Recently Korean gaming portal Inven Interview with developers from the Swedish studio 10 Chambers. This team, known for its hardcore cooperative shooter GTFO, was founded by key developers of Payday 2 and is now working on a new shooter about robbery called Den of Wolves.
We carefully studied the materials of this conversation and prepared for you a Russian -speaking summary, in which we collected all the key information from the answers of the developers. In the interview, the details of the gameplay, design philosophy, technical aspects and future plans for Den of Wolves were discussed.
The main thing from the interview:
- When creating Den of Wolves, the 10 Chambers studio seeks to create a cooperative game, and not precisely the first -person hardcore shooter. Therefore, the game is developed as more comfortable and simple compared to GTFO and is somewhere in the middle between Payday 2 and GTFO. The gameplay will still be difficult, but will become more affordable. The identity of the studio lies in creating games that require close cooperation, and not in creating extremely hardcore games; GTFO hardcore was only a feature of that particular game.
- The essence of the cooperative is the game with other players. A good cooperative game should not be so light that one player can handle everything alone; It must require discussion and t overcoming difficulties. GTFO is an extreme example of this philosophy, while den of Wolves is a softer game aimed at a slightly wider audience.
- An important problem in cooperative games (as often happens in Payday 2) is a situation when team act according to various inconsistent plans. Therefore, cooperative games must necessarily include communication processes to determine the general direction of action, even if the details are not worked out. Such cooperation should be possible regardless of language and skill barriers. Den of Wolves strives for this: the host is planning an operation, changing the card and fixing the route. The track points system will help participants from the matchmaking match find out the current plan, allowing the team to understand the direction of age even without words.
- Although the planning of robbery on a physical map during the demonstration was made to increase interest and socialization at the event, a similar level of planning is quite real. In the preliminary planning menu, you can set the robbery and choose the approach. Den of Wolves will communication tools comparable to drawing and marking possibilities on a map in GTFO.
- Each robbery in Den of Wolves has its own storyline and several preparatory missions. Depending on the type of preparation (for example, intimidation of guards, obtaining codes from the safe in advance, the use of explosives for a break of the wall), different methods of penetration will become available. The host, acting as the organizer, determines what training to conduct and how to fulfill the robbery, choosing from several possible solutions.
- The game provides for extensive elements of progression, including the possibility of improving and customization of weapons, various equipment and gadgets. However, it is difficult to talk about the functions similar to the “perks” in other games.
- The “dive” system is considered as a great idea for making a variety of intensity and atmosphere of the gameplay. It makes it possible to encounter anything: in demo, it was a 3D platformer, but the developers consider the possibility of turning on RTS elements, puzzles, stealth mines or shootings. The visual design of “diving” can be varied (for example, a Chinese temple or a Japanese garden), and the atmosphere may change, creating tense moments (for example, persecution in the maze).
- “Immersions” radically change the gameplay, serve as a kind of respite or pace change. Failure is not critical, as the players will have the opportunity to repeat the attempt. How exactly to them is not explained – the clarification of this in itself is part of the call. “Immersions” are a challenge not only for players, but also for developers, providing a platform for the implementation of many diverse ideas in the format of short missions.
- The design of the “dive system” was influenced by many science fiction works, such as “matrix”, “strange days”, “ghost in armor”, “black mirror”, “running along the blade” and “beginning”.
- The choice of the player affects the narrative throughout the game. For example, in demo, one could hear the sounds of the torture of a person who issued information in the previous mission. You can also hear how enemies discuss the actions of players among themselves. This was done intentionally, because in the cooperative game the weight of the narrative for each participant can be different: someone wants to plunge deeper into history, reading intra-game letters and notes, and someone prefers a faster pace of the game. Therefore, in Den of Wolves, the narrative elements are integrated directly into the gameplay or are available through the menu (for example, information about clients and allies is available outside the mission), and are not submitted through individual text or audio logs that could interrupt the gaming stream.
- The exact number of weapons and gadgets at the start of early access is difficult to name, but all of them will maintain customization. Given the number of possible combinations, players are unlikely to feel a shortage in the arsenal.
- To ensure a stable network connection, it is planned to deploy regional servers. The main structure will use the P2P connection to minimize delays. Servers will be responsible for the selection of players and information management about s. The stability of the network is a very important element, and the team actively explores ways to create the best network environment.
- The creation of a balanced economy in a game of robbery is a difficult task due to the risk of hyperinflation caused by large cash awards for the mission. Therefore, “bags with money” will not directly convert to the game currency. Instead, the players will receive weapons and equipment through the drop system system, including silencers, sights, body kit and other accessories.
- At the early access stage, the game will maintain English primarily. The priority of adding for other languages will be determined by the number of players speaking these languages. Separately, it is planned to introduce a ping system and a voice command system through a quick menu to facilitate communication.
The release date of Den of Wolves has not yet been announced in the early access stage.
