Neverwinter Nights 2: So, I read a good module the other day

Ah, the bygone days of the Choose Your Own Adventure books; cherished items from the childhood of many a fantasy-inclined bookish youth. The careful reader marked the page before reading ahead to what could be certain death. You might have considered it a form of literary quick-saving, or, failing than, cheating. At some point, however, the adventure always came to an inevitable end, forcing the poor child to move on. If life was good to him or her, the lust for adventure was not sated, but merely set aside for the next opportunity to indulge. Eventually, all of the paths had been explored and the contents emptied by a voracious appetite. Enter Neverwinter Nights. Even the most vivid imagination could never have fathomed such entertainment back then. Imagine the surprise when it turned out to be quite possibly the best replacement for a favorite childhood vice.

Those already in the know can vouch for it, but those new to the series haven't yet had the pleasure of delving into the vibrant Neverwinter Nights mod community. Bioware's initial offering has been one of the few to really embrace the idea of community created content. Instead of relying on slowly developed official content, they had the foresight to provide the gaming public with a solid base, an adaptable tool set, and a world of inspiration. The community has succeeded in creating fantastic worlds, often exceeding what was laid down in the official campaign. Expertly crafted modules, such as Shadowlords, have allowed the development of a sort of interactive fiction that goes far beyond merely flipping through pages. Players craft their hero, or perhaps anti-hero, and set out on the paths of adventure spilled by the fevered dreams of a distant Dungeon Master. If the player is truly lucky, the DM will even take an active hand in personalizing the story as it progresses. Did you hear that? That was the sound of H.P. Lovecraft's ghost wetting itself in delight.

This is the true joy of playing Neverwinter Nights (the storytelling; not the paranormal emissions). Like being a kid with a library card, anyone can find an endless supply of stories for the imagination to soak in. And if that ever gets old, there are plenty tricks up the game's virtual sleeve. If you're unwilling or unable to cough up the monthly fee for games like World of Warcraft, do yourself a favor and take a few seconds to Google "NWN persistent world." Go ahead, I'll wait. Did you find some results? Excellent! Nordock comes highly recommended, as does The City of Arabel. More comfortable in the realms of strategy? Repeat the same exercise with "NWN RTS." Good vs. Evil is a good place to start. Sure, there are some duplicates and a healthy chunk of irrelevant links, but the point is, if you're looking for something that caters directly to your tastes, it probably exists. If it doesn't, you can always try your hand at weaving the treacherous webs of adventure that so often ended abruptly, accompanied by a hasty retreat of pages.

So, there you have it. The author of this article is a huge dork, er... Neverwinter Nights is a delightful continuation of the old "interactive" adventure stories for children. This time around, however, it is the inner-child that is being tickled in only the most wholesome of manners. It's never even heard of Neverland ranch, mostly because it prefers more of a fantasy setting, not horror. Tarrasques aren't for everyone. Thanks to the efforts of the developers, the community, and a loving fan base, the pulpy world of childhood can mix with Dungeons and Dragons to live on for many years to come, potentially drawing closer to perfect with the upcoming release of Neverwinter Nights 2.