BoA vs. NWN

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AuthorTopic: BoA vs. NWN
Warrior
Member # 1177
Profile #0
What do you think is better, Blades of Avernum or Neverwinter Nights?
This poll has been moved to another forum.
Posts: 87 | Registered: Saturday, May 18 2002 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 4483
Profile #1
Overall I'd have to say BoA. NWN has a massive fan base with heaps of patches from the developer etc. I never really got into NWN maybe because of the weird combat system but I did purchase the first one. I didn't play the rest of the expansion packs. Hordes of the Underdark was supposedly quite good but I've always been a fan of pure turn-based rpg's.

Thanks,
Total Flappish

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"Sport is for people who dont know how to GAME!!!!" Quote Mungo the Great and Moose
Posts: 18 | Registered: Monday, June 7 2004 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 4533
Profile #2
I'd say BoA for sure myself, though I guess I am biased. Having played NWN and its expansions myself, they just don't keep me coming like BoA and the Avernum series do. I guess its the game play and storyline that do it for me. Though I have to admit, Hordes of the Underdark was a good expansions, probably the best part of NWN and the only module I played more then once. I alos have rather large issues with the goofy over the top music and voice acting of NWN, I thought it was rather lame. The module builder for NWN is probably the worst part of it, for any who aren't into programming its just not worth it where as BoA's script langauge isn't too difficult.

I guess another thing BoA has over NWN is the fact that in every Exile/Avernum game I've played I've immersed myself in it, I could really place myself in my party/character's shoes and sympathise with the people of Exile/Avernum. I couldn't really care less for the dull people of Neverwinter, who lack the depth of most Avernum characters I've come across.
Posts: 37 | Registered: Sunday, June 13 2004 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 1716
Profile #3
NWN had so much potential, and I was really excited when it came out. Then I got it home, fired it up, and cryed like a baby. It was essentially Diablo 3d. I can see why some people would enjoy it, but, as a fan of the D&D roleplaying games, it came as a bit of a slap in the face.

BoA on the other hand, reminds me of why I started playing PC games all those years ago. Its not flashy, and its not groundbreaking, but what it does, it does very well.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Monday, August 12 2002 07:00
Warrior
Member # 1177
Profile #4
Same to me. BoA graphics isn't that cool compare to NWN. But the storyline is much much better than NWN. Also, NWN is far slower to load and use than BoA. So I think BoA is worth it.
Posts: 87 | Registered: Saturday, May 18 2002 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #5
BoA does not make my computer curl up and die when I try to run it. NWN does. I really don't love confusing 3D graphics that much. NWN has its selling points, but I prefer playing BoA without the loading times.

—Alorael, who has to say that being able to make scenarios on a Mac is also nice. He may never pull it off, but having the ability is good. Giving TM the ability is even better. Using "better" loosely, of course.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 4548
Profile #6
The Avernum series is addictive. NWN got boring. I don't know what makes a game addictive vs boring.

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No fear, no brains.
J. Joyce.... Ulysses
Posts: 8 | Registered: Tuesday, June 15 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 2155
Profile #7
NwN vs BoA? Hmmm...

Graphics? ... NwN, no contest

Sound? … See above

Music? …yeah, see above again

Combat System? ... BoA. NwN is the ugly bastard child of turnbased and realtime that no one loves.

Content? ... Not applicable. NwN has been out for far too long to compare fairly. Sure, the original campaigns might be a bit bland and too linear, but, like it will eventually be for BoA, it's the outside based modules that make NwN so great. And yes, I do indeed say it’s great.

Support? … Again, BoA is too new for comparison.

Toolset? … I’m going to have to go with NwN on this one. Sorry, but the BoA editor is awful. You don’t even get a real vision of what you’re editing. You get some undetailed 45° rotated flattened shadow of the real thing. And no, I don’t like having to script everything from the doors to the custom items.
NwN allows for much, much more customization as well. Movies, music, sound, everything.

Spell system? … BoA hands down. The mana system works. Why in the name of all that is good did they have to screw with it in the D&D system? Having to prepare my spells specifically per day, choosing exactly what spells I want and how many prior to when I actually need them sounds like a bad long-distance plan. And hell, you can’t even rest half the time to regain your spells. What is my mage supposed to do? Pull out his pathetic little staff and ask the nice lizard man if he needs a toothpick? … Without mana, you have no mana potions, and thus you need to rest to regain spells. Being left unable to rest and regain spells is inexcusable.

Item system? … It’s close, but… I’m actually going to go with BoA on this one. NwN has a great deal of limitations in this category, far too many in comparison to the rest of the game and its content. It just seems the designers were lazy when they reached this point on a lot of things. BoA is far more free flowing with the item system. NwN’s ability to grant item descriptions though… BoA -really- needs that. When you’re not graphically based, you really need text descriptions to stay with your items. And if you can tie a text label and specific sats to an item and take it from scenario to scenario then why not a text description?

Balance? … BoA. NwN’s final fight in the original campaign is psychotic beyond forgiveness. Maybe I’m just that much more of a veteran of the Avernum system, but that fight was unrealistic and I think set a record for frustrating the living hell out of me.

Story? … Eh, both are good in my eyes. NwN is a lot more linear, but it’s larger.

Character form and function? … BoA. NwN’s class system might make for a fun distraction, but it’s very limiting. No, I shouldn’t take a penalty just because my top fighter dabbles in clerical spells. And having a four person party as opposed to just one character… well okay, I see the multiplayer reasoning in just having one, but I don’t play NwN multiplayer. Four characters lets you play the gamut of the game’s abilities.

Overall, I’m sticking with NwN for the time being. BoA is just too new to have anything to offer, really. For NwN I’m doing light module development but when I say like I mean light- As in “the weight of a photon” light. I expect it to be done some time around never…

I was initially planning on maybe developing a scenario for BoA – I even had several (15) pages of dialogue written out prior to even being brought onto the Windows Beta Test. Then I saw that the only thing worse than my writing was the program it was to be designed on and a full cancellation was in order. Not that I have the scripting skills or the patience to learn said scripting to get any such project done. This might change depending on how bored I get, but don’t expect anything from my end until BoA is more mature in the number of decent outside content.

---Your unscripted maniac, Necris Omega

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Razordisk Frisbee Golf
Posts: 168 | Registered: Saturday, October 26 2002 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 4533
Profile #8
I must debate some of your points there, Necris Omega.

First up the sound and music in NWN was so lame my girlfriend even commented on its poor attempt to inspire the feeling of a fantasy atmosphere. Sure BoA has no music, but I feel this is a bonus in that I can play whatever background music I choose.

Also, I must disagree with your statement regarding NWN's toolset. It may require less scripting, but from what I've attempted and what I've been told, it requires you to have a great deal more knowledge of programing. I've just sat down and gone over alot of the BoA editor stuff, and while it may seem daunting at first, its not too difficult once you wrap your head around it.
One day someone might release a utility program to help automate most of Avernumscript, but either way I know where my loyalty lies.

Overall to me, BoA has a great deal I like and very little I dislike, where as NWN has a bit to keep my interest, but I dislike a great deal more of it. Its just a balance out of one game I dislike a small number things vs. a game I dislike most parts of (esp the dialogue, so over the top it makes me run to the bathroom).
Posts: 37 | Registered: Sunday, June 13 2004 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 4533
Profile #9
One thing I did forget to say in my last post is that Spiderweb Software is a much smaller company then Bioware, which also has the backing of Hasbro behind it. Its obvious that they'll be able to get a team of developers and so forth to put in 3d graphics, 3d sound and all the other standard flashy features. What they did fail to do, however, was be able to put atmsophere in the game - which in my book is a part where BoA passes with flying colours.
Posts: 37 | Registered: Sunday, June 13 2004 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #10
It's considered polite to edit your posts instead of double-posting.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Shaper
Member # 3442
Profile Homepage #11
Unfortunaltey, I have led a sheltered life and have only read about, and seen pictures of, NWN and have not actually played it. So BoA gets the vote.

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And when you want to Live
How do you start?
Where do you go?
Who do you need to know?

Posts: 2864 | Registered: Monday, September 8 2003 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 154
Profile #12
Baldurs Gate 2.

NWN, never played, but I'm not too big a fan of fancy-pants 3D graphics.

BoA - after BG2, yeah. But the editor, like you say, is terrible. It's flattened. You have to keep BoA open and keep reloading the scenario just to see what you're doing. It's like drawing in a big fog.

Also, Bioware has Interplay's support too.

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Apparently still annoying.
Posts: 612 | Registered: Saturday, October 13 2001 07:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 4154
Profile #13
BoA is probably going to be the worse choice until a dozen more scenarios come out, if they're good. I personally like NWN a lot, for a few reasons.

(a) NWN has nice graphics, albeit this is a minor point.
(b) NWN is more widely supported (patches, upgrades, etc.)
(c) NWN is multiplayer (a big plus for me) and it can be used over the net for either a normal game or an experience similar to that of a small MMORPG.
(d) My halfling cleric kicks ass.

Eventually BoA may gain the upper hand, but not until there's some more scenarios out.

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You're a moron if you think I'm not.
Posts: 213 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3608
Profile Homepage #14
Good God, some of you actually find NWN playable?

So yeah, BoA, even though there are only three quality scenarios out there.

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The Great Mister

kommari@gmail.com[/url]
Posts: 972 | Registered: Tuesday, October 28 2003 08:00
Agent
Member # 1993
Profile #15
:cool: Four, as my humble opinion. Which is the one you don't like?

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Slartucker: * facepalm facepalm facepalm *
Dikiyoba: Are you unconscious yet?
Posts: 1420 | Registered: Wednesday, October 2 2002 07:00
Warrior
Member # 380
Profile Homepage #16
BOA is better... 'Course I'm biased 'cause NWN never worked on my computer even after I contacted tech support and download several friggin patches!!! *screams!!* *calms* Anyway, yes. BOA is better in a lot of aspects actually. I find tech help for BOA easier, the people on the forums are nicer, and the construction set is easier to use than NWN.... and Morrowind.... and Game Builder... and that one from Ambrosia.... and so forth....

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When the portal to Upper Avernum starts to blow, first dump a bucket of water on it. Then run like hell.

We're all heroes! Hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice! Wait.... wrong game.
Posts: 154 | Registered: Wednesday, December 12 2001 08:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3608
Profile Homepage #17
Now, let's see..

RoR is playable, so are ASR and BS. The rest are far worse.

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The Great Mister

kommari@gmail.com[/url]
Posts: 972 | Registered: Tuesday, October 28 2003 08:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 4154
Profile #18
quote:
Originally written by Tristrana:

Good God, some of you actually find NWN playable?
What's unplayable about NWN? Are you referring to the high requirements for one's computer or are you saying it stinks?

I've only recently been able to play it now that I got my (AWESOME) new computer. *wide grin*

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You're a moron if you think I'm not.
Posts: 213 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 4533
Profile #19
The minimum system reqs aren't that high, my old machine ran it no problems. I think comparing NwN to BoA is kinda like comparing a boat to a plane, they're both pretty different games with different styles of play. Now comparing BoA to something like Dungeon Odyssey is more on the level in my opinion.
Posts: 37 | Registered: Sunday, June 13 2004 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 3608
Profile Homepage #20
Eldiran, I'm saying that it stinks. Mainly because of being retarded when it comes to combat, and lack of sense.

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The Great Mister

kommari@gmail.com[/url]
Posts: 972 | Registered: Tuesday, October 28 2003 08:00
Apprentice
Member # 4534
Profile #21
I really liked the NWN story, but the engine just didn't cut it for me. It ran extremely slow on my computer, and all those images of excellent realism from the trailer just didn't happen. And I KNOW it's not because my computer is crappy, because I have other games that have higher system requirements than NWN, and they run smooth as silk. NWN could have been made better.

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"Though I have shown you the path, you must be the one to walk it. I cannot walk it for you." -Cosmar
Posts: 11 | Registered: Sunday, June 13 2004 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 4592
Profile #22
Hey there. I'll have to go with BoA as well. NWN didn't give me any trouble as far as running it in my computer, but I agree with the comment that it is a bit like Diablo. Granted it has more of a storyline than Diablo but. . . I hate the fact that a game like NWN that has such a huge group of companies backing it up didn't give me more. Maybe it was the whole multiplayer angle that made the designers go with a solo character game. But I think it's a little more than that. There is what for me is an annoying trend in CRPGs nowadays where most of them are single character. I like to have a party that I can play with and see it evolve throughout the campaign or series of adventures. With BoA you can do that.
I have not tackled the editors of neither of the games. I'm now starting to try my hand with BoA and it is daunting to say the least.
On the other hand, I've played some very good modules on NWN. The ones on BoA so far have been entertaining, but the editor is young so we'll have to see what the future will bring us.

Sliding a bit from the topic of this forum, I wonder if you could tell me what the best game editor out there is in your opinion?

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quote:

"I suffer from spiritual malaise," said Cugel meaningfully. "which manifest itself in outburst of vicious rage. I implore you to depart, lest, in an uncontrollable spasm, I cut you in three pieces with my sword, or worse, I invoke magic."
Random Jack Vance Quote Manual Generator Apparatus (Cugel's Saga)
Posts: 604 | Registered: Sunday, June 20 2004 07:00
By Committee
Member # 4233
Profile #23
Apples and oranges (the graphics, for one, as well as the fact that NWN is multiplay-able), but I would have to say NWN. I like pretty graphics. I like watching my characters actually attack. I like the sound effects during realtime combat. I love the D&D system, spell memorization and all.

I didn't like the level limit (although my monk was well-nigh invincible by level 20). I did find that the game became a bit repetitive in nature (though this may be the result of me consulting a walkthrough), but so does BoA. Though the music was not the best, you can just as easily turn it off and listen to your own music as well. And though you were limited to one NPC (and some summoned creatures) in NWN, I invite y'all to consider that this was the first game created with this engine. The same engine (including the D20 system) was implemented astonishingly well, in my opinion, in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

(Also, someone wrote a NWN module duplicating the old Pool of Radiance gold box game, which RULED! :) )

[ Wednesday, June 23, 2004 12:26: Message edited by: Andrew Miller ]
Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00
Warrior
Member # 2902
Profile #24
BoA, because I always prefer turn based RPGs over real time stuff.

rgds
Abraxx

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* Knowledge is Might *
Posts: 130 | Registered: Monday, April 21 2003 07:00

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