Interview Matt Chat 324: Interview with Styg, Part Three

[Infinitron]

Tags: Matt Barton; OlderBytes; Stygian Software; Swords and Sorcery: Underworld; Underrail

In the third and final episode of his interview with Underrail developer Styg, Matt Barton passes on a few remaining questions from viewers, including one about the game's unique Oddity progression system (which is apparently inspired by System Shock 2 and by sandbox MMO Haven & Hearth, of all things). Styg reveals that he'd like to work on a fantasy RPG someday, but he doesn't have any concrete plans for his next game yet.

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After running out of questions, Matt also has a short chat with Underrail artist Mario Tovirac, who reveals something of Stygian Software's team dynamic. The interview still turns out to be quite short though, so Matt pads it with some Swords and Sorcery: Underworld gameplay footage.

 

[LeStryfe79]

Yeah, Styg is fucking awesome. When is Vince gonna do an interview?

 

[himmy]

Styg reveals that he'd like to work on a fantasy RPG someday

 

[Goral]

Styg reveals that he'd like to work on a fantasy RPG someday

pic.jpg

He used underground setting so in the next game we'll see Laputa. In UR

Spoiler

Tchort

was the final boss so in Laputa it will be Zeus Aphrodite.

 

[toro]

The interview is missing one important question: Are there any major changes planned for Underrail? And by this, I mean the DC partial fiasco.

Unfortunately I think that the area requires some rework besides the balancing patches (at least some changes which could decrease the overall backtracking).

 

[Johannes]

Thread title could say what interview is in question, when there's no MattChat or any other indicator it looks like it'd be a Codexian interview.

 

[FeelTheRads]

So will those that refused to acknowledge the MMO inspiration in Underrail continue to do so?

 

[Excidium II]

So will those that refused to acknowledge the MMO inspiration in Underrail continue to do so?

What did he say about it?

 

[Roguey]

The interview still turns out to be quite short though, so Matt pads it with some Swords and Sorcery: Underworld gameplay footage.

No wonder he padded out part one with questions about Serbia.

 

[Infinitron]

The interview still turns out to be quite short though, so Matt pads it with some Swords and Sorcery: Underworld gameplay footage.

No wonder he padded out part one with questions about Serbia.

If the developer doesn't have a Wikipedia history he can look up for topics, Matt just doesn't know what to say.

 

[k-t]

So will those that refused to acknowledge the MMO inspiration in Underrail continue to do so?

Well, in the case of H&H curiosities Styg took only the core premise of the system (character advancement by learning "things"). Otherwise curiosity system is very different. Like, it has usual MMO timers, or sources of "things" are random spawns, rare drops or crafting, etc. Oddity system doesn't have all that MMO cruft and it's a simple yet good adapation to a single-player game.

Btw, Haven and Hearth isn't a browser MMO.

Edit. What makes Underrail feel a bit MMOish for me though are item qualities. And I wouldn't be surprised that they are inspired by H&H as well.

 

[Ellef]

Styg reveals that he'd like to work on a fantasy RPG someday

It's a shame he doesn't continue his iconoclastic path in developing the untouched post-apoc RPG

 

[Ellef]

Wish these segments had a good host.

 

[Excidium II]

Styg reveals that he'd like to work on a fantasy RPG someday

It's a shame he doesn't continue his iconoclastic path in developing the untouched post-apoc RPG

 

[Mortmal]

Styg reveals that he'd like to work on a fantasy RPG someday

It's a shame he doesn't continue his iconoclastic path in developing the untouched post-apoc RPG

Could be worse, he could develop a RTS clone , then be butthurt cause it doesnt sell well, and holding underrail 2 release as hostage till we buy it .

 

[thesheeep]

I would buy an RTS clone if it cloned an RTS game that I actually find interesting...

 

[Grotesque]

he should keep the ball rolling and make UnderRail 2.

 

[thesheeep]

Honestly, he should make whatever the hell he feels like.
For a small developer, the motivation of a single person may very well be the biggest issue.

 

[Jack Dandy]

Very nice, enjoyed all the interviews. Sword & Sorcery still looks like garbage. I wonder when some people will understand polish can make or break a title.

Anyway, a cool thing I noticed:
It appears that Styg and co. almost "stumbled" into the game's winning formula. It doesn't look like he had all the idea\design concepts for the game's mechanics from the get-go, instead coming across them by sheer perservation and iteration.

I like that. I mean.. I can tell from the video the dude is a humble fella, doesn't take a genius to see that. He has more talent than what's revealed in the interviews.
But- the game's combat system started out completely different, and yet he managed to make it into one of the most enjoyable implementations of single-player TB.
He had slightly different visions for the areas in the game, but Mario managed to make it even better!

You can see how the team might not be maestros by their own, but how keeping at it and not giving up, they ended up with one of the finest titles of the RPG renniasance.
It's neat.