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Hero's Journey: E3 2006 Preview

DanaDana Member Posts: 2,415
in News & Features Discussion

We arrived bright and early to talk to the folks at Simutronics. One year ago, they took home the hardware as our Best of E3. Can they repeat? Only time will tell, but read on to find out what we learned this year.

image David Whatley, the CEO of Simutronics, sat us down and gave us a run through.

Wyr – the system through which they plug special abilities into people, items and abilities – is, according to him, “the heart of the game”. Players can collect wyr, which are like an evolution of City of Villains enhancements, through quests, monster bashing, trading, etc.

Rather than simple buffs, wyr are give and take and the major way players customize their items and selves in the game. For example, one wyr added fire damage to a sword (and some cool flames), but decreased its cold damage. They’re tradeoffs. What’s more, when combined with special other wyrs, they can combine to form a special ability. In the example we saw, Val Zeair’s strength and Val Zeair’s luck combined to not only enhance the sword, but also provide the player with a special bonus to their jumping ability. Players are not expressly told which wyr combine in ways like this, Whatley considers part of the process of discovery.

You can read more here.

Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios

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Comments

  • pirrgpirrg Member Posts: 1,443
    *goes to change underwear*


    i want this game, now.


    _____________________
    I am the flipside of the coin on which the troll and the fanboy are but one side.

  • cloudxscloudxs Member Posts: 1
    orly? three races? and the runes ... i mean wyr sound cool.

  • Size-TwelveSize-Twelve Member UncommonPosts: 478
    This game will pwn.

  • KevrilKevril Member Posts: 11
    There's also Dwarves (Burian) and Gnomes (Qwi). They just apparently don't have all the art done for them yet, or something like that. Also, I was under the impression that there were Togs (Green-skinned Humans), two types of Ilvari, and two types of Suwari (The feline). However, judging by the slider thing, this may have change. And unless the sliders dynamically determine racial bonuses/penalties, races may just be for show. Which bothers me deeply...
  • MaladakMaladak Member Posts: 50

    whoa whoa whoa whoa....whoa!??

    You can be a combination of races ??

    If this is true...I mean I've never even thought about having that in a game....I mean back when I played P&P games I did but a MMO?

    Simu...you just blew my mind!

    --------------------------------------------


    When you do something right people won't be sure you've done anything at all.

  • KevrilKevril Member Posts: 11
    Yea.... They do that alot...

    (Simu/HJ FTW)


  • BrynnBrynn Member Posts: 345
    While a combination of races sounds interesting, can we please have something besides a feline! I'm so sick of the cat race. I think we all like a variety of races, but we would like more imaginative choices. Perhaps not many would play a lizard racial type, but they sure are yearning for one. Or, at least, some non-human in appearance. But, cat is overdone.
  • Simu-AndySimu-Andy Member Posts: 3
    And unless the sliders dynamically determine racial bonuses/penalties,races may just be for show. Which bothers me deeply...

    Exactly.   End of bother. 







  • KevrilKevril Member Posts: 11
    Woohoo! I love you Simu!

    (Hmm... that ryhmed...)


  • jaraethjaraeth Member Posts: 4
    <changes his pants, rereads the article and changes both his shirt, due to excessive drool, and his pants one more time>




  • MornebladeMorneblade Member UncommonPosts: 272

    Originally posted by Brynn
    While a combination of races sounds interesting, can we please have something besides a feline! I'm so sick of the cat race. I think we all like a variety of races, but we would like more imaginative choices. Perhaps not many would play a lizard racial type, but they sure are yearning for one. Or, at least, some non-human in appearance. But, cat is overdone.


    Um, you know I am Brynn. I'm pushing like crazy for them.

    Leezardman FTW!

    image

  • VeviVevi Member Posts: 146

    Great stuff!  

    Thanks for the article, now can we have more???

    image

  • MornebladeMorneblade Member UncommonPosts: 272

    Originally posted by cloudxs
    orly? three races? and the runes ... i mean wyr sound cool.


    They plan on having 4 races at release, with 2 sub races in each race. Humans(Old Bloods  & Togs), Stoneborne (Stoic Burians (Dwarves) & Qwi(Gnomes)), Ilvari (Mistfolk (High Elves),  Earthfolk(Wood Elves) and Suwari (Cat people, Domesticates & Ferals) for a total of 8 races.

    Thanks to Hero's Hall for the linkys.

    image

  • MornebladeMorneblade Member UncommonPosts: 272

    Originally posted by Kevril
    Yea.... They do that alot...

    (Simu/HJ FTW)


    LOL, yeah, I was just waiting for E3, so people would be reminded how good this game can be. It really puts stuff like Vangaurd to shame, but doesn't have the publicity. It blew people away last year, and it's going to do it again this year. It wont be a sleeper for much longer I don't think.

    image

  • z80paranoiaz80paranoia Member Posts: 410
    The race combining sounds great. But if it doesnt effect height and build then it's incomplete. I'd like to make a half elf half dwarf that basically looks like a short muscular elf thats shorter than an elf but taller than a dwarf. That would be my ldeal avatar.

    Guild Wars 2 is my religion

  • KaneKane Member Posts: 780
    And here I was fine with just a single race. I should learn to expect more from these folks! Every time I think they can't possibly add anything else, the break the mold.

  • MaladakMaladak Member Posts: 50

    half-elf, half-dwarf?   Nah think bigger...err I mean...smaller?  Anyways  a half-dwarf, half- swuari is where it's at !

    Enter the kitten brigade !

    --------------------------------------------


    When you do something right people won't be sure you've done anything at all.

  • BrynnBrynn Member Posts: 345
    Well, Hello Kitty! Bah, Maladak.
  • MornebladeMorneblade Member UncommonPosts: 272

    Originally posted by Maladak

    half-elf, half-dwarf?   Nah think bigger...err I mean...smaller?  Anyways  a half-dwarf, half- swuari is where it's at !

    Enter the kitten brigade !
    Great, a short, irritable, furry, hand-licking, furball coughing alcoholic, with a tail.

    image

  • HJ-MitraHJ-Mitra Hero's Journey<BR>Quest ManagerMember Posts: 10

    The race combining sounds great. But if it doesnt effect height and build then it's incomplete. I'd like to make a half elf half dwarf that basically looks like a short muscular elf thats shorter than an elf but taller than a dwarf. That would be my ldeal avatar.

    It does in fact affect height and build. You can already use the slider to create a character that's a mix of Burian (short, stocky) and Ilvari (tall, slender, pointy ears). Plus you can then make the figure skinnier or bulkier in the next set of options.

    Mitra

  • BrynnBrynn Member Posts: 345
      That's cool, Mitra. It really seems the character creation will be a ton of fun. I may never leave.
  • z80paranoiaz80paranoia Member Posts: 410

    Originally posted by HJ-Mitra


    The race combining sounds great. But if it doesnt effect height and build then it's incomplete. I'd like to make a half elf half dwarf that basically looks like a short muscular elf thats shorter than an elf but taller than a dwarf. That would be my ldeal avatar.


    It does in fact affect height and build. You can already use the slider to create a character that's a mix of Burian (short, stocky) and Ilvari (tall, slender, pointy ears). Plus you can then make the figure skinnier or bulkier in the next set of options.

    Mitra

    Perfect. I will be making ilvari-burians and tog-ilvaris. I couldn't ask for better customizing functions. I always wished in WoW I could be a nightelf dwarf. Take your time and make this game right (but not too long that the graphics start to look dated).

    Guild Wars 2 is my religion

  • xDivianaDRxxDivianaDRx Member Posts: 239

    Why would our graphics ever look dated? We're not going to just stop working on the game.

    I highly doubt they're going to be firing all the artists and programmers just because people are playing it.

    That includes after you all can actually play the game.

    HJ-Diviana
    Hero's Journey GM
    Hero's Journey Official Site
    Hero's Hall

  • BrynnBrynn Member Posts: 345
    Why/how will your game be different in dated graphics? When you look back at other games that have been online for some time, they look dated. DAoC did change their graphics, but they still don't look up to date to me, comparatively.
  • delakdelak Member UncommonPosts: 25

    I played Gemstone III when it was free from AOL and for a few years after it moved to total control from Simu. It has been by far the best online rpg I have played. I think and hope that Simu will put the same if not more effort into Hero's Journey.

    I can't wait to see more of this game and for it to come out.

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