Original Neverwinter Nights on AOL -Neverwinter Nights was developed with gameplay similar to other games in the Gold Box series. Players begin by creating a character. After creating the character, gameplay takes place on a screen that displays text interactions, the names and current status of one's party of characters, and a window which displays images of geography marked with various pictures of characters or events. When combat occurs, gameplay switches to full-screen combat mode, in which a player's characters and enemies are represented by icons which move around in the course of battle.

The game features a hierarchical ranking of players based upon prowess in battle known as a Ladder. The most widely renowned of such Ladders, the World PVP Council (WPC) Ladder (PVP= Player Vs. Player), "rated as 'the' ladder to prove your mettle in Neverwinter"