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Which DND RPG should I start with for the sake of lore?
kayel
Member, Neverwinter Beta Users Posts: 8 Arc User
I'd just like to say hello to fellow DND fans and Roleplayers. I recently decided to come over here as a person who's always loved the Forgotten Realms universe (Or multiverse?). I'm not looking to just rush through to the end game or any of that non sense; I'm looking to really enjoy and understand the world of Neverwinter, and RP within it.
So finally, here's my question: As a person who really wants understand the world I'm going to RP in, if I only had time to play one, what DND game should I play? I've already played Planescape: Torment and loved it, but I don't know whether to play Baldur's Gate II, Neverwinter Nights, or Neverwinter Nights 2 (Or their Xpacks?) first.
I mean, I know the obvious one would seem like Neverwinter Nights, but I've heard that Baldur's Gate II is the better RPG, so I don't know.
I played each of these games when I was a teenager but didn't finish them. I was just too young to appreciate them and too busy.
Anyway, sorry about the drawn out post over a very simple question, but I just wanted you to understand where I'm coming from. I appreciate any answer and I hope to get to RP with some of you guys in game.
TL: DR If I just had to play one DND RPG, which would be best for someone wants to understand the world of the MMO they're going to RP in but also play decent quality RPG?
So finally, here's my question: As a person who really wants understand the world I'm going to RP in, if I only had time to play one, what DND game should I play? I've already played Planescape: Torment and loved it, but I don't know whether to play Baldur's Gate II, Neverwinter Nights, or Neverwinter Nights 2 (Or their Xpacks?) first.
I mean, I know the obvious one would seem like Neverwinter Nights, but I've heard that Baldur's Gate II is the better RPG, so I don't know.
I played each of these games when I was a teenager but didn't finish them. I was just too young to appreciate them and too busy.
Anyway, sorry about the drawn out post over a very simple question, but I just wanted you to understand where I'm coming from. I appreciate any answer and I hope to get to RP with some of you guys in game.
TL: DR If I just had to play one DND RPG, which would be best for someone wants to understand the world of the MMO they're going to RP in but also play decent quality RPG?
Post edited by kayel on
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Playing either Neverwinter Nights game (the main games, more so than their expansions) will get you a rough knowledge of the area that Neverwinter was. Neverwinter is the first Realms videogame to occur post-Spellplague, and thus most sources of what's happened since are in the 4th Edition Forgotten Realms books and Dungeon/Dragon articles, particularly the Neverwinter Campaign Guide.
I actually started reading the Forgotten Realms wiki as soon as I posted this thread. I think you're right that I'll definitely gleam more information by reading the wiki, but I would still like to get to experience those games, because I hear they're decent stand alone games even ignoring their relevance. I think of it kind of like watching the Star Wars movies before you go play the Old Republic. While they're so far a part that they don't have much in common, they're still in the same universe so it still gets you pumped up for the setting and you learn a bit that's related.
I'll probably just pickup one and play it on a here or there basis, but use the wiki for my source of knowledge. Although, I don't want to get so rapped up in the older games that I don't have time to play this game. =/
I do admit though, after going over the wiki and looking at the GIGANTIC list of Deities, I feel quite overwhelmed.
In that sense, I'd recommend playing both NWN and its two expansion packs. I also played NWN2 and Mask of the Betrayer but those weren't quite as good as NWN was, in my opinion -- NWN was developed by Bioware, back before Bioware was acquired by EA.
I think Cryptic deserve some recognition for how they've managed to bring some of the feel of the earlier games to this one.
It also helps to read the last 4 R.A. Salvatore Drizzt books -- collectively known as the Neverwinter Saga -- since (obviously) they were set in this location. In fact, Valindra Shadowmantle, who is featured in the main campaign, had a moderately prominent role in two of the books plus there are some supporting characters whom you encounter in the game who had short appearances and interacted with Drizzt and company.
Interestingly, with the Companions/The Sundering coming out in August -- which will be set many years after the events of the Last Threshold -- it makes me wonder what Wizards' plans are for Neverwinter online.
At some point, the game will be operating on "old rules" (as loosely as they've been implemented for this MMO) and the lore will have progressed to the point where I can conceivably imagine Neverwinter undergoing a massive change in the aftermath of the Sundering -- sort of like a world reset. Anyway, as a Forgotten Realms fan, there's plenty to be excited about but I wonder what that'll mean for Neverwinter.
Originally I was going to go back to ToR and play that as a big Star Wars fan but I'm just so sick of WoW clones. Then I remembered Neverwinter was going into beta and I checked it out and I remembered how much I love the Forgotten Realms. Once I tried the foundry I was absolutely sold, so that's how I ended up choosing this game and what started me on my mission to explore the lore and finish the games I started years ago slowly while I play this.
As someone who really wants to get into RP and, at some point, creating my own content and playing through other peoples, I'm more than willing to read and play the older games to get a really good foundation for the lore (I actually enjoy it)
What I love about the Forgotten Realms is just how much freedom there is for making your own great stories. So many gods and planes and interesting factions etc. I can't wait to delve into it.
But anyway, wasn't trying to go on a tirade there, I ended purchasing both BG II and NWN Diamond from GOG and intend to jump into one of them in about five minutes. I'll just mix up my time between that and the MMO until I finish them.
Oh, and I think the Drizzt books is a good idea as well. I've heard a lot about those and intend to read them in time as well, since I don't plan on leaving Neverwinter anytime soon I'll get around to it.
Yes, so much this. I had so much faith in TOR, then endgame came along...ugh, WoW all over again.
Prepare to have weeks of your life pass by in a moment. Enjoy! The only thing really that miffs me about NWN1 is that...there is no Warlock class :P 3.0 rules I believe.
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BG2's story is stand-alone and doesn't depend on BG1. BG1 was alright, but pretty slow paced for me, and the lack of high levels is a bit of a turn off as well.
Thanks, I've been having a great time so far with them. True classics.
And yeah, ToR was definitely a disappointment for me. I tried so hard to get into it but the whole game just seemed like every other WoW clone aside from the stories.
Icewind Dale sounds like a decent game, and I love the northern setting, but from what I've heard, Planescape=Most Story, BGII= Balance of Story and combat, and Icewind Dale= Most combat. I'm really going through the Forgotten Realms games, at the moment, mainly for their story and lore.
I only got about 8 hours into BGII when I was a kid and about 5 hours into NWN, but I do remember BGII having a more compelling story. I actually liked NWN's soundtrack the best (Jeremy Soule is great) but lack of companions was the biggest downer. I know I probably should go through NWN more urgently though since that is the setting I'll be RPing in.
And yeah, I'll be skipping BG1 in favor of the second for the time being simply because I don't want to get so many months worth of single player RPGs to play that I never have time to play the MMO.
Funny you should mention this. Because of this forum post, I am currently re-playing NWN2: Storm of Zehir as a Hellfire Warlock, and intend to take him to play Mysteries of Westgate as well as numerous Hall of Fame user modules on nwnvault. I wasn't able to play Neverwinter (Online) yesterday at ALL.
Not taking it against you though, I am thoroughly enjoying myself :P
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Glad to hear your having a good time. Sorry about dragging you away from Neverwinter though XD
Part of the reason I took so long in replying is I've been playing the single player RPG's myself. Not sure how I'm going to go about all this just yet, because both NWN and BGII are around 50 hours each just for the main story. I don't want Neverwinter to be old by the time I get finished with them. I'll have to give this some thought. >.<
Yeah, I actually remember when that game was released and seeing it at Bestbuy. I'll check out the reviews for that game as well. Although since I already bought BGII and NWN, I'll probably play through those first.