Please note that new user registrations disabled at this time.

MotB : Your Opinion on The Game and Story *Spoilers?*

This forum is to be used for all discussions pertaining to Obsidian Entertainment's Neverwinter Nights 2, the Mask of the Betrayer expansion pack, the Storm of Zehir expansion pack, and the Mysteries of Westgate adventure pack.
Post Reply
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

MotB : Your Opinion on The Game and Story *Spoilers?*

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

I would like to ask the opinions of all who have completed the Mask of the Betrayer on how it performed.

More Avellone gold (Chris Avellone is the chief creative officer) or total crap?

Thanks for responding and I value all your thoughts.

Personally thought that the game was brilliant. Fantastic story which managed to evoke some nostalgia and sad feelings. The gameplay is tried and true, so no complaints there. :D

Five star.
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

Hello?

Is anyone who has completed the game gonna respond to this thread?

I think that there is plenty to discuss about the story of MotB.
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
Mz_Trixter
Posts: 241
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:41 pm
Location: In your area?.. Maybe, maybe not.
Contact:

Post by Mz_Trixter »

For me, the story wasn't all too affected by the 1 crash I had or much of the lag in & out of town but, it did make gameplay somewhat slowed. I still enjoyed the story. Some parts I can already say I know I missed out on bcuz I never was able to heal Ammon in the school :( Even though, I still had a relative idea on who lived & who didn't after finishing. Even surprised by what Safiya had to say! :eek:

So, apart from the constant worry about losing too much 'spirit' by wandering around clueless, overall it was worth the play. :D

Still never got around to playing as evil though...
''White light beams through darkness, beset by immense haze over a few seconds followed by a loud cacophony. Motionless, the repercussion of your action strikes your feebled mind and senses. Still dazed, the intensity lingers that follows after tripping over your own sonic blind trap.''
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

Still never got around to playing as evil though...
Gonna replay the game as evil. Feast on all the spirits I can
Some parts I can already say I know I missed out on bcuz I never was able to heal Ammon in the school
Want me to tell you who lived and died?
I can also tell you what happens when you wake Ammon up.

But like you said, despite the gameplay, still a fantastic game with an ever better story all together.
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
lobo76
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Feb 29, 2004 10:38 pm
Contact:

Post by lobo76 »

i haven't finish the game.. but I see one problem.
I don't understand how one can comfortably play as a spell caster, when (because of the spirit meter thingy), you are supposed to rest as little as possible.
User avatar
megainvj
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:01 am
Contact:

Post by megainvj »

The story of the game is just GREAT however there were some technical things i didn't liked (it took me time to get used to the camera...).
User avatar
Smi
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:20 am
Contact:

Post by Smi »

I LOOOOOOVED the game! And the story! And everything about it!
I only finished it a couple of days ago (for the first time) and I kinda ran through it coz I lacked the time to play it properly but I plan to start it again very soon and do it 'with style' :D

Oh, and megainvj just reminded me - it took me bl00dy ages to get used to the camera, it really, really, really.... really sux, especially in that maze at Covens' where you had to go from one end to the other at least 10 times without the possibility to move your camera at least for a bit :(
I hoe they release some patch to fix it.

But the rest is absolutely awesome. It's the first time after the BG series I fell for some game like I did for this one. :speech:
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

@lobo76
I don't understand how one can comfortably play as a spell caster, when (because of the spirit meter thingy), you are supposed to rest as little as possible.
Yeah, you will have to measure your spells correctly in order to use a spell caster. Spontaneous casters are probably better to use here, because you don't need to prepare anything beforehand. Hence the addition of the Favoured Soul and Spirit Shaman class. Cast an elemental or two using different characters in places with plenty of spirits such as Ashenwood then use Supress. You can gain lots of Spirit Energy that way. The Okku confidence feat also helps plenty.

@Smi
I LOOOOOOVED the game! And the story! And everything about it!
I see that we are the of the same mind about it. :D
Oh, and megainvj just reminded me - it took me bl00dy ages to get used to the camera, it really, really, really.... really sux, especially in that maze at Covens' where you had to go from one end to the other at least 10 times without the possibility to move your camera at least for a bit
Can't you rotate it or zoom in and out? And what mode do you play in? Strategy or character mode?
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
Smi
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:20 am
Contact:

Post by Smi »

Loki[D.d.G] wrote: Can't you rotate it or zoom in and out? And what mode do you play in? Strategy or character mode?
I can rotate/zoom, but i can't move it away from the character. I use strategy mode, tried character mode a couple of times, but it does no good to me. I miss that thing when you touch the edge of screen with your cursor it actually moves camera instead of rotating it. I was able to that in OC (don't really remember what type of camera I used there, I know there were 4 different types and the one I used was 3d).
That's actually the only thing that bothers me, but since I liked the game so much, I got used to the camera, so I'm not complaining about anything (though if they fix it I'd be more then happy :D ).
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

I miss that thing when you touch the edge of screen with your cursor it actually moves camera instead of rotating it. I was able to that in OC (don't really remember what type of camera I used there, I know there were 4 different types and the one I used was 3d).
I think you are referring to the free camera.
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
kahelag
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:33 pm
Location: Germany, but American citzen
Contact:

Post by kahelag »

lobo76 wrote:i haven't finish the game.. but I see one problem.
I don't understand how one can comfortably play as a spell caster, when (because of the spirit meter thingy), you are supposed to rest as little as possible.
I agree with you. I'm dying before finding spirits to consume... :mad:
User avatar
kahelag
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:33 pm
Location: Germany, but American citzen
Contact:

Post by kahelag »

megainvj wrote:The story of the game is just GREAT however there were some technical things i didn't liked (it took me time to get used to the camera...).
Not only the camera, but what about shifting from Character and Strategy during the game.. :mad:
User avatar
kahelag
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2005 3:33 pm
Location: Germany, but American citzen
Contact:

Post by kahelag »

Smi wrote:I can rotate/zoom, but i can't move it away from the character. I use strategy mode, tried character mode a couple of times, but it does no good to me. I miss that thing when you touch the edge of screen with your cursor it actually moves camera instead of rotating it. I was able to that in OC (don't really remember what type of camera I used there, I know there were 4 different types and the one I used was 3d).
That's actually the only thing that bothers me, but since I liked the game so much, I got used to the camera, so I'm not complaining about anything (though if they fix it I'd be more then happy :D ).
My problem with Character/Strategy is: I'll be in Strategy mode in a room, but when I walk out into the open it changes to Character mode and everything is blocking my main character... :mad:
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

My problem with Character/Strategy is: I'll be in Strategy mode in a room, but when I walk out into the open it changes to Character mode and everything is blocking my main character...
It changes to Character mode by itself? Thats funny.
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
TriStaN
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:41 am
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Post by TriStaN »

After being havily disappointed by the original Neverwinter Nights, I decided to give Neverwinter Nights 2 and MotB a try, when I saw, that Chris Avellone was part of the design team (Plancescape: Torment is my ALLTIME FAVOURITE).

I can tell you this: I bought the games 2 weeks ago and since then I've been playing every day, every night. I love it. Neverwinter Nights 2 and especially Mas k of the Betrayer are the best RPGs since Baldur's Gate 2.

Neverwinter Nights 2 was already great, it was extremely rich and entertaining, the story inspiring and just great.
But Mask of the Betrayer is even better. It's a monument, a milestone, one of those almost "perfect" games.
What especially was very nice is the whole music, that surrounds every step you do. It's just blending in with the game so well, it's frightening. and the story...Well...It's better then most books I read in my life and I'm studying literature :)
I don't know..I'm pretty sad I'm already through with it, because of course, I will play it again (try evil), but the first time you play it, it's something very special.

Two downsides to MotB:
- Where are my companions? :( I really miss them! I already was shocked, when some of them turned on me at the end of NWN2 (I played almost the whole game with Qara and yet she dumped me :'(), but not seeing Ellanee again, and Khelgar, and Sand, and Sir Nevalle, and Kana, and my keep and Zhjavee and...Where are they? :( I NEED to know! If the things Ammon Jerro says are true (I doubt some of them...Ellanee dead? Hm...), it would be horrible!
- It's way too easy. I played a Weapon Master / Warrior with a Katana and got the sweet "Naught-Katana" with the Essence of the Shape of Fire from the Burning Grove and well...It usually takes me 1-3 turns to kill somebody, no matter if it is Akachi, some Demilich or I don't know...harder fights would have been nice, especially since the setting is so epic (fighting the ex death god himself, leading an army to the wall of the of the Faithless, helping a very powerful being to obtain the status of a god, slaying the Coven and so on...). At the end of the game, I reached lvl 30 with almost 600 hp, more then 5 attacks per turn and crazy stats. Of course, I could make it harder then normal but...Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights 2 and Plancescape: Torment were all perfect in difficulty, whereas MotB is a bit too easy.

But apart from that: Game of the Year, for sure, I hope they do another expansion, I really do :(
SOMETIMES I FEEL
LIKE EARTH'S GRAVITYIS JUST HERE

TO PULL US DOWN!
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

- Where are my companions? I really miss them! I already was shocked, when some of them turned on me at the end of NWN2 (I played almost the whole game with Qara and yet she dumped me :'(), but not seeing Ellanee again, and Khelgar, and Sand, and Sir Nevalle, and Kana, and my keep and Zhjavee and...Where are they? I NEED to know! If the things Ammon Jerro says are true (I doubt some of them...Ellanee dead? Hm...), it would be horrible!
As far as I have deduced, both the romance options in the OC are dead, that being Casavir (if female) and Elanee (male) as well as Grobnar dying with his golem. Neeshka and Khelgar survived, but I'm not so sure about Sand. As for Zhjaeve, she just vanished, presumably returned to her home plane. The rest should have survived as they didn't follow your PC to the King of Shadow'[s stronghold. The reason Obsidian had for killing Elanee and Casavir, was to pave the way for a new romance with companions in MotB.
- It's way too easy. I played a Weapon Master / Warrior with a Katana and got the sweet "Naught-Katana" with the Essence of the Shape of Fire from the Burning Grove and well...It usually takes me 1-3 turns to kill somebody, no matter if it is Akachi, some Demilich or I don't know...harder fights would have been nice, especially since the setting is so epic (fighting the ex death god himself, leading an army to the wall of the of the Faithless, helping a very powerful being to obtain the status of a god, slaying the Coven and so on...). At the end of the game, I reached lvl 30 with almost 600 hp, more then 5 attacks per turn and crazy stats. Of course, I could make it harder then normal but...Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights 2 and Plancescape: Torment were all perfect in difficulty, whereas MotB is a bit too easy.
Go try hardcore and tell me how it feels... :p
But Mask of the Betrayer is even better. It's a monument, a milestone, one of those almost "perfect" games.
Less bugs than the OC, sure, but still bugs nonetheless. Mind you, I still loved the game. :D
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
TriStaN
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:41 am
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Post by TriStaN »

Loki[D.d.G] wrote:As far as I have deduced, both the romance options in the OC are dead, that being Casavir (if female) and Elanee (male) as well as Grobnar dying with his golem. Neeshka and Khelgar survived, but I'm not so sure about Sand. As for Zhjaeve, she just vanished, presumably returned to her home plane. The rest should have survived as they didn't follow your PC to the King of Shadow'[s stronghold. The reason Obsidian had for killing Elanee and Casavir, was to pave the way for a new romance with companions in MotB.
Yeah, but remeber, that's what JERRO says :) All this stuff about Casavir breaking his back and Elanee being crushed by some falling stone and stuff like that. As for Sand, he told me, that he thinks, he made it out just in time by using some kind of transformationspell.

But still: I would really appreciate some more information about all the members. Actually, Khelgar, Ammon Jerro and Bishop are the only ones you really know about, because it's not something that you've been told, but something you can experience.

And yeah, of course, I could do hardcore mode, but actually it's just things like some weapons and spells being too strong, possibly leveling up to fast, stuff like that, that was better in other games. Then again, I'd rather be a bit too strong than always too weak :P

Oh and btw: Any suggestions for another Addon? I mean, being lvl 30 at the end of the MotB makes it pretty hard to design a story that's still "normal". I guess Avellone/Obsidian could do something even more related to the planes, like sending you to Baator or I don't know.
SOMETIMES I FEEL
LIKE EARTH'S GRAVITYIS JUST HERE

TO PULL US DOWN!
User avatar
Loki[D.d.G]
Posts: 2515
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm
Location: The initial frontier
Contact:

Post by Loki[D.d.G] »

Yeah, but remeber, that's what JERRO says All this stuff about Casavir breaking his back and Elanee being crushed by some falling stone and stuff like that. As for Sand, he told me, that he thinks, he made it out just in time by using some kind of transformationspell.
Unfortunately, the game might have been to longwinded had Obsidian decide to let the player experience meeting all the OC companions. I agree however, that there should have been one large reunion party to round off MotB. That would have made for a sterling ending. Jerro just has to be trusted on his information, for all it's worth. :D
Oh and btw: Any suggestions for another Addon? I mean, being lvl 30 at the end of the MotB makes it pretty hard to design a story that's still "normal". I guess Avellone/Obsidian could do something even more related to the planes, like sending you to Baator or I don't know.
You can look [url="http://www.gamebanshee.com/forums/neverwinter-nights-2-80/2nd-nwn2-expansion-93674.html"]here[/url] to post additional suggestions for a second addon.
Love is just a chemical. We give it meaning by choice ~ Eleanor Lamb, Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams
User avatar
TriStaN
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:41 am
Location: Switzerland
Contact:

Post by TriStaN »

Yeah, I just saw that, thanks :)
SOMETIMES I FEEL
LIKE EARTH'S GRAVITYIS JUST HERE

TO PULL US DOWN!
Post Reply