Well, I'm back, again. This time with the premise of creating the "Ultimite Never Winter Nights Campaign." (I put statements in quotes to express sarcasm) The toolset is marvelous and spectacular, allowing for GM controll and player protagonismn to the utmost degree. It embodies the very concept of simulationismn to it's very core. Sim. play has always been about making a realistic and detailed world so that the players can have controll. When everything has programmed input/output reactions it basically comes down to that. Why is this in the Theory forum? Heres why: It's beacause I havn't started it yet and I am wondering if anyone has ever used a computer to create perfect simulationism play. How does it have a psicological impact upon the players? Does seeing the dragon blowing fire (beautifally rendered BTW) at you make it more or less real? Would players treat death as a more real deal (since you usually can't change the situation to save their lives as easily)?

However, there are many things it couldn't simulate, like some creative tactics or jumping off of a building. Do any of you think that this compromise is worth it? Could this allow for the play anyone would enjoy? Have a million people already made identical threads? Any details you people want?

Having played NWN for a while now, both the pre-constructed game, a number of fan-modules and the start of a live campaign, I have to say this: NWN does not compare to the actual experience of playing an RPG.

Rendered environments or not, there is too much freedom missing from the game engine itself to allow for actual RPing. Real-time combat, a lack of certain skills and the ability to do see your character do things like climb, jump, fall, etc. or even describe actions takes too much away -- there are also a few annoying interface problems which bother me.

It is a nice computer game, it has good graphics and its fun to kill an evening with, but I've found I prefer table-topping (even via IRC) much, much more for role-playing and capturing the traditional D&D experience.

Or more simply: for a simulationist RPG, it ain't there yet.
(I won't comment on the other two axes since that isn't your point here)

This is all IMO, of course.

Well, it's certainly a very honest answer.