Interview RPG Codex Interview: Dan Vávra (Warhorse Studios)

[hiver]

RT invariably makes player skill more important than character skill. Therefore the game with RT is less of an RPG. Not just in combat but regarding all of content.
And no, TB does not mean you cannot control where, when and how. And there is no pressing "fight".
TB is not matter of luck either. RT is.
Computer does not throw random dice. It takes your character skills into account.
There is no "being good in combat" in TB. There is being good in thinking about your character skills and abilities and how to use them in best ways. Tactics.
But tactics depending on character skills and abilities.

You calling your game RPG would be the same as if i made a TB hard core RPG and called it new Skyrim.

You need to play Age of Decadence to get up to speed.
Demo is freely available.

 

[codexian reject]

Anything that questions dogmatic truth is invalid and no one is interested in your fancy logical arguments. Problem Daniel ?

Drop us some news when you have some, read opinions and answer to reasonable ones, because it is actually one of the very few places on the whole net, where you can read a worthwhile discussion about games.
Just ignore the fanatics, arguing with them is futile effort. Most of them will play your game anyway, if it'll be any good for what it'll be.

 

[Dexter]

He's opening a whole new can of worms with every second post he makes

- First he stumbled into the good old "they always wanted to make their game this way, they just didn't have the technology" argument in the article itself
- Then the controller thing, making it seems like the game is presumably mainly developed for consoles and arguing that PC interfaces have no advantages
- Then calling the last decade of RPG-making "progress" and that one "should learn to live with that"
- After that calling (constrained) CRPGs an evolution of (unconstrained) Pen&Paper (based on imagination)
- And now he's starting to talk about how "old school 2D RPGs" are apparently good for tablets and that being an "ideal platform" for them (while PCs presumably aren't)
It's like he is pointedly trolling the Codex by attacking its sore points, now he just needs to start talking about romances. xD

I also can't believe some people are actually arguing about Turn-based combat in a presumably Third or First-Person single-character 3D Action-RPG based on Skyrim and made with the CryEngine 3...

 

[Smejki]

- And now he's starting to talk about how "old school 2D RPGs" are apparently good for tablets and that being an "ideal platform" for them (while PCs presumably aren't)

What the fuck is wrong about iso RPG on tablets?

These games are about clicking buttons and other objects which is 1:1 to taping touchscreen. The only difference is the usable size of these object.
He might have some strange opinions (like implying no difference between M+K and controler regarding RT FP/TP RPG(holy shit) ) but this one cannot be called sick unless you are totally out of your mind.

 

[hiver]

I also can't believe some people are actually arguing about Turn-based combat in a presumably Third or First-Person single-character 3D Action-RPG based on Skyrim and made with the CryEngine 3...

If you mean me, and im just going to assume that since im the only one mentioning it on this page, then you might want to see a head doctor. Soon.

 

[Scruffy]

I think some of you is taking it to the extremes. I was talking about MY APPROACH to the GAME I AM CURRENTLY MAKING. This game is going to be realtime, 3D, single player, realistic. I decided as an author, that this is the best approach to let the player experience what I woul like to. It doesnt mean, that other types of RPGs are wrong. I would love to make old school 2D RPG with turn based combat for tablets one day, because it seems as and ideal platform for that and there arent many good games like that. Laser Squad and Jagged Alliance 2 are one of my favourite games of all time and they are turn based. But for the game we are making, for its story and for the experience I want to create, the approach I chose is the best. At least in my opinion. And I strongly believe, that I could call it RPG. I cant say more about the game, its still too early, I am sorry.

this reply satisfies me
more power to you, and hopefully the end result will be successfull
i stilll feel it won't exactly be a rpg, but only time will tell

 

[CreamyBlood]

I'd love to see a modern evolution of AVP or Dark Messiah. (or dare I ask, Enemy Territory). I'm sure decade old hardware and limited controllers can show us how this is done in the next, next generation. But nobody seems to even be able to do that now in the last several years. Fuck RPG's. I want an experience.

I just don't understand why they sucked all the fun out of games as my modern experience is a bore fest.


But like all of these pointless arguments about Kickstarter games and twenty page discussions about shit the own developers don't even know what they're making yet, I'll wait a few years and buy it if it sounds like fun. I liked Vara's blogs over the last year but he really lost it on me with the controller thing. Maybe he's a couch potato? Reduce the interaction between the player and the game? Who cares at this point.

 

[hiver]

Well, im not saying it will be a bad game or that it wont do cool stuff, eventually. Its possible.
Im just straightening out some facts.

I think it would be better even from the marketing stand point to call the game what it is rather then calling it something it isnt.
And combat is just one part of that.

In my opinion, RPG is a game, where PLAYER takes ROLE of some CHARACTER and becomes him. ROLE PLAYING GAME.

Nope, that is larping.

The difference between any other game and RPG is, that the "simulation" of the character behaviour and his progress and development is much deeper.

Nope. As explained above by definition of core feature of an RPG.


But this, ... this is the biggest removal from a true RPG direction.

So how do I force player who plays the herbalist to be scared in the forest? I think, that the only method is to make him weaker than potential threats in the forest. But what if he is herbalist/bodybuilder/martial artist? BEcause my game is an open world game and people can become whatewer they want to and you know, in real world, people dont allways fall into cliched archetypes. And most of all - how do I prevent people from making "non rpg" decisions? Its an open world game, anyone can do whatewer he wants to! Or should I make the game, where herbalist cant do the stuff warrior could do, because its more RPG? I dont think so.

So not only will there be a combat system where player skill overrides character skills but there wont be any limits to the content - and there wont be enough content for specific character builds - i.e there will be only combat and some sort of story progression (which also wont be limited in any way) - which all characters will go through in the same way, with only some cosmetic differences. Just like Skyrim.

So, its an action adventuring exploration game with light RPG elements.

 

[Harold]

I would love to make old school 2D RPG with turn based combat for tablets one day, because it seems as and ideal platform for that

Barely above 30 posts in and already trolling like a boss. You'll fit right in.

 

[abnaxus]

Have any CD Projekt developers ever been on the Codex?

 

[Darth Roxor]

Have any CD Projekt developers ever been on the Codex?

Yeah, there once used to be that one guy called yarpen. He ain't in CDP anymore, tho.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Barely above 30 posts in and already trolling like a boss. You'll fit right in.

Avernun and Avadon from spiderweb are actually pretty good on a tablet.

 

[Harold]

Avernun and Avadon from spiderweb are actually pretty good on a tablet.

But are they ideal ?

 

[Kem0sabe]

But are they ideal ?

You got me there.

 

[Mrowak]

Avernun and Avadon from spiderweb are actually pretty good on a tablet.

But are they ideal ?

So it's just the question of interface.

 

[Harold]

So it's just the question of interface.

Not falling for that one. But maybe Daniel.Vavra will

 

[Kem0sabe]

The interface is actually quite nice on those games.

Notice how every action is clearly defined in the interface, and very easy to select. I´ve seen worse UI´s,

 

[Metro]

Barely above 30 posts in and already trolling like a boss. You'll fit right in.

Avernun and Avadon from spiderweb are actually pretty good on a tablet.

 

[Sul]

If rustling Codex's jimmies is his aim, Vavra is pushing all the right buttons.

Hiver: In realtime combat, my skills might be limited by the stats of my character (strenght, agility, stamina), set of available attacks he leardned during the game, his current status (health, armor, weight of equipment), weapon and my skill to use it... only difference between TB and RT is, that in TB i press FIGHT button and computer throws a dice and in RT i press a button and computer throws a dice, but I have extra possibility to control where, when and how will I attack. My chances of winning against better opponent are still very low. If done "right" the fact that its realtime doesnt make the game easier, but harder. If I fight the best way possible, I have the same chance of winning as if I am lucky in TB. But if I am not good in combat, I will screw up much harder then I would in TB. So its not about how much RPG it is, its about personal preference.

And sorry, I cant talk about any details

One question that's bugging me is if the game will be more like Morrowind or Skyrim. Player action skills aside, the difference between two playable characters will be determined by his equipment and weapon (Skyrim), meaning that his "role" will be limited by the player's imagination, or mostly by his atributtes (Morrowind), where he build the "role" that he will play through game mechanics like skill points and perks?
Or even better. What will stop the character from becoming a jack of all trades? Will be the player's imagination or gameplay machanics (strength, speed, polearm proficiency, etc)?

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Dan, if you're still following this thread, let me ask a couple of questions:

- What do you actually mean when you claim you are aiming for a "realistic" medieval setting? Just humans? No exotic races, monsters or fictional beasts?
Not that I'm intrinsically hostile to the idea, but if that's the case don't you see the risk to make your game quite boring in terms of variety?

- What kind of visual representation are you going for? First or third person? What are your models for the combat system? Mount & Blade? Dark Souls? Gothic? Skyrim?

- What are your plans for environmental navigation? Will jumping, climbing and swimming be in the game? Are you interested in vertical building or it will be just a large landscape to travel through?

P.S. Can't say I liked many of your broad statements about the genre in this thread, but I'm personally far beyond zealotry about what should make a RPG "pure" at this point, so I'm fairly interested to see what you guys will come out with.
I love turn based tactical games but I played far too many games over the years to fail for the delusional prejudice that an heavily stat based game is necessarily more deep of an action oriented one. I also know for a fact that it's entirely possible to mix an action combat with deep roleplay mechanics or to have the most stat based, slow paced, convoluted battle system in a game that is entirely shallow in the end.

 

[Smejki]

Dan, if you're still following this thread, let me ask a couple of questions:

- What do you actually mean when you claim you are aiming for a "realistic" medieval setting? Just humans? No exotic races, monsters or fictional beasts?
Not that I'm intrinsically hostile to the idea, but if that's the case don't you see the risk to make your game quite boring in terms of variety?

Read his blog - http://www.warhorsestudios.cz/index.php?page=blog&lang=en

It is historical and historically accurate. So no fantasy
By realistic he also means "believable", "coherent", "logical" but also in many aspect as much "simulation" as possible without breaking fun.

 

[Tuco Benedicto Pacifico]

Read his blog - http://www.warhorsestudios.cz/index.php?page=blog&lang=en

I already did.
Still, I didn't think it was clear enough, and that's why those questions.

Darklands is a "historically accurate" setting which is also based on the assumption that folklore tales were true, for instance.
Mount & Blade is a game set in a fantasy fictional world without even the shadow of a monster or fantastic humanoid race.
And so on.

 

[Oesophagus]

I remember reading the post on that blog about having a large, but empty world vs. having a smaller, crammed world ala Oblivion. So how did you guys resolve that? I was quite hyped for a large world where you can actually go a hundred meters without being attack by 20 different mobs. And a 5 minute trek through a pretty (if virtual) landscape is not at all a bad thing

 

[hiver]

you guys can all go herbalize in the forest

Daniel.Vavra

only difference between TB and RT is, that in TB i press FIGHT button,

Press this button >

 

[P1trs]

Dan, if you're still following this thread, let me ask a couple of questions:

- What do you actually mean when you claim you are aiming for a "realistic" medieval setting? Just humans? No exotic races, monsters or fictional beasts?
Not that I'm intrinsically hostile to the idea, but if that's the case don't you see the risk to make your game quite boring in terms of variety?

I think it will be historicaly realistic no "Hey lizard man goblins killed my family!" but more about social status, diseases and so. That is the reason why Dan is studying hystorical books probably. You dont have to do it if you are making fantasy. Like in Mafia you were using guns, cars, clothes of that time.

- What kind of visual representation are you going for? First or third person? What are your models for the combat system? Mount & Blade? Dark Souls? Gothic? Skyrim?

It will be more realistic like M&B and fun like DS(I wish )

- What are your plans for environmental navigation? Will jumping, climbing and swimming be in the game? Are you interested in vertical building or it will be just a large landscape to travel through?

You can read more about it on Warhorse blog, there wont be unrealistic hills/roscks/trees and you will be able to ride a horse.

I think the game is going to be like Mafia about "feeling medieval", storytelling, realistic fighting with some RPG features like specializations, skills, stats and without illogical/unrealistic things like infinite inventories, giant weapons, superpowers...