Software:Realms of Trinity

From HandWiki
Realms of Trinity
Producer(s)Brian S. Bloom
Designer(s)Z&K Studios[1]
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Mac OS
ReleaseSep 6, 2008[2]
Genre(s)Persistent world
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Realms of Trinity is a persistent world for the Neverwinter Nights 2 video-game. It was released on September 6, 2008. The project includes two separate campaigns, both based in the Forgotten Realms setting and taking place over two hundred years after the events of the core Neverwinter Nights 2 campaign.

While it is not a standalone product (requiring the purchase of Neverwinter Nights 2 and its two expansions for play), it runs on player support alone[3][4] with donations allowing for benefits such as player housing.[5] According to the makers, Trinity wants to focus on user experience and show the value of Neverwinter Nights 2 to the community.[6]

Gameplay

The project describes itself as a hybrid between action and roleplay,[7] catering to both playstyles.[1] Experience is gained in both ways and passively through presence in the gameworld.[8]

Players have various options to customize their characters, such as factions, custom classes and custom level progression. Gameplay consists of "chapters" which the player and his companions unlock over the course of the campaign. These include different areas and challenges based on Dungeons & Dragons sources. Dungeon Masters selected from the player base are available for related events.[6][9]

Chapters were designed to be completed in limited time spans from 45 minutes to 1 hour.[1] Quest areas are instanced.[8][10] Through the Neverwinter Nights Extender, a MySQL database stores player progress and allows dynamic enemy spawning.[1][11]

Plot

The first volume of Realms of Trinity, The Dark War of Trinity, takes place in an around the coast of Sembia and city of Trinity, long after the events of the Spellplague. After a two-year period of peace, new troubles and old enemies arise and a call to heroes goes out.[6][12]

The second volume, The Wailing of the Planes, takes place nearly two years after. This time, the heroes are to face an even more reaching threat.[11][13]

The Cormyrean Expanse is rooted in Suzail, Cormyr and occurs after the destruction of Trinity.[14]

Development

The project went live on September 6, 2008 with the 7 beginning chapters of The Dark War of Trinity. It was finished in 2009, with development on The Wailing of the Planes starting in the same year.

The second campaign, Cormyrean Expanse, was rolled out from late 2012 (volume one) to early 2013 (volume two). It is fully separated from the first campaign and intends to be more role play-centric.[8] A third volume is scheduled for spring 2014.[2]

Reception

  • The Three Hour Tour acclaimed Realms of Trinity for its scope and design.[9]
  • It was inducted to the NWN2 Hall of Fame[15] and holds second place in Top Gameworlds as of October 2013.[16]
  • Support for Realms of Trinity was added to the popular NWN2 Character Builder as of September 20, 2013.[17]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "NWN Podcast Episode 122". http://www.nwnpodcast.com/nwnp/2010/01/16/nwnp-episode-122-realms-of-trinity-revisted. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Realms of Trinity 5th Year Anniversary". 2013-09-06. http://www.moddb.com/mods/realms-of-trinity-persistent-world/news/neverwinter-nights-2-realms-of-trinity-5th-year-anniversary. 
  3. "NWN2 EULA, p.40". ftp://ftp.atari.com/manuals/pc/neverwinter_nights_2_mask_of_the_betrayer/NWN2_MoTB_Manual.pdf. 
  4. "Modmode: Beyond Vanilla". http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/Inktomi/072011/21847_Modmode-Beyond-Vanilla-The-Persistent-Worlds-of-Neverwinter-Nights-2. 
  5. "Donations & Player Services". http://www.realmsoftrinity.com/Donations.aspx. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "NWN Podcast Episode 110". http://www.nwnpodcast.com/nwnp/2009/07/24/nwnp-episode-110-realms-of-trinity. 
  7. "Realms of Trinity NWVault". 2013-09-01. http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=nwn2gameworlds.detail&id=206. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 "NWN Podcast Episode 173". http://www.nwnpodcast.com/nwnp/2013/04/20/nwnp-podcast-episode-173-the-cormyrean-expanse-the-realms-of-trinity. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Three Hour Tour". 2010-01-22. http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NWN2Articles.Detail&id=298. 
  10. "Area Instancing and Timed Runs". http://www.realmsoftrinity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=95. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 "NWN Podcast Episode 140". http://www.nwnpodcast.com/nwnp/2011/05/12/nwnp-episode-140-the-realms-of-trinity-ii. 
  12. "The Dark War of Trinity". http://www.realmsoftrinity.com/Campaign-I.aspx. 
  13. "The Wailing of the Planes". http://www.realmsoftrinity.com/Campaign-II.aspx. 
  14. "The Cormyrean Expanse". http://www.realmsoftrinity.com/Cormyrean-Expanse.aspx. 
  15. "NWN2 Hall of Fame". http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=nwn2gameworlds.HOF. 
  16. "NWN2 Gameworlds". http://nwvault.ign.com/fms/TopRated.php?content=nwn2gameworlds. 
  17. "Builder Update v2.0.9". http://nwn2db.com/blog#item_51. 

External links