First off, it's always a good idea to emphasize the fact that you are stating your point of view as your point of view, not some statement that sounds like some unalterable fact. It comes across as rather heavy handed. That's a complex way of saying: Recognize you're only expressing your opinion. So make that clear.
It didn't really sound to me like you were all that interested in NWN3 as anything other than a Bioware game. Got news for yas. I seriously DOUBT that Bioware will want to touch another D&D IP with anything less than a Level 4 Biohazard suit and an Extendable 11' pole. So asking Bioware to do it, based on the NWN franchise is probably -- well -- futile.
I honestly don't think we'll EVER see something actually named Never Winter Nights 3, though it's as good a name as any to describe the spiritual successor to what NWN and NWN2 are: Moddable cRPGs with a Toolset, with a D&D license. It may be that some sort of system like this gets a new lease on life from WotC/Hasbro after the lawsuit, but so far, since December's initial salvo and a small flurry of Motions in January, no information as to the progress of the lawsuit can be found. If this lawsuit were settled, this afternoon, I think we'd see something start to move in about 6 months, irrespective of who retains that license to produce D&D computer games.
That's being pretty optimistic and hoping that both parties have a plan B to start capitalizing on the license right away post litigation. And, to be fair, the longer it drags on, the less likely any prospective hopeful developer would still be available to take on said game. You gotta keep your staff working or it's layoff time.
So let's say it worked like that. Settled today, 6 months later we get news Developer X now is beginning production on a new D&D game. That would be, really optimistically speaking, a projected release date for this game by 2014 or so. Maybe even later. It depends on what they're going to do with it.
If D&D 4.5 or 5.0 isn't already out by then, it will definitely be a 4th edition rules game. Actually as long as a new edition doesn't come out by year one of development, I'd bet it would be 4th ed. If something new comes out before the 1st year of development and they haven't hardcoded all the rules by then, it would be the next edition.
And I'd counsel patience. It's going to take a while.
As for your statements on NWN as well as your near total dismissal of NWN2 -- you do know what forums you're on, right? And, incidentally, when was the last time you played either? You really should make sure you know what you're saying when you make such declarative statements. NWN is 8 years old and is still being heavily played, modified, upgraded (now by the Community) and the quality improvments should make you sit up and take notice.
As for NWN2? It's got a little ways further to go in MP/PW play before it can come close to claiming a superior experience all the way 'round in MP/PW, but make no mistake, it's no slouch, either. And as far as SP modules and variety go? Both NWN and NWN2 will always have the advantage (at least into the forseeable future -- so sayeth my Magic 8 Ball) over DA:O. Maybe when DA:O 2 comes out, things will change.
It's not that DA:O doesn't have the power to make great modules. It's that it has so much power that it requires specialized knowledge to use the toolset's complete functionality that it really does mean solo modders are going to really, REALLY have a tough time of it. I also haven't seen any indication lately that the offerings from the modding portion of the DA:O Community are going to get the same level of support that the NWN and NWN2 modders give. They keep coming back and updating their modules, patching, fixing, adding to them. The DA:O Community needs to have that lesson in quality driven into their collective skulls.
A superior (as it's argued) toolset does not a superior product make. A less than superior toolset does not a low quality module make. It's not the tools, it's the crafters using them. A superior crafter will always turn out superior products, even with inferior tools to thier craft. A mediocre crafter will always only be able to produce mediocre products, no matter the quality of their tools. So, while DA:O really does offer a heavy dose of power, the ability to use all those tools pretty much shuts out the less than technically proficient -- unless they dedicate themselves to that toolset and hook up with others who are likewise dedicated.
These are, of course, my opinions and in the case of quality output and support of modules by their authors in DA:O, I would love to be proven ultimately wrong about that. In the meantime, NWN and NWN2 both are still high quality creation tools, which are definitely more accessible, as well as blessed with the abiilty to play in multiplayer.
Whether companies realize it or not, Single Player only RPGs will start to lose their punch. They're never going to go completely away (and they shouldn't) but the next iteration of a moddable game with a toolset had better plan on including multiplayer functionality right out of the box, along with multi-platform support. Linux and Mac have both made market share gains on the PC, even though the PC/Win OS still dominates, there's a wealth of profit to be made by offering games such as these to the folks who choose not to support the PC/Win model or simply play on Consoles.
And before I hear another prediction of the death of PC gaming to consoles: Square Enix, Activision and a few other pretty much Console only developers are now moving their attention to PC development as well. So it looks like those coffin nails could probably be put back in the can and stored on the shelf for another decade or so. By then, Consoles will basically be PCs and the argument will be moot.
In the meantime, again, I counsel patience. And heavy doses of playing both NWN and NWN2 until such a time as your patience is rewarded.
best regards,
dunniteowl
(pc gaming since 1987, console gaming since 1977)
Modifié par dunniteowl, 20 juillet 2010 - 02:40 .
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Then they can just approve themselves.. lol
