Champions: Return to Arms – Dev. Diary Vol. #1

I played Champions of Norrath quite a bit and jumped at the opportunity to work on the sequel. There were a ton of things I liked about the original game, and a few things that I wanted to see improved with the next title in the franchise. Champions has a very dedicated following, and we wanted to make sure that we were not only making a game that we wanted to play, but one that improved over the first title.

While I was making the transition from another title, there were design decisions that had already been made, notably, the medal rounds and the branching storyline. Both are great new features that will give our players a new flavor of Champions. I really wanted to focus attention on the multiplayer lobby and address item drop and money issues from the first game as well. So let’s start this off with an outline of the new features.

Mini-Games

The idea behind the mini-games was to give the players smaller side games that they could play after unlocking certain quest requirements. We knew that we wanted mini-games, but the actual creation of the games was slow-going.

The real challenge was to come up with unique styles of gameplay that vary from the standard hack-‘n-slash. The different types of games were actually quite fun to create. The designers were able to let their minds run wild, and the programmers were very open-minded people. This allowed the designers to make engaging games that could very well stand on their own. We also agreed to set the mini-games in each specific tile type for a uniform look.

What we ended up with was a suite of mini-games that actually have turned into office favorites. Our team members occasionally spend more time playing the mini-games than the actual single-player or multiplayer games. The unlockables from the mini-games actually help your character development in the single-player game. One of our goals was to integrate every part of the game into character development. Players will be able to unlock new maps and attribute enhancements.

Branching Storyline

The branching storyline concept was a great idea that offered varied gameplay and also doubled the replay value. It did create more content for the designers to work on now that the story split. More script, more in-game cutscenes, and lip-syncing made the new split storyline quite a large undertaking.

We wanted the player to have more of an active role in the path the adventure lead. So very early in the game, the decision is offered to the player. Both sides will be playing an alternate version of the game, good fighting bad and vice versa. This simple split in the storyline will help add to the replay factor as well.

The first title really forced the players down a linear storyline. In Return to Arms, we wanted to give the players more control with their character development. A simple choice between good and evil is a major plot shift and will result in different levels and potential enemies.

New Characters

The first Champions of Norrath had a full suite of characters that all had unique skills and abilities. Now we have introduced two new characters to bring a new flavor in Return to Arms. The decision to use the Vah Shir and the Iksar was a difficult one.

A few different ideas bounced around the studio, including a dwarf and a froglok. Ultimately, the decision was based on how large the actual character would be on-screen. Although the dwarf and the froglok would be a ton of fun to play, they would be too small on-screen. The only camera that the player would be able to use is the closest one. Since the first title has three camera heights, we planned to support those heights again in Return to Arms.

So the Vah Shir and the Iksar are larger characters and easier to see. They also have very different styles and abilities for new and returning players to use. I am sure that once you see them with full armor and the new abilities we are introducing to the Champions world, you too will be quite impressed.

Importing Characters from the First Title

With all of the hours of gameplay that the first Champions offered, we didn’t want it to be lost with the introduction of the sequel. So the ability to import characters was a feature that we could not leave out. It is the main reason why we added additional difficulty levels to the game. Since returning players will now need to level up to 80 instead of the lvl 50 cap from the last game, it will be interesting seeing the mix of characters ranging from lower level to high. It is one thing that I believe will help players see what the game really has to offer. Now you will be able to go online and see what the high-level armor and weapons look like, and you might even get a few pieces thrown your way.

Conclusion

Champions: Return to Arms is essentially the best dungeon-crawling experience on your PlayStation 2. We didn’t change the gameplay dramatically since we love the way it plays, and we know our fans love the way it plays. What you will find is more levels, more spells, more weapons, and more fun! The new, redesigned multiplayer lobby will make finding games and friends easier than ever. Last but not least is the new versus mode that allows you to fight head-to-head against enemies and even your friends. Ultimate bragging rights can be decided, and the arguments over who has a more powerful character will end in Champions: Return to Arms.

We are extremely proud of this sequel and are looking forward to sharing it with all of you. Look for it first quarter of next year!