Doesn't sound terribly promising to me either. I'm not a fan of 4e, and I like having the option to play my games offline if there is a single player mode. That way if I'm traveling or simply if the internet has gone out or is slow, I can still play the game if I want. It may not be very long before wi-fi is ubiquitous and mobile broadband is unlimited for a low flat fee, but until that day, offline play is a must for all but multiplayer-only games.
NWN1 is great (though for the longest time I could not get my copy to install on either of my computers until recently) and I never played NWN2, but the general consensus seems to be that it was sub-par. I'd really like it if GOG could secure the rights to at least some of the classic D&D games, as it seems they are not legally available in digital form anywhere online, which always struck me as peculiar. If you look at the number of votes some of the titles have gotten in the GOG requests section, there is clearly money to be made. It would be cheaper and more convenient than buying the physical copies, though I admit I recently had to order Planescape: Torment because I can't wait for the gods of GOG to secure that one. Fortunately I managed to find a new copy bundled with Soulbringer for just under $20, which is far less than the normal market value. But yes, more D&D games available for direct download would be appreciated.

My thoughts on NWN1: its OC wasn't great, and some, like myself, consider it rubbish, but it had singleplayer functionality, which meant you had a myriad of singleplayer mods to occupy yourself with. As for multiplayer, it's brilliant because of all the mods and player-run servers. Don't like a server? Just change to another one, and who knows, it may be running an even better mod than the former.
Bets are up as to whether Cryptic will remain in the business after this launches.

New interview: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-09-30-neverwinter-wonders-interview?page=1

There is no pausing or even hidden turns, it's an action game through and through and only the damage you do is based on dice rolls.

This game just sounds like crap more and more. No singleplayer and knowing Cryptic the companions you hire for solo play will have no stories or personality. It has only 5 classes compared to the old games' dozen or more. It will likely have a fee to play, judging from what he is saying.

I agree with the comments section on that review: who is this game for? It's not a true MMO and even if it was it couldn't compete with WoW and TOR and dedicated MMO experiences. It's not a singleplayer RPG as it is online only. It's not a co-op RPG because it will charge a fee. It's story focused but does ANYONE think Cryptic will write a good story and have good characters after playing their previous games? It's a D&D game but it throws all the rules and turns out and makes it an action game.

Who is this game for?

people with such plans should be banned from making rpg lincense games

Cryptic has never made anything worth of note in there Career. To force online and mulitplayer in Neverwinter Nights and to embrace the worst version of D&D conceived all because they're attention spans are = to a monkey on meth blows my mind..

oh i cant wait to get high level and have awesome spells...

ok here install at will spells have fun, sorry your endgame is crap now where most people finally have a set in stone char thats finally able to just play a role in the story...

my brain is small and i have no imagination, i like pretty colors

ok here you need a map and small shiny things to fight because we know your brian is tiny and you cant think for yourself and imagine moving in a dungeon.

edit:
Eurogamer: Presumably the danger with that is that it runs out at some point?

Jack Emmert: You're exactly right. Where that comes into play is the user-generated content. We also have a full slate of content we're going to continue to bring after release. We don't think people will find themselves at a loss for things to do. Dungeons can be repeated, too - they are persistent.

Eurogamer: The Neverwinter Nights toolset cheapened the game content for me. I had access to all the monsters, all the items, everything - the incentive to keep playing the game to gather the best equipment was gone.

Jack Emmert: Right now we're not sure that in our user-generated content you can make your own items and weapons. There would be very strict controls on that.

What currently the UGC is intended to do is for people to attach their quests, their stories into our world. You're right, it's possible for people to create bad content, and that's why we'll have rating systems - similar to what YouTube does - because the best stuff is just going to float to the top naturally.
------
Right there See that "the editor cheapened the exsperiance for me".... Eurogamer is a *****.... This guy is the same type of person that screams the ending of a movie to people cause he googled it while watching the movie because his phone has the internet....

just because the book has a last page doesnt mean you have to read it *facepalm*

Yeah, that comment on the toolset was incredibly retarded. Eurogamer in general is, in my experience.

They get a lot of interviews though.

After the cash grabs that were Champions Online and STO (lets release TWO unfinished MMOs within a short space of each other and have lifetime subscriptions, only purchasable before you actually get to see if the game is going to last or not, I mean if you intended the MMO to be successful you wouldn't release another at the same time, and divide your own playerbase...) I doubt I'll have much faith in any NWN sequel they make. Should let Obsidian give it a go.

Should do a very co-op friendly game with Steamworks or some other multiplayer focused platform but also have a singleplayer... sell DLC but no fees... hire a developer that can actually write and make narrative content.

They would make a lot of money.