Overview
This document is intended to serve as a general OOC record of TDN. The information is accurate as of August 2023 and will be updated from time to time. The goal is to not explore every major contributor's background or specific contributions, but to give a general overview.
Concept
Back around the year 2008/2009 the server admin Aschent_ played on various servers, one of which included The Way Inn (TWI). While the experience was really solid, team was passionate and pleasant to work with and experience being enjoyable on TWI and Aschent_ having done a brief amount of DMing, he started exploring creating a new server to learn the ropes of server construction, administration, etc. The objective was to target Tethyr, and specifically the land mass known as "The Dragon's Neck" which is the peninsula just south of Murann and includes locales such as Mosstone, Velen and Tulmene.
Mosstone:
Tulmene:
TDN (~2010)
Early TDN launched with really just an objective of being a space to run DM events and campaigns from. There were no major aspirations beyond becoming familiar with the toolset, learning some basic scripting, and creating an environment that players could impact through their actions and events. During DM events and campaigns we would have a regular crew of 6-14 players which lasted for a couple years. However due to some RL circumstances and a lack of free time (which is in high demand for a DM campaign focused server, Early TDN was brought offline. During this time we had some fantastic contributors, some of which went on to admin/dev for servers that are still around to this day. Aschent_ and Calliope are the two devs who are still around from this old iteration of TDN.
Old Brost Image:
Reignition of NWN & TDN
In 2018, with NWN:EE being released via Beamdog, and the larger NWN community reinvigorated, Calliope began playing/building on the Hill's Edge server and soon thereafter invited Aschent_ to jump in and test the waters. Hill's Edge featured a number of really interesting systems, exciting areas and concepts which restarted the desire to get into NWN development once again. In the summer of 2018, conversations and initial work started on the next iteration of TDN. Some old faces from the past rejoined Aschent_ and Calliope and construction began on bringing TDN into NWN:EE. We launched in October of 2019 to a lively playerbase, seeing numbers as high as ~60 at our peak for weeks at a time. Unfortunately, this version of TDN faced some troublesome design flaws which resulted in much of the player experience requiring DMs to assist with.
Project Overhaul
In Spring of 2020, Aschent_ identified that things weren't working. In a difficult decision, the development team was reworked and Aschent_ and Calliope once again began work on cleaning up the issues that existed. We've seen numerous folks jump in to assist with development (credited at the bottom of this article). We've now landed in a much healthier overall position, having listened to community feedback and worked many many hours to create a fantastic RP experience, we believe that this next launch will stand the test of time.
This process has been a long one, with development stretching into the summer of 2023. The development team has been as small as two people, and as large as 19.
Author's Note
I want to personally thank everyone who has at one point or another contributed to TDN over the many years of its existence. Folks are listed in no particular order and I apologize if anyone has been left off this list:
Current Staff:
- Calliope
- Goldberry
- Danuvis
- Khaine
- Lestat
- Bruce Ashbey
- KT28
- Sea Mouse
- Aradin
- Moradin
- Chabz
- JJ (Mayor of bug testing)
- Divinity
- Kilaana
- Cash
- Oldbugeye
- Oldbear
- TWI Team: Alwarren, Varanon, CopperDragon and Knight
- Diabosatan
- Cowboy
- May
- AmericanBernard
- KB
- gainReduction
- Rhicora
- Oldfog (Hill's Edge admin)
- Lucadia
- Blissey
- Salty
- CmWise
- Zytum
- Boots
- Pyr07r34d
- NoMercy
- Niek
- JCote
- Silver
- RedSun
- Branwen