[2022] New World: Dev Update - September 2022 | New World Dev Tracker

Transcript (by Youtube)

2s	foreign
8s	welcome to the new world September
10s	update which also happens to be the one
13s	year birthday for a tournament
15s	cake it's been a really long road this
18s	year it feels like like a lot longer
20s	than that to a lot of us it's been
22s	exciting we've had some hurdles but
23s	overall like it's been it's been great
25s	and you just want to take a moment to
27s	thank the players for helping us get
29s	here like working together as partners
32s	it's been an excellent experience and
35s	the team and game have gotten better for
37s	it so thank you yeah we have a little
39s	bit of a different kind of MMO and it's
41s	really important for us to live off a
43s	player feedback so those of you who have
44s	stuck with us and supported us
45s	tremendous thanks there also the people
47s	who gave us criticisms all of that makes
49s	us better if you haven't been playing
51s	for a while I encourage you to check out
52s	the game now and see all the changes
54s	that we made in the last year we're
55s	gonna have a summary of them here but
57s	you'll also find the game's just very
58s	different next ones we want to just give
60s	a quick shout out to is the is the is
62s	the team the dedication and effort put
65s	into making the game better
67s	it's just been awe-inspiring and amazing
70s	and I just want to say a big thank you
71s	to everybody involved in that on the dev
74s	team it's been great and for the team at
77s	greater Amazon we owe them a ton uh
79s	Christoph Hartman who runs Amazon games
81s	Jeff Blackburn with gme uh Amazon's been
84s	incredibly supportive of trying to do
86s	this the right way do the right thing
88s	support the customers support the
90s	players they've given us time and the
92s	ability to hone the game with your
93s	feedback and that's a great environment
95s	to make a good game you know and the dev
97s	team's not just everyone who works for
99s	Amazon we have a bunch of code Dev
101s	partners that I'd like to just call out
103s	you know ridiculous games blind squirrel
106s	Mana Works Lost Boys robotic arms secret
109s	society games climax certain Affinity
112s	virtuos Lair so many different groups
115s	are involved and they've helped us get
117s	to where we are that's one of the
119s	reasons you're seeing so much content
120s	come out through the team also I hope
123s	that when people hear the team here they
125s	understand that that's much more than
126s	just the dev team there's a publishing
128s	group that helps us out constantly
130s	marketing Community customer service QA
133s	things like it that we need to be able
136s	to run the machines there's a huge
138s	support group that helps the team be the
140s	best team it can be to deliver you
141s	features
143s	so yeah so thanks to everybody it's
145s	really exciting being here at the one
147s	year mark
148s	Today's show is going to be a little
150s	different we're not going to have one
151s	host the whole way there's going to be a
153s	lot of deep Dives on different parts of
154s	the game but we're going to start with
156s	our one-year takeaways so uh with that
159s	let's get the show going
164s	all right we're ready to talk about some
167s	takeaways from Year One joined by a few
169s	people today we have Dave V Davey who's
172s	the creative director
175s	Drew Higby our senior product manager
181s	Katie Kaczynski our live lead senior
184s	producer
186s	so
187s	you know when thinking about how we
189s	talked about you know takeaways from the
190s	first year
192s	there's something we do at work called
193s	stop start continue and it's things we
195s	want to stop doing things we want to
197s	start doing and things we want to keep
198s	doing I thought it'd be fun to talk
200s	about it in that sense so what's going
201s	to happen is I kind of wrote down the
203s	things and we're just going to throw
204s	them out in the table and talk about
205s	them
206s	of course because we're game developers
207s	we want to start with things we want to
209s	stop doing
210s	so uh
211s	first thing we want to stop doing is
213s	taking two steps forward in one step
215s	backward and what I mean by that is
217s	we bust our team just busts our butts to
220s	get these releases out and make it
221s	really big and everything players want
223s	and then we make a mistake that kind of
225s	takes away all of the goodness that
227s	we've added so going forward we're going
229s	to probably do a little less but try to
231s	do it at a much higher quality and make
233s	sure our releases are even better
235s	and part of that starts with the PTR
236s	getting things out there earlier and
239s	again listening to the feedback and
241s	making sure that we're making the
242s	release as good as possible
244s	now I think that we've you know we've
246s	already started the stop of that right
250s	um so in the beginning of the year and
252s	late 2021 we were releasing content
256s	every month and it was very obvious to
259s	players and ourselves that it just
261s	wasn't up to the Quality Bar and so in
263s	the beginning of this year we started
264s	adjusting to every other month and then
266s	just fixing bugs in the middle and that
269s	was a recipe for success but we still
271s	weren't quite hitting the bar that we
273s	wanted to hit and I know that players
274s	expect from us so uh We've continued to
278s	kind of elongate that time between
279s	content releases which is you know a
281s	positive and a negative because we want
283s	to keep giving them content as quick as
285s	possible but at the same time we really
287s	need it to be hitting a very high
288s	quality bar so we're definitely stopping
291s	and continuing to start yeah it's kind
294s	of a boat all of it yeah exactly
297s	um
298s	next one is stop the grind so you know
303s	new world has changed a lot right we we
305s	were a very different game three two and
307s	a half three years ago than we are now
309s	and we've heard the feedback you know
312s	and it's really important that that we
313s	respond in a good way and I think we've
315s	had some efforts toward that wouldn't
316s	you say Dave yeah I think it's grind and
318s	also the friction of playing a little
320s	bit in terms of the grind like you
321s	remember how long it used to take to get
323s	to level 60 when the game started uh now
326s	with the RSC and some of the speed UPS
327s	we've done uh it's a much quicker
329s	progress and what I like about it is it
331s	matches the content right like so as you
333s	quest you naturally level up now and and
335s	you go to the places you're at the right
336s	level you don't have to do extra
338s	activities so I think that's awesome
339s	yeah we're leaning into the storytelling
342s	and the the setting clear goals for
344s	players we're still going to have a lot
346s	of that sandbox support like open open
348s	feeling gameplay but we're also going to
350s	make sure we complement it with more
351s	directed gameplay yeah and in terms of
353s	the friction like huge improvements
355s	there right like off the top of my head
357s	my biggest one is global storage right
359s	like now I can access my stuff from any
362s	uh town from one storage center so it's
364s	huge I don't know I'm playing in uh the
366s	PTR right now and when I craft 40 of and
369s	any item it's a lot better than it was
372s	just a few weeks ago I like I can't wait
374s	to get that out for everybody absolutely
375s	true and I mean not the least of which
377s	fast travel Link Storage chess as Dave
380s	mentioned just a lot of reduced friction
382s	in the game
385s	huge friction reduction for players
387s	hopping in group finder being able to
389s	hop into groups together easier lots of
391s	improvements my favorite uh inventory
394s	while running oh my God so awesome
397s	that one's kind of fun because I think
399s	we mentioned this before in a different
401s	video but if you look back at our
403s	roadmap and our plans uh inventory while
406s	running was not actually supposed to
408s	come out as soon as it did but we heard
410s	players on that one and we realized that
412s	that was an area of opportunity that we
414s	could pull in that work and try to get
416s	that done sooner and it was a huge
418s	impact on people so that was that was
420s	awesome and that's we want more of that
422s	we want to be able to do more of that I
423s	mean all of that like like that
426s	basically everything we did in our
427s	reduced friction initiative yeah it was
429s	from the players like this was all stuff
431s	we we had on the list and we wanted to
432s	get to but it it came through really
435s	clearly that that you wanted us to get
437s	to this now so we did
440s	um another stop is being behind the
442s	queue issue and I don't no pun intended
445s	there but
446s	we've you know we we haven't reacted
449s	fast enough or anticipated properly when
451s	large groups were coming in and it's
452s	created some cue issues and it's
453s	something that going forward we're gonna
456s	we're gonna do our best to improve at
458s	that yeah we have
460s	um we have some plans that are currently
463s	designed as done but we're currently
465s	looking at implementation that's going
467s	to help folks
469s	um move to their desired world really
471s	quickly and that's kind of that's what
473s	we need to do to get rid of the cues
475s	um anybody who was here in the first
477s	weeks of September knows that we had
479s	some cues from returning players and
481s	some new players and the response that
485s	we had to that versus the response we
487s	had at launch cues is night and day
491s	right so within a day and a half cues on
495s	most worlds had gone down and it's kind
497s	of an elegant
499s	um locking and unlocking solution along
501s	with opening worlds as worlds become
504s	full so that we can make sure that
506s	there's an even distribution versus just
508s	being like here's a hundred worlds have
511s	at it
512s	um and then after like you know player
514s	lands on the world when they first start
516s	then they can transfer somewhere else if
518s	they feel like they want to but this is
520s	how we're addressing the cue situation
522s	because we definitely do not want
523s	another launch situation but we we're
526s	okay with cues a little bit of key time
528s	also right absolutely yeah we just don't
530s	want it to be an hour I mean personally
533s	I don't want it to be 30 minutes
535s	um I would like to make it as low as
537s	possible but I and other players we
541s	associate cues with this world is
543s	popping yeah right it just can't be a
546s	long time in the queue because I want to
547s	actually play I think 5-10 minutes is
549s	understandable at some points not every
551s	time you log on but sometimes I just
553s	want to say like we're not home yet we
555s	know that like we know some people are
557s	still experiencing problems
559s	we were working on it we're looking at
562s	ways to get you to transfer players
563s	easier to other servers so if that is a
565s	problem for you it happens and
567s	we understand that this is really
569s	important to the long-term success for
570s	new world yeah great
574s	um let's talk about some things we want
575s	to keep doing so these are the continued
577s	stuff uh one of the the one at the top
579s	of the list is this and what I mean by
581s	this is communicating directly with the
582s	players not only through the dev video
584s	but the forums were on Reddit all the
587s	stuff we talk about all the time the
588s	in-game feedback mechanism
590s	we're gonna we're gonna keep doing this
592s	it's we think it's been working really
594s	well for us we hope you feel the same
596s	way so that's that's when I don't think
597s	we have a lot of discussion around it's
599s	pretty straightforward
600s	another one is we want to keep investing
602s	in performance we want the game to run
605s	as good as possible on as many machines
607s	as possible yep now and I think
609s	performance is multi-factor right like
611s	we want to deal with client performance
613s	so that it runs well we want to deal
614s	with network performance so that you can
616s	see all the people I know we've had some
618s	issues where like you might lose uh V
620s	effect or things like that these are all
621s	high on our list we recently put back
624s	the instancing wars that's an attempt to
626s	make hubs more stable so this is
628s	something we're tackling on multiple
629s	fronts it's one we're not done with also
631s	like you said this is a continue for
632s	sure but it's high on our list and I
635s	think you know you got to be able to
636s	play the game at performance to really
638s	enjoy it so you know we want to keep
640s	doing events uh The Summer Event was a I
643s	had a blast playing and I think like the
645s	players seemed to like it the winter
646s	event the winter convergence Festival we
648s	did last year even even turkulon was
651s	pretty fun turkey giant turkey turkey
656s	but I think uh it's something we want to
657s	you know keep doing and lean into a
659s	little more absolutely what are those
660s	giant turkey legs sell for on the market
662s	these days Drew pretty good amount yeah
665s	so that's pretty it because they're
667s	delicious
668s	um yeah we definitely want to keep
670s	digging into that I know that you know
672s	personally and after reading forums and
674s	Reddit like the summer medley Fair
676s	did excellent
678s	um it's probably one of our best
680s	performing events
682s	um and that's that says something
683s	because it was an event that brought
685s	people together it got them to uh be in
689s	an excited way introduced to this new
692s	um gameplay which was instruments so
694s	that was really cool
696s	um I know that quite a few of my friends
698s	will who had lapsed honestly came back
701s	for musical instruments and they just
703s	they're like hey you want to jam out for
705s	like real quick and I do I do want to
708s	jam out real quick let's do this it's
710s	it's awesome and so we're going to lean
711s	into those events um that are just
714s	exciting and fun it was so funny I was
715s	playing the other night we're doing uh
717s	the chest run and work guard and we're
718s	on the last big portal
720s	and some dudes up there playing music
722s	and people like why is he doing that I'm
724s	like who cares it's hilarious
727s	territory standing territory standing I
731s	know we're in Shattered Mountain you
732s	don't get any territory but who cares it
734s	was still fun it is fun uh I I like it a
737s	lot and I honestly will before we do
740s	like an elite chest run uh somebody will
742s	start playing music and if they have a
744s	buff that's like interesting like either
746s	Gathering luck or even like decidedly
748s	dexterous I think those ones are kind of
750s	fun to pick up right before you do those
752s	oh yeah I always I always start up a a
754s	session right before we go into mines
756s	for uh the increased yield yes yep
759s	exactly I think for me the rewards this
763s	time for the medley Affair were awesome
765s	right I think that's a big Improvement
766s	like the patterns were really awesome
768s	that fishing pole although we know
770s	there's a bug with it we're on it uh
772s	that is an amazing fishing pole so I
775s	think just the rewards really gave me
776s	another reason to participate my whole
778s	backyard is lights Frozen because I have
781s	these extra tokens
783s	uh what else do we want to keep doing uh
786s	we want to keep getting better at
787s	storytelling and varying our content
790s	more yeah um I think the the revamped
793s	starting experience what people are
794s	playing right now in the PTR is is
796s	really a big personification of this
798s	right like we want the story to push
800s	people through the zones we want the
802s	story to you know tell meaningful
803s	stories we're we're doing more uh more
806s	in terms of introducing people like the
808s	grace O'Malley character you're getting
809s	to see her more often so you build that
811s	relationship with her uh the types of
814s	questing experience we're doing uh are
816s	you laughing at me somewhere I don't
819s	know how bad I just I just want to snap
821s	that I don't know I got to get mine off
822s	uh there's platforming you know where
824s	you jump from half to hat now
826s	uh but all these different types of
829s	experiences uh I think just really help
831s	the the starting experiences I just like
834s	the historical figures that are
836s	sprinkled in and that kind of gives me
837s	that connection to what's going on and
839s	what it could be absolutely I think
841s	Brimstone Sands is a huge huge amount of
844s	lore that goes into that and very very
846s	interested in the history that we're
848s	building there for sure one of the
851s	um one of the main pieces of feedback
853s	that we got previously was people didn't
856s	really connect to the story like it was
858s	there but unless you were truly seeking
860s	it out you really didn't find it like it
862s	wasn't a part of your journey they just
864s	joined and did what they wanted and so
867s	with the revamp starting experience to
869s	start it off and then into Brimstone
871s	that entire
873s	um progression you are hearing her talk
876s	in your head which just brings it home
879s	it this is Isabella talking to you so
882s	that is so cool and it definitely brings
885s	the lore in the storytelling direct to
887s	the player this time
889s	yeah and there's a few cinematics that
891s	were held back that we can't wait to
892s	share with people as well I think that's
894s	going to help drive that story further
895s	home so secret it's unsurprises
899s	um well what else do we want to keep
900s	doing more on-demand group content for
903s	PVE and PVP so what I think about this
906s	one it's it's the Expeditions opr those
909s	things are just so fun and they're
911s	they're they seem to be resonating with
913s	players so we want to keep doing those
914s	those type of activities and maybe
916s	invent some new ones yeah absolutely I
918s	think the other thing that we have added
919s	in the last year is we have the 3v3
921s	Arenas we're still looking at a lot of
923s	improvements and changes coming to those
924s	over the next few months so definitely
926s	want to continue to build on the
928s	different modes that we've introduced
930s	to that end group finder and removing
932s	Expedition Keys huge boost where I
934s	actually have twice as many Expeditions
936s	being run every day than we used to have
938s	just a few weeks ago before these two
940s	changes we're very excited about that
942s	means so many more players are getting
944s	into Expeditions so much easier and
946s	getting all that loot and getting all
947s	that content fed to them easier
949s	awesome and the solo option right
952s	because so that was not something that
954s	we launched with was a solo option for
956s	people that wanted to just play the main
958s	story quest line without having to group
960s	up and they just want to do their own
961s	thing and that's now an option so you
964s	have an opportunity to do a solo
966s	experience instead of having to group up
968s	I still suggest grouping up you can use
970s	group binder there's no orbs come on get
972s	into the Expedition and a big one you
974s	mentioned Arenas like we're now going to
976s	be introducing separate cues for solo
978s	people and groups in arenas so I think
980s	that's going to want to help the balance
981s	and too just give another option to solo
983s	players I also think like group finder
986s	we have some Kinks to work out there and
988s	over the next few months I think we're
989s	going to make it more accessible and
991s	easier for players to get in and find it
993s	and it's something we're going to
994s	continue to work on and improve yeah I
996s	think the PVP experience for lower level
998s	players being able to jump into Arenas
1000s	as we've seen more players returning and
1002s	more players starting up in New World
1004s	we're seeing those start to really pop
1005s	off this last week we had massive
1007s	amounts of players participating in
1009s	level 30 Arenas so definitely suggest
1012s	jumping into the queue while you're
1014s	leveling just to see we want to keep
1016s	adding horizontal gameplay you might
1018s	notice that you know like we had we were
1019s	asked a lot are you going to raise the
1020s	level cap for brimstone
1022s	and we just didn't think it was time to
1024s	yet uh we think there's a where as we
1026s	get more content and more things for
1028s	players to do we feel like there's
1029s	enough there but we did want to grow
1030s	sideways a little bit you know so you're
1031s	our first our first Fourier to this is
1034s	the heart gym yeah no heart gems are a
1036s	great example right one I think we
1038s	wanted another active ability right so I
1040s	think it helps the sort of combat
1042s	experience and two it gives you another
1044s	way to sort of itemize your character uh
1046s	and a lot of these you know we really
1047s	designed them as sort of utility
1049s	abilities right like so they they
1050s	complement builds and since they're
1052s	separate from weapons it's sort of like
1053s	almost a third Little Weapon choice
1055s	right to sort of create a holistic build
1057s	uh so we have that we have obviously the
1059s	Rune glasses coming out also uh and also
1062s	like I'm I mean perks in this sort of
1064s	itemization around gearing is really our
1066s	our key horizontal gameplay also right
1068s	and I think that's something we recently
1070s	did the perkery vamp that I know Drew is
1072s	super excited yeah absolutely I think in
1074s	July release we did the big revamp of
1076s	almost all the perks in the game I think
1077s	out of all of them we only left maybe 10
1080s	untouched everything else has changed
1082s	those huge effort by the team to go
1085s	through and we've seen very positive
1087s	reception you know millions of items
1089s	being crafted people chasing those uh
1091s	those best and Slot pieces it's pretty
1093s	exciting to see that gameplay evolve to
1095s	yeah the next one is near and dear to my
1097s	heart we call it keep the chill we want
1100s	new world to continue to be a place you
1102s	can get lost in chop down trees Harvest
1105s	fish play music instruments just it
1107s	doesn't always have to be a stressful go
1110s	kill go running go run a dungeon go do a
1112s	run like like those are fantastic and
1114s	really fun but sometimes it's also fun
1117s	to just kind of chill through the game
1119s	relax to harvest stuff do things like
1122s	craft and other activities that aren't
1124s	quite as stressful so it's something
1126s	that
1126s	I think makes new world feel a little
1128s	different than other games and something
1129s	we're going to keep leaning into new
1131s	world can either be a job or a vacation
1134s	the opportunity and option is yours
1137s	yeah there's nothing like just running
1139s	around harvesting and coming up on a new
1140s	Vista maybe you haven't seen before in a
1142s	different time of day when you get there
1144s	an entirely different look down on a
1147s	valley yeah it's just great at dusk grab
1150s	that fishing pole go to some water watch
1152s	a sunset
1154s	it is cool uh we want to keep pushing
1156s	our combat forward we think our combat
1157s	is one of the big differentiators in the
1159s	game and it's something that's
1161s	we are going to continue pushing and
1163s	pushing and try to improve and make
1165s	better yeah I mean we just talked about
1167s	the heart gems that's our most recent
1168s	addition we got a new weapon coming
1170s	that's going to completely Shake Up The
1171s	Meta uh the big great sword so it's
1174s	something we're going to keep investing
1176s	in the performance of it is another area
1177s	that we're constantly looking at how to
1179s	optimize make it smoother especially in
1182s	large scale combats so big effort and I
1184s	think we're gonna you know I don't have
1185s	a time frame or anything but we're going
1187s	to continue to add more weapons into the
1188s	mix over time for sure I think it's
1190s	interesting how it mixes up games let us
1192s	know what you want next Community yes
1194s	they've let us know and what is it
1196s	daggers hackers
1198s	we'll see CBD there's other there's
1201s	other weapons
1203s	a blow dart gun
1206s	uh
1210s	uh we want to continue making the
1211s	rewards better and improving the rewards
1213s	and delivering great rewards I think
1215s	that you know what drives you to do
1217s	anything it's the rewards so yeah
1218s	absolutely we talked about a bunch of
1220s	adjustments on the perks making it feel
1222s	more rewarding when you're crafting just
1224s	because there's more of the perks are
1226s	viable there's more builds to play with
1227s	there we also went back and did a pass
1229s	and looked through all of the elite
1231s	zones in the world and a lot of the just
1233s	different pois and up the level of some
1235s	of those monsters so that way there's
1237s	new items available from those I know
1239s	I've spent many hours farming Rings
1241s	myself out in the open world so we
1244s	really looked at the rewards across the
1246s	different aspects of where players play
1247s	and where they spend their time and have
1249s	tried to increase those I think it's
1251s	also really uh
1253s	parents in Brimstone Sands and a lot of
1255s	the different pois and zones there and
1257s	rewards that you're getting from quests
1259s	and the starting experience right like
1260s	we hand crafted rewards for every
1262s	request from 1 through 25 and a lot of
1265s	them are really Juiced right like they
1267s	they give you power over your level
1269s	which is really great feeling and since
1271s	you level pretty quick now you know it
1273s	doesn't sort of you know break the
1274s	balance too much so it's fun to sort of
1276s	give them G's rewards break the balance
1278s	which leads to our last continue which
1280s	is we want to keep things balanced
1285s	um
1285s	it's it's important we hear the feedback
1287s	and The Meta you know is this or The
1289s	Meta is that I think yeah what is it
1291s	today I read last night it was the bow
1293s	and the musket which I don't agree with
1294s	the blue PR yeah but Bo maybe even
1297s	musket is I don't know uh yeah I mean
1300s	it's difficult especially a game with
1302s	such a wide variety of gameplay right
1305s	like we've got obviously PVE solo we've
1307s	got group PVE we've got solo you know
1310s	we've got the Arenas we've got Wars
1311s	we've got opr so across this wide
1313s	spectrum it's really hard to balance
1314s	things I think you know we're
1316s	continuously looking for outliners uh
1318s	but you know sometimes a weapon if a
1320s	weapon is really good in one part of
1322s	gameplay you know that is sometimes okay
1324s	with us that it doesn't shine in every
1326s	other right like I know the musket is
1327s	your is the example Scott and I have
1329s	talked about right like in PVE the
1330s	musket is not uh I think it's not high
1333s	tier let's be fair uh but it can be
1336s	really really good in opr and you know
1338s	in war they have you know specific uh
1341s	musket ranges for The Siege weaponry and
1342s	things like that so there's purposes but
1344s	the musket to me is is an example of
1346s	where a weapon can get a can be
1350s	considered op when quite often a great
1352s	player player who's way better than
1354s	others and is that why you don't like it
1356s	yes
1358s	actually you'll see what's your name I
1362s	can aim I just can't hit anything but
1365s	when I play myself play and then I watch
1366s	shroud play I want to kick something
1368s	because he headshots every single thing
1370s	every shot and by human like in opr and
1373s	stuff and whereas for me I
1378s	put some players crush me
1382s	um anyway let's move on
1384s	I think uh the first one is we're going
1387s	to start leaning more into solo yeah
1389s	um but by the way that doesn't mean
1390s	we're going to ignore PVP or PVE or
1393s	anything else it's or multi or group
1395s	play it's we're going to lean into solo
1397s	is one thing we're just going to put
1398s	more effort toward yeah I think
1400s	especially at endgame there's not a lot
1402s	of solo activities that you can do right
1404s	now and I think that's something we're
1405s	starting to take a look at and I think
1407s	you're going to start to see a glimpse
1408s	of it in Brimstone already there might
1410s	be opportunities for more solo chess as
1412s	as you get into the PTR and explore
1414s	there and I think you know Finding ways
1418s	to you know create meaningful
1420s	progression and gameplay for end game
1422s	players as solo is something we're gonna
1424s	we're gonna start thinking more about
1425s	but I think the experiment you know
1427s	fight during the end of the brimstone
1429s	story uh
1431s	after after I played it a few times I'm
1432s	like I think we probably should try to
1434s	find more ways to do things like this in
1436s	the game it feels really good yeah it's
1438s	a it's the Apophis fight that solo
1439s	instance is really fun and it's like
1441s	playing a boss in an expedition except
1443s	you get to do it all by yourself it's
1445s	got the same phases I didn't want to
1447s	blow the
1448s	um for people but it's not what I just
1450s	said it's not Apophis it's some other
1452s	person they're gonna see it
1455s	uh
1456s	you know we we now feel like we've done
1459s	a pretty good job at group content and
1461s	now we want to start working towards
1463s	super hard end game raid content
1466s	and it was really important that we we
1468s	made a few good Expeditions before we
1470s	start you know
1471s	crawl before you walk walk before you
1473s	run that kind of thing it was really
1474s	important that we felt like we were
1476s	succeeding at making Expeditions before
1478s	we start looking at raids and I think we
1480s	have some evidence now that we're doing
1481s	a pretty good job at Expeditions and we
1483s	can start moving down that toward that
1485s	yeah absolutely I think there's a lot of
1487s	there's a lot of compelling content to
1488s	be made for 10 20 a group of players to
1492s	uh see you may have seen a glimpse of
1495s	something that's uh in the future uh in
1497s	store for you and uh we we are looking
1499s	to add a lot more content like that in
1501s	the future yeah for me it's I think it's
1504s	gonna be hella fun when it's done but
1506s	the other thing is like right now a lot
1508s	of the gearing in game is so oriented
1510s	towards PVP right like best in slot is
1512s	defined by Brazilian and all the PVP
1514s	perks right and what we want to do is
1516s	create some PVE content that is as hard
1519s	and challenging as War so that you
1521s	really have to optimize your gear for
1523s	the PVE experience and I think when we
1525s	release this feature that is a goal
1528s	right like to make sure that it really
1530s	drives the and game progression I hope
1533s	whenever we release that feature you
1534s	have some method that helps you manage
1536s	those gear changes that we're talking
1538s	about
1539s	I think that would be important yes one
1542s	of the
1543s	one of the big things that we're looking
1545s	to do is aim for easier ways to swap in
1549s	between different gear sets obviously
1551s	those of you do high-level mutations
1553s	you're probably rocking different gear
1554s	sets for different mutations to reduce
1556s	the damage that you're taking from the
1558s	monsters in those
1559s	Inventory management starts to become a
1562s	lot when you are carrying all these
1563s	different sets and we're looking at a
1564s	future that will help out with that
1566s	significantly as a crafter I would like
1568s	that also I like I don't have to swap it
1570s	certainly refining all that but just
1573s	full transparency those aren't like in
1574s	the near-term roadmap these are things
1576s	we're working toward that's why we're
1578s	not calling them out by any kind of name
1579s	yeah speaking of things we're working
1581s	toward on our last start things that are
1584s	in the design phase yes things that are
1586s	really early like concepting yeah but
1589s	we've we do get some feedback that
1590s	players would like more ways to move
1592s	quickly through the world yeah more
1594s	effective more I don't think
1597s	you know shrines are great but as our
1600s	world is growing and I mean people have
1602s	seen Brimstone Sands it's massive and
1604s	the world is going to continue to grow
1606s	uh we are designing mounts again no
1610s	timeline on these very far into the
1613s	future but they are it is something we
1615s	are
1616s	we are beginning to actively work on
1617s	part of that is because we know as the
1620s	world gets like like right now the world
1621s	is really big I think if it gets any
1623s	bigger it's going to require it yeah uh
1626s	it's super important so you can kind of
1629s	think about timelines along those lines
1631s	but don't think about timelines yeah
1632s	like at all yeah don't think about that
1634s	just know that we heard you we know that
1637s	this is important
1639s	um and we are working on it but it is
1641s	very very close to just the Inception
1644s	point so well in an effort to not let
1646s	this thing go on all day I think we're
1648s	gonna we're gonna call this one done but
1650s	before we leave
1652s	big shout out to eternum happy birthday
1654s	happy birthday
1667s	all right welcome back everybody uh hi
1670s	I'm Mike and joining me are Rob Rosie
1673s	and Phil again and we're going to talk
1675s	about the revamped starting experience
1677s	I'm really excited about this major
1680s	changes in overhauls took place and a
1682s	lot of it had to do with the story that
1684s	we wanted to tell and I wanted to start
1686s	from kind of the beginning which is
1689s	appropriate on some of the new mechanics
1691s	and storytelling methods that made it
1693s	into the current world State for the
1694s	player so Rob why don't we start from
1697s	the crash
1699s	sure you know I so we absolutely you
1702s	know we've talked about improving the
1704s	the storytelling experience in new world
1705s	since we launched even before that we
1707s	were kind of thinking hey maybe some
1709s	things we can do
1710s	um and you know right here this is our
1712s	first chance we really I mean massively
1715s	changed not just the quest but the story
1717s	the characters the dialogue in so many
1719s	ways and yeah right at the beginning you
1721s	crash on the beach and really to bring
1723s	home kind of the threat and what's going
1725s	you're going to start hearing a voice in
1727s	your head
1728s	um I guess I'll leave it a mystery maybe
1729s	for people who who may most people
1732s	should have played by now we can say is
1733s	the Tempest The Tempest The Tempest is
1735s	now yes it is the seductive voice of
1738s	corruption who uh who may be both
1740s	taunting and uh trying to recruit you
1744s	um and yeah she'll she'll start talking
1745s	to you right away kind of like giving
1747s	you a hint of like the larger threats
1748s	and where that's going and then and then
1751s	when the player gets out on the beach
1752s	it's it's a totally different series of
1754s	quests there the players will get to
1755s	meet uh an all-new character like the
1757s	character the characters will actually
1758s	move around on the beach and you know
1760s	the story unfolds one particular
1763s	character that we've invested more time
1765s	into yeah
1766s	yeah so we wanted to create a character
1767s	who was really a companion who felt like
1770s	someone that joined the player right at
1771s	the beginning of the game and stays with
1773s	you throughout your journey and is
1775s	really a sounding board somebody else
1776s	who's kind of going through the
1777s	experience of being on the strange
1778s	island with you and that's Grace
1779s	O'Malley a pirate who's you know she's
1782s	uh she's she doesn't have the best
1784s	morals but uh but she's a fun pal yeah I
1787s	mean she's a pirate mortal fiber right
1789s	yeah yeah and a historical figure so you
1792s	can look her up on Wikipedia
1794s	um but she's uh that not all that on
1795s	Wikipedia I was gonna say yeah a
1797s	critical source for the truth yeah
1799s	exactly this one this one closer to the
1801s	truth well if it's on the Internet it's
1802s	on the Internet it's probably it doesn't
1803s	have the part though where she came to a
1805s	tournament which is what I'm saying like
1806s	that part oh yeah that part has been
1807s	scrubbed they couldn't say that she died
1810s	whatever so but now we're presenting the
1813s	player with kind of like multiple paths
1815s	to right experience along this new
1820s	Journey right so with the the two
1821s	starting zones both Monarch Bluffs and
1824s	winsword each one has a totally
1826s	different story they're both they both
1828s	delve very much into these these areas
1831s	grappling with the threat of the lost
1833s	even though corruption is kind of
1834s	breathing down from the north they're
1837s	still dealing with with this terrible
1838s	threat of people turning lost in the
1840s	area and like so and winsword we very
1842s	much have this uh this story around uh
1845s	druidic group and uh and Medea the uh
1848s	the witch from mythology and uh and then
1851s	in Monarch's Bluffs we've uh We've
1852s	leaned heavier into the Arthurian uh
1854s	mythology and a lot of some characters
1857s	there and the whole like we really
1860s	revamp The Zone like dramatically what
1863s	is an understatement yeah it is like
1865s	some of the the new Vistas and new pois
1868s	and I know people you know get super
1870s	attracted to the castles and stuff like
1872s	monarchs is really awesome that way but
1874s	some of the the newer sets and the
1876s	designs around Medea and the The Druids
1879s	and the uh and the Knights iron the iron
1882s	oh the Iron Rose Iron Rose estate like
1884s	those things are pretty impressive as
1886s	well some of the puzzles that we've
1888s	integrated throughout so with that I
1890s	kind of wanted to lead that over to
1892s	Rosie as a segue it was like with all
1894s	this new storytelling like how did we
1896s	you know approach that with art like in
1899s	our layouts and our designs there well
1902s	um of course we wanted to support the
1903s	Arthurian look and feel with castles
1906s	because everyone loves castles are cool
1908s	Vibes yeah and uh we also wanted to to
1911s	have a feeling no matter where you are
1913s	within the settlement you know where you
1915s	are so you're never confused about which
1917s	one you're in so now they are all really
1919s	different from each other
1921s	um and it has that castle Vibe but it
1924s	also has vistas of you know from the
1927s	castles you can see uh different Vistas
1930s	from around the world which are uh sort
1932s	of leading the player and showing the
1933s	player you know where they've been and
1935s	where they might go in the future yeah I
1937s	actually like that foreshadowing in the
1938s	Monarch starting Beach because as you
1940s	look out like past the ship where you
1942s	you first meet Grace like you see uh
1945s	gawain's castle in the background it's
1947s	like silhouetted Depending on time of
1949s	day and you're like I gotta get to go
1951s	there and you don't exactly go to that
1953s	one first but right the fact when you
1955s	get the lead into the big settlement
1956s	you're like wow wow so much more
1958s	impressive than it was before exactly
1959s	yeah that was what we were going for was
1961s	that big wow moment of entering the
1963s	castle and just feeling like wow I'm I'm
1965s	in the Arthurian Legend now yeah we got
1968s	you know all new enemies right like the
1970s	we have the the Lost Knights who are uh
1972s	the old uh the remnant of Arthur
1974s	Arthur's uh knights from way long ago
1977s	and as the players play through this
1979s	Zone you know there's much like the
1981s	quests are going to be streamlined the
1983s	story unfolds As you move through the
1985s	zone as opposed to having to come back
1986s	to the settlement every 10 minutes which
1987s	I think is a uh a thing that many
1990s	players have been clamoring for yes we
1992s	wanted these tighter loops with our
1994s	Quest hubs and when we were doing
1995s	activities and then coming back before
1996s	he did the next you know nice chunk uh
1999s	so we also integrated a lot more uh
2001s	spirit shrines as well so in order to
2004s	teach fast travel to players but also to
2006s	have these nice accessible points so you
2008s	could keep coming back and forth between
2010s	you know places where you wanted to go
2012s	Quest or you're ready to turn in so
2014s	decide you went off the beaten path
2016s	maybe I want to go mine a ton of ore
2018s	yeah or do whatever when fast travels
2021s	not as expensive as it used to be yeah
2023s	it's yeah it's totally affordable we
2025s	also still give you a bunch of azoth in
2026s	the early quests as well and like that's
2028s	one of my favorite feelings and like the
2030s	early quests and early player experience
2032s	in our game is just you go out you got
2035s	your quests you know you do some
2036s	Gathering you some hunting you get you
2037s	know you're full you're you're near
2039s	encumbered and then you just are able to
2041s	zip back to uh the the town and unload
2045s	and that feels so good turn all the
2046s	quests go refine all your materials
2048s	craft some stuff like I just it's so
2051s	good with this hat and his excitement
2053s	I'm just kidding
2055s	so one of the other things that I really
2057s	liked is all these new gimmicks that we
2059s	started introducing into the RSC like
2062s	one of my favorite pois is the canis POI
2065s	we've kind of redone beautiful interior
2067s	and layout that was done by was it uh
2070s	Tia in Austin
2072s	not not in Austin Oh I thought Austin
2075s	was the uh oh and Austin and Austin so
2078s	it was both of them together
2080s	um it was such an amazing space to dive
2083s	into and literally yeah literally you
2086s	dive into it yeah so it's a totally new
2088s	way of entering and going through and
2091s	and experiencing a whole POI it's giving
2094s	you that tease of ancient technology
2096s	that you get to experience in starstone
2098s	later but earlier on so it's like a maze
2102s	of laser puzzles with cool little
2104s	secrets behind little corridors and
2106s	something that players haven't got a
2108s	chance to do yet and it's just some of
2110s	those things that we're starting to
2111s	incorporate like the the glyph puzzles
2113s	and and some of the dynamic encounters
2116s	that happen too like uh like a board uh
2118s	like the incoming pirate ship yeah and
2121s	you shoot the cannon and oh yeah calls
2124s	the pirate ship in and then you've got
2125s	to battle them and you know even uh a
2129s	quest to like that pops up just go kill
2130s	the captain it's really cool I'm
2133s	shooting the cannon to open up up
2135s	sections of caverns oh yeah that's a lot
2138s	to go through yeah I mean there's tons
2140s	of honestly like tons of traversal
2142s	puzzles that we put in that are like it
2144s	just totally changes the game like I
2146s	think mantling around in our game is one
2147s	of the highlights like I actually enjoy
2149s	moving around and like figuring these
2151s	the ways out to climb up to the space
2153s	I'm trying to get to is I've that's one
2155s	of my favorite thing in all the new
2156s	quests I do like it when I get to go
2158s	prone though yeah
2162s	it's kind of fun it's a fantasy
2165s	um I like all the variety too of all
2167s	these new ways of interacting with
2168s	things yeah we've add a lot to the uh
2170s	the quest iOS and did a major overhaul
2174s	on the amount of like it shouldn't be
2176s	like standard kill quests or go looted
2177s	chess so it's a lot a lot more variety
2180s	very few story driven yeah and and we've
2183s	added a lot more mini bosses right like
2184s	with actually like some interesting
2186s	Dynamics in the fights I mean Gwen's
2188s	there and Madea's there and like those
2189s	are great fights but there's plenty more
2191s	like in the middle of a yeah Series yeah
2193s	and you don't just go straight to kill
2195s	them you have to do other things as
2196s	you're doing it yeah and and with all
2198s	those additions like we've sped up
2200s	leveling and rewards as well right Phil
2202s	oh uh yeah incredibly uh We've sped up
2205s	uh the leveling so the amount of XP that
2208s	you need to get from levels 1 to 60
2210s	overall has been sped up a lot and the
2213s	best source now officially is the uh the
2216s	quests and the main storyline Quest so
2218s	we have taken some back from the
2220s	territory projects because like those
2222s	were kind of a weird way where you could
2224s	kind of subvert going through the
2226s	experience learning about the Tempest
2227s	learning about the threat to Eternal and
2229s	we really want that to be the Main
2231s	Avenue that players are progressing
2232s	their characters uh we also added a
2234s	little bit more
2235s	um XP now too from uh reading lower
2238s	pages and just a general Harvest or
2241s	gathering I should say not just
2242s	harvesting uh but like you know
2244s	Gathering things in the world Gathering
2246s	materials and so all that I think just
2248s	kind of leads you to uh just a really
2250s	it's just a well-balanced smooth
2252s	progression up we're feeling really good
2255s	about it I think we've gotten some
2256s	really great feedback too that starting
2258s	to feel really fun and then the other
2259s	thing I'm really proud of is the rewards
2262s	now for
2264s	um the starter zones in everfall are now
2266s	uh we've gone we've gotten rid of all of
2269s	the weapon and armor boxes there and all
2271s	the rewards now are very intentional and
2274s	that that starts from the beach so when
2275s	you land on the beach you will see some
2277s	different items strewn about the areas
2280s	we're sending you to so it's kind of
2282s	wreckage or Caverns yeah you get to
2284s	discover something that you might want
2286s	to use exactly hidden off in a corner of
2288s	a bore cave or something if you look
2290s	around you can find almost every weapon
2292s	if you look hard enough some of them
2293s	have been in some pretty obscure places
2295s	yeah hidden some of them were
2297s	breadcrumbed along the experience but
2298s	like you know you can discover weapons
2300s	and you can get access to that combat
2302s	fantasy that you want just from the the
2304s	get-go of the game like you should be
2306s	able to just kind of find something that
2309s	really feels good to you so like I'm a
2310s	blunderbuss player a lot too so like the
2313s	fact that I can find one of that before
2314s	I get to town and have fun just
2316s	shotgunning random uh corrupted baddies
2320s	on the beach like it's that's awesome
2321s	yeah the uh you mentioned the territory
2324s	projects I was just going to call it
2325s	like but we've increased or increasing
2327s	the amount of territory experience they
2329s	give you
2330s	um but I think I mean what what I think
2332s	is so exciting about that is it gets
2334s	back the idea that you know when you're
2335s	doing those you're improving you're
2337s	standing with the town and like I
2339s	actually hope too that with the more
2341s	unique aspects that we've done to each
2342s	one of the towns and and monarchs
2344s	particularly and in Ever Fall where ever
2345s	fall is a really unique look yeah
2346s	totally overhaul yeah having loyalty to
2348s	those and doing the projects I think
2350s	really uh I don't know it makes me feel
2352s	more like I want this to be my hometown
2353s	because I really like the way looks
2355s	right an everfall's theme is like
2357s	dramatic very different from monarchs
2359s	all different material types and it's a
2362s	completely different look and feel
2364s	what's what's the inspiration behind
2365s	everfall
2367s	um it's more of like uh more of an
2369s	industrial-ish kind of look like almost
2372s	Victorian
2373s	um brick and mortar I should say with
2376s	copper Roots yeah beautiful teal uh
2379s	patina exactly yeah so you're getting
2381s	like new colors
2383s	um new just just like I was saying uh
2386s	when you're in everfall you know exactly
2388s	where you are at all times so I have a
2391s	house in everfall now when all this art
2394s	changes and everything am I still going
2395s	to have my my same house
2397s	yeah there's a small chance that your
2399s	furniture might be packaged up and and
2402s	um you'll have to place it again
2403s	redecorate potentially or something
2406s	might be off just a smidge try to
2408s	maintain the the layouts as close to
2411s	possible like for the the volume of
2414s	space but it's like there could be a
2417s	circumstance or that's all right
2418s	something's move you know new house
2420s	decoration you know make sure it all the
2423s	feng shui is correct in the new spot
2425s	well one other thing I wanted to touch
2427s	on before we wrap things up is the
2429s	enclaves because I think those are are
2432s	awesome new additions that like really
2434s	celebrate and highlight the the factions
2436s	more yeah we really I mean we wanted the
2438s	you know the joining a faction to be
2440s	something that players did because they
2442s	were excited about the factions not
2443s	necessarily something they were forced
2444s	into and now you really get to like go
2446s	and meet the factions and you get to
2448s	have a story quest with them where you
2449s	get to know them and eventually you get
2450s	to come to The Enclave where each one is
2453s	uh yeah kind of blew us away when we saw
2455s	what you guys did it's that home base it
2457s	it has its signature and really feels
2459s	like you belong to it and has its place
2461s	in the world yeah again you get a real
2463s	sense of what these factions are what
2465s	they're all about and like what the mood
2467s	is when you join them so you understand
2469s	them fully yeah the Senate gets totally
2471s	very like in this cave mountainous cave
2474s	buried Laboratories and things on the
2477s	inside and all their experiments going
2479s	off but then you go to like the Covenant
2481s	and it's this massive Cathedral with
2483s	just just outside a like a haunted
2486s	graveyard yeah it's really cool as you
2489s	do yeah and uh and then yeah the
2491s	Marauders ones so like magnificent and
2494s	proud and that's cool yeah and we should
2497s	also mention I mean the the main story
2498s	Quest through everfall is much tighter
2500s	this is you know as you mentioned like
2503s	um monarchs and winsword are are
2505s	absolutely about these you know Cirque
2507s	Wayne and these stories that are
2508s	happening there but uh now whenever fall
2510s	players really get to travel with Jonas
2512s	learn more about the soul wardens and
2514s	the whole experience is really like
2516s	cultivated I'd say Now with uh with side
2519s	quest to compliment and you really feel
2520s	like you're traveling to the zone and
2522s	you know exploring new areas and then
2524s	and it's no longer mandatory for a solo
2527s	player to to go into an expedition to go
2530s	through the main story yeah so there's
2532s	the request there's all single player
2535s	focused versions of the msq to get you
2538s	past those points all the way up into
2539s	the Tempest heart yes yep TBD on that
2545s	so you heard it here
2547s	it's an important moment you know it is
2549s	it's uh that that culmination of
2551s	everything yeah What The Whispers lead
2553s	you up to yeah yeah it's worth going out
2555s	too we um we skipped over the idea that
2557s	uh in addition to the Whispers you're
2559s	also going to see a cinematic early in
2561s	the uh the starter Beach where you'll
2563s	learn more about the Tempest like learn
2565s	more about Isabella's past in fact which
2568s	is kind of cool there and uh and then we
2569s	have some more of those elsewhere in the
2571s	game yeah animated sequences and then
2573s	actual cinematics at play yeah we're
2575s	getting a lot more uh capability there
2577s	yeah having a lot more fun with the
2579s	pools all awesome stuff thanks everybody
2581s	and uh happy birthday eternum happy
2584s	birthday oh there it is I'm there
2590s	[Music]
2591s	hey everybody welcome back I'm joined
2595s	Again by Rob and this time with David
2597s	and Charles and we're going to be
2598s	talking about all things Brimstone Sands
2601s	super exciting it's our brand new Zone a
2604s	giant Zone and I want to start things
2607s	off talking about the lore because right
2609s	when you enter the Zone one of the first
2610s	things that you see just out there on
2612s	the horizon is this giant pyramid what's
2614s	that about Rob there's a giant pyramid
2617s	there's a giant statue of a Roman
2619s	general like there's a big big landmarks
2622s	and fixtures in this desert it's huge I
2624s	mean the Zone's huge and everything in
2625s	it is huge and uh yeah I mean you know
2628s	story wise the the story of brimson
2630s	Sands very rooted in world history it's
2632s	you know the history of uh if you if
2634s	you've read your history books or if you
2636s	watch the HBO series Rome then you're
2638s	familiar with uh you know what happened
2640s	when Mark Anthony and Cleopatra were
2642s	were finally cornered in Alexandria and
2644s	there's a whole story about what
2645s	happened to them but it's not actually
2647s	the truth and the truth is that they
2649s	fled to eternum of course and that is
2651s	the idea
2654s	figured it all along I mean HBO kind of
2656s	handed at it because they knew what was
2657s	coming but um yeah and so but of course
2660s	when they got here so you know the you
2661s	had this Roman legion and some Egyptians
2664s	who came here they discovered that there
2665s	was an Egyptian civilization that had
2667s	been here much longer than that
2669s	with some famous figures from history
2671s	um that you'll meet in your quest series
2673s	there immotep for one to call out and
2675s	you'll meet some others
2676s	um but uh but yeah so it's this Clash of
2678s	these the the Romans and then these
2680s	these ancient Egyptians who really saw
2682s	the Ancients as uh as as Gods when they
2685s	first came here and then the whole story
2687s	plays out it's pretty epic
2689s	um and as it needs to be just to take
2692s	you across that zone because there's a
2693s	lot going on it feels like that uh that
2696s	early trailer that we had watching the
2698s	the Romans take that that Jewel
2702s	like we have like callbacks to that
2703s	several times yeah we do yeah we call
2706s	back to that in the main story a few
2707s	times and it's a I mean in the plan all
2709s	along exactly right here
2713s	the Romans are always the evil ones
2714s	unfortunately you know although you'd be
2716s	Egyptians or a little evil in this too I
2718s	mean I guess maybe there's a little Good
2719s	and Evil on both sides in all of us yeah
2723s	that's pretty profound yeah everyone
2725s	walks the gray like you're not quite
2727s	sure who are your friends or your
2728s	enemies are in Brimstone right yeah we
2731s	definitely are finding out and I mean
2732s	that's an important thing to call out
2733s	because you know we we defeated the
2734s	Tempest we defeated Isabella in uh back
2737s	in Shadow Mountain and here this is the
2738s	opening up of a whole new chapter and
2740s	storyline with uh the next big villain
2743s	you're gonna fight who is an ally you
2745s	had in the in the first uh First Act uh
2748s	and you know which is it's okay to go
2749s	ahead and just dive in there right I
2751s	mean yeah we kind of hinted at it
2753s	already yeah so yeah we did yeah Ariana
2755s	who was you know you're the the huntress
2756s	that worked with you to defeat Isabella
2758s	uh ultimately turns out to be uh the
2760s	ancient Artemis
2762s	um who is a very powerful being and very
2764s	angry with humanity and uh and so her
2767s	ultimate motives are kind of uh start
2769s	getting surfaced here in Brimstone she's
2772s	not quite happy with what you did to the
2773s	motherwell exactly yes yeah you don't
2776s	you don't mess with the mother she she
2777s	kind of reluctantly lets you do it but
2779s	she's kind of Harbors a grudge yeah it's
2782s	terrible of her yeah
2783s	humans kind of mess up everything so
2785s	with all this new story obviously we had
2788s	to have new pois new designs new
2790s	mechanics David what can you tell us
2792s	about some of the new stuff that we put
2794s	in here I am so excited because
2796s	Brimstone as you've heard is the largest
2798s	Zone we've made so far it's two and a
2801s	half two and a half times is big two to
2803s	three yeah it's huge we have spent
2806s	countless hours packing the Zone with as
2808s	much unique content hidden content
2811s	Secrets Collectibles
2813s	rpois have tall verticality structures
2818s	you can climb almost every POI can be
2821s	climbed there's jumping puzzles there's
2824s	platforming puzzles there's Cliffside
2825s	ruins Roman forts sulfur pools it's a
2830s	lot of content it's a lot of unique
2832s	content and I can't wait to see what
2835s	players think of it I think it sets a
2837s	new standard for open world
2839s	interactables and and and and small
2842s	little Dynamic thing things you can find
2844s	on the road it has the most random
2847s	roadside Encounters of any zone so far
2850s	and there's there's a lot to unpack do
2852s	we have the rest of the day to talk
2854s	about it because I could talk all day
2856s	yeah well all when the credits roll
2858s	we'll make sure that you're talking
2859s	while we see everything but some of my
2863s	favorites are I love the I love the wall
2865s	I love the aqueduct I love the Acropolis
2869s	some of the climbing mechanics that are
2871s	integrated into there that you're not
2873s	like
2874s	like oh I wasn't sent here but also I
2876s	discovered something and I keep climbing
2878s	and I find and discover like say like an
2880s	ancient glyph and decipher it and now I
2882s	get to use it to unlock either like a
2884s	one-way portal or uh one of the new like
2887s	uh chest unlocks uh there's some really
2890s	cool mechanics that we've started to
2892s	integrate yeah the the ancient glyphs
2895s	are a really exciting system
2897s	um there's 26 of them they are the
2900s	secret language of the Ancients that you
2902s	have to discover buried in the Sands and
2905s	each one has a different meaning that
2908s	the players will unlock
2910s	um using that power you can create open
2913s	up two-way portals across the zone you
2916s	can unlock secret chests and the bowels
2918s	of a giant Labyrinth
2920s	um you can lower magical walls and
2923s	unveil secret rooms there's a lot of
2926s	cool things you can do with them and
2928s	hopefully we can continue to add to this
2930s	system in the future yeah of course one
2932s	of them is where you get your your first
2934s	heart room but the POI where you do that
2936s	is I mean amazing yeah it's like
2939s	two-sided right so it's like you have
2940s	one side of this giant wall where you go
2942s	to get your heart Rune and and go
2944s	through that experience and then the
2945s	whole other side is the elite right yes
2948s	it's uh probably our biggest POI we've
2951s	ever built and the artist on it is just
2954s	done a phenomenal job of adding secret
2956s	alcoves and hidden closets and
2959s	climbing portions that take you to new
2962s	sweeping Vistas it's it's pretty
2965s	incredible
2966s	um you can scour the battlements for
2968s	Treasure dive into the bells and un
2970s	unlock
2971s	all sorts of secret hidden treasures so
2975s	yeah I mean it's great that's a perfect
2976s	segue because what I want to talk about
2978s	is like all these like Vistas and
2980s	landmarks Charles if you can touch on
2981s	the art because sure the art is
2983s	massively compelling because it's a
2985s	brand new biome something that we
2986s	haven't seen uh in a tournament we want
2989s	to take it sure it's a massive desert
2991s	but desert means a lot of different
2993s	things like real deserts all over the
2995s	world they're very different they're
2996s	sub-biomes there's different areas so we
2998s	wanted to capture a lot of that like we
3000s	have areas with big sweeping sand dunes
3002s	and you get that like I'm lost in the
3003s	Sahara or something Vibe but then
3005s	there's like deep crevasses that you go
3007s	down into Canyons there's a lot of cave
3009s	structures there's a more Coastal desert
3012s	vine where there's like different sub
3013s	areas then there's the the sulfur pits
3016s	which is a whole like chemical desert
3017s	Vibe and it's a whole other treatment
3018s	and there's a lot of creatures that come
3020s	with that that you won't find anywhere
3022s	else and like the overall take we really
3024s	like epic desert was something we really
3026s	wanted to go for and have it feel really
3028s	different than the rest of the world
3029s	we've done a ton of different like
3031s	forests and different like very Lush
3033s	biomes and here it's it's a very
3036s	different vibe and there's stuff we had
3037s	to do even to achieve that because like
3039s	the way our terrain system works the way
3041s	materials are spread out we don't we
3043s	can't just lean on that like heavy
3045s	vegetation that we do in other zones so
3046s	here we had to go a lot deeper into like
3048s	how do we present sand dunes and like
3050s	all the different ways the sand patterns
3052s	move and how the wind moves the dunes
3053s	and like there's a whole system that we
3055s	had to figure out how to present there
3056s	to players that a ton of work went into
3058s	like to pull off but as you guys going
3061s	to say too though I mean the desert
3062s	wouldn't be complete without the ancient
3063s	ruins and I think I mean we have ancient
3065s	ruins all over the game but Brimstone
3067s	really takes it to another level like it
3070s	feels like we go much deeper into what
3072s	was possible that the Ancients might
3073s	have built this is definitely like an
3074s	escalation of like you get hints of
3076s	ancient all over but here they're
3078s	they're expressed a little more extreme
3081s	it's like hearkening to like a lot of
3083s	ruins around Egypt and some of these
3085s	like massive monuments that you see in
3087s	real life sort of bringing that to a
3089s	tournament
3090s	oversizing it maybe even a little more
3092s	because because everything in the
3093s	tournament is just sort of elevated more
3095s	they had the power of ass off to build
3096s	and then even going to the settlement
3098s	it's like there's this Oasis built in
3100s	the middle and Romans in Real History
3101s	are like known as industrious Builders
3103s	and so we wanted to present that like oh
3105s	a Roman built settlement here and like
3107s	what could that be and all the life and
3109s	like interesting nooks and crannies all
3111s	over that settlement it's it's bigger
3112s	than any settlement we have prior to
3114s	this point it's sprawling way more and I
3116s	think there's a lot of cool interesting
3118s	houses for players to get and
3120s	interesting landmarks they're surely
3121s	we're charging more for those houses
3123s	right right to live in Brimstone should
3125s	be like a premium I don't know I don't
3126s	think I think we want players to come
3128s	there like this is their new home I
3130s	would I mean I certainly will actually
3132s	there's one particular house that is
3134s	three floors and it's got a beautiful
3136s	view of the giant Colossus right in the
3138s	middle of town that's probably the one
3139s	I'm gonna get
3141s	pretty cool yeah new Corsica that's the
3143s	name of that settlement you know in
3145s	addition to I mean the ancient ruins the
3147s	set pieces are amazing and then the
3148s	enemies too like the anubian guards are
3150s	like fantastic they're some of my
3152s	favorite uh ancient enemies I fought and
3154s	these are not just uh
3156s	copy paste or recolors of our ancient
3158s	Guardians these have new kits new spells
3160s	uh new abilities that the players are
3162s	gonna have to discover and figure out
3164s	how to defend them with the
3167s	these type of cats and the giant scarabs
3170s	and scorpions and the sulfur lizards
3173s	which are crazy scary there's some
3176s	babies out there that shoot acid at you
3178s	yeah and the other enemy families with
3180s	the dust Phantoms and then obviously you
3183s	have the Roman legion that are there and
3185s	uh they have some
3187s	yeah there's a pretty cool background of
3189s	the characters to the corrupted Legion
3190s	too because you know of course the
3192s	Romans and the Egyptians both arrived
3193s	here at the same time and then over time
3195s	they had a falling out between between
3197s	them over over uh you know do we want to
3199s	activate all these ancient Technologies
3201s	the the Egyptians kind of believed or
3202s	some of the Egyptians believed hey these
3204s	are you know gifts from the gods we
3206s	should turn these things on and you know
3207s	the general Crassus the Roman general
3209s	was like I don't know about that
3212s	um and ultimately what happened is uh he
3214s	got uh all the Romans uh they're all the
3216s	legion got turned to stone as part of a
3219s	spell that was cast by from the Indian
3220s	and uh and then and then when they came
3223s	out they became corrupted and now
3225s	they've been uh they're kind of the
3226s	first immediate threat when you get into
3228s	the Zone but yeah I think they're
3229s	fantastic they're some of my favorite
3230s	corrupted enemies for sure and then
3232s	there's one other really big thing that
3236s	just roams around yeah and some people
3239s	might have gotten glimpses of it early
3242s	but you're guaranteed to see it in the
3244s	PTR well if you're lucky
3245s	it's a big scary
3247s	Beast that roams the city you can't
3249s	fight that you can't fight that kill you
3251s	no no it's too big yeah it's too big it
3253s	actually does kill you if you stand too
3255s	close to it
3257s	so you can hear it coming though if you
3258s	hear a rumble and something that looks
3261s	like a small volcano or a fissure
3264s	just run let's get out of the way and
3266s	there's so much to talk about in
3267s	Brimstone like I mean one thing I would
3269s	say for sure like if you ex you know
3271s	played through other parts of the game
3272s	and you went looking for things you
3273s	explored and looked for something and
3275s	got frustrated you didn't find something
3276s	like if you explore in Brimstone you're
3278s	gonna find cool things and I guarantee
3280s	you're not going to find them all it's
3281s	going to take some time
3283s	um because there's so much that you guys
3284s	have put in it's amazing yeah
3287s	um check behind waterfalls check behind
3290s	uh like underneath platforms check the
3294s	roads uh do drop downs because there was
3296s	one that I found
3298s	um outside of Where the Heart ruin Quest
3299s	is it's a series of like drop downs from
3302s	uh I think it was like nests
3305s	and you could see it and it was like on
3307s	a cliff and if you mapped it out you're
3308s	like oh wait a minute I see something
3310s	twinkling down there and it was another
3312s	uh the glyph that you could acquire and
3315s	I thought that was soup we have jumping
3316s	puzzles and that's an example of a
3318s	falling puzzle yeah so yeah
3321s	so you just got to keep wearing I think
3323s	that's going to wrap it up for now uh
3325s	really interested to hear your feedback
3327s	from the PTR uh we're very excited about
3330s	this Zone and what it's going to bring
3331s	to a tournament uh but anyhow happy
3333s	birthday eternum yeah this is your gift
3335s	for the first year it's a brimstone
3337s	Sands a pretty good gift yeah happy
3340s	birthday
3344s	hello we're here to discuss the heart
3346s	gem today it's one of our new features
3348s	it's going to be adding an extra ability
3350s	to our players so I'm gathered here
3353s	today with uh Phil over here a product
3354s	owner for world uh open World Systems
3357s	and we got uh Rob over here who's our
3359s	narrative director and Kyle our senior
3361s	gameplay engineer so let's get down to
3364s	it let's hear the lore Behind These
3365s	heart gems cool so uh as you guys should
3368s	know from playing through the main story
3370s	uh players first get their heart gem
3372s	it's a you know they insert this gem
3374s	into their chest insert that was very uh
3377s	gentle way of putting it right nice way
3379s	of saying it yeah this is this the idea
3382s	behind the gem is that it protects the
3384s	player's soul from becoming corrupted or
3386s	becoming lost and this is part of
3389s	becoming a soul warden in the game and
3390s	of course indeed like it's pretty Grim
3392s	way you have to insert this into your
3394s	chest you have to actually die to put it
3395s	in there I mean the players do that
3397s	early in the main story and now as
3399s	they've Advanced farther and
3400s	particularly in Brimstone Sands players
3402s	discover that there are are
3404s	opportunities to improve their heart Gem
3406s	and the hard gem by basically they go
3408s	around the world they find these ancient
3411s	glyphs and then they can take these
3413s	glyphs and inscribe them on their hard
3415s	gem as a heart Rune and and these give
3417s	them powers that have you know latent
3419s	powers from uh that have hidden off in
3421s	the island you know whether they come
3422s	from the Ancients or they come from some
3424s	other elemental power on the island they
3427s	come from a lot of different places and
3429s	um and yeah then uh of course you know
3431s	the the cool thing is cool you know as
3433s	cool as a story that is around them and
3434s	you and you get it by uh doing a quest
3436s	with the the soul wardens in Brimstone
3438s	Sands but once you you try one of these
3441s	that's where it uh that's where it
3442s	really gets awesome yeah I think it's a
3444s	really exciting piece of progression
3446s	because you have that really dramatic
3447s	moment early on in the game now to call
3449s	back to that and actually use that to
3451s	you know enhance your your playable
3453s	character now it's gonna be really cool
3455s	yeah we planted this way all along of
3457s	course of course of course well speaking
3459s	of enhancing your character so the just
3461s	the functionality behind the hard gems
3462s	one of our our it's basically a fourth
3465s	active ability now so we're going to
3466s	have another button to press which is
3468s	really exciting for us the one of the
3470s	bigger things for this is a character
3471s	base so it does not matter what weapon
3472s	you have so it's going to go right onto
3474s	your character which is really neat and
3476s	opens up a world of opportunity as we
3477s	move forward with these and we also have
3480s	a new way of implanting we usually have
3481s	cooldown timers not all our abilities
3483s	but this time we actually went with the
3484s	meter and Kyle I know you worked on that
3486s	do you want to give some info so one of
3488s	the big things we had to do to implement
3491s	this was we had to implement a new
3493s	charge meter uh you'll build charge just
3497s	by playing the game you know attacking
3499s	getting attacked healing getting healed
3501s	you know just your typical combat
3504s	situations and then once the meter is
3507s	completely filled you can press the
3509s	button and Unleash Your chosen hard to
3512s	jump nice it charges up pretty fast
3514s	right like uh we've tried to tune it to
3518s	about
3519s	if if you're actively playing uh about
3523s	once every minute or so you know give or
3526s	take you know so when you're actively
3529s	engaged in war that was kind of what we
3530s	were going for like one use per per
3533s	minute or so what if I'm getting smacked
3535s	around by a lot of mobs in a POI or
3537s	something you'll get charged from that
3538s	too yeah yep will it charge faster the
3541s	more damage like from damage or from
3543s	Attack like is there a bias the way
3546s	we've tuned it right now is you'll get a
3547s	little more charged by doing the
3549s	attacking not as much charge by getting
3552s	smacked around but I mean you'll still
3553s	build it so there's some hope for me
3556s	yeah okay okay good and the abilities
3559s	themselves they're not you know they're
3561s	obviously not themed after the weapons
3562s	but like where where did all these ideas
3564s	come from like so our abilities are
3566s	definitely themed from some of our
3567s	Expeditions so for instance one of our
3569s	abilities is a a cannon blast where you
3571s	basically whip out a cannon and shoot a
3574s	redictile at people so uh and that comes
3576s	from BNB Barnacles and black powder and
3579s	so every one of these is going to be
3581s	themed after some type of enemy some
3583s	type of expedition or something of that
3584s	nature which leads me to like how do we
3587s	actually get these sure yeah let me yeah
3589s	let me go into that so to acquire uh the
3593s	original heart gem uh the the heart
3595s	runes that you inscribe on your heart
3597s	gem uh they come from Expeditions
3599s	primarily
3601s	and so uh in all of our end game
3604s	dungeons uh Genesis Lazarus Tempest
3608s	Barnacles and black powder now than the
3610s	new uh any ID uh you'll be able to get a
3614s	a tier one heart room that unlocks us a
3619s	unique ability and those about a 10 drop
3621s	chance from the bosses there so that's
3624s	where you get your tier one and then uh
3626s	we have three tiers
3627s	and as you tear it up it gets more and
3629s	more powerful and you actually have a
3631s	little bit of a choice at unlocking
3634s	specific different Perks at uh tier
3637s	three which is really cool and there's
3638s	going to be a lot of different ways that
3640s	players can kind of theory craft with
3642s	that
3643s	um and to do that I mean it's truly an
3644s	end game Pursuit and what we want it to
3646s	do it's a it's an end game of uh special
3649s	ability to do that we're requiring you
3651s	to get like some endgame mats there's
3653s	some uh Brimstone specific materials
3655s	you'll need to to pick up there's gypsum
3657s	orbs which we haven't done before that
3659s	actually feed into the recipe here to
3661s	level it up as well as just some other
3664s	unique mats too per the type of heart uh
3667s	the heart room that you're going for
3668s	yeah your first one though by doing the
3670s	quest that unlocks it that's right
3672s	important to note so look for that in
3674s	North Brimstone about halfway through
3677s	the uh the brimstone storyline that
3678s	unlocks
3679s	do you get Canon blessed with that right
3682s	I believe our first one is Canon yeah
3685s	but in Brimstone in the any it though
3689s	when you're when you're completing that
3691s	expedition that's where you would get
3692s	the detonate one and that's really cool
3694s	and so like that's more thematic to to
3696s	that expedition the the power of the
3699s	sulfuric Sands and the acid and you know
3701s	uh stuff that goes boom uh it's really
3704s	exciting I don't know I think it I think
3705s	it's going to add a ton of depth to
3707s	gameplay yeah a great sword and Cannon
3709s	blast is uh definitely so that's how I
3712s	play tested all Brimstone with that well
3714s	it's really nice because like you've got
3715s	your melee build and then the Cannabis
3717s	gives you that ranged element to just
3721s	plow through maybe some some mobs
3723s	attacking you yeah that's really cool
3724s	definitely massive power yeah it is good
3726s	the abilities you can use them to slide
3728s	in things you don't have on your normal
3729s	weapons right like so if you're a Healer
3732s	let's say and you want to not get cc'd
3734s	you can pop stone form which will let
3736s	you back at Sea seed for five seconds
3737s	and you can move around with it right
3739s	which makes it a little bit more useful
3741s	potentially than like ice tomb yeah
3743s	exactly all right well we're excited for
3746s	everybody to come out to play this uh
3747s	we're excited for our anniversary bash
3748s	there's so much new stuff in the game
3750s	that we're really really excited for
3752s	everybody to come back and play yeah the
3754s	uh this is keep in mind this is our
3755s	first anniversary so super exciting but
3757s	many more to come
3759s	heck yeah yeah thanks everyone
3762s	[Music]
3770s	great sword my name is David forfeit I'm
3772s	joined with Dave Hall our lead gameplay
3774s	designer John and Willard uh our audio
3776s	director and Patrick Smedley an AI
3779s	designer uh to kick it off Dave why
3781s	don't you give us a brief overview of
3783s	the great sword for people who haven't
3784s	played it yet in the PTR awesome yeah so
3787s	the great sword is our new two-handed
3788s	weapon it's based on strength and decks
3790s	and it is a very unique for us we're
3793s	actually going to start doing stances
3794s	with this weapon so as two trees one is
3797s	called the onslaught tree and that's the
3799s	attacking type of stance so it's more
3801s	aggressive you get more damage there but
3803s	you also take more damage and the other
3804s	one is the Defiance tree which is the
3806s	defensive style which you're going to
3808s	take less damage but then deal out less
3810s	damage also and it's it's a really
3812s	interesting new mechanic for us and
3813s	we're hoping it's going to lead to
3815s	people being able to switch between
3816s	going defensive and tanking and going on
3819s	to attack modes also
3821s	cool you said it was scales with
3823s	strength and decks is it what's the math
3825s	behind that scale 50 50 right now and
3828s	unlike the other ones that we've done so
3829s	it's a it's a brand new for us and it
3831s	should pair nicely with a lot of
3833s	different weapons cool well speaking a
3835s	good segue thanks Dave
3837s	speaking of builds and and Theory
3840s	crafting have Patrick or anyone has have
3842s	you guys thought a little bit about how
3843s	you might use the great sword what
3844s	builds are what you might pair it with
3846s	yeah I've thought a good bit about that
3848s	um so the onslaught Tree in particular
3849s	I'm really excited about for PVE content
3851s	getting in there and dealing lots and
3853s	lots of damage to bosses while my
3854s	healers uh keep me up and prevent me
3856s	from dying it's gonna be great and then
3858s	for a kind of large scale PVP content
3860s	Outpost Rush Wars and other things I'm
3862s	really looking forward to a kind of
3864s	stanstancy uh build where I use a little
3866s	bit of the Defiance tree coupled with
3867s	some of the onslaught uh abilities too
3869s	cool let's talk like favoritability Dave
3872s	what's what's your favorite ability on
3873s	the great sword I think it's going to be
3875s	Skyward slash right now I just really
3877s	really enjoy that tactile feel when you
3879s	hit that button at the top of the I can
3881s	come flying down with that swipe it's
3882s	just really really fun you have to
3884s	upgrade to get that yeah that's the
3886s	first upgrade on it I believe how about
3888s	you Jed I love the shield unfortunately
3890s	I can't remember the name of the ability
3892s	okay
3893s	um cool and Patrick I like kraska the
3896s	one two three of these swings there just
3898s	feels really impactful and Powerful to
3899s	me cool next we're going to talk a
3901s	little bit about art I'll talk a little
3902s	bit about the art part of it so uh the
3904s	great sword is is obviously the newest
3906s	weapon it was inspired a little bit uh
3908s	by the Roman Gladius right because it's
3910s	released with Brimstone sand uh and it
3912s	was like how would we take a Gladius and
3914s	turn it into a big two-handed weapon uh
3917s	when you see some of the concept art in
3918s	the art team that's sort of what their
3919s	original inspiration was they took
3921s	Inspirations from a lot of different
3922s	civilizations that have two-handed great
3924s	swords and what's great is like as we
3927s	introduce it to the game there's going
3928s	to be drops you know an ebb and scale
3931s	and in Garden of Genesis and each of
3933s	these have very unique and different
3934s	looks I think it's going to be great
3936s	there's also going to be a skin that
3937s	comes out uh with it in October also so
3941s	um the art is looking great uh and what
3943s	about the sound Jed what was some
3944s	inspiration behind this sound what how
3947s	did you create some of the sounds tell
3948s	us about the soundscape of the great
3949s	sore so well actually this weapon was
3952s	created by Tony Martinez anyway was his
3954s	first weapon but it goes back to a
3957s	recording session that we did actually
3958s	at hema hema it's the historical
3962s	European martial arts and uh yeah it was
3965s	pretty cool we went there recording
3967s	people fighting with real swords and
3968s	shields and it was epic he was very
3971s	dangerous and threatening and we're like
3973s	wow we've got some great materials and
3976s	we came back to the studio listened to
3977s	those sounds and everything sounded very
3979s	thin and Tiny you know like how you know
3981s	Ting Ting Ting like a lot of like
3983s	slashes that feel like you know noisy
3985s	harsh not really the great qualities
3987s	that we're looking for so when Tony
3989s	actually take on the task of creating
3991s	the the new palette for the great sword
3994s	um it looked at making it more you know
3995s	like elusive more uh less predictable
3998s	and and powerful and one of the app he
4001s	accidents that happened is during one of
4003s	the mornings it was working on the
4004s	weapon he made coffee and he forgot to
4007s	remove the uh to put the pot underneath
4009s	the coffee machine and so those coffee
4012s	drips um there were like evaporating on
4015s	the hot metal became one of his source
4018s	of inspiration for the for the weapon
4020s	and it created that you know sensation
4022s	of like you don't want to be burned it's
4023s	dangerous it's threatening it's the
4025s	elements that we're missing from like
4027s	the human recordings and so we took
4029s	those recordings processed them
4030s	distorted them uh layered them with like
4033s	some reverse metal and you create this
4035s	like new out of the world you know
4037s	magical Sonic tonality that we use
4040s	throughout all the abilities and it's
4042s	one of the aspects that we love doing
4043s	with sounds you know it's always trying
4045s	to find the most familiar sounds but the
4047s	least predictable we want to surprise
4049s	audience you know with things that
4051s	they've never heard of before but also
4053s	make them feel like it's still something
4055s	familiar they've listened to to before
4057s	uh some of the examples for example
4059s	would be with the fire staff no one
4061s	probably you know realized but we use
4063s	like an A10 bomber for like the meteor
4066s	shower it creates like these you know
4068s	kind of sounds uh we use like a rocket
4071s	launch you know for the heavy Fireball
4074s	um when you hear it in the air and it's
4076s	crackling for you know like the the sky
4078s	it's actually a rocket launch we use
4080s	Like Trains coupling uh for like the
4083s	great ax spinning ability I think it's
4084s	called Whirlwind
4086s	um and then remember them
4088s	that one yeah just because the great
4091s	sword is too new but um yeah we love you
4094s	know trying to to surprise the audience
4096s	with things that you know we put a sound
4098s	that feels satisfying satisfaction for
4101s	weapon when you walk you know the uh the
4103s	bosses in the environment or like other
4106s	players you know it creates like a
4107s	little dose of dopamine that makes you
4109s	feel good yeah it's cool and I think you
4111s	know the sound design in our game is
4113s	awesome and I love that you give just as
4115s	much attention to the weapons as you do
4117s	the Gathering because that's what always
4118s	gets called out but the weapons get just
4120s	as much left well we have an AI designer
4122s	here with us let's talk a little bit
4124s	about like how is the great sword gonna
4126s	handle AI combat anything special there
4128s	anything you want to call out yeah
4129s	absolutely so I do a lot of tanking um
4131s	so it's going to be a great weapon to
4133s	pair with your sword and shield most
4135s	players use sword and shield as their
4137s	primary weapon for tanking and kind of
4139s	what you're using as an offhand has
4140s	changed some players use spear a lot of
4142s	players use grade X war hammer I feel
4144s	like myself prefer the hatchet but the a
4146s	great sword the entire defines tree is
4148s	really geared well towards tanking a lot
4150s	of the abilities generate a passive
4151s	threat on top of the taunt gem
4153s	compatibility there
4154s	you have abilities like roaring rupture
4156s	which will taunt and then also Empower
4158s	players nearby so it's a great way to
4160s	make sure that your teammates are kind
4162s	of getting Buffs there so it's going to
4164s	really help our tank players kind of
4165s	maintain control of the encounter while
4167s	also supporting the other members of
4169s	their party on the other side there
4170s	though you also have the onslaught tree
4171s	which is going to deal a lot of damage
4173s	so I expect for some more melee focused
4174s	encounters uh things like the the
4177s	Greenskeeper and charitis you're going
4180s	to really want to keep a great sword in
4181s	your repertoire just to deal a ton of
4182s	damage to those enemies and Dave when
4185s	you were designing the great sword was
4186s	it like I know spear is a little more
4188s	single Target focused where the great
4190s	axis is obviously more uh you know
4192s	cleaving through people what was sort of
4194s	the theory or the goal for the great
4196s	sword yeah the great sword uh definitely
4198s	was about multiple enemies for sure and
4200s	multiple hits and also having range that
4203s	was one of the big things with it is
4204s	such a large object in the world right
4205s	like so we wanted to make sure it could
4206s	reach really far we want to also keep it
4209s	on the onslaught tree really fluid and
4210s	fast that's why we have a lot of the
4211s	abilities or multi-hit abilities they
4214s	have they hit three times two times
4215s	things of that nature so I think it was
4218s	about like creating a really aggressive
4219s	offense some of the abilities will
4221s	actually slow the enemy too which will
4223s	be great for PVP if you hit um and then
4225s	on the defensive side kind of like what
4226s	Patrick was mentioning there we really
4228s	wanted to make sure we had another way
4229s	to tank not just sword and shield so I
4231s	think the defensive side of the tree is
4232s	really going to help us with that well
4234s	thanks we're excited to see what you all
4235s	do with the great sword uh tell us what
4237s	your favorite builds and all that are
4239s	and uh congratulations new world uh
4241s	birthday number one whoo
4244s	laughs
4251s	thank you for joining us once again one
4254s	last time let's hear it we're going to
4257s	be talking about the any AD so it's our
4259s	brand new expedition in Brimstone Sands
4261s	and joining me for this segment once
4263s	again is Rob
4265s	and then adjacent to him uh I'm totally
4267s	gonna blank on Patrick's name but it's
4269s	Patrick
4270s	you know what's throwing me off Patrick
4273s	this is on his head uh so if you didn't
4277s	know Patrick is already six foot eight
4278s	and with the hat he's now nine foot ten
4282s	um and just to my left TV right is
4286s	Darren say hello Darren so now
4290s	any AD let's talk about the story and
4292s	its importance we kind of touched a
4293s	little bit about the giant pyramid as
4295s	you entered Brimstone but what's it the
4297s	heart of this look yeah so as we
4299s	mentioned you'll see it right when you
4301s	walk into Brimstone Sands it's
4302s	impossible to miss this giant pyramid
4305s	glowing partially glowing uh when you
4307s	walk into the Zone that's the pyramid
4309s	sits in the ancient city of Arquette
4310s	which was built by the ancient Egyptians
4313s	that came here three thousand years ago
4315s	and actually this was uh concurrent with
4317s	when the Ancients were here and although
4319s	you know we're not going to tell you
4321s	everything about the Ancients but but
4322s	it's absolutely true that the Ancients
4324s	uh were here at the same time they
4326s	worked together with the Egyptians to
4328s	build the city and this massive pyramid
4330s	that houses the aniad which the Indian
4332s	itself is actually like the mechanism
4334s	inside it's the it's the the machine and
4337s	the the power that's inside of uh of
4339s	this uh pyramid and uh and yeah the
4343s	story behind it is of course that uh
4344s	that some years ago not uh so it was
4347s	built originally by immotep along with
4349s	the Ancients and then about a thousand
4351s	years ago
4352s	the the India was activated because the
4355s	Egyptians who came a little bit later
4356s	thought that there was uh that there was
4359s	the power of the gods they could unleash
4361s	and they they Unleashed it and in fact
4363s	ended up petrifying the Roman legion and
4366s	uh and now the the legacy of that is
4368s	today with General Crassus and the the
4370s	corrupted Legion uh and they're they're
4371s	still in Conflict today and he's back in
4373s	there now
4375s	um trying to uh to redeem or to to
4378s	shut down or react reacquire the power
4381s	that uh that he that he was you know
4383s	that they looked for previously now with
4387s	that awesome story and that backstory
4388s	that's kind of like leading to now we're
4391s	designing this space and so what are the
4394s	things that you took into account with
4395s	like that story and things that we've
4397s	learned so so it's not often as a level
4400s	designer right that you get to um
4402s	literally go inside a giant pyramid
4406s	on the mission to push the giant red
4408s	button right it's like that's the setup
4411s	here and um right away we knew that we
4415s	integrated it deeply in the level design
4418s	um one of the things that I think we
4420s	learned from the get-go with uh the
4423s	Ameren expedition was I wanted it to
4426s	align with
4427s	player goals
4430s	on replays because I didn't want people
4432s	to get left out in the cold when they
4434s	were on this territory Quest is what it
4436s	actually is right the Mechanics for
4439s	getting the chests and the Mechanics for
4441s	turning on the giant red button
4443s	initially are the same they take you to
4446s	the same corners of the dungeons uh uh
4448s	oops that's the that's the dollar for
4450s	the job dollar
4451s	um Expedition
4453s	I know what it is but he still owes me a
4455s	dollar and
4457s	um this is a very
4459s	meat and potatoes Dungeon Crawl and
4462s	that's the correct word of in this
4464s	context yes
4466s	um there's some labyrinths with which I
4468s	think fits the theme very well and
4471s	um
4472s	also some big Chambers where aggro
4475s	ranges become very important there's
4478s	multiple encounters in these Chambers
4480s	and they lead pretty directly into
4484s	multiple bosses and they'll let you
4485s	Patrick talk about that yeah sure so
4488s	this is our first three boss dungeon
4489s	which is something we're super excited
4491s	about like Darren said it's kind of meat
4493s	and potatoes you're getting in there and
4494s	you're constantly fighting other enemies
4495s	that lead up to these bosses very
4497s	quickly so you're really going to get
4499s	into the action uh very quickly which
4500s	makes it very fun uh first boss you come
4503s	across is I'm going to butcher this name
4505s	but The Godly and Capri this giant
4507s	Scarab internally we refer to him as the
4509s	Disco Beetle big big Beetle big Beetle
4512s	the Disco Beetle um this guy loves
4514s	lasers so when he pops lasers out on the
4516s	dance floor it's time to
4518s	get far far away his arena is really big
4520s	which lends itself well to a lot of
4523s	space and players kind of moving around
4524s	trying to avoid his kind of chaotic
4526s	lasers a really kind of chaotic fight
4528s	that's a lot of fun uh second boss uh
4531s	the very feared kind of General Crassus
4532s	the leader of the Roman legion we build
4535s	up to him a little bit in Brimstone and
4537s	then you finally get to fight him and
4538s	his corrupted Roman legion which is just
4540s	super exciting um you're not only
4542s	dealing with like kind of the power that
4544s	he has and like the mechanics that he
4545s	has but also all the soldiers he's
4547s	bringing along with him and if you're
4548s	not able to kind of maintain control of
4551s	the soldiers that fight's gonna turns
4552s	out really really fast yeah there's a
4554s	lot of management of the ads especially
4556s	some of them get real brutal towards the
4558s	end oh yeah third face has these ogres
4560s	and those ogres will mess you up real
4562s	fast if your tank is not you know on it
4564s	uh and that leads us to our third boss
4565s	the goliaths of the eniad these are two
4567s	kind of ancient stone constructs come to
4569s	life uh with ancient uh kind of magic to
4573s	kind of defend the Indiana and like
4575s	they're the last line of defense before
4576s	you get into that control console at the
4577s	end there really tough fight you gotta
4580s	kind of handle their mechanics well but
4582s	it's really important to remember that
4583s	you can't kill one without killing the
4584s	other and I'll kind of leave that
4586s	mechanic at that yeah I mean just to
4588s	call it out that the you know the whole
4590s	Temple like Darren said is like a
4592s	security system right like this is this
4594s	ancient power structure and uh and
4596s	general Crassus is fighting his way
4598s	through there and I I'm actually can't
4599s	think of it off the top of my head like
4600s	how much of the dungeon is corrupt how
4602s	much the Expedition is corrupted versus
4603s	uh about a third of the Expedition is
4607s	taken over by Crassus and his forces and
4612s	um the exposition is pretty evenly
4614s	divided into three islands um fitting
4617s	the three different bosses and then I I
4619s	was going to mention that um of course
4621s	that uh you know ultimately what's this
4623s	place protecting right like crass is
4624s	trying to get in there we know there's
4626s	something and that that's that red
4628s	button back at the back and we're not
4629s	going to necessarily say everything
4630s	about what's going on there but suffice
4632s	to say if if you achieve this then
4634s	something pretty cool can happen yeah
4637s	how many runs do you think before a
4640s	player can achieve that
4642s	um it's really gonna this so This Maps
4644s	directly to a quest and the objectives
4648s	for this are actually outside of the
4650s	expedition in that they're they're in
4653s	the quest flow not the Expedition flow
4655s	and so it was a big deal for us it's a
4658s	little bit new to be tracking these
4660s	individual objectives separate from the
4663s	Expedition flow they should be able to
4665s	do it in a run once they have the
4667s	correct Quest setting them up and that's
4669s	the part that I didn't want them to be
4671s	getting left out in the cold where their
4673s	motivations were entirely different than
4675s	players who are replaying this and I
4677s	think this expedition in general is
4678s	going to have a ton of replay value
4680s	that's one of the things that we wanted
4681s	to get out of it yeah so even if you
4684s	haven't done all the all the quests
4685s	leading up to it running it'll be super
4687s	rewarding but the uh yeah and it's and
4689s	it's a you know a pretty long questline
4691s	I think there's probably 10 or 12 quests
4693s	in that quest line before you get to the
4695s	point where you actually go in there and
4696s	challenge Crassus and uh and and and in
4699s	this story actually deal with the the
4701s	mechanism it's inside there yeah I loved
4704s	it like there's a there's a definitive
4706s	kind of like golden path you can take
4707s	but there's all these alcoves and
4709s	different like uh Clover leaves that can
4712s	occur as you Loop or double back or
4714s	you're just carving your way back onto
4716s	the path uh but nice Open Spaces uh lots
4720s	of named enemies so there's always kind
4721s	of something to go after and then the
4723s	some of the new mechanics that I like
4725s	there uh with it's kind of like
4728s	ancient Guardian technology these
4730s	Sentinels that cause different things to
4732s	happen once they're you know alerted to
4734s	your presence or like spawns of enemies
4737s	out of the walls and some other neat
4739s	stuff happens yeah with their presence
4741s	starstone Burroughs um just to give some
4743s	background we talked about as sort of a
4745s	Ocean's 11 movie right like it was a
4747s	jewelry heist which it like literally is
4749s	and uh this was more like assaulting a
4752s	bunker to push the giant rate button
4754s	like the forces know you're coming
4755s	you're fighting your way through them
4757s	and um and I think it came off well in
4760s	in terms of that yeah Mike missions the
4763s	kind of winding hallways of the
4764s	Expedition Community really interested
4766s	to see how that plays out in mutations
4767s	because there's not really one clear
4769s	path forward so how the meta develops
4771s	around whether you just rush to the end
4773s	and get in and out as quickly as
4774s	possible or you stop and kill every
4775s	single named enemy along the way like I
4777s	think players are gonna have a lot of
4778s	fun kind of figuring out that puzzle to
4780s	maximize their score yeah and you got to
4781s	wonder you know so all these uh ancient
4783s	Guardians in there and all these
4784s	security devices and uh you know but no
4787s	one knows what from the Ancients are
4789s	where they are or what they're up to or
4790s	what this device might have to do with
4791s	them but uh you know if I say there
4794s	would be uh be kind of scary to think
4796s	about what what might happen if the
4797s	Ancients were to come back or you know I
4799s	don't know
4800s	that's not going to happen
4803s	not anytime soon well yeah yeah well who
4806s	knows who knows there might be some
4808s	ancients around I mean it could be yeah
4810s	like dormant sleeping could
4813s	well we hope we love what you've heard
4816s	about the any AD we can't wait for you
4818s	to jump into this expedition in the PTR
4820s	and when it goes live it's going to be a
4823s	fantastic anniversary release so you
4825s	know happy birthday eternum here's to
4827s	one awesome year can't wait for more to
4829s	come yeah enjoy
4832s	well we covered a lot today you know
4834s	those deep Dives in the making of
4836s	segments
4837s	super informative thanks a lot for
4839s	taking the time to do that everybody
4841s	before we go we just want to give a
4843s	quick uh couple quick updates first off
4844s	the PTR is live so if you want to check
4847s	out Brimstone and our new starting
4848s	experience
4849s	hop out of the forums if you need some
4851s	information there's also uh there's some
4854s	interesting stats we have here from the
4856s	past year there's too many to list but
4857s	we picked a couple that were just kind
4859s	of interesting there have been 6.3
4862s	billion trees fell than eternum uh it's
4865s	possible that there were a few bots in
4866s	there but we did ban those and we're
4868s	going to keep working on making sure
4869s	that it turns a clean environment for
4871s	you folks to play in there were 17.3
4874s	billion PVE kills so you took care of a
4878s	lot of the dangerous creatures in a
4879s	tournament during the last year Scott
4881s	you have a couple here that you called
4882s	out yeah 12.4 billion minutes streamed
4886s	on Twitch
4888s	wow that's a lot of minutes so thank you
4890s	to everyone who support yeah for the
4892s	support and for streaming it we really
4894s	appreciate that another interesting one
4896s	is uh 327 million quests completed yeah
4900s	and if you're if you're a questor then
4902s	uh definitely check out PTR definitely
4904s	check out the update you're going to
4906s	find a vastly improved starting
4907s	experience and then quests that are much
4910s	higher quality than the ones that we
4911s	were delivering earlier as we learned
4913s	got better with your feedback you're
4914s	going to see a lot more of that in the
4916s	game going forward I wanted to let you
4917s	know we hear the feedback on Fresh Start
4919s	servers we're going to have something to
4920s	talk about real soon beyond that we're
4922s	going to see you in October where we
4924s	talk about the roadmap bye-bye see you
4926s	folks

[2022] New World: Dev Update - September 2022

Transcript (by Youtube)

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