Interview Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Interview @ The Codex

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Big Huge Games; Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

<p><strong>Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning</strong>&nbsp;is an open world role-playing game currently in development at&nbsp;Big Huge Games.&nbsp;Ken Rolston, lead designer of Morrowind and Oblivion, does design duties on this title (inbetween his larping sessions), whereas&nbsp;R. A. "Drizzt"&nbsp;Salvatore contributed by thinking up the whole new Amalur universe. Ian Frazier (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_V:_Lazarus" target="_blank">U5:Lazarus</a>) is Lead Designer of Reckoning and we deemed it a good idea to ask him some questions about the game, which is scheduled for release in February 2012 by the way.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>How awesome will the game be? What's Ian's favorite cereal? Can you play a dark elf dual-wielding scimitars? Follow Vault Dweller to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=242" target="_blank">find out the answers</a> to these and other important questions:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>3. Talking about why you'd want people to buy your game you listed "our combat, our colorful art style&mdash;just the sheer size of the world." Is there anything for people who like RPGs?</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Combat that&rsquo;s genuinely fun, a beautiful art style, and a massive world to explore are all things for people who like RPGs! Why wouldn&rsquo;t an RPG player like these things? I&rsquo;m an RPG fanatic and I certainly enjoy them! The massive explorable world in particular is something that RPG fans tend to appreciate.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>As far as other things for RPG fans, though, how about hundreds of quests to experience? Interesting characters to meet? A unique role to play in various factions? Expansive character advancement, crafting, and loot systems? We&rsquo;ve got all that, and more.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=242" target="_blank">Read the full interview here.</a></p>
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[Shannow]

Gratz to Ian Frazier for not saying anything I could rage about

As a follow up question, why action combat is so important to you?

Yoda wasn't quite as passive agressive as you, VoD, just sayin'.

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

The questions were Vault Dweller's, as I mentioned. Just sayin'.

 

[Jaesun]

Many quests have multiple approaches and/or multiple endings based on how you choose to handle them, and those alternate endings can sometimes grant you permanent, exclusive systemic rewards that we call “Twists of Fate.” Dialogue and quest rewards can vary based on your skills (especially Persuasion!). NPCs can react to you differently based on your race, your gender, or even the god you worship. You can commit crimes and tick off individual NPCs or even a whole town.

So if you invest solely in Sorcery abilities over the course of the game, you’ll only unlock Destinies that are purely magic-focused. But if you spread your points around between two trees, or even all three trees, you’ll unlock hybrid Destinies to choose from, like Shadowcaster, which provides a unique assortment of bonuses that suit someone who wants a mix of Rogue and Mage gameplay. In some cases, using these Destinies can change even core mechanics of the game, like changing your evasive dodge move into a short-range teleport move that freezes enemies as you pass through them!

There are 9 non-combat Skills in Reckoning: Alchemy, Blacksmithing, Detect Hidden, Dispelling, Lockpicking, Mercantile, Persuasion, Sagecraft, and Stealth.

*cautiously fapping*

Glad to see Mr. Ian Frazier (and Big Huge Games) are BRO's and took the time for a codex review.

 

[Jaedar]

Interview on the codex?

brb, preordering. Not really, but the fact that they actually accepted an interview from here says that they at least think it will appeal to rpg fans.

Unless this is fake, which I still haven't written off completely.

 

[made]

Q: Speaking of which, what's your definition of an RPG?

A: Ha! Sorry, but no.

lolz

I wasn't aware the Lazarus guy is behind this. Props for seeing that project through, but this game looks thoroughly uninteresting.

 

[Excidium]

It might be fun, an ARPG here and there doesn't kill anyone.

 

[Shannow]

The questions were Vault Dweller's, as I mentioned. Just sayin'.

You can't write VoD without VD...now go and correct the question. At the moment it hurts my grammar-nazi sensibilities it makes our prestigious magazin look unprofessional.

 

[curry]

Sagecraft

 

[Zed]

As far as action games go, this sounds like it could be fun.

Good interview too.

 

[DwarvenFood]

Thumbs up for getting the interview, gonna read.

 

[Infinitron]

Ian Frazier looks kind of like Garriott's younger clone.

 

[Sordid Jester]

That, uh.. that wasn't horrible.

In fact, it all sounded kind of nice. At the very least, makes things sound as though it could shape into a comfortably entertaining game. Interest shifted to cautiously curious.

 

[Sacculina]

The utter lack of anything rage-worthy in this interview is ... suspicious.

*Updated RPG watch list. Total no. of items = 3*

Edit:

Choices may direct you into different conversation branches and give the game a fresh feeling, but making the wrong choice won't cut out a piece of content for you like Fallout 3 and New Vegas so infamously did.

*Updated RPG watch list. Total no. of items = 2*

 

[Peter]

These Kingdom of Amalur interviews are annoying me. Stop sounding reasonable! It will make the game more of a disappointment when it turns out to be a bastard child of Fable, Oblivion and God of War.

 

[Metro]

Cautiously optimistic it will be a decent ARPG. Not shelling out the $50-$60 list price, though. Good to see VD settled down after the initial browbeating. Obviously these guys have a more generalized definition of 'RPG' but that doesn't necessarily mean the game will be Oblivion levels of shallowness.

 

[undecaf]

He makes the game sound quite decent, actually. Not the second coming or anything, but something one could even enjoy experiencing for a while.

Unless this the familiar case of talk the talk and then horribly fail the walk the walk part.

Although, the art style still makes my head ache.

 

[Roguey]

They sure are confident about having the "best action-rpg combat ever!!!!!!!!" The QTE finishers give me doubts, that's going to get old fast, as always.

 

[GarfunkeL]

These Kingdom of Amalur interviews are annoying me. Stop sounding reasonable! It will make the game more of a disappointment when it turns out to be a bastard child of Fable, Oblivion and God of War.

This.

 

[shihonage]

:gianthammer:

 

[kris]

At least it seems like they avoided the "master of all things" that classless systems often fall into. At least he claims that.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

It will be hard to get over the stupid Mcfarlane character designs.

 

[JasonNH]

I've been following this one with interest, but if I have to install EA Origin on my computer to install it, it's a no-go.

 

[Twinkle]

Pathetic. It seems like the amount of pre-orders of their primitive, generic, derivative slashfest is so low that they are desperate enough to pander to marginal internet shitholes like RPGaydex hoping generate some positive hype from pseudo-hardcore elitists (and they are already successful as sheeple are flocking to this thread).

 

[Excidium]

Well, it worked with Divinity 2.

Besides, half of the posts on these forums are about Skyrim and some random New Vegas DLC is going to get RPG of the year, might as well open the floodgates.