Destineer subsidiary MacSoft announced last week that the Mac conversion of Neverwinter Nights is finally expected to begin shipping on July 30th and should hit stores in early August. Apple’s own Games site has turned its attention to Neverwinter Nights with a new feature.
Brad Cook explained that Neverwinter Nights incorporates 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons rules to create a world that’s very much like the pen-and-paper fantasy role playing games we’ve enjoyed in the past. But Neverwinter Nights employs a sophisticated 3D graphics engine and online gameplay to get the most out of the computer experience.
“Once you create your character, you enter the city of Neverwinter, where a plague called the Wailing Death has brought much misery to the people,” said Cook. “Your task is to help find a cure and restore order to the city, but not before embarking on many sub-quests and eventually venturing outside Neverwinter to explore the wilderness beyond. And what would a D&D game be without a dragon or two to slay?”
In fact, there’s more than 60 hours of gameplay here, and you can also act as a Dungeon Master, leading up to 64 players through the game. “As they explore the environment, you can set traps for them, place monsters, take control of NPCs, and more, just like a DM would in a pen-and-paper session,” wrote Cook.
That’s not all, either: The PC version ships with the game’s Aurora Toolset, which can be used to create custom modules. While the Mac version lacks this ability, it can play the modules created by PC gamers.
“BioWare has a page devoted to modules you can download (for free, of course) and play by yourself or with friends. They range from the silly (the mock chess game Chicguins, which pits chickens against penguins) to the epic ( Witch’s Wake, which is a series of story-intensive modules),” said Cook.