You've all probably seen them all by now, or read on the Toolset Message boards about the creatures of NWN2.  There seem to be almost a minimal amount of creatures included.  I will say first that each one looks fantastic!  And of course, you can derive more types of creatures by changing appearances and adding effects to existing ones.  But here is my problem with the selection so far that limits even further customization;

Creatures can be for the most part lumped into about 4 types of basic models.  Humanoids (bipeds, 2 arms), Spiders (8 legs and a body), Insects (6 legged) and Animal (Quadrapeds - including dragons).  I dont know what to make of elementals, they seem to be made of Special Effect.

Humanoids seem to make up about 75% of all the creatures included, Animals seem to make up about 20%.

What is missing are more unsually shaped and unique creatures;  Beholders, Serpentine, Oozes, the Gelatinous Cube, Crabs, Basilisk, Demi-Lich, Harpies, etc. Essentially anything that has a unique shape or requires modification of the above 4 clases.  And it was stated that they used some special animation package with a proprietary animation system making it at least extremely difficult to change the basic framework of existing animations or adding new ones.

With what we have, it might be possible for modellers in the future to include canon creatures such as;
The Minotaur
Manticore
Griffon
Hippogriff
Chimera
Intellect Devourer
Gorgon
Medusae
Cockatrice
Treant
Rust Monster
Dinosuars
Alligators and other Reptiles that aren't serpentine
Sphinx
Unicorn
Hags
Ankhegs
Choker
Mycanoids
Male Werewolves - LARGE WEREWOLVES, not these scrawny nerd werewolves
Other Lycanthropes

Things we might be able to create with what we have:
Wights (Using a human or ghoul model)
Spectres (Using a wraith)
Allip (Using wraith)
Morgs (Using Skeleton)
Para-Elementals (Effects + other creatures)
Ghosts (Using humans + Special Effects)
Hobgoblins (Enlarge Goblins)

Something I noticed missing out of the animals was Horses.  No no no, I'm not looking for ridable horses, just horses I can stick ino a barn.  If I had to guess, I'd say that some monsters and other creatures were not included with this pre-release and will be found on release (as the special models developers often use to show off a main bad guy).

[Edited by Ithalyan at 1:58 AM on 10/4/2006]

Compared to the placeable palette the creature palette does seem on the lean side,  Likely due to creatures requiring more detailed animations then placeables.

I'm guessing DLA is working on(or with Obsidian?) a modeling tool to assist custom content...not Granny/custom animations though.  This will enable community content of new creatures but based on existing model animations.  It'll mean haks, more player required downloading :-( , just to shore up the creature palette if Atari doesn't introduce any new creature models in whatever post-game support they are going to have.

Obsidian stated that post-game support will be different then what we are used to with Bioware and NWN with Atari playing a bigger role, but no one has gone into any details on what that may mean.  Maybe we are looking at a  microtransaction system via the Bioware Premium program.  Didn't Bethesda do something similar with third-party support?  It might also account for why WCoC ended up being a premium mod for NWN after Atari pulled the plug last spring and DLA's possible "involvement" with Obsidian. *shrugs*

It might be that there will be more beasties added via expansions and/or patches. We KNOW that there will be at least one patch for the DM client so let's hope that more things will come with it in that one or in a subsequent patch. Also, we KNOW the community is endlessly talented and it's not going to take long before new creatures are created and given out to the larger community.

I really miss Minautors...

I would of never guessed Obsidian would cut Minotaurs from the core release.  Since Magic, the Minotuar has been an icon for WotC as well as a noted symbol of Bioware and NWN(opening movie/Lord whatsamacallit's youth from Neverwinter).  *shrugs*  I guess we'll have to classify it under the what were they thinking column.

Once the newness of the game wears off we'll see whether Obsidian made the right choices along the way as far as a worthy successor or just another next gen graphics sequel, in regards to the NWN...D&D franchise is concerned. 

Lightning needs to strike twice and it's the community content support that will make or break this game.  If the enhanced graphics, toolset and flexibility has come at the cost of sacrificing community support, what we'll be left with is an excellent game with a short lifespan.

The good news is if this game dies young, we won't have as long to wait for NWN3.  Longevity tends to stagnate progress.

Wyvern Eggs placeable, no wyverns.  Maybe the list in incomplete, as in more will be added on release.

I wouldn't mind paying for extra content in small doses.  However, unlike Oblivions expanded content, I wouldn't pay $2-$3 for some of the items they offered.  The content would have to have more meaning, or even more quantity.

There was mention at Dragon Con that questions dealing with microtranactions in the future for NWN2 were being answered with a no comment.  Since microtransactions are up to Atari to decide it's likely Obsidian would not be able to comment on them until Atari introduces the concept. 

Didn't Bethesda pull elements from the game before release and reintroduce them as a microtransaction.  I hope we don't see that occuring here.  If Minotaurs, Horses(riderless), Gelatinous Cubes, Beholders, a Wyvern or the other 8 dragon models are sitting somewhere complete and ready to go they should be included in the core release.

There's no way I'll be buying individual elements at $2-$3 dollars a pop.  Not as much as fracturing the community player base as more to I don't want to look back and realize I spent between $200-$300 dollars for say 100 creature models.  Knock a zero off and depending if the 100 models are professionally done I would find $20-$30 dollars acceptable.

[Edited by ExileHF at 12:35 PM on 10/5/2006]

Makes me wonder why Obsidian chose Granny over Max now. Granny is completely out of the communities reach and Max isn't. Makes me think those Oblivion-esq critter sales might be in the future.

Regardless, I'm already back to NWN development since NWN2 is a complete disappointment.

Soon as I get my NWN conversion done I'll have my custom critters to fill out the palette.  Though there's no telling how long it's going to look like placeholder hell on the Isle.

"That's a blue dragon?  It looks like a red one with highlights?"

"Shut it before this minotaur/human wearing a horned helmet guts you faster then a gender-confused werewolf can howl."

The lack of a minotaur is my biggest complaint.   Dragons are rare in most cases, of course this being fantasy, your mileage may vary.