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68-609: The Underdark featured prominently in the campaign settings World of Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms . The concept of a dungeon that spanned a planet was first introduced by Gary Gygax in his D-series of game modules and at the end of the G-series . The Underdark was described in detail in the 1986 manual Dungeoneer's Survival Guide , by Doug Niles . It was also part of the Eberron campaign setting, in which it

136-502: A character of low intelligence will have limited dialogue options. Some sub-races in the game are significantly more powerful than the core races present in D&;D Third Edition; these sub-races must earn more experience points than others before leveling up . Characters can reach a maximum level of thirty. It is possible to add additional characters to the party at any time, including during combat. Icewind Dale II ' s gameplay

204-545: A game with the Infinity Engine relatively quickly. Sawyer said of the decision: "In all honesty, the reasons for making Icewind Dale II have to do with limiting risks and maximizing our chances for a popular title". Conceptualization of Icewind Dale II progressed during the development of the Icewind Dale expansions, and production began late July 2001, shortly after the completion of Icewind Dale: Trials of

272-412: A more typical fantasy milieu. Icewind Dale II Icewind Dale II is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment , released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale , the game is set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Icewind Dale region. The player assumes control of a group of mercenaries in

340-578: A war between the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale and a coalition of persecuted races and religions. The game is designed as an action-oriented alternative to other Infinity Engine games, with less emphasis on exploration and story. It uses a real-time adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Third Edition ruleset. The Infinity Engine was modified to comply with the Third Edition, but

408-421: A wealth of material written by professional game designers. When creating a homebrew setting "you're on your own - but without limits and preconceptions", which can lead to more interesting games as the game master may be "more invested in the material and passionate about its development". The first role-playing settings from the early 1970s (such as World of Greyhawk and Blackmoor ) were based on works in

476-501: Is a real-time adaptation of the D&;D Third Edition ruleset. The game is viewed from an isometric perspective , and a head-up display (HUD) occupies the bottom of the screen. Accessible from the HUD are an automap and a journal that records quests and important events. The player uses a point-and-click interface to interact with the game; for example, clicking on the ground moves

544-404: Is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds ; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A campaign is a series of individual adventures , and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place. A campaign setting is typically designed for a specific game (such as

612-477: Is also available, which increases the game's difficulty and contains more powerful items. The game features over seven hundred items; the designers included a system that randomizes the items the player obtains from enemies. When beginning the game, the player may choose to play a pre-selected party, or to create a party of up to six characters; unlike the Baldur's Gate series, Icewind Dale II does not permit

680-441: Is attractive, both conceptually and in its final form", and Game Informer called them "beautiful". Many reviewers complained about the game's pathfinding AI, which PC Zone called "outrageously bad". Game Informer called the writing and story "on par with any fantasy novel". PC Gamer said it had "some of the richest and most enjoyable dialogue since Planescape Torment ", and an "impressive storyline". GameSpot called

748-475: Is focused on combat. The combat system is a real-time adaptation of the turn-based system used in D&;D Third Edition, which caused the developers to remove certain aspects, such as "attacks of opportunity". Dice rolls are simulated by the game. In place of the turn-based rounds used in D&D , characters have independent rounds, during which they may execute one or more actions, depending on such factors as

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816-535: Is no light except for occasional patches of phosphorescent fungus ; most Underdark inhabitants either have highly developed senses other than sight or have developed darkvision . Food can be extremely difficult to find, and much of the natural vegetation is poisonous . In addition, potable water is hard to locate. In the Forgotten Realms setting, the Underdark is permeated with a magical energy

884-469: Is no unified underground government since each individual city-state has a different form of rule. The Underdark economy deals primarily in armor, exotic goods, magic, slaves, timber and weapons. The ethical code of many indigenous races tends toward evil or neutral. In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, R.A. Salvatore created the drow Underdark city Menzoberranzan . Parts of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Baldur's Gate 3 take place in

952-460: The Forgotten Realms setting for Dungeons & Dragons ) or a specific genre of game (such as historical fantasy or science fiction ), though some come from existing media (such as movies, shows, novels, or comic books). There are numerous campaign settings available for purchase both in print and online. In addition, many game masters create their own, which are often called "homebrew" settings. Examples of major campaign settings include

1020-467: The Star Wars universe or Middle-earth , then later adapted to one or more role playing systems. However, some system-agnostic settings are designed explicitly for gaming, such as Hârn . Games scholar Nikolai Butler distinguished two types of campaign settings, homebrewed and official. According to games journalist David M. Ewalt , established campaign settings have the advantage of providing

1088-698: The Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings , World of Darkness , the Star Trek science fiction universe, and the Avatar: The Last Airbender fantasy world. Some games and settings only appear together, such as Warhammer . Some games have multiple settings, such as Dungeons & Dragons or generic roleplaying systems such as GURPS or Fudge . There are also stand-alone settings that can be used for multiple game systems. Often these are developed first for works of fiction, such as

1156-444: The Icewind Dale team, the team developing Torn , and a team working on an unannounced project. Before and during Torn ' s development, several members of its team expressed interest in developing another game using the Infinity Engine. The development team was not made aware of Black Isle Studios' decision to develop Icewind Dale II until Torn ' s cancellation. Lead designer J. E. Sawyer described: "I don't know when

1224-590: The Ten Towns of Icewind Dale, which is under siege by a goblin army. The goblins are directed by the Legion of the Chimera, an army composed of outcast races and religious factions, such as goblinoids, half-breeds, and followers of winter goddess Auril . Targos hires mercenaries to defend against the attack. Areas encountered in the game include: the Black Raven Monastery, built over an entrance to

1292-656: The Underdark ; the town of Kuldahar, constructed around a magical tree that emits heat; the Severed Hand, an ancient elven fortress that was lost during a war with goblinoids ; and the Dragon's Eye, a network of volcanic caverns inhabited by yuan-ti. Other areas include the Underdark and the Jungles of Chult . The game begins as the player's group of mercenaries arrives by ship to defend Targos. They report to

1360-547: The drow call faerzress , which is used as a source of energy by the native plant life and which interferes with scrying and teleportation spells. In the Forgotten Realms setting, Araumycos ( Dwarvish , literally meaning "Great Fungus") is an enormous fungal growth in the Upper Underdark under the continent of Faerûn . It is a single organism living beneath the High Forest between one and three miles under

1428-557: The August 25–31 period, at an average retail price of $ 45. The game rose to fourth place the following week, and exited the weekly top 10 in its third week. It was North America's 20th-best-selling computer game of August 2002 and 14th-best-selling of September. Icewind Dale II sold between 100,000 and 270,000 copies in the United States alone by August 2006. Combined sales of the Icewind Dale franchise reached 580,000 units in

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1496-493: The Aurilite temple, the group finds a prisoner from Kuldahar, who asks them to warn Kuldahar of the threat posed by the Legion of the Chimera. After this, the group creates a passage through the glacier, and meets with the reinforcements. As the group travels to Kuldahar, they meet a drow (dark elf) named Nym, who tells them that the pass to Kuldahar is guarded by the Legion of the Chimera, and that an alternate path through

1564-549: The Legion of the Chimera. They meet the Archdruid of Kuldahar, who tells them that a portal has been opened to allow yuan-ti from the Jungles of Chult to assault Kuldahar. After the group prevents the attack, the Archdruid tells them that they may reach the Severed Hand through an exit at the bottom floor of the Dragon's Eye. The group travels through Dragon's Eye, and proceeds to the Severed Hand. Once inside, they learn that

1632-478: The Luremaster . After six months of development, Icewind Dale II was officially announced on February 4, 2002. Icewind Dale II was originally planned to be an incomplete conversion to the D&D Third Edition ruleset, with many rules omitted. The kit system (class specialization) introduced in Baldur's Gate 2 was to be used, but this idea was later abandoned. Sawyer and several other members of

1700-465: The Underdark exists. Later, Isair and Madae locate the group with information from Nym. They state their intention to attack Kuldahar, and warn the group to not interfere. The group then passes through the Black Raven Monastery to enter the Underdark. After exiting the Underdark, they are flown to Kuldahar by Oswald Fiddlebender. When the group lands in Kuldahar, they discover it has been invaded by

1768-572: The Underdark, and Icewind Dale II featured journeys through the Underdark. An expansion pack based on the Underdark setting was released for the Neverwinter Nights game series, titled Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark . The tilesets which came with the Hordes of the Underdark expansion pack were used in several persistent worlds, most notably Escape from the Underdark . Campaign setting A campaign setting

1836-564: The Year' material, Black Isle Studios managed to give the Infinity engine a terrific game as its swan song". Other Infinity Engine games, including Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale , have been remade into Enhanced Editions by Beamdog . Beamdog was unsuccessful in trying to do the same for Icewind Dale II due to the source code of the game being lost. The Red Chimera Group, a team of modders, coders, artists, and other contributors drawn from

1904-530: The country by that date. Icewind Dale II 's reception was generally positive. Game Informer hailed it as, "one of the best RPGs ever released for the PC", and GameSpot called it, "simply a great role-playing game". However, PC Format said, "it's uninspired and uninspiring, giving itself a narrow remit and fulfilling that unspectacularly". Certain reviewers compared Icewind Dale II to Neverwinter Nights . IGN said: "[Compared to Neverwinter Nights]

1972-452: The docs in, and after the Friday division meeting, the project was in development". During this period, Interplay Entertainment relied on Black Isle Studios' games to alleviate financial trouble, which put pressure to release games quickly. The decision to develop Icewind Dale II was based partly on the original Icewind Dale ' s reception, and the development teams' ability to create

2040-505: The dungeons created by surface dwellers, and consists of caverns, tunnels and large complexes. The fictional Underdark's physical characteristics are based upon conditions in real-world caverns deep underground, except at immense size. Within the context of a game, the Underdark is extremely dangerous, especially to non-native characters and creatures. There are also the usual dangers associated with caverns: claustrophobia , poor air circulation, floor/ceiling collapses and getting lost. There

2108-498: The duration of the action. The player can pause the game and issue orders to characters at any time. Each character can carry a limited amount of items. Icewind Dale II takes place in the Forgotten Realms D&;D campaign setting , on the continent of Faerûn . It centers on the northern Icewind Dale region, and is set thirty years after the original game. The game begins in the harbor town of Targos, one of

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2176-489: The effects were attractive, the "dated Infinity Engine " could not compare to contemporaries Dungeon Siege and Neverwinter Nights . Computer Gaming World believed that "it consistently offers the same striking and imaginative environments that establish the tone and immersive charm of the game", and Computer Games Magazine said "it may not look like much, but it's got it where it counts". The game's pre-rendered backgrounds received praise. IGN said that "the artwork

2244-424: The ending areas. Partway through development, Sawyer left the team to work as the lead designer on another internal project; Dave Maldonado and Chris Avellone were given his areas to finish. The developers wanted the game to contain more breaks from combat, with character interaction and puzzle solving, than the previous Icewind Dale . The decision to include more puzzles was influenced by the positive reception to

2312-400: The engine "old" and "clunky", and PC Format said that "the whole thing is limited by the creaking engine". On the other hand, certain sources praised the engine. Game Informer called it "the best role-playing engine that has ever been invented", and GameSpot said that "'immortal' may be a better word to describe the engine, because the fact is, Icewind Dale II plays great". In regards to

2380-691: The fantasy literary genre by authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis . As a result, common fantasy elements in campaign settings include magic and supernatural/mythological creatures, such as dragons , elves , dwarves and orcs . The worlds in these games usually have a level of technology similar to that of medieval Europe . Over the decades since, fantasy role-playing has evolved and expanded tremendously, developing sub-genres such as dark fantasy , high fantasy , and science fantasy . Games such as Ars Magica popularized fantasy set within elements of real-world history. Subsequent games updated this concept further, bringing fantasy gaming into

2448-426: The fictional character Drizzt Do'Urden . The Underdark was also the setting for the expansion pack to the computer game Neverwinter Nights called Hordes of the Underdark , which featured the port city of Lith My'athar, and the mysterious Seer. The Underdark is a subterranean realm of enormous size inhabited by many different types of creatures such as drow , mind flayers , and aboleths. It extends far beyond

2516-492: The game [with] the [inclusion] of more instruments, taking flutes and percussion and combining them with the standard orchestra". Zur later said: "I thought that we definitely met some high standards; we compared our products to big budget films scores and in the end we were quite happy". The game features voice work from Gabrielle Carteris , Peter Stormare , and Grey DeLisle , among others. Icewind Dale II debuted at #6 on The NPD Group 's weekly computer game sales chart for

2584-415: The game genre contains sub-genres such as cyberpunk , space opera , and steampunk . Science fiction settings for role playing were introduced with Metamorphosis Alpha in 1976—dungeon adventuring on a "lost starship" —and in 1977 soon followed with Traveller , a space opera game. Its Third Imperium setting covered multiple worlds and alien races. Gamma World , introduced in 1978, explored

2652-419: The game's combat and pacing. G4 called the game's combat "sublime", and said that "no Infinity Engine game thus far has had such interesting and intricate tactical combat". GameSpot called it "expertly paced." PC Zone complained that certain gameplay mechanics had become outdated, but that "the only real downer is the antiquated spell system and the inexplicable necessity to rest after every fight". The game

2720-403: The graphics, GameSpot said that "in many ways Icewind Dale II represents the best use of the Infinity Engine's prerendered, isometric settings to date, [but] that doesn't change the fact that Icewind Dale II generally looks dated". IGN thought the sprites had become out-dated, and that "the animations are crude by today's standards". New Straits Times agreed, saying that although some of

2788-477: The main idea of the piece is reflected in all these steps". He called the composing experience "pleasant" and "rewarding". The music was composed in five weeks, and the recording and mixing lasted three weeks. As the game's music budget was low, a small Los Angeles orchestra was used to record the music; the sound of the each instrument was doubled during production. Inon Zur described the music as having "some uniqueness to it, that basically it developed throughout

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2856-429: The music; Zur and Levenson had worked together on several previous titles. Inon Zur said that while composing the theme for the game, "I wrote and rewrote the main theme several times", and "we tried to create a piece that would preserve the sound of the first Icewind Dale[...] we made great efforts to convey the new elements also. Capturing all of this in 30–45 seconds was not easy however I believe that we eventually found

2924-578: The pace of [ Icewind Dale II ] is more varied, its balance better, the gameplay more interesting", and Game Informer considered the interface superior to that of Neverwinter Nights . PC Format said, "in the light of Neverwinter Nights in particular, there's little that stands out in Icewind Dale II to recommend it", and PC Zone concurred "it's not the [ Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn ] killer we had all hoped for and neither does it stack up to Neverwinter Nights ". Many reviewers praised

2992-542: The past of Earth. Historical settings explored in 1980s-1990s roleplaying games include Pendragon ( Arthurian ), Sengoku ( Japanese warring states ), Recon ( Vietnam War ), and Tibet (historical Tibet ). Horror settings such as Call of Cthulhu were first introduced in the early 1980s, creating a hybrid of fantasy horror and modern thrillers. These settings tended to focus on organizations and societies in which generally normal people fight against malevolent supernatural entities. Another style of horror game reversed

3060-495: The player to import characters from previous Icewind Dale games. While creating characters, the player chooses their gender, race, class , alignment , and attributes , among other things. The player can sometimes choose a subvariety of a race or class, such as Deep Gnome or Cleric of Ilmater . Race, alignment, and attributes affect the player character's available dialogue options, as well as NPC responses. For example, some NPCs will be prejudiced against certain races, or

3128-445: The present day with urban fantasy (such as Mage: The Ascension ) or into the future with cyberpunk (e.g. Shadowrun ). Science fiction settings typically take place in the future. Common elements involve futuristic technology, contact with alien life forms, experimental societies, and space travel. Psionic abilities (i.e. ESP and telekinesis ) often take the place of magic. Similar to science fiction literature and film,

3196-425: The producers decided to make the game, but I was told that we were making the game when I learned that TORN was being cancelled ... on a Wednesday afternoon, and that Feargus Urquhart asked me to work with Steve Bokkes to create a story and area overview by Thursday afternoon. Steve and I talked about it for the rest of the day. I went home that night and worked on the overviews until the next day. I came in and turned

3264-832: The puzzles in Icewind Dale: Trials of the Luremaster . The game went gold on August 5, 2002, and was released in North America on August 27 and in the United Kingdom on August 30. After the release of Icewind Dale II , Sawyer expressed dissatisfaction over the Icewind Dale series, saying "I wasn't particularly thrilled with how my work on [ Icewind Dale ] came out..." and, "...[ Heart of Winter ] managed to actually be worse than my Icewind Dale stuff". In regards to Icewind Dale II he said: "[It] came out better than I expected, but still, not exactly awe-inspiring". Chris Avellone later said: " Icewind Dale

3332-424: The replacement of traditional elements of fantasy settings with the pseudo-scientific elements of post-apocalyptic fiction . Due to the success of Star Wars , and the franchise's impact on popular culture, many science fiction settings were introduced or adapted during the 1980s. Such settings often involved detailed accounts of military and/or trading operations and organizations. Historical games are set in

3400-443: The right path for this game's soundtrack". Zur described the composing process: "After learning the storyboard and getting additional insight from the producers/music supervisor I'll start to compose. The thematic idea (main melody or rhythmical groove) comes first. Then comes the accompaniment followed by the orchestration and that each piece should have its own unique flavour so every step is carefully examined. I have to make sure that

3468-457: The roles, with player characters acting as supernatural creatures, such as vampires and werewolves . This style was popularized in the 1990s by White Wolf 's Vampire: The Masquerade and World of Darkness . Early campaign settings that combine horror and fantasy elements include the Dungeons & Dragons settings Ravenloft and Ghostwalk . The D&D Heroes of Horror sourcebook also provided ways to emphasize horror elements within

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3536-476: The selected player character , and clicking on a passive non-player character (NPC) will initiate dialogue. When conversations occur, the game presents multiple dialogue options. The game world is separated into area maps—obscured by fog of war —that are revealed as the area is explored. A multiplayer mode is available for up to six players over a local area network or the Internet. The "Heart of Fury" mode

3604-424: The ship to crash, and the group awakens to discover that a glacier blocks the reinforcements' path. While investigating the glacier, the group finds Sherincal, a half-dragon, guarding the entrance to an Aurilite temple. They learn that Sherincal leads the Legion of the Chimera's western forces, and that the leaders of the Legion of the Chimera, cambion twins named Isair and Madae, reside in the Severed Hand. Inside

3672-438: The six you create". In regards to the audio, GameSpot said that "Inon Zur does a truly fantastic job that's perhaps even better than Soule's effort in the original Icewind Dale", and that "the voice acting in Icewind Dale II is as great as you've perhaps come to expect from a Black Isle Studios role-playing game". Computer Gaming World said that "[the] sound effects, music, and voiceovers are all excellent". Icewind Dale II

3740-424: The spread-out interface of all previous Infinity Engine games", and IGN said that "the customization improvements to the interface that seem so natural, they make you wonder why they weren't thought of before". Game Informer called the interface "absolutely inspired" and its inventory system "second to none". The game was criticized for its graphics and engine, which reviewers considered to be outdated. G4 called

3808-445: The story "engrossing", and said that "the game is very well written, offering up a number of strong characters and serious themes". PC Zone noted that, "thanks to the excellent NPCs, the battles have a lot more meaning, as there is a strong storyline behind the endless hacking and slashing". PC Format thought that " Icewind Dale II also suffers, like its predecessor, from a story irrevocably weakened by anonymous central characters –

3876-456: The surface, immune to magic and resistant to psionic energy. Araumycos will sometimes attack intruders with poison, spores, and manifestations that resemble oozes and slimes. Araumycos houses many other fungal creatures. Travel within it is difficult since many passages and caves are blocked by it and damage regenerates quickly. The Underdark is home to many predators , races and fantasy monsters, most of which are hostile. These include: There

3944-438: The team pushed for the game's conversion to Third Edition. The development team was eventually granted an extension, which allowed them to complete the change to Third Edition rules. The Infinity Engine required extensive modification to comply with Third Edition rules, as it had originally been designed for Second Edition rules; certain elements of the rules were removed due to interface and engine issues. The game's interface

4012-403: The team was forced to remove certain rules because of the engine's outdated nature. It was the final game to be developed using the Infinity Engine. The game was well received by critics, who praised its combat, pacing, and use of the Third Edition rules. However, some reviewers felt that the graphics and engine had become outdated, and could not compete with its contemporaries. Icewind Dale II

4080-466: The town palisade and fend off an assault by the goblin army. Afterwards, the mayor of Targos orders them to start an offensive on the goblin army. The group kills the chieftain of the army, and discovers that he was under the command of a woman named Sherincal. When they return to Targos, the mayor asks them to rendezvous with reinforcements from Neverwinter . The group travels to meet them in an airship piloted by Oswald Fiddlebender. A storm causes

4148-508: The war between the Ten Towns and the Legion of the Chimera was caused by the mayor of Bryn Shander , who had sent Isair and Madae poisoned food. They also discover that a mythal that was cast on the Severed Hand has been corrupted, and the structure will be transported to the plane of limbo . Eventually, the group finds Isair and Madae, and kills them. During summer 2001, Black Isle Studios employed three development teams. These included

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4216-418: Was a fun series, but it didn't try to set the bar for anything other than a fun romp. People may remember enjoying it, but it wasn’t trying to break any new ground or do anything revolutionary. In some respects, it was almost a step back from other games we'd done and focused more on exploration and dungeon crawls". A Collector's Edition containing bonus material, such as a full-color cloth map and soundtrack CD,

4284-403: Was also praised for its implementation of the Third Edition rules and interface. Computer Gaming World said that "[ Icewind Dale II ] has the Third Edition rules down, and in no other place in the game is it more apparent than with character development", and PC Gamer said it had "a dazzling implementation of the D&D 3rd Edition rules". GameSpot called the interface "a big improvement on

4352-432: Was also released. Icewind Dale II was the final game developed using the Infinity Engine. The music of the game was composed by Inon Zur , whose previous works included Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal and Fallout Tactics . Inon Zur worked with Jeremy Soule, the composer for Icewind Dale , to maintain the tone of the music. Inon Zur also worked closely with Interplay audio director Adam Levenson while composing

4420-478: Was asked to substitute. The game's resolution was increased to a minimum resolution of 800x600, with an unofficially supported maximum resolution of 2048x1536. J. E. Sawyer managed rule implementation, but the areas of the game were divided between designers. For example, designer Chris Avellone created the opening sequence, designer Dave Maldonado developed the Black Raven Monastery and a large area of wilderness, and designers John Deiley and Damien Foletto created

4488-467: Was called Khyber and was home to evil beings driven deep into the caverns at the end of the age of demons . A review for Pyramid refers to the Underdark as "one of the most well known facets of the Forgotten Realms". Much of the literary attention for this deep underworld stemmed from the sourcebooks and accessories for the Forgotten Realms setting, including R.A. Salvatore's novels about

4556-582: Was nominated for Computer Gaming World ' s 2002 "RPG of the Year" award, which ultimately went to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind . The editors wrote that Icewind Dale II "is the last great game from a fading engine, and we love it". It was also a nominee for PC Gamer US ' s "2002 Best Roleplaying Game" and The Electric Playground ' s "Best RPG for PC" awards, but lost both to Neverwinter Nights . Allen Rausch, writing for GameSpy 's 2004 retrospective "A History of D&D Video Games", wrote "while nobody would mistake it for '2002 RPG of

4624-474: Was redesigned, and all-new art was created. It features new item icons, with new spell icons by Brian Menze; Menze had previously created Planescape: Torment ' s spell icons. Jason Manley, the portrait artist for the previous Icewind Dale games, left Black Isle Studios in late 2001; several new works he painted before his departure were later used in Icewind Dale II . Black Isle Studios artist Justin Sweet

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