I need to admit I went into Summer time Recreation Fest with fairly low expectations. I used to be MOP’s “E3 man” again when E3 was a priority, and whereas it was good for connecting with small studios and indies, large titles based mostly on well-liked IPs all the time made me cautious. I anticipated the identical with Dune: Awakening, and whereas I can’t say my hands-off time absolutely relieved me of that cautiousness, I did change into genuinely excited at a number of factors within the demo, significantly as Social and Financial Director Matt Woodward and World Director Jean-François Gagné mentioned MMOs, protected zones, and endgame, plus Artistic Director Joel Bylos answered a number of post-SGF questions for us.
Learn on to listen to what I noticed at SGF at the side of the Dune Awakening Direct 2 showcase this afternoon.
A brand new world
Now, earlier than we get into the demo, I do know some individuals are most likely questioning concerning the sport popping out properly after the second Dune film was in theaters. Bylos instructed us that it might have been good to have been on that hype prepare, however “Dune has been a well-liked universe for over 60 years,” and that Dune Awakening is “only one a part of an extended legacy.” He additionally famous, nevertheless, that “there may be nonetheless the upcoming TV Present that gives alternatives for [Funcom]!”
The half about being a part of that lengthy Dune legacy struck me. Whereas I by no means learn the Dune books and have but to see the second film, one of many first issues that make Dune Awakening’s world work is the lore. It’s not the Dune from the books or films that I and others might have missed; the sport is ready in an alternate universe the place Home Atreides didn’t fall they usually’re at struggle with Harkonnen, with “assassins” (you) fueling the struggle as frequent troopers on each side burn out and flee to the desert. The clip above explains the concept fairly properly, from the viewpoint of a reasonably vital however lacking character.
For IP followers, although, Bylos says that in sport improvement areas the place Funcom has to “make modifications to accommodate gameplay on the expense of strict adherence to lore,” the crew discusses it with “Legendary and the Herbert Property,” which is the place Funcom submits its work “for normal approval.” Whereas respawning gamers is a little bit of a handwave for the lore scenario, Funcom says it often discusses issues with its companions to “provide you with a grounded lore purpose [for mechanics].
For instance, moderately than having lasgun-shield interactions inflicting nuclear explosions within the sport, Dune: Awakening marks a historic incident. “Following this incident and the risk to spice harvesting, CHOAM now solely imports lasguns fitted with defend detection units,” the studio says. “And you are feeling it within the sport [as] the lasgun takes barely longer to begin up.” So for probably the most half, the stability comes “not by altering [the lore], however by discovering an inexpensive rationalization for the way it works within the sport.” Properly, apart from the entire different universe factor, as a minimum.
In order an murderer on this new universe, you don’t be part of a faction instantly, because the devs say that different factions might pop up later. You simply freelance and aspect with another than the opposite, if you wish to get the deeper faction rewards. As I used to be instructed, DA is a “sport of politics,” so don’t get too cozy with who pays you. That being mentioned, neither launch faction actually needs you to play each side, so if you’d like the very best faction rewards, you might be gonna must align with one ultimately.
Naturally, engaged on Arrakis means you’re going to be coping with sand. A whole lot of sand. However fortunate you, Funcom appeared to real-world desert biomes to assist ensure the panorama modifications, at the very least with some considerably refined variations. You’ve received purple sand, yellow sand, black rock sand, compact sand, unfastened sand, effervescent sand (which is quicksand and it will kill you), dune (heh) stuffed deserts, grassy-patched deserts… you get lots of desert selection.
Talking of desert (there will be phrase play, individuals, and I’m not sorry), the concept is that the struggle has dragged on and is taking a morale toll on each the Atreides and Harkonnen, inflicting the troopers to abandon to the desert, therefore the necessity for you. Don’t be fooled although, as escaping from Arrakis means the desert-dwelling deserters will find yourself attacking you occasionally, amongst different mobs, and sure, that features the sandworms.
Now, to be clear, Bylos instructed us that all automobiles appeal to sandworms. Funcom doesn’t “use wheel-based automobiles, however moderately tread-based” ones, and that idea, like many different elements of the sport, relies on Funcom’s collaboration with Legendary and the Herbert Property.
Throughout the presentation, we received to see the Ornithopter in motion. Whereas I do know some individuals have complained about wheeled automobiles while you’re out within the wilds close to sandworms, we will all agree that Ornithopters might be the easiest way to remain protected from worms. There are a number of potential points with them, although, exterior of buying them (which was not mentioned).
First, sandstorms. These demos ham issues up a bit, however I believe the in-game sandstorm that appeared throughout our demo was genuinely unplanned; we had been on too tight a schedule with apparent deliberate pauses, and this wasn’t one. We watched the darkish clouds method and the sand hit our demo ‘thopter. Our seasoned pilot, who had made flying the factor look straightforward, nonetheless gave the impression to be doing properly in that the car didn’t crash. Nevertheless, I paid consideration to the compass and map, and I spotted we had been spun round and knocked a piece of the way in which off our authentic path. Whereas climate in my Monster Hunter Wilds preview added some spice, DA’s climate was simply plain spicy-looking.
That brings us to our second difficulty: worms. Sure, the ‘thopters appear greatest for avoiding worms, however worm deaths are completely different from different deaths. If a participant or NPC kills you, you could possibly hold a few of your stuff or get it again. If a worm will get you, although, you lose every part you had. Gone. No getting again to the chopper. Bylos says, “The objective is to attempt to sprint between protected areas with out being eaten. It creates a tense, thrilling gameplay loop the place you might be all the time surrounded by hazard and also you select how a lot danger to take.” You’ve been warned.
There are different motion choices past automobiles, although. Gamers get skills and devices to make use of exterior of automobiles. Climbing is feasible, and the Sword Grasp talent tree offers you a knee-charge you can even use to extend mobility. The are different talent bushes based mostly in your class/mentor, resembling Mentat or Bene Gesserit, which additionally might grant skills that may double as motion abilities. There’s additionally a grappling hook, which appears like a theme this SGF.
Put up-presentation, Bylos instructed press that Dune “expands upon the climbing and constructing techniques of Conan Exiles.” Considerably associated for lapsed Exiles gamers, Bylos additionally famous that Dune’s constructing interface impressed the time to “return and enhance the constructing system interface in Conan Exiles,” so you could possibly return and play that when you look ahead to launch.
Staging PvE to stagger PvP
Whereas gathering supplies for bases and survival is okay, there’s additionally doing missions for the factions. Admittedly, one faction, The Sardaukar, aka “the Padishah Emperor’s final navy pressure and elite fighters,” might be scouring the sands at night time. For those who’re caught of their highlight, it gained’t matter whom you’re aligned with, as they’ll ship down a few of their weaker fighters to interact you. Or at the very least, “initially of the sport,” as we had been instructed.
For the opposite two factions, there’s a mixture of actions, one in all which includes scavenging the wreckages of their ships. Be warned, as we noticed at the very least one giant downed ship that was radioactive. Whilst you’ll be capable of ultimately construct protecting gear, you’ll have to find out the chance vs. reward of getting in with out it earlier than that occurs.
Getting status doesn’t simply imply not being seen as rubbish within the faction bases. In reality, high-enough rep means that you can get schematics to construct the dev-made faction bases. You’ll additionally get faction-themed stuff, like automobiles and weapons too.
The Harkonnen base we noticed had restricted PvP too, so though it’s a survival sport, it appeared as if Funcom has added some guard rails to at the very least assist be certain that the PvE content material has some likelihood to shine. It gave me a little bit of an EVE On-line vibe, theoretically opening the sport to open FFA PvP slowly as an alternative of proper out of the field and into the respawn level, like so many different FFA PvP/survival video games.
Letting individuals get used to fight in PvE conditions whereas slowly opening up PvP feels obligatory for survival video games in my view, as I really feel like I’ve simply seen so many begin with FFA PvP after which crash and burn whereas devs wrestle to cobble collectively a complete and enjoyable PvE expertise. Whether or not or not it’ll be sufficient stays to be seen, however I used to be completely happy to see the devs had been sensible sufficient to maintain their fingers on the proverbial wheel on this facet.
Equally, as that is an MMO, there might be no personal servers, at the very least at launch, with Bylos confirming that Funcom is wanting into the choice however has nothing to announce but. At launch, every part might be hosted by Funcom, additional making this appear extra of a sturdy, structured MMO than the wild-west feeling of many survival video games that largely make the most of player-hosted servers that shut down virtually as quick as they seem.
Bylos insists that Funcom is utilizing the time period MMO survival in advertising and marketing versus MMORPG to hopefully join extra with old-school sandbox MMOs, which doesn’t actually make a complete lot of sense since old-school sandbox MMOs had been referred to as MMORPGs and actually coined the time period. “Whereas the sport has ranges, tools just isn’t level-gated,” he says. “Whereas enemies change into extra highly effective based mostly on their area, you may’t see a reputation floating above them or a really helpful stage for preventing them.”
However actually, he simply doesn’t need individuals to assume it is a World of Warcraft-style themepark; and as he put it, gamers “on the lookout for a quest hub to quest hub sort development with very clearly outlined gear limitations and lengthy quest chains” might be disenchanted as “this isn’t [Funcom’s] main focus.” He warns that if individuals dislike survival mechanics, properly, “This sport has lots of these.”
Within the demo, nevertheless, we didn’t focus an excessive amount of on the survival elements apart from water (you want it, and as Bylos notes, “What occurs within the stillsuit stays within the stillsuit!”), and fight wasn’t terribly memorable. It appeared like respectable action-combat, however I’m somebody who values hands-on time, and we didn’t get any. That being mentioned, when our demo led to an enormous canyon in the midst of the map referred to as the Hagga Rift or Graben, it did assist give me an thought of what PvE appears to be like like.
As an alternative of dungeons, you may have Imperial Testing Stations, or “Eco Labs” for brief. Our demo chief flew into the canyon, warning us that deserters had been dwelling in pockets of the fault partitions, then jumped into an Eco Lab. It jogged my memory a little of open-world MMOs like Asheron’s Name, the place dungeons had been constructed into the overworld as an alternative of gamers simply portaling into an instanced zone. As Hagga Rift is a PvP zone, I absolutely anticipate that dwell play will contain each chopping by mobs and gamers to retrieve the loot inside.
Whereas water and different supplies had been among the many treasure we noticed, there have been additionally distinctive schematics. Fundamental schematics allow you to construct limitless objects, however the distinctive ones permit for a one-time-build of mentioned merchandise, resembling a gun. How good these things are is difficult to inform with out my spending extra time with the sport, however the idea isn’t horrible.
What did catch my consideration was the endgame. Within the Deep Desert, gamers (particularly guilds) will discover tons of uncommon supplies. Nevertheless, Coriolis Storms will hit every week, not solely wiping out participant buildings however reforming the format of the land and its assets. This implies not solely do it’s important to rediscover the map every week, however you additionally should decide whether or not you need to gamble your (or your guild’s) assets by rebuilding and changing base supplies after every reset. PvP endgame stuff is OK, and guild-focused battles really feel a bit higher, however random maps, scattered assets, and having frequent land-grabs theoretically seem to be good methods to maintain issues contemporary, in the event you’re into PvP and group play.
That’s type of an vital factor to contemplate. From the surface, I do know individuals might have a look at Dune Awakening like a brand new Conan Exiles, however that’s not fully correct. Bylos famous that “individuals who loved Conan Exiles will most likely discover that Dune Awakening incorporates lots of the learnings [Funcom has] made alongside the journey of that venture.” Whereas each video games are thematically very completely different, Funcom believes what resonates with players is the flexibility to discover and dwell out their fantasies, so “roleplayers ought to really feel proper at dwelling” – as will “builders, crafters, and explorers.”
So in the event you’re not into group PvP, don’t fret, as there’s different stuff so that you can do. For instance, Bylos instructed us that MMO gamers who get pleasure from “social interplay, exploring with associates, and being part of one thing bigger like a guild or faction battle” ought to have religion that Funcom “has you lined.”
For these occupied with story and lore, there’s a “primary narrative instructed all through the sport.” The contracts (quests) and eco labs (dungeons) proven within the demo had been neat, however Bylos warns that Funcom doesn’t assume they’re the “defining parts” of Dune Awakening, which to me drives dwelling that despite the PvE parts, we should always anticipate this to be a PvP sport, even when it doesn’t essentially contain direct fight.
In reality, post-SGF, Bylos continued to emphasise that Funcom doesn’t imagine participant vs. participant simply means gamers killing gamers.
Gamers can compete over significant aims within the sport with out ever coming to blows. Similar to we compete in sports activities – who’s quickest, who’s extra environment friendly – we imagine that PvP can concerned proxies.
In our sport this type of competitors is dealt with by the Landsraad – the place factions and guilds compete to manage the selections that the ruling physique is making. And whereas a few of this does contain direct fight, it isn’t the primary level.
Bylos factors again to the Deep Desert, saying that “territory management in Dune is usually about controlling harvesting areas resembling spice fields,” which primarily takes place on this devoted PvP space. Because it’s worn out each week, he hopes that gamers know they’re “mentally ready” to lose what they construct there and “much more ready to battle it out over the areas in there.”
However as soon as that area is acquired and a base is constructed, you’re protected by Home Shields, which “forestall them from being broken in any respect for so long as you keep your energy turbines with gas.” A key factor Funcom says it discovered from Exiles was “simply how devastating it’s for individuals to spend hours constructing an ideal dwelling,” just for different individuals to “simply present up and kick down their sandcastle.” It’s why the studio gives a base copy system that permits you to copy your constructed base as a blueprint so you may go place it elsewhere.
“The philosophy right here is easy,” he says. “Create in protected areas, then make it so simple as attainable to carry that creation with you into extra harmful PvP areas of the map” which hopefully makes the loss much less devastating.
The crew additionally believes it has a “pretty complete resolution” to the standard survival pitfalls in the case of PvP. “Quite than placing the fox amongst the chickens, [Funcom has] tried to discover a good set of incentives to have gamers transfer between taking part in as foxes or chickens relying on the place they’re and what their aims are,” Bylos says.
Once more, meaning there might be direct PvP, however the sport at the very least appears to be making an attempt to intention at completely different PvP communities, and as an auction-house PvPer in PvE video games, I get that. There are MMO-inspired social hubs (banks, commerce markets, quest NPCs, distributors, and many others.) and the Deep Desert, so the concept is the sport can maintain extra gamers than your common survival sport. It’s additionally not fully about brutality. Whereas flying across the map, we noticed some NPC slavers, however not like in Conan Exiles, you don’t personal or take any slaves. You’ll be able to assist them out. If exploration is extra your factor although, there’s that too.
The map we noticed was apparently one in all a number of. For those who hit the sting of the map on an Ornithopter, you get the overworld map the place you may transfer round to different areas, resembling PvE areas or high-risk, high-reward PvP zones. The map above truly appears to be like smaller than what we noticed in our demo, although possibly it’s extraordinarily zoomed out. Whereas the trailer indicated that the Fremen could also be gone, the devs teased that possibly that’s not the case, and the big map makes it appear as if they could be on the market hiding someplace.
I went into the demo considering this is able to be one other survival sport with a lightweight MMO theme, however that appears inaccurate now. It’s not Conan Exiles 2.0; it’s nearer to Conan Exiles having a toddler with an MMO that has extra of a PvE leaning. We had been instructed improvement time has taken a bit longer as a result of Funcom is utilizing all its expertise for the sport, from Anarchy On-line to Conan Exiles. The same old Funcom “jank” is hopefully going to be much less of an element, as Bylos famous the sport is in a “closed, persistent beta” and that the devs are working with core testers to wash it up: “There’s all the time jank, however the objective of getting a long-term persistent beta is to easy it out.”
Bylos gave us two clear examples of how these testers have helped repair some current “jank” points:
[…] we lately had a collection of beta points with giant places that will trigger constructing hundreds to take as much as 600ms. This precipitated, at greatest, shopper stuttering points and at worst, lengthy freezes. Refactoring that system to get it beneath 1ms has eradicated lots of stuttering whereas taking part in the sport.
Now that isn’t to say one thing this extreme would have been ignored in previous initiatives, however simply that these are the type of points we’re actively squashing within the sport which ends up in a extra responsive expertise when taking part in.
One other instance is the interplay system, the place interacting with some objects requires completely good positioning of the character/cursor as a way to work together. That is one thing I see in lots of video games and is allowed to move as a result of, ultimately, you may truly work together.
That won’t appear earth-shattering to many gamers, however MMO gamers will know that these are precisely among the mundane bugs we’d hope can be mounted throughout testing phases, and but many firms push it out the door unfixed with post-launch guarantees that will or might not materialize.
Finally, DA appears to have the Conan Exiles soul, however with extra guardrails to hopefully forestall degeneration into yet one more tedious gankbox. Sure, it’s nonetheless a PvP sport, nevertheless it does really feel like Dune Awakening might the vacation spot for gamers who need their PvP to be a bit extra structured, slowly tiered from security to FFA PvP, and happen in one of many twentieth century’s nice sci-fi settings.
