Meta:Quickjump Network Two Worlds Interview

This Q&A was posted to the website Quickjump Network by Rio S. on Jul 02, 2007.

Questions and Answers

The RPG genre is one of the most immersive (read: addictive) game types around - with long gameplay hours and extensive plots. Being such, RPGs can amass their own fanbases, making it a bit tricky to take a piece of the pie especially when you've got a new title.

One title has piqued our interest (or at least, this writer's) and we were lucky we scored an interview with the creators. We had a chance to sit down with James Seaman, Managing Director at TopWare Interactive to talk about their upcoming video game, Two Worlds. We're sure you've been expecting some news about what's going on with the innovative RPG. Why innovative? Well, let's see... Two Worlds packs a persistent world, immense in-game environments to explore, no loading times, and other features that are surely considered new to the RPG genre. We got into a lot of things about the game like character progression, multiplayer modes for both the PC and Xbox 360 versions, and release dates.

We'll quit the prattle so you can read the entire interview. It's pretty beefy, so you better keep your eyes peeled. You might find some interesting stuff in there. (Plus, Mr. Seaman's sense of humor didn't go unnoticed here at QJ Central.)

QJ: The most successful RPGs (and MMOs) around can reel players in and keep them there for very long periods of time. Is there a single feature or part of Two Worlds that you believe will reel the players in and keep them asking for more?

James Seaman: We think it’s less a single feature that will keep players involved, and more a combination of many addicting features that will keep people hooked. There’s the joy of exploring an open world and discovering new places and creatures. There’s the item combination and potion creation system that keeps making you want to try one more combination to see what results you get. There’s the open-ended character advancement system that lets you fool around with various skill combinations. And, of course, there’s the classic RPG strive to get more experience and gold.

QJ: We're sure you're tired of hearing this (but we do hope you'll humor us), but now that work on the game is complete, how do you believe Two Worlds stacks up to Oblivion, and more importantly, in what areas do you believe you've bested Bethesda's epic?

JS: Oblivion is a fantastic game, and we hope we’re compared to it, because in our minds, it means we’re doing something right. Here’s where I think we’ve one upped The Elder Scrolls. Our world is more diverse, with many more environment types to explore. We also have more monsters and wildlife (in other words, you’ll never say ‘oh great, another rat’). Our alchemy system can create a near infinite number of potions. We also have many more voice actors, so you’ll never feel like you’re hearing the same person again and again. I could go on and on, but ultimately how Two Worlds stacks up against Oblivion will be debated by the players, so I’ll leave it to them.

QJ: What innovations are you most proud of in Two Worlds? How do you think will innovations affect future RPG titles?

JS: The fact that we can present an open world with no loading times for entering cities or buildings should definitely be the new model in gaming. Loading seems to be this necessary evil that players accept, but our game proves it doesn’t need to be. No matter how short, any loading time is going to lessen your immersion into the game. We’ve also taken the open-world concept and expanded it into more areas. We have near limitless possibilities with item creation and character progression. We think all RPG titles, and all games period, need to think less about limitations and more how to create a system that removes roadblocks.

QJ: Could you give us an overview of the vast expanse of areas to to be explored in Two Worlds?

JS: Here’s a sample of the places and environments you can expect to have seen after putting in plenty of time with Two Worlds: forest, logging camps, desert, dungeons, tombs, caves, bamboo forests, islands, arctic tundras, Romanesque cities, Asian-inspired villages, volcanic plains, wheat fields, mountain tops, deep underwater, and many other things I’ve forgotten to mention.

QJ: Will certain changes in weather or time of day affect gameplay?

JS: Gameplay will be affected in that you’ll have trouble seeing at night without a light source, or how thick fog will make it difficult for you to know that you’re about to walk into a nest of orcs, or that a heavy storm will cause villagers to head indoors.

QJ: How many classes or jobs can players choose from? And how will the choice of jobs vary the gameplay experience?

JS: Our character advancement is classless. You start with a smattering of skills, and your ability scores at a low level. From the point where you gain your first level, how you advance is up to you. There are 38 skills that you can choose to advance in Two Worlds, and since you only get a couple skill points to distribute each level, you’re going to have to make some kind of choice in regards to what kind of character you can create. That being said, though, we didn’t implement any false limitations in advancing. For example, if you want to be a mage that can wield two weapons, wear heavy armor, and sneak up on people and assassinate them – go for it!

QJ: How does the Two Worlds' persistent world work in the video game's favor?

JS: Kind of like I was saying with loading times, it’s our belief from a game design standpoint that the less things there are that remind a player that it is a game, the more involved they’ll be. So the fact that you’ll have to wait out a thunderstorm, or that you’ll see the landscape gradually become more desolate as you head toward the desert, keeps your mind from thinking, ‘that’s weird,’ and keeps you from shutting the game down, or even pausing. Why would you want to pause the game when you’re curious if you’ll see that huge stag wander by again?

QJ: By removing enemy respawns, you've effectively removed the grind that RPG players have grown accustomed to. How will players progress throughout the game?

JS: Here’s another example of our persistent world to keep players involved. Does it make sense that monsters appear in the same place where you just killed them the day before? We didn’t think so. What we’ve done, rather than have creatures respawn, is create a world teeming with life. Is it possible to kill every, single living thing in the world? Yes. Is it probable? No. Decimating everything in the land would probably take a player well over a few hundred hours.

QJ: Do you have an estimate number of endings for Two Worlds? As players can choose to be either good or evil, can you give an example of how certain actions affect the entire game world?

JS: I do have an estimate on the number of endings, but I’d like to keep that one under my hat. We have to have a few surprises for players to discover when the game releases!

QJ: What does Two Worlds offer in the way of replay value?

JS: In addition to the branching storyline and multiple ending question I just dodged, we think the online portion of the game gives Two Worlds extensive replay value. The online game takes place in the same world, but with all new quests and with the interaction of other players. Naturally, this is the portion of the game that we can greatly expand upon after release.

QJ: Are the two versions of the game vastly different visually? Some players noted that the PC version -at least in the screenshots released so far- is prettier when compared with what we've seen of the Xbox360 version, does this carry over to the final retail version?

JS: It depends on what kind of PC you’re using. The Xbox 360 version looks amazing, and we used all the tricks we could to push the hardware to the limits. However, if you’re using a top of the line gaming PC on a monitor capable of superior resolution, then Two Worlds will look better on it. Not remarkably better, but you would be able to see a difference.

QJ: What can we expect from character customization options both for Multiplayer and Single player modes?

JS: I’ve gone into character customization in the single player game. In online multiplayer, you have the same open-ended advancement options, except you can also select a difference sex and race. Our single-player game’s story is tailored around your character, so it didn’t make sense for him to be anything other than a human male.

QJ: Can you explain how the Multiplayer mode will work on both platforms? Will players be able to play cross-platform? Previous reports say that the multiplayer mode will allow for up to eight players in the Xbox360 version, how will the persistent world work then?

JS: For the 360, you can have up to eight players online in the world. One person is a kind of anchor, and is the one that decides when the game is played. For example, say you have eight people playing but two have to leave. The anchor decides if the game session is ceased until a later time, or if those remaining play on. This position can also be passed on to another person. Once everyone leaves, your version of the world is saved for the next time you decide to play.

The PC version supports hundreds of players online, and you can form parties of up to eight to go on quests. In the PC version, the world is always there for you to enter and leave as you please.

QJ: Is there an ETA on the Xbox360 version's release?

JS: Two Worlds for both Xbox 360 and PC will release in North America on July 21st.

QJ: There's already a patch released for the PC version of the game, will the 360 retail version include these fixes or will players have to download a patch to update the game, if so, how soon do you anticipate this patch will be available?

JS: We released the PC version of the game in Europe as a kind of very large beta test. The North American release, and the 360 version, will have all the patches already incorporated into it.

QJ: Can you give us hints about any planned, Downloadable content? Expansions?

JS: Other than the fact that we are planning such things, nope.

QJ: What are your plans after Two Worlds?

JS: Sleep.

QJ: Thanks so much for your time!