Quite some time ago I bought the anthology for D&D. This included every game except for the Neverwinter Night games. I began with porting Baldur's Gate to the second game's engine and of course started with the first game. I got my mind wrapped around the basic mechanics with AC, dice-rolling and all that and played along. Although, after the Nashkel Mine I really had no idea where I should go next so I lost my interest in the game for some time. I've decided to start by playing them again but still have some questions.

Are all D&D games placed in the same universe, or is it simply the game's rule-set which names the games?

I am a huge fans of dragons, which game has the most of them?

Thanks in advance!

I think BG2 has the most dragons - and nope the games do have different "universes" - or playsettings as it were. Forgotten Realms and Grey Hawk are the most like traditional "high fantasy;" Dragonshard takes place in a setting that's more like a sort of Steampunk mixed in with fantasy and it's own unique mechanism for world creation (it has some unique features of its environment) and Planescape is... well Planescape - think of a Bazaar, with portals to all sorts of other weird dimensions - dimensions of evil, realms of gods, normal mundane places and all of them filled with fantastic objects and sentient creatures a bit different from the usual elves, humans, dwarves and such.

Can anyone fill me in on whether Planescape / Sigil "links" to the more traditional D&D worlds "in cannon" ?

Also, there's Dark Sun - we need more Dark Sun games! Brutal desert worlds were just scraping by to survive is a feat. I may be wrong on some of my descriptors, so anyone feel free to jump in and point out errors or new tidbits!

Potentially, yes. As does Spelljammer. But a fuller answer would get into the complexities of variant D&D editions...

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.
One system, different editions (IWD2 is 3rd ed, IIRC), different worlds (Planescape for Planescape: Torment, Eberron for Dragonshard, Faerun for all the rest).
Planescape's Sigil reminds me of Robert Asprin's Bazaar on Deva (I guess that's what was meant, hmm?) from MythAdventures. With a charming ruler called Lady of Pain who you really don't want to meet in person.
There are some dragons in Icewind Dale 2, but they aren't too common. [url=http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Talk:Sigil]I guess it does.[/url]

Dragons are not very common in the video-games. So when you encounter one, you will have a nasty fight on your hands.

TOEE - Greyhawk - D&D 3.5 Edition rules
IWD - pretty much as the title says - AD&D second edition rules
IWD2 - again as the title says - 3rd Edition rules
BG1 - Forgotten Realms - AD&D second edition rules
BG2 - Forgotten Realms - AD&D second edition rules
Planescape - well, Planescape multiverse - AD&D rules
NWN 1 - Forgotten Realms (from Neverwinter City to Luskan, wiith a pit stop in hell and ending it in Waterdeep) - 3rd Edition rules
NWN 2 - Forgotten Realms (back to Neverwinter City and up to Rashemen and Chult) - D&D 3.5 Edition rules
Dragonshard - Eberron - loose adaptation of the D&D rules
Demon Stone - Forgotten Realms (some less known locations) - again, loose adaptation of the D&D rules

Any way, why not start with the BG 1 and 2, go through Planescape for a change of pace and setting, take a bus to the IWD 1 and 2 and end up in in the marred politics of the NWN City and Thay. If you still hunger for some D&D and want a different gameplay play Dragonshard and end with Demon Stone (both games are rather short, so it won't take you long to finish them)

Hey Wolf neat rundown of not only the setting but the underlying systems going on beneath the game! Dare I say it but... I think my fav might have to be AD&D second edition!

While the feats in 4th didn't feel so cumbersome, combining 2nd edition class building / stats / bonuses with myriad feats (in other words, 3.5) really does make character building and playing VERY tough!

Of course, I'm colored by never having rol(l)e played 3.5 - but having just picked up TOEE and reading though the rulebook (which is basically a player's handbook of character creation) I'm a bit overwhelmed! And as I said, the character / class and stat tables of 2nd never felt like "too" much - but add in all those feats and it starts to make my head spin ;) I can't wait for the night I decide to roll up my first TOEE party... but I'm a bit scared!

TOEE is loved for the fact that is has the most faithful D&D rules adaptation in a video game. Which makes it the toughest to play and the most rewarding from my point of view. And for some reason, i'm also very fond on the AD&D SE.

There is also a small neat game on the old PSP, D&D Tactics, which is not as bad as it is portrayed. The game is actually pretty advanced, offering different choices with unforeseen consequences later in the campaign. Probably the best review is on Gamebanshee. If you own a PSP, give it a try.

As old pnp D&D and WH FRP fanatic i really wish i had some free time to spend with the pnps...

Computer rpgs advantage is that computer can take care of all the rice rolling and rules - keeping. In pnp frontier i am these days way more interested in more fluid and creative story/character (not stat) driven systems like the Stalker PNP and Tremulus have.

I agree. Baldur's Gate is an excellent place to start. Solid gameplay, good story, nice difficulty level.
I do recommend ToEE, but only if you like a tough challenge (and use the Circle of Eight modpacks for bugfixing and possibly added content)
Also, the Icewind Dale games are a bit more action oriented whereas the Baldur's Gate games have a slightly stronger focus on story and roleplaying

And IF you're a crafting fan, ToEE is the only one that let's you craft magic items as the pnp rules intended.
IF you can get the money & XP to burn, you can easily break the game with your newly forged GOD-like items....

I loved IWD 2 story. Is more grey than the usual black and white. I can't blame the villains for acting like they did. They sought peace and they were treated poorly. So i kind of feel guilty in kicking their arse.

Really? I haven't tried that yet...sounds like I have to reinstall ToEE.
So much to do, so little time :)

Depending on your Charisma score, you can craft small cheap scrolls (Which use 0XP) & sell them at a profit.
IF you have the patience to grind them, you can get an infinite supply of cash this way.....

Besides the kickstarters (Project Eternity and Tide of Numenera) is there any new D&D inspired games similar to these/modern successors?

Thanks for the tip.
Sounds like you played a lot longer than me.