Neverwinter Nights 2 Pre-order Campaign Offers Fans A Valuable Head Start [Archive]

tenebra_uk

12-09-2006, 11:52

NEVERWINTER NIGHTS 2 PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN OFFERS FANS A VALUABLE HEAD START

- Pre-order ‘Neverwinter Nights 2’ at Selected Retailers and Receive the Full Toolset a Month in Advance of Launch -

LYON, FRANCE – 7 September 2006 – Atari Europe today announced the launch of the pre-order campaign for Neverwinter Nights 2™ at selected retailers across Europe. In development by Obsidian Entertainment, the highly-anticipated Neverwinter Nights2 is set in the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Forgotten Realms® universe created by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), and will transport players back to the embattled city of Neverwinter. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro. The exclusive pre-order pack will be available from Friday 8 September at selected retailers with gamers who purchase the pack receiving the Neverwinter Nights 2 toolset a month before game launch. Additionally, the pre-order pack will include The Merchant’s Friend, a special feature enabling players to obtain powerful items crafted especially for each of the 12 classes.

“The Neverwinter Nights 2 toolset is an versatile, easy to use, but deeply detailed piece of software that lets players create their own game worlds, stories and adventures,” said Cyril Voiron, Marketing Director, Atari Europe. “We’re very excited about being able to reward the fans and the incredibly active Neverwinter Nights community with the chance to get their hands on this powerful development tool and start creating a whole universe of Neverwinter Nights 2 modules even before the game launches.”

The Neverwinter Nights franchise has sold more than two million copies worldwide, is translated into 10 languages, sold in more than 40 countries and features one of the largest and most active fan communities in all of gaming. To date, fans of the franchise, which includes Neverwinter Nights, Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide™ and Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark™, have created nearly 4,000 modifications to the original game using the original, award-winning Aurora Toolset. A more robust toolset will be included with the release of Neverwinter Nights 2.

Neverwinter Nights 2 is scheduled for release in October 2006. More information about Neverwinter Nights 2 can be found at www.nwn2.com, including user forums, project news, development updates and more.

AS_Dodger

12-09-2006, 12:03

This is not really news. It's been with 'selected' retailers for a week now.

If it is so valuable, perhaps we peons in the UK could be given a chance to participate? There is still a deafening silence on where anyone in the UK can get this from. (Ordering from Amazon.de is not an acceptable alternative).

Please, any info on UK retailers that are going to get this?

threewayswitch

12-09-2006, 14:33

Wotcha chaps. I've just been talking to our sales partners and i can confirm that you will be able to obtain the NWN2 Toolset from Game stores (both online and instore) as well as independent retailers from next week. We have been waiting for physical stock to enter the stores, which should be behind counters next week.

As far as i am aware, you will be asked for a modest fee for the toolset disk (£3-£5 is my guess), which will then be redeemed against the full game when it comes out.

Hope this helps!

AS_Dodger

12-09-2006, 16:24

tenebra_uk

12-09-2006, 17:44

He's not, he's our friendly chap from Atari UK ;)

AS_Dodger

12-09-2006, 18:16

Cool! Thanks again for finally getting to the bottom of this for us guys. Appreciated :)

NWATA

12-09-2006, 18:56

NWATA heads over too www.game.co.uk :nuts:

AS_Dodger

12-09-2006, 20:02

I don't suppose you happen to know if Play.com will be one of the independent retailers, what with them having an exclusive LE and all? :hin:

Balac

17-09-2006, 18:16

Excuse me but is thie early release of the toolset only for Europe or is it available in the USA also? If so where? Thanks you for any help.
Balac

AS_Dodger

17-09-2006, 20:14

Well, this is the EU forum Balac, you may have better luck on the US boards.

But... I won't hold that against you ;) You should find what you need to know here (http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=495717&forum=100)

Balac

17-09-2006, 23:10

Thanks
I saw that you guys in Germany and Austria are gettinf a deal. They are sending out special packages with your pre-order that we in the new world can not get. As matter of a fact it seems that our pre-order card is spotty; my EB Games store has none nor is it at my Game stop and there is no pre-order toolset over the net at best buy but some say it is in the store; just have to ask for it or find it in back.
Go figure?
Since when is Atari a German company?
I point out that D&D was created by a few creative Wisconsinites from a base of the creatures and world created by a english man (
J.R.R.Tolkien) and NWN's was programmed by a few creative Canadians. Now I ask where in this legend does the Germans belong?
Seems to me they stole it; but then maybe that is only the Atari bias.

Respectfully Balac ore Langer (AKA Balac on NWN)

AS_Dodger

18-09-2006, 11:24

HUGE surprise.

As of 10.25 am this morning, GAME still have heard nothing about the pre-sale.

Starting to get beyond a joke...

AS_Dodger

18-09-2006, 12:45

Update - a pleasant chap from Game just called back and said, according to their buyers, they are aware of this, but have no idea when the boxes are due in.

Don't know what the situation is for the online.

He also mentioned it will be £1.99, which is pretty fair.

donmacsween

20-09-2006, 11:51

Just telephoned my local GAME store in Peterborough (UK) 01733 555492
and they stated that the only version they were aware of and could order for me was the full NWN2 game. Nothing on the GAME.co.uk website either.

I'm sure that anything that ATARI can do to remedy this situation (especially keeping us informed) would be appreciated by their loyal customer base here in the UK.

tenebra_uk

20-09-2006, 13:52

Thanks for your feedback, donmacsween. I've passed it to Atari and they're talking to Game for clarification.

Atari also asked me to confirm with you that Game are the main retailer to get the tool-set from, and that it should be in place by early next week at the latest.

tanita

20-09-2006, 15:06

early next week...

so is this the reason why the official (as printed into the preorder-packs) link www.nwn2.com/presell doesnt point to the countdown-script ( still ticking at www.atari.com/nwn2/presell ) any longer? is september 22nd outdated again?!

btw: atari germany still has "release datum 19/10/2006" at the product page ( www.de.atari.com/index.php?pg=product&id=499 ).

donmacsween

20-09-2006, 15:24

Thank you very much for your help tenebra, and my thanks to ATARI for confirming that Im shopping for the toolset in the right place ;)

Just after my last post I tried ringing a few other GAME shops in nearby towns and got the same response as the Peterborough store i.e. no such product that we are aware of.

So the only other things I feel would help both myself and other budding buyers is

a) The official shipping title of the package:
ie "Neverwinter Nights 2 Toolset" ,
"Neverwinter Nights 2 pre order campaign"

and if possible

b) The name of someone within the GAME supply chain / head office who knows what is going on (to refer shop assistants to in the event they deny the product exists).

This should help those of us who only have small GAME stores nearby that don't always carry all the new releases and have to order things in.

My deepest thanks once again for the help youve provided.
Don

Dxon15

20-09-2006, 19:15

Yes indeed, my thanks go out to you to. Been searching for ages for some possibility of getting this pre release toolset and its nice to know that there is now a possibility.

Thanks yet again.

AS_Dodger

20-09-2006, 20:45

*sigh*

Like hungry dogs, we always settle for second best.

Early next week is certainly better than nothing, but the rest of the world (mostly) either already have the code or can get it THIS week. The download is available this Friday (assuming it doesn't slip again). We lose several days which we are paying for just like everyone else.

Therefore we are paying the same, but getting less service.

Again.

Also no official word for the situation for the people who have pre-ordered from Play.com. If you pre-oredered from Game, you will likely get the cost of the presale redeemed against the game purchase. (Or will you? Is this confirmed yet either?). Will Play do the same? If not, then it's an addition charge for the sin of ordering anywhere other than Game.

Of course, if all is sorted this week, I will give credit where it's due and apologise for my cynicism. We shall see.

tanita

20-09-2006, 21:14

do not complain about loosing some days you paid for or i'll start whining about paying 13 euro at amazon.de while some shop offer the pack for under 4 euro... and since the release of the full game was delayed another two weeks you even get _more_ of a headstart than we thought we'd get (and payed for).

regard the whole presorder-process as some sort of gambling: you pay for it, but don't yet know wheter you'll get anything out of it.

Dxon15

20-09-2006, 21:31

Just got back from GAME a few moments ago and they have now actually heard of the pre release package! so i can confirm the above announcement if there was any doubt. The guy in store who was away on a meeting having just gotten back had heard about this at said meeting. The package should be in store soon it appears, the only thing not known at this point is the exact date.

:bravo:

donmacsween

20-09-2006, 22:19

Just looked at the GAME website, they have updated their product pages!

Quote
"
ACCESS TO TOOL-SET & IN-GAME ITEM
UK Only Limited Offer while stocks last. Bonus item will be sent prior to release date. UK residents who have already preorded will recieve the bonus item.
"

full page here:
http://www.game.co.uk/ViewProduct.aspx?cat=10341&mid=328546

So in short if you have already pre-ordered NWN2 through GAME you'll be sent the toolset bonus as and when they get it.

Whether this applies to preorders in store remains to be seen, also whether those of you who have preordered elsewhere can get the toolset disc without having to preorder the whole NWN2 package from GAME? again we'll have to wait n see.

tanita

20-09-2006, 22:32

so roughly that means that you get the same treat as we do in germany: when you preorder, you'll get something in advance. they don't tell you exactly what, when and how you'll get it; and moreover they still tell you the wrong, outdated release date of october 20th (should read november 3rd, compare: tenebras statement yesterday (http://forums.eu.atari.com/showpost.php?p=895962&postcount=24)).

so please don't get too excited, we've been through all this a month ago until we found out that on september 7th we'd only get a code to let us download stuff sometimes later...

AS_Dodger

20-09-2006, 23:54

Tanita - I'm sorry but I don't consider the business of paying a company for an offered service gambling, nor should I have to.

It really should not be this difficult to get a consistent (or indeed any) answers from a company that is trying to promote what will be for them a major game.

I'm not here to Atari-bash, as is the regualr sport in certain other arenas. But I really feel that this whole situation has been extremely poorly handled, from both management and PR views.

Please sort it out Atari. All we want to do is lay down some money for something in return. It should be the same for everyone, and we should know what we're getting, and when. It's the least you could do for the dedicated fanbase of this game.

tanita

21-09-2006, 01:11

sorry dodger if you didn't catch the sarcasm in my posting... perhaps i should have added some frowning smiley to make my point clear. if you read my other postings concerning ataris "management" of the preorder-release you'll sure enough find that i'm also "not amused" by the way they are treading paying customers.

but please remember that it's still on us to decide wheter or not to give our money for a product we don't even know the actual release date of. reading the "official" statements is - at best - confusing, and you really lack black-and-white facts you could make a case of. so _if_ you really are willing to pay for nwn2, it _is_ sort of a buying the "cat in a sack", ain't it?

you don't like gambling? go, buy another game.

*not sure which smiley to add*

BlackHawk01x

21-09-2006, 01:24

Well... agreeing with both of you:
Not funny at all that e.g. Atari-Germany is at the moment like a black hole where all your interest and questions about something is disappearing into it with no answer. (that's best explaining for it at the moment)

But well tanita is right: At last we decide who we give our money and can only hope and pray that it's not wasted (at least if no demo is released for a game and still many do not make demos).
But well... I will buy NWN² no matter what, since I'm a big fan since first hour of NWN1, but well... I cannot change the behaviour of the publisher since I'm just a 'single player', sadly tonguegre

Well however, I did not annoy in atari-forums ever besides when the NWN²-Release came really close, reason for that is simply that I am quite afraid that the 'not answering' - of Atari-Germany I mean - will be a first view on what we can await about the german patches again, seen on NWN1 it was a delay to US-Patch of up to 6+ month (usually 2 to 6 weeks, around the release of 'Hordes of the Underdark' it was even more than 6 months if I remember right, since we got something like 5 US-patches in 1 german-patch then ...)

Well what that times where you 'cannot' play on english servers means for roleplay, those who do roleplay will know how evil it is to forcefully stop playing and so getting totally out of the character. (at least for me it was when I was able to play again and then saw many changes again)
It was so much that I felt myself forced to buy the english-version of NWN1 to be able to play on my normal servers...

I guess you understand now my concerns about Atari, especially the german one since it's impossible to every reach them.

Well that's reason - and cause tenebra allowed me too *smiles* - why I sneak through the english'forum now, since here at least I find a few people to talk with about the game. besides tanita hardly anyone is in the german forum, since most I guess simply gave up getting answers of Atari *sighs*

P.S.: Just to throw in my personal feeling about this dicussion in *smiles*
And well: You people of Atari-UK have at least soemone who tries to get you answers *points at tenebra* I'm quite jealous about that *nods*

tenebra_uk

21-09-2006, 02:22

Can't comment much, as you would expect ;) *takes badge off* Some retailers are getting on my nerves these days *puts badge back on*

Glad that Atari have managed to get some sort of communication from retailers straight - mild slapping works sometimes ;)

I'll discuss the other points you raised with the Allmighty Ones tomorrow and get back to you. I'll also speak to Atari Europe to ensure that if there are any country related differences they are highlighted so that what I tell you is applicable to you.

Am I right in thinking that you guys hanging around here are only from Germany and the UK? Any other country, please wave your paws so that I know what I need to ask :)

AS_Dodger

21-09-2006, 03:43

@tanita - gotcha. Sorry if it sounded like I was attacking you, I really wasn't. We are after all on the same 'side' ;)

@tenebra -again, thanks for anything. I know your hands are tied in some regards and you are probably as frustrated as we, but less able to say so!

I guess my frustration is twofold. Firstly as an AVID fan of this game and it's history. Secondly, as a customer of the video game industry in general. This time it's Atari, but this kind of behaviour is all too common in the industry.

It's a good job we gamers have such short memories once we actually get hold of the things! ;) But thinking about it, may be that's the problem.

Hmmm...

aphrodite1

21-09-2006, 03:49

Am I right in thinking that you guys hanging around here are only from Germany and the UK? Any other country, please wave your paws so that I know what I need to ask :)

I'm from Canada, but the answers have already been made public for North America so no extra work for you :)

tanita

21-09-2006, 15:20

*sitting on her paws, to keep 'em down*

yes, from germany, but came over here because of you, tenebra! couldn't stand the silence in the german board anymore. *g*

http://elfenwald.homelinux.net/gfx/tenebra.gif

tenebra_uk

21-09-2006, 15:34

Awww...I feel all warm inside (where's a blushing smiley when you need it?!?)

You sneaky devils, you just know how to trick people into pushing themselves that step further, don't you? tonguegre

BlackHawk01x

21-09-2006, 16:22

Sneaky devils?

*hides horns*

Naw, not we, we all nice people who're all nice and fluffy :nuts: tonguegre

kalniel

22-09-2006, 00:14

Well Game haven't said anything to me yet about the pre-order (terribly nervous about the limited offer while stocks last disclaimer). But on the plus side I did get a 5 pounds pizza voucher confusedb :p

AS_Dodger

22-09-2006, 00:19

So we're 40 minutes away from the day, and still no official word from anyone from Atari.

Absolutely unbelievable.

InhumanOne

22-09-2006, 00:31

the website is not working for anyone, give me my toolset! I paid for it and its already been delayed.

I first thought it was bad luck that caused Atari to have money problems but with this mistakes it is certainly not back luck. :mad:

tenebra_uk

22-09-2006, 01:38

So we're 40 minutes away from the day, and still no official word from anyone from Atari.

Absolutely unbelievable.
Sorry, AS_Dodger, I'm confused. What I posted here is official word (Atari use me here for official statements). Ok, I know it's confusing because I'm just a moderator and not employed by Atari, but, just to clarify, I am on constant, daily contact with them by email and MSN during office hours. They hardly ever post (the only Atari official you'll probably ever see around is Threewayswitch), they ask me to post on their behalf. I try to make it as clear as possible whether mine is a personal comment or an official statement. Official statements would normally start with "Atari asked me to tell you that..." or "on behalf of Atari...". Anything followed by that can be taken as official word, even if you don't see a press release.

Hope that makes things clearer :mefiant:

BlackHawk01x

22-09-2006, 01:54

Don't take it too serious tenebra :)
it's usual that peopel go crazy when something not comes in the second it's said to be so or if there is a bug somewhere in a game.

At the people: just calm down... noone listens when all just call people names *nods*

However... my timer is back at 8days and 22hours now... I guess the toolset is pushed backwards then to keep the 'one month' or it's simply is too buggy to give it out with good feeling now... Not amusing myself with this, however we can hardly do anything besides hoping something just goes wrong and that it's cleared up soon again.

See it so: if you go all crazy now and call the moderators names... well I'm sure this does anything but motivate - is that the english word? :) - the people to do anything.

As in the other thread tanita said: We paid for "one month before full'version release"... so as more this gets delayed as more tehy can delay the toolset as well...

Again: not like it myself, but hardly can do anything against it and accusing the wrong people with your crazyness is anything but right. *nods*

P.S.: The UK-Toolset'site seems still bugged, so I tell you what the german one says now:
(Translated by me, so can have some missunderstandings :) )
"We have decided to release the toolset later, to get it on your and our own quality'feeling-level. We beg for your understanding"
(Yes I know: really bad translation, hehe, hope you get what I mean *smiles with a smirk following*)

AS_Dodger

22-09-2006, 02:05

Sorry, AS_Dodger, I'm confused. What I posted here is official word (Atari use me here for official statements). Ok, I know it's confusing because I'm just a moderator and not employed by Atari, but, just to clarify, I am on constant, daily contact with them by email and MSN during office hours. They hardly ever post (the only Atari official you'll probably ever see around is Threewayswitch), they ask me to post on their behalf. I try to make it as clear as possible whether mine is a personal comment or an official statement. Official statements would normally start with "Atari asked me to tell you that..." or "on behalf of Atari...". Anything followed by that can be taken as official word, even if you don't see a press release.

Hope that makes things clearer :mefiant:

Ok, then allow me to be clearer.

What is the situation with play.com?

There are 2 Limited Editions, one from Game & one from Play.

The preorder situation from Game is (partly) known.

There is still no official word about Play.

I understand you can only report what you're told. If you have asked about Play, what have you been told?

Mind you, it's all somewhat academic now, seeing as the toolset has been put back at least another week.

Lorft

22-09-2006, 02:13

Well, another mistake by Atari.

Although there would have been moans if an announcment had been made that the toolset way delayed another 9 days, I am sure most people would understand.

However, having a ticking clock count down to zero (actually less than zero) and then magically reset to 9 days is just a cruel joke. That level of communication does not a happy community make.

This is not directed at our mods , or even the lower level staff. Someone somewhere in atari has made a major mess up over the whole of NWN2 though.

Lorft

Parat

22-09-2006, 04:16

This is by far the most incompetent corporate behavior I've ever experienced as a customer.

1) It's stupid enough to make a timer based on the clients system clock, but okay ... We were all patient enough to wait until it's midnight in California or wherever that website programmer may reside.

2) But, then the timer mysteriously jumping to "8 days left" ... while people were taking holidays just to start modding ... no official statement, nothing.

3) In the Bioware forums, it was stated that the release dates of NWN 2 and the toolset are linked. therefore, there the prelease toolset release date should've been clear to everyone at Atari.

The wohle process of communication with their customers is insulting, to say the least.

donmacsween

22-09-2006, 10:51

Well there are some words from Chris Priestly - Community Coordinator, on the vault here: http://nwvault.ign.com/fullstory.php?id=21364

Shame on Atari that I had to go to an external website to find it :nono:

tenebra_uk

22-09-2006, 16:02

Ok, then allow me to be clearer.

What is the situation with play.com?

There are 2 Limited Editions, one from Game & one from Play.

The preorder situation from Game is (partly) known.

There is still no official word about Play.

Some answers:

GAME have the Chaotic Evil pack exclusively & the standard sku
Play.com have th Lawful Good exclusively & the standard sku
All other retailers have the standard sku. The 2 limited editions only differ in the artwork, as already confirmed in the past.

The toolset is not offered via e-tailers. Currently only GAME have it, indipendents will follow shortly. The charge at GAME will be £1.99 to be redeemed off the price when you collect the full version that you pre-ordered. Independents may or may not charge for pre-orders.

If you don't pre-order from GAME you will still receive the toolset in the full game, it just means that you'll have to wait until release.

AS_Dodger

22-09-2006, 17:30

Thanks tenebra, much appreciated.

I've kept my preorder from Play, but the good news is that this afternoon Game got the presale boxes in, for £1.99. You don't have to preorder to get one, but if you do it does get knocked off the full price.

So I have my code at last. Phew. Now I just have to wait for the coding ninjas to get the bugs wrinkled out so I can download the thing.

I should add, in the box is a "fan kit" CD with lots of images for a fan web site. I don't think there's anything there that isn't on the web, but there are some nice pictures regardless.

kalniel

22-09-2006, 17:31

The toolset is not offered via e-tailers. Currently only GAME have it, indipendents will follow shortly. The charge at GAME will be £1.99 to be redeemed off the price when you collect the full version that you pre-ordered.
Actually I can add a little bit to this - GAME online have a box in their regular + Collectors edition NWN2 game description that says '1st to Play: Access to tool-set & in-game item when you preoder this game.' along with a picture of the presell kit box. It also says that 'Limited offer while stocks last, bonus item will be sent prior to release date. UK residents who have already preordered will recieve the bonus item'.

Hope that helps :)

aphrodite1

22-09-2006, 18:12

This is by far the most incompetent corporate behavior I've ever experienced as a customer.

You've been incredibly lucky then, because atari isn't the first to be unable to make their release date and certainly wont be the last.

Regardless of how much we whine and moan or are disappointed, atari is being responsible by not releasing an unfinished/buggy product. Granted, official statements earlier would be nice, but then no other game company does either so we really ought to be used to it by now lol

Parat

22-09-2006, 19:23

Well, I don't get the point of posts like these.

I don't complain about the delay. I complain about the way they're not informing their customers. And, I complain about none of their officials issuing a real statement.

And I don't care whether you got used to behavior like this. That's no reason to accept bahavior like this.

tanita

22-09-2006, 20:21

Granted, official statements earlier would be nice, but then no other game company does either so we really ought to be used to it by now lol

i'm as well used to taxes rising while earnings don't, or polar ice melting, or sitting on chewing gums! but nethertheless i don't like it, and i'm not yet numb enought to give in and accept for good only because i can't do anything about it.

Frisk

22-09-2006, 22:41

Am I right in thinking that you guys hanging around here are only from Germany and the UK? Any other country, please wave your paws so that I know what I need to ask :)

Uhm.... I'm from Iceland.

tenebra_uk

22-09-2006, 22:57

Hi Frisk, and welcome :salut2:

Just for the records, I escalated the issue and it's been taken on board. Please bear with me.

InhumanOne

24-09-2006, 10:45

I am Dutch but I never visit Dutch forums. we are going to get the UK version of neverwinter nights 2 anyways.

Unless Atari makes the same mistake as EA did with Black and White. They made that one Dutch only and we all hated that. Like with movies, we do not want a translation, most of us exept for the older people know english rather well and because of games and movies in english we learn it better even.

I personly cannot understand why other countries would want a translation, it just wouldnt sound right. only games for children are translated to dutch here since they cant speak english or are still learning the basics.

tzeraph

24-09-2006, 11:29

tanita

24-09-2006, 11:33

producing translations of games and movies is expensive, and almost allways will delay the final product (as well as updates). but some markets demand translated versions, especially germans and french simply are _used_ to getting german or french versions of everything media there is, just as you are used to having native ones.

as there _always_ will be an english version of almost every movie and game i'd prefer to have both versions in the box (as is common with dvds). but then there almost certainly are legal issues, as translations are the more expensive the more copies are sold (that's why some tv-stations have to scramble their programs before broadcasting via satelite, e.g. austrian tv only pays licence fees for broadcasting to a few million austrians but can't stop radiowaves from being received all around europe).

by the way: does anyone know which languages nwn2 will be translated to? and will all of them ship simultaneously?