Meta/News Golden Dragon Award announcements from the Academy of Modding Excellen

[Tchos]

righthttp://www.ame-gda.net/Home/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/ame_banner_mid_v4.jpg[/img] Greetings to all fans of the Neverwinter Nights game series! Over the past few years, the Academy for Modding Excellence has been working to bring recognition to great mods for both Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter Nights 2 with the Golden Dragon Awards. See more about the AME at the end of this article, especially if you'd be interested in helping out with evaluating and nominating mods that deserve a look!

 

Following are the announcements for the latest award results for both games:

 

Neverwinter Nights 2

 

The AME is pleased to announce the results of our Mid-Summer 2012 Quarterly review for Neverwinter Nights 2. Congratulations to all finalists and award winners!

 

The following new Golden Dragon Awards have been awarded:

 

NWN2 2009 Best Storytelling Module

 

Finalists:

• Serene, by Tsongo, is one of the longest NWN2 modules out there, and a pure storytelling one. Its main focus lies in providing a good story with plot twists and many characters with well developed personalities.
  
• Sands of Solvheil III: Crusaders of Shalihir: This author's work springs from his embrace of adventuring as "aggressive archaeology". There's often a sense in games that "story" is something that happens only in words. What makes this module stand out is the way the story is embedded in the places you visit, often more so than in conversations you have or books you read — to make a story not just something the player reads, but something she can walk around and look at.
  
• Dark Waters 3 presents a complex story set in a custom world with an extensive history, and a quest to save the world by solving an ancient mystery from another time. It has many many unique and innovative gameplay elements, but at its core is an ambitious tale that helped to set a new storytelling standard for NWN2 modding.

Award Winner:

• Sands of Solvheil III: Crusaders of Shalihir by Raith Veldrin.

 

The following Golden Dragon Award nominees have now entered the finals:

 

NWN2 Debut Author Award of 2009

• PJ156 (for the module Sheep and Stone): Sheep and Stone is the first chapter in the tightly plotted and intriguing Tales of the Lake of Sorrows. The main action takes place in a tiny village, where the author has put in a great amount of effort into making the community feel genuinely alive. Where commoners are usually not more than extras in the grand scheme of things, here they have a life of their own, and make realistic interactions with the player.
  
• Tsongo (for the module Serene): A first work, yet hugely ambitious in scope, Serene embarks the player on an epic quest for revenge. It has a strong emphasis on storytelling, but is also supported by compelling gameplay.
  
• J.E. McKellar (for the module The Last of the Dana'an): Despite being a debut offering, the Last of the Dana'an brings much innovation to NWN2 gameplay. As a module done with the Ranger class in mind, there are opportunities for tactical combat, special uses of terrain, bartering, and other original elements. And yet, it also sets great value in providing a sound story, and a well-rendered atmosphere.

 

The following Golden Dragon Awards are still in finals and have not yet been awarded:

 

NWN2 Veteran Author Award of 2009

• Azenn: Azenn won the AME's Debut Author Award in 2009 for Asphyxia. He's now earned a Veteran Author nomination as well for his 2009 module, Live Forever — a story based module with thought-provoking ideas and entertaining characters.
  
• John McA: John McA released the module Hyborean Hack in 2009. A prolific "crossover" author from NWN1, his Conan Chronicles campaigns are notable for their excellent storytelling and sense of drama.
  
• Markus "Wayne" Schlegel: A prolific author of both NWN1 and NWN2 modules, Markus released the NWN2 module Lolthanchwi in 2009, a sequel to his 2008 module A Hunt Through the Dark, both set in the ruthless Underdark of the drow. He has also been recognized for his excellent NWN2 work in the past with the 2007 GDA for Most Replayable module for Pool of Radiance Remastered.

 

NWN2 2009-2010 Best Roleplaying Module Award

• Dark Waters 3: The conclusion to Adam Miller's epic NWN2 saga, Dark Waters 3 has many unique and innovative gameplay elements, including strong roleplay options.
  
• Trinity: Trinity has a strong "old-school" feel reminiscent of a P&P game. Besides being overall well developed, it features different quest paths and custom abilities such as jumping and climbing.
  
• The Maimed God Saga: A module for Clerics of Tyr, it offers a well fleshed out story, but also great attention to roleplay as it makes the player feel like a true Cleric — not just a buffed warrior. Besides praying in altars and the use of spells in conversations and quests, there are also many skill checks and important moral decisions to be made.

 

The following Golden Dragon Awards are still open and have not yet entered the finals:

 

• NWN2 2010-2011 Best Storytelling Module Award
  
• NWN2 2010-2011 Veteran Author Award
  
• NWN2 2009 Best Action Module
  
• NWN2 2009-2011 Most Replayable Module Award
  
• NWN2 2008-2011 Best Conversion or Remake Module Award
  
• NWN2 2008-2011 Best Multi-Player Module Award
  
• NWN2 2010-2011 Debut Author Award
  
• NWN2 2010-2011 Best Action Module
  
• NWN2 2011 Best Roleplay Module
  
• NWN2 2009-2011 Best Custom Content Award
  
• NWN2 2009-2011 Community Contribution Award
  
• Joint NWN1 & NWN2 2010-2011 Best Sound/Music Award

 

Awards and finalists for NWN2 from previous cycles can be found here:

http://www.ame-gda.n...ome/?page_id=90

 

Neverwinter Nights 1

 

The AME is pleased to announce the Golden Dragon Awards for Neverwinter Nights 1. Congratulations to all finalists and award winners!

 

The following Golden Dragon Award nominees have now entered the finals:

 

NWN1 Special Recognition Award: Module Series

• The Aielund Saga by Savant: A classic example of the "Action/Adventure" genre, The Aielund Saga is an epic module series in every sense of the word. It includes a well-crafted story that features plot elements ranging from political intrigue to planar travel; excellent action, challenging battles and puzzles; original game play, item development, and scripting; and two of the most memorable romances in the history of NWN modding.
  
• The Bastard of Kosigan by Fabien Cerutti: Steeped in a real knowledge of and appreciation for European history, this series features complex ideas, roleplaying opoportunities and witty dialogue. It creates a complicated and convicing setting, combining history and magic with a wide scope of vision into an ambitious work of CRPG storytelling.
  
• Prophet by Baldecaran: A mystery thriller set in a fantasy universe, the Prophet series presents one of the most gripping plots ever written for a NWN module. Convincing and highly polished writing and the use of cutscene and atmospheric scenery convey a strong personal involvement in the story and a powerful sense of menace and mystery. Every new area is a surprising sight, and every conversation is interesting and adds to the plot. It also features excellent area design through the selection and use of custom music and tilesets.

 

NWN1 2008-2011 Best Conversion/Remake Module

• The Accursed Tower by Udasu: This module features good use of "narrator voice," well designed areas that are pleasantly small but exciting, and new music and beautiful custom content. It also presents a story enriched by a couple of memorable henchmen that comment on events and flirt and quarrel with each other, allowing the player to experience interesting roles played out by his companions as well.
  
• S4 - The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth by SirOtus: A classic P&P Conversion with a well-done non-linear structure, unique scripting, attention to detail, and great visuals, this module brilliantly captures the feel of the First Edition AD&D module on which it is based.
  
• FA1 - Halls of the High King by Udasu: Everything is there in this classic P&P remake: music, conversations, and quests, enhanced by the author inserting his own ideas and content, and making creative use of custom content and lighting.

 

The following Golden Dragon Awards are still open and have not yet entered the finals:

 

• NWN1 2010-2011 Debut Author Award
  
• NWN1 2010-2011 Best Storytelling Award
  
• NWN1 2010-2011 Best Roleplaying Award
  
• NWN1 2010-2011 Best Action Award
  
• NWN1 2009-2011 Most Replayable Module Award
  
• NWN1 2008-2011 Best Multi-Player Module
  
• NWN1 Special Recognition: Coffeebreak Module
  
• NWN1 Special Recognition Award: Original Setting
  
• NWN1 2011 Veteran Author Award: Modules
  
• NWN1 2010-2011 Best Custom Content Award
  
• NWN1 2011 Veteran Author Award: CC
  
• NWN1 2011 Community Contribution Award
  
• NWN1 2011 Best Tileset Award

 

Awards and finalists for NWN1 from previous cycles can be found here:

http://www.ame-gda.n...me/?page_id=170

 

The Academy for Modding Excellence is actively recruiting for new members to help us in our mission to give recognition to the content creators who keep this great community active. So if you are an avid NWN1 player, modder or reviewer, and think you might be interested in helping with the AME's mission, answer to our Call for Volunteers! All you need to do to help is to play modules and vote on them. Your vote may be the last one needed to send a module into the finals!

[Gravehound]

It`s great that Neverwinter 1 and 2 are still alive through the modding community because alas the coming Neverwinter Game will be (surprise) am MMORPG with no single player and no mod support.

I don't know if there is reasonable hope for a Neverwinter Nights 3 Single Player; i doubt it.

[Tchos]

I don't know if there's likely to be a NWN3 single player RPG either. I won't be holding my breath. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better full party-based RPG out there with such a powerful toolset for modding.

 

It's not entirely accurate to say that the MMORPG Neverwinter has no mod support. They do have the modding tool The Foundry, for creating quests and placing them in the world. But it's accurate to say that there is no custom content support. No new meshes, textures, sounds, etc., as they say right at the very end of this video.

 

 

I'll try the MMO anyway, since it'll be free to play, but I don't think it supports the way I like to play these games (full party control, pause and plan, etc.), so I can't see myself getting much invested in it. It's an action RPG, not a tactical party RPG.

 

In the meantime, NWN1 and NWN2 have enough to keep me busy and having fun for a long time.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Tchos

[Verun]

Apart from one, the stories/modules listed here are all really well done and worth getting awards.

 

I'm aware the terms of use on these forums deny the commentators any kind of negative view, which I find sad really, because even if you read/play a free story, it should uphold some morale standards in my opinion.

 

Seeing Serene here really makes me question the morality of the reviewers. It's not a great module. It's the reveling in rape, torture and extreme cruelty towards women and does not deserve any award. People who really enjoy such dirt should question their sanity in all honesty.

 

Go play PJ156's brilliant Lake of Sorrows Campaign which is mentioned above (and rightly so!) if you want to see how to write dark themed stories in a mature, yet morale way, never crossing the line.