Review NWN premium modules review at GamerDad

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Neverwinter Nights

<A href="http://www.gamerdad.com/">GamerDad</a> has a <A href="http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=2675">review</a> of all the premium modules released for <a href="http://nwn.bioware.com">Neverwinter Nights</a>. Those would be the little mini-modules that you get to pay to play. While the author liked most of the modules with the exception of one, here's something I thought was kind of off:
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<blockquote>One bad thing that "Premium" currently means is that you have to stay connected to the internet so the module can verify ownership every time you start the module or load a saved game.</blockquote>
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That's uberlame.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.ve3d.com">VoodooExtreme</A>

 

[AlanC9]

It would be uberlame if it were true, but it isn't. The online ad says you need the connection, but you don't, and the box art and manuals say you don't.

Wonder if the GamerDad reviewer even bothered to pick up the boxed copy.

 

[Sarvis]

You have to be online if you download the module. If you buy them on CD you do not need to be online.

It's the only way they can keep people from stealing the modules.

Yeah, copy protection tends to suck... but can you think of any other way to keep rich fratboys with an entitlement complex from just taking everything they want for free?

 

[Shagnak]

You have to be online if you download the module. If you buy them on CD you do not need to be online.

That is correct.
I bought some on CD last week (the first 3), and no on-line authentication occured at all.

What I did not like about this "review" is that it made a comparison with a fan module that did not have the same level of "roleplaying content" as the premium modules.
Having played two of the premium modules so far (the shorter ones), I can say I have played several "amateur" modules (e.g. the Miller ones) that I felt equalled or even surpassed them. Comparing them with a roleplaying-lite module that would be obvious wasn't as polished as it's contemporaries was a bit silly.

 

[Spazmo]

Yeah, copy protection tends to suck... but can you think of any other way to keep rich fratboys with an entitlement complex from just taking everything they want for free?

The "other" here is unnecessary--the ways they have now don't stop "rich fratboys" at all and really just frustrate paying customers.

 

[Sarvis]

Eye of the Beholder?

It's in 63rd place right now, hardly one of the highest rated!

I played some of that one and got bored pretty quick, the mechanics that were fun in the original game were just tedious in this incarnation.

I'd sayu there are definately some fan modules at least on par with the premium ones, but the premium ones I've played so far WERE good and worth the money they cost.

I just wish they'd get Witches Wake 2 out...

 

[Shagnak]

I'd sayu there are definately some fan modules at least on par with the premium ones, but the premium ones I've played so far WERE good and worth the money they cost.

So far, I am a little disappointed.
Shadowguard had a lot of good dialog and so on, but I am not certain that all the side mini-plots fitted with the central story very smoothly. And then to end it like it did - you should have heard the invective that flowed from my mouth!
I searched for signs of a sequel, but so far there seems to be no plans. I'm a little pissed.

Witches Wake? Another non-ending.
Once again, Shaggy no happy.
The "improvements" include a narration that sounds either computer-generated or badly teleprompted. I'm not certain which.

They seem reasonably professional. I have enjoyed them (other than the endings). But I am wondering if I am getting value for money here. What really sets them apart from the top "amateur" modules is mainly just stuff like voiced characters. I could have done without that if it meant getting it free. Hell, even Miller's earlier modules had better scripted ideas than these two I've played.

Kingmaker sounds like it will be rather good though. A bit meatier, no silly endings, etc.
I'm starting that soon and hope I'll be more impressed.

I just wish they'd get Witches Wake 2 out...

Are they definitely making it?
I hope so. But then again I'm not certain I'd get it. I don't like eating a lot of "WTF!?" sandwich. I'll see how I feel when/if it comes out.

That Pirates one looks like it could be good...

 

[LlamaGod]

I played the Pool of Radiance module and then I relised how totally balls having no domains for Clerics is.

 

[Volourn]

1. OMG! This totally fuckin' news - from a year ago!

2. Clerics have domains in NWN, moron.

3. Shadowguard is okay; but too pushy in what it wants the player to do.

4. Witches Wake is good; but the combat is pitiful and its too much of a PST rip off to rate it above 'good'.

5. Kingmaker is solid. Definetely a good adventure. I like how they mixed your family into it reasonably well. The election was a good idea; but some twinks would ahve made it even better. An actual ending here that still leaves the possibility of a sequel.

6. Haven't tried Fish Anonymous yet becuase I don't pay for downloads.

7. The Codex Satlkers Non News News strikes again!

Biatches!!!

 

[Shagnak]

6. Haven't tried Fish Anonymous yet becuase I don't pay for downloads.

So I'm guessing you bought the CD version of the first three like I did.
Don't worry, they'll probably bring out a gold or platinum version next month with the latest one added in (just to piss us off). :wink:
Either that or we'll have to wait an age for them to produce enough new ones to be worth putting on another CD. By which time NWN2 will be out and we won't care.

 

[Dhruin]

It would be uberlame if it were true, but it isn't. The online ad says you need the connection, but you don't, and the box art and manuals say you don't.

Wonder if the GamerDad reviewer even bothered to pick up the boxed copy.

Why does he have to pick up the boxed copy? If you download the modules, they do need authentication every time they start.

 

[LlamaGod]

2. Clerics have domains in NWN, moron.

Not in the normal version. Why would I buy an expansion that adds something that shouldve been there?

 

[sabishii]

2. Clerics have domains in NWN, moron.

Not in the normal version.

Yes, they do.

 

[Volourn]

"Not in the normal version. Why would I buy an expansion that adds something that shouldve been there?"

Bullshit. Moron. You lie. Domains have been in NWN since Day 1. They, of course, work slightly different than they do in pnp; but domains very much were, are, and always will be in NWN.

Keep posting nonsense that you picked out of mum's butt. Hilarity by the Codex Stalkers!!!



"So I'm guessing you bought the CD version of the first three like I did."

Yup.


D"on't worry, they'll probably bring out a gold or platinum version next month with the latest one added in (just to piss us off).
Either that or we'll have to wait an age for them to produce enough new ones to be worth putting on another CD."

Heh. probably.

" By which time NWN2 will be out and we won't care."

I'd still buy it. It would be $20-$30 for 3 presumably quality modules. Well worth it even if it won't have the fancy graphics of NWN2.

 

[LlamaGod]

I havent played NWN since late 2003, where exactly were the domains?

I remember wanting to play an evil Cleric and it was totally ass.

edit: Seems its at creation. I dont remember them at all, nothing. I remember trying to make an evil cleric and having not very evil spells, having to use Cure Light Wounds and stuff and not having Cause Light Wounds.

edit2: Looking up a spell list, I see whats what. There are domains, but alot of the evil spells are gone so you have to use 'good' spells, no matter what.

 

[Volourn]

No.

 

[Volourn]

No.

I play evil clerics, and there's lots of spells for them. Inflcit, slay living, blight, and on and on. Admiitedly, soemthings like the Inflict spells weren't added until SOU (iirc); but things like domains ala the EVIL domain were there from the start. So stop bullshitting.

Thank you for your co-operation. :D

 

[LlamaGod]

the evil domains are there, they just suck ass.

WAY TO GO WITH THE D&D CONVERSION.

 

[MarFish]

How amusing, the article is quite positive, so the only negative that you could find (after all, it's a Bioware product, you couldn't just have quoted something that would capture the overall tone of the article) is apparently not even true.

 

[AlanC9]

Why does he have to pick up the boxed copy? If you download the modules, they do need authentication every time they start.

Because if he had picked it up, he would have known that he didn't need to do online authentication if he had the disk version. As it was, he posted a misleading review; obviously so, since Saint_Proverbius was misled.

 

[One Wolf]

download the free PrC pack for NWN, turns a boring game into a pretty damn cool one. i kno i mentioned this before, so sorry.

btw vol, you ever decide to give it a try? i'm curious what you think of it.