This adventure pack will be available exclusively via digital download -so we’re talking bigger in every way than Premium Modules folks! The first Adventure Pack is developed by Ossian Studios and titled “Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate” and offers 15 hours of gameplay set in the Forgotten Realms city of Westgate. With an all new storyline, professional voice acting, musical scores and new in game content, this sounds like it is going to be a smashing NWN2 adventure! Here is an excerpt:
Developed by Ossian Studios, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate is the first full featured Adventure Pack available from Atari. Set in the infamous Forgotten Realms city of Westgate, players find themselves in possession of a powerful but cursed treasure that threatens to destroy them. Linked to the underworld organization known as the Night Masks, the treasure will draw players into a city-spanning clash between warring factions. Players must choose their allegiance in order to break the curse and ultimately uncover a plot that threatens Westgate itself.
“Neverwinter Nights 2 and the influence of this phenomenal brand continues to grow through the tremendous work done by the committed and highly active fan community who have mastered Obsidian’s toolset to create deeply involving new adventures,” said Mathias Hautefort, Executive Vice President of publishing and production, Atari. “Our successful work with independent developer Obsidian in creating the original game is now being enhanced by our collaborative efforts with these highly talented and emerging studios such as Ossian Studios, and the result is nothing less than the fans would expect of Neverwinter Nights: high production values, engrossing storylines, and long, involving campaigns.”
From the creators of the critically-acclaimed Neverwinter Nights module, Darkness over Daggerford, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate will feature a non-linear, open-ended single-player campaign with numerous side quests covering more than 15 hours of game play. Atari’s new Adventure Pack will also feature 3 new companions; an entirely new underground sewers tile set themed after the seedy underbelly of Westgate; a host of new monsters to do battle with, including some truly epic foes; an exciting new and original musical score; as well as thousands of new lines of professionally recorded dialogue.
This is what appears to be the first of the Adventure Packs available via digital download, Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate is scheduled for release in autumn 2007.
Woot! I’m looking forward to this. :) Hopefully the price is reasonable though and they remove the online authentication (every time you start) necessary to play the old premiums.
Gimme gimme gimme! I’m starving for new NWN2 content.
Although it’s not being made by Obsidian … oh well, might as well give this other developer a chance. Can’t be any worse than the original NWN1 campaign (and that one came from the “RPG masters” Bioware).
Autumn 2007 is a little vague. Any idea on when exactly it’s coming out?
Awesome. I know some people who might be involved with these things, so I’m really pleased to see news of it finally rolling out.
By the way, Ossian Studios created what was originally intended to be a premium module for NWN1 called Darkness Over Daggerford. A lot of these premium mods got axed for various reasons though and Ossian eventually released it for free. An interesting twist to these Ossian guys is that their CEO is an ex-Bioware producer, who worked on BG2.
Edit: It’s interesting to see that Atari seems to be heading this deal. My understanding of the NWN1 premium stuff was that it was almost entirely Bioware-driven. They sold them through bioware.com, even.
Nice. Except the part about Atari’s digital download service, which absolutely sucks in comparison to services like Total Gaming and Steam. From what I can tell you can only down it for 30 days after purchase, and they charge you ~$4 for that privilege. Umm… fuck you?
If this was a decent service I wouldn’t hesitate to pay $20 for a good 15 hours or more of NWN2 but I doubt I will go over $10 now.
I loved the Premium Modules for NWN1 (although I wish they’d pursued the program long enough to get out the last Paladin trilogy module, and established some sort of closure for Witch’s Wake, and Kingmaker.). If they’ve removed the online check, I’ll be all over this.
I do think the limited download period is screwage, but if I can plop the installer on a CD and keep hold of that, I’m not going to worry about it too much.
Those never were connected to the premium program. The guy made the modules as a demo of his skills with the intent of getting a job, and once he got it, my understanding is he never had much intent to put serious further effort into them.
Insert comments about “it’s free so what are you complaining about” vs. “when someone starts something they should damn well finish it”, etc.
Have to say it’s left me with a negative impression. He’ll always be “that guy who left his audience hanging”. I’ve never even replayed those modules (and I replay EVERYTHING) just because I know I’ll be frustrated when I get to the point where the story just stops dead in its tracks.
