Rumor: Cryptic developing a Neverwinter Nights MMO
by Shawn Schuster 
Jun 9th 2009 at 5:00PM
Of course there are two things you may be thinking on news like this: This is just a rumor, and seriously, another fantasy MMO? Cryptic Studios is already doing quite well for itself in the IP department with upcoming Champions Online and the Star Trek Online MMO, so would this new-found shower of capital really encourage them to take on a Neverwinter Nights MMO as well? From here we'll just have to wait and see, but let us know what you think about the possibilities, good or bad, in the comments below.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Prince of Cats said on 5:23PM 6-09-2009
You mean another Neverwinter Nights MMO, right? The original Neverwinter Nights was (for its time) an MMO...
I don't know. We had a good Bioware Neverwinter Nights and then a bad sequel. A return to its roots might be good, but it might be yet another fantasy MMORPG lost in the hordes of announcements even if it gets a green light...
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Havok said on 10:45AM 6-10-2009
It won't be a return to its roots, though, it'll be used as the newest update to the D&D Franchise, using 4th Edition rules (NWN2 uses 3.5, while NWN used 3rd Ed.). 4th Edition IS AN MMO on Paper. Its funny that the 'tards writing the game chose to change the game to an mmo format when players are experiencing the most burn-out from that formula.
Roadkill said on 5:26PM 6-09-2009
We already have a D&D MMO out there, granted its not a FR MMO. There's also the issue that D&D Online has not been a stellar success(might scare off potential investors). And there's also the possibility that Turbine has an exclusive license for a D&D MMO(Hasbro owns both Cryptic & D&D, but not Turbine so the existence of an exclusivity clause in their license is possible & likely).
So I don't think this is happening.
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eddie said on 5:32PM 6-09-2009
Well, if it is true, at least Cryptic is really focussing hard on development process and turning out a consistently more polished product than is the current norm. They also seem to be doing well with the simultaneous production teams... so I, for one, would be interested to see what they come up with in an established fantasy IP.
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starzzareblind said on 5:47PM 6-09-2009
This could be a great, great thing. Neverwinter Nights was an amazing game, NWN 2 however, was crappy by comparison. I would feel better if it went to BioWare. But I'm definitely interested in a MMORPG within this franchise/series. It's a very established fantasy IP, after all. The market is seriously over-saturated with fantasy MMOG's, and with alot of the new games coming out being Sci-Fi or a hybrid of Sci-Fi/Fantasy, it could give the MMO community a much needed break before trekking into a new fantasy MMO. Assuming that this game won't be out for years, it could be a great thing, and a positive thing for the MMO market & community if done correctly, and in the footsteps of the 1st game.
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ethereal.wolf said on 11:03PM 6-10-2009
i agree the TOOLSET in nwn2 was crappy, but i thought the OC was better than nwn1. Until they killed off Shandra Jerro and gave me no way to save her. very lame.
szsleepy said on 6:02PM 6-09-2009
The original NWN had some memorable moments, but NWN2 was an absolute failure, in my humble opinion. It was far too linear for my taste, and the loot never changed from campaign to campaign, making re-playability a real hassle. As an MMO, re-playability is a non-issue, unless this game takes on a business model that a lot of MMO games seem to be taking on lately, i.e. following the idea that its subscription base will only last as long as it takes for them to level up and then cancel its subscription due to a lack of end-game content. God knows I don't have the patience for some new junk to hit the shelves with loads of pomp and hype only to disappoint and leave me bored enough to quit after two months.
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bassmodel said on 6:54PM 6-09-2009
i'm in the "meh, another fantasy mmo" camp myself. granted, if they really took a new spin and brought the user-generated content aspect of NWN to the MMO world, they could really carve a unique player base.
it's a cool IP (agreed on NWN2, though) and Cryptic could prove to be quite the powerhouse if Champions and STO turn out well.
i'd go for a 7-day free trial, at least :)
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CCon99 said on 7:59PM 6-09-2009
I hope this isn't true, Cryptic just isn't the same Cryptic as it was 5+ years ago. Now all they are attempting to do is just make a bunch of quickly developed bare minimum games with their new favorite tag line "We won't have that at launch, but hopefully down the line!" They're more worried about selling their game engine to other developers who want to make the "quick MMO", then they are about making quality MMO's these days. CO's beta is getting replenished with new Beta Testers every month, because every month there are a large number of testers who just suddenly don't want to login and test a free game anymore (which is pretty sad considering they only test 2 days a week).
A Forgotten Realms setting needs lots of time and care poured into it, fans of that IP are going to want to explore every piece of land they've read about. They're not going to want the new Cryptic arcade model they think is the wave of the future MMO, one DDO MMO already proved the hardway that style of game wasn't what the D&D fans wanted. D&D was a game about choices, so a MMO based on a popular D&D product should be all about choices.
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Wjowski said on 8:00PM 6-09-2009
God no. These fucking idiots need pull the dollar signs out of their eyes from reading Blizzard/Activision's financial statements and realize that some MMOs are just plain *bad ideas*.
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Jenasha said on 8:24PM 6-09-2009
Personally as an individual playing the first Neverwinter Nights in online multiplayer right now, I think it could have some perks. Now obviously this would mean a NVN MMO would follow the storyline from the games (and there is plenty of story between the expansions both games got) but it leaves little room for player-created content. One of Neverwinter Nights biggest successful features was its module creator system, allowing one person of even a small team to create their own stories and worlds using the mechanics of the game. I could see an MMO being viable for people who liked the original NVN storyline, but for everyone else who plays the game for custom modules, this probably wouldn't appeal to them.
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Halldorr said on 9:35PM 6-09-2009
Would need custom content. That made NWN for me.
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Amana said on 10:43PM 6-09-2009
@ Wjowski:
I couldn't agree more.
@ NWN:
The thing is, NWN1 (Bioware) was a great game *when it came out*. I was recently tempted to go back to it and relive some of my great memories, before I quickly realised that that's exactly what they were: Great Memories. And I should've chosen to leave them there.
NWN1 is now, for me anyhow, an exercise in frustration as a gamer. A god-awful camera, painfully slow combat and a great but painfully cliched story (by today's standards) left me writhing in anti-squee.
Additionally, I logged in to my old persistent server (still operating! goodness!) and realised just how far we've come in 2009.
In fact, aside from prompting me to uninstall, it also found me subsequently scrambling for my Titan Quest CD's and kick-started me back into playing that game happily, with it's fixed (simple and fun) camera, fast-paced and gratifying combat and loot system, addictive gameplay, well-designed SP and MP mechanic, and top-notch graphics.
Don't get me wrong - NWN1 holds a dear spot in my heart, and it's deserved of every piece of acclaim and more.
But, that's where it belongs. It was groundbreaking. Then.
Tagging the franchise onto yet *another* MMO doesn't guarantee success, Roper.
(You're still an asshat btw).
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Wjowski said on 2:26PM 6-10-2009
The thing is the NWN series is about *player* created content. MMOs, with their monthly charges and/or nickel-and-dime microtransaction fee, can't follow this design philosophy without, essentially, ripping of their customers.
So either either a NWN MMO is going to turn into a scam ala City Of Heroes with their 'mission architect' bullcrap, essentially charging players to do the developers jobs for them, or it'll basically be a DnD MMO...which'll promptly fall flat on it's face since DnD mechanics don't translate to MMOs at all.
dan said on 11:32PM 6-09-2009
There is already a NWN mmo with a persistant world
Been going for quite a few years now too.
http://games.on.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=69
I'm sure there's others too.
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Amana said on 11:44PM 6-09-2009
lol that's the one I was referring to: "Additionally, I logged in to my old persistent server (still operating! goodness!) and realised just how far we've come in 2009."
Good ol' Edon Drow Wars.
But, like I mentioned, we've come a long way since that server was an amazing thing. Hats off to them all the same, There's a bunch of custom content and facilities in there that are very well done.
Just, dated now.
ScytheNoire said on 11:39PM 6-09-2009
Another MMO? As long as it doesn't have a monthly fee, then okay. But the market is really beginning to feel crowded and completely saturated. As long as companies realize that the subscription model is dying and go for another method. I really think the expansion method like Guild Wars (or what Diablo was) is the best way for customers.
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mysecretid said on 4:07AM 6-10-2009
I'm another one of those people who's just dead-sick of "high fantasy" MMORPGs.
Honestly, it's overkill.
If I want "high fantasy" I'll play Lord of the Rings Online, since it seems to do story and setting best of all of them (for me, anyway).
But these days, the only fantasy MMORPG I'm playing is Age of Conan -- it may have its flaws, but it's "sword and sorcery" and not "high fantasy", and that makes it preferable to me.
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Havok said on 10:49AM 6-10-2009
I honestly don't believe that you can do a single-player D&D game anymore with 4th Edition being the way it is - it'd be too boring. Its honestly everything I hate in MMOs. :(
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