Year-End Dune: Awakening Blog Shares Closed Beta Stats, Hints Social Features and More | MMORPG.com

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Year-End Dune: Awakening Blog Shares Closed Beta Stats, Hints Social Features and More | MMORPG.com

The Dune: Awakening team rounded out their year and holiday season with a new Communinet blog.

Read the full story here

ShadowCryptic

This is easily one of my most looked forward to games of 2025. Hope it does well, I have faith in Funcom.

harken33

Still very interested in this game, currently still only wish-list able on Steam, been awhile since i had last checked. 

When i saw the 31 percent starting with a certain mentor i was a little concerned one ability would be better and that it may be something permanent that locks you out of the other abilities, like racial abilities from EQ1 or something.

The Mentor selection in the Character Creator basically gives you a starting skill but doesn't lock you of of the other Mentor skills, apparently you can mix and match to suit your play style depending on who you consult for training.

"In the third-person action survival game Dune: Awakening, the mentor you choose determines your character's starting abilities: 

• Mentat: Allows you to scan objects and enemies for information. Mentats are human calculators with exceptional memory and perception, which they use for strategizing, tacticizing, and hypothesizing.
• Bene Gesserit: Teaches you to use the Voice to compel characters to approach you.
• Swordmaster: Grants you a defensive stance.
• Trooper: Shigawire Cable shoot a barb to a surface and launch towards it
  

You can combine abilities from different schools later in the game"

 

Scot

harken33 said:

Still very interested in this game, currently still only wish-list able on Steam, been awhile since i had last checked. 

When i saw the 31 percent starting with a certain mentor i was a little concerned one ability would be better and that it may be something permanent that locks you out of the other abilities, like racial abilities from EQ1 or something.

The Mentor selection in the Character Creator basically gives you a starting skill but doesn't lock you of of the other Mentor skills, apparently you can mix and match to suit your play style depending on who you consult for training.

"In the third-person action survival game Dune: Awakening, the mentor you choose determines your character's starting abilities: 

• Mentat: Allows you to scan objects and enemies for information. Mentats are human calculators with exceptional memory and perception, which they use for strategizing, tacticizing, and hypothesizing.
• Bene Gesserit: Teaches you to use the Voice to compel characters to approach you.
• Swordmaster: Grants you a defensive stance.
• Trooper: Shigawire Cable shoot a barb to a surface and launch towards it
  

You can combine abilities from different schools later in the game"

This is a bad way to implement lore, firstly by having so many Mentat's etc who would not be doing what you do in the game. Then by later allowing the picking of talents from other "schools" as they are known in the books.

It is solvable but unfortunately the brand name of "Mentat" etc overrode the consideration for good lore.

So for example Scanning could be with a device and you could have all sorts of defensive stances without being a Swordmaster. Some like the Voice may seem tricker but I have seen a lot of games where npc's are lured by a thrown stone, however that would be better as a core ability others can't use if you wanted to create a feel of faction.

Would be interesting to hear from some players mind you.

harken33

Scot said:

harken33 said:

Still very interested in this game, currently still only wish-list able on Steam, been awhile since i had last checked. 

When i saw the 31 percent starting with a certain mentor i was a little concerned one ability would be better and that it may be something permanent that locks you out of the other abilities, like racial abilities from EQ1 or something.

The Mentor selection in the Character Creator basically gives you a starting skill but doesn't lock you of of the other Mentor skills, apparently you can mix and match to suit your play style depending on who you consult for training.

"In the third-person action survival game Dune: Awakening, the mentor you choose determines your character's starting abilities: 

• Mentat: Allows you to scan objects and enemies for information. Mentats are human calculators with exceptional memory and perception, which they use for strategizing, tacticizing, and hypothesizing.
• Bene Gesserit: Teaches you to use the Voice to compel characters to approach you.
• Swordmaster: Grants you a defensive stance.
• Trooper: Shigawire Cable shoot a barb to a surface and launch towards it
  

You can combine abilities from different schools later in the game"

This is a bad way to implement lore, firstly by having so many Mentat's etc who would not be doing what you do in the game. Then by later allowing the picking of talents from other "schools" as they are known in the books.

It is solvable but unfortunately the brand name of "Mentat" etc overrode the consideration for good lore.

So for example Scanning could be with a device and you could have all sorts of defensive stances without being a Swordmaster. Some like the Voice may seem tricker but I have seen a lot of games where npc's are lured by a thrown stone, however that would be better as a core ability others can't use if you wanted to create a feel of faction.

Would be interesting to hear from some players mind you.

Ahh, I see it differently as the player is NOT a Mentat, these are your *Mentors*.

Look at Paul Atreides for example who had many Mentors of the various  schools aka *classes* in the game.

Mother Bene Gesserit *Mentor* who taught him about the Weirding way. It doesn’t mean he is a Bene Gesserit.

Gurney Halleck Warmaster aka Trooper *Mentor* who taught him much about fighting with various weapons.

Duncan Idaho Swordmaster *Mentor* who taught him well the sword of course.

Thufir Hawat Mentat *Mentor* who taught him assassin skills, strategy and war. It doesn’t mean the protege is a Mentat. Leto’s original plan for Paul was for him to be a Mentat but he didn't continue on that path.

 Also, the term scanning I am pretty sure is meant to be perceived as a mental ability not from a device, it’s a skill taught by a Mentat Mentor akin to sizing people up and being very aware of surroundings. Such as you notice that dart in your peripheral, this warrior is highly skilled / weak, spot the weapons stockpile etc. Observant may have been a better skill name like how Paul Atreides was.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get into beta testing and even if I had an email now, I would hold off as the release is in 2025 anyway and I have plenty of purchased / soon to be purchased games to play in the meantime. Not sure of their NDA status either.

Now I know there are going to be many modifications to fit this lore as well as possible into the game setting or make a functional game setting based on the lore however you view it, so I resigned myself to some changes.

No Freeman in at launch because of some Movies launch related restrictions bull-crap almost drove me away and is something I view as the biggest screw-up. I have no idea how they can write them back in for a future expansion / DLC.

The personal land vehicles on Dune are another annoyance, be it one I can live with.

Not being restricted to just one classes skills is a plus in my book not a minus and fits the lore more than close enough Paul as the jack of all trades master of, well all in his case. 

Although my instinct tells me if you diversify to much you will probably gimp your character but that sometimes happens with Roleplaying.

Now I am off to write the role-playing background story of Drizzt Idaho Swordmaster. THIS IS A JOKE

Scot

harken33 said:

Ahh, I see it differently as the player is NOT a Mentat, these are your *Mentors*.

Look at Paul Atreides for example who had many Mentors of the various  schools aka *classes* in the game.

Mother Bene Gesserit *Mentor* who taught him about the Weirding way. It doesn’t mean he is a Bene Gesserit.

Gurney Halleck Warmaster aka Trooper *Mentor* who taught him much about fighting with various weapons.

Duncan Idaho Swordmaster *Mentor* who taught him well the sword of course.

Thufir Hawat Mentat *Mentor* who taught him assassin skills, strategy and war. It doesn’t mean the protege is a Mentat. Leto’s original plan for Paul was for him to be a Mentat but he didn't continue on that path.

 Also, the term scanning I am pretty sure is meant to be perceived as a mental ability not from a device, it’s a skill taught by a Mentat Mentor akin to sizing people up and being very aware of surroundings. Such as you notice that dart in your peripheral, this warrior is highly skilled / weak, spot the weapons stockpile etc. Observant may have been a better skill name like how Paul Atreides was.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get into beta testing and even if I had an email now, I would hold off as the release is in 2025 anyway and I have plenty of purchased / soon to be purchased games to play in the meantime. Not sure of their NDA status either.

Now I know there are going to be many modifications to fit this lore as well as possible into the game setting or make a functional game setting based on the lore however you view it, so I resigned myself to some changes.

No Freeman in at launch because of some Movies launch related restrictions bull-crap almost drove me away and is something I view as the biggest screw-up. I have no idea how they can write them back in for a future expansion / DLC.

The personal land vehicles on Dune are another annoyance, be it one I can live with.

Not being restricted to just one classes skills is a plus in my book not a minus and fits the lore more than close enough Paul as the jack of all trades master of, well all in his case. 

Although my instinct tells me if you diversify to much you will probably gimp your character but that sometimes happens with Roleplaying.

Now I am off to write the role-playing background story of Drizzt Idaho Swordmaster. THIS IS A JOKE

There are exceptions, like Jessica teaching her son, but the BG's could have decided to kill her for that. Paul is not trained to be a Swordmaster even though a Swordmaster trains him, he has the potential to be a Mentat so he was trained to be one.

Unless the players avatars are all nobles (and even then that's only going to work so far) they would have had to go to and be part of the Schools to learn those skills. If they had wanted to go down that line there are ways they could have pulled it off but it would have still been a bit cheesy.

Not having the Freman is a bit weird, they seem to have the entire IP from the first 3 books from what I have seen. Obviously that can't be the case though.

You could be a clone of Idaho, I imagine at game launch there could be a few of those knocking about.

harken33

Scot said:

harken33 said:

Ahh, I see it differently as the player is NOT a Mentat, these are your *Mentors*.

Look at Paul Atreides for example who had many Mentors of the various  schools aka *classes* in the game.

Mother Bene Gesserit *Mentor* who taught him about the Weirding way. It doesn’t mean he is a Bene Gesserit.

Gurney Halleck Warmaster aka Trooper *Mentor* who taught him much about fighting with various weapons.

Duncan Idaho Swordmaster *Mentor* who taught him well the sword of course.

Thufir Hawat Mentat *Mentor* who taught him assassin skills, strategy and war. It doesn’t mean the protege is a Mentat. Leto’s original plan for Paul was for him to be a Mentat but he didn't continue on that path.

 Also, the term scanning I am pretty sure is meant to be perceived as a mental ability not from a device, it’s a skill taught by a Mentat Mentor akin to sizing people up and being very aware of surroundings. Such as you notice that dart in your peripheral, this warrior is highly skilled / weak, spot the weapons stockpile etc. Observant may have been a better skill name like how Paul Atreides was.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get into beta testing and even if I had an email now, I would hold off as the release is in 2025 anyway and I have plenty of purchased / soon to be purchased games to play in the meantime. Not sure of their NDA status either.

Now I know there are going to be many modifications to fit this lore as well as possible into the game setting or make a functional game setting based on the lore however you view it, so I resigned myself to some changes.

No Freeman in at launch because of some Movies launch related restrictions bull-crap almost drove me away and is something I view as the biggest screw-up. I have no idea how they can write them back in for a future expansion / DLC.

The personal land vehicles on Dune are another annoyance, be it one I can live with.

Not being restricted to just one classes skills is a plus in my book not a minus and fits the lore more than close enough Paul as the jack of all trades master of, well all in his case. 

Although my instinct tells me if you diversify to much you will probably gimp your character but that sometimes happens with Roleplaying.

Now I am off to write the role-playing background story of Drizzt Idaho Swordmaster. THIS IS A JOKE

There are exceptions, like Jessica teaching her son, but the BG's could have decided to kill her for that. Paul is not trained to be a Swordmaster even though a Swordmaster trains him, he has the potential to be a Mentat so he was trained to be one.

Unless the players avatars are all nobles (and even then that's only going to work so far) they would have had to go to and be part of the Schools to learn those skills. If they had wanted to go down that line there are ways they could have pulled it off but it would have still been a bit cheesy.

Not having the Freman is a bit weird, they seem to have the entire IP from the first 3 books from what I have seen. Obviously that can't be the case though.

You could be a clone of Idaho, I imagine at game launch there could be a few of those knocking about.

Yeah in the character background selection one of the options is to be a Bondsman, a Pyon (peasant) or Nobility (assumption fallen house or why would you be running around by yourself).

Not sure how into the role-playing background most will get however as at its heart this is a very first person shooter style game.

The developers talked about when it was assumed game would be out before part 2 of the recent Dune movie it was requested to keep out the Freeman / limit the freeman as to not spoil anything (such as riding a sandworm) for the movie goers. Not sure how the movie rights / general ip rights etc work but the Freeman are pretty much the core of Dune at least to me, so a huge hole exists.

Of course anyone who saw the original movie or read the books already knows this but they didn't want to spoil it for the new fans they are trying to woo. Maybe the ones that will watch that timothy guy in whatever movie hes in.