I grabbed the head start for the upcoming D&D videogame from n-Space last night (the actual release is this coming week) and played it for an hour or so. Overall, I enjoyed it. My system isn't quite up to it, being 7 years old now, so the experience was a bit jerky, but I coped. I really need to upgrade! So, first impression: this is Neverwinter Nights. It looks like NWN in terms of interface and general view (that familiar 3D isometric view). It sounds like NWN. It feels like NWN. The gameplay and plotting feels like NWN. While playing the single player campaign, I could totally believe I was playing NWN.
I've only tried the single player campaign stuff so far.
Character creation is D&D-ish, but adapted for the format. That's fine by me. I'd have preferred a more direct conversion of the tabletop rules, but it's not a problem. It's quick - choose race, class, background, allocate ability scores, pick some feat/skill type things. It takes a couple of minutes, plus however long you want to spend customizing appearance and voice. The feats/skills are where it really differs from the tabletop game -- it's a branching tree of abilities you purchase with skill points. I had 3 points to spend, and went for Charge I, Charge II, and Charge III for my fighter character.
The biggest issue I had was that it took me ages to realise you could move the viewpoint via WASD. My guys kept moving to the edge of the screen and I couldn't see any further. Once I realised that, it was easy.
So the game - I woke up in a tavern bedroom in a dream sequence. The tavern was on fire. Brief conversation with some allies who said to meet them downstairs. Wandered around upstairs a bit, found some clothes/armor/weapon, went downstairs. Solves a super-easy problem to open a secret basement entrance, went down there, fought some bad knights, met a demon, fade to black.
Then the game started properly. I was guarding a caravan. Wandered round doing the usual talking to everyone and picking up the expected quests - get some mushrooms for one woman, find this guy's brother, get a bit of backstory from this guy, etc. I always struggle with game dialogues which try to give you info about the plot or region, because it's not usually very interesting.
One mild curiosity was the sheer amount of loot just lying around in crates and bags around the caravan camp. Nobody seemed to mind me helping myself, so I grabbed a pile of potions and other stuff. Plus some better armor, weapon, helm, boots, etc.
That's as far as I got. It was late! Overall, if you like the NWN single player stuff, you'll like this, though it is only a brief first impression. I haven't tried the DM stuff, though I hear a rumour those tools are "robust".
I've only tried the single player campaign stuff so far.
Character creation is D&D-ish, but adapted for the format. That's fine by me. I'd have preferred a more direct conversion of the tabletop rules, but it's not a problem. It's quick - choose race, class, background, allocate ability scores, pick some feat/skill type things. It takes a couple of minutes, plus however long you want to spend customizing appearance and voice. The feats/skills are where it really differs from the tabletop game -- it's a branching tree of abilities you purchase with skill points. I had 3 points to spend, and went for Charge I, Charge II, and Charge III for my fighter character.
The biggest issue I had was that it took me ages to realise you could move the viewpoint via WASD. My guys kept moving to the edge of the screen and I couldn't see any further. Once I realised that, it was easy.
So the game - I woke up in a tavern bedroom in a dream sequence. The tavern was on fire. Brief conversation with some allies who said to meet them downstairs. Wandered around upstairs a bit, found some clothes/armor/weapon, went downstairs. Solves a super-easy problem to open a secret basement entrance, went down there, fought some bad knights, met a demon, fade to black.
Then the game started properly. I was guarding a caravan. Wandered round doing the usual talking to everyone and picking up the expected quests - get some mushrooms for one woman, find this guy's brother, get a bit of backstory from this guy, etc. I always struggle with game dialogues which try to give you info about the plot or region, because it's not usually very interesting.
One mild curiosity was the sheer amount of loot just lying around in crates and bags around the caravan camp. Nobody seemed to mind me helping myself, so I grabbed a pile of potions and other stuff. Plus some better armor, weapon, helm, boots, etc.
That's as far as I got. It was late! Overall, if you like the NWN single player stuff, you'll like this, though it is only a brief first impression. I haven't tried the DM stuff, though I hear a rumour those tools are "robust".
