Author Topic: Updating the NWN GOG page  (Read 1095 times)

Legacy_KlatchainCoffee

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« on: April 06, 2016, 12:28:59 am »


               

This is something that, in my opinion, has been long overdue, as both the pictures and the text presented for this game at almost the only place you can buy it now leave much to be desired (I've had 'is that minecraft?' comments... ):


 


https://www.gog.com/...diamond_edition


 


 


It has been my plan for some time to change this through simple, but thought-through means: provide GOG with a better, more informative text for the game description and with a handful of better screenies from within the game  - mainly showcasing good custom content and the updated look NWN can have (new tilesets, CEP and Q content), as well as showing something of the Aurora Toolset and DM client interface. Perhaps even have a couple of images showing old vs new content updates via overrides etc (certain creatures, heads and 'fists of doom' come to mind).


 


While hope to produce sufficient amount of material myself, I would very much welcome feedback and contributions to this endeavor. My only caution is, to play it safe, if you will submit any pictures with custom content, please try to make sure these contain only original stuff and not assets borrowed from other games, as nice as these may look. I would like to give my best shot in getting this published - which would make perfect sense as making the game more attractive should increase sales for GOG - so I would like to side-step any potential hurdles from the start.


 


My prime aim with all this is to get new blood - both player and builder/developer in the community, to make people more easily aware of NWN capabilities and to help potential builders, role-players and storytellers out there a (still unparalleled) tool that will help them embody and share their dreams.


 


 


1. The game description.


 


This is what we have at the moment (in bold is the bit that appears first, with 'read more' button under it for the rest of the text):


 


About: Experience one of the most popular role-playing adventures of our time, a journey that has thrilled millions. Inhabit dreamlike worlds of myth and mystery. Boundless lands of deadly creatures, foreboding omens and bold heroism.

This game puts you at the center of an epic tale of faith, war and betrayal, all the while staying true to the pen-and-paper role-playing tradition.


Neverwinter Nights - A world without limits!


Multiplayer notice: In order to access the multiplayer you must first enter your unique cd-key. For details please follow this link.


The Diamond Edition includes the original Neverwinter Nights and three official expansion packs: Shadows of Undrentide, Hordes of the Underdark and Kingmaker.


A fast-paced RPG with an intuitive interface, suitable for new players and RPG veterans alike.


A classic RPG experience that will keep you entertained for over one hundred hours!


USER REVIEWS

 


 


 


 


My rough draft of the new text  (I know it needs editing and streamlining, but it's a start):


 


The original campaign puts you at the center of an epic tale of faith, war and betrayal, all the while staying true to the pen-and-paper role-playing tradition, while the multitude of player-built worlds and stories will give you endless hours of immersive adventuring through stunning new custom-designed environments.


The skillful balance of story and action found in Neverwinter Nights and its expansions comprises only the tip of the iceberg of adventure and world-building tools that this game has to offer. The user-friendly and versatile Aurora Toolset allows you to build playable stories of your own, from simple quests to intricate modules that rival the original games in their complexity. The DM Client makes it possible to run dynamic adventure and role-playing sessions for your friends, with unscripted outcomes, limited only by the Dungeon Master’s imagination.



Over the years NWN has provided fertile ground for talented modders, scripters and storytellers, which resulted with  generated a wealth of custom content, including new and updated graphics, various gameplay tweaks and systems, many new adventure modules and general community support for would-be builders and players. Entire Persistent Worlds based in a variety of settings, including the Forgotten Realms, are out there waiting to be explored.



General Information for players and world-builders: http://www.neverwinternights.info/



General community support: http://forum.bioware...rwinter-nights/



The vast custom content depository: http://http://neverwintervault.org/


Multiplayer notice: In order to access the multiplayer you must first enter your unique cd-key. For details please follow this link. (https://www.gog.com/..._nights_diamond )



The Diamond Edition includes the original Neverwinter Nights and three official expansion packs: Shadows of Undrentide, Hordes of the Underdark and Kingmaker. Player-made custom content is freely available at the neverwintervault.org.

 


 


 


--------------------------------------------------------


 


Feedback on the above is very welcome. The first couple of paragraphs are paramount, as that's what people will first read to find out about the game. The text that comes under 'read more' can probably be a bit longer (might be worth seeing what other games have there length-wise).


 


 


2. New pictures for the slide-show.


 


Other than showcasing various original Custom Content (I'll probably design a special 'Added Custom Content' badge to slap on top of the 'slides' to avoid any 'why isn't this in the game I bought?' confusion), this might also be an opportunity to showcase a number of PWs and the best of the SP mods out there.


 


Here are a couple of compilations I've made earlier with images that I had to hand - NOTE: the images below should have the same parameters as the images in the GOG website slideshow:


 


GOG_Image_HE_01.jpg


 


 


GOG_Image_1.jpg


 


 


 


If you would like to contribute a ready 'slide' or just a bunch of pictures which I could then use for a compilation - please PM me and we'll take it from there.


 


3. It would be even more fantastic if we made a couple of videos to offer to go with all this... but one step at a time, perhaps. '<img'>


 


Thank you!


 



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Proleric

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2016, 07:38:56 am »


               

Good idea. Also worth underlining the sheer scale and quality of custom adventures (a clearer word than "module" IMO) and other fan-made content.


 


Whatever we say needs to be honest, obviously. My gut feeling is that NWN custom content is way more than any other game, but then I think of Minecraft and hestitate. Maybe "far more custom content than any other RPG"? Hundreds of hours of award-winning fan-made gameplay? Something like that.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Gruftlord

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2016, 10:14:30 am »


               I'm not sure i'd press for a picture update including custom content. While it's nice to add text that mentions that the game offers access to community content and where to find it, i see a difference in promoting the game with pictures that do not resemble the game as bought.


If you want to let people know what a modded NWN looks like, i suggest writing an extensive gog review that shows such. I'd upvote that.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_KlatchainCoffee

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2016, 12:27:53 pm »


               


I'm not sure i'd press for a picture update including custom content. While it's nice to add text that mentions that the game offers access to community content and where to find it, i see a difference in promoting the game with pictures that do not resemble the game as bought.


If you want to let people know what a modded NWN looks like, i suggest writing an extensive gog review that shows such. I'd upvote that.




 


I'm pretty sure I DO want to press for including CC-pictures in that slide show, because even just a couple of those will do more to attract people than 100 most informative and gushing reviews (there are already plenty of 5* reviews there).


 


BUT you also make a valid point of these pictures not showing the game -as bought- may simply lead to them not getting published as 'misleading' or whatnot. I still think it can be made to work though by:


 


1. Creating a bunch of better screenies  with vanilla content  (TNO tileset, ridable horses, certain better creature models etc). Even original content can be presented better than what they currently have.  Presentation of the DM Client and the Toolset could fall under this category too and would come top of the list for any video presentations.


 


2. Labelling CC-pictures clearly as such - with text in the picture, possibly even the nwnvault address. Perhaps make a special emphasis on CEP  (unfortunately, 'Community Expansion Project' sounds more 'official' and understandible to someone new in this respect, though I'd strive to include a clearly-labbelled Q presentation too, simply for how awesome it looks).


 


3. Showing vanilla and custom content side by side in one picture, again clearly labelled.


 


The aim of this exercise is to inform people of what they are gaining access to by buying this game and no amount of nice reviews through which you have to dig would rival the immediate 'wow this looks cool!' effect.


 


Anyway, I welcome all criticism, because it will help me refine what I'm doing and give it a better chance. So thanks for all the feedback so far! '<img'>



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Gruftlord

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2016, 12:54:43 pm »


               Sounds good like that.
               
               

               
            

Legacy_Grani

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2016, 02:15:09 pm »


               

I'm not sure about comparing vanilla content and CC ona single screenshot. That reminds me of all these "before/after" diet supplement ads.


 


I do think, however, that it's a very good idea to label CC as such. I don't think GOG would object this much. Heck, they even include fan-made patches in some of their releases. They're far from saying no to anything that's been created by third party creators.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Zwerkules

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2016, 03:21:32 pm »


               

Maybe it would be better to replace the screenshots that use NWN 2 models by ones that don't.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_rogueknight333

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2016, 07:57:48 pm »


               

Definitely a good idea if GOG is receptive to making such a change. I have long been a bit annoyed that the official description of NWN on the GOG site proclaims NWN one of the most popular RPGs of all time while saying nothing about why it is so popular: the masses of modules, PWs, and other community-created content.


 


One thing that might be worth remarking on in an updated description is something that I remember being mentioned in the advertising for NWN when it first came out: the toolset it includes is the same one used by Bioware itself to make the official campaigns. This calls attention to what is perhaps most unique about NWN: it provides a toolset that allows one to make games of professional quality, while still being relatively easy to use for someone who is a complete amateur.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Asymmetric

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2016, 09:33:01 pm »


               

Yes, that's a very good idea. The GOG page is in dire need of an update. I'm not much of a writer, but the updated text look good to me and I'm all for including pictures of custom content. But I think they should be marked as such, as I wouldn't want to risk giving new players a false impression. Other than that I see no problem with showing custom content.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_AndrueD

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2016, 05:47:38 pm »


               


Yes, that's a very good idea. The GOG page is in dire need of an update. I'm not much of a writer, but the updated text look good to me and I'm all for including pictures of custom content. But I think they should be marked as such, as I wouldn't want to risk giving new players a false impression. Other than that I see no problem with showing custom content.




Same for me here too. I am thinking to be very careful with showing CC cuz lots of GoG user still use the crap v1.68 that come with install and might wonder why the game they buy and start playing donna show any of the CC stuff when it load.  Some first time NWN players donna even know what CC is.  Better text to explain game is important I am thinking.


               
               

               
            

Legacy_Zarathustra217

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Updating the NWN GOG page
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2016, 09:51:58 pm »


               

Already linked this to Klatchain, but figure others might be interested in this topic I made five years ago: http://forum.bioware...nwn-and-gogcom/


 


Unfortunately, all I ever received was a standard reply about having forwarded it to the web managers for review, but even if it led to nothing, perhaps some of it can be reused?