Johnn Four
Web Monkey
Joined: 12 Jan 2004 |
 Posted: Wednesday, 19 July 2006 04:42PM |
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We chat with Luke J.S. Scull, a.k.a Alazander, author of the exceptional Neverwinter Nights module, Tyrants of the Moonsea. Though once slated as a premium module, it is now available for all to download from the Neverwinter Vault, and fan reaction has been very positive.
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Elhanan
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 17 Oct 2001
From: Starkville, MS - USA |
Posted: Wednesday, 19 July 2006 05:13PM |
Guess it is the Fanboy in this Ancient skin of mine, but this is one of the finest storylines in a solo mod that I have had the enjoyment to play. As I have moldy, dark memories of the joystick laden, pretty prancing pony images of the earlier DOS rendition of Hillsfar, it is a great to have them replaced by brighter thoughts filled with sacrifice, justice, vengeance, and more. It is an excellent tale, and a worthy sequel to the highly awarded CToT as well as a terrific leaping board to the anticipated events to come in AL4.
It is my Empire Strike Back of NWN! 
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Elhanan the Ancient One
"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." |
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Jay Watamaniuk
Community Manager
Joined: 19 Nov 2001
From: Edmonton, Alberta |
Posted: Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:16PM |
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Yes indeed. Really excellent work. |
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Stanley Woo
QA Ninja
Joined: 17 Oct 2001
From: The BioWare Compound |
Posted: Wednesday, 19 July 2006 10:45PM |
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It's friggin's awesome! |
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liorbil
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 30 Jun 2002 |
Posted: Thursday, 20 July 2006 02:25PM |
Where did you get those tiles? 
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DLA |
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Cheiron the Centaur
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Joined: 26 Jun 2002
From: Ancient Greece |
Posted: Thursday, 20 July 2006 02:26PM |
Quote: It is my Empire Strike Back of NWN!
To be honest, it reminded me more of Baldur's Gate than of Star Wars. An epic saga either way.
The ending is a bit abrupt, then again... Pirates of the Caribbean 2 has the same "to be continued" ending, and I still had a great time watching that movie.
Also, the custom content in this one is terrific... and to think that this is only a sample of what's still in store with DLA's "Wyvern Crown of Cormyr"... 
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Don't take life too serious. You won't survive it anyway! |
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tea leaf
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
From: Hong Kong, China |
Posted: Friday, 21 July 2006 04:03PM |
It's truely a shame that in spite of the spiffy cloaks yet again we are forced into the author's plot, with a large hand held to our throats.
After the ploy lines of the last one which was excellent until the death of that black dragon, I had decided he was a flawed genius who was allowed PLOT DEVICES A MILE WIDE, ie whoever you pick up as an NPC, just for the blast of the ace Fantasy Realms story. Rather like reading one of the books, a guilty masturbatory feeling of superiority with a genuine love for the setting.
BUT, when I can't lose the characters I employ within the first five minutes on a flimsy "You don't get rid of me that easy dialogue' I sighed and played something more open ended.
And I know I missed a cracking story, challenging scraps with new monsters, well written side dudes and a wistful 'well what are heroes/anti-heroes/ middling neutral dunno which way to turn heroes?' ending, but er I don't need telegraphing before I level up for the first time.
Regretfully this mod disappears up its own arse. Regretfully. Sincerely. Sadly. Sorry. I wanted to love it. Really. I'd have paid for it too, and not felt cheated, just used.
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hee hee hee
Aye laugh if you wish m'lady,
but it's truly awful.
The one thing I regret in my life.Edited By tea leaf on 07/21/06 16:17 |
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Elhanan
Game Owner
NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
Joined: 17 Oct 2001
From: Starkville, MS - USA |
Posted: Friday, 21 July 2006 05:09PM |
Quote: It's truely a shame that in spite of the spiffy cloaks yet again we are forced into the author's plot, with a large hand held to our throats....
Tis a shame it did not cover the mouth.... 
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Elhanan the Ancient One
"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." |
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Alazander
Joined: 02 Aug 2002
From: United Kingdom |
Posted: Friday, 21 July 2006 06:04PM |
Quote: Posted 07/21/06 16:03:26 (GMT) by tea leaf
It's truely a shame that in spite of the spiffy cloaks yet again we are forced into the author's plot, with a large hand held to our throats.
After the ploy lines of the last one which was excellent until the death of that black dragon, I had decided he was a flawed genius who was allowed PLOT DEVICES A MILE WIDE, ie whoever you pick up as an NPC, just for the blast of the ace Fantasy Realms story. Rather like reading one of the books, a guilty masturbatory feeling of superiority with a genuine love for the setting.
BUT, when I can't lose the characters I employ within the first five minutes on a flimsy "You don't get rid of me that easy dialogue' I sighed and played something more open ended.
And I know I missed a cracking story, challenging scraps with new monsters, well written side dudes and a wistful 'well what are heroes/anti-heroes/ middling neutral dunno which way to turn heroes?' ending, but er I don't need telegraphing before I level up for the first time.
Regretfully this mod disappears up its own arse. Regretfully. Sincerely. Sadly. Sorry. I wanted to love it. Really. I'd have paid for it too, and not felt cheated, just used.
Oh dear. Jealousy manifesting itself through an attempted snarky faux-intellectual post, unfortunately let-down by a lack of coherence and indeed, accuracy... Black dragons in AL2? Telegraphing before leveling up?
"Regretfully this mod disappears up its own arse. Regretfully. Sincerely. Sadly. Sorry."
Much the same could be said for your post. There's some irony there, eh? |
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Dakota Strider
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 09 Apr 2003
From: Omaha, Nebraska |
Posted: Saturday, 22 July 2006 02:14PM |
I enjoyed the module very much. It left me wanting more. I would say its better than any of the premium modules that I have played.
I did not mind the linear plot line. Granted, I would have prefered more freedom, but this is a module, not a whole game. The only thing I really did not like is being forced to bring along NPC's. My PC was moderately equipped (+2 or +3 magic items) at the start. But with the NPC's along, the fights really were not a challenge. It would have been much more fun for me to attempt to solo the module. The NPC's had moderately interesting stories, but I do not think they were essential.
But I don't want to end this on a negative, my intentions of this post were to praise the author and encourage more great work. Looking forward to the next one. |
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Cheiron the Centaur
Game Owner
NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Joined: 26 Jun 2002
From: Ancient Greece |
Posted: Monday, 24 July 2006 08:11AM |
Quote: Posted 07/21/06 16:03:26 (GMT) by tea leaf
BUT, when I can't lose the characters I employ within the first five minutes on a flimsy "You don't get rid of me that easy dialogue' I sighed and played something more open ended.
I guess if you're stuck within the same old rusted-in idea of henchmen as merely cannon fodder, it's no wonder you're so negative, as you miss out on some great stories.
IMHO Alazander's use of henchmen as integral part of the main story is very clever. Yes, that does mean that it's necessary for them to be around so the story can unfold, and that you don't have as much choice in choosing your own henchmen, but between all the cannon-fodder-henchmen-mods out there, this one feels like a breath of fresh air!
And to Dakota:
It's necessary to bring them along, but it's not always necessary to engage them in the fights. Often you can just ask them to wait at the start of the area, then you can clean out the area all by yourself...
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Don't take life too serious. You won't survive it anyway!Edited By Cheiron the Centaur on 07/24/06 08:18 |
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Chizbo
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
NWN 2
Joined: 16 Sep 2002
From: Massachusetts, USA |
Posted: Tuesday, 25 July 2006 12:30AM |
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I have not played this mod and have a question - can this mod be played as a multi-player mod? Does it work well that way or are some parts of it cludgy as a multi-player mod (say with a three or four person party)? |
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Cheiron the Centaur
Game Owner
NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
Jade Empire:SE
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
NWN 2: SoZ
Joined: 26 Jun 2002
From: Ancient Greece |
Posted: Tuesday, 25 July 2006 08:58AM |
Chizbo, this mod is strictly single-player.
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Don't take life too serious. You won't survive it anyway! |
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