Interview A Decadent Interview at RPG Dot

[DarkUnderlord]

Tags: Age of Decadence

<a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/">RPGDot</a> <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1227">have an interview with Iron Tower</a> (poor kid, his parents must've been Mutants to give him a name like that) about his upcoming RPG <a href="http://www.irontowerstudio.com/">Age of Decadence</a>. For those of you that don't know, the Age of Decadence is an isometric, turn-based, single-player 3D role-playing game set in a low magic, post-apocalyptic fantasy world, inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. Here's a snip from the interview:
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<blockquote>"The Age of Decadence is an isometric, turn-based, single-player 3D role-playing game set in a low magic, post-apocalyptic fantasy world, inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. The game features a detailed skill-based character system, non-linear gameplay, multiple skill-based ways to handle quests, choices & consequences, and extensive dialogue trees."</blockquote>
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You can read more exciting information <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1227">in the interview</a> where the developers answer questions about dialogue, what low-magic really means, the skill-based class system, melee specialisation sub-skills and why Rome? Here's a particularly ironic question:
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<blockquote>RPGDot: You originally started development with a 2D engine and switched to 3D using the Torque engine. At the time, some of your fans criticised you for focusing on graphics with this decision. Looking back, did you make the right decision and how did the change benefit the gameplay?
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Iron Tower: Time will tell whether or not we've made the right decision. Back then it seemed to me that way too many people were writing the game off because of the "dated" look. The 3D version certainly gets a better reaction and more interest, so no complaints here.
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The benefits are mostly on the visual side: locations, character models, animations, etc.</blockquote>
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There are some screenshots in the article so you can appreciate the graphic whoring of the game <font size="1">(HINT: The graphics look like shit)</font>. Exciting stuff. While I'm here, spot the horrible spelling error in this quote plugged on the company's website: <blockquote>"That kind of things is common here. Conspiracies and assassinations and naked power-grabs. All the fun of decadence."
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- Glen Cook, The Black Company</blockquote>
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Thanks <b>baby arm</b>!

 

[Monolith]

Aw, shit, my streetwise skill tells me that this "is just too good to be true." :D

Anyway, if it's as good as it's told in the interview you have two paying costumers over here. Keep up the good work, don't fuck up the balancing and yeah, do what you told you'd do and...just make sure I can pay you from here.


fuck...I have to spread the word.

 

[Zomg]

VD, your English prose comes across as stilted and prone to subtle problems from what I'm seeing in those screenshots. You might want to get a native English writer or student to read your script and polish it up once you're in the final stages, unless those screenshots are showing a very rough draft. I'm not trying to be belligerent (in this case, anyway) but with such a heavy emphasis on the dialogue I think that the actual nuts and bolts writing should be a focus.

 

[Nutcracker]

<a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/">RPGDot</a> <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1227">have an interview with Iron Tower</a> (poor kid, his parents must've been Mutants to give him a name like that) about his upcoming RPG <a href="http://www.irontowerstudio.com/">Age of Decadence</a>. For those of you that don't know, the Age of Decadence is an isometric, turn-based, single-player 3D role-playing game set in a low magic, post-apocalyptic fantasy world, inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. Here's a snip from the interview:
<blockquote>"The Age of Decadence is an isometric, turn-based, single-player 3D role-playing game set in a low magic, post-apocalyptic fantasy world, inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. The game features a detailed skill-based character system, non-linear gameplay, multiple skill-based ways to handle quests, choices & consequences, and extensive dialogue trees."</blockquote>
You can read more exciting information <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1227">in the interview</a> where the developers answer questions about dialogue, what low-magic really means, the skill-based class system, melee specialisation sub-skills and why Rome? Here's a particularly ironic question:
<blockquote>RPGDot: You originally started development with a 2D engine and switched to 3D using the Torque engine. At the time, some of your fans criticised you for focusing on graphics with this decision. Looking back, did you make the right decision and how did the change benefit the gameplay?

Iron Tower: Time will tell whether or not we've made the right decision. Back then it seemed to me that way too many people were writing the game off because of the "dated" look. The 3D version certainly gets a better reaction and more interest, so no complaints here.

The benefits are mostly on the visual side: locations, character models, animations, etc.</blockquote>
There are some screenshots in the article so you can appreciate the graphic whoring of the game <font size="1">(HINT: The graphics look like shit)</font>. Exciting stuff. While I'm here, spot the horrible spelling error in this quote plugged on the company's website: <blockquote>"That kind of things is common here. Conspiracies and assassinations and naked power-grabs. All the fun of decadence."
- Glen Cook, The Black Company</blockquote>
Thanks <b>baby arm</b>!

Isn't that VD's game?

 

[Andyman Messiah]

http://newspics.rpgdot.com/imageview.ph ... name=4.jpg

Grids! I think I got erection. Love it!

Edit: Oh, good interview too. :wink:

 

[Jora]

Isn't that VD's game?

Yes. Iron Tower = VD

 

[Oarfish]

I can't see any rats or barrels in those screens VD, you know jack shit about RPG design.

Seriously, looks almost too good to be true. Have some reservations about lots of one on one melee, but other than that it sounds superb. If you need any play testers, I'll cough up the cash for the full version.

 

[Claw]

The answers are pressing all the right buttons, but then we knew that already from VD's statements on the forum.
One odd thing I noticed are the screenshots. Are there outdated shots? Haven't Dodge, Parry and Critical Strike been moved to Combat Skills where they belong?

 

[Vault Dweller]

While I'm here, spot the horrible spelling error in this quote plugged on the company's website: <blockquote>"That kind of things is common here. Conspiracies and assassinations and naked power-grabs. All the fun of decadence."
- Glen Cook, The Black Company

Only one error? I'm sure you didn't look hard enough. Why don't you give it another try and maybe dedicate an entire news post to "horrible spelling errors"? That would be a blast!

 

[Vault Dweller]

Are there outdated shots? Haven't Dodge, Parry and Critical Strike been moved to Combat Skills where they belong?

Nope. Left column - sub skills with synergies, right column - the rest of the skills.

 

[Nutcracker]

Isn't that VD's game?

Yes. Iron Tower = VD

Iron Tower eh? Freud could probably write a book on that one...

 

[Monolith]

Isn't that VD's game?

Yes. Iron Tower = VD

Iron Tower eh? Freud could probably write a book on that one...

Same goes for "Nutcracker"

 

[Vault Dweller]

VD, your English prose comes across as stilted and prone to subtle problems...

Really? That bad? I'm just curious.

You might want to get a native English writer or student to read your script and polish it up...

I'm afraid that won't be possible for a variety of reasons. Time is one of them. There are a LOT of dialogues in the game, and it might easily take several months to go over every word and phrase and discuss alternatives.

... unless those screenshots are showing a very rough draft.

Nope. That's final stuff.

I'm not trying to be belligerent (in this case, anyway) but with such a heavy emphasis on the dialogue I think that the actual nuts and bolts writing should be a focus.

I don't disagree with you, but unfortunately I can't do better.

 

[Hazelnut]

Zomg - can you be a bit more specific? As an english speaker with some reasonable aptitude for the language, I find that the dialogues I read seemed fine. I didn't spend much time, just reading the first 6 fairly quickly. So, what am I missing here?

VD - What are your playtesting plans? I'm sure that you are going to have an private test phase, but I was wondering if you will be having a more public test 'beta' or anything? I'm sure there are many here who'd play the game before it's released, reporting bugs for you to fix, and still buy the game when it comes out. Or do you prefer the idea of releasing patches after release?

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

I know You hate PR drivel, VD, but you should try to sound a little more enthusiastic anyway
The game has a lot going for it, an interesting setting, lots of options, great dialogue with lots of choices (not a native speaker here, but to me the examples read just fine), I'm impressed that you incorporated crafting. And the graphics are underwhelming but "just fine" - the focus clearly lies elsewhere. The only question is how it will all come together - so I encourage you to really do what you hint at and go through a solid beta phase, get some outside opinions, before release.

And don't be afraid of a little PR.

 

[Dhruin]

There are some things that could be polished. Take the second Lucius dialogue as a simple example. "Perhaps, you could help me, I have a rare piece of ore here, can you tell me what it is?" would read better as "Perhaps you could help me: I have a rare piece of ore here - can you tell me what it is?"

The phrasing is sometimes...a little awkward.

 

[Vault Dweller]

VD - What are your playtesting plans? I'm sure that you are going to have an private test phase, but I was wondering if you will be having a more public test 'beta' or anything? I'm sure there are many here who'd play the game before it's released, reporting bugs for you to fix, and still buy the game when it comes out. Or do you prefer the idea of releasing patches after release?

Not sure yet. Public beta is unlikely at this point. Needless to say, I will do my best to deliver a polished product, and I'm not going to treat customers as beta testers.

I know You hate PR drivel, VD, but you should try to sound a little more enthusiastic anyway

I'm enthusiastic, but what am I supposed to say? "OMG! This game is so awesome, and you will absolutely love it, trust me!"?

...I'm impressed that you incorporated crafting

I like crafting. I forgot to mention one thing though, effects of the techniques, represented by scrolls on the screen, grow with skills. For example, masterwork armor technique reduces penalties by 5% at skill 25, 10% at 50, and so on. Same goes for Hardened Armor, Healing, Poison Potency, etc.

...so I encourage you to really do what you hint at and go through a solid beta phase

I don't hint at it, the game will be tested.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

I'm enthusiastic, but what am I supposed to say? "OMG! This game is so awesome, and you will absolutely love it, trust me!"?

I think there is nothing wrong with saying something like "This (e.g. detailed dialogue trees) is what I loved in other games (e.g. Fallout), and we did our best to live up to or even improve on that feature.

I don't hint at it, the game will be tested.

Great. I justed wanted to stress that I think outside opinion is really important.

 

[Vault Dweller]

I think there is nothing wrong with saying something like "This (e.g. detailed dialogue trees) is what I loved in other games (e.g. Fallout), and we did our best to live up to or even improve on that feature.

I prefer to show people screenshots or explain features and let them decide whether dialogues/features are actually good and live up to something.

 

[FrancoTAU]

I doubt it'll matter much for sites like RPGdot and Codex, but I agree you should be a little more PRish in the future. I'm not saying model yourself after Pete Hines or anything, but maybe bragging about how you're offering what the "man" doesn't do anymore. You should come up with some sayings like i dunno... people looking for old school RPGs with modern graphics will love this game!!! OMGZ WTF LOLZ!!!

About VD's writing. He's not the next JD Salinger but he's pretty clear. It's not like Engrish translation of jRPGs.

 

[Zomg]

Zomg - can you be a bit more specific? As an english speaker with some reasonable aptitude for the language, I find that the dialogues I read seemed fine. I didn't spend much time, just reading the first 6 fairly quickly. So, what am I missing here?

Unfortunately I'm judging just by an intuitive prose "ear" rather than by objective measures. For example, in this dialogue Lucius' second sentence is improperly compounded and just reads wrong somehow. A good English writer would be able to break those problems down quickly and understand the problems objectively where I'm only sensing it. Of course, if it's unfeasible, it's unfeasible, and that's that.

 

[zorba]

But can I put things to fire? Does it have tintin? Paradox textures? ABS? Nukes? Anything?!

Oh what the fuck. On my list it goes. One. There.

 

[Llyranor]

About the 2D vs 3D thing, did you at any point consider using prerendered backgrounds? The artwork on your website is absolutely gorgeous. Too resource-intensive, though, I suppose

 

[WouldBeCreator]

Silly question, but isn't "greek fire" somewhat of a misnomer in a fantasy world that never had a Greece?

 

[Oarfish]

They probably wouldn't be speaking english either WBC.