Hi gang!
I'm back in the office after taking a day of travel, and a day to rest! I'll be spending some time on the forums the next couple of days to answer as many questions as I can, so let's get started:
[truthseeker's comment: this thread has been renamed "Ask Cryptic/PWE About Neverwinter," and now can have any person over there answer and not burden poor Stormshade/the Community Manager or only the Devs! Just keep it on Neverwinter Topic please. This is the ony reason I have changed the wording in the OP here and added this note.]
To make things easier, more civil and more effective (without answering to double questions) I propose this thread. Here, i hope,
Cryptic/PWE will find our questions and give answers.
Thread rules are:
- Keep the number of post to minimum. Let's keep it clean and not spammed, so think carefully about questions and post them all in 1 post if you can,
- no commenting, only questions
Later we can make a summary of answers
My questions are:
1. The levels are said to range from 0 to 60, does it mean we will have 0 level characters and paragon paths?
2. Long ago Ranger and Cleric were also announced in an interview. Now we hear that only Rogue, Fighter and Wizard were announced. How is it then?
3. Will items also have powers like in 4 ed? Will there be a special power slot for it?
4. How many builds a class will have at the beginning? (Trickster rogue, control wizard, etc.)
5. Do you plan subraces system that was introduced in Neverwinter Campaign Setting?
Edit: Here you can find details: http://forums.playneverwinter.com/showthread.php?t=4787
6. Will we be able to choose alignment and deities?
7. What is the maximum size of maps created by Foundry?
8. When will the beta start?
9. Can you give us at least a partial list of powers of classes?
10. Can you give some wizard gameplay video? All videos are about Trickster Rogues, with one exception of a fighter.
11. And lastly: Can you give our thanks to the Cryptic team, say hi from us and wish them luck?
Comments
1. Will there be skill challenges?
2. What about puzzles? - maybe a door is guarded by a magic mouth and you have to know the answer to a riddle to get past it. etc.
3. What else will there be to do besides hack n slash and crafting?
4. Will we have dialogue choices?
Thanks,
Stormshade
1. How strong is the soft targeting in ranged and in melee?
2. How common are the spots where powers can be exchanged?
3. The numbers 1 utility, 2 at wills, 2 encounters and 1 daily are lowish. Will they be constant or will they be lower at start and perhaps increase beyond that?
4. Could you perhaps throw us a bone about the combat mechanics here?:p
5. What (besides gear, level and player skill) are the aspects of the character progression that the player can influence?
And that's it for now. Great job answering above already! Edit. On closer inspection.. you seem to have taken evasion feat and have high reflex saves:p Great job answering fast anyway:)
Q: Are you planning on more (even if small) releases of information out of big dates like that of PaxEast and before the next E3?
Q: Can the Foundry, at this point in time, link different quests together carrying some specific information from one to the next? (quest 1: optional kid is saved/killed --> quest 2: optional kid may be present or not based on quest 1)
Q: Can you explain a bit how armour works in the current stage of the game?
Q: Have henchmen dissapeared from the game or maybe I can hope/dream for something similar to SWTOR's companions but in mercenary style?
Q: How has affected the change to MMORPG to the campaign that you were developing?
Q: Is there (toggeable for Foundry quests) day/night cycle?
How much variety will we have in making characters appearances? (Everything from facial features and skin tones, beard/hair styles and colors, eye colors, clothing/armor appearances and colors, weapon styles/colors, shield styles, designs and colors, glove styles and colors, shoe/boot styles and colors, cloak/pack styles and colors, helm/hat colors and styles, etc, to being able to have a hook for a hand or a peg for a leg.)
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
1. Are you implementing PvP in a forms of Arena and BG's or will it be world PvP ? Please elaborate.
2. Will there be a housing system ?
3. Will you be able to place your attributes and choose your feats and skills in total liberty just like the real D&D ?
4. Will the maps created by players that are really good be implemented in the game for everyone to have access to them ?
It's a great day today, heh?
1: How often we wil get feats and wondering if we will have the same variety (at least the same of core books), also if the feats will have requirements to take it (like other feats, skills, base attackl, etc...)
2: Seems tiers will happen every 20 lvls, so i was wondering if a specific paragon path will have some feat, skills, requirements to take it (hope is not just a talent tree and pick one)
3: There will be pasive and active skills ?? for example, having athletics will make u jump more.
4: will guilds have more roles than just gather a group of people to make quests and raids together ?? was wondering if guilds could have a higher role by doing some archivments that would "change" future adventure/story lines/etc....
5: Does items propreties/powers will be similar to pnp 4th ?
6: this can be a stupid question :P But the caracter creation will be the same as pnp right ?? Ability score, AC/ref/will/con defence, speed, type of vision, skills, feats, etc....
7: should we expect tactical/strategic fights like we have in some MMO's raids , or just tank the boss and dps him to dead :P
Thx in advance.
Macabrius
Q: Are there plans for voice acted cutscenes, just typical mmo quest text popup, or something in between?
Q: Will it be possible for a player to take on the role of a DM for foundry-created content, like in NWN?
Q: Is there any content planned to tie in with the recently announced 'Rise of the Underdark' cross-media campaign-event-thingie?
Q: I know it's a long shot, but any content planned outside of the Prime Material?
Q: Miniature giant space hamster social pet. Yes or HELL YES?
Let me try to post some of mine. I fully respect a "No," "I cannot answer that right now" or "I don't know (yet,") answer of course with the "Yes" and "Maybe" ones. Here we go:
(Thank you for explaining the massive HP gain as tweaked for the demo for many players to play and progress; edited part of this section out as was answered by Stormshade on another thread.)
Again, thanks team for taking our player questions!
Since you have had the Pax Demo, could you post a short video of gameplay form each of the classes that were previewed at Pax? Maybe a glimpse of the character creation?
1. What will be done to avoid the Leeeeroooooy!!! factor? Will there be combat techniques to enhance simply hack n slash? Will there be useful, powerful crowd control spells that will make questing a lot more fun for many?
2. Will you REMOVE the silly Batman/Mortal Combat sparkly combat animations? Some of those sunbursts hit half the screen in length. Spending 4-6 hours of watching flashing lights every swing is going to get old fast. Just cutting back on the color intensity and size of the effect would go a long way to improve this issue. I've spoken two two guildies that will not move from my current game, DDO, solely because of these sunburst animations. One, who is planning to be our co-guild leader (if in name only) and another guildie who has eye problems that would force him not to play because of the sparklies. All this from only ONE character on the screen, could you imagine a full group/ Or worse a raid? I hope this gets addressed now, before its too late.
3. Will you create a crafting system that does not break the game economy/auction house? Crafting built into the character, selectable at character creation would be my personal preference, like it was done in 3.5e. DDO failed here, Im hoping you folks will succeed at doing it right.
4. Will guild leaders get robust guild leader tools? Strong guilds make a strong game. Guild leaders should have an alts database so we know who's alts are who's! There should be an easy way for the guild leader to know if someone left the guild... as well as how long its been since they've "been away".
5. Will we get a real multi-level dungeon mapping system that can be resized and/or turned off? DDOs mapping was a joke, and still cant handle multiple level dungeons. Naturally locations should remain blacked out if you havent visited. You should also be able to attach notes (think sticky notes or google earth) to any locations, and even save maps.
6. Will bards be master of crowd control, sonic and illusions? Spells that distract and fool the enemy... Mirror image, disguise self, dancing lights, ventriloquism etc. This ties into my wish for more strategy and creative solutions in quest solving.
7. Will there be Alignment consequences? Having choices that open and close future doors? Having some items/quests/paths that can only be gained by certain alignments (beyond needing a 20 UMD to wield Pure Good etc)? For example: Making a choice at a point in your character development that will define your future like taking an item that will make an enemy later or making a sacrifice that will gain an ally in the future.
8. Will we have varied quest types? A lot of the fun of P&P was having political quests, outdoor sprawling quests, military battles etc. Quests feel too contained and boxed. I realize that this is a factor of the video game format but some things could be done. Like for example, a military quest where you command troops and give simple orders before the quest starts (where they are deployed, what stance they take (defensive/aggressive etc)?
9. Will stealth mean something? What about rangers and rogues? Tracking and outdoor skills aren't used in DDO effectively or at all. That was the ranger's primary strength in P&P.
10. What are your plans for community involvement? Why stop at the foundry? How about player designed server events?<--- contests/awards for the best designed event that goes to development/storytelling etc.
11. We know we are getting a few races. How about the Gnome race? Gnomes are naturally friendly, highly social and fun loving people. They are respected by Elves for their communion with nature and knowledge of arcane magic, admired by Halflings for their humor, and sought out by Dwarves for their gemcutting skills. (masters of illusions) make great bards!
12. Don't let exploiters ruin this game. Will you stand by your EULA and Code of Conduct? DDO failed time and time again... letting exploiters run hog wild... when they did catch the big offenders, they'd give em lifetime bans, then let them right back after some telephone begging. Please make the rules clear, and stand firm. If they break the rules, do you have a plan to get rid of them after a certain level of abuse has accured?
Thank you Storm for addressing everyones' questions, and/or as many as you could get to. The questions are beginning to really pile up, but at least the community is starting to really grow now!
2: Will Rangers have true Animal companions
3: If we get a cloak of Elvin Kind will we actually be able to see it on our avatars (IE Visible cloaks)
2) Keeping with the animal theme (because I love them), as asked just above me will we be seeing true animal companions for rangers and such?
Will Neverwinter support the use of gamepads such as PC pads or 360 controllers?
2. Will a shield be able to block attacks?
3. Will there be housing of any sort? if so what?
4. Will there be resource gathering in game? If so what?
5. Ranger may be out what about the Paladin, Druid, Bard and Barbarian?
6. Will one be able to disable traps, search for secret doors, pick locks?
7. Will i be able to make a multi level dungeon with steps and all?
8. Will Ancient dragons truely have a horde of treasure?
Most likely an in game editor. You won't be able to import assets and such from other locations. If it goes like STO does, you access the Foundry from the character select screen.
Silver is right, they have already announced that it will be in-game, from the game menu and without having to install any extra exe or something.
Will there be raid type content requiring large groups of players to complete (any details on plans for this would be nice)?
I didn't see any such thing in STO. I suppose it may have been added later on.
So, again, I ask.
Will Neverwinter have gamepad or 360 controller support, as Champions ONline does?
How robust is it going to be? i.e. How many Monsters, how many tile sets.
My advice is to check out the STO foundry very similar.