Russ Davis, Writer (aka Tiberius209): Well, they're not exactly "ragtag," but a group of adventurers does come together to fight a great evil. However, there are
personal journeys as well. Not only does the PC have the mystery of the cursed mask to confront, but each of the companions have figurative "curses" of their own to face. Luckily for all involved, it just so happens that each of the individual journeys leads to the same source for answers.

As for the feel of the game, the principal sources of inspiration were Darkness over Daggerford and Baldur's Gate II much more than NWN2 or MotB (MotB wasn't even out during MoW's production cycle). As has been mentioned elsewhere, if you liked the feel of exploring different districts in Athkatla and stumbling onto sidequests of all shapes and sizes, then you'll probably like Mysteries of Westgate.

Question: How much will we see in terms of different paths in terms of the main storyline? Just how much can the game progression change from playing a good character, to playing an evil character?

Russ Davis, Writer (aka Tiberius209): The game is specifically designed to be playable with all classes. While there are no major diversions for any class, the designers worked hard to provide multiple solutions to most of the quests, many of which depend on ability or skill checks. Naturally, these options will lend themselves more readily to some classes than others. Rogues may find a need to sneak through houses, mages may find it useful to brew potions, and fighters... well, cracking skulls is often a viable option too. Lastly, even though Westgate is a city-based adventure, the nature-based classes like rangers and druids have not been forgotten. You never know when talking to a stray dog might prove useful.

Question: Someone is going to ask so I might as well included it. Will the story involve at least one romance?

Mat Jobe, Writer (aka Nemorem): We know you're talking about PC romances, so the answer has to be "no." When we started development, we didn't feel an adventure pack was suitable for a fully developed romance, and we didn't want to short-change players with anything less. That's not to say we won't include romances in any future games - we like them, really!

That said, love does play a major role in the Mysteries of Westgate story. Some of the main characters do what they do for love (and it doesn't always work out well for them - go figure).

Question: How much of an impact will character class have on the story, or will the story change much if I play primarily as a caster v. sneak v. basher?

Mat Jobe, Writer (aka Nemorem): This is one area where we went all out. Your choices have a major impact on what content you see in the game - starting with your choice of allies when you first arrive in Westgate. And while other games boast "multiple endings," Mysteries of Westgate offers a completely different experience depending on your choice at one key moment in the story. We don't want to give too much away, but we're confident that players will be impressed with the amount of exclusive content that is determined by your character's choices.

Naturally, you'll also find that your choices have an impact on the myriad sidequests in Mysteries of Westgate. When we sat down to design the game, one of our guiding principles was that quests should have multiple resolutions, or at least play differently depending on the PC.

Suffice it to say, you'll need to play Mysteries of Westgate at least twice to get the full experience.

Question: How crucial to the story outcomes are our relationships with our companions? Will they just be like Henchmen in a supporting role ? Will they have their own agendas and side quests ?

Mat Jobe, Writer (aka Nemorem): The companions are fully integrated into the story. They not only speak up at key moments to express their feelings, but on occasion actually act on those feelings. In some cases, you may be surprised at how they act, and you may not always agree with their behavior. However, in the end we think players will be satisfied that the companions come across as free-willed, independent characters.

In addition to the role the companions play in the main story, they also each have an associated sidequest. Actually, "sidequest" probably doesn't quite cover it. They're more like character arcs that play out over the course of the game and culminate in some event. (Teaser alert) One of these storylines has the potential to change a companion in a fundamental way - and your PC is in the middle of the decisions that lead up to this change.

Question: Will our chars be in any significant danger at the start of the game as Level 8 chars? Will they come into contact with NPC's who are significantly higher level and more important than them ?

Russ Davis, Writer (aka Tiberius209): Westgate is a dangerous city, and the curse affecting the player is very real, but the game doesn't start in the midst of a battle if that's what you mean. You do have time to get your bearing. There are several NPCs in the game of higher level than the PC and therefore more powerful. Some are even especially Realms-bending powerful, but this doesn't mean they are enemies... necessarily. As far as important NPCs, the PC regularly interacts with high-ranking members of various street factions and at times even mingles with the political elites of Westgate.

Question: Will the "Curse" that we are under affect our Abilities/ Game Stats for a large or significant part of the game, until the storyline has "Played Out" ?

Mat Jobe, Writer (aka Nemorem): Purely in gameplay terms, the curse isn't such a bad thing - in fact, you actually gain new abilities from it (at a certain cost). It's really up to each player to decide how much he or she wants to use these abilities.

This was a conscious decision on our part. We didn't want to apply penalties to the PC that players wouldn't find fun, or introduce a cumbersome new game mechanic. So we decided the really bad effects of the curse should manifest themselves through the story (as well as the player's imagination).

Question: Westgate? I've never heard of that place in NWN2... what significance to that play in the story so far then? Or is it away from the main events in NWN2 and MotB?

Alex Hugon, Writer (aka Hugie): Mysteries of Westgate is a new, self-contained adventure which is in no way, shape, or form related to the storylines of the NWN2 OC or MotB. No familiarity with the main plot events of the OC or first expansion is required in order to enjoy MoW.

Question: Will the numerous side quests be just an extra source of XP and items, or do any of them impact/impinge on the main Storyline to change the direction/ending that you are seeking to acheive by your alignment and choices in the main Story?

Russ Davis, Writer (aka Tiberius209): Simply put, there are sidequests that fall into both categories. There are mechanisms whereby certain sidequests or a certain number of sidequests will need to be completed to progress, but in most cases, there is some latitude to determine which ones you actually complete. Obviously, with all the talk about different factions in the game, you can assume that some sidequests will not be open on any given play-through, so choices in the main path will certainly affect your experience. Interspersed with this first group of quests are a wide variety of sidequests that are independent of the main storyline completely, and yes, they will provide XPs and mongo goodies.

Question: Why was it decided that this expansion should exclusively be sold as a downloadable pack?

Keehwan Her, Associate Producer (Atari): From a financial perspective, digital distribution makes a lot of sense. It allows us to sell the Adventure Pack at a lower price point while still providing players with the same high quality gameplay and content that they’ve come to expect from NWN2 products.

Question: How many other Adventure Packs can we expect in the future?

Keehwan Her, Associate Producer (Atari) The answer to this partially depends on how well the first Adventure Pack sells. The bottom line is, we will continue to support NWN2 with Expansion Packs (like Mask of the Betrayer) and Adventure Packs (like Mysteries of Westgate) for as long as there is interest and demand from the community.

Question: Are there different endings, and if so, how many?

Alex Hugon, Writer (aka Hugie): A player's decisions in-game can lead them down several different paths and, ultimately, to several different endings. Role-playing choices lead to *extremely* meaningful in-game consequences throughout Mysteries of Westgate - the main quest's multiple endings are a prime example of this aspect of the adventure pack.

Взято от сюда.

December 04, 2007 - Known far and wide across the Forgotten Realms, Westgate is a major city located where the River Thunn flows into the Inner Sea. It's home and headquarters to a number of very prosperous merchant families, each with its own warehouses and other facilities. Officially, it's governed by a council on which they are all represented. However, there are those who feel the true power lies elsewhere, in the hands of a shadowy thieves guild that, by virtue of its assassins, agents and other assorted scoundrels, has extended its reach far beyond the municipality into a vast web of nefarious influence.

Said to be the first in a series of adventure packs that will retail via digital download, Ossian Studios' Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate is approaching release, possibly within days, although a definite date has yet to be announced. Along with an open-ended campaign involving a potent but cursed treasure, the title will feature new content including three companion NPCs, a sewer tile set for module makers, additional monsters, an original score and professionally recorded dialogue. Seeking to know more, we were fortunate when the team proved willing to provide further insights through a series of diaries.

Includes four exclusive screenshots

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Westgate Location and Lore

Having set our previous Neverwinter Nights game, Darkness over Daggerford, in the small and sleepy town of Daggerford along the Sword Coast, we scanned through many places in the Forgotten Realms in search of a location that had a well-developed background and intriguing lore. We also made notes on the places that fans had been requesting in the community for an official Neverwinter game.

We were looking for something that was at the other end of the spectrum from sleepy Daggerford, something that bustled with danger, and that would fire up a lot of excitement at the mere mention of its name. The city of Westgate along the Dragon Coast fit the bill very well. I'll let Luke talk more about some of the sights of this locale that convinced us it would be an excellent place to set an adventure.

Mysteries of Westgate is a single-player game that starts the player off at level 8. It is very much an urban-based adventure, with a number of different districts that the player can explore within this city of corruption. Players can look forward to 15 hours of gameplay with a branching core story and, just like Darkness over Daggerford, plenty of side quests.

Alan Miranda
Producer and Co-Lead Designer, Neverwinter Night 2: Mysteries of Westgate
CEO, Ossian Studios

If anywhere embodies and embraces the cutthroat, "anything goes" nature of the Dragon Coast, it is the most powerful and infamous settlement in the region. One of the major trading powers of the Realms, Westgate revels in its status as an open city. No race is prohibited and no faith is outlawed, and on any given day, one might find drow mingling with ogres, pirates and worse in the city's dingy taverns, or else see exotic creatures that wouldn't be tolerated elsewhere hawking their wares in broad daylight.

Despite this recipe for anarchy, open conflict is not as common as one might imagine. Most of the influential and powerful citizens of Westgate are too wrapped up in their own plots or schemes to draw unwanted attention. And the endless pursuit of coin tends to keep the wheels of the city turning despite everything.

For the purposes of this adventure, the city is split into four major districts. The Harbor Loop is the grimy, rough docks area of Westgate, and the Black Eye tavern, owned by three hulking brothers, is one of the first locations players will want to visit after docking in the harbor. The most dangerous part of the district, the Warrens, is a crawling maze of alleys where the most destitute and wretched of the poorest citizens face a daily fight for survival. Unfortunately for them, nobody outside the area cares for their plight.

The Market Triangle is the bustling center of trade in the city. Here, one can find all manner of goods peddled by merchants from every corner of the Realms. One of the most notable shops is Mintassan's Mysteries: Curios From Very Far Away Places, owned by the planar-traveling archmage, Mintassan. Here, adventurers can find magical goods obtained from the farthest reaches of the planes. At the center of the district is the Tower, Westgate's center of mercantile and hence political power.

The Arena District is named after the Quivering Thumb, a gladiatorial enterprise recently arrived from Unther. This sandpit arena is a popular spot for adventurers looking to win gold and infamy by testing their mettle against other combatants. A number of temples can be found in this area, the largest of which is Morningstar Haven, dedicated to the god Lathander. The priests there spare no expense in their lavish displays of devotion to their deity, and it has been said - although rarely... this is Westgate after all - that perhaps such wealth might be put to better use in helping the city's poor.

Even in such a city, there are certain creatures and professions that can only operate freely away from the presence of more normal folk. Undergate is the even darker underbelly to the city's shadowy surface. It is said that in Westgate, "anything goes and everything has a price," but in the case of this particular area, "everything goes for all who can afford it." It is rumored that somewhere in this vicinity, there's a tavern operated by a mysterious being. Only the most evil and depraved creatures frequent this place, and its "delights" are reserved only for those whom the proprietor considers the right - or wrong - kind of patron.

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Скриншоты.

Answers by:
Alan Miranda: CEO of Ossian Studios, Producer and Co-Lead Designer on Mysteries of Westgate
Luke Scull: Lead Designer on Mysteries of Westgate
Kevin Smith: Lead Technical Designer on Mysteries of Westgate

SP: Could you give us an overview of the adventure pack and a brief summary of the plot for those of our readers not familiar with it yet?

Luke Scull: Mysteries of Westgate offers 15 hours of highly replayable gameplay set in the city of Westgate, in the cutthroat region known as the Dragon Coast. The plot begins with the player arriving at the city on a mission to rid themselves of a cursed mask. This particular item once belonged to the nefarious organization known as the Night Masks, who are known to rule Westgate’s grim underworld with an iron grip. Finding out the secret of the mask is key to saving the player’s sanity.

SP: Why Westgate in particular?

Luke Scull: Westgate is pretty much the embodiment of the Dragon Coast, which makes it a really interesting and, importantly, fresh place to set a game. The city itself is something of a melting pot, packed to bursting with plots, intrigues, schemes, and ultimately, adventure. It kind of brings to mind a smaller and darker twin to Waterdeep.

SP: Pretty much everyone recognizes you as the authors of Darkness over Daggerford, which is well deserved. In some other interviews, you mentioned the Baldur's Gate games as the principal sources of inspiration. In what ways did Daggerford and the Baldur's Gate games influence your work on MoW?

Alan Miranda: Baldur’s Gate 1 was the big influence with Darkness over Daggerford, with its world exploration and discovery of lots of different rural areas. Baldur’s Gate 2 was the big influence for Mysteries of Westgate because with MoW we had decided to do a city adventure, and the best example of that was Athkatla. City adventures require more content in an area than the same size rural area, otherwise they feel empty (which definitely doesn’t help with getting across a bustling city feel). To accomplish this, we needed to develop a number of sidequests to spread across all our areas. This is an aspect that we learned a good deal from Daggerford, where one of the most popular features of that game was our sidequests, so we created similarly captivating sidequests in MoW. Each of our writers, as well as Luke and myself, wrote several sidequests to spread across our four main areas, and some of them are pretty hefty in size.

SP: It's interesting that in one of the Community Updates it was mentioned that MotB wasn't a principle source of inspiration, yet we can't help but notice that MoW involves a mask and a curse. Any insight on where the seeming similarities originated? Or was it pure coincidence?

Alan Miranda: Yeah, we noticed this too. It’s purely coincidental. When we drafted our story for Westgate in the fall of 2006, we decided to use a cursed item hook to start the story. Since the plot involved Westgate’s thieves’ guild, the Night Masks, we made the item a mask that originated from this group – hence our cursed mask. It was a while later that we were told details of NX1 and its official title, to which we thought, “there could be some confusion about this by fans.” But it’s pure coincidence and the nature of each game’s mask is different.

SP: Will we need to create new characters to play MoW, or will it make sense to import and play with existing characters from NWN2 or MotB? What is the level cap going to be?

Kevin Smith: MoW is designed for a level eight character. If you start the game with a lower level character, you will be raised to eighth level automatically. If you don't plan on using any of the companions, then you might want to start the game with a slightly higher level character. On the other hand, characters who have completed the NWN2 official campaign or Mask of the Betrayer would definitely be too experienced for MoW (i.e., the game would become too easy), but there's no explicit level cap imposed at the start of the game.

SP: The stronghold in the Daggerford module was particularly fun. Understandably, there isn't likely to be one in an urban module, but do we get a base of operations, a hideout or what have you or are we always on the road?

Kevin Smith: Westgate is a city filled with magical wonders and dark mysteries but no strongholds. During the game, you'll be walking the streets and sewers, always watching for the next quest. In Westgate, you don't have the luxury of relaxing in a nice comfy stronghold.

SP: At Sorcerer's Place, we're suckers for memorable moments, places and quotes. Something you'll likely remember months or years after playing the game. Care to give a spoiler or two?

Kevin Smith: My favourite sidequest has to be the one with all the ferrets! It's full of the quirky humour that I remember fondly from Daggerford. This particular sidequest has several solutions, one of which is almost entirely non-violent. Also, there's a certain optional fight in the Quivering Thumb arena that I was obsessed with winning but was never able to beat. I'm sure everyone will get a chuckle out of that one!

SP: Is the tiredness system from Darkness over Daggerford also in Mysteries of Westgate? What other restrictions or realism adjustments will players experience in the adventure pack, which weren't in the official campaign?

Kevin Smith: Although there are resting restrictions in several unsafe areas, there is no general tiredness system in Mysteries of Westgate. On the other hand, we did use a custom NPC ambient system to help bring the city to life. When compared to Daggerford, I'd say that MoW has more realistic NPC AI. Many of the foes that you encounter in MoW employ custom-scripted AI during combat. This not only makes them more realistic but also much more deadly. Even some of the minor combats against relatively insignificant foes feature custom AI.

SP: One of the things some members of our team were most disappointed with in the NWN2 OC was the lack of replayability. How replayable is MoW going to be?

Luke Scull: Massively replayable. Mysteries of Westgate is probably the most replayable D&D CRPG since Baldur’s Gate 2. And that’s from the perspective of someone who’s played and analyzed every single one, including all the NWN1 premium modules. The huge number of sidequests with many different resolutions, combined with a branching critical path and multiple endings, ensures that players will be getting a ton of bang for their buck.

SP: You've mentioned that there are several endings in MoW - have you made sure that the adventure pack doesn't lead the player into one favoured course? Is there a feel of a "right" way and "wrong" way of completing it?

Luke Scull: There are no favoured courses, really. We put the same amount of effort and care into each path. There are no wrong and right ways to complete the game. The evil path is pretty evident but it makes sense and thus will tempt players to take it. This differs from evil paths in many other games, which frequently seem designed for “chaotic stupid” characters or outright psychopaths.

SP: An urban module full of intrigue is bound to make use of conversation skills. Does the adventure pack contain any special options for characters with exceptional talking skills?

Kevin Smith: Conversation skill checks are employed throughout Mysteries of Westgate. Under the covers, MoW uses a custom conversation skill check system that adheres closely to traditional D&D rules. The effects of failing a conversation skill check, or simply saying the wrong thing to a very powerful person might cost your character dearly.

SP: Some fights in Daggerford were really difficult. What battle encounter difficulty are you aiming for in MoW?

Luke Scull: In terms of difficulty, I’d peg it a little higher than Mask of the Betrayer and much higher than the NWN2 OC. People need to understand the vast potential that NWN2 party system offers in terms of combat design. Baldur’s Gate 2 was released, what, seven years ago? I find it amazing that things seem to have gone backward since then. We’re moving it back towards that level, and hopefully our future games will continue that trend.

SP: Is there a way and does it pay to resolve some conflicts in a non-violent way?

Kevin Smith: Many quests in the game can be resolved in different ways and some of the solutions are non-violent. I can recall several points in the main story where you can talk your way out of a difficult fight and earn experience for doing so. Of course there are conflicts that are inevitable as well.

SP: How is the adventure pack validation of MoW going to be handled? Will we need to connect to a server each time we want to play?

Alan Miranda: It should be very similar to the NWN1 premium modules, where players will need to authenticate with the NWN2 server in order to initially activate the adventure pack to play it. Whether this authentication occurs subsequent times in order to play, as it did with the digitally distributed premium mods, is something we’re currently evaluating.

SP: Could you tell us anything about your plans for the future? Are you working on any new projects already? Will there be more NWN2 adventure packs from you? Any continuation of the Daggerford module?

Alan Miranda: We can’t talk about our other games at this point, but a NWN2 adventure pack seems like an unmistakable direction. And Daggerford Part Deux, you ask? Who knows...

SP: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, and we hope to be playing Mysteries of Westgate soon!

Взято от сюда.

Neverwinter Nights 2’s latest expansion, Mysteries of Westgate is nearing completion and we were lucky enough to talk to not only Alan Miranda, the CEO of Ossian Studios / Producer and Co-Lead Designer, but also Keehwan Her the Associate Producer at Atari.

For those who do not know about the adventure pack, could you please elaborate on what we can expect to see in the game’s storyline?

Alan Miranda: The storyline of Mysteries of Westgate holds much adventure, deceit, greed, danger, and, of course, mystery. Players can count on a story with branching paths, different endings, and some very important choices that change the outcome of the game. Along the way, you’ll come across three companions that you can ask to accompany you, or you can choose to face the challenges of the story all by yourself (the companions are optional). There is an intro movie prelude to the game that sets the stage for your adventure. It tells the story of a cursed mask that you have come across in your travels, which now afflicts you with terrible nightmares that started from the moment you first tried it on. Getting rid of the mask is futile, however, as it always magically returns. The nightmares are increasing and threaten to drive you insane, so discovering the secret to this mysterious mask is the only solution. A wise sage informs you that it is the emblem of the Night Masks, the thieves’ guild from the vile city of Westgate, so you immediately set out for the port city by ship.

Why was Westgate selected as the venue for the adventure pack?

Choosing a location to set an adventure requires a lot of research and sifting through famous D&D locales and fan requests, while always maintaining the requirement that there be a good backdrop with tensions or conflicts. The city of Westgate was selected because it fulfilled those criteria: It was a famous (or infamous) place, many NWN fans had requested a game be set there, and with its seedy nature and subversive rule of the thieves’ guild there (the Night Masks), it really stuck out as a prime candidate to us.

Why was it decided that this adventure be sold only as a downloadable package?

Keehwan Her: From a financial perspective, digital distribution makes a lot of sense. It allows us to sell the Adventure Pack at a lower price point while still providing players with the same high quality gameplay and content that they’ve come to expect from NWN2 products.

Are there any plans for future adventure packs such as this?

The answer to this partially depends on how well the first Adventure Pack sells. The bottom line is, we will continue to support NWN2 with Expansion Packs (like Mask of the Betrayer) and Adventure Packs (like Mysteries of Westgate) for as long as there is interest and demand from the community.

Back to the game itself. Since the players will need to choose between allegiances, how drastically will their choices affect the outcome of the game?

Alan Miranda: Some choices will be very drastic indeed (saying more would spoil the story). Just know that our goal was to provide an adventure where players were offered a lot of choices, so based on how they choose their allegiances, it will change both how the game plays out at the start, as well as towards the end. In terms of gameplay time alone, different choices will alter half of the core storyline for the player.

Since the game is partly created by the studio, and partly by the community, where does the studio overlap with the community additions to ensure the retention of quality the original game held?

Actually, Mysteries of Westgate was 100% developed at Ossian Studios. I believe there was a typo in the press release about being “created by community members,” which probably led to some confusion about this. To set the record straight, Atari contracted Ossian Studios to create an adventure pack. Ossian, in turn, did what BioWare does, which is hire the most talented individuals from the NWN community – those who have displayed their creativity, devotion, and skills in creating free mods. So there isn’t any community contributions to LMysteries of Westgate since all design, art, and audio work were done by Ossian. Development is done in a very organized and professional way, much as it is done at any typical game studio, except that our team members work remotely over the Internet from the comfort of their own homes. The “game development of the future” doesn’t get more comfortable than that!

How many new creatures can we expect to battle? What happens to be your favorite addition?

There will be four new creatures in the game, one of which is a giant sea snake called a quelzarn that is native to Westgate itself. Think of them as the city’s equivalent of the Loch Ness monster, except that there are many of them swimming about in the harbour and in the ancient sewers below the streets. It is said by some in the docks that these huge, slithering creatures can pluck sailors off of ship decks and swallow them in one gulp. My personal favourite creature is one that I won’t be able to talk about until after the game’s release because it would be too much of a spoiler if I did. However, rest assured that it’s nasty and very ugly.

Are any new classes available?

We decided not to add any new classes to Mysteries of Westgate. It’s not that such a thing doesn’t interest us (it does!), but there were a couple of reasons why we didn’t. As this was our first NWN2 project, we wanted to focus on making the best possible adventure without attempting to add every kind of frill into the game. Our team knew the NWN1 toolset extremely well, but we knew that we would face plenty of challenges from the quirks/bugs in the new NWN2 toolset, which would take up our time in unexpected ways.

Also, unlike making a free fan module, when making an official Dungeons & Dragons product, all new game features (setting, creatures, gameplay mechanics, etc.) must go through an approval process with Atari, Hasbro, and Wizards of the Coast. So the more additions you wish to make (like new classes), the more approval overhead you will have, and for a smaller-sized product than an expansion, you don’t want to have a large overhead.

But you can definitely count on other new content in the game, like a new sewer tileset, new placeables, new SFX, and new music! And of course, Mysteries of Westgate is playable with any of the game’s existing classes.

Взято от сюда.