Multiplayer

From NWNWiki

Multiplayer (MP) means having more than one person playing in a module at the same time. The original campaign, Shadows of Undrentide campaign, some premium modules (specifically, Witch's Wake, Pirates of the Sword Coast, and Infinite Dungeons) and many free modules from NWVault are suitable for this type of play. The Hordes of the Underdark campaign and the other premium modules (ShadowGuard, Kingmaker, and Wyvern Crown of Cormyr) however, are not intended for multiplayer gaming (although the Hordes campaign can be made somewhat multiplayer friendly, see the Campaign Multiplayer Workaround Thread in BioWare's forums — may contain spoilers).

A multiplayer game is hosted by one player, often either the Dungeon Master (DM) or the player with the fastest computer. Most often the hosts use modules downloaded off NWVault or official campaigns. Multiplayer is played very much like single player (SP) games but with multiple people involved.

Multiplayer also includes a number of more traditional Dungeons & Dragons style campaigns with one or more players logging in as DMs instead of as regular players. The DMs sometimes even go so far as to custom build a module specifically for his or her players. The DM client is unlike the regular player client. DMs can manipulate the environment and possess NPCs and monsters to add a much more traditional pen and paper feel to their games.

Technically, multiplayer also applies to persistent worlds (PWs) but this is really a separate category of module construction and game play and those involved prefer the term "persistent world" to "multiplayer".

Players can find others to play across the world via Neverwinter Connections. Many also use the game to continue playing with their private groups of friends.

Multiplayer can be run locally over a Lan or via the Internet.

[edit] Neverwinter Connections

Neverwinter Connections (NWC) is the community matching site which puts hosts/DMs together with players. It displays current open games on the front page and all scheduled games on the calendar, the site offers forums for advertising for players and DMs. It has tutorials in how to use it, but it is also easy enough to just dive in and schedule a session. Each scheduled game is given its own forum and chat room to make it easy for players to communicate. For those looking to start campaigns, new campaign forums can be created. NWC been in existence since 2002 as a community service.