The Witcher Producer Tries Something New

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
The Witcher Producer Tries Something New


The producer of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is working on a new, unnamed action RPG.

Former CD Projekt Red producer Tomasz Gop left the studio last summer, not long after the release of the PC version of Gamezilla.pl [http://www.amazon.com/The-Witcher-2-Assassins-Kings-Pc/dp/B003VJNPPE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333669730&sr=8-2] that he was "tired and a little burned out" after five years of non-stop work on the franchise. What he's been up to since has been a closely guarded secret - or perhaps he just hasn't bothered to tell anyone - but now the truth has come to light: he's trying his hand at a new RPG title with a new studio.

The game is still early in development, as evidenced by its current working title, "Project RPG," but combat will apparently take its cue from games like Dark Souls, Kingdoms of Amalur and Batman: Arkham City, with enemies intended to be recognized "not by their appearance but their behavior and fighting style." The setting sounds absolutely fascinating: a world riven in two by a great mountain formed by the corpse of a god who died 1000 years earlier, dividing its people into distinct, competing philosophies. Players will have a chance to experience both sides of the divide early in the game but must choose one side or another before moving on.

What makes the game of particular interest to RPG fans is the participation of Gop, whose experience with the two Witcher titles should leave him well-equipped to helm a deep, engaging RPG. The "action RPG" designation and apparent focus on combat suggest that we won't spend a lot of time talking or mucking about with "romance," but that doesn't mean we can't have a story of substance to keep things moving ahead.

Project RPG is being developed by German studio Deck13 and is expected to come out sometime next year for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Source: Digital Spy [http://www.digitalspy.ca/gaming/news/a374394/project-rpg-revealed-by-city-interactive-former-witcher-developer.html]


Permalink
 

mad825

New member
Mar 28, 2010
3,379
0
0
So basically, this "RPG" game will be streamlined for newer audiences? Just don't do this to TW3.
 

Zhukov

The Laughing Arsehole
Dec 29, 2009
13,769
5
43
A mountain range formed by the corpse of a dead god, eh?

...

Whelp, I'm interested!
 
Apr 28, 2008
14,634
0
0
Well, I'm interested. Sounds like a cool concept. Then again, concepts are generally way cooler than the result.

I guess I'll wait and see with this.
 

Issurru

New member
Jun 13, 2010
582
0
0
Sounds pretty cool, I'll have to keep an eye on him or "Project RPG" I loved the two Witcher games (too bad I never beat them, BUT ONE DAY!)
 

andersgeek

New member
Jul 6, 2010
126
0
0
Deck13 + RPG? Ugh! If it'll be as bad as Venetica, I say thanks, but no thanks. No matter how promising it sounds, I'm sceptical.
 

Kahunaburger

New member
May 6, 2011
4,141
0
0
Tomasz Gop knows what he's doing, but I don't know if he knows what he's doing as much as From Software knows what they're doing. I certainly hope so - I've enjoyed his previous games, and would love to enjoy this one too.
 

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
mad825 said:
So basically, this "RPG" game will be streamlined for newer audiences? Just don't do this to TW3.
Not necessarily. I see RPGs and Action RPGs as two distinct genres, so with something like Diablo, for instance, it's not "Baldur's Gate, dumber," it's a quality experience of a different kind. It's no guarantee that this will be a good game, and it's easy to lose sight of the fact that Gop was just one man on a fairly big project that was built around a pre-existing fiction, but his experience in the field will hopefully serve him well.
 

teh_Canape

New member
May 18, 2010
2,665
0
0
wackelpudding said:
Deck13 + RPG? Ugh! If it'll be as bad as Venetica, I say thanks, but no thanks. No matter how promising it sounds, I'm sceptical.
butbutbut
Venetica wasn't all that bad, it was just flawed, but it still was alright

damn pretty sights I'll tell you that
 

Vrach

New member
Jun 17, 2010
3,223
0
0
mad825 said:
So basically, this "RPG" game will be streamlined for newer audiences? Just don't do this to TW3.
I normally don't cheer for streamlining games, but in Witcher's case, that might be a damn good thing. In the very least it needs heavy refinement.
 

Therumancer

Citation Needed
Nov 28, 2007
9,909
0
0
Zhukov said:
A mountain range formed by the corpse of a dead god, eh?

...

Whelp, I'm interested!
Yes and no, it's an old idea that has appeared in many fantasy novels with gods and dead dragons forming natural features, or the belief being present that that did. Perhaps the closest example to this, which is unsurprising given the european origins of the game, is norse mythology where Odin crafted the world from the blood and bones of a frost giant, or so some myths go.


That said on the game in general my first thoughts were "lol, what?". It seems to me that the guys doing this are trying to hype it by throwing every customizable action game that has been fairly successful recently out there in hopes that people will go "yes, I like this game, so this one will be decent". Having played pretty much every game on the mentioned list I will say that the combat from those titles is pretty much contridictory to the extreme. Batman uses a limited number of buttons and is based more on timing button presses than anything, Amalur uses a simplified brawler type mechanic with a lot of cartoony and overpowered attacks, Dark Souls uses a more "realistic" system based around what is in both of your hands and requiring you to balance things like weight and attack speed for differant situations, it's a brawler, but one where combat is a bit more slow paced and stragetic, and usually not all that flashy.

All told it seems like it might be a cool setting, but mentioning all those games is a turn off to me, showing that rather than having faith in their own combat system, they are pointing fingers at others. Given that Batman can't really be considered an RPG, more of an "upgradable brawler" and Dark Souls/Demons Souls barely qualifies because stats figure into things minimally in the long term (in the case of Demons Souls in paticular there have been videos of people beating the game with characters who they intentionally don't advance at all). I give it some credit due to the way stats can influance what equipment you use and how there is a profound differance in characters and builds. With Batman you wind up more or less wind up being the same as anyone else, especially with the way potential upgrades are gated, and how you are likely to wind up with everything given enough patience. Amalur is the most RPG-like despite being fast paced, because there are a lot of potential builds, and levels and stats make a tremendous differance.
 

ScatterBen

New member
Dec 3, 2009
120
0
0
Zhukov said:
A mountain range formed by the corpse of a dead god, eh?

...

Whelp, I'm interested!
Xenoblade's world is set on the corpses of two colossal warriors who were in eternal battle, eventually destroying each other simultaneously (at least, this is what I've gleaned from the prologue - no spoilers please). I thought that was pretty awesome. Not to mention that the world is huge.
 

Vkmies

New member
Oct 8, 2009
941
0
0
Being a huge fan of The Witcher, I was really happy with what CD Projekt did with the property. I trust this man, and I will follow him wherever he may go. God bless you Gop. God bless you.
 

WanderingFool

New member
Apr 9, 2009
3,991
0
0
Zhukov said:
A mountain range formed by the corpse of a dead god, eh?

...

Whelp, I'm interested!
I KNOW, Right? That instantly perked my ears up. Though it wouldnt surprise me if they somehow work in a SotC or GOW3-titan style boss fight in there. If the picture is anything to go by, it would be pretty fucking massive.