UXO Interview
General Topics

Ekim, 2004-02-19

UXO is one of most anticipated mmorpg's right now, and that is why MMORPGdot is proud to present you a 5 part interview with Jon Calandryll Hanna, lead designer of the game. Today, we look at the general aspects of the game, and in the coming weeks we will talk about combat, economy and questing, among other subjects.

Calandryll: Odyssey is still in what we consider a pre-alpha state and based on that it is hard to predict exactly when we will hit Beta. Right now the game is very playable. You can create and customize a character, fight monsters, gain XP and learn abilities, go on quests, and create parties. We're still working on PvP, additional guild functionality, and smaller systems like the day/night cycle.

I can't say when beta will start, right now we are working hard on hitting alpha and the feature complete stage. Our focus at the moment is getting all of the features in and solid, making sure the fun is in, and working to make sure the game is reasonably polished before we move into the next phase.

Calandryll: Absolutely. I think one of the problems you see in other games is that character development is seen as only a means to an end. It's a repetitive grind filled with macro-like tedium that often only barely passes for gameplay. In UXO, character development is an important part of the game as well, but it's our intent to make the journey exciting. Between our interactive and strategic combat where players control every move, active monster AI where monsters can work cooperatively and tactically, and the story-driven, customized quests the game will entertain at every turn. We're also building very high level quests and special high level loot so advanced characters will always have something to do.

Calandryll: Sure. UXO has a very robust ladder-based Player vs. Player combat system for both duelling and guild combat. The great thing about our ladder system is that you don't have to play 40 hours a week to advance up the ladder. Because it's based on ratings (rather than straight win/loss ratio) all you have to do is fight players in and around your rating and as long as you win some of those fights your rating will improve. On top of that, there will be quests that only the most advanced characters can undertake and players will always want to acquire better and more powerful (and cooler looking) items.

Additionally, as players progress through quests they can advance to the level of the Avatar, almost a God-like status, which will involve overcoming some very intriguing challenges which when overcome allows the players to acquire even a higher level of power. Attaining this status could also be seen by players as an "end game". But even after you become an Avatar there is still plenty to do.

Calandryll: I honestly wouldn't say we are aggressively trying to lure players from UO to UXO. Rather, the pricing plan is set to allow players to easily play both games. UXO is a very different game from UO, being more focused on combat and adventuring. The games offer very different experiences so there's certainly room for both.

Calandryll: I'm usually not a big fan of talking about future additions before we've finished the initial project, but we have talked a little about housing and crafting. One thing we want to do is make sure that whatever features we do add have the same level of depth that our current systems have. So should we ever add crafting it be won't the tedious click-fest. But I'm sure we'll talk more about that after we launch the game.

Calandryll: We think we stack up very well. What really separates UXO from other games is that it's heavily focused on story-driven content and very casual gamer friendly. We don't rely on endless fetch and carry quests (also called FedEx quests) to supply gameplay. The quests in UXO are really engaging; they draw you in and let you decide how the story should unfold. That kind of gameplay simply doesn't exist in MMOGs. It's a true role-playing game.

The game also really appeals to those players who don't have 40 hours a week to play. We don't expect you to live in UXO, we just want you to enjoy playing it. So the game doesn't pressure you to play until 3am every night…although you can if you want to. Our party and experience point systems allow characters of vastly different levels to adventure together, so even if you fall behind your friends, you can still group with them. The game also supports solo play. That's very important because we know you can't always be online at the same time as your friends and sometimes you just want to game alone for a while. These aspects will make UXO feel like a game, rather than a job.

Also, at our premiere event, back in August, we got a lot of positive feedback from players about our combat system. Combat is designed to be strategic, interactive and fast-paced. We like to say that it is the opposite approach to that of most current MMOG which tend to feature more automated combat. We refer to as "sandwich" combat because that kind of combat is so automated you barely even have to be at the keyboard. In "sandwich" combat systems the game fights for you so much that you can actually get up in the middle of a fight and make a sandwich.

Our combat features a variety of strategic options which give players the ability to plan and control every move. The pacing combined with the unique monster AI will provide players with a riveting experience which we believe will really distinguish UXO from any other games. Our goal is to provide players with a truly engaging combat experience that they will want to brag about to friends at the end of their battles!