Dungeons & Dragons Online Interview

GameSpot has conducted an interview with Turbine’s Judith Hoffman, in which the Dungeons & Dragons Online executive producer answers a batch of questions about the highly anticipated MMORPG. Check it out:

Q: For that matter, will the game attempt to appeal to novices at massively multiplayer games? How will the game let players who aren’t already experts get into the game, and how will it appeal to beginners? Are there specific plans to lower the typical barriers of entry to games of this sort–barriers like gameplay (which practically requires players to seek groups) or extremely demanding time requirements?

A: A lot of the features that make Dungeons & Dragons Online special–real-time combat, instant travel, a commitment to making gameplay fun at every point along the advancement curve–were designed with the atypical online role-playing game player in mind. Familiarity with D&D, while helpful, won’t be a requirement by any means. So people who are new to both online role-playing games and D&D should be able to jump in and get started right away.

While soloing will be possible, our game is group-oriented, just like pencil-and-paper D&D. That being said, we don’t like spending two hours looking for a group any more than the typical gamer does. So we’re taking pains to ensure that there are no “required” classes for grouping, and we’re making sure it’s easy to find a group and get going within a few minutes of logging in to the game.