300 replies to this topic

[Celestine]

I certainly hope that there will be henchmen control, as that was one of the worst aspects of NWN.

I hope that in NWN2 they have a true party, and go the Baldur's Gate route rather than the Icewind Dale route. Importing characters from the first NWN is a must.

Hordes of the Underdark's campaign was better than the main game's, but I still felt it was short. We can only hope the NWN 2 campaign is good, but that is dependent on the above..

Agreed. I dislike the NWN henchman system with a passion.

[Sword_of_Geddon]

I hated the Henchman system as well, and I'd much prefer a character party with NPCs. It almost makes me wish theyd make a Baldur's Gate 3 using the old infinity engine.

[PolarBear]

The whole henchman concept is flawed as it is. No more henchmen. I want my party!

[afireinside]

I loved the first and expansions. I did however dislike the henchman idea in single player. I used to play on a cool server called Australis Neverwinter. That never got boring and became what world of warcraft is for me today. :^^:

[Pain Elemental]

It's not like you need henchman to finish the game...

[Sidhe]

Ferret: Henchman to me implies a certain amount of subservience. To me the characters in BG2 (and games like it) are the pen-and-paper terms equivalent of the other players in a gaming group. The D&D term henchman was used to refer to NPCs that followed a particular PC around. Which is not the type of vibe we're going for.

I think "companion" is a far more apt term to describe what we're shooting for in NWN2. The game's companions make up the rest of your gaming group. Each companion has their own backstory, personality, and rationale for adventuring. You're the leader and make the calls, though, but that happens in sit-down games, as well.

I know it's a fairly semantic point, but we're going to be handling the people that travel with you significantly differently than the original NWN1. So using a new term for them seems apropos.

Urquhart: It still will use a henchmen system. Is it going to be two or three or four we're not sure yet, we're guessing three, just based on how well it'd control. We wanted to keep the henchmen system for a variety of reasons. For one, because that's the way it was in the first game. Another reason is because we really want to make the story about the central character, and sometimes when you have a party it dilutes who is the central figure in the story. However we do want to involve the henchmen in the story much more. They're going to come and go in the story, much more than they did in Neverwinter. There will be parts of the story where henchmen join with you automatically. There will be henchmen available because of something you did or didn't do, and won't simply be waiting in a room for you to talk to them. That's a big thing about this game that we don't want to do--that everything is waiting in a room for you to come in and make it happen. We wanted to make it seem, or be that everything is going on even when you're not looking. Also, we're looking to see how to make it easier to control them. In combat we want to make them do specific things--it could be that a fighter attacks your target, or a cleric comes and heals you. We're also looking to have a context-sensitive help button, where a thief comes to open a chest that's locked, or somebody helps you in combat because an enemy is kicking your ass--we think that'll make it seem like the henchmen are doing more.

From the FAQ

[PolarBear]

Another reason is because we really want to make the story about the central character, and sometimes when you have a party it dilutes who is the central figure in the story. However we do want to involve the henchmen in the story much more.

Eh? "sometimes when you have a party it dilutes who is the central figure in the story" My god, solve it! BG's party system is as close to being perfect as possible IMO, and never had a problem like this.

[Sidhe]

Yeah I have to admit that part made me go ?huh?!? too. And the lack of a party was really the nail in the coffin for me with regards NWN - it smacks of having a poorly written story if it's so weak it won't stand up amidst other stories driven by other (lesser) characters, which should be adding background colour, not taking over.

If I was up against some Big Bad I wouldn?t be saying ?no sorry, you can?t come with me cause I?ve already got him? (then again I wouldn?t say ?sorry - already six of us here, can?t take another? I?d be going ?hell yeah, more the merrier!? and then hiding behind them )

[T.G.Maestro]

One thing I'd like to have in NWN2 is a duel/swordplay system similar to the one in KoToR - the way the two opposing characters use their blades is quite spectacular, it wouldn't be a great pain to add something like that for NWN2 too (the one used in NWN is too boring IMHO).

[Archmage Silver]

Yes, that is a good idea. NWN swordplay wasn't good enough to invest in the parry skill, so to speak.

[Vita Muerte]

I'll buy it. I'll buy anything with Forgotten Realms on it.

As far as the NWN story goes, I liked it. The limited amount of henchmen you can have at a time sucked. I would've liked it if there'd been witty banter I grew accostumed to when playing BG2, not to mention the romances. Of course, after having played the Baldur's Gate saga no game will ever be good enough.

[Briannandoah]

Yeah I have to admit that part made me go ?huh?!? too. And the lack of a party was really the nail in the coffin for me with regards NWN - it smacks of having a poorly written story if it's so weak it won't stand up amidst other stories driven by other (lesser) characters, which should be adding background colour, not taking over.

Totally agree with this. If you were playing a female character in NWN1, well I some how felt insignificant almost all of the time...

[Ross]

I certainly hope that there will be henchmen control, as that was one of the worst aspects of NWN.

Agreed. I severly disliked that. Giving henchmen items and then not having the ability to view them etc. sucked. I will however, probably buy the game, if only for its online playability.

[T.G.Maestro]

I'll buy it. I'll buy anything with Forgotten Realms on it.

Demon Stone would be probably a good exception from this rule.

[Feanor]

I certainly hope that there will be henchmen control, as that was one of the worst aspects of NWN.

Agreed. I severly disliked that. Giving henchmen items and then not having the ability to view them etc. sucked. I will however, probably buy the game, if only for its online playability.

The developers of NWN2 are taking into consideration the idea of giving you a party a la BG style.

[T.G.Maestro]

The developers of NWN2 are taking into consideration the idea of giving you a party a la BG style.

Actually, the one used in kotor 1-2 would be nice.

[PolarBear]

The developers of NWN2 are taking into consideration the idea of giving you a party a la BG style.

Actually, the one used in kotor 1-2 would be nice.

Well, IMO you can't control a party of 5 or 6 in kotor style effectively. For battles a top-down isometric view is a lot better. It allows more control and more chellange

Edit: A bit of explanation: A party of 3 is really not a party in my eyes. It's okay for kotor because of its thin rulesystem. But we are talking about ADnD here.

Edited by PolarBear, 26 May 2005 - 12:46 AM.

[Bluenose]

The developers of NWN2 are taking into consideration the idea of giving you a party a la BG style.

Actually, the one used in kotor 1-2 would be nice.

Well, IMO you can't control a party of 5 or 6 in kotor style effectively. For battles a top-down isometric view is a lot better. It allows more control and more chellange

Edit: A bit of explanation: A party of 3 is really not a party in my eyes. It's okay for kotor because of its thin rulesystem. But we are talking about ADnD here.

Obsidian are saying that there will be no henchmen.

They intend making all the characters who can join you into proper NPCs with quests, opinions, banters, equipment and everything else you'd expect. Also some will only be available if you follow certain paths through the game, and some will have things to do of their own which will involve leaving the party for a time and meeting you later.

They've suggested a group of 3-5, with extra characters sometimes being "attached" to the group for particular quests. A "Kotor-like" interface was suggested for control purposes, and some control of inventory would be allowed. However some NPCs would have equipment that you couldn't remove or replace.

[T.G.Maestro]

I mean it would be fitting since NWN already uses the very same 2-3 member parties like kotor.

Well, IMO you can't control a party of 5 or 6 in kotor style effectively. For battles a top-down isometric view is a lot better. It allows more control and more chellange

You could always rotate/change the camera view.

[Feanor]

I mean it would be fitting since NWN already uses the very same 2-3 member parties like kotor.

Well, IMO you can't control a party of 5 or 6 in kotor style effectively. For battles a top-down isometric view is a lot better. It allows more control and more chellange

You could always rotate/change the camera view.

I would prefer the isometric view from NWN.