Dungeons & Dragons Online Interview, Part One

Warcry has conducted an interview with Turbine’s Cardell Kerr, asking the senior game systems designer several questions about their upcoming MMORPG, Dungeons & Dragons Online. Check it out:

Rules translations weren’t the only thing about which I was concerned, however. I still had that tingle for the old times spent peering over the DM Screen at the miniatures and dice spread out over a table in a friend’s basement. Could an online game, particularly one that catered to a massive audience, maintain the DM dynamic?

(This is one of those topics where we put a great deal of thought into it,) responded Cardell. (We came up with point and counterpoint what it takes to be a good DM in an online world. What will a DM be able to do? We all know the answer in a pen and paper setting: Whatever you want. The golden rule of the [Dungeon Master’s Guide] is that you’re the person in charge.)

(Therefore,) he continued, (after talking about that for a good chunk of time, we decided that we’re going to focus first on the base game before determining what things the DM is going to want to change.)

(The aspect of storytelling for these kinds of game is the backbone. Right now, we’re focused on telling our own story, before we start pushing (or should I say: Outsourcing) parts of our story to players.)