Ever since speaking to prolific Neverwinter Nights module builder Luke Scull, I have been on a Neverwinter Nights kick, working by means of among the enormous backlog of high-quality user-made campaigns for Bioware’s 2002 RPG. Whereas taking part in Swordflight, a standout hardcore, formidable mod, I logged in in the future to note new UI parts, graphics choices, and quality-of-life modifications, stuff that simply wasn’t there earlier than. Absolutely Beamdog is not nonetheless updating its 2018 Enhanced Version re-release, proper?
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As reported by Gaming on Linux, that is precisely what’s occurred. Beamdog’s patch abstract characterizes the replace as “a year-long love effort” by neighborhood builders clippy, Daz, Jasperre, Llareth, niv, Soren, tinygiant, and virusman, packaged by the corporate into an official replace for the sport. The complete patch notes are truthfully too in depth to repost in full right here, and might be discovered on Beamdog’s official web site.
The primary issues I observed have been modifications to how harm numbers are exhibited to make them simpler to parse, in addition to space of impact indicators for the place your spells will land—significantly useful on max problem the place pleasant hearth is turned on. The AoE indicator is a small factor, however an enormous enchancment to the sport’s playability, particularly when you’re used to newer CRPGs that extra clearly show data like Divinity Unique Sin 2 or Dragon Age.
I used to be very shocked by the brand new “Toon” shader that was added as effectively—this creates a thick, comedian book-like border round most in-game fashions that is considerably harking back to the Borderlands video games. I wasn’t anticipating a lot—Beamdog beforehand put out a excessive decision texture and mannequin pack that, whereas a enjoyable addition, tanks the sport’s efficiency even on fashionable {hardware} and by no means fairly seemed proper to me—however the Toon shader form of rocks. It preserves the unique NwN look whereas smoothing it out in an odd method, making it really feel extra intentionally stylized versus simply low-tech. I solely performed round with it just a little bit, however I is perhaps conserving this rendering mode on any longer.
I used to be additionally intrigued by the brand new eight-way multiclass ceiling that may be turned on when making a module (a user-made space in Neverwinter Nights). The unique recreation’s D&D third version ruleset solely allowed you to progress in three completely different lessons on the identical character, with NwN 2’s addition of a fourth in step with model 3.5 of D&D feeling oh so luxurious and permissive. The module-by-module nature of the rule change means you’ll be able to’t take your Fighter/Bard/Weapon Grasp/Pale Grasp/Purple Dragon Knight/Purple Dragon Disciple/Arcane Archer/Shadowdancer again into the principle recreation, however future modules or multiplayer servers can now pursue complete new frontiers in energy gaming.
To commemorate the replace, Beamdog additionally commissioned a brand new, higher-resolution model of the Hordes of the Underdark cowl artwork from former BioWare artist Mike Sass, who’s additionally chargeable for the unique Baldur’s Gate’s iconic portraits. Actually, it is simply good to see the sport’s legendary neighborhood proceed to maintain all of it these years (and two-and-a-half editions of D&D) later. If you wish to speak about a “ceaselessly recreation,” Neverwinter Nights is it.
Patch Highlights
- AOE Indicator | Spells and spell-like talents now show a concentrating on indicator displaying their vary and, if applicable, their AOE form and dimension
- 8 Multiclasses | Added assist for as much as 8 multiclasses, configurable per-module
- Quicker Load Instances | Improved space load occasions by as much as 100x (!)
- Information Part | Added an in-game Information UI that exhibits upcoming patches and neighborhood information
- Script-created UI Enhancements | “NUI” (script-created UI) will not break enter to the sport (WASD, drag & drop)
- Play NWN as a Cartoon | Added a brand new “Toon” post-processing shader as a graphical possibility
- Goodies for Builders | A whole lot of latest capabilities and goodies for module builders
- A whole lot of Bugfixes & Optimizations | Extra bugs squashed
