160 réponses à ce sujet

[SuperFly_2000]

EDIT: An unofficial homepage for the game has been made by The Amethyst Dragon. (It is now in a completed state.)
http://www.neverwinternights.info/


Well folks,
as you know the whole NWN section on Biowares homepage is bye bye and it will not be back as I understand.

Not talking about the forum now but the actual site with all the information about the game, how to play it, how to DM, how to host a server, downloads, patches, links, website material....and it goes on.

I feel dumb that I didnt copy everything about NWN from their site to my computer but then who could have guessed.

All we have about the game now is on the Bioware homepage where they barely write what it is about. Just a couple of lines there.

The GOG has a much better page about NWN but still it is not enough.

This forum is good but it is still just a forum.

Anyone wants to resurect the old homepage and make a new unofficial one...gathering as much, or well, the vital information at least?

If anyone hasn't done anything for a month I'll probably try to make something myself....

Is anyone working on such a thing or similar already?

I am not really talking about working together as I think it is hard to do. It is probably easier to get better result just working one self.

Oh yeah...we have the NWN wiki also...but still....that is a wiki....not a "homepage".

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 27 janvier 2012 - 09:29 .

[SuperFly_2000]

Forgot to say that I e-mailed Bioware about if it is possible to recieve the old homepage or parts there of.

If anyone else has anything from the old website saved on their computers please do send it to me. PM me and I will give you an e-mail.

[Gorath Alpha]

Hmm, nine years ago now, not five ~~ nothing like what I remember from almost five years ago . .

Shoot, can't remember what it all looked like that long ago. 

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 30 juin 2011 - 08:29 .

[SuperFly_2000]

Dude,
that is all about NWN2 what you provided. This is the NWN1 forums :-)

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 30 juin 2011 - 09:23 .

[Bannor Bloodfist]

SuperFly_2000 wrote...

Dude,
that is all about NWN2 what you provided. This is the NWN1 forums :-)

Dude, the Wayback Machine captures everything that is not password protected.

NWN 1 Included.

NWN 1 on Wayback Machine.

[Pstemarie]

Gorath Alpha wrote...

Take a ride in the Way Back machine. Atari was the distributor, and Obsidian was the developer. There never was any Bioware "Home Page", really. That was always hosted on the Atari web site. It may still *be* there for all I can recall.

OK, I just Googled it, and this is what I found at Atari ~~ nothing like what I remember from almost five years ago . .

http://www.atari.com...rnights2/pc-dvd

Next link was it. This is the same home page that was there at the time:

http://www.nwn2.com/

To clarify this for others -

NWN1 was developed by BioWare and distributed by Atari.
NWN2 was developed by Obsidian and distributed by Atari.

BioWare had an extensive section of their site devoted to NWN - as close to a homepage as you'll ever get for the game. It contained developer documentation - which I've uploaded to the Vault, tutorials, builder information, and much more.

Follow the link Bannor posted - the formating, at least on IE9, is borked, but the "site" is still useable.

[SuperFly_2000]

Oh yeah,
Gorath was right about the Way Back Machine alright.

It is awesome...it is all there.

Wonder for how long it will stay?

I just realised that as long as that information stays I don't really need to make a new homepage because I also just realised that it will take me forever to just save all thoose pages without even starting thinking about how to construct a new website that looks somewhat good with all that info on.

Well, maybe I am lazy...but if that info will stay there....even it is not pretty is very valuable information for new players I think.

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 30 juin 2011 - 09:19 .

[HipMaestro]

SuperFly_2000 wrote...

Oh yeah,
Gorath was right about the Way Back Machine alright.

It is awesome...it is all there.

Wonder for how long it will stay?

I just realised that as long as that information stays I don't really need to make a new homepage because I also just realised that it will take me forever to just save all thoose pages without even starting thinking about how to construct a new website that looks somewhat good with all that info on.

Well, maybe I am lazy...but if that info will stay there....even it is not pretty is very valuable information for new players I think.

Does the term "deja vu" have any meaning to you?  Seems like we just traveled this road, didn't we?

It's best to assume that unless one takes control of the situation, there are no guarantees on its stability.  Here today, gone tomorrow.   That's why it is so unusual that ancient information like this can persist as long as it has.  All it takes is a decision to clean-up or close a server and *poof*... wave goodbye.

The Wikis seem to have the most current and dynamic database available on the game, on servers that appear to be the most reliable or persistent over extended periods of time.

Modifié par HipMaestro, 30 juin 2011 - 09:57 .

[Pstemarie]

I agree with you Hip, but the problem is getting someone to move it there. I suppose I could try and save the BioWare info and convert it to RTF files as time allows.

[simo7mate]

Im not really one for website designing but I do not believe it needs to be exactly like the old homepage. I think, infact, the vault should become the new unoffical offical website of NWN!! I mean, it seems almost already that doesn't it? It just needs all the information of bioware website to there..

Of course, that's my idea. I'm not sure if it's any good. But recreating the website entirely seems like an unnessessary attempt to revive the past. If not at the vault, then I do agree that a website could be made with some flashy new design (however, does it really matter how good the design is now that the games this old?) with all the important information. And perhaps a legacy forum could be attached to it, if a bunch of people could get together they could remake all those threads or even just make a database of information.

[SuperFly_2000]

Hip and Pste,
I shot an e-mail to the owners of that site (Way Back) and they say it is going to be there indefinately. If I am not totally incorrect that is a state owned web-site...as it is being used by universities that do studies on old websites/info.

That being said naturally there are no guarantees...but for the time being I think it might be what we have. It is a bit slow but the old info is there. At least I will direct new players to that place...besides theese forums and all other places...but for the basic info...either that place or the wiki...or both.

The wiki maybe...but still...we must understand that the goal of a wiki is not the same as the goal for a website.

Simo7mate,
the vault, although it holds an impressive amount of HAK's and scritps is a cathegorizing failiure. It is very hard to find anything if you don't have a direct link. Then its full of bouncing around commercials and slow.

So no...the vault is no place to hold this kind of information that needs to be easy to get, fast and cathegorized.

Summarizing,
I am content with what we have for now. If anyone wants to make a website for NWN I am definately not against it. Just I think it is important that it needs to be very similar to the old one and only contain a little extra info. So a wiki that holds like all the info...is not always the right way to go.

A stand alone site that has other emphasis than the old site might also not be the best.

Still...anything that can be made...and if the info from the old site was copied to the wiki....is naturally good....so if anyone wants to do that...sure. After all...the wiki is made for stacking up info/stuff.

If someone would make a clean, fast, simple and somewhat proffesional looking site from scratch with the old info and a little bit more...that would be the best naturally...but now I am hoping for too much... 

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 02 juillet 2011 - 03:07 .

[The Amethyst Dragon]

On the idea of an unoffical NWN homepage...

I could design one, as that wouldn't be too difficult.  I just wouldn't have time to fully fill in all the details or maintain the site.  The real work would be in compiling all the information into plain text and getting all the links. I think it should include:

Main page:

A) General description of the game with some screenshots from various sources (NWN, SoU, HofU, community-made modules, PWs).

Prominent link to the gog.com site to purchase & download the game.

C) Prominent link directly to the NWN1 section of the BioWare social forums.
(& link to old forums if they get restored for browsing)

D) Links to subpages (each with relevant info/links):

- Player section page could have:
- - links for CEP, Project Q, the Vault, NWNWiki, NWConnections, NWNPodcast, etc.
- - description of how to install haks, overrides, modules, tlk files, etc.
- - description of how to connect to play online
- - - - links to various PW websites (with general style categories)?
- - links to useful player-side tools/overrides/enhancements
- - any other useful player information from the old BioWare site

- DM section page could have:
- - links for CEP, Project Q, the Vault, NWNWiki, NWConnections, NWNPodcast, etc.
- - guides for DMs for running games/adventures
- - links to useful tools (DMFI, outside programs, etc.)
- - any other useful DM information from the old BioWare site

- Builder/Scripter section page could have:
- - links for CEP, Project Q, the Vault, NWNWiki, NWConnections, NWNPodcast, etc.
- - any other useful builder information from the old BioWare site
- - tutorials for various features of the toolset
- - link to script generator(s)
- - information on module limitations (such as the 16k limit on resources and the DM palette limits)

- Custom Content Developer section page could have:
- - links for CEP, Project Q, the Vault, NWNWiki, NWConnections, NWNPodcast, etc.
- - links to download helpful tools, such as gmax, nwmax, GIMP, custom content guide
- - updated tutorials for doing common content tasks, such as making placeables, tilesets, creature models, spells, etc.
- - other useful content development information/documentation from the old BioWare site


Just thought I'd throw this out into the thread.

Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 02 juillet 2011 - 08:45 .

[SuperFly_2000]

Dude...no offense...but much of what you listed there is way too much for what a new player needs to learn.

No, I was thinking more like just having the info from the old page...only just spicing it up a little bit...and perhaps a few extras...but not just go hay-wire with it....

But naturally...I can't decide what anyone else wants to do....so I guess in the end we'll end up with 20 homepages

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 02 juillet 2011 - 11:27 .

[Pstemarie]

SuperFly_2000 wrote...

Dude...no offense...but much of what you listed there is way too much for what a new player needs to learn.

I'll have to disagree on that. New players need to be able to have access to the same information that we had. How they choose to use it is up to them, but access is vital. While it does have tons of information, the NWN Wiki just doesn't cut it - nor do the hordes of pages that have a tidbit here or a tidbit there. The original BioWare information needs to be preserved - or at least the vital parts of it.

This is why I've begun uploading elements to the Vault - starting with the BioWare developer documentation for the toolset..

[IronRook]

 I would just like to say that it is difficult for me to see a game of this magnitude loose its homepage and have such little coverage on the bioware site.

[Lord Sullivan]

What I find odd is the alleged Old Website/Forum Hack of this super awesome games 9th birthday and that it's very own developer treats it like they have nothing but disdain for it. It almost feels like they are ashamed to be associated with this title.

[Pstemarie]

I don't think its so much "ashamed" as just that BioWare is not the same company it was 9 years ago. Its more likely a case of BioWare's parent company wanting to promote THEIR titles as opposed to thinmg developed before they came along.

I'm not going to berate BioWare about losing the old site. We were warned it would happen. At least we've got forums here to post in - far more than most other games from the same era can say.

Modifié par Pstemarie, 03 juillet 2011 - 06:52 .

[Lord Sullivan]

Well what I'm talking about to make things clear is,...
The fact that you won't find any info on Neverwinter Nights on the Bioware Network Home page and
that the only way you can get info on it from the developer here is if you happen to type in the old address "nwn.bioware.com" that you will be brought to a new EA page where you will also find yourself digging to find info on Neverwinter Nights.

So this is where the impressions come from.

And yeah, I'm sure that EA is wanting to promote "The new"..."Button awesome" shyte and why
they're hiding the previous Bioware works info in an obscure corner on their HTTP servers.

[omen_shepperd]

Personally any main web site for nwn could only help promote a game that has pretty much fallen upon our own hands now. Any promotion or advancement of the game is up to us(the community) so why cant we make a site for our favorite game. I say go for it amethyst dragon . Make us a site that helps promote this great game , anything we can do to keep this game going can only help in the long run.

[UrkOfGreyhawk]

This is a good suggestion. If you get something up we'll support you over at Neverwinter Connections.

Once a game falls out of official favor more is better. Rather than "a hompage" we need a community of separate sites working together to promote the game. So far we have a good start, but it's a great idea to re-post the info we lost when nwn.bioware.com was shut down. It left a horrible void.

What I don't want to do is put all our eggs in one basket. Fan sites go down from time to time, so the more sites we have the better off we are in the long run.

[Shadooow]

THIS is the true NWN homepage.
:happy:

[The Amethyst Dragon]

UrkOfGreyhawk wrote...

This is a good suggestion. If you get something up we'll support you over at Neverwinter Connections.

Once a game falls out of official favor more is better. Rather than "a hompage" we need a community of separate sites working together to promote the game. So far we have a good start, but it's a great idea to re-post the info we lost when nwn.bioware.com was shut down. It left a horrible void.

What I don't want to do is put all our eggs in one basket. Fan sites go down from time to time, so the more sites we have the better off we are in the long run.

Good point.

I see this as a community-driven project.  Start with the basic site with the content added in and get it online.  Then upload a copy of the site files to at least one "storage" service, so that the site can be quickly set up by someone else if the original goes down.  This "stored" version of the site could also be used by others to add to the content that's there.  I certainly don't have all the relevant data myself (nor the time to hunt it all down), so community input would be good.

I don't have any experience with the "projects" feature of the BioWare social site.  Would it work for this purpose?  While still allowing others to keep a copy offline "just in case"...

ShaDoOoW wrote...
THIS is the true NWN homepage.

While NWNWiki does have an incredible amount of information, it can take some searching for a person to find information, especially that which may be of aid to those that don't even have the game yet.  I use it all the time, but tend to get frustrated with the loading speed due to the advertising which supports the site.  I see a "homepage" as a quick-loading page that has some good introductory information that may draw in new players, while providing links to the in-depth information existing players/DMs/builders/contentmakers would want access to.  A link to NWNWiki would pretty much be mandatory on each of the subsections (perhaps with direct links to specific categories on there), since everyone would have their own reasons to search that site.

Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 04 juillet 2011 - 07:39 .

[The Amethyst Dragon]

I went ahead and started in on this.

Registered a handy domain name. Points to nothing at the moment until I start a page.

Started graphics work for the basic site.


(click for full sized (800x145 pixel) version)

I might drop the "www." from the address in the title.  I'm thinking the basic text of the actual pages should be just below white in brightness (kind of like the text in this forum).  Links in blue (since I'm starting with a blue color scheme).

Feedback?

Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 04 juillet 2011 - 09:34 .

[SuperFly_2000]

** Removed double post **

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 04 juillet 2011 - 10:23 .

[SuperFly_2000]

Like the layout :-)

Like the domain name :-) Actually thought about that one myself ;-)

The name "Community site"...dunno...but could work maybe...

Just hopefully follow my advice and don't go overboard on the amount of information. It should primarily be for understanding of the original game...hence the section "Custom Content Makers" perhaps should have another home? Edit: Scratch that last part.


The only part the old homepage really needs expansion is explaining the multiplayer and PW playing...especially the PW part.

Modifié par SuperFly_2000, 04 juillet 2011 - 11:16 .