One thing I was quite disapointed with some of the other games is the lack of individual items showing on the paper doll and the character model. Also special armours and items should look drastically different from the norm. Not just different colours. Anyway I hope this will come into play more in NWN.

Things do look different in NWN, especially colour-wise... You can dress literally in millions of ways, so character customization gets a totally new meaning. And since weapons get built from different hilt and blade components (which also show on the model), you needn't fear lack of variety on characters either. As for paper dolls... Well, there aren't any in NWN. :D

You'll see an equipment screen similar to Diablo's but not your actual character.

The other cool thing about the char. creation screen (which replaces the old paper dolls) is that you can rotate and tilt your 3D model to view them from all angles. If you shake them, all the 'dangly bits' like hair and loose clothing flap about quite realisticaly!

Actually, you can only rotate. ;)

Really? In the Beta you can pick up a corner of the figure and right click to tilt it so you view from above or below.

Depending on which beta you've played I suppose... This could have been changed. We'll see how it was done in the final version.