Journal: Update on Neverwinter Nights 2 (U.S. Release Date: 10/31/06)

I was mighty surprised when my search for posts regarding the upcoming release of *Neverwinter Nights 2* (NWN2) turned up only two older messages. After all, I would have thought that Slashdot would be inhabited by oodles of RPG'ers, if not specifically hardcore D&D players (after all, NWN2 is based on D&D v. 3.5 rules). Well, here's the scoop. Atari is now officially stating a U.S. release date for NWN2 of October 31, 2006. After numerous delayed release dates, a *count-down* timer appeared on Atari's website that finally reached zero on a Sunday afternoon--and then inexplicably appeared again the next day with more hours loaded on to it, counting down to zero again (!) Atari also hatched and perpetrated a seriously messed-up scheme to allow *pre-release purchasers* to receive special material before the official release date (specifically, to dowload the new Toolset), beginning on October 3, 2006; according to the *official* forums (which are running on Bioware's server, BTW), an Atari employee has already posted an *official* apology.

The game itself promises to be outstanding when (if?) it actually appears on store shelves and pre-orderers' mailboxes. Players will be able to make characters using almost all of the races and prestige classes from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, which includes some of the following new, fabulous, and exciting choices:

• svirfneblin ("deep gnome")

• sun elf

• Aasimar ("Planetouched")

• Warlock. Although there is apparently no *Archmage* prestige class, the *Warlock* class contains some features of the *Archmage* class, and some features that seem to have just come out of thin air. With D6 hit dice, the ability to channel "eldritch blasts," against which there is no saving throw, and the innate ability to cast *invocations* (different from Wizards' and Sorcerors' spells, and no *arrange-the-night-before* requirement), these *evil- or chaotic- only* magic-users should add a lot of excitement to NWN2.

The new game engine, developed by Obsidian, really looks outstanding--at least from the screenshots and trailers. Check them out! And I would love to hear back from some gamers who played NWN1 (or any other CRPGs), to chat about what you have been playing lately.

Cheers,

PChuck