[CrimsonBlue]

I've been playing Neverwinter Nights for some days now, and just today I got this idea that the Aurora engine (used for Neverwinter Nights) would actually work perfectly for a full 3D point and click adventure game. I mean, you can zoom in and out, you can rotate both horizontal and vertical etc etc. I play Neverwinter Nights totally controlled by mouse. Rarely using the keyboard, for anything but rotating the camera.

In addition to this, the game can ALSO be controlled totally by keyboard. Of course, there's the option of controlling with both a mouse and the keyboard. The interface for Neverwinter Nights is one of the best I've ever used.

So, why hasn't anybody thought of doing a point and click adventure with this type of engine? Why do all the adventure games need to use some kind of weird 3D engine that doesn't really work for adventuregames, while there is a 3D engine out there already that is perfect for these kind of games?

[bysmitty]

That's a good point. I was very dissapointed w/ NWNs because of the thin single player campaign and the lack of any good mods out there. My interest would be renewed if there was an adventure game mod out there. ...bysmitty

[Kazmodan]

Well, for one thing, you have to buy the game itself first just to use the Aurora Toolset, while you can download other engines for free (sure, you don't have to pay thousands but you can't beat free). I'm not quite sure if you are required to have the original game just to play modules, it may just be for variations (at least it seems that way according to their EULA) but either way, there seem to be quite a few restrictions in their EULA on what you are allowed to do with it. Here's a link to the agreement, so perhaps someone can shed some more light onto it:

http://nwn.bioware.com/forums/viewto...highlight=EULA

Also, considering the complexity and quality of the engine, should you ever do a custom project (meaning everything is original) rather than use their templates and pre-made libraries, it would take a huge amount of time and work. Yes, it would take a lot to do the same in "weird" 3D engines but at least you have an option to distribute your game for a small payment for actual media and shipment, should your game get too large for downloads (especially for dial-up users). Some people even have an option to make a bit of profit with royaltee-free engines.

Here's a part from their FAQ:

"4.12: Will I be able to sell custom modules or charge for playing on my server in Neverwinter Nights?

For the most part, the End User License Agreement will prohibit the selling of modules and the charging for server access."

Also, they don't support 3rd party plug-ins, it seems.

But I agree that for pure freeware adventures that people don't mind putting nearly as much work as into commercial projects, and never consider selling, it is an option, as long as it doesn't require everyone to have the original game just to play the modules. It looks purdy for sure.

PS It is, obviously, well suited for RPGs. And, as you said, no one made an adventure with it yet. But it doesn't mean no one should.

[Steve Ince]

I believe there's a module called The Witch's Wake which is supposed to be an adventure. I've not had a chance to look myself yet.

[DomStLeger]

If I understood CrimsonBlue correctly I think he meant a commercial adventure game using the engine, and not a fanmade project?

I haven't played NWN, but from what I know it could make a game in the style of Dreamweb quite well at least? I have no idea about it's potential in other 3D style adventures?

[CrimsonBlue]

Originally Posted by DomStLeger

If I understood CrimsonBlue correctly I think he meant a commercial adventure game using the engine, and not a fanmade project?

I haven't played NWN, but from what I know it could make a game in the style of Dreamweb quite well at least? I have no idea about it's potential in other 3D style adventures?

You understood correctly, sir.

However, I don't just mean the Aurora engine specifically, but an engine in the same style and system. I mean, when a commercial company builds an engine for an adventure game, they seem to desperately try to automatically think 2D in a 3D world. Like the Broken Sword 3 engine, the 3D engines created for adventuregames seem to fail almost every time. Why is that? What I really would want is for the developers to look at how Bioware does their RPG's, because the system they use would work perfectly for adventuregames I think. Is it so hard for adventuregame developers to learn from other genres?

[Kazmodan]

Originally Posted by DomStLeger

If I understood CrimsonBlue correctly I think he meant a commercial adventure game using the engine, and not a fanmade project?

I haven't played NWN, but from what I know it could make a game in the style of Dreamweb quite well at least? I have no idea about it's potential in other 3D style adventures?

Just how much is a commercial license for using the Aurora engine??? I'd imagine it's not cheap at all...

[CrimsonBlue]

One more try...

I didn't mean SPECIFICALLY the Aurora engine. I was using the Aurora engine as an example of how a 3D adventure would work, and raised the question why nobody has thought of making an engine in this style for their adventure games? I haven't seen any 3D adventure using this approach instead of always trying to make an engine that usually sucks (like the Broken Sword 3).

[Kazmodan]

Originally Posted by CrimsonBlue

One more try...

I didn't mean SPECIFICALLY the Aurora engine. I was using the Aurora engine as an example of how a 3D adventure would work, and raised the question why nobody has thought of making an engine in this style for their adventure games? I haven't seen any 3D adventure using this approach instead of always trying to make an engine that usually sucks (like the Broken Sword 3).

Your post's topic:

Aurora engine: very suitable for adventure games?

That's not specific??? Perhaps you should've said Aurora-like engine. But then, I'd never care to point it out until your latest post.

From your first post:

I got this idea that the Aurora engine (used for Neverwinter Nights) would actually work perfectly for a full 3D point and click adventure game

You did say "this type of engine" later, although did not provide an example of the same type, only to follow with "there is a 3D engine [not "engines"] out there already that is perfect for these kind of games".

Now that it's out of the way, when I asked about Aurora license, it could be used as an example of how much such an engine would cost to license. Plus, I was simply curious how much an Aurora engine specifically would cost. Nowhere did I say that it was limited to that engine only. Thanks.