Hey! I'm new here, and I had a few questions.

I've played a lot of Neverwinter Nights 1, and I've been looking to possibly transition to NWN2 to find a new roleplaying server. I've been looking around a few and this one really caught my eye due to how interesting I find the Calimshan setting. I was just wondering if u guys wouldn't mind clearing a few things up for me.

1 How far along are you guys into development? While the setting does interest me a lot with all the genies, is this something that is coming within the next few months? Seeing the huge gap of forum activity from this month and the last few is a little disheartening and I'm wondering how much work you actually have accomplished and when I can expect a finished server to be released.

2 To what extent do you guys adhere to the Dungeons & Dragons lore? Is everything going to be straight out of the sourcebooks, or are you taking a lot of creative liberty with the setting?

3 Is there any way I can read up on possible class changes? I'm not very good with the builder yet but I like to plan out characters ahead of time both in their personalities and their builds.

4 What is the relationship between staff & player going to be like? In my experience of NWN1 servers, I've seen a huge variance in this. I was just wondering to what extent are DMs/Staff authority figures?

1  How far along are you guys into development?  While the setting does interest me a lot with all the genies, is this something that is coming within the next few months?  Seeing the huge gap of forum activity from this month and the last few is a little disheartening and I'm wondering how much work you actually have accomplished and when I can expect a finished server to be released.

I can understand why this would be disheartening. We took the time to continue building much of the server and dungeons while looking for a scripter. We now have even more scripters and builders than we expected. We hoped to have a nearly 'finished' product to present to the playerbase within a month or two, even though said product will be constantly undergoing change as players will be able to affect the world around them.

2  To what extent do you guys adhere to the Dungeons & Dragons lore?  Is everything going to be straight out of the sourcebooks, or are you taking a lot of creative liberty with the setting?

A mixture of both. We hope to add many source things that weren't in vanilla, and so on, but there are a few controversial things that we will of course want the playerbases' opinion on concerning sexism within the Calishite setting and so on.

3  Is there any way I can read up on possible class changes?  I'm not very good with the builder yet but I like to plan out characters ahead of time both in their personalities and their builds.

Class changes are still being organized and ideas proposed. When the server launches this will be main priority and not something we roll out with, due to wanting our players' opinions. We plan on adding custom classes as well. Once the staff have discussed at length about changes, a cohesive list of them will be made and given to the playerbase for their opinions.

4  What is the relationship between staff & player going to be like?  In my experience of NWN1 servers, I've seen a huge variance in this.  I was just wondering to what extent are DMs/Staff authority figures?

Our philosophy is that we want -you- to help us create a grand story. Our feeling is that we are all equals and adults in terms of community, and that you understand with our certain rules such as permadeath, that we as dungeon masters have to have some sort of authority over the world, but in terms of secrecy and having your own voice, we are extremely receptive so that we can understand all facets of the creative process. Other than that you will see us publically discourse and even disagree with one another as well as you. We don't plan on being the forum police, frankly, we don't have time for it. We do however expect everyone to conduct themselves in a mature manner.

I hope I was able to answer your questions and if other staff feel like I missed anything, feel free.

Also, welcome to the forums.

1 How far along are you guys into development? While the setting does interest me a lot with all the genies, is this something that is coming within the next few months? Seeing the huge gap of forum activity from this month and the last few is a little disheartening and I'm wondering how much work you actually have accomplished and when I can expect a finished server to be released.

I'm new as member of the staff of Sands of Calimshan, I have experience as NWN2 Scripter since before 2008.
I love to build environment functions to make a more playable world.

I have great skills at another areas,as for example the world mapping; but I'm null as DM blame of my lack of English Skills.

As to how far we are into development.... I actually have quite a lot of the module's areas built, and they were done prior to some people taking a break for RL reasons. Area-wise we have the city built, with the only things being skipped for now are interiors of temples (because there is so many and I can't predict what players will be interested in first). We have major RP hangouts (taverns and such) and merchants. As a builder, my goal right now is to get the exterior areas connected up, and make dungeons.

Basically, the thing preventing us from opening our doors to players right now is getting some scripting and related functionality in place. Our scripters can't do everything in one day, and we do allow them to sleep and eat.

Patience, young padawan.

Judas Iscariot wrote:and we do allow them to sleep and eat.

Going on record to say, this was not a unanimous decision and I still believe scripters do not actually REQUIRE food.