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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steel_Wind" data-source="post: 3632013" data-attributes="member: 20741">Just for the record, much of the technical design that supported multiplayer in NWN1 and 2 inherently limited and restricted the game from doing those things designers wanted to be able to do.Cutscenes, spell effects, animation hooks, some quest designs,  - the list is extensive, let me assure you. The limiting factor in all of these design restrictions was its inability to be properly supported on multiple machines of differing computing power in multiplayer mode.When it came to cutscenes, in particular, this restricted the desginer's ability to tell a story or to make the game code work in ways that could otherwise be supported but would not work properly.If you have ever played our premium module Wyvern Crown of Cormyr and wondered why the jousting (based on EGG's jousting system in the original Chainmail - thanks for the help Gary!) stutters at times - that's the multiplayer engine getting in the way.It had horrible effects on the animation system used for mounting horses as well. We had elaborate mounting animations and party mount dismount orders, etc.. built into the beta. We spent HUNDREDS of hours debuging this system to try and make it work. In the end, these systems were sabatoged by the animation engine's averaging code that was there ONLY for multiplayer play and ultimately we had to remove the entire system. It's not so small a factor as you think and it's not as simple as you would prefer to believe. Supporting multiple modes of play in the same engine creates a LOT of headaches on a technical basis - sometimes, far more hassle than it's worth given the relatively small multiplayer base in NWN1 and NWN2 (as compared to the vastly larger SP base). Sure designers listen. But it does not take long for the value of that to come to an abrupt end. Please appreciate that the designers of these games are hardcore RPG fans themselves. Most are in regular gaming groups as well as being pro game designers and have been playing themselves for a VERY long time. There is little new to be gained from these discussions and  - in the end - you need to make the game you have set out to make.  Even if it makes some of your potential customers unhappy.</blockquote>

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