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The Future of Neverwinter

soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
edited May 2015 in General Discussion (PC)
What do you think the future of Neverwinter will be like?

This is my perspective on the things to come and from the outcome of Module 6:

The amount of new dungeons to run and farm will be very minimal, but the game will still continue to have a small portion of players who like to run the same three or four epic dungeons over again and again to buy the end game gear. After all, this is the expectations of a MMORPG -- to run dungeons and get gear. I tend to think they removed the dungeons so that when they return we'll be satisfied enough to overlook the fact of "Hey, aren't there any new dungeons"?

The game will continue to have a loyal community of Forgotten Realm fanatics and enjoy being part of a place where the Sword Coast still lives. Elminster showed up in Module 5 and hopes of Drizzt showing up this year have already excited many fanatics.

Dungeons and Dragons fans still stick around even though the HUD doesn't give the players any type of real table top experience. The Trademark has been put on this game, so it's enough to keep players interested and new players dropping by to see what it is all about.

The future of Module updates will focus more on the content put out from the Wizards of the Coast and try to make story lines and less of making the game equal class balance, removing irrelevant non-story-line glitches, etc. Module six gave us no new dungeons to explore and challenge us, but it did give a rich adventurer's exploration. Kudos to the Air Elemental Zone's graphic and visual exploration.

I do not expect many changes to come with PvP or the dungeons returning anytime soon, but I do look forward to the new modules and being part of an adventure.

EDIT:
5-29-15
After all, this is the nature of a MMORPG
After all, this is the expectations of a MMORPG

EDIT:
5-29-14
I recommend reading post #44 by Magenubbie for more insight to the future.
Forgotten Realms Forever!
Thank you, Ed. :D
Post edited by soulbearer1 on
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Comments

  • myowmyowmyowmyow Member Posts: 1,923 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Well done!
    SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! (repeat indefinitely)


    myles08807 said, "Back in my day, we didn't have any of this fancy Mulhorand gear while we were leveling . . . we walked uphill both ways while dying once every five seconds while leveling, and we liked it fine!" . . . Now, get off my lawn, you kids!"
    pointsman said, "I don't rue the game. In fact I don't feel any regret for the game at all."
    looomis said, "I don't like people changing to alts and then bragging about their mains like schizophrenic role players."
  • aratecharatech Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 269 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The future of Module updates will focus more on the content put out from the Wizards of the Coast and try to make story lines and less of making the game equal class balance, removing irrelevant non-story-line glitches, etc. Module six gave us no new dungeons to explore and challenge us, but it did give a rich adventurer's exploration. Kudos to the Air Elemental Zone's graphic and visual exploration.

    You call one new zone, three recycled ones with bare bones changes, and mind-numbingly drawn out "this couldn't be any more blatantly padded out if it donned a tutu and did a little dance number with a giant neon sign over its head stating 'Obvious Artificial Gameplay Lengthening Element At Work"' vigilance quests (that don't even have an 'endgame' of sorts where you challenge and put an end to the cults*) while simultaneously removing three quarters of the skirmishes and dungeons a "rich adventurer's exploration"? Dare I ask what you would call a poor one? :rolleyes:

    My prediction? Unless/until the numerous gameplay bugs, horrific RP grind, and absolutely punishing solo and T-2 difficulty are addressed (to say nothing of the devs having taken a hacksaw to the game's content for reasons known only to them) and they make more than a token effort to increase communications with players and show they're listening to feedback, this game is going to hemorrhage players until it eventually becomes irrelevant and not worth the cost of the upkeep.



    *As opposed to chasing the leader of a cult off whilst they shake their fists at you and vow vengeance, leaving us with absolutely no sense of closure or accomplishment.
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    aratech wrote: »
    You call one new zone, three recycled ones with bare bones changes, and mind-numbingly drawn out "this couldn't be any more blatantly padded out if it donned a tutu and did a little dance number with a giant neon sign over its head stating 'Obvious Artificial Gameplay Lengthening Element At Work"' vigilance quests (that don't even have an 'endgame' of sorts where you challenge and put an end to the cults*) while simultaneously removing three quarters of the skirmishes and dungeons a "rich adventurer's exploration"?

    I agree that I was left wondering... "What, did I just completely destroy the Cult of Elements or am I continuing to thwart them every day?" But, I did like the reasons of why I would fight the Cult of Elementals except the fact I had to keep repeating the same quests, but I overlooked it because I assumed this was their way to help the grind to 70.
    aratech wrote: »
    *As opposed to chasing the leader of a cult off whilst they shake their fists at you and vow vengeance, leaving us with absolutely no sense of closure or accomplishment.

    Yep, hoping for closure some day. At least, we got to kill Valindra and slay Tiamat.

    EDIT 5-29-14:
    Yep, hoping for closure some day. At least, we got to return Valindra to her phylactery and Tiamat to the Nine Hells.

    * Two members clarified that Valindra and Tiamat can't be killed
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • aratecharatech Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 269 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I agree that I was left wondering... "What, did I just completely destroy the Cult of Elements or am I continuing to thwart them every day?" But, I did like the reasons of why I would fight the Cult of Elementals except the fact I had to keep repeating the same quests, but I overlooked it because I assumed this was their way to help the grind to 70.

    If they were intended to help you grind to 70, they wouldn't have nerfed the XP bonuses from half the end game quests (reducing it from some 4,100 and change to barely 1400).
    Yep, hoping for closure some day. At least, we got to kill Valindra and slay Tiamat.

    Indeed.
  • translucentwolftranslucentwolf Member Posts: 116 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    All the endgame areas are a consistent grind. You'll *never* defeat all enemies in Sharandar, Dread Ring, IceWind Dale, or the new 'Elemental Cult' areas. There's no 'you're done' to be had. If you were done, you'd move on.

    You're not meant to move on. You're meant to stay here, every so slowly grinding tward better gear, and dropping cash in the Zen store from time to time.

    Ongoing dev requires ongoing payment. You buy gas for your car if you want to drive it around. You throw money at Cryptic if you want Neverwinter to keep on chugging.

    This isn't a negative, but it is a fact.

    If you want closure, try something that's single player, and playable offline. That is, something that you pay for once, which has no updates.
  • myowmyowmyowmyow Member Posts: 1,923 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    aratech wrote: »
    If they were intended to help you grind to 70, they wouldn't have nerfed the XP bonuses from half the end game quests (reducing it from some 4,100 and change to barely 1400).

    The xp is MORE than enough to reach level 70 before finishing Spinward. At least that was the case with two of my toons that I managed to get to level 70.
    SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! SEC! (repeat indefinitely)


    myles08807 said, "Back in my day, we didn't have any of this fancy Mulhorand gear while we were leveling . . . we walked uphill both ways while dying once every five seconds while leveling, and we liked it fine!" . . . Now, get off my lawn, you kids!"
    pointsman said, "I don't rue the game. In fact I don't feel any regret for the game at all."
    looomis said, "I don't like people changing to alts and then bragging about their mains like schizophrenic role players."
  • edited May 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • klangeddinklangeddin Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 882 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    What do you think the future of Neverwinter will be like?

    Very laggy.
    Seems like something this game just can't get rid of anymore.
    A pity, it didn't use to be like this before mod 4.
    Of course mod 6 brought it to new levels.

    As for the content, I suspect it will be dictated by Wizards of the Coast as you said.

    Eventually, the current epic dungeons will be nerfed.

    Strongholds could provide some PvP elements, if not in mod 7, then in a future overhaul.

    What I don't expect is a proper foundry overhaul that will bring it back as meaningful content. They seem to be completely deaf on that ear.
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    magenubbie wrote: »
    Uhm.. No. Tiamat still lives in the 9 hells. The entire fight is to keep her there and preventing her from entering the human realm. Win or lose, Tiamat doesn't die. For that matter, Valindra doesn't die either.

    Yep! Thanks for the clarification. :D
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    klangeddin wrote: »
    Very laggy.
    Seems like something this game just can't get rid of anymore.

    Oh, it's supposed to go away? It was there in closed beta testing, so I just assumed it was the magnetic forces of Hotenow pulling on the metal gear we wore.
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • gramps5scorpiongramps5scorpion Member Posts: 128 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Ongoing dev requires ongoing payment. You buy gas for your car if you want to drive it around. You throw money at Cryptic if you want Neverwinter to keep on chugging.

    Really? You telling me you still put gas in your car when it's too broken to drive? Seems that Cryptic is missing this very important piece of the equation... Fix the car so putting gas in it will allow it to be used!!!!!.... and hire the right mechanic to do the repair!!!!!!
    Take the extra time to do the job right and it will never come back to bite you in the A**
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    klangeddin wrote: »
    What I don't expect is a proper foundry overhaul that will bring it back as meaningful content. They seem to be completely deaf on that ear.

    This has so much potential to the community. NW1 and NW2 was the most awesome game creation tools concerning the history of Neverwinter gaming. I think the Foundry community is still active within Neverwinter Online too.

    I forgot to mention this in my original post about the future of Neverwinter. There is still a vibrant community of Foundry creators. I'm not too sure what they're going to do to make it better though.
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • sockmunkeysockmunkey Member Posts: 4,622 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I agree that I was left wondering... "What, did I just completely destroy the Cult of Elements or am I continuing to thwart them every day?" But, I did like the reasons of why I would fight the Cult of Elementals except the fact I had to keep repeating the same quests, but I overlooked it because I assumed this was their way to help the grind to 70.



    Yep, hoping for closure some day. At least, we got to kill Valindra and slay Tiamat.

    We actually didnt kill either one of them. We defeated Valindra but not her phalactuary, so she is still around and can return again. And Tiamat is a god, we arnt killing major gods here. We simply prevented her entry to our plane. We basiclly slammed the door in her face (faces), and probably annoyed her greatly. So we got a dragon god with a large army of followers peeved at us and a mad lich. Congrats we get to look over our shoulders forever. Not really a win in my book.
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    sockmunkey wrote: »
    We actually didnt kill either one of them. We defeated Valindra but not her phalactuary, so she is still around and can return again. And Tiamat is a god, we arnt killing major gods here. We simply prevented her entry to our plane. We basiclly slammed the door in her face (faces), and probably annoyed her greatly. So we got a dragon god with a large army of followers peeved at us and a mad lich. Congrats we get to look over our shoulders forever. Not really a win in my book.

    Yes, as magenubbie pointed out too. I guess that my terminology should be rephrased. Maybe, just say they were 'defeated'. ;)
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    All the endgame areas are a consistent grind....

    I do agree this is the current state of the game. It's nice, though, knowing there's always a ominous threat over Neverwinter and jobs as heroes don't end in one last battle. The way the game will allow an ongoing battle to be fought forever is enough for me to keep coming back.
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • nehemiah217nehemiah217 Member Posts: 181 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The amount of new dungeons to run and farm will be very minimal, but the game will still continue to have a small portion of players who like to run the same three or four epic dungeons over again and again to buy the end game gear. After all, this is the nature of a MMORPG -- to run dungeons and get gear.

    I do have to disagree with this statement adamantly. The problem is not that this is the nature of MMORPGs, but this is now what people SETTLE FOR in MMORPGs. People have lowered their expectations of quality and thus developers have lowered their standards of quality.

    The first MMORPG that I ever played was Asheron's Call, in 1999. I was fortunate enough to be a beta tester for that game, in a time when being a beta tester actually meant testing, and not some half-arsed ploy to get people to pre-order for some stupid little in-game trinket or something. Anyways, that game was, and still is for that matter, simply amazing.

    Featuring a completely seamless landscape, you can literally start at the south shore of the continent, and run to the north shore, progressing from grasslands, through rivers, swamps, and deserts, to snow capped mountains, and then some. The actual size of the landmass is estimated at over 500 square miles and when I say seemless, I mean seemless. It's not like WoW that has the appearance of being large, but is really designed to herd players through limited space. There are literally thousands of quests in AC, really too many to ever be able to effectively accomplish them all. It's fun and challenging at the same time; you don't know how many times you will see the Lifestone or how many attempts it will take to finish a dungeon or quest. Often times I leave an area determined to come back when I'm a little stronger.
    While gear does have it's place in AC, being a skill-based game, rather than class-based game, the focus is more on exploration and character development. It was originally a subscription based game, but Turbine has now made it free, given a one-time purchase of $10/ account. It is still my go-to game, and I've been playing it more since mod 6 than I have in the last 5 years (and having a blast again). I guarantee that you could start playing that game, and after two years you would still not have seen everything there is to see, done everything there is to do, and more than likely will not have reached the max level yet, either. And you most certainly will not need to endlessly grind the same boring content over and over again just to advance. If a company that started in someone's living room with 5 developers could create an online world that has thrived and grew for 15 years, with no "end game" then, dare I ask, why can't Cryptic do the same?

    I'm not asking for an AC clone. I'm not asking for a seamless world. All I would like to see is a higher standard of quality out of the development team. Unfortunately, MMORPG players have lowered their standards of quality and what is considered acceptable, so the developers have too.

    And THAT is what the future of Neverwinter will be. Lack of quality, lack of substance. Endlessly repeateding the same tasks over and over again.
  • healaryhealary Member Posts: 600 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    It will be just like the future of the whole MMO genre: not too bright but perhaps won't drop dead overnight. Many 10+ year old MMOs still manage to stay alive. This one may last a few years too, but like the other ones there won't be any meaningful updates other than more AD nerf and widen gap between the rich and the poor. "New" content in this game will likely be the reintroduction of removed content. That's about it.
  • edited May 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • azlanfoxazlanfox Member Posts: 436 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I don't know what the future of Neverwinter will be. I am reluctant to consider it. Though I am fairly certain it will not be remembered in history as WoW, or heralded for its innovation and genre defying as Guild Wars.
    The fox said, "lock and load"

    glassdoor.com - Cryptic Studios Review
  • edited May 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • silverkeltsilverkelt Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 4,235 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    The only issue with this game is the incentive to play.. there is very little. Even in mods I didnt like, you could still play to earn .. now you can make more just not logging in and playing SCA's..

    Who cares about the rest of it. No game lasts forever, Ive been in some of the dwindling population and server mergers and the like, eventually you bail , when you cant get enough to run a single DD on a saturday afternoon.

    I dont blame the devs, I mostly blame the management on this.
  • healaryhealary Member Posts: 600 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    azlanfox wrote: »
    I don't know what the future of Neverwinter will be. I am reluctant to consider it. Though I am fairly certain it will not be remembered in history as WoW, or heralded for its innovation and genre defying as Guild Wars.

    I don't think WoW and GW are as heralded as you think. For the record, WoW lost 3 millions of its players, or 30% in 3 months and GW has done far worse financially than the ancient Aion.
  • azlanfoxazlanfox Member Posts: 436 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    healary wrote: »
    I don't think WoW and GW are as heralded as you think. For the record, WoW lost 3 millions of its players, or 30% in 3 months and GW has done far worse financially than the ancient Aion.

    The numbers are easily searchable online, probably even Wikipedia will have reasonably accurate information. Check it out.

    You aren't picking up what I'm putting down. Historically WoW has topped the market share since its inception at the 50% range since 2004 and remains the MMORPG with the largest player base. Guild Wars exceeded its profit verse cost margin with over 5 million copies, introduced a payment method not previously considered for MMOs at the time, as well as being considered profitable for NCSoft up to its shift to maintenance mode. I'm not stacking it against contenders, I'm evaluating it for history of this genre.
    The fox said, "lock and load"

    glassdoor.com - Cryptic Studios Review
  • healaryhealary Member Posts: 600 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    azlanfox wrote: »
    The numbers are easily searchable online, probably even Wikipedia will have reasonably accurate information. Check it out.

    You aren't picking up what I'm putting down. Historically WoW has topped the market share since its inception at the 50% range since 2004 and remains the MMORPG with the largest player base. Guild Wars exceeded its profit verse cost margin with over 5 million copies, introduced a payment method not previously considered for MMOs at the time, as well as being considered profitable for NCSoft up to its shift to maintenance mode. I'm not stacking it against contenders, I'm evaluating it for history of this genre.

    Whatever you said is not what the actual players thought. You can't argue they left WoW and GW in bulk. For the case of GW, it is even falling behind the 10 year old dinosaur Lineage. If you think GW is "heralded" you should also think Lineage is more "hearlded" too since it is more profitable.
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I do have to disagree with this statement adamantly. The problem is not that this is the nature of MMORPGs, but this is now what people SETTLE FOR in MMORPGs. People have lowered their expectations of quality and thus developers have lowered their standards of quality.

    True. I would like to think that's not the normal for MMORPG too, but like you said that's what's expected. So, instead of the nature of MMORPG I'll say it's what's expected.

    Good post. I'd like to see more than end-game dungeon running for gear in my MMORPG too.
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • azlanfoxazlanfox Member Posts: 436 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    healary wrote: »
    Whatever you said is not what the actual players thought. You can't argue they left WoW and GW in bulk. For the case of GW, it is even falling behind the 10 year old dinosaur Lineage. If you think GW is "heralded" you should also think Lineage is more "hearlded" too since it is more profitable.

    You still aren't getting it, so this is the last I will say on this. Who will be remembered in history, not an argument of the here and now. Those were the two that I thought of off the top of my head because I have the most experience with their places in MMORPG history. The others that will find their ways into such annals are Everquest, Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Runescape, and Eve Online.

    The point is, Neverwinter will be forgotten as just another footnote in history (or remain completely unmentioned).
    The fox said, "lock and load"

    glassdoor.com - Cryptic Studios Review
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    silverkelt wrote: »
    The only issue with this game is the incentive to play.. there is very little.

    I think, maybe, this is why I originally thought to make this post. Am I losing an incentive to play?

    What will the future hold for me here and will it be grandiose like opening day of a brand new Dungeons and Dragon/Forgotten Realms game to play? As I believe, stated before, the future will not be several new dungeons or epic bosses to beat. It will be new story line content like we seen with the Elemental Evil from Wizards of the Coast.

    I have put eight of my different classes through the story line of the Elemental Evil and am starting a new character to redo the whole story line again from the threat of Valindra. My incentive to play is to be an adventurer in the Sword Coast and not to stress my brain out on figuring how to cheat on end-game dungeons so I can get good gear.
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • soulbearer1soulbearer1 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 54 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    azlanfox wrote: »
    The point is, Neverwinter will be forgotten as just another footnote in history (or remain completely unmentioned).

    I hope this isn't true. This game had the backing of RA Salvatore, Wizard's of the Coast, Hasbro, and many others. A lot of effort has been put into this game to make it what it is.

    I don't think the game will go away, but I think the community of players will change. The game will always be around for those who want to be involved in Forgotten Realms and Dungeons and Dragons. This game is a reflection of over 25+ years of epic novels and hundreds of D&D manuals created. They didn't put their stamp on this game to just let it fade away.
    Forgotten Realms Forever!
    Thank you, Ed. :D
  • azlanfoxazlanfox Member Posts: 436 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I think, maybe, this is why I originally thought to make this post. Am I losing an incentive to play?

    What will the future hold for me here and will it be grandiose like opening day of a brand new Dungeons and Dragon/Forgotten Realms game to play? As I believe, stated before, the future will not be several new dungeons or epic bosses to beat. It will be new story line content like we seen with the Elemental Evil from Wizards of the Coast.

    I have put eight of my different classes through the story line of the Elemental Evil and am starting a new character to redo the whole story line again from the threat of Valindra. My incentive to play is to be an adventurer in the Sword Coast and not to stress my brain out on figuring how to cheat on end-game dungeons so I can get good gear.

    I suppose I'm hanging on because I've always loved the Realms and when this game was announced way back when (the original not the recent mod), it held so much promise. In such, they have greatly disappointed me, but I still cling to a tiny bit of hope that it will somehow turn around and redeem itself.
    The fox said, "lock and load"

    glassdoor.com - Cryptic Studios Review
  • azlanfoxazlanfox Member Posts: 436 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    I think that Neverwinter is likely secure in having historic significance though, for being the first console MMO. Nobody can really take that away from them.

    I thought that was Phantasy Star Online or maybe Final Fantasy XI? I don't follow consoles much. It might be the first Xbox based one though, I don't know.
    The fox said, "lock and load"

    glassdoor.com - Cryptic Studios Review
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