Hi all, Just got the game, love it and have questions. I did look around for the answers before I posted [img]smile.gif[/img]

The instruction book says you can start a game in multiplayer mode and have people join your game and start the adventure from the beginning with you.
Does this work well?
Where do you meet such people?
Since you would need many, many days to complete this game with them, how could you all get together at the same time?
Can people join mid game?

The game lets you import characters, so couldn't I get to around level 5, save all my characters, restart the game and have all level 5 characters to start?

When I'm done with IwD, can I save my characters and import them into other games (sequels)? If I can, wouln't that be a bit unbalanced, since the next game would be balanced for 1st level characters, not 20th? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks.

I'll try to answer your questions in the order you raised them.

Miultiplayer is best played over a LAN (local area network). Yes it is a very long game but there is a save game facility so it can be done over several sessions. New characters can join mid game using the party management facility to a maximum of 6. However be aware that there are many special items that are needed to complete the game. Dropping a player from the game with one of these items could have nasty consequences.

Yes you can start the game with 5th level or higher characters using the method you describe, but it takes any challenge out of the game. You may as well put the game away and just read the walkthrough.

There are expansions available for IWD, but there will be no sequels where you can export your character to.

Hope this helps.

There is an expansion for IWD, called Heart of Winter. It's an add-in, which adds new quests (which take place before the final battle of IWD itself), new items and spells and it lets your characters advance to much higher levels than you could achieve in IWD alone.
Another add-in, Trials of the Luremaster, is a free download. You need HoW to be able to install it.

The sequel, Icewind Dale II (could you guess? :D ), is currently in the making and due to be released in late spring or early summer or so. You can't import characters from IWD, however, as the race- and class system will be very different.

EDIT: Oh, forgot to add: welcome to IronWorks! ;)

[ 03-26-2002, 12:26 PM: Message edited by: J'aran ]

Multiplayer mode gets mixed reviews as to playability. At first release, IWD worked extremely well in multiplayer mode. Lag was minimal, and there was much joy in the world. After HOW was installed, things changed. :( Multiplayer mode became more troublesome - lag during combat got very bad at times, and often necessitated turning off numerous graphics options to make the game playable. But it is doable.

As for finding players ... well, I am currently hosting a game of IWD/HOW/TOL and I found all the players for the game right here at IW. [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color = lightgreen>Any local insane asylum is just brimming with people who would love to play multi-player games with you. [img]tongue.gif[/img] </font>