Neverwinter Announced

[Taluntain]

Check http://www.sorcerers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=52323 for more info. Here's the press release:

ATARI AND CRYPTIC STUDIOS ANNOUNCE NEVERWINTER™
COMING IN 2011 FOR PC

Storyline for new Co-op Roleplaying Game Inspired by R.A. Salvatore's Upcoming Book Trilogy

Los Angeles, CA (August 23, 2010) -- Atari, one of the world's most recognized videogame publishers and Cryptic Studios, the acclaimed developers behind City of heroes, City of Villains, Champions Online and Star Trek Online, announced today the development of Neverwinter for PC. Neverwinter is a new online roleplaying game based on Wizards of the Coast's global property Dungeons & Dragons and the beloved city of Neverwinter.

Once a bustling location, Neverwinter has faced a great many disasters in the past hundred years. Rule of the city remains unclear following the unfortunate demise of the last Lord of Neverwinter and factions still battle for dominance after the all-consuming Spellplague took a high toll on the population. Even Neverwinter's dead are beginning to rise from their graves and march upon the city they once called home.

"We're beyond thrilled to develop a brand new version of Neverwinter. It's been years since the original became a gaming icon and we're honored to work with such a great franchise," said Jack Emmert, COO of Cryptic Studios. "We've been working closely with Wizards of the Coast and R.A. Salvatore to create an authentic D&D adventure filled with compelling fiction and exciting gameplay."

In Neverwinter, players choose to become one of five classic D&D classes and team up with friends or computer-controlled allies to form five-person co-op groups. Players also create their own storylines and quests utilizing an extremely user-friendly content generation system, tentatively codenamed Forge.

"Wizards of the Coast is excited to invite millions of fans back to Neverwinter with the launch of R.A. Salvatore's Gauntlgrym,” said Liz Schuh, Brand Director for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast. "And we're excited about the prospects for great digital gaming experiences based on this epic world.”

Neverwinter for PC is scheduled to release in Q4 2011 and is part of a multi-platform event, including a book trilogy from New York Times best-selling author R. A. Salvatore and a tabletop roleplaying game from Wizards of the Coast. Book one in Salvatore's Neverwinter trilogy, titled Gauntlgrym, releases on October 5 of this year and lays the groundwork for the Neverwinter storyline. The novel previews the settings, characters and monsters from the PC game and details the events that lead up to this highly anticipated PC gaming experience.

To learn more about the game, please visit: www.PlayNeverwinter.com

###

ABOUT CRYPTIC STUDIOS
Based in Los Gatos, CA, Cryptic Studios is a leading developer of role-playing and massively multiplayer online role-playing games. Cryptic is responsible for developing several AAA titles, including Star Trek Online, Champions Online, City of Heroes, City of Villains and Neverwinter. For more information about Cryptic Studios, please visit the official website at: www.crypticstudios.com

ABOUT ATARI, SA
Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Atari's brands and content are available across all key traditional and digital distribution touch points, including browser-based and Social online platforms, PC, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, and advanced smart phones (i.e. IPhone, Android and RIM devices). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from the strength of its worldwide brand and its extensive catalogue of contemporary classic game franchises (Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Lunar Lander®), original owned franchises (Test Drive®, Backyard Sports®, Deer Hunter®), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek™ Online, Champions Online™) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters®, Rollercoaster Tycoon®, Dungeons and Dragons®). Atari also leverages the power of its franchises to deliver movies and merchandise to consumers around the world.

For more information please visit: www.atari.com
© 2010 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.
Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the USA and other countries. Used with permission.

[Rawgrim]

Not sure how this will work though. According to the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting( 4th ed), Neverwinter got utterly destroyed during the spellplague, along with a few other cities. I guess consistency is out the window with this one.

[The Magister]

I for one would like to see a Forgotten Realm game set somewhere other then the Sword Coast. Also the setting just didn't feel the same after they killed Mystra...again.

[Blades of Vanatar]

You're right Magister, they always seem to place the games on the Sword Coast, The Savage Frontier or the Moonsea/Myth Drannor. The Forgotten Realms game world is so much bigger, they should utilize more of it. Possibly aroundThay/Rashemen or The Vilhon Reach, anything other than the Sword Coast again.

[Rawgrim]

Thay got f`ed too actually. Just a bunch of undeads there now. Lets face it. The forgotten realms has been ruined beyond repair by the 4th edition. The Eladrin race popping up out of the blue, having aparantly been around since the beginning. Eladrin being a more Tolkieni`sh elf race (Eldarin anyone? Creative rip-off i must say. change 2 letters). the drow elves got it worst though, they got changed into a ranger-race. No more evil cleric chics ruling the place anymore. All Drizzt clones now.

Sorry for the rant. I just hate that my favorite setting got so messed up

[Tarrasque]

Nah your setting didn't get messed up.

It's like the Star Wars prequels - my god what the hell were they thinking but doesn't prevent the the original setting being good.

I'm sure when Wizards realise sales of 4th edition are non existent compared to 3/3.5 they'll do a rapid about turn - hopefully!

[Death Rabbit]

Reading this, I'm reminded of the evolution of the KOTOR series (in fact, it almost feels like they're taking on the same idea). Much like KOTOR 1 and 2 has become simply The Old Republic, NWN1 and 2 is now, simply, Neverwinter and is an MMO.

As with all new D&D games my hopes are high that this will be a good game. But I'm almost always disappointed.

[Rawgrim]

Good d&d games has been none excistent since BG2, really. Better graphics, multiplayer options, and way more buggy. Thin stories too.

[The Magister]

Originally Posted by Rawgrim

Good d&d games has been none excistent since BG2, really. Better graphics, multiplayer options, and way more buggy. Thin stories too.

While I admit Neverwinter Nights was no BG2, it was still a fun game.

[chevalier]

Phive? No paladin?

[NOG (No Other Gods)]

Atari is involved. It will be pure toxic waste.

The five classes are hinted at with:
"My faith protects me. My hand destroys." - silhouetted woman with mace
"Power is my truth. Fire is my word." - silhouetted caped figure with horns? and a staff
"My steel, unbendable. My will, unbreakable." - silhouetted muscular man with axe and possible loincloth
"I am the knife in the dark." - silhouetted slender woman with two knives
"I am death upon the wind." - silhouetted slender man with a bow.

My guess is cleric (possibly paladin or paladin-ish clerics), wizard/sorcerer, barbarian (maybe fighter), rogue and ranger (probably drow ).

[chevalier]

Originally Posted by NOG (No Other Gods)

Atari is involved. It will be pure toxic waste.

Mass tort? Belly, Beren, dmc, Rags, what think ye?

The five classes are hinted at with:
"My faith protects me. My hand destroys." - silhouetted woman with mace
"Power is my truth. Fire is my word." - silhouetted caped figure with horns? and a staff
"My steel, unbendable. My will, unbreakable." - silhouetted muscular man with axe and possible loincloth
"I am the knife in the dark." - silhouetted slender woman with two knives
"I am death upon the wind." - silhouetted slender man with a bow.

My guess is cleric (possibly paladin or paladin-ish clerics), wizard/sorcerer, barbarian (maybe fighter), rogue and ranger (probably drow ).

Oh yes and barbarians/fighters are known for unbreakable will-saves.

[Merlanni]

I think they are up to something. You just do not destroy a top notch brand. To take a big step forward, you sometimes have to take a step back. Lots of people did not like 3.0.

If the single play holds out, and payment is not based on a monthly fee it is most welcome.

[Rawgrim]

Its going to be 4th edition d&d. Meaning its an automatic failure. Rogues can sneak attack only ONCE per fight (aparantly the forget how to do it), all spells return once a fight is done, no need for resting. ohh and every class can heal themselves now. Its called a Surge. Adventureres get them for no aparant reason. Add Atari to the mix, and you have an utter pile of dung.

[Urithrand]

Originally Posted by Blades of Vanatar

You're right Magister, they always seem to place the games on the Sword Coast, The Savage Frontier or the Moonsea/Myth Drannor. The Forgotten Realms game world is so much bigger, they should utilize more of it. Possibly aroundThay/Rashemen or The Vilhon Reach, anything other than the Sword Coast again.

They did Rashemen and Thay in MotB. It was very nicely done.

[omnigodly]

Atari, lack of classes, 4th ed.

I agree with everyone else... I do smell a failure.

I'm glad I didn't buy any faerun books from 4th ed if they really did destroy the west with a spell plague and add a new creator race (what happened to those lizards?).


NWN1 was fun after Chapter 1 :P, 2 was okay the first time through, but no matter how much you try to make your second run different, it's exactly the same .



Here's to hoping Atari and Obsidian while we're at it go out of business...

[Spellbound]

Well, I can't wait for this! And particularly:

Players also create their own storylines and quests utilizing an extremely user-friendly content generation system, tentatively codenamed Forge.

That sounds like great fun to me, if in fact they can hold true to that.

[Blades of Vanatar]

Originally Posted by Urithrand

They did Rashemen and Thay in MotB. It was very nicely done.

That I did not know, though I never played NWN2. Almost bought it, but started playing part 1 again instead.

I have been an collector of the FR for years, owning a copy of EVERY thing they made for FR 2nd edition book-wise, including all spin-offs such as Zakhara, Maztica and Oriental Adventures. I mostly did the same for the 3rd edition, though I am missing a few items. I purchased the 4th edition PHB and DMG and couldn't believe what I was reading. Utter crap. Then I perused the FR Campaign guide and almost puked. Very dissapointing. If they are going to keep the CRPGs going and advance the game engine along to 4th edition, I find it disconcerting. I see their point, as they are committed to 4th edition and the only way to sell is to push their product. Makes sense from their standpoint, but stinks for us fans of the older engines.

But, with all of that said, I might just try it anyway. None of the Bioware games were exact replicas of their game engines, as they tweaked the rules to fit their games. So, as I am in desperate need of something new to play and I have a very limited taste in games, mostly party-based RPGs or any D&D game, I am going to give it a shot. What else is out there to try?

[Tyranthraxus]

After not really being exposed to the D&D franchise since the late 80's-early 90's SSI 'Gold Box' games, Westwood's 'Eye of the Beholder' titles and the 2nd Edition books, my interest in the Pen and Paper game was revived in 2006, when I heard that a 'Dungeons & Dragons Online' MMO was being released.

After playing in a few RPGA tabletop sessions, I found 3rd/3.5 Edition noticably rife with generation Y elements, sometimes verging on anime cartoonery, although I enjoyed the deep complexity of it. My worst fears were realised in 4th Edition, which was completely alien to me, D&D in name only.

I'd say the brand will have to lapse into obscurity now, before being revived in a generation or two's time, before we will see anything as iconic and genre unifying as Baldur's Gate again, if ever. I have high hopes ofr the 'Neverwinter' game, but I fully expect them to be dashed.

[Taluntain]

The game's going to be a free-to-play MMO now so...

Well, that's what we do at Cryptic, and PWE. We make MMOs. From the beginning, we really wanted to make Neverwinter into a true MMO. However, due to development constraints imposed by Atari, we were originally making Neverwinter an Online Co-Op RPG.

Once we were purchased by PWE, we were allowed to take the extra time we needed to really make Neverwinter into a true MMO. Which we're very excited about.

We're full believers that we can deliver a tried and true D&D Experience, as well as an excellent MMO experience at the same time.

Thanks,

Stormshade

(Source.)

[damedog]

Another MMO?! God, I am so sick of them. Hey, let's remove all aspects of coherent story in favor of repetitive XP mining with no real purpose, all so we can charge the consumer monthly and make them pay for extra content that should just be part of the game in the first place. Say goodbye to the age of games as art, no more gems like Final Fantasy Tactics or PS:T. Why bother when we can make more money without any real creative effort?

[Rawgrim]

damedog hit the nail on the head. Minus the final Fantasy bit.

[Blades of Vanatar]

Originally Posted by Rawgrim

damedog hit the nail on the head. Minus the final Fantasy bit.

Hey, Tactics mighnt not of been as challenging as PST, but it was a lot of fun to play. And it was replayable!

[Rawgrim]

Its 4th edition, isn`t it?

[damedog]

I personally thought the story for Tactics was quite well done and very daring for the series. An oppressed peasant class fighting for freedom, corrupt companies colluding with governments, nobles who will do anything for more power, idealistic and later disenchanted main characters, and interesting debates between these differing themes when the characters meet in battle. It was so complicated it took me 3 playthroughs to finally get a grasp on everything that was going on.