What do you prefer?

Neverwinter Nights 2 Toolset, Scripting, NWNX
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While working on a module I was wondering about general preferences.

What do you prefer:

  1. Conversations: NWN1-style or NWN2-cutscene style?

  2. Area design: detailed or clean?

  3. Story: character-driven or plot-driven?

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My opinion:

  1. NWN2 cutscene style, with mouth movements so that the characters feel more alive. Voice over even better (like in Dark Waters), if possible, of course.
  2. Detailed
  3. Both, but if I had to choose one maybe character-driven.
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  1. NWN 1. Using a decent font. Don’t see the need for full screen to be taken up.

  2. Quite detailed I think. Hate large empty areas anyway.

  3. Needs both. If not a decent story I won’t finish it. If not characters I care about or if I get the impression the module creator doesn’t care about the characters it might take me longer to decide but might not finish it - unless story excellent!.

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NwN2 SoZ style.
Use cutscene style for well…cutscene…

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1 Cutscene with voiceover for story exposition, but I like the partychat conversation form for any in-depth, interactive conversations, with skill checks, etc.

2 Detailed and interactive.

3 Plot driven but filled with interesting characters. I don’t want to save the world, and I don’t want to roleplay someone saving the world. I like what English calls sandbox. I like a world that is alive and full of things to discover and can be done in different order. I like individuals with a personality, with something to say, especially when has nothing to do with the plot or main story.
I like to feel I’m not the center of the universe and that I’m exploring a world that exists outside of my needs and wants.
The story is present, and the plot is strong, but neither depend on me to exist.

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  1. Conversations: NWN1-style unless you are going to show me some important background about prior events or NPC motivations, etc.
  2. Area design: detailed or more accurately “lived in.” Put a few shirts in the armoire. Have hand axe next to the wood pile. Add a speak trigger to tell me I just discovered a horrid smell.
  3. Story: plot-driven and preferably a plot that does not specify how the player should do things, just what problems need to be solved.
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@raymondsebas : I hope you’re well. Please consider to publish your Sunless Citadel! :pray:

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  1. Don’t care about the engines execution as long as the conversation is well written.
  2. Don’t care either as long as the area is consistent and properly edited. A lot of modules (even good ones) still have near to no tile editing (so you have p.e. 3 identical desert dunes - even with the same orentation - on 3 adjecent tiles in a row) or use placeables with completely different style or resolution than the tileset, both of which often breaks immersion for me.
  3. I tend to plot driven on this one but only by a small margin.
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  1. A good mix of both styles. An opening NWN2-style “talkie” to set the mood is great, and perhaps for really important interactions. Otherwise, NWN1-style because it’s quick and for multi-choice responses and my forgetful, elder not-so-great brain, easier to see it all at once with the environment visible.

  2. Detailed.

  3. Plot-driven.

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  1. the content of the conversation matters to me a lot more than the mechanical side of it. Both have their place.

  2. I like more detailed areas even if this is at the cost of size.

  3. I like both character and plot driven. If I had to choose, I would tend slightly towards character driven. And I don’t need that character driving it to be the PC.

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  1. Personally, I prefer NWN2 cutscenes in most situations, as it helps maintain immersion for me, and helps focus on the conversation at hand. Other conversation formats are helpful in situations that just require a quick response. Lip flappers and animations also help a lot here.

  2. I prefer enough detail to matter, but not cluttered. What detail there is, I like to be interesting and possibly useable in some way. I veer towards cleaner to allow combats and movement to take place easier, but want there to be something to do in an area after the dust has settled.

  3. Definitely plot-driven. I prefer to see how my character develops by what I do in a given situation rather that be dictated to. (I.e. greater “Player Agency”.) That said, I also like the tools, facilities and choices to develop my character the way I would like to while playing out the story. (Cohorts should be similar, but companions could come with more of a back story.)

@raymondsebas :slight_smile:

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