Codex Interview RPG Codex Interview: Chaos Chronicles

[Grunker]

Tags: Chaos Chronicles; Coreplay

VentilatorOfDoom and Grunker have interviewed Peter Ohlmann, Technical Director at Coreplay, on their upcoming turn-based cRPG, Chaos Chronicles.

The interview focuses mainly on the gameplay and unveils some of the core aspects of the game which Coreplay has not yet talked about.

Here are some tidbits from the interview:

RPG Codex: Going by the classes and stats you have already revealed to us, the game's character and combat systems seem heavily inspired by D&D?

PO: We are using the 3.5e Open Game Content and our guides regarding the combat implementation are Temple of Elemental Evil and Knights of the Chalice. If you like the combat system of those games, you will like ours as well.​

RPG Codex: Do you employ level-scaling in monsters? In other words, do the monsters in the world level up along with the player?

PO: Automatic level-scaling? Kill it with fire! No, seriously, it already ruined ‘Oblivion’ and we will not repeat that mistake in our game. There are different monster types of different levels in different areas of the world. Therefore, as the player you should be very careful where you are roaming.​

RPG Codex: You cite P&P gameplay and earlier D&D cRPGs like the Gold Box games as well as Temple of Elemental Evil (ToEE) as major inspirations for your combat gameplay. Can you elaborate on the differences and similarities between your game and those games? What improvements do you intend to make?

PO: Since we are using the 3.5e OGL, our combat will not be so different from ToEE's. The main difference will be our hexagon grid. All 3.5e OGL combat rules are designed for squares and ToEE has no grid at all. That’s why we are investing much time to adapt 3.5 actions and spells to our grid. I think introducing this hex-grid to 3.5e will be the main improvement of our game.​

Read the full interview for more about the gameplay, Ohlmann's comments on Coreplay's involvement in Jagged Alliance: Back in Action and more!

Read the full article: RPG Codex Interview: Chaos Chronicles

 

[DwarvenFood]

Amazing art and screenshots, ambitious plans for combat, good rulebase in 3.5e, 2013 GOTY contest will be very exciting.

 

[General Maxson]

Great info, looking forward to this baby. 2013 will be an interesting year indeed. Everything seems great.

 

[hoverdog]

 

[FeelTheRads]

Sounds really good. But didn't they say they don't use D&D? Or did I misunderstood?

Very glad to hear there will be a grid, though.

 

[Shadenuat]

Pointy hats for wizards?

Day 1 purchase and GotY for me.

 

[felipepepe]

Man, this is fucking beatiful. After reading all that, is just went to the top of my most awaited games, I have higher expectations for this than for W2.

 

[MicoSelva]

Wow, The Codex is really busy with providing us content to read nowadays. I like. :]

As for the game, it seems almost too good to be true. I mean, seriously. If they deliver on everything they promise, this could be one of the greatest CRPGs of all time. IF.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Cool stuff on their site:

We all played Dragon Age (the first part of course, since the second part is just a sad joke and should not be mentioned again)

That's some balls right there. Guess Biodrones are not their target audience.

e started working on Jagged Alliance: Back in Action which was supposed to be realtime based in order to appeal to a larger audience. Fortunately there was some backlash (i.e. shitstorm) to that decision and that gave us a very strong argument to implement a turn-based combat system for Chaos Chronicles.

Actually glad for the shitstorm?

And despite the fact that almost all CRPGs of the last ten years have used some kind of realtime combat, there has been a relevant turn-based game called The Temple of Elemental Evil developed by the magnificent development studio Troika Games (you are being missed). Regarding the combat system, ToEE shall be our paradigm.

 

[Grunker]

Sounds really good. But didn't they say they don't use D&D? Or did I misunderstood?

Using D&D and using 3.5e OGL is functionally almost the same, but they can't say "we're using" D&D, since that's not an open license like the OGL. Furthermore, they've stated a couple of things they will change with the OGL (a couple of examples in the interview).

So for most intends and purposes, I predict the system will look very much like D&D 3.5e. We won't know until they reveal the full details of their system though.

Plus, the hex-grid is not something I've seen used with 3.5e OGL before.

 

[Mozgoëbstvo]

This... this game's graphics look... it's infinity engine times 1000. And TURN BASED? This looks much, much, MUCH better than Wasteland to me, although the "big names" might not be involved in the Chaos Chronicles production.

 

[Castanova]

Sounds good (although not a TON of details divulged) and the screenshots look great.

 

[felipepepe]

From their blog:

 

[Beautiful Clown Painting]

It sounds really great. If they could implement spell-based or item-based puzzles, riddles and other stuff like that in dungeons, it would be heaven.

 

[Dangersaurus]

I think they must mean they're making the game under the System Reference Document and the OGL. Using the term "D&D" to promote a game is against the license unless you use the (now-revoked) d20 STL. Hasbro will own them at the end of this if they keep it up.

 

[Grunker]

Using D&D and using 3.5e OGL is functionally almost the same, but they can't say "we're using" D&D, since that's not an open license like the OGL.

 

[mote]

All the Gold Box games in original boxes? I am jealous.

 

[Rivmusique]

Will definitely be keeping an eye on this one.

 

[Outlander]

Holy revival of classic RPGs, Batman!

TAEK MA MONEYZ NAO!!!1!1!!

 

[Gragt]

We need an emote for "I carefully consider giving my money to this but would withdraw it if it turns out to be shit".

 

[kaizoku]

can anyone explain me this:

PO: We are using the D&D 3.5e Open Game Content and our guides regarding the combat implementation are Temple of Elemental Evil and Knights of the Chalice. If you like the combat system of those games, you will like ours as well. We didn’t choose ‘Pathfinder’ because nobody in our team had any relation to it – we didn’t even evaluate it because of that reason. And, as far as we know, Pathfinder still has some copyright regarding the characters, scenarios and campaigns.

Does D&D 3.5e Open Game Content allow you to use character names, locations, etc? Or is it just the game engine as well?

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

You can use the character/combat mechanics as described in the open game content (see KotC) but you can't use DnD settings like FR or Darksun (including characters or locations). You also can't use copyrighted spell names like Mordekainens Force Missiles etc. but generic spell names like Magic Missile etc are ok.

 

[kaizoku]

RPG Codex: You've stated that NPCs you pick up will have their own secrets, but how much party interaction do plan on having in the game? How interaction in general? You state your inspirations as ToEE, for example, a game with almost no character interaction. Is this what you are aiming for?

PO: You will have interactions with NPCs but not with your own characters. Your own characters have no agenda since you can create them by yourself. And we just don’t have the manpower and time to create complex character decisions like in, for example, Baldur’s Gate. But NPCs can join your party and those characters can tell their very own story.

He kind of misinterpreted this question.
Can you tell us how much interaction will there be with the NPCs that can join your party and tell their very own story.
Is it a specific quest? Party bantering? Reaction from the game world from having that NPC? All of it?


I hope they allow zooming out a bit. Half-way between the level shown in the screenshots and what ToEE did would be great IMO.



I have to say that together with AoD this is in my #1 position of my hype-o-meter.

 

[adure]

made in germany!
fick ja!

 

[nihil]

It's Lua, not LUA. A name, not an abbreviation.

Anyway, this sounds fantastic. I hope they can pull it off.

It sounds really great. If they could implement spell-based or item-based puzzles, riddles and other stuff like that in dungeons, it would be heaven.

Yes, I love that kind of stuff.