chevalier
Wed, 23rd Aug '06, 3:07pm
Here are today's Neverwinter Nights 2 forum highlights, collected by NWVault (http://nwvault.ign.com). Please take into account that these are only single parts of various threads and should not be taken out of context. Bear in mind also that the posts presented here are copied as-is, and that any bad spelling and grammar does not get corrected on our end.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">J.E. Sawyer, Lead Designer</font>
Deities (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493114&post=4270197&forum=95&highlight=)
<hr />Maybe there could be a temple to each selectable diety in the game, and you could get a discount on healing at your diety's temple.<hr />Neverwinter: City of Temples.
Dev Q: Duelist's Precise Strike and Flourish (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493160&post=4270592&forum=95&highlight=)
<hr />Um ... isn't a short sword a small/light weapon? I thought gnomes and halflings could already wield them with one hand, or am I missing something?
J<hr />In general, if a character can wield a weapon two-handed, we assume that they want to wield it two-handed if nothing is in their off-hand. So, if you put a longsword in your human's hand (with nothing in the off-hand), it will say "Equipped as a two-handed weapon." and will use the two-handed slashing animations (and bonuses). Most characters won't wield short swords or rapiers with two hands because they can't. Because gnomes and halflings can, they automatically will unless something goes in their off-hand.
engine stacking caps? (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493247&post=4270623&forum=95&highlight=)
Actually, what we've been experimenting with (on ability scores ONLY -- repeat, no difference from NWN1 except for what I'm about to say for ability scores) is that nothing stacks. No bull's strength + gauntlets + ring + rage + frenzy -- you'll always just take the highest bonus. It might sound draconian, but it seems to help reign in the high-end balance a lot for a wide variety of melee characters (PrC or not).
More: <hr />It clearly states in the 3.5 ed Complete warrior book (the source for the frenzied berserker prc) that frenzy and rage are supposed to stack. In fact, that is one of the main reasons for going fb in the 1st place: the class is supposed to be balanced by the after effects of fury and/or rage (winded or exhausted) as well as the uses per day.<hr />Yes, that's the theory, but it isn't balanced by that at all. Certainly not in a game like NWN2. Our FBs could very easily gain 50 STR at the higher levels. Combined with their power attack bonuses, they would annihilate almost everything in their path so quickly that their fatigue effects were irrelevant.
EDIT: And when I write, "they would" I mean that "they did" until we made the power attack and stacking changes. Now FBs are still very strong, but not absurdly so.
More: <hr />Sounds like a good reason not to allow the frenzy to stack. But what about non-frenzied barbarians? Doesn't this remove much of the point of their rage (unless - insert fervent hope - magic is sufficiently rare that rage remains useful).<hr />To be honest, it does lessen the value of barbarian rage, but I do still believe it is useful. It's secondary effects aside, the Str and Con bonuses are nice because they free up equipment slots for the barbarian and spell slots for other characters. It's also time that those other characters don't have to spend buffing the barbarian. Certainly no one has complained that the barbarian has become weak since our changes were made.
Question to the devs about companion/summon/familiar etc. XP penalties (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493248&post=4271097&forum=95&highlight=)
You suffer no XP penalties for the presence/use of summons, familiars, or animal companions. They are considered just as much a part of your class' standard abilities as a fighter's feats or a rogue's sneak attack.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Shane K. DeFreest, Community Manager</font>
New NWN2 Forum Moderator (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493294&post=4270928&forum=95&highlight=)
As many of you can tell the traffic on the forums has grown, and will continue to grow considerably as we get closer to launch. Given the increased forum traffic, it's come time to get Vulcano and Selene some help. In my search for the next moderator I've found someone that has been fair, levelheaded and in his own words spends "an unhealthy amount of hours on the boards". http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif So with that in mind I'd like to welcome Orik to the NWN2 moderator team!
Fan Site Manager Beta! (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=491424&post=4270964&forum=95&highlight=)
Thanks to everyone who sent their information in. The final count was 114 sites, consisting of nine different languages, were submitted to Atari today. I'll be honest in that I stretched the availability list as far as it could go. While at the same time did have to turn some submissions down. If your site just consisted of a link directly into mostly empty forums, or a hastily uploaded "coming soon" that's where I had to draw the line for entrance into the beta. Otherwise please be patient and Atari's beta test team will be contacting you soon.
Again, this was our way of thanking all the sites who have been continuously supportive of the Neverwinter franchise both in the past, and moving on into the future. We're very excited to see what the most talented, and diverse gaming community in the world will create using the power of the NWN2 Toolset.
Thank you for your continued support and enjoy!
More: Your site was fine, but there were also a few sites submitted that were a so bare bones I had to flag as questionable. Ultimately, I was way over the cap allotted to me, and I got as many individuals in from as many different sites as possible.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">J.E. Sawyer, Lead Designer</font>
Deities (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493114&post=4270197&forum=95&highlight=)
<hr />Maybe there could be a temple to each selectable diety in the game, and you could get a discount on healing at your diety's temple.<hr />Neverwinter: City of Temples.
Dev Q: Duelist's Precise Strike and Flourish (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493160&post=4270592&forum=95&highlight=)
<hr />Um ... isn't a short sword a small/light weapon? I thought gnomes and halflings could already wield them with one hand, or am I missing something?
J<hr />In general, if a character can wield a weapon two-handed, we assume that they want to wield it two-handed if nothing is in their off-hand. So, if you put a longsword in your human's hand (with nothing in the off-hand), it will say "Equipped as a two-handed weapon." and will use the two-handed slashing animations (and bonuses). Most characters won't wield short swords or rapiers with two hands because they can't. Because gnomes and halflings can, they automatically will unless something goes in their off-hand.
engine stacking caps? (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493247&post=4270623&forum=95&highlight=)
Actually, what we've been experimenting with (on ability scores ONLY -- repeat, no difference from NWN1 except for what I'm about to say for ability scores) is that nothing stacks. No bull's strength + gauntlets + ring + rage + frenzy -- you'll always just take the highest bonus. It might sound draconian, but it seems to help reign in the high-end balance a lot for a wide variety of melee characters (PrC or not).
More: <hr />It clearly states in the 3.5 ed Complete warrior book (the source for the frenzied berserker prc) that frenzy and rage are supposed to stack. In fact, that is one of the main reasons for going fb in the 1st place: the class is supposed to be balanced by the after effects of fury and/or rage (winded or exhausted) as well as the uses per day.<hr />Yes, that's the theory, but it isn't balanced by that at all. Certainly not in a game like NWN2. Our FBs could very easily gain 50 STR at the higher levels. Combined with their power attack bonuses, they would annihilate almost everything in their path so quickly that their fatigue effects were irrelevant.
EDIT: And when I write, "they would" I mean that "they did" until we made the power attack and stacking changes. Now FBs are still very strong, but not absurdly so.
More: <hr />Sounds like a good reason not to allow the frenzy to stack. But what about non-frenzied barbarians? Doesn't this remove much of the point of their rage (unless - insert fervent hope - magic is sufficiently rare that rage remains useful).<hr />To be honest, it does lessen the value of barbarian rage, but I do still believe it is useful. It's secondary effects aside, the Str and Con bonuses are nice because they free up equipment slots for the barbarian and spell slots for other characters. It's also time that those other characters don't have to spend buffing the barbarian. Certainly no one has complained that the barbarian has become weak since our changes were made.
Question to the devs about companion/summon/familiar etc. XP penalties (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493248&post=4271097&forum=95&highlight=)
You suffer no XP penalties for the presence/use of summons, familiars, or animal companions. They are considered just as much a part of your class' standard abilities as a fighter's feats or a rogue's sneak attack.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Shane K. DeFreest, Community Manager</font>
New NWN2 Forum Moderator (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=493294&post=4270928&forum=95&highlight=)
As many of you can tell the traffic on the forums has grown, and will continue to grow considerably as we get closer to launch. Given the increased forum traffic, it's come time to get Vulcano and Selene some help. In my search for the next moderator I've found someone that has been fair, levelheaded and in his own words spends "an unhealthy amount of hours on the boards". http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif So with that in mind I'd like to welcome Orik to the NWN2 moderator team!
Fan Site Manager Beta! (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=491424&post=4270964&forum=95&highlight=)
Thanks to everyone who sent their information in. The final count was 114 sites, consisting of nine different languages, were submitted to Atari today. I'll be honest in that I stretched the availability list as far as it could go. While at the same time did have to turn some submissions down. If your site just consisted of a link directly into mostly empty forums, or a hastily uploaded "coming soon" that's where I had to draw the line for entrance into the beta. Otherwise please be patient and Atari's beta test team will be contacting you soon.
Again, this was our way of thanking all the sites who have been continuously supportive of the Neverwinter franchise both in the past, and moving on into the future. We're very excited to see what the most talented, and diverse gaming community in the world will create using the power of the NWN2 Toolset.
Thank you for your continued support and enjoy!
More: Your site was fine, but there were also a few sites submitted that were a so bare bones I had to flag as questionable. Ultimately, I was way over the cap allotted to me, and I got as many individuals in from as many different sites as possible.