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Rift: Planes of Telara: Q&A With Scott Hartsman
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
With their flagship game’s beta period fast approaching, MMORPG.com's Bill Murphy had the chance to catch up with Trion Worlds’ CCO and Rift’s Executive Producer, Scott Hartsman. Scott’s a well-travelled veteran of the MMORPG industry, and chances are you’ve enjoyed some of his work at one point or another. But Rift is aiming to be his most ambitious project to date, and Bill figured that now was as good a time as any to see what Scott’s hoping Rift does for MMO gaming.
MMORPG: On that same note, stacked up against the ever-growing crop of subscription games that turned F2P, how do you feel about the way the industry is migrating towards that model, and what do you think it means for Rift?
Scott Hartsman: I think they're an entirely valid way to try to grow an audience and build a business. It's just not the way we've chosen to go with Rift. If you have a game that's doesn't have the complete experience, or you know a game isn't going to stand up to, or hasn't stood up to the hypercompetitive subscription model where the audience expectation is (frequently unrealistically) sky high, it's fantastic that there's that alternative.
Read more of our exclusive Rift: Q&A with Scott Hartsman.
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Comments
Invasions & Rifts. Sounds so promising & I'm hoping these guys don't pull up lame like so many other MMO which have been released. What most interests me is the NPC interacting w/ each other. Hopefully, we'll learn more about two different rifts challenging each other & the players trying to find a way to take advantage of this.
Was a little disappointed in how he ducked the first question on what makes his MMO different. Instead giving lots of blurbs on how much work MMOs are.
Rifts and GW2 seem to be the best chance for a different experience in a MMO yet. The developers seem to have a much better idea what is fun in a MMO than others.
Looking forward to giving this game a try. As to the so called movement toward f2p, the only games that have gone that way are those that are either long in the tooth, or generally lack content. When you get down to it there are really no f2p games out there, more like free to try and pay to play in some manner. Just depends on the manner with which they get you to pay.
nice interview! but it seems with the last question that the Beta from RIFT will be longer away than expected...
That's likely because they junked their original plan a year ago or so, and it takes time to retool and build another WoW instead of the awesome living universe with dynamic environment that they were doing.
Rift's I know you can do it! I've got a lot riding on this game being a sleeper hit, its truly the only interesting and unique MMO coming out besides Guild Wars 2 which is still a ways away. Hopefully you have seen what has happened to FFXIV (rumors of going F2P already) and will take your time releasing the best product possible.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
"You will never go wrong with 'make the game better,'"- Agree 100%
When people say f2p is the future model of mmos I associate that with bad mmos are the future of mmos.
Looking at the mmo landscape everything that is F2p or is going f2p is because it is in general bad or getting worse tot he point of being bad and therefore can't really ask people to pay for it.
Games that maintain and hopefully will continue to mainain a full sub model are the good games and will continue hopefully to be good.
I hope Rift is one of the good ones.
The Stranger: It's what people know about themselves inside that makes 'em afraid.
Scott is a nice guy but all he did with the first question was dodging it.Besides the class system there's nothing really innovative.In other word this game is WoW with Rifts.
GW2 is the top game on my waiting list followed by TERA.
In the land of Predators,the lion does not fear the jackals...
"What's next? PvP, Prestige, and Valor? Or maybe Guilds and their Quests and Perks? Our warfronts, the latest of which is a hell of a lot of fun, and definitely unique to Rift?"
Yes, That's what I want to hear about. Looks like a setup for another interview! Scott is very good at this stuff.
MacDeath
MENTION PVP AND WARFRONTS NEXT PLEEEEEASEEEEE!!!!
By the way, TERA will be another asian grinder, its inevitable. Its Aion with .. physics. And the ranged have to aim their attacks, gives them a disadvantage in PvP, the melee can just run up to you and press buttons.
I like Hartsman, always have. He hit the nail on the head with everything he said.
One thing that stood out is "if you have a game that has a limited set" (or thereabouts), f2p is a valid model. I'm thinking that means they think they have a solid good game here. It was well said and to the point, and entirely true.
I am actually more interested in the guild quests. That's a least something new, unless it mechanically works like EQ1 epic weapon player quests - but even a game that brings those "back" will be refreshing.
Bingo. It's a nice approach to the interview, in asking the critical question first.
But an answer that consists of a six paragraph filibuster that isn't relevant to the question isn't promising.
Obviously you havent tried RIFT, GW2, or TERA in person. I tried ALL three games (and many others) at PAX over the course of three days. Although they were only a small sample of the games, I can assure you that you would change your selection. I spent about 10 hours (total) on RIFT, about 4 hours (total) on GW2, and about an hour on TERA. TERA by far was my least favorite of these three that I tried (tbh, it sucked imo.....but to each his own i suppose). I tried to like TERA....i really did try. But at the end of the day, this game was not very fun, didnt keep my attention, the graphics werent very impressive, and was just like what SPLASHDAMAGE stated...."another Asian grinder."
PAX is a huge venue and gave developers an opportunity for their games to get promoted and shine. TERA missed this. It sucked for me the first time and I tried to be open about it and give it a second chance on the second day...but it still wasnt very good. The third day, I didnt even bother going near it; nor did very many others. Im sure there is a niche for TERA and ppl will certainly play it, but I dont see it gaining much favor or longevity at all.
Both RIFT and GW2 had a TON of people around their montiors respectively over the course of PAX. GW2 had outstanding graphics, it was very interesting, and fun to play. GW2 was good, but in my opinon, thats where it stopped. It will certainly be successful and a great game, but I dont think it will hold as large a fanbase as RIFT will.
RIFT also had amazing graphics and was far from "there's nothing really innovative. In other word this game is WoW with Rifts." You're WAY off on this one, brother. The class system was awesome, you truly felt like the character you were creating; not creating it and it never really defining itself as what you expected. Top it all off, you got to pick the class, it was defined, THEN you got to make it even better by branching out into other souls and making it personal. I foud myself saying, "man this assassin (for example) class is awesome. I have a bad azz DPS'er that dual wileds daggers. Then I opened up this other soul, and I made him even cooler." I could add a new soul to what I already had and (for example) got the ability to snare the mob as it tried to run away....just like the ranger does. THAT my friend IS why the game is cool. The class system. Isnt that what playing a toon is all about? Making your toon something that is fun to play? Getting all those neat abilities or spells? You are able to make your toon what YOU want it to be. You arent held to the "standard" rogue and being defined by that only. What made it even better was that no two were the same. I make an assassin and my buddy next to me also makes one. When we start we are the same, but after a few levels, we' have two completely different rogues; both catered to our OWN choices and respective playstyles. Both equally pleased with what we made our rogues into.
The rifts themselves were kewl, too. They were always different in every aspect. Even down to the loot you recieved. It didn't become tedious or boring like running the same dungeon over and over again with the same mobs/loot. This also kept my attention as it made you constantly wanting to find another rift; just so you could kill your way through to see what the next boss looked like or what the loot would be.
How did I miss this!? Thanks for the interview!
He who keeps his cool best wins.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
This just in. One RPG isn't the complete opposite of another RPG!
OH NOES THE HORROR!!!1!!11
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Can't wait for this and TERA to release. Scott is experienced and so is many other guys in there, I think they can pull it off.
I disagree on both Rift and GW2 but I feel actually posting my thoughts will derail the thread. I think Scott and his team are going to make a competitve RPG, and even if not new or next-gen, it will help an evolution that MMORPG's really need.
He who keeps his cool best wins.
I never thought they were going to be innovative tbh. And I don't see any really innovative MMO announced yet. But up until now, this is the best you can get in "new and fresh".
IM not saying both games wont be good but other than one or two features its basically the same old shit.
People expect too much in this genre.
IM sure both games will be enjoyable i just dont think that somehow both games are suddenly supposed to influence this genre into something else.
We've seen this before. Do I need to remind people of WARs PQ system and how Rifts and GW2 version are basically just more advanced versions? This is supposed to help evolve the genre?
Again I think you guys expect too much, just be happy that your getting good games and stop worry so much about innovation and evolution.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
Yeah, that's what people are worrying about actually. If they are going to get fun with the same old shit with 1 or 2 advanced features. In which case, innovation would be the medicine.
It's because I'm done playing the same shit over the last 10 years.Fastfood will remain fastfood no matter if it's called MCdonalds,kentucky or whatever.
In the land of Predators,the lion does not fear the jackals...
Scott has always been a class act creator. I remember those days in 1987+.
The name "Max" should give you a little hint, buddy. I look forward to your latest thing.
Regards,
-- Maxximus
-- The Maxx