First, a few thoughts on who I am and where I want this project to go. I am just a regular guy living in Vancouver, BC. (One of the most beautiful places on Earth!) I'll begin by stating that I have no formal computer education in regards to things like programming, running or maintaining a server, nor even a background in art. Yet, I don't intend to let any of that stop me.
This project began, I suppose, when Neverwinter Nights (the original) came out. I fell in love with playing around in the toolset, yet I never actually finished nor released any projects. They were just hours spent entertaining myself. With Neverwinter Nights 2, the process grew more complex, yet the possibilities were significantly greater. Again, I loaded up the toolset and began to play around. All of my skills since then have been self-taught, whether in regards to visual design of areas or the more technical scripting and server maintenance issues. But, as the old saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way!
I don't expect this project to go perfectly, nor without flaws along the way. I do intend, however, to cross those hurdles as they arise. And, thus far, there have already been quite a few! (Here's looking at you, custom content inclusion!)
This project has been an idea that I've toyed with for many years. Now, as my skills with the toolset improve, I feel ready to make it a reality. While there are currently already a few really fantastic PWs set in the Forgotten Realms, none of them are exactly to my taste. Dalelands Beyond and Baldur's Gate both have great player bases with a constant player presence at any and all hours of the day or night, but I find them both a little too "easy". By easy, I mean progression is too rapid. There seems to be a constant race to epic levels where, in my opinion, the game becomes a lot less interesting. Too many imbalances and inherent flaws at that level. Also, I prefer a stronger emphasis on Role-Play, and less on PvP. That makes Sea of Dragons my next logical choice in servers... except every time I've logged on (which, admittedly, were only a few) the server has been empty. A shame, really, because it looks like a really spectacular server with some really fantastic ideas that really appealed to me!
So I've decided to build my own server! Is it going to be easy? Probably not. Time consuming? Unbelievably so! But worth it? Yeah, I think so! So far, logging into an area that I've built from the ground up has been very rewarding. While I don't mean to sound arrogant or anything, I do think I've done a really good job with the areas I've built, and seeing them come to life is a really neat feeling!
A few thoughts on how my server will be:
- Immersive and Attractive - where players and DMs can come together to bring their stories to life in a setting that is both engaging and beautiful to look at!
- Tabletop - recreating the open-ended and anything's-possible feeling of a true tabletop game of Dungeons and Dragons
- MMO Elements - enough stuff to keep players interested and entertained, even if there is no direct DM involvement. Quests, crafting, etc.
- Rewarding - an achievement must be earned to truly be appreciated. That means not everyone will be epic level, swinging +5 gear!
I've played and loved Dungeons and Dragons since I was a kid. One of my first online experiences with Dungeons and Dragons was on a MUD, around ten years ago. The MUD was called FaerunMUD (which later recreated itself as Rauvyon, with a really spectacular custom setting) and I fondly remember Adara and Casey (the DMs/creators) guiding the server as a number of us brought it to life. The setting was a bit hardcore; progression was slower and more difficult, but it truly made an achievement feel rewarding. And, most importantly, the role-playing was top-notch! This is the feeling I want to recreate here. Maybe one day some of those players will even join me here!
So that's how and where it all starts. Let's see how it goes from here!
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