Interview Depth of Peril interview at RPG Watch

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Depths of Peril

<a href=http://www.rpgwatch.com>RPG Watch</a> has shown an interest in <a href=http://www.soldak.com/content/blogcategory/17/30/>Depth of Peril</a>, an indie action (*sigh*) RPG being developed by Steven Peeler, a former Ritual Entertainment developer, and asked him <a href=http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=26&ref=0&id=249>a few questions</a>:
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<blockquote><b>Can you provide an overview of Depths of Peril? Broadly speaking, what sort of gameplay does it offer and what makes it stand out?</b>
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Broadly speaking, Depths of Peril is an action RPG with strong strategy elements. It has all of the things you would expect from an action RPG like fast action, tons of monsters, exploring a world, developing a character, and gathering lots of loot. The thing that makes it stand out is the strategy backend. You lead a faction (called a covenant in the game) that is fighting for dominance over all of the other factions in the city. Defeating the other covenants takes diplomacy, trade, and eventually wars and raids.</blockquote>Everything sounds great, except for the "action RPG" part.
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<blockquote><b>What can you tell us about the story and setting?</b>
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The really short version of the story is that the game takes place after the Fourth Great War of Aleria. During this war Draaien, an orc, and Ciglio, a necromancer, joined forces to eliminate the good races. Unfortunately, they were very successful. They completely routed all of the good races, destroyed all of their cities, and scattered what remained of the good races to the winds. Before they could completely wipe out the enemy, they turned on themselves, fighting over the spoils of war. The good races barely managed to survive and are now trying to rebuild what little they can before the evil races turn on them again.</blockquote>The *good* races? It's a very informative interview, so <a href=http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=26&ref=0&id=249>do take a look</a>
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Thanks, Dhruin

 

[Elhoim]

Doesn´t sound so bad for an action RPG...

 

[suibhne]

Even after reading the interview, I have a hard time seeing how this is an "RPG" in the sense we normally think of. It seems to basically have two aspects: procedurally-generated quests, and procedurally-generated RTS. The design sounds interesting, but I don't think I'd call it an RPG based on that interview.

 

[MisterStone]

Why does every single fantasy computer roleplaying game have to include at least two, and probably all of, the following as playable PC races: ORC/GOBLIN, ELF, DWARF, HUMAN ...?

EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. GAME!

(rips out own eyeballs in frustration)

 

[Dhruin]

I can see the argument that it isn't an "RPG", but really, stripping out the standard crappy plot in the average action/RPG and replacing it with something more dynamic, with more options to approach the solution (raid, trade, form an alliance, go adventuring for ph4t l3wt and beat their asses that way) sounds worth a look whatever you call it.

 

[NoisyKillerHPB]

the only bad thing about action RPG's for me is that they're so god damn boring. This one doesn't sound boring =0

 

[FrancoTAU]

I'm with Dhurin. Don't know what genre this belongs in but it sounds interesting. A RTS/RPG with Civilzation influences or something? It's different at least.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I also like the idea. If they expand upon what they're talking about, it could be a damned interesting take on the action CRPG subgenre. I don't see why CRPGs can't take a bit from other genres the way other genres take from CRPGs and still remain CRPGs. If it focuses on the party, has a decent character system and such, why not?

 

[denizsi]

things you would expect from an action RPG like fast action, tons of monsters, exploring a world, developing a character, and gathering lots of loot

Sounds like a straight action game indeed. Just scratch "developing a character" part; you have powerups in action games you know and sometimes you even get to choose which power up to have -but of course, only to have them all in a different order by the end-game.

 

[Dhruin]

How does using diplomacy to form an alliance with another faction, which then pisses off a third faction, sound like a straight action game? I'm not suggesting the diplomacy will be the deepest thing ever or that it isn't action-oriented but it goes at least a little beyond standard Diablo clone.

 

[suibhne]

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't knocking the game. I just don't think it sounds a whole lot more RPG-y than Spellforce or D&D: Stormreach. I'm curious to see it in action.

 

[speeler]

This is obviously an old thread but my google alert just now picked it up for some reason, so I thought I would post some answers.

Why does every single fantasy computer roleplaying game have to include at least two, and probably all of, the following as playable PC races: ORC/GOBLIN, ELF, DWARF, HUMAN ...?

Well the only playable race in the game is the Barbarians. We do have orcs, elves, dwarves, and humans in the background stories of the world, but it is mostly to have a few familar things for the gamers. However, having said that, at the time where the game takes place the elves, dwarves, and humans have almost all been wiped out, so you won't see them in the game. For that matter, depending on how we play out the storyline, they might not survive at all.

Even after reading the interview, I have a hard time seeing how this is an "RPG" in the sense we normally think of.

This really depends on how you define an RPG. If you include other action RPGs like Diablo or Sacred as RPGs, then we are definitely an RPG. Even if you don't though, we give you more opportunities to role-play than a typical action RPG because of the covenant diplomacy aspects.