Bioware to sell Neverwinter Nights modules

[Krug]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/10/26/news_6111408.html

 

[valn]

Yes I saw this earlier today!
http://nwn.bioware.com/premium/index.html
for a direct link.

Hmm I might just be tempted by Shadowguard, since I really liked the Altaris' LoneWolf mods and you get an upgraded Witch's Wake with that...
Kingmaker looks interesting too.

Well we'll see... might wait for reviews first.

 

[Greylock]

Bioware is terribly misguided if they actually believe they'll be able to profit from this. I ain't against it, right now. It's kind of unclear right now if you have to be online to actually play it. If that turns out to be the case, I won't bite.

But the interview suggests that they think they have a good portion of the 2 million sales available online. I don't think those sales are there. Died-in-the-wool NWNers have plenty to keep them busy. And the equally vocal anti-dig dist'ers will go out of their way to resort to piracy.

Bad idea, I think. Willing to eat my words, but I don't think it will work.

 

[valn]

From NWVault:

Keep in mind that the idea behind these module is to continue to fund the Live Team's work on NWN [...] We don't have illusions about people trying to pirate these modules, of course it will happen - however, as Tom said, the price point is very reasonable on the modules and success of the project will ensure further support, new content, etc for NWN.

Seems like this is a kind of compromise the employees reached with their bosses to convince them that they should continue working on an old game (what, two years old now?). Only time will tell if they were right or not...

 

[Greylock]

Sorry, I know this should go in a PM, but I don't have that capacity...

Are you Valnir? The Valnir of old PNW?

Just curious...

 

[valn]

Huh, no...
I don't even know what PNW means??

 

[Steel_Wind]

Bioware is terribly misguided if they actually believe they'll be able to profit from this. I ain't against it, right now. It's kind of unclear right now if you have to be online to actually play it. If that turns out to be the case, I won't bite.

But the interview suggests that they think they have a good portion of the 2 million sales available online. I don't think those sales are there. Died-in-the-wool NWNers have plenty to keep them busy. And the equally vocal anti-dig dist'ers will go out of their way to resort to piracy.

Bad idea, I think. Willing to eat my words, but I don't think it will work.

1 - BioWare is not so much in this to make money as support the live team with ongoing funding and keep their community together. It is an impressive community indeed.

2 - You do not beed to be online to play - you will need to go online to load your game. Its interative CD key based high level encryption.

3- So you would advocate pirating a game being retailed for less than most pdfs - and those created by community members (read - not Atari). An interesting point. You'll forgive me if I think it is an odious one.

4 - The initial rollout of the Premium Mods is exactly that - the initial rollout. If it is successful, I would expect things to heat up substantially as things in the pipeline are funded and come to fruition. <insert smile here>

5 - Oh - btw: Dyed-in-the-wool NWNers ain't seen nuthin yet.

 

[Greylock]

I did not advocate piracy. You are reading a hell of a lot into that part, things I did not say.

And I also made my post here before reading a lot of the hullabaloo at Bioware's forum. Kinda rude to dredge up a point by point response now.

FWIW, I know of a LOT of NWNers who do not/cannot play online. Bioware need only offer these mods in slipcases with keys to reach that audience. I for one will not buy them. My internet connection is sub-par at best, and when I want to play a mod, I just want to load and go. I do play in PWs, but I allocate that time. Mods I enjoy savoring, playing bit by bit. It took me forever to play each of the three OCs.

And I am a died-in-the-wool NWNer. Google me.