An open letter to Beamdog (RUS, ENG)
Ratibor92
Member Posts: 149
Our community has written an open letter
Dear Trent Oster and the Beamdog Team,
Nowadays we often hear Neverwinter Nights is all about multiplayer and the toolset. The toolset has been granting players and modders the opportunity to create brand new modules. It goes without saying - the Community have made a great progress and produced a lot of true masterpieces. But there is also another important thing about NWN, which actually has inspired us for further adventures.
We are talking about the Original Campaign (OC). This story has become the ''main childhood adventure'' for us. It has showed us true love and fierce war, it has turned our dreams true. The world of Faerun has become our second birthplace. Lady Aribeth, Sharveen, Natirra, Valen, Deeken, even Mephistopheles - all of them are not just NPCs for us. They have become a part of our sweet memories, and we are grateful for that! But we're trying to draw attention to the following.
Many people have been inspired by the news about NWN:EE development. ''What about the Hero of Neverwinter then? Is there a chance he will meet his old friends and Lady Aribeth once again?''. We have had reliance upon that, based on the work you as a team had shown in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and other Infinty Engine EE games of yours. We have enjoyed the new characters as part of the original stories and have been impressed greatly by your work on Siege of Dragonspear.
Unfortunately, we are deeply concerned about your position on the Director's Cut version of the NWN' OC. You have mentioned your vision of the Director's Cut version would suppose cutting the old and not adding the new. The story of the Hero of Neverwinter was interrupted and remains unfinished. We suppose this story should have a continuation with the Enhanced Edition. The last scenes of the OC told us of a dark prophecy, but alas the fate of the Hero of Neverwinter was undeservingly forgotten, as well as the certain number of the quests, on which you had given us hints (a Valsharess romance, an unfinished Enserrik's quest, to name a few).
You have a unique chance to make the OC and the addons even more interesting and appealing than they are now. You have plenty of time, and we trust you. Each of us wants to make the project of ''NWN:EE'' even better. We want this game to be remembered and played by the generations to come.
Best wishes, your community https://vk.com/nwnbeamdogfangroup
P.S.
We have initiated a survey at one of the Russian fan-community boards, where we asked people ''Do you want the Original Campaign to be continued?''. You may see the results below. 273 out of 318 answered ''Да'' (''Yes''). It should also be noted that many of those who answered ''Нет'' (''No'') admitted they have chosen such variant because they are afraid of the OC to be ''cut'', as it was mentioned by Trent Oster during one of the livestreams.
The request for the ''New content for the OC, SotU and HotU'' is at the top of the Trello Board with 226 votes. We suppose that this demonstrates the true desire of fans for the game to be ''enhanced'' in that way as well.
Dear Trent Oster and the Beamdog Team,
Nowadays we often hear Neverwinter Nights is all about multiplayer and the toolset. The toolset has been granting players and modders the opportunity to create brand new modules. It goes without saying - the Community have made a great progress and produced a lot of true masterpieces. But there is also another important thing about NWN, which actually has inspired us for further adventures.
We are talking about the Original Campaign (OC). This story has become the ''main childhood adventure'' for us. It has showed us true love and fierce war, it has turned our dreams true. The world of Faerun has become our second birthplace. Lady Aribeth, Sharveen, Natirra, Valen, Deeken, even Mephistopheles - all of them are not just NPCs for us. They have become a part of our sweet memories, and we are grateful for that! But we're trying to draw attention to the following.
Many people have been inspired by the news about NWN:EE development. ''What about the Hero of Neverwinter then? Is there a chance he will meet his old friends and Lady Aribeth once again?''. We have had reliance upon that, based on the work you as a team had shown in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and other Infinty Engine EE games of yours. We have enjoyed the new characters as part of the original stories and have been impressed greatly by your work on Siege of Dragonspear.
Unfortunately, we are deeply concerned about your position on the Director's Cut version of the NWN' OC. You have mentioned your vision of the Director's Cut version would suppose cutting the old and not adding the new. The story of the Hero of Neverwinter was interrupted and remains unfinished. We suppose this story should have a continuation with the Enhanced Edition. The last scenes of the OC told us of a dark prophecy, but alas the fate of the Hero of Neverwinter was undeservingly forgotten, as well as the certain number of the quests, on which you had given us hints (a Valsharess romance, an unfinished Enserrik's quest, to name a few).
You have a unique chance to make the OC and the addons even more interesting and appealing than they are now. You have plenty of time, and we trust you. Each of us wants to make the project of ''NWN:EE'' even better. We want this game to be remembered and played by the generations to come.
Best wishes, your community https://vk.com/nwnbeamdogfangroup
P.S.
We have initiated a survey at one of the Russian fan-community boards, where we asked people ''Do you want the Original Campaign to be continued?''. You may see the results below. 273 out of 318 answered ''Да'' (''Yes''). It should also be noted that many of those who answered ''Нет'' (''No'') admitted they have chosen such variant because they are afraid of the OC to be ''cut'', as it was mentioned by Trent Oster during one of the livestreams.
The request for the ''New content for the OC, SotU and HotU'' is at the top of the Trello Board with 226 votes. We suppose that this demonstrates the true desire of fans for the game to be ''enhanced'' in that way as well.
22
Comments
If you mean to imply that many in your particular group feel this way, then by all means feel free to say so. The many of us who strongly disagree that Beamdog's limited resources should be used up on such efforts will speak our mind as well. We will continue to point out that it could spend those resources more effectively on first modernizing the game; that doing so will open up many new possibilities for its future, including the ones that you want; and that there will not be a commercially viable NWN:EE if they don't.
I would also point out that those improvements, which no one else can make, will enable the modding community to build viable expansions and continuations for the OC -- if there really is a significant player demand for them. This didn't happen before because Bioware and Atari declined to give permission to make fan mods of the OC. Trent has already stated on the forums here that we will now have that.
Neverwinter Nights is designed to support the robust indie development of full adventure modules. Why do you think that everything you want from a game like that has to come from the primary developer? And as their first deliverable? With respect, I don't understand that.
TR
Other open letters: cfhijklmnrstuvwxyzCEFGHIJKLMNSTUVWXYZ.
Personally ... after the last Stream of Treant are a little hopeful on the FPC for example ... it seems that Treant wants to tackle the problem.
Everyone who grew up with CRPGs has their favorite, which is mostly a matter of taste. As a standard single-player CRPG, NWN was okay ... I personally didn't like the OC nearly as well as the campaigns in BG1-2, IWD1-2, Planescape: Torment, etc. But again, that's a matter of taste. I got my Enhanced Editions of my favorite games, so I don't have a problem with people wanting an EE of the NWN OC ... or SOU, HOTU, their favorite premium module, whatever.
BUT .... the thing that made NWN unique, the thing that other games tried to duplicate but never really matched, was the Toolset. Along with the DM's client, the Toolset brought NWN closer to real, open-ended, tabletop RPGs than any CRPG before or since (including NWN2). And it brought together a community of talented gamers and creators, who *continue* to produce top-notch content for free, just for the love of the game. Just imagine what they could do with a better set of tools!
So sure. Let's have a Director's Cut of the OC, maybe even a *real* sequel which continues the same storyline for those who want it. But let's wait to spend Beamdog's precious time and resources on that, until they have finished modernizing and polishing the elements of NWN that we can only get from NWN.
Then, at the same time that Beamdog is retooling the OC or writing its sequels (using their new-and-improved toolset to make it even better than before), we can put the newly revamped tools into the hands of the community -- and watch what wonders they create!
“The many of us”
The many of whom exactly? Who are “us”? We have given an introduction of who we are and which community groups we represent. Can you please do the same? Thanks.
You have your own opinion about what should NWN:EE be about, we have ours. We respect your position but it looks like your opinion is not the only opinion available, and, judging by the Trello voting results, not the most supported and popular.
Just accept the fact there’re other opinions than the one you described.
We have done a lot of work, we’re making polls, gathering views and opinions (based on which we have published this letter), try to promote and advertise Beamdog and NWN:EE. This is a really useful activity both for Beamdog and for Neverwinter Nights. We understand you’re a modder, but it’s interesting to see how many people you represent.
Nobody stops you from creating groups, gathering data and opinions and promote Beamdog and NWN:EE. And really, it will be much more useful than our agruments. As a result we could unite forces and each of us would get what they want.
About the open letter – we have published it openly, on an official forum, which is available for everyone. There’re hundreds of people behind this letter, so it’s exactly what it is – an open letter.
It seems you folks want to argue what NWN is really about but I think it's pretty settled. Even on the official D&D channel where they have mentioned NWN regularly they never talk about Aribeth, they never talk about the hero of never winter. They do talk about Minsc and Boo however, hmmm can you figure out what the difference is?
Your passion is admirable but you are asking those without a fraction of your love and passion for the OC and old content to primarily spend their time on revamping it and reiterating the development again. Whether you like it or not you are asking those far less enthusiastic than you to make your passion project for you, does that really sound like a good idea?
TR
Не laughs best who laughs last.
I don’t presume to “represent” anyone other than precisely those individuals who agree with the views I express. I present reasons for them, with the intent to persuade, and try to offer arguments rather than peer pressure. And if I say that “many” people agree with my view on this, it’s only because we’ve all seen many people agree with it — here, on these very forums.
Of course we both have our opinion about what NWN:EE should be about. If you re-read my post, I think you will find that that’s precisely what I was trying to say. A more productive conversation on the relative merits of those differing views would involve addressing the issues I raised.
I’ll reiterate one of them now. You say that you “represent” a community, not of NWN fans, but of Beamdog fans. That strikes me as significant, because your basic message is that you’re disappointed that Beamdog isn’t following the same pattern with NWN that it did with its previous extended edition games. But there's a reason for that. NWN is fundamentally different from those other Infinity engine titles. It’s not a 2D isometric game with sprites. It’s a 3D modeled one, developed before the technology for such games had fully matured. Re-making it’s content to 2018 standards would be prohibitively expensive. Revamping the OC without doing so would significantly limit its commercial viability because new players would not take it seriously. That’s especially true when you consider that however much you might say you love it, it’s OC never had more than a relatively lukewarm following.
How do you answer this? When I attended Bioware’s DA Builders Event, I remember discussing NWN’s “long tail” with its employees. They knew it was because of the toolset and the work that had been done by us in the modding community. How do you expect Beamdog to make a commercial success out of an EE game by ignoring what made the original a success in the first place?
As I said before, modernizing the game — which is within Beamdog’s capabilities and budget — is a feasible path forward for an NWN:EE. There are hard-headed reasons why this should be its first priority for development. If there’s a counter-argument to them, I’m still waiting to see it.
Point is New content for the OC is not the most asked for on the Trello board.
Before Beamdog considers new content for the OC, SOU, HOTU or Premium Modules, I'd rather know the engine has been updated for full modern computer support, the toolset has all the added features required for Beamdog to create new content, and that the full potential of the shaders and graphical upgrades are complete.
That's the crux: As much as we can get might be that if BD pursues an exclusive path to please one faction, they won't have the resources to pursue the other. This is why, I think, Andarian wants to make sure he voices an opposing view - so that things BD alone can get done, will have the resources (Zots, anyone?) to get done. And those things, once done, will allow for the very things your group wants to happen.
BD has said the future lies in Premium Modules (or the like). They want to create NEW stuff. How can we say some of the new stuff they sponsor or create won't be the things you want: continuations of Aribeth and other NPCs? Continuation of the Hero of Neverwinter?
Also, I agree with others who've pointed out the differences between NWN and BG, et al. There is modding of those other games, but it is of necessity limited both in scope and in accessibility to the masses. NWN is not limited. It is DESIGNED for making modules (and for playing, don't get me wrong!). I think if as many people in your group really yearn for the modules that deal with those things you mention, a module-maker or team will definitely produce them. You have some power, with a large number of people in your group. Make sure to use your power wisely, so you don't get only a small amount of content made now, and then, as with the OC and every other CRPG, it is again at an end. Instead, let BD open the way, and make your voices loud for Premium Modules that deal with the things you want. Creators LOVE to have people play/use their things.
I hope you don't feel beset, or your view unheard. I hear you.
Have fun,
-JFK
The most important thing about the OC of NWN, SoU, And HotU, was that these mods were created to show what could be done with the toolset. The focus of NWN has always been multi-player- the simple idea that NWN is essentially D&D in a computer for multi-play.
The OC is not what many want upgraded as it is simply considered a tutorial on what can be made with the toolset.
good luck with the request, I think it's a waste of resource time, but to each their own...