Neverending Nights

Well, I am going to just come in here and say…

The site might be down in a short while, until we get the account possibly upgraded! The reaction to being mentioned in Bioware’s newsletter has created a tremendous interest (or at least an insane amount of downloading from the site). And unfortunately, we don’t have any mirror sites set up to take off the amount of bandwidth being used.

We have a total of 80 gigs per month… and never did we imagine we would use more than 66% of it. (Which was last month, after the mention in PC GAMER UK). However… here we are, a mere 3 days into the month and we have already reached 89% of that 80gigs!

Incredible.

Anyway, Adam is probably asleep – and me – I am still walking on Cloud 9 from the Bioware Weds mention… and I think if I called Adam right now … he would not be amused. So I will get a hold of him tomorrow and we will check into possibly getting the bandwidth upped to handle this month’s raise!

Bioware Weds – At Bioware.com!

Hey, it’s official! The big news is out! A few weeks ago, the folks at Bioware got in contact with us and struck up an interview! Well, it’s now officially released on Bioware’s website (the makers of Neverwinter Nights, the game engine we use) – you can see it at the Bioware Weds Newsletter page!

March 16, 2005 wrote:March 16th, 2005
Neverending Nights – More Random Updates
Well, Adam, Paul and myself – just finished recording Episode 11’s Audio last night… and we are pretty sure our new “heroes” are going to become the new fan favorites! (Perhaps even becoming more popular than Peter, if such a thing is possible!)

I can not tell you how much fun we had recorded this episode… Well, with my talent for rambling (no really, scroll down)… I am sure I could. But I will save that tale for another time!

Well we have laid low bringing updates here because of our bandwidth woes. After being mentioned in the Bioware Newsletter, we tripled our bandwidth max (which was 80 gigs). So I haven’t said much here, trying to let the bandwidth kind of even out. But… some updates…

The filming for Episode 9 is now also complete (but still needs to edited… naturally, after Episode 8 is edited… and speaking of Episode 8…)

Episode 8 is nearly complete, and will probably be available soon. It will probably be available off the mirror site exclusively for bandwidth purposes (for the time being, till we make it into next month).

We still need to film Episode 10 and 11… and that will put us ahead for a little while.

The reaction to us being in the Bioware Newsletter has been overwhelming! It’s given us a ton more exposure (naturally if we have tripled our bandwidth limit of 80 gigs, right?)… And because of those bandwidth woes, we opened up a Neverending Nights Paypal account… where donations will go towards the website’s bandwidth… recording studio equipment… etc etc.

Also if anyone is going to E3, look for us there! (Well, we won’t have a booth… but Adam, myself and Chris [who plays Eric the Elongated in Episode 9]… and we’re working on getting Paul [who plays, aduh, Paul the Dwarf] the pass we need – will be at E3 roaming around)! And if ye see us and wanan smack us, say hello, or whatever – feel free to!

Also thinking of opening up a Cafepress store as well… both for advertising purposes… and to make a dollar here and there – again all to pay for that crazy bandwidth.

Before – every day we averaged about 1 to 2 gigs… So the closest we ever really got was using about 65 gigs of 80gigs…

Since the Bioware Newsletter – our average seems to be sitting at 3 to 3.5 gigs every day… (So even if ye take 3 gigs x 30 days = 90 gigs – which still goes over our bandwidth)!

So we will probably be doing a few things when Episode 10 comes out…

1. We will cut it down to make it only 5 Episodes available for download, and we will rotate through them. (So for example, when we release Episode 10, probably Episodes 6 thru 10 will be available… then around Episode 15, it will be like Episodes 1 thru 4, plus Episode 15, etc etc).

2. We’re going to offer low-res versions of the video. Because, let’s face it – we don’t have the mad following that folks like Rooster Teeth have. So not everyone is all into having Hi-Res versions of our videos. Some would be content – and probably more than happy, for that matter – to have low-res versions, as they just may wanna watch it and delete it (and this would provide quicker downloads).

So between low-res versions, limited videos available, mirror sites, paypal donations, and opening a NeN store soon… I am hoping that everything balances out.

Wonder who has done what voices (or who will be doing what voices in upcoming episodes) – check out the Cast & Credits link.

Phew.

I think that’s it for now.

Well the big suprise is out and D-Slash found it before we did!!!! Damn you D-Slash!

You can read the article here http://nwn.bioware.com/players/profile_machinima.html

And post about it here http://neverendingnights.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=719&sid=d25505a886a12a86a1f0b2d26a3a2dff#719

(Tawmis sneaks in… just because he likes to chatter a lot….)

Also – if you are freaky like I am, there’s now downloadable versions of the interview! You can download the Word Document Version, The Image Version, and of course the PDF Version!

Another update on Neverending Nights? Well, here’s one… in March keep your eyes planted over on Bioware’s website… you just might see us mentioned over there – and not in the forums!

Let’s see – I will be working on edits for Episode 8 throughout the week (film and audio), if my PC permits it. My wife and Adam came together to get me a new pc – but it’s having issues with the C: drive. (It’s a used drive…) So anyway, hope to get Episode 8 done by the weekend. Episode 8 features the stunning voice of my wife, as Amiee the Armorer. It was a very fun episode to do – and I think it’s going to turn out quite all right. I honestly believe (and this is amazing with how harsh I am typically on myself when it comes to creativity of my own – well, Adam’s in this also – but anyway) – I think that each episode seems to get better and better. And I don’t mean just in video and voice editing/acting – although that’s improving – but also in writing.

While Paul was down, we recorded the audio for Episode 10 which introduces Pawl the Dorf, who was mentioned as far back as Episode 3 – and the infamous dwarf who gave our would be heroes the wonderful map they’re using!

Some more cool news – Adam got a Digital/Analog converter – one that works this time. The original one was shorting out. This one works. It’s going to require more audio editing by me, since it splits the recording into two different channels, but Adam says it makes a world of difference audio wise. I think the first episode that will feature that new recording will be Episode 9. Then it will be Episode 11 (since, as I said, we already did the audio for Episode 10).

I am looking forward to Episode 11… this is going to be a VERY fun episode. It’s the first episode that won’t star our two heroes – Peter and Grayson – or even Pawl the Dorf for that matter! Episode 11 introduces three new characters. Well, they will probably only be used in Episode 11 – but… hey, I think it’s going to be fun.

Oh – and while Adam was over, we planned out Season 2 and Season 3. We have the general ideas for the following two seasons, so if we can keep up with this – I think there’s plenty of material for us to use and enjoy.

Also, we installed the Bioware CEP (Community Expansion Pack), which will make it’s debut in Episode 11. If you have played NWN and have not seen the CEP – I highly recommend downloading it and installing it if you’re a world building. It offers some incredible new features to an already amazing game.

And I think for now… that should do it?

I just wanted to drop a quick special thanks to Mark Sutherns of PC GAMER UK. Today in the mail, the copies for Adam and I came in. Considering it was from the UK to us here in the USofA – it was an incredible gesture of kindness that Mark sent the issues out to us.

So while we knew we were in the issue of PC GAMER, it was an incredible experience to open the magazine for ourselves, and see that little side panel with references to our work. And then to load up that DVD and have the first 5 episodes of Neverending Nights – plus the PC GAMER UK episode we did – all come out and play before our eyes – and to know – this magazine reached so many new people …

It’s incredible.

So once again, thank you Mark!