Neverwinter Nights, can anyone recommend?

[Saladfork]

I think the second game is leaps and bounds better than the first, and that mask of the betrayer blows them both out of the water. You can get a bundle off steam for $20.

You don't really need to play the first to understand what's going on in the second, but if you want to, I'd say it's still an alright game.

Protip: If you do decide to get it, don't play a ranger. The first NWN game uses a modified ruleset from DnD 3e, wherein rangers get completely screwed out of everything they're supposed to be good at.

They're a lot better in NWN2, which uses a modified 3.5e ruleset, so long as you don't try to focus on archery.

 

[vxicepickxv]

The online component for NWN might require specialized downloads for specific servers, that add a few new things to the game. You can find servers that don't need any of these that are pretty good. The community is starting to shrink because the game is pretty old, but it still has quite a few people involved in it.

The online component for NWN2 requires a specialized download for each server you play on. While most of NWN2 is better, this concept drives me away from 2.

 

[ThriKreen]

You also have to remember the original campaigns included with NWN 1 were more of example modules for how to utilize the toolset, and were modified and merged afterward into the 4 chapters. Again, primary focus of NWN1: toolset and multiplayer with a DM.

The later expansions (Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark) and premium modules (Kingmaker, Shadowguard, Witch's Wake, Pirates of the Sword Coast, Wyvercrown of Cormyr) had a more focused single-player element. Infinite Dungeons was emulating the rogue-likes with a hack and slash dungeon crawl.

And NWN2 focused more on the single-player.

 

[endtherapture]

If you want a Baldur's Gate style RPG you can't do better than Dragon Age Origins.

The first NWN game is more of a D&D dungeon crawler without a party. The second one is like a much more challenging BG2.

Wait, what. Other then theme how does Dragon Age Origins equal Baldur's Gate style? DAO is a very streamlined RPG, that is very light on RPG elements in comparison to Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and Baldur's Gate.

BG2 for me was party based combat/adventuring with a strong focus on story and the characters with you.

NWN isn't party based at all - you have a few henchmen (2 at most) who follow you around but it was incredibly hard to control their inventory, tell them what to do etc. and they seemed to cost a lot of gold to hire as opposed to characters in DA and BG who came along anyway. The henchmen weren't very well characterised (apart from Deekin) and never came anywhere near close to the characters in BG and DA who are classics of roleplaying. The loot also wasn't very good. The stories, even in the expansions, got nowhere near to that in BG or DA.

So NWN, whilst it was D&D based like BG, was in reality nothing like it. Boring henchmen with bad control, untactical combat etc. makes DA a much more worthy successor.

Not that NWN is bad - I had tons of fun with the toolkit making my own adventures - but it was nothing like BG. NWN2 however was, but DA is still better than them all I thought, with the perfect amount of streamlining.

 

[DoPo]

I think the second game is leaps and bounds better than the first, and that mask of the betrayer blows them both out of the water. You can get a bundle off steam for $20.

They don't seem to sell it on Steam any more. At least I can't find it (and I tried the US as well as several European versions). I know I got it on sale for £7.50 last year, I think. I don't know why they pulled it out though.

 

[kayisking]

SO I've been yearning for a Baldurs Gate style RPG lately, and I came upon Neverwinter Nights. It looks pretty good and you can get the complete edition off of gamersgate for 20 quid which features both plus all the expansions. But I wanted to know if anyone here had played it and could recommend it or can offer a better alternative?

No recommendation (I have not played it yet) but just a quick tip: You can get both games cheaper at GOG.com. They are about 5 quid a piece there, with all expansions included, so you save about half.

 

[DirtyJunkieScum]

I absolutely loved Neverwinter Nights and the expansions. In fact it is the only Bioware RPG I have ever liked, I couldn't stand NWN II or Dragon Age, uninstalled and got rid of both of them before I'd finished them. For some reason the combat in the later games felt incredibly sludgy and unresponsive and I didn't give a crap about the story or characters, NWN I found quite engrossing. I also didn't like Baldurs gate. Make of that what you will.

 

[Frankster]

I wouldn't reccomend Neverwinter nights for the single player campaign tbh :\
Although if i recall, the addons like tales of the underdark were seriously awesome.

But what I would reccomend neverwinter nights for is the numerous modules and player made campaigns which will give you a lot of varied rpg goodness.

 

[Lhynn]

Dragon Age: Origins was good till about the end of the prologue, after that its just not very good, it keeps promising but never really delivers.
NWN is awesome, there are a lot of modules that are worth your time, they are much better than the ones that come with the game.

 

[DoPo]

SO I've been yearning for a Baldurs Gate style RPG lately, and I came upon Neverwinter Nights. It looks pretty good and you can get the complete edition off of gamersgate for 20 quid which features both plus all the expansions. But I wanted to know if anyone here had played it and could recommend it or can offer a better alternative?

No recommendation (I have not played it yet) but just a quick tip: You can get both games cheaper at GOG.com. They are about 5 quid a piece there, with all expansions included, so you save about half.

Only NWN1 is on GOG, and it's $10. NWN 2 used to be on Steam but it seems it's down, probably for just the moment. From what I found out, there seems to be a legal dispute of some sort, so most places that offer NWN 2 online might be caught up in it. This is probably why GamersGate have it on sale - they've solved it, I assume.

 

[Setch Dreskar]

BG2 for me was party based combat/adventuring with a strong focus on story and the characters with you.

NWN isn't party based at all - you have a few henchmen (2 at most) who follow you around but it was incredibly hard to control their inventory, tell them what to do etc. and they seemed to cost a lot of gold to hire as opposed to characters in DA and BG who came along anyway. The henchmen weren't very well characterised (apart from Deekin) and never came anywhere near close to the characters in BG and DA who are classics of roleplaying. The loot also wasn't very good. The stories, even in the expansions, got nowhere near to that in BG or DA.

So NWN, whilst it was D&D based like BG, was in reality nothing like it. Boring henchmen with bad control, untactical combat etc. makes DA a much more worthy successor.

Not that NWN is bad - I had tons of fun with the toolkit making my own adventures - but it was nothing like BG. NWN2 however was, but DA is still better than them all I thought, with the perfect amount of streamlining.

NWN 2 builds up to 4 party members at once depending on the mission, (or 4 permanently in Storm of Zehir campaign) your party is also very much about their story, their own problems and how they build off each other. DAO is one of the most bare bones rpg's there is, saying NWN isn't party based and offering DAO instead is just odd being just how limited the party choices are and how short DAO is in comparison to either NWN or NWN2. When it comes to characterization DAO has your very standard fantasy affair, even going so far as to make Oghren afraid of falling up into the sky because dwarves stay underground.

DAO has good elements but alot of it is very cliche, and even the surprise twist that a Grey Warden has to die in order to kill the Arch Demon is easily guessed from the start with how often they talk about Grey Wardens being the only thing that can stop it. Now DAO is a good game, but it doesn't have anywhre near the depth of BG or NWN. You are also saying that a party of adventurers isn't a party, just because some of the companions cost money? Also saying they are hard to control doesn't mean they are, many people find the controls of NWN and NWN2 very easy to use and can set up combinations off of character classes easily.

Anyways I know its your opinion, and I gave you mine as well, I just don't see how DAO is anywhere near closer a match to BG then NWN or NWN2 is.

 

[endtherapture]

BG2 for me was party based combat/adventuring with a strong focus on story and the characters with you.

NWN isn't party based at all - you have a few henchmen (2 at most) who follow you around but it was incredibly hard to control their inventory, tell them what to do etc. and they seemed to cost a lot of gold to hire as opposed to characters in DA and BG who came along anyway. The henchmen weren't very well characterised (apart from Deekin) and never came anywhere near close to the characters in BG and DA who are classics of roleplaying. The loot also wasn't very good. The stories, even in the expansions, got nowhere near to that in BG or DA.

So NWN, whilst it was D&D based like BG, was in reality nothing like it. Boring henchmen with bad control, untactical combat etc. makes DA a much more worthy successor.

Not that NWN is bad - I had tons of fun with the toolkit making my own adventures - but it was nothing like BG. NWN2 however was, but DA is still better than them all I thought, with the perfect amount of streamlining.

NWN 2 builds up to 4 party members at once depending on the mission, (or 4 permanently in Storm of Zehir campaign) your party is also very much about their story, their own problems and how they build off each other. DAO is one of the most bare bones rpg's there is, saying NWN isn't party based and offering DAO instead is just odd being just how limited the party choices are and how short DAO is in comparison to either NWN or NWN2. When it comes to characterization DAO has your very standard fantasy affair, even going so far as to make Oghren afraid of falling up into the sky because dwarves stay underground.

DAO has good elements but alot of it is very cliche, and even the surprise twist that a Grey Warden has to die in order to kill the Arch Demon is easily guessed from the start with how often they talk about Grey Wardens being the only thing that can stop it. Now DAO is a good game, but it doesn't have anywhre near the depth of BG or NWN. You are also saying that a party of adventurers isn't a party, just because some of the companions cost money? Also saying they are hard to control doesn't mean they are, many people find the controls of NWN and NWN2 very easy to use and can set up combinations off of character classes easily.

Anyways I know its your opinion, and I gave you mine as well, I just don't see how DAO is anywhere near closer a match to BG then NWN or NWN2 is.

In NWN the companions are BARELY fleshed out - it's impossible to control them directly and their inventory, and they just run off and get themselves killed most of the time. There is only 1 memorable companion - Deekin. NWN2 had a couple more and had a fairly good cast generally and obviously the control was better but it's still nothing like Dragon Age/BG.

DA:O is just a more polished version of NWN2 in my eyes pretty much - the animations, settings, combat and companions are just better. The main story is a bit less good but it was executed better and is far faster moving.

 

[piinyouri]

I really wish I could still play Neverwinter Nights.
I miss making maps.

 

[karcentric]

You may as well buy it, as long as you have a lot of spare time...

 

[Erana]

Know what NWN has that other Bioware games don't?

HORSES!

Just sayin'

HMM I WONDER WHY YOU SAY THAT. I guess we'll never know. [http://thrikreen.deviantart.com/gallery/25723293#/d2swxuq]

This guy got me NWN for my birthmas and it made me feel special and I subsequently made other people buy the game.
Yeah, I totally recommend NWN if you have any interest in it.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

Neverwinter Nights is a fantastic game I still play daily, but not as single player. This is a almost purely multiplayer game my friend. You find a server and you roleplay. It's essentially a "build your own mini-mmo" workshop.

 

[kayisking]

SO I've been yearning for a Baldurs Gate style RPG lately, and I came upon Neverwinter Nights. It looks pretty good and you can get the complete edition off of gamersgate for 20 quid which features both plus all the expansions. But I wanted to know if anyone here had played it and could recommend it or can offer a better alternative?

No recommendation (I have not played it yet) but just a quick tip: You can get both games cheaper at GOG.com. They are about 5 quid a piece there, with all expansions included, so you save about half.

Only NWN1 is on GOG, and it's $10. NWN 2 used to be on Steam but it seems it's down, probably for just the moment. From what I found out, there seems to be a legal dispute of some sort, so most places that offer NWN 2 online might be caught up in it. This is probably why GamersGate have it on sale - they've solved it, I assume.

Sorry, guess I was wrong, my mistake.