Interview Drakensang interview at CRPG.ru

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Drakensang

Our comrades and faithful followers of the great Lenin from <a href=http://www.crpg.ru>CRPG.ru</a> have posted an <a href=http://www.crpg.ru/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=2105>interview</a> with Drakensang developers. Sadly, the interview could be classified as "meh".
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<blockquote><b>What can you say about the combat system? Is it real-time or turn-based? How does it work?</b>
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Combat has a very strategic bent. Choosing the right weapons, the right position for your fighters, the right spell at the right time - these things will decide whether you win or lose. We didn't want button mashing to factor into the outcome of a fight.
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Our combat system builds on proven precedents - but we want to upgrade and modernize existing systems, which have gotten a little long in the tooth. <b>Basically it is a turn-based system, built on the P&P rules, but it is displayed in real-time.</b> This means that you will be able to pause combat at any time to change weapons or drink a potion etc., but it's our goal that the player will need to do this as little as possible. In order to achieve this, we're incorporating some innovative features like special party moves and quick shots, while also concentrating on providing the player with a very intuitive interface.</blockquote>*sigh*
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Thanks, Metallix.
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[Twinfalls]

Why

Why

Why???

 

[Atrokkus]

The amount of self-contradiction and blatant ignorance is enormous. Herecy towards the cult franchise -- unbearable.

Unfortunately, I didn't contribute to the questionairre due to being busy elsewhere, so the questions weren't difficult or provocative enough, perhaps. Yet, it does illustrate the issue clearly enough anyway.

 

[sheek]

I repeat, this is an Abomination.

 

[Ladonna]

"Modernise...." Yeah sure. We have been seeing this 'modernisation' going on for how long? It certainly has generated 'new' fans for the genre.


"and make sure you don't have to pause very often" Of course. RT games already require too much thought in combat....why break the immersion?

Another day, another turd in RPG land.

 

[obediah]

Our comrades and faithful followers of the great Lenin from <a>CRPG.ru</a> have posted an <a>interview</a> with Drakensang developers

Developers my ass. They don't teach you how to dodge a question like that in CS class.

Be honest and upfront or peddle your shit elsewhere.

 

[Goliath]

I hope they all die a most painful death. Tainting the Realms of Arcadia series with their filth is a sacrilege! Attic Akbar!

 

[Vault Dweller]

Our comrades and faithful followers of the great Lenin from <a>CRPG.ru</a> have posted an <a>interview</a> with Drakensang developers

Developers my ass. They don't teach you how to dodge a question like that in CS class.

Be honest and upfront or peddle your shit elsewhere.

We are doing an interview with them. Should be fun. Here is a question:

13. Last question. What kind of players Drakensang is aimed at and why? On one hand, you are talking about "appealing to traditional RPG gamers", on the other hand, the game's gone real time because "only a minority of today's RPG audience" digs turn-based; you promise a great dialogue system and quickly add that dialogues are short because players shouldn't be forced to read; and you are adapting a rather complex PnP character system "into modern gameplay - and not to torture players with columns of numbers and figures". So, are we talking about traditional gamers or the infamous new generation that can't read, confused by numbers, and likes anything shiny?

 

[Goliath]

That's just mean VD; I wonder how they are going to weasel their way out of that!

Ok, let me try:
We will create a game that will appeal to everyone. The contradictions you seem to see are not actual contradictions. A great dialogue does not have to be long-winded for example. We also think that endless rows of numbers are not needed for a great RPG experience. Modern computer technology allows us to overcome the limitations of PnP RPGs, making those things mostly unnecessary - I am sure you will agree once you have played the final product. Finally, most people agree that turn-based RTwP combat offers all the tactical depth of the old turn-based model while removing unnecessary delays i.e. making it more fun! I am sure that Drakensang will appeal to both the old fans and to people who are new to the series. Trust us.

 

[obediah]

Our comrades and faithful followers of the great Lenin from <a>CRPG.ru</a> have posted an <a>interview</a> with Drakensang developers

Developers my ass. They don't teach you how to dodge a question like that in CS class.

Be honest and upfront or peddle your shit elsewhere.

We are doing an interview with them. Should be fun. Here is a question:

13. Last question. What kind of players Drakensang is aimed at and why? On one hand, you are talking about "appealing to traditional RPG gamers", on the other hand, the game's gone real time because "only a minority of today's RPG audience" digs turn-based; you promise a great dialogue system and quickly add that dialogues are short because players shouldn't be forced to read; and you are adapting a rather complex PnP character system "into modern gameplay - and not to torture players with columns of numbers and figures". So, are we talking about traditional gamers or the infamous new generation that can't read, confused by numbers, and likes anything shiny?

I'm looking forward to reading the dodge on that one.

My question would be:

What is so damn sexy about my childhood? Why does everyone that can gather a bit of venture capital insist on finding some fresh, untainted memory from my youth to rape the fucking shit out of?

and the followup:

Where did you get the idea I was stupid? Maybe when you spend all day making video games for retards, you forget that some people are not. You can't just juggle a few buzzwords and pay fans of the original some lip service and expect them to get all excited about your fucking diablo clone.

 

[Monolith]

you promise a great dialogue system and quickly add that dialogues are short because players shouldn't be forced to read;

Nice one, but they'll probably tell you that you can have a great dialogue system without much dialogue or bullshit like that.

Same goes for combat...I know that it will be RT with Pause, I know that it will be like BG - but how the fuck are they going to actually make it tactical? No matter how hard I try, I can't imagine anything beyond NWN combat - dull and double-dull.

 

[Vault Dweller]

My question would be:

"What is so damn sexy about my childhood? Why does everyone that can gather a bit of venture capital insist on finding some fresh, untainted memory from my youth to rape the fucking shit out of?"

Absolutely fucking hilarious.

 

[Cycloptis]

Well, this is fairly disappointing, although I thought we knew this a while back.

On the other hand, there have been RPGs that have received general approval by the Codex, despite having an insufficient combat system. So while this won't be THE RPG, there are other subjects they touch on that sound promising. They talk about non-combat skills and plenty of dialogue options, which is great to hear. Hopefully it's not just hype.

 

[mytgroo]

Looked good to me.

I thought it sounded pretty good. I hope it is as good as they say it will be. Having those non-combat skills and lots of details is what I like.

 

[Claw]

There are moments when I feel some glimmer of hope. That maybe the crap about modernizing and not tortuing the players with dialogue and numbers is just a placebo to avoid precondemnation, and that they see RTwP is a necessary compromise.

But maybe that's just my naiveté - or sheer desperation.

 

[obediah]

Other than the wishy-washy, "we want to eat our cake and have it too" slant, it doesn't look half-bad.

Conversations could be concise and complex, and shitty BG combat is not unexpected. I'm just not sure how much I can believe what I hear right now.

Maybe we'll see some more straightforward comments designed to help would-be customers make an informed decision rather than hoodwink anyone even remotely interested into believing it's the bestest ever.

 

[FrancoTAU]

I never really played the original 3 that much, but this game seems nothing like them. I mean, it seems Fallout 3 will retain more of its previous qualites.

 

[Veracity]

I know naff all about the Arkania games (worth trying to find?) but this sounds staggeringly unambitious even through the filter of bland PR gibberish (or maybe because of it, I don't know). Most of what's said could be summarized as Baldur's Gate with added shiny. The only thing that stuck out to me was

Crpg.ru: Are you using some system of life simulation for the NPCs?

Bernd: We are taking great care in creating a realistic world that feels like a living environment to the player. One city that is a major hub of the game will have 3,000 inhabitants, who go about their daily business as players explore this town.

Huh? Ok, it's a vaguely-put question, but I'm assuming they're asking whether the game uses a life-sim agent-like AI or atypically detailed scripting a la Gothic; if they were doing anything significant in this area, I assume it'd be stressed as a selling point, so I guess they're not - in which case, why the hell put three thousand NPCs in an area? Maybe I'm misinterpreting, or such a large number is intended to have some inherent value by producing a sense of scale, or something, but it sounds suspiciously like a needless waste of resources. If most NPCs just shuffle about a bit, stare at the odd wall, and spout a couple of lines of canned dialogue, a whole bunch of them sounds in danger of amounting to so much irritating clutter.

 

[suibhne]

I'd rather see 3,000 inhabitants in a small town than the 12 who seem to live in small towns in Oblivion. Seriously, some level of statistical abstraction should be fine - desirable, in fact - for settlements like this; maybe merchants could be named, some noteworthy characters, etc., but everybody else should be part of the nameless masses. Names could be procedurally generated for characters who really "don't matter", while other characters' names could be discovered only by talking with them or asking others about them.

Towns like those in Oblivion make sense (to the meager extent to which they do...) only when players have the expectation that virtually every NPC has a role to play in some plot or quest. In any well-designed RPG, that should never be true; there should always be large population centers with lots of peripheral residents who really are peripheral. I'm not too optimistic about this game getting it right, but at least it might be a step in the right direction.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I know naff all about the Arkania games (worth trying to find?)...

The first two are great games, the third one was so-so. The second game is one of the top 10 RPGs, imo.

 

[Goliath]

I know naff all about the Arkania games (worth trying to find?)...

The first two are great games, the third one was so-so. The second game is one of the top 10 RPGs, imo.

It the truth spoken has.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

I'm going to make a first-person shooter but presented in the isometric perspective.

 

[Twinfalls]

Basically it is a turn-based system, built on the P&P rules, but it is displayed in real-time.

This really is breathtakingly shameless stuff.

I'm going to make a first-person shooter but presented in the isometric perspective.

You mean present it in the third person. You could do an isometrically projected FPS. It'd look weird though. Acid Flashback - The Shooter.

 

[Rat Keeng]

Ahhh yes, ye olde amalgamation from hell; the turn-based system played out in real-time, giving you the worth of boast worlds.

"Our combat system is action-packed and real-time, but with the immense tactical and strategic options of a turn-based system. That's right, instead of the old and boring "wait your turn" turn-based combat of the past, we have the "wait your turn" real-time combat of the future! Walk to the mark, swing your sword, wait your turn, do it again!"

Next up: A perspective shooter presented in an isometric first-person.

 

[denizsi]

There is a new interview here

This part sounded nice though vague

Whole cities and villages filled with friendly NPCs await the player - a considerable part of the game will have you act peacefully and solve matters diplomatically. Dialogues will be the key - and they will change dynamically according to the characters' skills, their attitudes and social standing. Based on the player's attributes, special options will be open to him. For example, a beautiful elf might have an easier time getting the city guard to do her bidding than a scruffy dwarf. The dwarf on the other hand is more adept at finding the right words when talking to fellow dwarves - where an elf would have a very hard time

until this came right after it.

On the other hand, we don't want to force the player to plough through page after page of text in order to be able to follow the plot. We want to put an emphasis on short and vibrant dialogues. Of course, all NPCs will play their part in the story.

This might not necessarilty mean bad but with the new combat system, it's safe to assume it is bad, I guess.

In addition, you won't be forced to complete all parts of the main quest in a set order, which means the story always waits for the player, basically

Oblivion.

GGMania: What sort of interface have you guys prepared for the game?

Bernd Beyreuther: This is one area where we really want to take a step beyond our classic inspirations. We do want an interface that is immediately familiar to RPG fans, but at the same time it has to be so simple and intuitive that it attracts minimal attention and is never in the player's way

Sounds Oblivion.