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Neverwinter FAQs - Stream Edition
nitocris83
Member, Cryptic Developer, Administrator Cryptic Developer › Posts: 4,495 Cryptic Developer
One of the common elements among Neverwinter streams is that we frequently see similar/the same questions come up. While some questions will have answers that will vary depending on upcoming content or even the context/guests for a particular stream, there are some questions, with their respective answers, that are "evergreen". We've put together a list of Neverwinter Frequently Asked Questions - Stream Edition that we can link to during streams in order to allow more time for new and different questions.
We will be updating this FAQ as needed!
• Why are you buffing Y class?
• Why do you dislike Z class?
• Why do you prefer A class?
• When are you going to improve/nerf B class?
Class balancing is never final in a living game. With every new feature, new strategy, new power, new gear, etc. you introduce a new variable into the equation which in turn creates balancing needs. Class changes that players experience now may be part of a larger plan that will span future releases. This also allows us to gather the necessary data of how the changes are performing in the wild as we develop future content.
While we playtest all our content internally, we do listen to players’ feedback regarding their experiences playing their preferred classes. We want players to play the class they enjoy, not one they feel forced to play. We also take into consideration the full spectrum of feedback; class balancing won’t ever make everyone happy at the same time. Changes that are welcome by some may not be liked by others.
When we feel we’ve reached an optimal flow and resource management of existing class balancing and when we can commit the development time to create all new powers, armor pieces, animations, etc. that a new class requires
What would this new class be?
We are aware of requests for Bard, Druid, and Monk but we haven’t reached a point where we could finalize a decision.
New race?
No new info on that right meow
When will you bring back older dungeons?
With the upcoming “Tales of Old” event, we are looking at ways to incorporate older content in a measured fashion. Similar to how we began introducing solo PvP ques as weekend events to gather data, the week-long Tales of Old will provide players opportunities to experience older dungeons and us a way to gather necessary information for future development.
Why don’t you have more cosmetic options available as purchases?
With the new Consult Expedition Pack, we introduced new hairstyles and we are continuing to explore making more fashion and cosmetic options available. Currently there are options available in the Trade Bar Store (you can open lockboxes for that currency) and during the Gift of Tymora event there are a few other cosmetic purchases in the Zen Market.
Why are you offering cosmetic options for purchase? No one cares about those!
See question above. There are different types of players in an MMO and one of our goals is to offer something for everyone. Those somethings will vary across player types.
Why is content so hard/require such high item level?
Our focuses with game releases tends to be on max level content. One aspect of this is because there is so much existing content for leveling players to partake in, the other is to continue engaging our veteran players. Prior to Ravenloft we did realize that new level 70s found themselves blocked from newer/latest content so we introduced zone item level appropriate gear rewards during the initial Ravenloft quests.
Why is content so easy/not challenging enough?
See question above for a different perspective. Again, not all players are the same. Some players are more casual and do not seek to be BiS but still want to experience all the content.
An important thing to note is that making more challenging content can require more development time, including testing and tweaking. This would create larger gaps in between content releases which would end up impacting the same end-game players who are seeking more end-game challenges.
When are you going to go into X Zone/Storyline/Setting and/or bring Y characters?
We can’t give specifics of this level of future game development
There’s a lot of stuff we *want* to do but it comes down to a mixture of IP license/business/development resources/logistics.
Yes. We read all the constructive feedback that is posted on the feedback threads.
If yes, why are bugs or negatively reported things still in the launch build?
We constantly work on improving our bug squashing rates but they will always find new ways to creep in. In terms of bugs that are reported during the preview timeframe, the team is constantly adding them to the list to be prioritized. For a bug to be resolved prior to the final build it needs to be A ) game breaking/critical, B ) have a widespread impact, and C ) able to be investigated, resolved, and the fix implemented quickly. A bug may meet the first two criteria but miss the launch build due to the final criteria.
Why do you have to wait for a build to issue bug fixes? Why can’t you just hotfix them as they come in?
Imagine a boat has a leak. You *could* plug the leak with whatever material is available and stop the incoming water but it would not be stable. Imagine a boat that has been patched up each time with a random mishmash of materials. After a while, the entire structure is going to suffer and become a wreck. It’s best to wait until you have the right materials and the right setting to fix those leaks the proper way.
PS: Boats can get leaks for a myriad of reasons and may not have displayed the leak during their initial voyage but once in deeper waters, leaks become apparent.
Does the team test the content before it goes live?
The team has internal playtesting sessions throughout the development of content. Feedback is then gathered and provided to the dev in charge of the feature that was being tested. The QA team obviously has a more focused approach to testing. Gameplay testing is not the same time of experience players have when they organically go through the content which is why team members also play the game on “live” accounts that do not have special employee access or commands.
We appreciate players taking the time to share their game experience and insight with the community via streams or videos. While we are always looking to support these folks, we do require that content creators meet certain criteria, namely not promote toxicity. Some examples of this are:
• Do not use slurs or hate speech directed at race, gender, orientation, religion, and appearance
• Do not promote sexist ideology
• Do not use ableist language (physical or mental)
• Limit profanity - we’re not going to stop you from using an f bomb as a colorful descriptor but profanity should not be used to attack others
• Attitude – we do not expect you to constantly praise the game, but if your content is a continuous attack on the community, the game, and game team, we do not consider it constructive.
Can we get Twitch drops?
Our Publisher is in charge of features and business decisions. We are aware of discussions regarding this topic and if/when we get any info we can share, we will do so!
We will be updating this FAQ as needed!
Class Balancing
• Why are you nerfing X class?• Why are you buffing Y class?
• Why do you dislike Z class?
• Why do you prefer A class?
• When are you going to improve/nerf B class?
Class balancing is never final in a living game. With every new feature, new strategy, new power, new gear, etc. you introduce a new variable into the equation which in turn creates balancing needs. Class changes that players experience now may be part of a larger plan that will span future releases. This also allows us to gather the necessary data of how the changes are performing in the wild as we develop future content.
While we playtest all our content internally, we do listen to players’ feedback regarding their experiences playing their preferred classes. We want players to play the class they enjoy, not one they feel forced to play. We also take into consideration the full spectrum of feedback; class balancing won’t ever make everyone happy at the same time. Changes that are welcome by some may not be liked by others.
Future Development Plans
New class when?When we feel we’ve reached an optimal flow and resource management of existing class balancing and when we can commit the development time to create all new powers, armor pieces, animations, etc. that a new class requires
What would this new class be?
We are aware of requests for Bard, Druid, and Monk but we haven’t reached a point where we could finalize a decision.
New race?
No new info on that right meow
When will you bring back older dungeons?
With the upcoming “Tales of Old” event, we are looking at ways to incorporate older content in a measured fashion. Similar to how we began introducing solo PvP ques as weekend events to gather data, the week-long Tales of Old will provide players opportunities to experience older dungeons and us a way to gather necessary information for future development.
Why don’t you have more cosmetic options available as purchases?
With the new Consult Expedition Pack, we introduced new hairstyles and we are continuing to explore making more fashion and cosmetic options available. Currently there are options available in the Trade Bar Store (you can open lockboxes for that currency) and during the Gift of Tymora event there are a few other cosmetic purchases in the Zen Market.
Why are you offering cosmetic options for purchase? No one cares about those!
See question above. There are different types of players in an MMO and one of our goals is to offer something for everyone. Those somethings will vary across player types.
Why is content so hard/require such high item level?
Our focuses with game releases tends to be on max level content. One aspect of this is because there is so much existing content for leveling players to partake in, the other is to continue engaging our veteran players. Prior to Ravenloft we did realize that new level 70s found themselves blocked from newer/latest content so we introduced zone item level appropriate gear rewards during the initial Ravenloft quests.
Why is content so easy/not challenging enough?
See question above for a different perspective. Again, not all players are the same. Some players are more casual and do not seek to be BiS but still want to experience all the content.
An important thing to note is that making more challenging content can require more development time, including testing and tweaking. This would create larger gaps in between content releases which would end up impacting the same end-game players who are seeking more end-game challenges.
When are you going to go into X Zone/Storyline/Setting and/or bring Y characters?
We can’t give specifics of this level of future game development
There’s a lot of stuff we *want* to do but it comes down to a mixture of IP license/business/development resources/logistics. Feedback and Testing
Do you listen to feedback while a build is in preview?Yes. We read all the constructive feedback that is posted on the feedback threads.
If yes, why are bugs or negatively reported things still in the launch build?
We constantly work on improving our bug squashing rates but they will always find new ways to creep in. In terms of bugs that are reported during the preview timeframe, the team is constantly adding them to the list to be prioritized. For a bug to be resolved prior to the final build it needs to be A ) game breaking/critical, B ) have a widespread impact, and C ) able to be investigated, resolved, and the fix implemented quickly. A bug may meet the first two criteria but miss the launch build due to the final criteria.
Why do you have to wait for a build to issue bug fixes? Why can’t you just hotfix them as they come in?
Imagine a boat has a leak. You *could* plug the leak with whatever material is available and stop the incoming water but it would not be stable. Imagine a boat that has been patched up each time with a random mishmash of materials. After a while, the entire structure is going to suffer and become a wreck. It’s best to wait until you have the right materials and the right setting to fix those leaks the proper way.
PS: Boats can get leaks for a myriad of reasons and may not have displayed the leak during their initial voyage but once in deeper waters, leaks become apparent.
Does the team test the content before it goes live?
The team has internal playtesting sessions throughout the development of content. Feedback is then gathered and provided to the dev in charge of the feature that was being tested. The QA team obviously has a more focused approach to testing. Gameplay testing is not the same time of experience players have when they organically go through the content which is why team members also play the game on “live” accounts that do not have special employee access or commands.
Streamer/Content Creator Support
Are there requirements for a content creator to receive more support?We appreciate players taking the time to share their game experience and insight with the community via streams or videos. While we are always looking to support these folks, we do require that content creators meet certain criteria, namely not promote toxicity. Some examples of this are:
• Do not use slurs or hate speech directed at race, gender, orientation, religion, and appearance
• Do not promote sexist ideology
• Do not use ableist language (physical or mental)
• Limit profanity - we’re not going to stop you from using an f bomb as a colorful descriptor but profanity should not be used to attack others
• Attitude – we do not expect you to constantly praise the game, but if your content is a continuous attack on the community, the game, and game team, we do not consider it constructive.
Can we get Twitch drops?
Our Publisher is in charge of features and business decisions. We are aware of discussions regarding this topic and if/when we get any info we can share, we will do so!
Post edited by nitocris83 on
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