Interested upcoming new player from NWN1

[Legebril]

Greetings,

I used to play NWN1 more than a decade ago so I'm a bit lost, even more concerning this server that has so many custom changes (Although I have already read all the wiki+ important forum posts).
All the time that I spent playing NWN1, was on low-magic roleplaying servers (the ones I like the most); this one, BGTSCC, as long as I can understand, is that type of server (The wiki states it like that); but while reading the forum some doubts come to mind regarding this server concept.

First of all, regarding gear, what I can see is that, at least from my understanding and what I'm used to, it's more on a mid-magic range due that max enhancement bonus being +4. I have seen a table where every item slot has 12 "enhancement slots" and every property depending on how powerful is, consume one or more of those slots (with a +4 item always consuming all the 12 slots). This table still rules gearside or the equipment has evolved to high-magic levels?

Secondly, regarding roleplaying, while reading the forum I have seen people happily talking about grinding X bosses, optimizing farming time/gold, character sheets with secundaries attributes at their least value and so on. Do people really roleplay? or is it more like a WoW running under NWN2 game engine? (post like this one for example)

What I can understand is that, after all of that character sheet optimizations, the developers have been forced to enhance the enemies quite a lot so, if you build a standard character (taking into account that I have no idea about builds evenmore in NWN2), will I be really (do-me)?
This leads me to another question, do people integrate new players and is it easy to conform a group? Or each one only looks for their own ass.

Another question (I'm finishing don't worry ) related to the fact that I have always played on low-magic low-exp servers, which one could be the exp gaining ratio here?

Oh, and as a side note, I have never played on an english speaking server (spanish is my mother language so if there are some others out there we can also speak via PM) and my english is far from perfect (I'm able to defend myself as you can see but that's all) Could this be a major issue to enjoy the server and it roleplay/events?

Also I have some questions regarding feats, classes, viable builds, etc that should be placed on the "Build character advice subforum" so I have to open another thread to learn how things works and how to plan a viable build.

Thanks in advance for your time.

[cosmic ray]

I'd definitely classify BGtSCC as a high-magic world even if the enhancement bonus of items happens to be limited to no higher than +4. There are tons of magic items around to buy and sell and the best ones have several +4 properties on them. It sounds like what you read on the wiki has long been out of date.

Regarding the roleplay aspect, I think it's fair to describe the server as "light roleplay" but going ooc is against the rules (not that it doesn't happen sometimes, sadly, but that can happen anywhere).

These traits aren't for everyone but it's a fun server for those that like to play this way, and even those who "don't mind" playing this way.

[Valefort]

Definitely mid magic now. For the rest the server is what you make of it, some people play it more WoW like and some only roleplay with all the possibilities in between. The server tries to cater to every playstyle so it's not about to change.

Monsters are not particularly hard and powerbuilds are not needed in the least but it's not a complete walk in the park either, player experience of the server is important. Regarding exp it is very fast from level 0 to 20 and then slows down in the epic levels.

As for english your post shows it's not bad and playing on the server should improve it, there are people from all over the world here

[CleverUsername123]

Monsters are not particularly hard

Lies.

On topic though: evil characters are more fun and you should play one.

[Valefort]

Monsters are not particularly hard

Lies.

On topic though: evil characters are more fun and you should play one.

^ Complete lies, on monsters and on alignment !

[Maecius]

In terms of the overall thematic feeling of the server (setting aside mechanical classifications entirely), I'd probably classify it as "high fantasy." There's magic, monsters, and misadventure all around. Gods have been revived here, wars have been fought, and a lot of player characters have become important influencers of the Realms.

It's definitely not a low-magic, gritty dark fantasy, if that's what you're looking for. You can carve out a corner for that kind of roleplay here (I played a noir-style detective once), but you'll have to come to terms with the fact that you're sharing world space with archmages and heroic knights.

In terms of the roleplay, I've personally found it rewarding here. But you're not always going to be met with the same level of effort or experience (if you're a particularly hardcore roleplayer). Not all of our players are as dedicated to roleplay as they are to the general gaming experience -- you'll find some people with dozens of pages of journal entries, a book-length character background, realistic motivations, and deep, faceted personalities, but they'll be across the campfire from a character whose entire hook was dreamed up over a few drinks and centers around pull-my-finger jokes.

In other words, you're going to find all kinds here. It can be a lot of fun, especially if you really liked the old Black Isle Baldur's Gate games (as many of our world maps were craft carefully around those original maps); but it's not a low-magic, hardcore roleplayer server. Ravenloft it is not! It definitely syncs with the Forgotten Realms's sense of balance for seriousness and silliness though.

[Holgard]

Been playing this awhile now and I feel like I can easily say that this is a high magic server. People are constantly casting magic and there's a wizard, sorceress, warlock, any form of caster always at hand. Or people always multi class into a caster it seems. Pretty much every time someone walks through a door you hear the explosion of all their magical buffs. NPC's that have rules in their area against magic are typically ignored.

For example if a certain area disallows weapons and casting, usually that will be followed; up until someone decides that they are validated to use their magic. Usually in the form of a restoration or something of that sort followed by an 'Oops I'm sorry mister npc' I like the server a lot so far, but the amount of magic in it is pretty ridiculous.

Recently I had a roleplay scene, one of my first with some decent roleplayers on the roof of the tavern. If memory serves there were... Six of us, only two of us didn't know how to cast magic in some way shape or form. Well I'm not sure about the ranger, but who knows; I know my character doesn't do it.

This server practically revolves around sorcerers and magical items. Typically I don't mind when people play characters like that at all, infact I welcome it. But it gets a little bit ridiculous when areas are strictly labeled no rough housing or whatever. And someone emotes *Rubs a ring.* and suddenly there's a Djinn attacking everyone out in front of the Inn over some petty squabble and insults.

I tend to try and play characters that reside in a morale grey zone. Where they are a bit more mysterious or harder to learn, perhaps making some questionable choices. But one thing that does get to me, is constantly seeing followers of Myrkul walking around with skulls on their faces and scythes like that somehow would fit into society. Maybe it's not me being familiar with the Lore, maybe it's me just being plain ignorant. But when I'm trying to play a guy more on the 'average' side of things and some guy comes in looking like a boss from devil may cry, it gets a bit weird.

Especially when everything he says would make reaper from overwatch seem reasonable when compared to them. However that being said there's some people I've found with some interesting characters and that's the reason why I stick around. I enjoy rping with these people and they have some literacy so why not. I'd say try the server, why not. You might find something interesting in the horde of Myrkul followers, paladins, and mage spam.

[Maecius]

The last 90 seconds or so of this video, put together by one of our players, has a lot of good screenshots of the sorts of DM events and player gatherings we've had in the past:

To give you a good, quick look at the sort of gameplay and activities and area maps you'll find here.

[Tsidkenu]

Welcome!

Just a few comments from me: firstly, do not let your command of English hold you back. We have many great RPers on this server for whom English is a 2nd, 3rd or 4th language. Who remembers Borton from back in the day? The old-timers will get my reference here; Borton actually used this server to help him learn English! Yeah, if Borton could play here and thoroughly enjoy himself, so can you

Second, the server will be what you make of it. If you want an RP experience that is more to the hardcore side of things (keeping within our PG 13 content rating, of course), you will find plenty of people who will happily accommodate you. Yes there are the odd few 'grind mostly-RP lite' players but in my experience they are few and far between. Most of the players here I would probably place in the mid-to-heavy RP category. Just log in & dive in!

Lastly, you can get by just fine with highly unoptimised characters. The Character Building section of the forum covers mechanics & roleplay. Some of our players simply love the challenge of crafting build combinations to survive or thrive in BGTSCC's unique build environment, but that does not mean they roleplay less! I managed to get a very unoptimised wizard/cleric diviner (no illusion buffs to protect her!!) with 6 base CON to level 30 on this server after about 1.5 years of RP. Level at the speed you want to play and don't worry about what everyone else is doing.

Playing here requires a degree of accommodation to all the variety of play styles this server attracts. But we are still one of, if not the, most populous servers in the NWN2 scene, and have been this way for the last 8+ years.

I hope you enjoy your time here.
~Tsidkenu

[Rask]

The reason everyone plays mages is because higher level areas are impossible without magic. Yes you still need a good fighter, but a fighter alone can't do it. The melee/fighter "gish" combo that a lot of power builders use on the server is really their way of getting around that, and making solo play possible in higher level areas where it would otherwise be impossible.

The way the server has been balanced at higher tier areas has basically forced people into a hole where they must cross-class as a spell caster or fall way behind the curve. It is not so noticeable before level 18 or so, but after that it becomes glaring.

That being said, the best combo is still a pure fighter build paired with a spell caster to back them.

[Legebril]

I have never loved too much playing magical users but that is up to personal preference, I don't have any problem having them hanging around (Indeed who knows if I may end playing one)

I'm more familiar with a mid-intensity roleplay style so I don't really need a stricted hardcore roleplaying server where everyone stands 24/7 inside an inn and where killing two rats could be considered an heroic feat.
What I really dislike is people with 6 in every secondary attribute that don't justify it ingame and they act as if they were the kings of the server and DM events, campers whose only aspiration is killing every living (or not) monster without talking a word (Like the one in the post that i linked above) or as the other guy said before, people who cast spells where it should be forbidden on rol and such kind of things
After all this is a server with a long run behind so it is normal that there are powerful players with notorious influence among us.

What I'm seeing is that I'm starting to enjoy building characters so that would take a lot of my time it seems
Finally, and taking all of this into account, I think that I will enjoy the server as I'm not looking for a hardcore roleplaying experience and after all, world being high magic it is not a bad thing if this fact is well driven by DMs and players.

I have downloaded NWN2 with both expansions (and introduced my CDkeys), downloaded the improved textures files (do i have to move them from their folder or just having the folder inside Override does the trick?)
There is only left conecting to the server and the Auto downloader will start downloading the haks needed right? Do I have to have NWN installed in a specific directory?

Thanks in advance again for your time, I really enjoyed your replies describing your own vision of the server!

PS: OMG I'm starting to download the haks with the autodownloader (So I can test a bit in JEGS module) and this task will take forever downloading at 56 kbps. There is not other alternative?

[Tsidkenu]

Yes there is.

[Legebril]

Yes there is.

Do I have to download all those files or just a selection of them? I mean, all the .trx have to be downloaded? (They seem like areas of the module).

As far as i can see there are TRX, HAK, SEF, after all have been downloaded, where do i have to move them? (I suppose that .hak to hak folder in nwn installation folder but thats all)

There are not tlk files there? While reading the wiki I seem to have read that there was .tlk files.

Sorry for all this questions, I promise that I have read the wiki and the forum post where this is explained but i can't find the answer.

[Tsidkenu]

I also wish there was a singular, stickied forum thread that answered them for, alas, I cannot answer those questions. Aspect of Sorrow will need to chime in here. I only knew he had posted that link in the last few days.

[Valefort]

Haks into hak folder, tlk fie into tlk folder indeed

SEF and TRX files into Documents\Neverwinter Nights 2\modules\Baldurs Gate TSCC