Neverwinter Nights Community Site (official)

What is Neverwinter Nights?
Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is a computer game set in a huge medieval fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. This role-playing game (RPG) puts you at the center of an epic tale of faith, war, and betrayal.

As a player, you are able to choose what skills and abilities you will develop as you voyage though the complex and dangerous fantasy world of Forgotten Realms. Be a deadly and dangerous Rogue moving through the shadows using stealth and secrecy, be a scholarly Wizard and wield powerful magic against your enemies, be a hulking Barbarian whose lust for battle is matched only by his terrible rage, be an armor-clad Paladin who protects the innocent and vanquishes his foes, be a crusading Cleric who heals the sick and defends the helpless… be all this and more.

Neverwinter Nights allows you to create your own worlds. This revolutionary game will come with all the tools needed to construct your own unique lands of adventure. The Neverwinter Nights Aurora Toolset allows even novice users to construct everything from a quiet, misty forest or a dripping cavern of foul evil, to a king’s court. All the monsters, items, set pieces and settings are there for world builders to use. But do not stop there; construct traps, encounters, custom monsters and magic items to make your adventure unique.

But the Neverwinter experience is not just for one person- adventure with all your friends. Neverwinter Nights can be played online with up to 64 friends, all sharing in the adventure. You can organize and run your own adventures through the role of the Dungeon Master and control all the monsters, creatures and characters your friends meet as they journey on their quest. A powerful piece of software that is included with Neverwinter Nights, the DM Client, allows nearly unlimited control for running your own adventures for your friends.

Neverwinter Nights…endless adventure!

Windows
The current Windows system requirements for Neverwinter Nights are as follows:

Macintosh
The current Macintosh system requirements for Neverwinter Nights are as follows:

Neverwinter Nights FAQ
This document is broken-up into the following sections:

General
An overview of Neverwinter Nights - what type of game it is, when will it be released, and Beta test information.

What is Neverwinter Nights?
Neverwinter Nights is a new Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) role-playing game from BioWare, developers of the wacky 3D action title, MDK2, and the wildly popular Baldur's Gate role-playing series. Throughout their history of hit titles, BioWare has become well-known for their eye for detail and their commitment to rich and evocative storytelling in their games. Neverwinter Nights raises the bar even higher, with the official campaign drawing its players into an epic and unforgettable tale of faith, war, and betrayal along the windswept Sea of Swords.

What genre is Neverwinter Nights?
Neverwinter Nights and Dungeons & Dragons are considered fantasy role-playing games. You won't see much in the way of aliens or laser guns, but you will encounter fearsome monsters, awe-inspiring magic, and noble-hearted knights-at-arms. As a whole, fantasy literature tends to be very epic in nature - the fate of entire kingdoms, even worlds, hangs in balance and the heroes must navigate the narrow and treacherous path between good and evil, between ultimate victory and ultimate destruction. The writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, especially The Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, are generally credited with launching the fantasy genre and still serve as a good introduction to the look and feel of Neverwinter Nights and many other fantasy role-playing games today.

Gameplay Questions
The mechanics of actually playing the game such as the interface, rules system, plot, setting and what to expect within the game.

How do I play Neverwinter Nights? Is it single-player or multiplayer?
There are many different ways to enjoy Neverwinter Nights and we encourage you to try them all. In its simplest form, you can play Neverwinter Nights right out of the box as a Single-Player Game in the Official Campaign. In true BioWare tradition, the Official Campaign, which represents more than 60 hours of game play, is rich and epic, full of complex characters and surprise plot twists that will keep you glued to your screen until the wee morning hours. The Official Campaign is not limited to a single player. You can have your friends join your adventure at any time and the game will adjust for the larger number.

For all the strength of our single-player game, the world of Neverwinter Nights shines as a deeply engaging Multiplayer Game. We are developing competitive modules, from simple arena matches to treasure races to team-based castle stormings. BioWare will be developing additional modules and material for the Neverwinter Nights Community Site for release after the game ships. More importantly, each and every module in the Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign is written and structured to encourage the cooperative, party-based game play that makes pen-and-paper D&D so rewarding. But remember: just because you've finished our story doesn't mean the game is over.

You can always continue your adventures by downloading exciting new Player-Designed Modules from fan and guild sites and our very own Neverwinter Nights Community Site. Whether you prefer single- or multiplayer games, Neverwinter Nights represents a near-infinite amount of solid, D&D gaming.

Should you ever tire of these more traditional playing styles, there are still many fascinating new ways to enjoy our game: take on the role and responsibility of Dungeon Master and shape the gaming experience of your players on a fundamental level. Bring forth words of wisdom from a dragon's mouth, create entire new quests on the fly, or simply throw an orc tribe in the party's way to buy yourself some time.

Best of all, create your own worlds, tales, and adventures with our user-friendly Aurora Neverwinter Toolset and either host them yourself, make them available for download over the Internet, or establish them as part of a larger, persistent world where people can experience your handiwork around the clock.

How will playing Neverwinter Nights in single-player mode differ from playing in multiplayer mode?
The single-player mode of the Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign consists of the same game as the multiplayer version. There are a number of automated features to help balance the game, including the dynamic scaling of combat encounters according the size and relative strength of your party. Solo players will also find it easy to acquire companions whether a henchman, familiar or animal companion. While computer-controlled, these henchmen will still be responsive to a variety of commands issued by the player. This applies to the original Neverwinter Nights campaign and not the expansion packs Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark.

Role-playing games are very rules-based. What rules will you be using for Neverwinter Nights?
Neverwinter Nights will be using the new 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons ruleset developed by Wizards of the Coast. The initial release of Neverwinter Nights will be based on the rules from the core rule books (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual) and will not include prestige classes, feats or additional material in supplemental source books (i.e. Song and Silence). A popular and long-standing pen-and-paper role-playing game in its own right, Dungeons & Dragons also has an extensive pedigree on the computer. It made its first appearance in the 'gold box' titles of the 1980s and now lies at the heart of some of the most popular and critically acclaimed computer role-playing games of the past few years: Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Planescape: Torment, and Icewind Dale. Building on that success, the new 3rd Edition rules provide a much greater degree of flexibility in creating and developing your character, increase the level of player interaction with the gameworld, and enhance the overall playability and enjoyment of the game. The changes to the pen-and-paper game have been very well received and we're very excited to be bringing the 3rd Edition to a hard drive near you.

What kind of setting will you using in the game?
The Official Campaign for Neverwinter Nights takes place in the Forgotten Realms, Dungeons & Dragons' most popular campaign setting. It is the same setting used for both Icewind Dale and the Baldur's Gate series. It is based very loosely on Europe in the Middle Ages, with a fair number of large and cosmopolitan cities scattered throughout the Realms, some as capitols of larger kingdoms but many as independent city-states forging their own destiny. It is still early in 'The Year of Wild Magic,' 1372 by Dalereckoning, and signs of great portent are already being seen throughout the Realms.

In what area of the Forgotten Realms will Neverwinter Nights take place?
The official Neverwinter Nights campaign takes place in the north regions of the Forgotten Realms, along the windswept and rocky coastline of the Sea of Swords. The territory covered by the campaign ranges from the fair city of Neverwinter along the southern edge to historic Luskan along the north. The cities of Baldur's Gate and Athkatla lie far to the south and, in order to reach the fabled towns of Icewind Dale, one must still pass through a treacherous mountain range known as The Spine of the World. But that's just our campaign - the areas you can create using our tilesets have no real bounds. They will include everything necessary to create the area surrounding Neverwinter, including urban centers, forest and grassland terrain, numerous types of dungeons, good and evil castles, rural hamlets, and vast subterranean caverns. We hope to make further tilesets available following our initial release.

Will there be magic?
Absolutely. No fantasy roleplaying game would be complete without powerful magic. Our current plans are to implement approximately 200 spells, taken straight from the pages of the new 3rd Edition Player's Handbook. Also, many of the items you find over the course of your adventures or create within the toolset will have magical effects and abilities.

Will there be monsters in Neverwinter Nights?
Of course and they're a fearsome lot if ever there was one. We are expecting to include roughly 200 monsters in Neverwinter Nights. A wide variety of changes to the statistics, abilities, textures, sounds, and AI of the creatures will make up the difference and players will be able to construct even more such variants within the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset. Our bestiary ranges from the lowly orc to the mighty lich and, following our initial release, we hope to add further base models and variations by way of expansions.

What about dragons?
We are using the new 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rule set. As such, there will be dungeons and there will certainly be dragons. We intend to make them among the most impressive creatures to ever grace your monitor.

Do I need a Dungeon Master in order to play Neverwinter Nights?
Not at all. The Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign will be fully functional with or without a Dungeon Master. We cannot promise anything with regards to player-created modules but we intend to build the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset in such a way that encourages modules suitable for both forms of play.

Is the game in 2D or 3D? What is the game's viewing perspective?
Neverwinter Nights is a 3D game that takes advantage of the latest in graphics and rendering technology. The game is presented to the player from a 3rd person, 3/4-down, isometric view, similar to that used in the Baldur's Gate series. Now, however, you have the added ability to rotate the camera around your character and zoom in and out. Current testing suggests that you will be able to zoom out until your character is 1/15th as tall as the screen, and zoom in until your character is 1/3rd as tall as the screen.

How tactical of a game is Neverwinter Nights going to be?
That really depends on the modules you choose to play. Some people may use the toolset to create modules where the game play is based around intrigue and manipulation, and combat is the exception rather than the norm. Others might create modules with more of a real-time strategy flair to them while still others will design dungeon crawls and gladiatorial arenas where brute force is all that's required. As for the Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign, you'll be faced with a lot of the same tactical choices you would be faced with in a typical pen-and-paper session and these become increasingly apparent as you and your fellow players learn to work together as a party. Bards will need to inspire their companions in battle and fighters will need to place themselves in the way of harm to protect the vulnerable wizard. Clerics must show wisdom in who they heal and when and rogues must be willing to act as scouts, assessing the foe and recommending a means of approach. The Neverwinter Nights combat system is structured to bring the cooperation and camaraderie of the pen-and-paper Dungeons & Dragons experience to your computer. A solid, tactical approach won't be necessary to win every battle but it will always come in handy.

Will Neverwinter Nights use a real-time or a turn-based system?
Neverwinter Nights is a real-time game with a strong tactical focus. The Dungeon Master will have the power to pause the game at any time. When paused in the game as a player you will not have the ability to assign actions to your character. Overall, the game is being designed and balanced with non-pausing, real-time game play in mind.

How will Neverwinter Nights' real-time combat system work?
While Neverwinter Nights takes place in a real-time environment, we have been very careful to keep our combat system from becoming a 'click-fest' where the player with the lowest ping and fastest reflexes wins. Instead, we are opting for a multi-layered approach to combat. The base layer consists of a 'single-click' combat system: Your character will repeat basic attack actions until either your target is slain or you have assigned other actions to your character. The second layer consists of a 'queued' combat system: You can select special combat actions for your character, such as disarming your opponent or using your monk's 'flurry of blows' ability, and these are entered into your combat queue to be performed in the coming round. These actions do not repeat and, once you have finished performing them, you will revert back to your base layer action. The result is a very lag-tolerant system that keeps the player actively engaged in what's going on while not penalizing those with high-latency Internet connections.

What will the combat animation in Neverwinter Nights look like?
We are currently working on a very detailed and realistic combat animation system for Neverwinter Nights. Reflexive combat actions, such as dodges, thrusts, and parries, will be visually represented in the game, with combatants interacting in a dynamic and believable fashion that remains true to the 3rd Edition D&D combat rules. Don't expect to just sit back and watch it play out, though. Dungeons & Dragons is a game of both action and tactics - even the greatest fighter must decide when it is best to disarm his opponent, knock them down, or make a tactical retreat.

How will I communicate with non-player characters in Neverwinter Nights?
In the official campaign, you will be communicating with non-player characters (NPCs) through a system of pre-defined responses (similar to the system used in the Baldur's Gate series). This allows us to weave a tighter, more gripping story for your enjoyment. We acknowledge, however, the power and flexibility of a keyword-based text parsing system, especially in a multiplayer environment. While we have opted for the former system in the official campaign, both are supported in the engine and toolset, so you can customize the way players interact with your world to suit your needs.

What is the quickbar?
The quickbar is a series of twelve slots that we have placed along the bottom of the screen. A rogue might fill them with a series of trap kits and magic arrows for his bow, while a wizard might fill them with favorite spells and a fighter might fill them with potions and the new Disarm ability she just acquired through a heroic feat. In basic terms, these twelve quickslots are an easy way to keep your favorite abilities, actions, and items close at hand and ready for use at a moment's notice.

Can I customize the hotkeys and controls?
Yes. Beyond the customisability made available through the quickbar, we will be providing our players with a wide range of configurable options. We are designing our control system to be as customisable and as streamlined as possible.

When you cast a spell such as magic missile or melf's acid arrow, do you have to aim it?
In Dungeons & Dragons, some spells such as melf's acid arrow require you to make a successful attack roll in order for them to take effect. Others, such as magic missile, will never miss their target (though your opponent may still shrug off or negate the spell's magical effects). Both of these official rulings are supported in Neverwinter Nights but are hidden behind the scenes. In each case, you simply select the spell and click on the creature - the computer handles any remaining calculations.

Will Neverwinter Nights have support for the hearing impaired?
In Neverwinter Nights, text will always be associated with any instance of pre-recorded voice (NPC dialog, the hotkey voice system, etc).

What is the official word on climbing, swimming, and horse riding? Will these be added into Neverwinter Nights?
Unfortunately, there are some elements of the Dungeons & Dragons rules that we do not have the necessary development time to support in our initial release. Currently, we have no plans to support climbing, swimming, and riding as actions within the gameworld. We may choose to include them in a future expansion and will reassess their feasibility at that time.

Player Character Information
What you need to know as a character within the single player game (the Official Campaign), features you will need to be aware of with regards to running your character during the game.

Can I import my character from the Baldur's Gate series?
Initially we had hoped to transfer Baldur's Gate characters over to the Neverwinter Nights game but after working with the completely different rules, engine, graphics and character attributes, we could not see any purpose to stripping an old character of all items (as Neverwinter Nights starts the player at first level), all experience, all additional level bonuses and leaving them with just their name. We decided against the ability to transfer characters.

Will I be controlling an individual character or an entire party?
You will only be controlling a single character: your own. In certain circumstances, such as a mage's use of a familiar, it will be possible to transfer control from one creature to another. We will also provide you with partial control over henchmen and summoned creatures. The henchmen will be independent thinking creatures that will take commands but are not available for absolute control as was possible in the Baldur's Gate series. Within the context of a given module, it may be possible for a player to acquire different types of non-player followers and freelancers but they will always remain under the primary control of the computer â€¦ or a Dungeon Master with a trick up his or her sleeve. ;-)

Will I be limited to adventuring with the rest of my party or can I go exploring by myself?
By default, individual players will be able to explore the world freely and independently. We feel that this freedom is very important in a multiplayer RPG and will be designing the official campaign with this in mind. If you wish, however, it will be possible to designate an area transition as 'party-required' within the toolset. This will require the entire party to assemble near the transition and cross it together.

Can I play evil characters?
Yes. When creating your characters, you can choose from any of the nine traditional D&D alignments. We leave the choices between law and chaos, good and evil, in your hands.

How many different races and classes can I play?
In full accordance with the 3rd Edition D&D rules listed in the Players Handbook, Neverwinter Nights allows you to play any combination of 7 races and 11 classes. Aside from the traditional Humans, Elves, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings, you can also play the powerful new Half-Orc. Wizards, Priests, Paladins, Druids, Rangers, Fighters, Rogues, and Bards abound but are they any match for the new Sorcerer, Barbarian, and Monk classes? We'll leave you to find out. There will be no Prestige classes in the shipped version of NWN.

Characters cannot exceed 20th level in NWN. A character can be a combination of up to three classes but all must total no more than 20 levels total. For example a player can be a 20th level Barbarian, or 19th Level Barbarian and 1st level Rogue, or 16th Level Barbarian, 1st level Rogue and 3rd Level Ranger. All total just 20 levels. Don't worry, you will be mighty indeed at 20th levels!

Will I be able to play as my favorite race?
Neverwinter Nights will be allowing incredible flexibility during the character creation process that will allow the players to uniquely define their Player Character. For example, if you wanted to play as one of the denizens of the Underdark (in this case a Drow) you could select an Elf model and customize the character with the appropriate features (ebony skin and white hair). Then in the optional subrace field you may identify the character as a Drow. However, this kind of implementation is aesthetic only, as the player will not gain the special abilities of a Drow Elf.

What method will be used to determine my character's core statistics?
The official method of ability score generation in Neverwinter Nights will be the 'Standard Point Buy' system outlined in the 3rd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide. In this system, you use a defined amount of points to purchase your ability scores, with the price increasing significantly towards the higher ranges. This results in a fair and balanced play environment, something that we consider very important for a multiplayer game of this nature. However, there may still be some cases, such as solo play, a homegrown campaign, or a fan-created persistent world, where alternative methods of generating ability scores might be desired. While doing so jeopardizes the official standing of the altered character and may limit some of that character's portability to other servers, the option will still be there for those who want to make use of it.

The number we are currently testing with is 30 points based on a system of starting each characteristic with a base of 8 - this is still being tested for suitability for playing the game and may change. 'Buying' your characteristic higher on a one to one basis from 8-14. For example, I want to raise my initial Strength score from 8 to 13 I spend 5 points from my pool of 30. To raise a score from 14 to 15, however takes two points; and a further two points to raise that same score from 15 to 16. Lastly, to raise your 16 to 17 requires 3 points; and to go from 17 to 18 requires another 3 points. 18 is the maximum a character can raise their scores (plus any racial modifiers they might have - e.g. Elves get +2 Dexterity and thus could have raised their initial Dexterity from 8 to 18 using 16 points and simply add the +2 due to this racial modifier.)

To what degree can I customize my characters?
From a rules perspective, you will be able to create any type of character you want from those available in the new 3rd edition D&D ruleset. This includes 7 races, 11 classes, and a wide variety of skills and heroic feats with which to further customize the statistics and abilities of your character. On a visual level, your choice of race will have a big impact on the look of your character. From there, you will be able to choose a body type, a suitable head for your character, and the colors of your skin and hair. As with Baldur's Gate, you will be able to select character portrait and sound sets from our extensive library. To top it off, within the Aurora Neverwinter Nights Toolset, there are a large number of different parts you can create suits from for a fantastic variety of choices. This will allow for literally billions of unique armor and clothing sets for your character and that's not even including the wide variety of available major and minor cloth, leather, and metal colors. In short, we want the characters in Neverwinter Nights to be as unique and varied as the people that play them.

How many levels can my character gain?
In the initial release of Neverwinter Nights, you will be able to develop your character to 20th level, the highest level supported by 3rd Edition core rulebooks. Unlike many other RPG systems, a 20th level character in D&D is a force to be reckoned with and reaching such a level is quite the achievement. In future expansions, the level cap may be raised even further.

What is the limit for multiclassing?
We will be limiting characters to a maximum of three classes. The primary reason for this is to keep the interface clean, easy to understand, and easy to use. Also, with the way the 3rd Edition rules are structured, characters having more than 3 classes find it increasingly difficult to progress due to experience gain limitations as per the 3rd Edition rules, and keep up with their peers.

Can certain classes (i.e. Wizards, Sorcers, Druids etc.) have familiars or animal friends?
Yes, familiars will be available for those classes that have them in 3rd edition rules. You can let them rummage around in the relative safety of your backpack or let them follow you around under the control of the computer. You will also be able to control them directly but be forewarned: in doing so, you surrender control of your character, who will enter a trance-like state until control of the familiar is surrendered. In other words, familiars are powerful allies and useful scouts but, as with all things magical, one must take care.

Is the format of the posted character portraits final, so that we can start making our own?
Neverwinter Nights supports the following portrait sizes in Targa (.tga) format:

256x400 (on a 256x512 canvas) - Player Character Bio

128x200 (on a 128x256 canvas) - character sheet

64x100 (on a 64x128 canvas) - in-game portrait

32x50 (on a 32x64 canvas) - party members and radial menu

16x25 (on a 16x32 canvas) - chat thumbnail

In order for your image to work in the game, you only need to provide the 128x200 (pasted onto a 128x256 canvas). You don't need to create any of the smaller sizes below 128, as the game can create those automatically.

Can I play as a monster?
As a player client, no. However, as the Dungeon Master of a game, you will be able to possess any creature in that game world, including monsters, wildlife, and any non-player character (NPC). Also, some spells or special abilities, such as the Druid's 'Wild Shape' ability, will allow you to take on the form of a wide variety of fearsome beasts.

Will other players be able to 'know' what class I am right away?
Neverwinter Nights is all about role-playing - what's on your character sheet is between you and the DM and the look of your character is yours to define. If you are a fighter, you can still dress in peasant clothes if you wish or even a wizard's enchanted garments. The look of your character is not determined by his or her class but by the race, body type, and coloration you choose at character creation, and the clothing and equipment you acquire along the way. This will allow players to play any role they wish, such as a paranoid mage who hides within his clumsy armor or a petty rogue who puts on airs of royal birth.

Can my character wield two weapons at the same time?
Yes. In accordance with the 3rd Edition rules, wielding a second weapon adds one extra attack per round and is a skill that must be learned or improved upon by taking certain feats. In order to enhance the excitement of combat, we are also implementing a variety of special combat abilities including the ability to parry attacks, make called shots, and disarm your opponents. Not only do these inclusions better represent the new D&D ruleset, they also make playing a high-level fighter or thief an even more enjoyable and intriguing experience.

Can I carry over items and experience between modules?
Yes. Neverwinter Nights will ship with an epic story in which your character will be able to grow and develop in very real and substantial ways. Or, if you are more interested in playing custom modules and persistent worlds, feel free. In all cases, your character's progression is independently tracked and maintained over the course of his or her adventuring life. Keep in mind that, for story and game play reasons, some Dungeon Masters may choose to disallow certain types of items or direct their modules towards characters of certain levels.

How will I communicate with other players?
Communication with other players will take on a number of forms. A robust chat system is available that will allow you to quickly and easily interact with your party. There is a also a quick chat system for sending preset messages. These are hotkey-activated, allowing for rapid and easy communication in most situations. Another benefit of the quick chat system is that it allows for cross-language communication, meaning that our German and English players can still interact with their French counterparts at the simple press of a button. Real-time voice communication will not be included in the initial release of Neverwinter Nights.

When you cast a spell such as magic missile or Melf's acid arrow, do you have to aim it?
In Dungeons & Dragons, some spells such as Melf's acid arrow require you to make a successful attack roll in order for them to take effect. Others, such as magic missile, will never miss their target (though your opponent may still shrug off or negate the spell's magical effects). Both of these official rulings are supported in Neverwinter Nights but are hidden behind the scenes. In each case, you simply select the spell and click on the creature - the computer handles any remaining calculations.

What happens when my character dies?
In the official Neverwinter Nights campaign, the default method for handling character death will be as follows: at 0 hit points, your character will be rendered unconscious. You will immediately be presented with the option of respawning at an assigned location and accepting a small XP loss. Alternatively, you can continue to observe the combat and wait for a party member to bring you back to consciousness via a potion or healing spell. Monsters and NPC opponents will only attempt to finish you off once they have neutralized your remaining allies. Death will occur at -10 hit points. At that point, you will need more than a simple healing spell to return you to the land of the living. The XP penalty for respawning will likely increase at this point or you can wait for a friend to raise or resurrect you.

For those that want them, there will be server settings offering a few variations on the default death option presented above. More importantly, 'on unconsciousness' and 'on death' events will be included in the scripting language, allowing module creators to develop their own methods for handling character death within the context of their modules. There will be a wide diversity of modules and styles of game play created using our Aurora Neverwinter Toolset and we want to ensure that important game mechanics such as character death can take enough different forms to be suitable for all of them.

Aurora Neverwinter Toolset FAQ
The Toolset allows users to create their own content in the form of modules and environments for use in their own games.

I've heard that the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset will be Windows only. What's the deal?
Our initial goal was to create a cross platform toolset for the gaming community. However, we have encountered difficulty in obtaining a viable cross-platform solution to assist us in porting the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset. As such, BioWare has no plans to create Mac or Linux versions of the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset at this time.

How easy will it be to create my own module, and how powerful will the editors be?
Very easy. Very powerful. We are dedicated to making our Aurora Neverwinter Toolset as intuitive and easy to use as possible. You can draw from our extensive libraries of pre-existing content or feel free to create your own. All buildings, terrain, and dungeon spaces, for instance, can be painted down using intuitive and context-sensitive tile paintbrushes. At the same time, our powerful, in-house scripting language allows you to weave your stories and create characters that behave in an intelligent fashion (this includes engaging in fully customizable conversations and dialog chains that you create). You will even be able to create new creatures and items based on templates provided for your convenience!

Can I translate my favorite Pen and Paper module or homemade campaign into a Neverwinter Nights module?
Yes, we expect the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset to be powerful enough to recreate most home campaigns and classic modules. While you may not be able to faithfully recreate every trap in The Tomb of Horrors and we may not have models for this or that exact monster or terrain type, the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset should be able to create an easily recognizable facsimile of that special tale or imaginary world you've grown to love, whatever it may be. Additionally, we hope to release additional art content once we have shipped the original game thus making more and more things possible over the course of time.

What is a campaign?
Think of a campaign as a novel: a large, epic story that spans numerous single adventures and ties them together into a cohesive and meaningful whole. Neverwinter Nights will ship with the Official Campaign, developed here at BioWare, that includes over 60 hours of gameplay.

What is a chapter?
As with the Baldur's Gate series, the Neverwinter Nights story will be broken down into basic chapters that follow each other in a linear fashion. Within each chapter, however, you will be able to play in a non-linear fashion, picking and choosing which individual quest you want to play and when. Each chapter will conclude with a special climax. When you complete it, you will be allowed to embark on the next chapter of your adventure.

What is a module?
The basic unit of Neverwinter Nights is the module. It contains all of the information required for a game session: areas, creatures, items, dialog, scripts, etc. We hope to include some non-campaign modules that are structured for competitive play in addition to our campaign modules. Modules can be turned to other uses, as well. Creators of a multi-module persistent world, for instance, may choose to treat their modules as geographical regions rather than as an individual adventure.

What is an area?
As in the Baldur's Gate series, we have separated the game map into a series of individual areas. Each module can contain multiple areas and each area can reach a maximum size of 32x32 tiles. This is significantly larger than the areas used for Baldur's Gate and it can take several minutes for your character to walk from one side to the other. Areas do not have to be square, but you are limited to a maximum of 32 tiles per side. You could, for instance, make an area with dimensions of 8x15 tiles.

What is a tile?
The areas in Neverwinter Nights are composed of individual tiles, each one 10x10 meters in size. This tile-based terrain system has a number of significant advantages over the use of arbitrary mesh. From a purely technical standpoint, it significantly decreases load times, minimizes bandwidth usage, and optimizes pathfinding while in-game. From an artistic perspective, any map you create will look good and make sense because the tiles automatically line up and fit together while you work. From an ease-of-use perspective, it allows you to paint down your areas in a matter of minutes, freeing your time for important role-playing elements like story, dialog, and scripting.

What is a tileset?
A tileset is a group of individual tiles that interact with each other and fit together in logical ways. In order to better manage texture memory, the toolset will only allow for a single tileset per area. A basic list of the tilesets is as follows:

Multi-Height Tilesets (includes height transitions, bodies of water, buildings, curtain walls, bridges, docks, impassables, and other set-specific features):


 * Rural


 * City Exterior

Single-Height Tilesets (includes a variety of passable and impassable tiles suitable to its theme):


 * Forest
 * Sewers
 * Mines and Caverns
 * Dungeon
 * Crypt

Interior Tilesets (includes a variety of tile subsets based on different room types, some pre-defined mini-rooms, and corridor connectors to link them all together):
 * Castle Interior
 * City Interior

Is the source material for the official campaign going to be made available to the public?
Yes, it will be possible to load all of the modules from the official campaign into the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset. Not only will you be able to see exactly how we made them, you will also be able to make your own alterations and even export different components for use in your own modules. With Neverwinter Nights, we want to open up our process and make it as transparent as possible to our end users.

Will we be able to add plug-in's to the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset?
We have no current plans to support 3rd party extensions to the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset.

Will I be able to sell custom modules or charge for playing on my server in Neverwinter Nights?
For the most part, the End User License Agreement will prohibit the selling of modules and the charging for server access.

What music file format will Neverwinter Nights support?
Neverwinter Nights uses BMUs for its music files. There are no restrictions on the bitrate of the BMUs that you can use, but keep in mind, the higher the rate, the greater the performance hit your computer will take. There will be no audio editors included with Neverwinter Nights.

Dungeon Master Client
One of the most revolutionary things about Neverwinter Nights is the inclusion of a special piece of software that allows a game player to become the organizer of a Neverwinter Nights module and campaign. This position is called the Dungeon Master (DM) in D&D terms. He or she controls all other aspects of the game except for the other players- the monsters, the encounters, and the other characters in the adventure.

Do I need a Dungeon Master in order to play Neverwinter Nights?
Not at all. The Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign will be fully functional with or without a Dungeon Master. We cannot promise anything with regards to player-created modules but we intend to build the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset in such a way that encourages modules suitable for both forms of play.

Can I DM my friends through a module that I have created?
Yes. We intend to make the module creation process as simple as possible. Feel free to locate your story in Medieval France, the city of Waterdeep within WotC's Forgotten Realms, or a nameless haunted forest. When it's ready, launch it on either a LAN or, better yet, on our dedicated matching service, and let players from around the world enter into the one dominion where you have absolute control.

How difficult is it to DM a Neverwinter Nights game?
Being a Dungeon Master, even in pen-and-paper, is definitely an art rather than a science. Here at BioWare, we definitely feel that the Dungeon Master is a very special person - someone to be catered to. With Neverwinter Nights, we want to allow our DMs to focus on that art of telling stories and drawing people into their world, rather than on trying to navigate a clumsy interface or learn a poorly documented system. For familiarity and ease of use, the Dungeon Master interface is designed as an extension of the player interface. If you know the one, you should be right at home in the other and if you have any questions, we're committed to providing documentation on how to use the DM interface to its fullest either with the documentation that ships with the game or through our Neverwinter Nights Community Site. Along with the class-based player tutorials that mark the start of our official campaign, we're also working on a thorough tutorial for potential DMs, thereby providing a safe environment in which to get a feel for the game, without the pressure of having live players actually in the module.

Is the Dungeon Master there just to dump monsters in the players' path or is there something more to it?
The Dungeon Master role is whatever you make it. If you want to run a simple dungeon hack, you're more than welcome to. However, the tools at your disposal are far more powerful and evocative than simply plopping down monsters and treasure. We give you the ability to interact with your players on a one-to-one basis, to truly be the character they are talking to. Tell a tale of love lost, have a feared orc chieftain sheathe his sword in the midst of battle when he learns that it is his half-orc daughter who opposes him, breath life into everything. We envision the Dungeon Master as a master storyteller, bringing wit and emotion to the gameworld and enriching the role-playing experience of the players. We want to challenge you, as DM, to have a deep emotional impact on your players. Possess the game's characters and fill them with drama. Build mood and atmosphere in everything you do. Your players will love you for it and spread word of your campaigns everywhere they go.

Can there be multiple Dungeon Masters in a single game?
Definitely. The Dungeon Masters will be on equal footing but we may give the initial DM the ability to modify the abilities and permissions of other DMs if he or she sees fit. A good DM team could enact complex scenes between non-player characters, manage intricate multiparty battles, or even go head-to-head in some strange new form of adversarial DM contest.

As a DM, can I alter a character's dialogue while in the game?
Even better! When 'possessing' a non-player character, you can not only control their actions but also speak through them in real-time. Drop a clue for a player in need, respond to an unanticipated question, or heighten the dramatic tension of the moment. The story is literally yours for the telling.

Can the DM make up his own magical items and rewards for dungeons/missions?
Absolutely. The DM will be able to create custom magical items within the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset. You will be free to create a large variety of items ranging from mundane swords to artifacts of great power. Provided you construct these items using the standardized effects provided in our Aurora Neverwinter Toolset, these items will be fully transferable between servers. Any item that is dependent on custom scripting for its powers, however, will only retain those powers in modules that contain the relevant scripts.

Can I log in as a Dungeon Master from a remote (ie: non-server) location?
Certainly. The Dungeon Master does not have to be the host of the game. It is possible, for instance, to establish your work computer with a nifty T1 connection as a weekend Neverwinter Nights server. The DM role is always password-protected so you can be sure that it's ready and waiting for you to jump in and manage once you get home.

Multiplayer Neverwinter Nights
Anytime a player wishes to play Neverwinter Nights on more than one computer is called multiplayer. The other computer, or computers, can be directly connected to each other (a LAN connection) or through the Internet. This section addresses how Neverwinter Nights is planning to facilitate players and DMs connecting with each other.

Will I have to pay a monthly fee to play Neverwinter Nights?
No. As with the Baldur's Gate series, we will not be charging a monthly fee to play the retail version of Neverwinter Nights online.

How will playing Neverwinter Nights in single-player mode differ from playing in multiplayer mode?
The single-player mode of the Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign consists of the same game as the multiplayer version. There are a number of automated features to help balance the game, including the dynamic scaling of combat encounters according the size and relative strength of your party. Solo players will also find it easy to acquire companions whether a henchman, familiar or animal companion. While computer-controlled, these henchmen will still be responsive to a variety of commands issued by the player. This applies to the original Neverwinter Nights campaign and not the expansion packs Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark.

How will Neverwinter Nights differ from other online games?
The approach taken with Neverwinter Nights is to mirror the pen-and-paper model of role-playing. We want to get a group of friends together, give them a great story to play through, and have a Dungeon Master to moderate the game play. We are taking advantage of the great party-based adventuring experiences that are made possible by massively multiplayer games and placing that in the context of a gripping and immersive story line in which the players can be full and important participants. We are blending the best of single-player and massively multiplayer games, as well as the classic experience of pen-and-paper role-playing, to create the best of all possible worlds. Neverwinter Nights is all the beauty of D&D 3rd Edition, brought online.

Are there plans for a persistent world to be run by BioWare?
While we are interested in the potential of persistent worlds, we've chosen to take Neverwinter Nights in a different direction. BioWare currently has no official plans to develop a persistent world. That said, many members of our fan community have expressed a serious interest in developing their own persistent worlds, using the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset. Such worlds are definitely possible and we are looking forward to seeing what our fans come up with.

Is player killing allowed?
The host will determine the nature of player vs. player (PvP) combat at the start of the game session and this will be broadcast to anyone attempting to join. The possible settings will range from Full Player vs. Player Combat where all players can be a potential target, to Party vs. Party Combat where players can only target members of an opposing team, to a Safe Mode where player vs. player combat is banned altogether. It will also be possible to determine player vs. player settings on a per-area basis within the module. Should further needs arise during our development cycle, we will develop the necessary settings to accommodate them. We are very aware of both the positive and negative aspects that can emerge from player vs. player combat in an online game, and are therefore putting a lot of thought into this issue.

Can I link my world to someone else's?
Yes. Servers can be linked through 'Portals'. Portals are created when one server operator requests a link and another server operator accepts. This will form a two-way transfer between the two servers, allowing players to travel between the two worlds simply by stepping through the Portal. Once a Portal is created, it remains until removed by one of the server operators. If the server on the other end is currently not operational, the Portal will appear closed. Players can view a wide variety of information about the server on the other end by inspecting the Portal. If the character does not meet the requirements of the new server, the player is not teleported and re-appears beside the original server's Portal. Servers can support multiple Portals.

What are some ways I can make use of Portals?
The implications of this Portal system are somewhat mind-boggling. By distributing the different areas and population load over a number of home computers with decent Internet connections, for instance, your game world can know no boundaries. On a smaller scale, two rival player guilds could agree to portal their guildworlds together to settle a dispute in battle. Freewheeling MUDs and MUSHes could also emerge where people cobble their different creations together into a larger, cosmopolitan world of adventure. Neverwinter Nights is all about getting people together and Portals allow that to happen on a grander, even more exciting scale.

Will other players be able to 'know' what class I am right away?
Neverwinter Nights is all about role-playing - what's on your character sheet is between you and the DM and the look of your character is yours to define. If you are a fighter, you can still dress in peasant clothes if you wish or even a wizard's enchanted garments. The look of your character is not determined by his or her class but by the race, body type, and coloration you choose at character creation, and the clothing and equipment you acquire along the way. This will allow players to play any role they wish, such as a paranoid mage who hides within his clumsy armor or a petty rogue who puts on airs of royal birth.

How will I communicate with other players?
Communication with other players will take on a number of forms. A robust chat system is available that will allow you to quickly and easily interact with your party. There is a also a quick chat system for sending preset messages. These are hotkey-activated, allowing for rapid and easy communication in most situations. Another benefit of the quick chat system is that it allows for cross-language communication, meaning that our German and English players can still interact with their French counterparts at the simple press of a button. Real-time voice communication will not be included in the initial release of Neverwinter Nights.

Neverwinter Nights Community
Everyone who plays the game, develops content, asks questions or raises concerns is part of the Neverwinter Nights community.

What is being done to support the Neverwinter Nights community?
The diverse nature of the elements that will be included in the shipped version of Neverwinter Nights will need an extensive network of support, open dialogue with experts and a central place for users to gather and discuss their individual plans for playing the Neverwinter Nights Official Campaign, use of the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset and use of the Dungeon Master Client components. To this end we will have an Official Neverwinter Nights Community Site created in-house at BioWare and supported by a team of experts.

What can I expect to find on the Neverwinter Nights Community Site?
The Neverwinter Nights Community Site, in addition to any essential patches or updates required for the shipped game, will feature specific areas that are aimed at the different users of Neverwinter Nights - for the Player, for the Dungeon Master, and for the Builders. Initial features of the Community Site will include discussion forums for users to gather and discuss specific issues, specific 'How To' documents on the use of the Toolset and Dungeon Master Client, module creation tutorials and examples for download, user created content (walkthroughs, modules, Players Guides and so on) available for download, as well as listings for Guilds, Persistent Worlds, Fan Sites, and RPG gaming sites. The site will also feature new material on a weekly basis which could take the form of designer interviews, news, major announcements, events listings and new Neverwinter Nights official content such as new monsters, items, textures and so on created at BioWare.

Do I need to register with the Neverwinter Nights Community Site to get patches and updates?
No. To get essential files to fix bugs, updates files or new files. etc you do not need to register to download them. To submit content (either modules and informational documents initially) participate in ranking modules, Dungeon Masters and servers, and contribute to polls you do need to register on the Neverwinter Nights Community Site.

I'm a player, what stuff do you have for me?
We have plans to include a Walkthrough for Chapter 1, hints for making use of the Neverwinter Nights interface, game play tips, and beginner player character creation guide. We are also welcoming new content created by users to contribute to the player's resources.

I'm a Dungeon Master, what stuff do you do for me?
We have a Tips for beginning Dungeon Masters on the difficulties and rewards of electing to be a Dungeon Master. Also we will have a 'How To' on the Dm Client that is being shipped with the game to allow you to jump in and start Dungeon Mastering with your friends.

As with players we expect to have users contributing documents on their own ideas about squeezing all the power of the Dungeon Master client to make their game the best they can be.

I'm going make mods and modules for Neverwinter Nights, what stuff do you have for me?
We will include a 'How To' for using the very powerful Toolset that ships with the game. This will show how easy and flexible the Toolset is for the absolute beginner. We will also have advice on how to make a module and what crucial things must be included when you create your own adventure using the Toolset.

We certainly expect the users to contribute their own ideas on using the Toolset and tips and tricks for creating great adventures for players.

Will new modules and game content be supplied beyond the initial release?
We are very interested in supplying future modules that are not only chock-full of new story and gameplay but also contain all-new tilesets, items, monsters, spells, classes and races to the libraries of the Aurora Neverwinter Toolset. And don't forget: the fun of Neverwinter Nights never ends. Once you play through the official campaign that we've provided, you can always download new modules created by friends and fellow players around the world.

Do you intend to release new monsters, tiles, modules, etc. after the initial game ships?
We definitely want to. At this point, there's no telling exactly what form such a release would take but we consider the longevity of Neverwinter Nights to be one of the game's primary assets, both for our fans and for us as a company. We have designed our code and content in a modular fashion so that it will be easy to update, well into the future. An extensive Community Site is being planned for players, Dungeon Masters and content builders to obtain many resources to further their enjoyment and use of Neverwinter Nights.

Will you be adding a  expansion?
Our license only pertains to the Forgotten Realms so that is where we will be focusing our efforts.

Will the ability to create custom skins and other art content be included in the game?
BioWare has a lot of respect for the considerable skills and talents of its fan base and Neverwinter Nights is all about bringing the abilities of that fan community to the forefront. The ability to include custom art content is a difficult issue and we are working very hard to arrive at a graceful means of supporting it. Until we have such a solution in the game and running, however, we don't feel that we are in a position to promise its inclusion.

Technical Questions
This section deals with hardware and software questions about Neverwinter Nights.

What kind of computer will I need to play Neverwinter Nights?
Our minimum system specifications currently are a Pentium® II 450 MHz or AMD K6 450 MHz, a 16 MB TNT2-class OpenGL 1.2 compliant video card, 96 MB of RAM (for Windows 98/ME, 128 MB recommended) or 128 MB of RAM (for Windows 2000/XP, 256 MB recommended), a DirectX certified sound card, and DirectX® version 8.1. An internet or LAN connection will be required for those wishing to play multiplayer games. A 56K modem is the minimum requirement for a client in a multiplayer game. A 56k modem can host a 2-player multiplayer game. As bandwidth is the primary determinant of server capacity, a cable modem or xDSL line will be able to support significantly more. The maximum number of clients (players and/or Dungeon Masters) allowed on a server is fixed at 64.

What is a server? Do I have to have a special kind of computer to host a game?
Not at all. Anyone with the minimum system specs and a decent modem can host a game and become a server. 'Server' simply refers to the computer that launched the gaming session. Remember, while most Dungeon Masters will run their own servers, you don't have to be a Dungeon Master to do so. Anyone, including DMs and players, can use their computer as a server.

Any home computer conforming to our minimum system specifications will be able to act as a Neverwinter Nights server. The number of players that your server can support is primarily limited by your bandwidth. A basic 56k modem will support approximately 2 players, while LANs and dedicated servers with faster connections will likely be able to support up to the 64 client limit.

Is there a dedicated server?
There will be a dedicated server included with Neverwinter Nights for all supported platforms. By dedicated server we mean a stand alone application with no extra overhead, like drawing graphics. This standalone server allows you to run the server in it's most efficient manner.

Will there be a Mac/Linux/BeOs version?
The BeOS version of Neverwinter Nights will not be completed. The Linux dedicated server is being distributed freely online. The Linux client has been completed and you can find it here. Linux users will need to own a Windows copy of Neverwinter Nights, as the Linux executables must import certain resources from those Windows CDs. All users will need to register their CD Keys (Linux users register the Windows CD Keys) at the Neverwinter Nights community site (www.neverwinternights.com). The Macintosh client and server programs are completed and available in stores now. (Check the Macintosh status page and Linux status page for more information.) On the PC, Neverwinter Nights runs under Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000 Service Pack 2, and Windows XP. Other systems specifications will be announced.

What graphics engine will be used in Neverwinter Nights?
Neverwinter Nights uses the BioWare Aurora Engine. Aurora was developed specifically for Neverwinter Nights. Aurora is a fully 3D engine with tons of amazing features, including resolution independence, a powerful particle system, dynamic lighting, and an open-ended modular design. The animation system supports a huge number of character moves and takes advantage of the ability to smoothly interpolate between them. Using the BioWare Aurora Engine has allowed us to create an amazingly rich world, populated with impressively detailed creatures and environments.

What screen resolutions will you be supporting?
Our default resolution is 800x600. We're not capping the upper limit, so you will be able to play Neverwinter Nights in as high a resolution as your graphics card and monitor supports.

What is 'Environment Mapping' and will it work on all video cards?
Environment mapping is a reflective effect we're applying on various metal surfaces within the game, such armor on the characters. Our system gives us per-pixel control of this, allowing us to do very intricate metalwork against a more traditional matte background such as cloth, wood, or leather. The technique that we use for environment mapping should work on all 3D video cards that meet our minimum requirements.

How many light sources will be able to cast shadows in one area at any one time?
We are optimizing our shadow system to be as fast and beautiful as possible. Nevertheless, some players may find dynamic shadow computations to be too processor-intensive for their machines. With that in mind, we've developed a scaling system that you can tweak to your liking via the options page. At the lowest end, for instance, shadows will be represented by a generic dark splotch beneath creatures. The next option up would allow the creatures (but not tiles) to project true volumetric shadows. Ramp it up a little further and you have what we demonstrated at E3 2001: the entire world (creatures and tiles) projects shadows but only from a single dominant light source. As always, we want to take full advantage of the latest technology while still providing a solid, if less beautiful game experience for those running low- and minimum-spec machines.

What kind of real-time voice communication will Neverwinter Nights support?
Real-time voice communication will not be included in the initial release of Neverwinter Nights. You will have to use a third party voice communication application.

Will Neverwinter Nights support multiple clients behind the same firewall connecting to an external server?
The server addresses different "connections" by the IP/IPX address and port combination. For example, it will accept a connection from 123.32.21.14, port 5000 and treat a connection from 123.32.21.14, port 5001 as a separate and distinct connection. We have encountered situations where if you are both the DM and server administrator, for instance, you may wish to have both clients connected at the same time - even if you don't have an elaborate network setup behind a cable modem.

In general, the clients choose a random port when talking to the outside world. If you need to open a specific port on a client to allow your router/firewall to correctly move it to your machine, this will be available as an INI file setting for each of the client programs we provide.

What music file format will Neverwinter Nights support?
Neverwinter Nights uses BMUs for its music files. There are no restrictions on the bitrate of the BMUs that you can use, but keep in mind, the higher the rate, the greater the performance hit your computer will take. There will be no audio editors included with Neverwinter Nights.

Will Neverwinter Nights have support for the hearing impaired?
In Neverwinter Nights, text will always be associated with any instance of pre-recorded voice (NPC dialog, the hotkey voice system, etc).

Disclaimer
This article is a direct copy of the "About NWN" section of the official site. It was copied here for future reference, since as of this writing that website is no longer online. This means that everything written here is done so from the perspective of the game developer. It also means that it was copied in its entirety to ensure the original site's owner copyrights.