternately, you can side with the thugs and burn down the watch headquarters. Arson is awesome! If you're a pyromaniac with a heart of gold, you even have the option of burning down the watch headquarters and going inside to warn the residents so they don't get roasted alive. Merciful criminal torch-jobs are awesome!
6. Ribsmasher - To be honest, Ribsmasher is kind of a "wacky" character, but he's still quite the lovable scamp. Locked up in a goblin fortress, the player can set this crazy monk free! Or kill him. But setting him free has much more hilarious results, as Ribsmasher will smash the ribs of any hostile creature he finds. When he runs out of ribs to smash, he'll smash doors, chests, alchemist's workbenches, etc.
 Beware! A dragon is a very difficult enemy to battle. And two dragons are even tougher. |
7. Crossroad Keep - In case you haven't been following NWN2's development, you can get a keep in the official campaign. Crossroad Keep starts out as a run-down rubble-littered dump where no one wants to live or work. By directing your staff of cool dudes, you can build it up and make it fancy again. You can recruit folks from all over the place to work at the keep, including a dimensional planes-hopping wizard and an aasimar fighter called Light of Heavens. The latter has a sister who will dance in your tavern if you can find her. What other games let you have aasimar dancers in your personal tavern, huh?! Huh?!
8. Prestige Class Outfits - I was skeptical about this when programmer Anthony Davis brought up the idea, but it turned out great. I even took levels in Neverwinter Nine just so I could wear my sweet Neverwinter Nine tunic whilst patrolling my lands. I saved my eldritch knight chain shirt for "field work." Only people with levels in the appropriate prestige class can wear prestige-class outfits. Except for people with a lot of ranks in the "use magic device" ability. They are dirty, dirty cheaters.
 The role-playing possibilities in Neverwinter Nights 2 sound cool, and we can't wait for the game to ship later this month. |
9. Killing a Bunch of Druids - Even though I actually like the idea of druids, they always wind up sassin' off to me when I play RPGs. They're pretty pushy people. "Don't burn down the forest!" this and "You are disrupting the Mere of Dead Men!" that. Well, let me tell you: If you play your cards right, you can waste a whole bunch of these guys in our official campaign. That'll show 'em. However, you will have to watch out for flame strikes and ice storms and myriad other nature spells/druids in animal form.
10. Dragon Encounters - There was a time when someone in quality assurance said, "Hey, these dragon fights aren't hard enough." That is no longer spoken. Hopefully, you will enjoy fighting and trying to defeat these colossal foes. The only thing I enjoyed more than defeating them was hauling loot out of the big one's lair down the side of a huge mountain infested with fire giants.
There are a lot of other cool things about our official campaign. And there's also all the toolset and multiplayer stuff, but you've already probably read all about that. I think people will really enjoy our official campaign and be able to make their own lists of cool things they found and did. I certainly know there are many more things to see that I missed and many more ways to play the game. Wheeee!
-GameSpot
