Game News Larian's Project D Update

[Jaesun]

Tags: Larian Studios

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lar_q from the Larian forums provided <a href="http://www.larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&amp;Number=447048#Post447048">a small update on their Project D today</a>:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I'm pretty nervous - tomorrow we're showing project D to a journalist for the very first time, and I have absolutely no idea how it will go. If this were E, I wouldn't be stressed, because that one hits all the right notes (I think), but D, well, it's different. At this point, I'm full of doubts, and constantly need remind myself that ever since I saw the first prototype, my thoughts about D have been "you think it's fun - someone else will also think it's fun - you just need to be able to communicate clearly about it." But at this point, I'm already going to be happy if he tells me "looks interesting". What I don't have any doubts about is that he'll say it's ambitious &nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Anyway, it said small status update, so that means really short &nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Events of interest -</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>-We're getting our first distribution deals in place</p>
<p>-We're having a big steam number one party this week at an undisclosed location</p>
<p>-We know what our booth at GC is going to look like and what we'll be showing</p>
<p>-Working with David Freeman is a blessing and a curse because it caused a lot of extra work (but for a good cause)</p>
<p>-Farhang, our lead designer, is going to give an excellent presentation tomorrow &nbsp;Go Farhang !</p>
<p>-We're all going on a holiday (well almost all) real soon</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Cheers&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14192">RPGWatch</a></p>

 

[DwarvenFood]

So this is the Divinity-sequel, I am happy that things seem to be going their way - at least it looks like a release will be possible. He seems a bit worried about the "journalist", these people have gained a bit too much power in the industry it seems.

 

[Spectacle]

Sounds awesome, this game is going to be the coolest ever!

 

[felipepepe]

I just hope they show it to a good journalist, hate to think about what a stupid "needs to be more bioware-like" feedback would cause to the game development at this point...

But Larian has my total support, all Divinity games were amazing.

 

[Darth Roxor]

They should show it to a Codex journalist.


'Looks great, but where's the rape? '

 

[Gragt]

"It is pretty, but how does it play?"

 

[Darth Roxor]

'But is it art?'

 

[4m3rica]

Larian Studios is our last hope for ushering in the Second Coming of true CRPGs. I can't wait to see their isometric game, hopefully it's 2d.

 

[Micmu]

Second coming of whaaat? All they do is some action games.

 

[Black_Willow]

I hope they're making something like DD1 (fun ARPG) and not DD2 (i want to be a dargon)

 

[Phelot]

It's a shame that every cRPG that comes out now is an action RPG... but I do love me some aRPGs, but enough is enough.

Still, not their fault since that's what they make.

I had fun with DD1 and D2 though I played the latter twice through and then the expansion came out but AFTER I had lost my saved games and I simply couldn't bring myself to play through again... I know I know, you don't have to, but still.

 

[abnaxus]

I hope they're making something like DD1 (fun ARPG) and not DD2 (i want to be a dargon)

They're making both.

 

[Black_Willow]

I hope they're making something like DD1 (fun ARPG) and not DD2 (i want to be a dargon)

They're making both.

A good game and a shitty game?

 

[Excidium]

I hope they're making something like DD1 (fun ARPG) and not DD2 (i want to be a dargon)

They're making both.

A game I like and one I don't?

Yep.

 

[godsend1989]

What the fuck is project D ?

 

[Excidium]

An isometric Action RPG larian is developing.

 

[Micmu]

An actual Action RPG? (a.k.a. Diablo clone)
Actually that's a nice change from the shitload of console brawlers they label as ARPGs.
But then again, we had a shitload of those in the past, too...and most of them sucked.

 

[Excidium]

Well, Divine Divinity was kinda fun. It's supposed to be in the same vein.

 

[BLOBERT]

BROS I HAVE LOVED DVIVNE DIVINITY FROM WAY BACK

THE ACTION RPG PART IS REALLY NOTHING SPECIAL BUT THE GAME WORLD AND INTERACTIVITY WAS DONE VERY WELL

THE ONLY REALLY BAD THING WAS THAT THE COMBAT WAS BREAKABLE

 

[abnaxus]

Lar_q posted a small update after the meeting:

So I think it went well. He didn't run out screaming out of the office yelling "madmen, I'm surrounded by madmen !!!!", and actually asked quite some intelligent questions - I guess we got lucky ;\)

There was some surprise, he was not expecting something that deviated, at least at first sight, so much from what we usually do, but when he got the complete picture, I think he liked it. We'll only know when the article runs of course, but I think we should be ok.

It was in any case an excellent trial run for GC, as we could see what parts of our presentation communicated the ideas clearly, and what parts didn't work at all, the latter evidenced by the fact that those were the parts he had the most questions about, just trying to exactly understand how it works. Those were of course the parts we already take for granted given our previous work, but clearly, we need to make sure that when we announce the game, we don't forget to mention them.

<grin>

Reading the above paragraph again I realize that it must read like complete nonsense given that you have no idea what I'm talking about. I'd really like to tell you what the game is, as well as what project E is, but I need to give the scoop to the press so that hopefully they'll be willing to write about us. They should btw. It's a cool game.

At least I can tell you what it's not, at the risk of ruining some expectations. In case I hadn't mentioned it before, Project D is not Divinity 3 - I've been reading some posts from people who think it is, but it's not. it's even a different style of game, though for sure you'll recognize many things that we put in our previous games.

It's not some casual game either, on the contrary, some would say it's pretty hard-core. It features several things I've always wanted to do, and I'm glad that given our past success (yes, there are a quite a lot of Divinities out there) we now finally have the chance to do them, because it's not something I could ever have convinced a publisher of funding.

Heck, probably the best thing about it, from a geeky developer point of view, was that our journalist couldn't figure out what genre it was ;\)

The origin of Project D is a simple mechanic, stumbled upon almost by accident, but one that works so well and has so much depth that it deserved a full-blown game to be built around it. It could become our biggest success ever or our biggest failure, but each day I'm getting more convinced that if we don't ruin it, I'll have tremendous fun with this one once it's done. Time will tell and am extremely curious as to what the reactions here will be. If you'll all hate it, at least I know most of you'll still like E ;\)

 

[DraQ]

From what I've heard D is going to be like Divinity 2, except with dragon gameplay being concentrated awesomeness rather than moderate suck.

Which sounds extremely promising.

 

[commie]

Seems that E will be the Divinty sequel, D seems to be something based around a gimmicky mechanic so it's probably some casual puzzle thing. With all due respect to Larian I hope it sells enough so they get their money back, but I'd rather it not be a blockbuster as the danger is that they'd just decide to concentrate on the casual game market and abandon the RPG market.

 

[Volourn]

These guys and theirbn games are obverrated shit. Wannabe Diablos with a billion orcs. R00fles!

 

[Black]

R00fles!

Indeed

 

[CrunchyHemorrhoids]

He's been infected with a strain of Molyneux.

And what is this, the announcement that at some point in the future there's going to be an official announcement that there will be a published preview of an unannounced game, which we know nothing about? How twittering.