[Preview] Neverwinter: PAX 2012 Best in Show - Here's Why

SBFord

During PAX Prime 2012, we had the opportunity to sit down with Neverwinter's Lead Designer Andy Velasquez to talk about the Foundry; what it is, how it works and what it will bring to the game. See what we discovered and then let us know what you think in the comments.

All I can say is that Cryptic has done something truly amazing with the Foundry. While Star Trek Online players are familiar with the system, those who have not yet experienced it will be astonished at the ease with which player generated content can be made.

Read more of Suzie Ford's Neverwinter: PAX 2012 Best in Show - Here's Why.

Starfired

Now THIS is innovation.

Guild Wars 2? WvWvW? Dynamic Events? Please.

Good job Cryptic. This is really bringing the traditional DnD experience to the MMO genre. Be a Dungeon Master! Its a fantastic idea.

SwampRob

It all sounds very promising.   My real concern is how we will be charged for this.   It has the potential to nickel and dime us to death.

I totally love D&D, but whether or not I will play this is very dependent upon their cash shop system.   I'll keep my fingers crossed.

kevjards

oh crap and i just made a comment on never paying a sub fee again(fuckin retracted).awesome..very nice read ty.

SBFord

Originally posted by rentantilus
Someone has finally stumbled upon the perpetual motion machine for MMOs: Get the customers to create their own content. Bravo!

I know, right? What's the most expensive component of MMO development? Content creation. Let developers give the basic story and create the systems to give players tools to create even more. It's a win-win proposition!

Rohn

Very detailed and informative write-up!  Nice to hear more about this part of the game.  The Foundry, like the version in STO, provides a system that satisfies a lot of people - those that like to make quests/modules, and those that like to play them.  It's a rare feature for an MMO, and one I think is a lot of fun for all.

I'm glad to hear that they are still going to control rewards.  The Mission Architect from CoX was horrendously abusable, while the Foundry in STO is not.  Glad to see they are keeping this in mind.

I'm definitely looking forward to giving this one a go.

SBFord

Originally posted by kevjards
oh crap and i just made a comment on never paying a sub fee again(fuckin retracted).awesome..very nice read ty.

Neverwinter will probably be a hybrid F2P like Star Trek Online. Cryptic has done a stellar job with STO's F2P so I can only surmise they will do equally so with NW.

TheDarkrayne

Is this game still largely aimed at groups of 3 players for instances or has that been changed now?

SBFord

Originally posted by Vannor
Is this game still largely aimed at groups of 3 players for instances or has that been changed now?

Good question and I've sent it to Andy to hopefully find out soon. My guess is they're off today....unlike me.

Po_gg

Originally posted by Starfired

Now THIS is innovation.

This WAS an innovation, in STO   and it's working pretty well.

Actually I never understood, why the option isn't there in other mmo's... If you have a dedicated playerbase (like d&d or trekkies in Cryptic's case), you just need to give them the tools, and they will deliver a s**tload of new content. The only task left at the devs is to dedicate a few people to decide, the content is good enough or not, and if it's good, they put it in-game. Win-win

SBFord

Originally posted by Po_gg

Originally posted by Starfired

Now THIS is innovation.

This WAS an innovation, in STO   and it's working pretty well.

Actually I never understood, why the option isn't there in other mmo's... If you have a dedicated playerbase (like d&d or trekkies in Cryptic's case), you just need to give them the tools, and they will deliver a s**tload of new content. The only task left at the devs is to dedicate a few people to decide, the content is good enough or not, and if it's good, they put it in-game. Win-win

I totally agree. What I'm excited about? Tapping into the modding community from the original NWN. What would even be cooler would be if Cryptic could find a way to let DMs run campaigns within the content they create...you know, dynamic encounters and such? I would worship the game and its creators for eternity if they could recreate that most wondrous experience from the Aurora toolset from NWN.

MMOwanderer

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Originally posted by rentantilus
Someone has finally stumbled upon the perpetual motion machine for MMOs: Get the customers to create their own content. Bravo!

I know, right? What's the most expensive component of MMO development? Content creation. Let developers give the basic story and create the systems to give players tools to create even more. It's a win-win proposition!

The problem of putting the game in the hands of the players is that, they might just use it be be a-holes (pardon my french).

It's good that they plan to counter exploits, but, NeverWinter will, quite literally, be made or broken by it's community. I really hope for the best myself, don't get me wrong. An mmorpg with a playerbase dedicated to building the world around them, the lore, it's stories. This could be the game for immersion seekers and rp'ers like myself. Even better than a full sandbox. BUT, i will be on full cation mode.

Also, F2P scares be abit. Hope no P2W, and a certain degree of control on the cash shop. They'll probably use certain npcs, location, mobs, bosses, etc, etc exclusively for the CS , which is fine, but, they better be carefull.

Finally, while i love the action combat, and possible endless adventures, i really hope Cryptic also makes a good crafting system and nice fluff/rp items for when out characters return "home". Housing would be great.

All in all, i'm keeping my eyes on this, but, from afar. This may end up being an amazing game with an amazing community, or fall apart for the same reason.

Po_gg

I think the Foundry (at least the STO version) is more like for story-telling (ike modules in pen-and-paper era), and not capable for dinamics, but 100% agree. It'd be awesome to have a GM, who guides a party through his/her creation, and on the spot reacts to the party's actions... Almost like a real rpg session back in the days, just now through the net.

There's a few months until release, maybe they can develop it. We should petition for it

 

Edit: I ment it as reply for Suzie's "What would even be cooler would be if Cryptic could find a way to let DMs run campaigns within the content they create...you know, dynamic encounters and such?"

Badem

Due to my Life time subs with both Cryptic games, I automatically qualify for testing this game

 

urry up and give it to me, I wonder how long it will take for the Modding Community to convert some classic DnD modules to the game? Baldurs Gate etc will probably look AWESOME!

SBFord

Originally posted by Obidom

Due to my Life time subs with both Cryptic games, I automatically qualify for testing this game

 

urry up and give it to me, I wonder how long it will take for the Modding Community to convert some classic DnD modules to the game? Baldurs Gate etc will probably look AWESOME!

Oh you ARE a sweet talker, aren't you? *swoons at the thought of original NWN, IWD and BG mods*

Rohn

Originally posted by Obidom

Due to my Life time subs with both Cryptic games, I automatically qualify for testing this game

 

urry up and give it to me, I wonder how long it will take for the Modding Community to convert some classic DnD modules to the game? Baldurs Gate etc will probably look AWESOME!

 

Keep on the Borderlands!  White Plume Mountain!

I love the fact that a game puts the ability to create content in the hands of players, as long as they have some safeguards in place to keep it from the "Monty Haul" pitfalls.

The game itself looks like a lot of fun as well.  Definitely looking forward to it.

kelarcanus

Uh. Does nobody remember Ryzom and the Ryzom Ring? An MMO with player generated content isn't new :P

Rohn

Originally posted by kelarcanus
Uh. Does nobody remember Ryzom and the Ryzom Ring? An MMO with player generated content isn't new :P

 

It's not new, as many have pointed out in the past, but it is a great feature.  The power of the feature in this particular game is something to be excited about.

SBFord

Originally posted by kelarcanus
Uh. Does nobody remember Ryzom and the Ryzom Ring? An MMO with player generated content isn't new :P

It's definitely NOT new but it's been ignored for too many years. That Cryptic is bringing it back is ALL good.

SBFord

Originally posted by Rohn

Originally posted by kelarcanus
Uh. Does nobody remember Ryzom and the Ryzom Ring? An MMO with player generated content isn't new :P

 

It's not new, as many have pointed out in the past, but it is a great feature.  The power of the feature in this particular game is something to be excited about.

I REALLY hope the Neverwinter Nights modding community gets on board. I have never seen so many awesome mods created by such an astonishing variety of builders. It would just be.....almost too much to handle.

ichihaifu

Originally posted by Starfired

Now THIS is innovation.

Guild Wars 2? WvWvW? Dynamic Events? Please.

Good job Cryptic. This is really bringing the traditional DnD experience to the MMO genre. Be a Dungeon Master! Its a fantastic idea.

Oh please, its old idea just like GW2 is in aspects you mentioned. >_>'

I do look forward to seeing how this plays out, but until then I'l be playing GW2. 

Deto123

Well, this is now on my list of games. This, PS2, wildstar, and rifts expansion=no time for GW2.

Badem

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Originally posted by Obidom

Due to my Life time subs with both Cryptic games, I automatically qualify for testing this game

 

urry up and give it to me, I wonder how long it will take for the Modding Community to convert some classic DnD modules to the game? Baldurs Gate etc will probably look AWESOME!

Oh you ARE a sweet talker, aren't you? *swoons at the thought of original NWN, IWD and BG mods*

oh god I never even thought that big, here was me thinking small potatos and you bring up NWN and IWD....

 

It also depends what Edition Rules we are using.... hopefully 3 or 3.5 and not 4.....

I am already planning Story arcs and Missions to be carried out.....Throw in some concepts from some of the best RPG's out there to date......

 

If my wife divorces me I may have to blame you

 

oh god... Eye of the Beholder....

Reas43

The entire way NVW is being developed makes this my most anticipated Beta. Unlike STO's Foundry this entire game is being built around it and could very well bring to reality the promise of the Dungeon Master in online gaming. Very very intriguing. The fact that Cryptics had plenty of time to test and debug the tool from the get go will be a plus, as we might be aware of the original technical difficulties in STO and player abuse in CoH. They're not going in as blindly as those other features went in.

Having the power of the character creator in this new setting is also a very good asset. I don't expect the art direction to be as polished as TERA, for example, but I expect unmatched customizability.

The fact Perfect World stopped their launch last year to make it more of an MMO and F2P from the get go I view as plusses. In short, it's pretty promising. I hope they pull it off. It could merge the neverending world openedness desired by sandboxers with the accessibility and mainstream appeal of a themepark setting. I really wish them the best.

MumboJumbo

Sounds like a good approach, but I need to see an example of this modding's capabilities first.

gillrmn

Originally posted by Suzie_Ford

Originally posted by Vannor
Is this game still largely aimed at groups of 3 players for instances or has that been changed now?

Good question and I've sent it to Andy to hopefully find out soon. My guess is they're off today....unlike me.

The game is maily aimed at a group of 5 players delving into dungeon in instances as well as open areas. It  might be like CO, in which you have quests in public areas as well as dungeons and sewers. Foundry may initially have only instanced missions during launch, but to make public area foundry tool is on the wishlist of devs.