Home Neverwinter Wednesday Archive BioWare Wednesday Archive - 2005

BioWare Wednesday Archive - 2005

Wednesday Archives: Main Archive | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002

Wednesday, Dec 28 2005

Live Team Interview
Read an in-depth interview with Lead Live Team Designer Rob Bartel at the JeuxOnLine website. Rob shares his thoughts on Live Team history, the future of NWN, Premium Modules, the 1.67 patch, and more. Discuss.

Celebrate With Adventure
Looking for adventure this holiday season? Need to hide from the relatives and work on your CRT tan? Try our Plunder Packs! Our Premium Neverwinter Nights Modules are on sale and available for immediate download and play right now at the BioWare Online Store. Discuss.

NWN Project Profile: Ravenloft - Prisoners of the Mist
We take a look at the classic setting of Ravenloft, which a dedicated group of scripters, builders, and developers have crafted for NWN using custom content developed specifically for this project. Discuss.

Wednesday, Dec 14 2005

BioWare Holiday Card 2005
Join Tiger Shen, Crypto, and others in having a frolicking-good time this merry season with our 2005 holiday card. Happy holidays from BioWare|Pandemic Studios! Discuss.

Attention Writers! An interview with BioWare's Kevin Barrett
We speak with Kevin Barrett, BioWare's Assistant Director of Design, about his work, his thoughts on new writers wanting to break into the business, and his involvement with the exceptional contest BioWare is currently running for aspiring writers. Discuss.

Official BioWare T-Shirt Now Available!
The BioWare t-shirt is now available at the BioWare Online Store. Each shirt ships with the essence of "Eau de Developer" infused directly into the material for an added extra-spicy bonus. Note: no developers were harmed in the making of this product. Not the cool ones anyway. Dang! Discuss.

Wednesday, Dec 07 2005

The Deadly Silk Fox
The mysterious and beautiful Silk Fox is as enigmatic as she is deadly. While her attitude is cold, her heart carries a passion that fuels her quick and deadly longsword. Read more about Silk Fox, one of your potential followers in Jade Empire. Discuss.

BioWare Online Store Holiday Sale
Getting tense about what gift to get that gamer in your life? Look no further than BioWare's Online Store for a whole bag of limited time savings on great BioWare game gear. Be sure to also check out the special "Plunder Pack" deals on Premium Neverwinter Nights Modules to keep your gamer gaming through the holiday season. Discuss.

Wednesday, Nov 30 2005

Students Tackle Game Development
Last week, we spoke with University of Alberta instructor Nathan Sturtevant about his course that takes computer science students through the process of developing a game using the Neverwinter Nights toolset. This week, we hear the students' side of things. Discuss.

Support Penny Arcade's Child's Play Charity
Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity raises money for toys, games, and cash for sick kids in Children's Hospitals across the globe. There are no "Administrative Fees" and all gifts and donations go directly to the hospitals. BioWare is making a donation this year and we hope you will too. Visit the Child's Play website to pick the specific hospital you'd like to support. Discuss.

The Contest That Might Become Your Career
BioWare is holding one of the most exciting contests in our history. Anyone who has dreamed of writing professionally will find this a unique opportunity to get their work noticed by the right people. Visit the contest web page for full contest entry details. Discuss.

Wednesday, Nov 23 2005

Win an Xbox 360 From BioWare
The next generation of code crunchin', graphics totin', online enablin' consoles is here as Xbox 360 launched worldwide this week. You might already be aware, but Jade Empire and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic will work on the Xbox 360, plus our upcoming sci-fi action RPG, Mass Effect, will release on the Xbox 360. If you're chompin' to get an Xbox 360, enter our giveaway contest now. Discuss.

Students Tackle Game Development
The University of Alberta is trying its hand at teaching game development. Computing Science 299 hopes to introduce "computing technology such as artificial intelligence, computer graphics and animation, music and sound, programming challenges, and game design" to a group of enthusiastic students. Instructor Nathan Sturtevant gave us the rundown of the course. Discuss.

Wednesday, Nov 16 2005

Jade Announced Backward Compatible On Xbox 360
It's official: you will be able to play Jade Empire on your Xbox 360! In addition to over 200 other Xbox games, Jade Empire will fully function on the most advanced console platform crafted to date, as will Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. BioWare fans, be sure to enter our Xbox 360 giveaway contest today. Discuss.

The Persistent World of Ambrosia
This week we sit down and chat about the opening of longtime community member UO Abigail's latest project, the persistent world of Ambrosia, which features extensive custom scripting. Discuss.

Wednesday, Nov 09 2005

Profile: DLA Member Now BioWare Technical Artist
Meet Brian Chung, formerly of DLA, and the newest NWN community member to be hired by BioWare. Read our Community Manager's interrogation of Brian to learn more about him, how he got hired, and trout. Discuss.

Wednesday, Nov 02 2005

Jade Empire: Lu The Prodigy
Lu the Prodigy is an exciting character you can choose to play in Jade Empire. While not the fastest or the strongest of warriors, he is the most versatile and excels at adapting to exploit enemy weaknesses. Discuss.

The Making of BloodSpell: Final Installment
In part three of our Making of BloodSpell profile, we learn the machinima team's secrets for organising and coding this upcoming feature length movie made with our beloved Neverwinter Nights. Discuss.

Wednesday, Oct 26 2005

New Edmonton Con: Pure Speculation
Too long has the fine, fine city of Edmonton, Alberta been without a serious gathering of geeks. The call went out and was heeded by one Brent Jans, who took up the lordly sceptre of the Mountain Dew and multicolored dodecahedrons and got a darn convention organized. His event, called Pure Speculation, runs October 29-30 2005 and includes local luminaries and even the odd BioWarian thrall. Discuss.

The Making of BloodSpell Part 2
We continue our in-depth look at the making of the upcoming Neverwinter Nights feature length machinima movie, BloodSpell, with this week's focus on two key production elements: how it looks and how it moves. Discuss.

Wednesday, Oct 19 2005

The Making of BloodSpell & Trailer
The making of BloodSpell, the first feature length machinima using Neverwinter Nights, is a challenging undertaking, a labour of love, and at times, a rampaging hydra of wanton destruction. We begin a three part series looking at how it is all brought together. Interested in machinima? Stay tuned for an exclusive, inside look. We also have the first official BloodSpell trailer--watch it now. Discuss.

Wednesday, Oct 12 2005

BloodSpell: A Neverwinter Nights Machinima Project
We reintroduce a large Neverwinter Nights machinima project months in development by a team of dedicated professionals. Hugh Hancock, Artistic Director of Strange Company and site overlord at machinima.com, brings us new and fabulous information on the epic BloodSpell project. Discuss.

Scholar Ling Character Profile
Meet Scholar Ling, one of the characters from Jade Empire you can choose to play. Though not as physically strong as other PCs, Scholar Ling is the best at channeling Chi to enhance her physical strikes and fuel powerful elemental magics. Discuss.

Wednesday, Oct 05 2005

BioWare Announces New Game - Mass Effect
Mass Effect is BioWare's new, revolutionary, sci-fi action RPG coming to Xbox 360. Visit the official website to view the trailer (also available for download). While there, enter to win an Xbox 360 and visit the lively forums! Discuss.

Wednesday, Sep 28 2005

Essential Jade Empire Plot Items
We have posted the final batch of essential plot items at the Jade Empire website. Use this resource and others in the Game Secrets area to help your journeys through the Jade Empire. Discuss.

The Ultimate Library Of Neverwinter Knowledge?
Read about NWNWiki, created by Bastions of War founder, Alec Usticke. NWNWiki is an ideal solution for presenting the trillion bits of information and knowledge about Neverwinter Nights. It is easy to navigate and allows input from any fans anywhere in the world. Discuss.

Wednesday, Sep 21 2005

Jade Empire Quest Advancement, Part 2
An additional dozen-plus plot item descriptions and icons are now available in the Game Secrets area of the website to help you get the most out of your Jade Empire quests. Discuss.

Hugo Winning Author Chooses Neverwinter Nights
Charlie Stross invented our beloved githyanki and slaadi. Not only is he an award-winning author, he's also an NWN fan. Read Mr. Stross's thoughts on D&D, computer games, writing, and gadgets. Discuss.

Wednesday, Sep 14 2005

Jade Empire Quest Advancement, Part 1
This week, we feature descriptions of several plot items you can find as you play Jade Empire. These artifacts, items, and objects are important for advancing through your quest. Check our list to see if you have them all. Discuss.

Meet NWN Bug Smasher, Craig Welburn
We chat with NWN Master of the Universe and Senior Live Team Programmer Craig Welburn about the great, complex programming beast that is Neverwinter Nights, update 1.67, and more. Discuss.

Wednesday, Sep 07 2005

DLA Member Now BioWare Character Artist
Character Artist Francis Lacuna began working at BioWare in June 2005. He comes from a background with DLA and his work there helped get him the skills BioWare needed. We chatted with Francis about his experience, his involvement with the NWN community, and what being a character artist with BioWare is all about. Discuss.

Final Techniques of Jade Empire
The final 18 Jade Empire techniques are now available at the Jade website. With new locations and a Spirit search option, you'll be fully armed to tackle your epic quest. Discuss.

Wednesday, Aug 31 2005

The Techniques of Jade Empire Part 2
We reveal two dozen more Jade Empire techniques this week. In addition, techniques are now searchable by location to help you find them faster based on your current game progress. Discuss.

Drow On The Prowl - Dor Maeglin Underdark
The chilling Underdark serves as the central theme of Dor Maeglin, a persistent world tempered into one of the best and broadest multiplayer experiences for Neverwinter Nights. Find out more about this engaging realm in our interview with boss monster Siggy. Discuss.

Wednesday, Aug 24 2005

The Techniques of Jade Empire
As you make your epic journey through the Jade Empire, skilled teachers impart secret techniques that will improve your ability to survive in both the combat and social arenas. Presented here for your on-going reference is the official list of techniques, sortable in various ways to make your questing easier. This week, we offer techniques A through G. Discuss.

On-Going NWN Campaigns Part 2
Our man in the trenches of on-going campaigns continues his talk on this popular way to enjoy Neverwinter Nights. This week, he delves into big questions dungeon masters and players must answer before beginning a campaign and tips on where new DMs can get help. Discuss.

Wednesday, Aug 17 2005

Special Weapons of Followers in Jade Empire
A little known Jade Empire fact: you can upgrade certain followers' weapons from your basic Elbow Strike level to a Cranium Splintering Assault of Ancestor-Jarring White-Knuckle Justice level. We asked Evil Chris Priestly from our Quality Assurance team to give us the goods on getting the upgrades for Dawn Star, Silk Fox, and the master of disaster himself, Black Whirlwind. Discuss.

Crafting On-Going Campaigns With NWN
We look at a more traditional use for Neverwinter Nights this week: the pen and paper type of on-going campaign where players gather regularly to play with the same group of friends and characters. Discuss.

Wednesday, Aug 10 2005

Temple of Dirge Video
The Temple of Dirge is located deep within the Land of the Howling Spirits and lies abandoned and forgotten among the region's icy mountains. View the final video in our Jade Empire world region series today. Discuss.

Fellowship of the Dragonsong Guild
Read about the two year old Fellowship of the Dragonsong Guild formed by a group of people who have crafted a persistent world and a thriving guild to suit their own gaming style, preferences, and philosophy. Discuss.

Wednesday, Aug 03 2005

New Jade Empire World Region
Another Jade Empire world tour video is available at the Jade site. The Necropolis is the resting place for the Imperial City's honored dead and it crawls with evil spirits. Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights Machinima Tutorial
The new industry of Machinima is on the rise with its own celebrities, award shows, and multitude of fans. This sort of animation is something virtually anyone can get started in without extensive training or resources. This week, we profile Hugh Hancock who has developed a quick tutorial on using our beloved Neverwinter Nights to make movie magic. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jul 27 2005

NWN Community Expansion Pack Upgraded
The CEP team has just released an updated Community Expansion Pack! The new version 1.52 includes all the features of previous releases and is fully compatible with NWN v1.66. Find out what has been updated and download it today. Discuss.

Art Corner - Jade Empire Box Cover
Mike Sass crafted the beautiful art that you see on the cover of your regular or limited edition Jade Empire game box. It was a complicated project that took several months from beginning to end. This week, Mike gives us an intriguing and detailed behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the Jade Empire box cover. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jul 20 2005

Canada Rawks
Intrepid Community Manager Jay Watamaniuk abuses his infinite cosmic powers to investigate the mysterious Canadian connection to Neverwinter Nights. Learn of his provocative findings and vicious ice monkeys. Discuss.

Great Southern Forest and Quarry Caves
We reveal two more video clips of important regions within the Jade Empire. Rumor has it the Great Southern Forest is overrun with ghosts and malevolent spirits, and that the trees themselves warp to trap unfortunates inside. The Quarry Caves are an ancient network of tunnels that run underground near the original site of Tien's Landing, and whispers tell of ghosts who lurk in the dark, stone corridors. Discuss.

Artwork for the High Seas! Creating Imagery for Pirates of the Sword Coast
Working for BioWare gives one access to amazing artists. Todd Grenier has been creating art for many years and was asked to put his talent to work creating a central image for BioWare's latest premium module, Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast. This week, we speak with Todd to learn more about his craft and how the gorgeous feature image for Pirates of the Sword Coast came about. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jul 13 2005

More Jade Empire World Regions
This week, we feature two new world region video clips that reveal the beauty and sophistication of the Jade Empire. The Scholars' Garden is a place of study, debate, and cultural and philosophical advancements, and the Market District of the Imperial City is the bustling heart of the Jade Empire's economy. Watch the videos today. Discuss.

New Pirates of the Sword Coast Wallpaper
Avast me hearties! Best ye be downloadin' and installin' the beautiful new wallpaper for Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast. It be featurin' the likes of grizzled ol' Captain Allendry, wretched Poly the parrot, and Garm the troglodyte aboard the Midnight Rose, the most notorious ship ever to sail the untamed seas. Get it today or ye'll be kissin' the Gunner's Daughter! Discuss.

Wednesday, Jul 06 2005

New Jade Empire World Regions
Our Jade Empire world regions video series continues with two new areas. The Golden Way is a place where artists, musicians, and performers ply their trade to the amusement of the city's elite, and the Imperial Arena is the famed battleground to which fighters from all over the Empire travel to compete in the greatest contest in the land. Discuss.

The Crew of the Midnight Rose
This week, we introduce you to the crew of the Midnight Rose--the most notorious ship ever to sail the untamed seas and your home in the BioWare Premium Module, Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast. Also, five new Pirates forum portraits are available for registered NWN owners. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jun 29 2005

Jade Empire World Regions Movie Clips
The world of Jade Empire is lush, beautiful, and fraught with danger. This week we launch a new series of videos that highlights specific regions of the Jade Empire world starting with the town of Two Rivers and Tien's Landing. Discuss.

Pirates of the Sword Coast Content & Portraits
Preview the awesome content NWN: Pirates of the Sword Coast offers, including the Undersea Cavern Tileset, underwater placeables, sahaugin, sharks, and the tropical tileset. Plus, read a batch of tips and tricks and check out three new forum portraits. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jun 22 2005

The Gems of Jade Empire, Part 3
All 92 gems are now listed in the Game Secrets area of the Jade Empire website. You can sort the list by name, effect, and special power so you can get the information you need quickly to optimize your gameplay strategy each step along your epic quest. Register your game for free today to access this and other great game secrets. Discuss.

Jade Empire Soundtrack CD
Now available at the BioWare Online Store: the official CD soundtrack from the smash hit martial arts action-RPG, Jade Empire. Listen to 10 sample clips and learn more about this lilting, rousing, and dramatic soundtrack. Discuss.

NWN: Pirates of the Sword Coast Released!
Ahoy mateys! Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast, the newest premium BioWare module, is now ready for plunderin' at the BioWare Online Store. Our largest premium module ever brims with new content, multiplayer options, a dozen hours of gameplay, and much more. Visit the BioWare Online Store for more information today. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jun 15 2005

The Gems of Jade Empire, Part 2
New gems are now available in the Game Secrets area of the Jade Empire website. Gems and your Dragon Amulet strategy are important as you journey through the Jade Empire on your epic quest, and our reference lets you sort gems by their properties so you can make the best possible tactical decisions. Discuss.

Ahoy! New Neverwinter Nights Premium Module Announced
BioWare is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast, a tale of pirates, parrots, and peril! This exciting adventure boasts a dozen hours of gameplay, multiple endings, single and multiplayer modes, new creatures, new tilesets, and much more! Visit the full site for more details, screenshots, and a wallpaper. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jun 08 2005

What Role Can You Play At BioWare?
BioWare is a growing company with multiple exciting projects on the horizon, and we want to add YOU to our talented, creative, hard-working team! You have enjoyed our great story- and character-based roleplaying games in the past - now we challenge you to play a role at BioWare in the future! Discuss.

The Gems of Jade Empire, Part 1
One of the key gameplay strategies to Jade Empire is collecting magic gems and finding the best configurations for them in your Dragon Amulet. While sorcerers, healers, and jewelers use these "essence gems" in their arts, your Dragon Amulet enables you to tap their true powers to enhance your own abilities. This week, we feature gems A-G as a resource to help fine-tune your gameplay--register your game for free to access this and more great articles, game secrets, and bloopers. Discuss.

The Persistent World of Layonara
A persistent world is a labour of love. It requires a tremendous amount of work to establish and even more work to keep it running. Pen and paper gamers often take their worlds online to open them up for everyone to play. Leanthar has taken his 10 years of campaign details and created a lush world to explore for courageous adventurers that welcomes new players and veterans. In this interview, we speak with Leanthar about his world. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jun 01 2005

Do You Have Community News To Report?
Found something innovative and cool that deserves some recognition? Have a project you are working on that relates to a BioWare game you would like to call attention to? Send us an e-mail and tell us about it! Everything from Neverwinter Nights to Jade Empire is welcome. Discuss.

NWN World of Aventia
Aventia is a huge persistent world of vastly powerful characters, nefarious villains, and hideous creatures. It offers great features, such as PvP battlegrounds and Clans, Tournament Arenas, Guilds for Classes, Infinite Casting Nerf, Pick Pocketing Nerf, and more. We spoke with founding organizer Jason de Cordoba, aka Oclair Monanari, and PinkFuzz on how this PW got started and what's in store for the future. Discuss.

New Jade Empire Interview and Wallpaper
A fun new wallpaper is available for your desktop: the Class of Jade Empire 2005. It features a variety of characters from the epic action-RPG posing for a group photo--can you name them all? We also feature a mini-interview with Jade Producer/Project Director Jim Bishop in the game secrets area--register your game for free to access this and more great articles, game secrets, and bloopers. Discuss.

Wednesday, May 25 2005

Exclusive New Jade Empire Developer Interviews
Get an inside peek at the making of Jade Empire this week with a pair of new developer interviews. The first is with Lead Designer Kevin Martens who shares his thoughts on the design of a new IP and real-time combat system. The second is with Alain Baxter, Quality Assurance Lead, who tells us about chaos testing and playthrough testing. Register your game for free to access all of this great information and more. Discuss.

Back to School for Neverwinter Nights
It is always a treat to hear when Neverwinter is used in a completely new and surprising way beyond the gaming world. Peter Gorniak, a.k.a. Sumpfork, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) joins the educators of West Nottingham Shire for crafting NWN into a tool entirely different than what BioWare expected. Discuss.

Wednesday, May 18 2005

Neverwinter Nights Profile: Murder At Avedon Hill
One of the most enduring story archetypes involves solving a mystery. Add to this a sensational murder and a line-up of diverse and captivating characters as suspects and you have a setting for a fine story of sleuthing and intrigue. P.G. Holyfield, aka gurney9999, has used Neverwinter Nights as a springboard to present a scandalous story of murder most foul and is closing in on completing his first novel from the experience. Discuss.

Jade Empire Minigame High Score Challenge
The minigames of Jade Empire are a very popular feature of the game, so we had Scott Horner flex his QA skillz to come up with high scores for you to attempt to attain and beat in each of the missions. More new game secrets are available for registered game owners as well, including a Guide to the Marvelous Dragonfly and a new blooper video. Register your game for free to access all of this great information. Discuss.

Wednesday, May 11 2005

Even More Game Secrets For Jade Empire
More new, exclusive content is available for registered game owners at the Jade Empire website, including the Drunken Zombie and Too Much Coffee blooper videos, and a short interview with Jade Art Director Matt Goldman. Register your game to access all of this great information and more. Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights: French Connection
French-speaking Fabien Cerutti is one of the top rated module makers in the Neverwinter Nights community today, and he has been kind enough to answer some questions about his modules and methods. With the help of BioWare Localization Producer Jenny McKearney, we present Fabien's thoughts this week in both French and English. Discuss.

Hot New Gear Now Available at the BioWare Online Store
Responding to numerous community requests, polls, and surveys, we are pleased to announce BioWare and Jade Empire official merchandise is now available from the BioWare online store. Several high quality new products have been added, such as Jade Empire mousepads, Jade Empire t-shirts, BioWare toques, exclusive Jade Empire signed lithographs, and more! Discuss.

Wednesday, May 04 2005

NWVault New Design Launch!
A year in the works, the NWVault now has a slick new design offering many improvements, such as unification of user features under one account, revised gameworld listings, revised comments system, blog, and more. Visit the NWVault for the full scoop--and download a few modules to play while you're there! Discuss.

Shadowrunner Nights
Set in a future where magic has seen a rebirth, the crazy world of Shadowrun is still adjusting to the fact that Dragons and wizardry exist alongside advanced technology and global corporations that have more power then governments. Peacekeeping duties in Iraq have not stopped community member SDX from gearing up to reshape Neverwinter Nights into something that comes with a full clip. Discuss.

More Great New Game Secrets For Jade Empire
New game secrets are available at the Jade Empire website. View the final installment of the Character Outtakes series plus another funny blooper video, read up on two new Easter Eggs, and view a pair of great bloopers. There's also a new batch of forums portraits available to registered game owners. Register your game to access all of this great information and more. Discuss.

Wednesday, Apr 27 2005

An Interview with Rick Burton
Using the well-crafted community name 'Rick Burton', Rick Burton became well-known to fans as the author of several impressive Neverwinter Nights modules, including his 'Paladin' series, which is planned as a trilogy. His work garnered the attention of the BioWare design department, which concluded that he was the stuff that professionals were made of. Rick took some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions on being the latest community talent to start working as a professional game developer. Discuss.

Game Secrets For Jade Empire
This week, we unleash more new game secrets for Jade Empire. Watch the third installment of the hilarious Character Outtakes series, learn about two new Easter Eggs, and view a pair of great bloopers. Also, registered game owners have eight new forums portraits available. Be sure to register your game to access this great information. Discuss.

Wednesday, Apr 20 2005

Wu the Lotus Blossom Desktop
A brand new beautiful wallpaper is available for download at the Jade Empire website. You can find the desktop, which features Wu the Lotus Blossom, in the Wallpapers Gallery. Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights: World of Amon
One of the best parts of the Neverwinter Nights community is exploring private worlds created for pen and paper gaming that have been recreated through the NWN Toolset for all to enjoy. Some have even gone so far as to run their home-brewed lands as Persistent Worlds, allowing players around the world to create even more detail and stories. We spoke with Craig Suter who has taken his pen and paper world of Amon and recreated it in NWN. Discuss.

New Jade Empire Game Secrets
Several new Jade Empire game secrets are now available at the Jade website, including three additional outtakes and bloopers, and two new Easter Eggs. Register your game to gain access to this great information. Also, registered game owners now have eight new forums portraits available. Discuss.

Wednesday, Apr 13 2005

Making-Of Jade Empire Video Now Online
"The Making of Jade Empire" DVD documentary was filmed by G4 Tech TV and contains interesting commentary from game producers, behind-the-scenes footage of the BioWare offices, and much more. It debuted with the Limited Edition version release of the game, and it is now available in its 23 minute entirety at the Jade Empire site. Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights: Resurrection
Attention Old Schoolers, you'll find this week's profile about the revival of the Neverwinter Nights hosted by AOL in the '90s a great read and a fun trip down memory lane. We spoke with Snake, project lead designer, to learn more about this great mod of a classic game. Discuss.

Jade Game Owner Only Forums & Portraits
Registered owners of Jade Empire can now voice their opinions and get the best tips from BioWare developers in the exclusive game-owner only forums. In addition, special game-owner only forum portraits are now available. Who wants to be Death’s Hand? Discuss.

Jade Empire Game Secrets Revealed
When you nab your copy of Jade Empire, be sure to register it to your BioWare Community account so you can check out the awesome secret game content we've prepared for you. Learn about Easter Eggs and hidden content, read an introductory Jade walkthrough, watch bloopers and outtakes, and more! Discuss.

Wednesday, Apr 06 2005

New Jade Screenshots
View half a dozen new screenshots of Wu the Lotus Blossom and Scholar Ling wielding Storm Dragon, White Demon, and Ice Shard fighting styles. Discuss.

Prima DVD Enhanced Official Game Guide for Jade Empire
Watch the video trailer for the Prima DVD Enhanced Official Jade Empire Game Guide that not only gives you an idea of what's inside the Guide, but it also showcases BioWare's soon-to-be-released action-RPG with nearly two minutes of new gameplay footage. The Official Jade Empire Game Guide appears in stores April 14th and is also coming soon to the BioWare Online store. Discuss.

New Jade Fighting Styles: Storm Dragon & Ice Shard/White Demon Combo
Two new smacktastic fighting styles are up at the Jade Empire website. The first features Storm Dragon, a style that enables a master to call upon the power of lightning to damage an opponent. The second video reveals a harmonic combo of Ice Shard and White Demon styles in action. Discuss.

Neverwinter Profile: Bastions of War
Bastions of War is a team-based, player versus player, arena module where NWN fans can flex their powergaming muscles, work out their daily stress, and beat the crap out of gnomes, bards, elves, and other deserving folk. :P We spoke with Alec Usticke, BoW's chief admin and scripter, to find out more about this entertaining mod. Discuss.

Wednesday, Mar 30 2005

New Jade Screens Featuring Stone Immortal
A quartet of new Jade Empire screenshots are up at the website featuring Radiant Jen Zi wielding the powerful and earthy Stone Immortal fighting style. Discuss.

New Jade Fighting Styles: Spirit Thief and Hidden Fist
View two more great fighting style videos now available at the Jade Empire website. Hidden Fist style is a collection of techniques that render your foes disoriented and unable to fight back, and Spirit Thief style enables you to tap an enemy’s vital energies and refill your own reserves. Discuss.

Neverwinter Community Tileset Pack
A group of special and slightly crazy people have been tirelessly working on a project to bring Neverwinter fans new and previously released tilesets in a convenient package accessible to the whole community. We spoke with project leader Banshe to learn how the project is going and to find out what exactly will be in the Neverwinter Community Tileset Pack. Discuss.

Wednesday, Mar 23 2005

Super-Powered Tools for ModForce!
The foundation of any community is based on the enthusiasm and talent of its members and the tools that are available to create new content. In our first article on the new partnership between BioWare and Irrational Games, General Manager and Creative Director Ken Levine hinted at what was coming down the pipe for Modder fans of Freedom Force. In this week's scoop, Ken gives the Mod community some tips on the fabulous new tools. Discuss.

Hot New Jade Preview Videos & Radiant Jen Zi Wallpaper
View hot new video previews of Jade Empire at the Jade website. Watch never-seen-before exciting gameplay footage that reveals Jade's immersive story, fast-paced combat, and spectacular effects. While you're there, download a new desktop featuring the beautiful Radiant Jen Zi. Radiant Jen Zi is a fast and deadly warrior and one of the characters you can choose to play in the game. Discuss.

NWN Profiles: Eye of the Beholder Project & David Gaider Interview
The original Eye of the Beholder grabbed gamers by their keyboards and wouldn't let them go. Now, 14 years later, a team of community members have made a gigantoid mod of the original adventure for Neverwinter Nights; plus, they've added a bevy of new NWN content. We spoke with team members Rick and Mika about the project. In other NWN related news, be sure to also read an interview with BioWare Designer David Gaider recently posted at the Ladies of Neverwinter site. Discuss.

Wednesday, Mar 16 2005

White Demon & Double Axes Jade Fighting Styles
View another fantastic pair of fighting style videos at the Jade Empire website. See Tiger Shen wielding the destructive and far-reaching Double Axes style, and then watch him plow through his opponents like an ogre in a teahouse with White Demon style. Discuss.

News From The DM Friendly Initiative
Being a Dungeon Master is hard work. You need to be organized, dedicated, play a 1000 parts to tell your players a story, and somewhere along the way, have some fun yourself. The DM Friendly Initiative (DMFI) focuses on creating tools to help the beleaguered DM run adventures with the fewest hiccups and stalls as possible. This week, we speak with Carlo, the DMFI project coordinator. Discuss.

Wednesday, Mar 09 2005

Jade Empire Art Corner: Tiger Shen
Tiger Shen is one of the six selectable player characters in Jade Empire, and he represents a roleplaying style that is about diving right in and powering through your opponents with a touch less concern for finesse. In this art corner, we look at Tiger Shen from early concepts to final model. Discuss.

Two New Jade Empire Fighting Style Videos
Two new fighting style videos are ready for your viewing pleasure at the Jade Empire web site. Watch a Thousand Cuts - an aptly named martial style that relies on numerous light strikes in quick succession instead of singular punishing blows or thunderous kicks, and Dire Flame - a magical style of fire bolts, fireballs, and tongues of flame. Discuss.

New NWN Epic Builds: Holy Paragon and Eldritch Archer
A new pair of special epic builds is available for study and download. The Holy Paragon and Eldritch Archer make use of the Player's Resource Consortium pak and they feature brand new prestige classes! Also, we caught up with Lord Deimos from the PRC to get details of what's on the horizon for the hard-working group. Discuss.

Wednesday, Mar 02 2005

BioWare Online Store Q&A With Ray & Greg
We recently caught up with BioWare joint-CEOs, Ray and Greg, to find out what exciting things are in the works for the BioWare Online Store. In this interview, plans are revealed for the sale of physical products and more story-based games! Discuss.

New Jade Wallpaper: Lu the Prodigy
Download the latest beautiful desktop from the Jade Empire web site. This one depicts a grim scene of the playable character, Lu the Prodigy, powering up Storm Dragon style while being surrounded by hungry cannibals as lightning lights up the night sky overhead. Discuss.

Two New Jade Empire Fighting Style Videos
Two new fighting style videos, Tempest and Golden Star, are now available for viewing at the Jade Empire web site. Warriors who fight with Golden Star wield a powerful weapon originally crafted as a gift for the Water Spirit of the Silkworm River. And martial artists who are proficient in Tempest have the very winds at their beck and call! Discuss.

Neverending Nights - A Machinima Project
It took little time for fans to break the boundaries of the Aurora Toolset in pursuit of telling their personal stories when Neverwinter Nights was released, and now a pair of creative souls have teamed up to create an NWN Machinima project. Read how and why Adam Freese and Tawmis have produced a series of video shorts that bring out the humorous side of being a hero. Discuss.

Wednesday, Feb 23 2005

10 Years of BioWare, Part 2
BioWare has been making critically acclaimed games for ten years. Each new game we develop is a culmination of all the experience and talent that have been brought together to work under one roof with one goal in mind - to make great games. We continue our talks with some of the early BioWare employees who got their start as professionals in the games industry ten years ago working on Shattered Steel to see what a decade in the business has taught them. Discuss.

New Limited Edition Bonus Character Screens
BioWare's epic action-RPG for Xbox hits store shelves April 14. However, available for pre-order today is a Limited Edition of Jade Empire that features special foil wrap, a bonus fighting style - Spade Staff, a behind-the-scenes "Making Of" video feature on DVD produced by G4 Tech TV, and today's screenshot feature: a playable bonus character - Monk Zeng. Discuss.

Jade Empire Q&A With Ray and Greg
Jade Empire is nearly here, and Ray and Greg, Co-Executive Producers of Jade Empire and Joint-CEOs of BioWare, took some time recently to answer a number of questions about how the development of Jade is going and the thinking behind the release of a pre-sale Limited Edition. Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights Premium Module Updates Now Available
Version 1.1 for Neverwinter Nights premium modules Kingmaker, ShadowGuard, and Witch's Wake is now available. The 1.1 updates address various known issues based on feedback from the community. If you have already purchased a premium module, you can download the updated version at your BioWare Store Downloads page. Discuss.

Wednesday, Feb 16 2005

10 Years of BioWare, Part 1
A great deal has changed in the ten years since BioWare started to make world-class games. We spoke with some of the original members of the BioWare team about the early days of BioWare, their decade of experience, and where the games industry might be headed. This week, we feature interviews with Joint-CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, Director of Design James Ohlen, and Producer/Project Director Scott Greig. Discuss.

Jade Empire Character Feature
Finding your soul mate is tough business. However, there's hope yet as we profile some of the bachelors and bachelorettes of the Jade Empire. Perhaps love will strike? Then again, maybe flying fists and feet will strike instead! Discuss.

Stone Immortal - A Jade Empire Featured Fighting Style
Fighters who study the Stone Immortal style gain mastery over the ponderous element of earth, putting the mighty power of stone and crystal at their command. Masters of Stone Immortal have the ability to attack enemies with crystalline missiles, encase foes in stone, or even open the ground beneath an opponent's feet. Watch this exciting style in action right now. Discuss.

Chaos Harbinger and Primeval Champion - New NWN Epics
A brand new pair of epic character builds, complete with downloadable character files so you can tweak and fiddle with them yourself, are up at the Neverwinter Nights web site. This week, we offer you the Chaos Harbinger and the Primeval Champion built by Imna Lias. Discuss.

Wednesday, Feb 09 2005

BioWare Development Through the Ages
In the second part of our BioWare's 10th Year celebration, we look back at our past games and compare technology and projects. Can you guess how many average polygons were used in Shattered Steel and Jade Empire? Read on to find out the answers. Discuss.

New Fighting Styles On The Jade Empire Site
View exclusive new gameplay footage that's still smoking hot from our video capture equipment for two Jade Empire fighting styles. First, watch as Tiger Shen battles a ghost using Leaping Tiger style, with follower Chai Ka assisting. Then root for Lu the Prodigy using Ice Shard style as he clashes with a powerful and dangerous ogre. Discuss.

New NWN Epics: Devastating Rogue and Troubadour Guardian
Roll up your sleeves and dig into another pair of great epic character builds. This week, we feature the Devastating Rogue and the Troubadour Guardian created by Brian "Flameoftheabyss" Quah. In related news, the Community Expansion Pack team has recently updated the CEP to 1.51. Download it today. Discuss.

Wednesday, Feb 02 2005

Jade Empire Pre-Order Bonus!
Jade Empire Limited Edition is now available for pre-order at no extra cost. The Limited Edition contains exclusive bonus content, such as the devastating new fighting style Spade Staff, "The Making of Jade Empire" video documentary on DVD, and this week's BioWare Wednesday feature: the new and completely playable character Monk Zeng. Be sure to also download the cool Monk Zeng desktop today as well. Discuss.

Edmonton Casting Call
This is your chance to be the envy of all your friends by appearing in a world-class video game from award-winning game developer BioWare! We are searching Edmonton for all types of people aged 18-99 to become the faces of characters in upcoming games. The event takes place February 4th at West Edmonton Mall. For more details, view the casting call web page. Discuss.

BioWare Celebrates 10 Years of Game Development
Ten years is a vast gulf of time when it comes to the world of computer games. Advances in computing have dramatically changed the medium of computer games, and by extension, have forced changes to the business of making games. BioWare has transformed just as dramatically over the years. This month, we look back at the last decade starting with a timeline of games we have created. Here's to another ten years! Discuss.

NWN Epic Builds Are Back!
The epic PC builds are back, baby! Check out these elite PCs with complete character advancement history from 1st to 40th level. Plus, you can download 20th and 40th level snapshots of each build to tinker and game with on your own. This week, we feature a pair who wouldn't be caught dead wearing pink and fuzzy bunny slippers: the Death Hunter and the Wrathful Berserker. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jan 26 2005

Save Over 25% on Neverwinter Nights Premium Modules
For a limited time you can save more than 25% on the critically acclaimed premium Neverwinter Nights modules. Grab them at these great prices while you can! Discuss.

NWCON3: Con of the Dead Has Begun
NWCON 3: Con of the Dead has begun and there is a treasure chest full of games, events, and seminars for you to discover and enjoy. Check out the fantastic week of activities ahead, including DM and player seminars, roundtable discussions, ghost stories, and of course, games! Discuss.

Jade Empire Creature Feature: the Dangerous Ogre
Although most people in Jade Empire believe these beings are "lesser demons," ogres are actually a race of creatures too dim-witted to understand the advanced technology and spirituality of the civilized lands. Years of being exploited by smarter folk have tainted the beasts, however, and you're more likely to meet an ogre holding a sword than one holding a plowshare! Discuss.

Wednesday, Jan 19 2005

Official Neverwinter Nights 2 Forums Launched
We are pleased to announce the launch of the official discussion forums for the upcoming Neverwinter Nights 2 game that is being developed by Obsidian Entertainment using the BioWare Aurora Engine® technology. Swing by the new forums to join the community, or use your existing account, and read and discuss all things NWN2 with Obsidian developers and Neverwinter Nights fans! Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights 2 Developer Interview
Obsidian Entertainment is hard at work developing Neverwinter Nights 2. Lead Designer Ferret Baudoin graciously gave us some of his time to chat about NWN2, the toolset, and the D&D rules set that will be used in the game. Discuss.

New Jade Empire Gameplay Screenshots
View five beautiful new screenshots for Jade Empire, including the Golden Way, Wu unleashing Heavenly Wave fighting style, and Wu the Lotus Blossom wielding Dire Flame style. Discuss.

AIAS Kingmaker Nomination Interview
Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker was recently nominated by the prestigious Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for the RPG of the Year award. We waded through the paparazzi and blinding flashes to get developer reactions from Dan and Cori. Discuss.

Wednesday, Jan 12 2005

NWCON 3: Con of the Dead - Jan 26-30
Start the New Year with some flesh-consuming horror from the damned! Lead Coordinator Danebo gears up for the next huge Neverwinter Nights online convention, January 26-30, filled with special events, contests, and of course, games of spleen-spasming terror in the name of wholesome fun. Organizers Danebo, Festivus, J'Dai, and even grizzled Con veteran Eliandi, gave us the details of the upcoming NWCON 3. Discuss.

Jade Creature Feature
Three new creatures have been added to the Jade Empire web site. View the lowly yet vicious rat demon, the majestic but brutal elephant demon, and the trickster fox spirit whose lessons aren't always easy to accept. Discuss.

Box Cover For Jade Empire Revealed
View the recently released official box cover for Jade Empire. This fine art piece that will grace the game box features Wu the Lotus Blossom and Furious Ming besieged by numerous deadly threats. Can you name them all? And more importantly, will you, as the player, be able to overcome them? Discuss.

Wednesday, Jan 05 2005

New Jade Empire Screenshots
Three beautiful new screenshots are up at the Jade Empire site today. See Wu battling an Elephant Demon, Follower Dawn Star and Wu chatting in the garden, and Wu unleashing Tempest Style. Discuss.

Neverwinter Nights Extender V2 Profiled
Exploring a persistent world with friends is a favourite way fans play NWN multiplayer. The ground-breaking program, Neverwinter Nights Extender (NWNX), addresses the community's desire for a true persistent world--it ensures character actions are permanently remembered. NWNX was recently updated, and we spoke with Papillon about the latest version, NWNX2. Discuss.

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