On the eve of the exit of the Dragonslayer supplement for mmorpg Neverwinter, the game portal mmorpg.com contacted the game developers from the Cryptic studio and asked several questions to the team. Our portal translated this interview for you.
We had the opportunity to talk with the system designer Michael Linch and Christopher Frenton, the art director of Neverwinter, about the new module and the new Dragon Hunting system.
Mmorpg.com: with the Dragon Hunting system, it seems that you are setting up players so that they can easily fight with dragons attacking Faerun. How do you plan to make this new mechanics feel as epic as the murder of the dragon?
Michael Lynch, System designer Neverwinter: of course, we did not want special friction when we were talking about immediately introducing players into the latest update and fighting dragons. However, with age, dragons in D&D become more powerful and get more opportunities, so there is a wide range of opportunities when it comes to the battle with the dragons at Neverwinter.
One or two young dragons hunters can cope with the young dragon, while an ancient dragon usually needs a completely balanced group, similar to the one that you saw, fighting with one of our more complex bosses of the dungeons. In addition, players can look for more powerful dragons for more serious tests and awards using our modifiers system.
The threshold for the fact that it is considered an epic experience of killing dragons will differ from a person to a person, and we support this range for our players.
_Manits made in the dragons themselves look rather cool. Do you plan to revise the animation and other creatures in Neverwinter, as well as change their appearance in the future? _
Christopher Frenton, art director of Neverwinter: We are always looking for the opportunity to update the visual effects of the game. In fact, now we are working on updating another creature, but I still can’t tell you what it is.
_ System of dragon hunting: how important it was to ensure that different dragons feel differently, up to the biomes in which they live?
Michael Lynch: It was extremely important for us to catch the differences between chromatic dragons. Aesthetic variability is a majority of their distinctive features and unique differences in their den. However, we did not want the differences to be purely visual, so each type of dragon prefers different types of attacks, and also has its own unique abilities that give them a diverse combat look. These differences will appear more clearly when you fight with stronger dragons with great combat capabilities.
_ Will Solo Gagrok ever have a chance to fight an ancient or adult dragon, or are they just too strong even for the strongest player Neverwinter? _
Michael Lynch: Many years ago, I learned to never underestimate the possibilities of our players, but the victory over the ancient dragon would be a feat that few could have thought about, especially if the player tried to fight him when using several complex modifiers. I am sure that at some point we will see on the Internet a video where someone makes unthinkable, but this goes beyond the possible for the vast majority of us.
_ Will the requirements for the level of dragon hunting system, or can players use it as a way to increase their characters, doing any interesting content?
Michael Lynch: For Dragon Hunting there are requirements for the level of objects, but they are very low to be accessible to new characters of the maximum level. More complex hunts and modifiers will become available as you increase your rank of dragon hunter and collect various supplies. Although dragons hunting is not intended to increase the level of characters, it will be an excellent tool for both new and experienced players of the maximum level to increase the level of its subject due to all available equipment.
_ Khram Tiamat-Why do you think this test is so popular among players? _
Michael Lynch: In general, fighting a giant five-headed queen of dragons is cool, so I think this will always have a decent attractiveness in itself. The fact is that for many players this test is one of the first large-scale coordinated battles in Neverwinter, and therefore it occupies a special place in their memory. In addition, Tiamat is a battle in which DPS players can really prove themselves and show large numbers, which usually excites them very much.
_ What did you decide that now the right time to return to him and provide an update? How did you come to this? _
Michael Lynch: Tiamat test was created in the previous era of our game with another design of design using old tools and development methods. His mechanics over time became less attractive compared to more modern tasks, and over the years some problems arose, the solution of which requires extremely a lot of time. For some time, we planned to revive the test, and the module focused on the dragon was the perfect time for this.
One of my goals was to maintain the mechanics and sensations of the original test as much as possible. As soon as I decided what aspects of the old version will be preserved, I started the brainstorming, how they could be expanded and united with new elements to create a unique experience. Tiamat is an incredibly powerful creature, and I wanted to make sure that during the battle more than its abilities will be demonstrated to create problems that had to overcome all three hung roles.
_ Could you tell you a little what changes are expected in the test and what to wait for the players? _
Michael Lynch: The biggest change in the test is that players will be closer and closer to Tiamat, and not just fight with her heads. Previously, non-gram-clerks were more important factors in the battle with Tiamat, but in this iteration they faded into the background as auxiliary elements for players. From the point of view of scale, Tiamat, of course, is the largest enemy that we have in the game, and its huge sizes will be much more obvious when you are in the immediate vicinity of it.
As for the existing mechanics, serious changes have occurred in the functionality of Dragon Souls. The souls of the dragon were previously used to neutralize the effects of Tiamat breathing. In the new version, they are actually used to scatter spells that will be thrown from the head of thiamat. These spells can have destructive consequences on the battlefield, therefore it is very important for the group to prevent their activation or quickly clean before they have too strong addiction on the team.
_ Will the way to test the old version in its original form if the players want to return to her? _
Michael Lynch: Of course, I never want to speak, but it is unlikely that the old version of the test will return after activating a new one with the launch of Dragonslayer. If one of the players wants to go through the last time and say goodbye to the existing version of Tiamat, do not forget to do it there before the new module is released!
