What drawbacks do you feel there is in telling a story in an MMOG?

First of all, there's no coherent single source for the story. And usually, if you break the narrative down it reads like, "We kicked down a door, killed something, got the treasure. We rested, healed our wounds, and went to the next door, which we kicked down, then we killed something, then got the treasure." In a story, a little of that goes a long way.

Often people confuse the concept of plot and story. "King dies, queen dies," is a plot. "King dies, queen dies of a broken heart," is a story. In an on-line game, the players have to "fill in the colors" in their head that turns the plot of "kick door, kill monster, get treasure, repeat as needed," into a story, "the quest for the Silver Dagger," or whatever it is. That's the essence of heroic fantasy in the game reality. If you look at the earliest computer FRP's, for example the original Apple II version of Wizardry, it's line art, no plot, except what you read in the manual, which says you've got this wizard at the bottom of this maze, and you, the hero, must kill him. I've had people say, "It was a good story." It wasn't. It was a very basic computer game, primitive by today's standards, but because of that, the player had to build the fantasy in his or her head. That's why it worked.

"A grisly discovery has been made in the fog-enshrouded world of Gloomveil. Beyond the comfort of the Brothers Three Inn, past the dread Barrow Cliffs, lies the region we now call Restless Hollow. Upon its boggy earth walk the haunted remnants of an ancient war. Legions of the Undead have been cursed for evermore to battle upon this unsacred ground, and there is naught to be done but avoid this place entirely. Travellers beware!"

Gloomveil has grown once again with the addition of Restless Hollow. The story behind this haunted Hollow is played out as both illustrated text, and a 30-second animated trailer, all available on the Gloomveil web site.

Restless Hollow - http://www.gloomveil.com/restless_hollow

Gloomveil Web Site - http://www.gloomveil.com

Gloomveil.com makes extensive use of the Flash 4 plugin. The Restless Hollow movie trailer is in downloadable QuickTime format.

Gloomveil is an original online world that will be extended into the Neverwinter Nights multiplayer game in 2001. Featuring the works of Canadian designer Tony Walsh, Gloomveil.com offers intrigue and adventure for players of any pen-and-paper or computer-based fantasy game.

"This is not directly related to module making, but hey, it's the holiday season!"

• Events This Week - On Monday, December 18th at 6pm CST in #eqhoc, an EverQuest House of Commons will occur. And on Thursday, December 21st, at 7pm CST, join us in #jghoc for another JumpGate House of Commons.


• Stratics Central - Our interview section was recently revamped, with new content added. Visit to find over 30 new interviews about your favorite games. And don't forget to visit Thundolfe's Barnyard for humorous commentary on the industry.


• Stage 1 Stratics - Dawn Stratics will conclude its first contest, the Balacee Birthmark Contest, this week. Check out the entries!


• Anarchy Online Stratics - Missed out on the HoC? Check out AO Stratics to catch up on latest info from the developers of Anarchy-Online. View the HOC logs here!


• Asheron's Call Stratics - Our Meet the Devs section was updated with an interview featuring Nik Davidson of Turbine. See what he has to say!


• Atriarch Stratics - Are you interested in meeting other members of the Atriarch community? How about the developers? If so, stop by #atriarch on Stratics IRC.


• Camelot Stratics - Camelot Stratics presents another art submission submitted by a fan, also make sure to check out our new Camelot Tales section, where dedicated storytellers will post their stories.


• Everquest Stratics - The EverQuest Stratics team will be hosting the second EQ House of Commons with Verant's developers on Monday, December 18th, 2000 at 4pm PST in the #eqhoc channel on irc.stratics.com! Keep checking http://eq.stratics.com for details and updates!


• JumpGate Stratics - Join us Thursday at 7pm CST for another JumpGate HOC. The chat will take place in #jghoc.


• Neverwinter Stratics - Neverwinter Stratics would like to announce the opening of its newest forum, The Twisted Tankard. It is a place where you can drop in, sit a spell, share a tale or meet some new friends. Drop by! The ale is cool and the welcome warm!


• Origin Stratics - Check out our new Magic System section. Pulled from various sources (Chats, Interviews, etc) the section covers varying aspects of magic in Origin, including Elemental Magic, Hybrid Magic, Master Magic, Moonglobes, Reagents, and even Food.


• Shadowbane Stratics - Want to know why Wolfpack thinks Shadowbane won't fail? Read this post by Ashen Temper, Wolfpack's Internet Relations Manager!


• Ultima Online Stratics - Holiday Gifts that are being given to all players can be traded on our newly opened Holiday Gift Trade Forum. Then be sure to Calculate your derived attributes Health, Stamina and Mana according to the proposed changes.

During the demonstration, Scott and other members of the dev team showed us how characters will interact with one another in a party. While we didn't personally get to lay our hands on the game, the interface appeared extremely easy to use, with mouse-selectable options encircling your central character portrait. While many of these options, such as run and use item, will be standard to every character, others, like spell casting, are class-specific. Conversation also looked much easier than in most online RPGs as the chat screen has portraits of nearby characters. Instead of having to type in a long, confusing name like "Gyrzzeriuyazmorphiltotem" when you want to speak to someone, all you have to do is click on the character's portrait and start typing away.

Visuals

The 3D engine used in Neverwinter Nights is called Aurora. Apart from having a cool name, the Aurora engine is very good at one thing: displaying crisp and fast 3D graphics. The Aurora engine is based on the Omen engine BioWare developed for MDK 2, a smash-hit action game with an outstanding graphics engine. This bodes well for NWN's visuals, since it means we'll get cool shadows, lighting, zooming, and all the whiz-bang commonly associated with 3D games. Don't take my word for it though, check out the screenshots! (Ed. It should be noted that the OMEN engine uses OpenGL.)

Umber hulks are massive creatures that dwell deep beneath the earth. Ripping through rock as if it were light underbrush, they rampage continuously - leaving a wake of destruction.

Designing Your First Episodic Campaign

"Wondering what your first module should be? You'll need to choose how you want your module to play. You could make an arena and have your characters duke it out. You might create a maze or puzzle to solve. Or toss in a bunch of storytelling NPCs. Better yet, throw in monsters and treasure! Or, you could step back, take your time, put it all together, and design an Episodic Campaign."

Read it at Wydraz's NNW Journal.

It was announced that some of the weaponry would be two-handed while other weapons may be manageable in various ways. For example, you get to use two distinctive weapons at the same time, one in your left hand, the other in your right (like Diablo II - Barbarian's unique skill). Wizards, clerics, and mages will have over 200 spells. Moreover, a deceptively simple-seeming "wish" spell is going to be usable, which will need to be arbitrated in real time by the dungeon master. All schools of magic would be able to learn spells up to the 9th level. In addition, the developers will incorporate a way of deflecting spells, as well as the possibility of dodging certain incantations and melee attacks. In multi-player, we are to expect several of these features. Internet and LAN modes have been included, without the necessity of playing under an official DM server. Also, to make the on-line gameplay more bearable, BioWare has promised to institute a special Internet "character vault" to prevent cheating for characters used in online sessions.

• Events This Week - An Anarchy Online House of Commons will will occur this Sunday, at 2pm CST, in #aohoc. On Monday, December 18th at 6pm CST in #eqhoc, an Everquest House of Commons will occur.


• Stratics Central - This week, Stratics Central will debut its newest column entitled Thundolfe's Barnyard. Be sure to check it out for humorous commentary on the Massively Multiplayer industry and community.


• Stage 1 Stratics - Dawn Stratics is continuing its Balacee Birthmark Contest. Be sure to check it out here and then enter to win!


• Adellion Stratics - Another great Adellion House of Commons developer chat occurred on Sunday. Check back soon for the conference logs!


• Anarchy Online Stratics - New Movie Exclusive! AO Stratics scores a new movie from the creators of Anarchy-Online's CGI cinematics! Drop in and download now.


• Asheron's Call Stratics - Will December see the climatic end of the first chapter in Dereth's ongoing story? Can Turbine surpass the ground-breaking events of the last month? Keep up with all that happens in December's event with AC Stratics' Child of Daralet event guide.


• Atriarch Stratics - Want to stay on top of the Atriarch community? Want to chat with World Fusion designers as they drop by? Visit #atriarch today.


• Camelot Stratics - The very first Camelot Stratics HoC was a GREAT success, over 122 people showed up, read the whole chat with the Camelot devs here.


• Everquest Stratics - The EverQuest Stratics team will be hosting the second EQ House of Commons with Verant's developers on Monday, December 18th, 2000 at 4pm PST in the #eqhoc channel on irc.stratics.com! Keep checking http://eq.stratics.com for details and updates!


• JumpGate Stratics - Another JumpGate HOC is coming soon! Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 21st.


• Neocron Stratics - Submit! Submit! Submit! The Neocron Stratics Fan Media section is now launched. Unleash the creativity and submit your artwork, music, and writings today!


• Neverwinter Stratics - Be sure to check out the Neverwinter Nights Worlds Server Database - a resource for locating a NWN server that suits your play-style and preferred environment. You can search the database for a server you like or add your server information!


• Origin Stratics - As more and more information becomes available about the various cities of New Britannia, our Conceptual Atlas continues to grow. Make sure to check it out, especially our newest addition - a map of the City of Britain!


• Shadowbane Stratics - We now have concept art, lore, and starting statistics for every race in Shadowbane. You can also download an exclusive QuickTime movie featuring the character creation process of an Aelfborn Male Rogue.


• Ultima Online Stratics - Missed the last exciting UOHOC? Then be sure to check out the logs. The focus of this discussion was factions, Third Dawn, and In Concept.

We at GameBanshee have wanted to quench our insatiable thirst for more information concerning Neverwinter Nights for quite some time. Luckily, we were given the oppurtunity to ask Rob Bartel, the game's co-lead designer, a dozen questions about how exactly the game would function and just how powerful it would be.

We have posted the interview starting at: http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/nwn1.php.

Thanks again,
Buck Satan
www.gamebanshee.com
Make Your Gaming Scream!

GameBanshee: What is stopping a DM from implementing monsters and treasure *exactly* to Vault specifications and running players through quickly and easily in order to “twink” their characters to be some of the most powerful in the NWN network (with the least amount of time invested)? For example, could a DM put the appropriate amount of treasure on the ground (without any sort of fight or struggle) for his friends' characters in order to build them faster?

Rob Bartel: With Neverwinter Nights, we want to put as much power into the DM’s hands as possible. Game balance and power levels are theirs to discern. For instance, they may want to run a superhero campaign, where both the player characters and the enemies they face are grossly overpowered. While such characters won’t receive Official Vault status, they nevertheless represent a perfectly legitimate approach to gameplay. And that’s the thing with the Official Vault: it’s not there to stop cheating - it’s just there to make cheating redundant. Yes, you can put a lot of effort into ‘min-maxing’ the Official Vault but your character won’t be all that more powerful than anyone else’s. Players that want to be super-powerful are better off saving their characters locally, where they don’t have to worry about maintaining official certification.

• Events This Week - A Camelot House of Commons will will occur this Wednesday, at 7pm CST, in #camelothoc. On Thursday, at 7pm CST in #uohoc, an Ultima Online House of Commons will occur.


• Stratics Central - Staff Writer Danciy Dynae has posted a thoughtprovoking editorial on Women in Gaming. Read it here, then comment on the article here.


• Stage 1 Stratics - Dawn Stratics has a new article online and we are still accepting entries into our contest. Sovereign Stratics is looking for some help... interested?


• Adellion Stratics - New Screenshots! The developers have been busy in creating nice new screenshots for us to all gaze at.


• Anarchy Online Stratics - A new NPC monster is revealed! Check in on Anarchy Online Stratics and see what you may encounter in the wastelands of Rubi-ka.


• Asheron's Call Stratics - AC Stratics is proud to open it's Community Library. If you have a story to tell, send it in to our head librarian.


• Atriarch Stratics - This week Atriarch Stratics will be introducing several new staff members, including forum moderators, writers, and news reporters, so keep your eyes open for new faces! We will also be bringing in some new Fan Fiction by long time community member Damur.


• Camelot Stratics - Camelot Stratics is pleased to host the first ever Camelot House of Commons program. The conference will occur Wednesday, December 6th, at 7pm CST in #camelothoc on the Stratics IRC Network.


• Everquest Stratics - The EverQuest Stratics team will be hosting the second EQ House of Commons with Verant's developers on Monday, December 18th, 2000 at 4pm PST in the#eqhoc channel on irc.stratics.com! Keep checking http://eq.stratics.com for details and updates!


• JumpGate Stratics - A new poll has been created. Vote here on whether or not you feel the flight model currently in JumpGate should remain, or if the concerns over difficulty in its use are important.


• Neocron Stratics - Looking to join the Stratics web staff? Neocron Stratics is currently looking for new members, so be sure to check us out!


• Neverwinter Stratics - Neverwinter Nights Stratics is proud to announce the addition of the Neverwinter Nights Worlds Server Database - a resource for locating a Neverwinter Nights Server that suits your play-style and preferred environment. You can search the database for a server you like or add your server information allowing others to find out more information about your project! Currently there are a few server projects listed to help you learn more about the servers in development.


• Origin Stratics - Enjoy writing stories? Or poems? Or maybe you fancy yourself an artist? Then make sure to check out our Player Stories, Player Poetry, and Player Art Gallery sections for inspiration and come up with something to add to it!


• Ultima Online Stratics - With the current proposed changes to the Stats system, perhaps this a good time to go over the current way Skills and Stats work in Ultima Online.

The Mushroom: NWN seems to cover just about everything a pen and paper RPG does. Is there any aspect of the traditional pen and paper RPG that you cannot put into NWN?

Trent: Absolutely. Transferring the D&D rules from pen-and-paper to the computer is much like making a movie based on an existing novel. Things need to be tweaked and adjusted in order to make sense within the context of the new medium. What is fun and meaningful in one medium may fall flat in the next and vice versa. Some things might prove too difficult to implement or, alternatively, sometimes obvious improvements can be made over the original. Sometimes fundamental differences between the two media alter your work in unexpected ways. The pen and paper game, for instance, is an oral medium - the DM describes a scene and the players picture it in their own heads, subconsciously filling it with a million personal details that make it resonant and meaningful to them. Computer games, on the other hand, are a very concrete, visual medium, a simulation of reality. We can't match what might be in the player's head but, as TV and movies have proven, with proper use of sound, color, and imagery, we can certainly influence and channel the imagination in equally resonant and meaningful ways. In short, we put a lot of thought and effort into the process of adapting the D&D rules. On the one hand, we always try to keep the intent of the original designers in mind and, on the other, we do everything in our power to make Neverwinter Nights the best and most enjoyable game we can.

MJAHALST writes:

I couldn't really find the proper person to address this to but just assumed that you may be able to answer this.
 
Question 1) You know Baldurs gate? (You must be lying if you answer no)
 
Question 2) You know the tomes you could find in it to raise your character statistics?
 
Well the main question is that those tomes could alter your stats and raise them permanently. I still have my character and i did BG1 a number of times and used the tomes i could find to raise his stats. However, you could also import your character into BG2 which was fine so you could continue you character. BG2 also says (and so do the developers) that you can import your characters into neverwinter nights. This is great news but the developers also say that in order to vault your character on the multiplay world, you must have it stripped to a level one character. I assume the vaults do this if you import your character but does it leave the stats unchanged? I actually prefer having my character as he is, not stripped of the stats