What's going on with NWN: EE?

[Space Dog]

After all these patches and technical visual improvements we know the game now has the potential to look next gen. Great looking high res models and tilesets were teased years ago.

When will we get some content that actually looks next gen? I feel the crude graphics are really holding this game back even though otherwise it's still great and without much competition in the toolset / module / PW department.

Or is this just a love letter to the community who could in theory now create next gen assets themselves?

[Messsucher]

Roflmao, it is so very hard to comment this without being sarcastic :D

[Rorque]

this is exactly what you write, beamdog is waiting for the community to do the work for them, which will never happen, because it's a job for at least a year for a dozen experienced graphic designers led by an art director. Long story short, they lied when they uploaded the aribeth model, they never intended to improve the graphics.

[Space Dog]

I just found out the upcoming 3 part sequel to the OC, Blades of Netheril, will also be free and unofficial.

https://www.lukescull.com/2021/07/14/announcing-the-blades-of-netheril-an-unofficial-sequel-to-the-neverwinter-nights-original-campaign/

That sounds like any plans to monetize the asset makeover through new premium modules were canceled and NWN: EE development is dead in the water save for some small goodwill patches from Beamdog. I could be completely wrong of course but it's odd the sequel to the OC is free and unofficial.

[Corin]

Originally posted by Rorque:

this is exactly what you write, beamdog is waiting for the community to do the work for them, which will never happen, because it's a job for at least a year for a dozen experienced graphic designers led by an art director. Long story short, they lied when they uploaded the aribeth model, they never intended to improve the graphics.

Pretty much this. I honestly never expected them to do anything. Look at the studio and what they've produced, if they were capable of creating the graphical assets for a full AAA style remake they would just go and make a new AAA game and sell it.

I feel bad for the suckers who got conned though.

[Tyler Durden]

That unofficial continuation looks awesome, though it seems incredibly out of character for a beloved hero that saved the city to be shunned like that.

[Corin]

Originally posted by Tyler Durden:

That unofficial continuation looks awesome, though it seems incredibly out of character for a beloved hero that saved the city to be shunned like that.

It's actually kind of lore-friendly in the sense that Nasher is canonically a ♥♥♥♥ to you, pretty sure it was either the HOTU expansion or something the devs said that the canon ending of the original campaign is the aftermath being you being shunned by the city authorities for essentially making them look bad/being competition.

You see the theme again in NWN2 with the city authorities being... well, power-grubbing aristocrats.

[Tyvolus]

Originally posted by Corin:

Originally posted by Rorque:

this is exactly what you write, beamdog is waiting for the community to do the work for them, which will never happen, because it's a job for at least a year for a dozen experienced graphic designers led by an art director. Long story short, they lied when they uploaded the aribeth model, they never intended to improve the graphics.

Pretty much this. I honestly never expected them to do anything. Look at the studio and what they've produced, if they were capable of creating the graphical assets for a full AAA style remake they would just go and make a new AAA game and sell it.

I feel bad for the suckers who got conned though.

not sure who you think are talking to, but NWN: EE has IMO, been updated more than I wanted/expected. So, maybe you are the sucker?

[Ubai]

Given the number of updates I feel pretty good about Beamdog and NWN. I feel like they are focusing on the code because there are a ton of features requested by modders, and the modding community is the lifeblood of this game.

I agree that the models need some work, but in that case I think the best thing is to release new tools and information to the modders. The Witcher showed that better graphics are very doable, we just need the right tools for the job.

[Space Dog]

Beamdog have done a good job with supporting NWN: EE after release with further improvements.

I just think that for NWN to truly get a "second life", graphics are they key. It's a great game but the visuals are just too rough to look at. I'd be throwing money at a premium module or expansion that would look like what they teased or the weapon models they already released.

[Jimelu]

Besides better graphics I think it also needs better controls, interface and camera. If it could be played like Dragon Age Origins it would be perfect.

[R-TEAM]

To get an second life it needs much more as only better GFX (and i am not say tripple A GFX ... this would need an complete new engine and high quality 3D assets, things the small beamdog studio never can deliver ..)
It needs actual D&D ruleset (5e) and an modern PC adaption for it ..... and this is IMHO then the same as with the Tripple A GFX part .... beamdog is not in a position to doing this ...
No new RPG player (there are always exceptions, but they are not the mass) will get an D&D 3e game nowdays ...
So "I" see NWN:EE as an good enhanced and for new PCs easy usable version of the good old legendary NWN from oround the 2000'years .... but i realy see it not as an "actual" RPG game .... ......

[DrLoboto]

What second life? It hasn't even kicked the bucket yet, after 20 years, and Beamdog has ensured that it will stay healthy for a good while longer. BUT it was never kept alive by those who are mainly interested in the official campaigns, and my impression is that it's mostly those who complain about the graphics. The lifeblood of NWN have always been the modders, the custom content creators, the module authors, the PW administrators and DMs, and I think that's where Beamdog's priorities lie, in giving THEM the tools that spark new creativity. It's doubtful that this part of the audience would even want a full official overhaul of the graphics, seeing that it could cause compatibility issues and tamper with the original vision of older classics whose authors are not around anymore.

[VHS]

There is absolutely zero reason to implementate new graphics into the game. NWN official campaings - it is NOT NWN as it is.

[💖 Officer Hotpants 💖]

Originally posted by R-TEAM:

To get an second life it needs much more as only better GFX (and i am not say tripple A GFX ... this would need an complete new engine and high quality 3D assets, things the small beamdog studio never can deliver ..)
It needs actual D&D ruleset (5e) and an modern PC adaption for it ..... and this is IMHO then the same as with the Tripple A GFX part .... beamdog is not in a position to doing this ...
No new RPG player (there are always exceptions, but they are not the mass) will get an D&D 3e game nowdays ...
So "I" see NWN:EE as an good enhanced and for new PCs easy usable version of the good old legendary NWN from oround the 2000'years .... but i realy see it not as an "actual" RPG game .... ......

In what was is it "not an 'actual' RPG?"

[Bloodknight]

eh? I'd make human sacrifices for decent pathfinding to stop movement being a clickfest in the modern age and to stop the AI from looking like it only understand straight lines, but the rest is mostly irrelevant.