DM_Kev
26-01-2007, 12:08
A thread which will give official status on the project at certain intervals.
Much has been discussed and done already. I now think it's time to confirm the official direction for UTT3 to begin with. The following is the official situation.
Because UTT2 is still proving as popular as ever, with much new content planned, devoted players and staff, I have decided to allow UTT2 to remain online as our Community Persistent World Server on a permanent basis*. There is no intention to produce a sequel Untold Tales persistent world using NWN2 at this time. UTT2 will continue to be the "main server", where the heart of the series lies. Therefore, our plans for NWN2 have shifted to something that I've kept on hold for some time...
On serveral previous occasions, I have mentioned some additions to the Untold Tales series in the form of single party + DM campaign games, run on seperate servers, as a seperate entity within the community. This project never really went beyond the planning stages and building concepts. This was mainly due to (at the time) low staffing levels and time and also the limitations of the NWN1 toolset in getting our resources and settings moved to a fresh module each time. Other than that, I believe we had some potentially successful and sound plans. NWN2 is now here and it has changed things.
Untold Tales III is going to happen, but to begin with, it will be a series of (some linked, some unique) campaigns, whose intended audience will be single parties supervised by a DM, much like the classic PnP experience. I have already spoken to some of you about this and there's been many questions and I'm sure there are more to come. I will do my best to answer these on the forum over the weeks and months to come. There are some frequent questions - those I will answer now.
Q. How can you run these games 24/7?
A. We won't be. This won't be a persistent world format. Games will be run on demand instead. It will be run via an advertisement, apply, approval process - much like Neverwinter Connections. I will explain this more another time, but hopefully you get the jist of it.
Q. Does this mean that UTT2 will be offline when you run these games?
A. No. UTT3 campaign games are a seperate gaming service we will be providing. They will have their own server.
Q. Do our characters pass over between campaign games and persistent world?
A. Its a bit up in the air right now, but yes and no. You wont be able to pass characters from campaign to PW - thats because no NWN2 pw exists and characters are not directly compatible between games. There's nothing to stop you recreating your UTT2 characters for the campaigns though. However, you can be sure that some of the campaigns will allow you to use the same character throughout as they will be linked.
Q. Why campaigns? Why not go straight to UTT3?
A. Weighing things up, I see no need to race ahead and make a sequel to UTT2 because it isn't required right now. UTT2 has proven it has much more still to offer, especially with new players still joining us and staying. More community resources are in the pipeline along with lots of our own creations too. I believe that what players want out of an RPG is already here, and will satisfy those needs for years to come.
I've decided to begin campaign work because it will compliment the successful UTT2 with a series of small games designed for the fans of the series. Utilising the latest modding technology, we can produce some games which are set strongly in the UTT series and delve that extra bit deeper into Midlde Earth. Making a 20 hour campaign, for instace, allows us to concentrate on a certain aspect of Middle Earth - this means greater detail and more sophisticated plots and activities; something single party play affords us.
So this is the direction now being taken. I will be giving specifics on the first campaign soon. As a feature of all the games though, UTT3 campign series will have:
- Middle Earth Races, Subraces and materials.
- Customised classes, feats and spells
- Middle Earth crafting system
- Prestige classes specific to each campaign
- Responsive environment - your actions will have consequences
- Interesting and fun companions
Some of the above are already being discussed in various threads. Any questions, please drop me an e-mail or post them on the NWN2 forum.
* = Naturally this will cease should activity plumet or the means to support NWN cease.
Much has been discussed and done already. I now think it's time to confirm the official direction for UTT3 to begin with. The following is the official situation.
Because UTT2 is still proving as popular as ever, with much new content planned, devoted players and staff, I have decided to allow UTT2 to remain online as our Community Persistent World Server on a permanent basis*. There is no intention to produce a sequel Untold Tales persistent world using NWN2 at this time. UTT2 will continue to be the "main server", where the heart of the series lies. Therefore, our plans for NWN2 have shifted to something that I've kept on hold for some time...
On serveral previous occasions, I have mentioned some additions to the Untold Tales series in the form of single party + DM campaign games, run on seperate servers, as a seperate entity within the community. This project never really went beyond the planning stages and building concepts. This was mainly due to (at the time) low staffing levels and time and also the limitations of the NWN1 toolset in getting our resources and settings moved to a fresh module each time. Other than that, I believe we had some potentially successful and sound plans. NWN2 is now here and it has changed things.
Untold Tales III is going to happen, but to begin with, it will be a series of (some linked, some unique) campaigns, whose intended audience will be single parties supervised by a DM, much like the classic PnP experience. I have already spoken to some of you about this and there's been many questions and I'm sure there are more to come. I will do my best to answer these on the forum over the weeks and months to come. There are some frequent questions - those I will answer now.
Q. How can you run these games 24/7?
A. We won't be. This won't be a persistent world format. Games will be run on demand instead. It will be run via an advertisement, apply, approval process - much like Neverwinter Connections. I will explain this more another time, but hopefully you get the jist of it.
Q. Does this mean that UTT2 will be offline when you run these games?
A. No. UTT3 campaign games are a seperate gaming service we will be providing. They will have their own server.
Q. Do our characters pass over between campaign games and persistent world?
A. Its a bit up in the air right now, but yes and no. You wont be able to pass characters from campaign to PW - thats because no NWN2 pw exists and characters are not directly compatible between games. There's nothing to stop you recreating your UTT2 characters for the campaigns though. However, you can be sure that some of the campaigns will allow you to use the same character throughout as they will be linked.
Q. Why campaigns? Why not go straight to UTT3?
A. Weighing things up, I see no need to race ahead and make a sequel to UTT2 because it isn't required right now. UTT2 has proven it has much more still to offer, especially with new players still joining us and staying. More community resources are in the pipeline along with lots of our own creations too. I believe that what players want out of an RPG is already here, and will satisfy those needs for years to come.
I've decided to begin campaign work because it will compliment the successful UTT2 with a series of small games designed for the fans of the series. Utilising the latest modding technology, we can produce some games which are set strongly in the UTT series and delve that extra bit deeper into Midlde Earth. Making a 20 hour campaign, for instace, allows us to concentrate on a certain aspect of Middle Earth - this means greater detail and more sophisticated plots and activities; something single party play affords us.
So this is the direction now being taken. I will be giving specifics on the first campaign soon. As a feature of all the games though, UTT3 campign series will have:
- Middle Earth Races, Subraces and materials.
- Customised classes, feats and spells
- Middle Earth crafting system
- Prestige classes specific to each campaign
- Responsive environment - your actions will have consequences
- Interesting and fun companions
Some of the above are already being discussed in various threads. Any questions, please drop me an e-mail or post them on the NWN2 forum.
* = Naturally this will cease should activity plumet or the means to support NWN cease.