Lazarus Magni wrote...
The questions are, should the game manual that comes with the game be modified to reflect the current state of affairs?
If modifying the manual is not possible (which it likely isn't) should the distributor (gog.com, and anywhere else you can get it), include some information with the purchase regarding the current state of affairs, and what possible workarounds there are (xfire), or will be (a community driven one)?
The issue is new players will have no clue about this, unless there is information provided with their purchase informing them. At the very least, in terms of this site, there should be a stickey here, and in the PW forums (if not all the NWN 1 and 2 forums) informing customers what the current state of things is, and what alternative solutions are out there.
Updating the manual is very unlikely.
I worked in a company on a QA Team - the company manufactured Security Camera systems, and they had QA Teams that were responsible for proof reading manuals, localization of the manuals, and ensuring the validity and legality of the content.
No one would do that for free.
Short answer is -
It would cost bioware money to update the manual.
Even if we think it is a single paragraph - its an afternoon or two for X amount of people, who are charging YYY per hour for their time.
The best we would get, would be GOG including a text file with the installation to state that online capabilities are now limited.
But even then - they may or may not be allowed to put that in.
No doubt they have contractual arrangements with Bioware/Atari that says what they can and cannot put in the installer package.
Before GOG could change the installer, they would need bioware to vet it first.
(Same reason why game companies cant release updates instantly to PS3 Games - Sony needs to check them)
And then this brings us back to issue 1 - Cost.
If GOG needs Biowares Permission to include a new object / artefact in the bundle - it would likely need to be covered by a contract.
These companies arent best buddies - they dont simply send an e-mail across to eachother and say
'Hey, can I include this in the installer?'
'Yeah.. go right ahead'
The proposed changes need to be proposed, vetted, signed off, tested, etc.
Which costs money - cause it costs time.
Unless GOG has an arrangement that allows them to add anything they want - which I doubt.
I would even suspect that a change to the GOG NWN Page would require biowares input.
(Imagine facebook going onto your facebook profile, and updating it without your consent - Same sort of thing with GOG - Just because GOG host/sell the product, doesnt mean they can change how its described or advertised without the OK Nod from Bioware)
All in all - I think the best we can hope for as far as GOG goes - is maybe a notice on the NWN Page - before people buy it, alerting them to Multiplayer capabilities are limited/require a patch.
But as mentioned - even then, they may have their hands tied through contractual obligations.
