Electronic Games producer Cryptic, according to recent announcements, is planning to release a third version of the wildly popular computer game -- Neverwinter Nights -- by the third or fourth quarter of 2011. Neverwinter Nights 2, a favorite in the electronic games community, was set in the Forgotten Realms city of Neverwinter, a place constantly wracked by political intrigue, magic plagues, and the plots of evil monsters.
As the sequel to Neverwinter Nights 2, this game will carry on a series first conceived in the late 1980s and based in the popular Dungeons and Dragons universe. Game producers have also confirmed that the setting will operate under the fourth edition D&D rules released in 2008. According to early reports, the initial game will include five of the fourth edition character classes. Whether these will be traditional classes (cleric, fighter, rogue, wizard, paladin) or some of the plethora of the more exotic classes cropping up in 4th edition, remains to be seen.
Perhaps the most controversial decision made by Neverwinter developers is to not make the game a Massively Multiplayer Online game (MMO). Over the past decade, MMOs like Blizzard's World of Warcraft have come to dominate the game market, with millions of gamers participating simultaneously in a real-time world. Other games, including the extraordinarily popular sci-fi MMO EVE, have also enjoyed success in the genre. In this case, it seems Neverwinter developers are banking on the idea that MMO gamers might be growing tired of a genre which places them in a universe filled with swarms of competitors, many armed with game-breaking hacks and cheats. Sticking to the model of a five player group of adventurers, Neverwinter will cater to those gamers who wish to have an enjoyable gaming experience exploring the vast and beautifully-rendered Forgotten Realms with a group of close friends. It is a direction that will bring the game back to the table-top roots of role playing, where small groups of friends and families gather around dinner tables everywhere to crack jokes, drink soda, and, occasionally, slay an arch-devil. If Neverwinter 3 succeeds in tapping into this sense of ambiance and comradery, it may well become a wildly popular alternative to the MMO.
As the game ramps up to final release, you can expect to hear more rumblings from Cryptic. Hopefully, they'll post more cool artwork and, possibly, even some YouTube videos of the beta. But if you're still itching to get a sneak peak at what may happen in Neverwinter Nights 3, you can take a crack at bestselling author R.A. Salvatore's new series of fantasy novels, which will serve as an intro to the game's setting and political environment. The first book, "Gauntlgrym," released on October 5th with more on the way...
