Dungeons & Dragons Tactics Interview

Handheld game systems have seen their share of role-playing games in the past, but Atari and Kuju Entertainment’s ambitious Dungeons & Dragons Tactics for the PSP demands some extra attention.  Featuring tactical turn-based combat, all of the base D&D classes and races, 200+ spells, 100+ feats, psionics, an extensive multiplayer component, and a 40+ hour campaign, one would actually think it’s being developed for the PC rather than a handheld.  To get a better idea of what to expect when the game ships this summer, we fired over a set of questions to Atari producer Lawrence Liberty:

GB: First of all, how is development of Dungeons & Dragons Tactics coming along? Are you still on track for a late May release?

Lawrence: The game is shaping up nicely. It really does capture an aspect of the D&D experience that is often missing in most CRPGs, and that is the strategic component. We have pushed the game back a month, to late June. This was done to allow us time to polish the single player adventure and stabilize the multiplayer element.

GB: How faithful to the 3.5E rules will character creation and advancement be?  Have you been able to implement many of the skills, feats, and spells players would expect from a Dungeons & Dragons game?

Lawrence: We have tried to make character creation and advancement as faithful as we are able within the constraints of a handheld console. Inevitably, some details have fallen by the wayside, but we have tried to keep each character class true to the spirit of D&D®. That said, a lot of the skills, feats and spells have been implemented. We have over 200 spells, a hundred feats (including proficiencies), and most of the skills.

GB: What is the maximum level characters can attain in D&D Tactics, and why did you decide to go with such a cap?

Lawrence: In theory characters can reach 20th Level. Though this is a hard cap, players should find it difficult to achieve such a level, simply because of the length of the game. 15th Level will be the natural level that most characters will settle at by the game’s conclusion. By this time they will be tough as nails and very hard to beat.

GB: Along with all of the core Dungeons & Dragons classes, you’re also implementing two psionic characters – the Psion and the Psychic Warrior.  What are these two new character classes capable of?  What advantages and disadvantages do they have when compared to the core classes?

Lawrence: Psionic powers are somewhat different to magic, in that the psionic character can augment their powers and therefore choose how powerful the effect will be. The Psion is very much the psionic equivalent of the Wizard or Sorcerer, in that they are focused primarily on their powers rather than physical combat. The Psychic Warrior is an all-around Fighter-like class with powers.

Lawrence: Alignment will very much affect the story, and the path you take will depend on your actions. There is a .ood’ path and an .vil’ path, and some of your choices, particularly of the side-quests, will affect the outcome.

GB: How linear is the game?  Can players break away from the game’s main quest and tackle a few side quests whenever they wish?

Lawrence: There are a number of exciting side quests which may affect the course of the story. Players will have some good quests and a few evil temptations offered to them.

GB: Where does the game actually take place?  Is it based in any existing Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting?

Lawrence: The game takes place in a special setting created purely for the tactics game. This gave us the most freedom to create a story. The tale begins in a border region ruled over by a fierce clan named the Vinsaxi. The player’s story becomes tied up with the fate of the clan and the great forces that move in the shadows behind it.

GB: What sort of environments will we be traveling through during the game?  Any favorite areas you can describe for us?

Lawrence: I don’t want to give too much away, but you travel through many different environments from grass steppe to dank dungeons, to snowy mountain passes, and even enter otherworldly realms.

GB: How many different monsters will we be up against in Tactics?  Can you give us a few examples of the game’s more formidable foes?

Lawrence: Again, we can’t give too much away, but many of the iconic monsters from D&D make an appearance. Beholders, Mind Flayers, and Dragons are all featured.

Lawrence: We have implemented encumbrance very closely to the rules, and it really hurts to be over-encumbered. Players will be able to buy and sell equipment at shops, and we have a Quick Sell feature that permits players to rapidly convert found objects into gold pieces.

GB: How exactly will multiplayer work?  Can the entire campaign be played through cooperatively with multiple PSPs?  If so, will each PSP control one character in the party, or can it be broken down so that three PSPs each control two characters in the party?

Lawrence: There are two multiplayer modes: Dungeon Bash and Deathmatch. The Dungeon Bash is a cooperative mode that sets you down in a dungeon and you have to cooperate to fight your way through it. Up to four players can share the party members between themselves. Deathmatch is a player-versus-player mode that allows up to four players to engage each other in various arenas.

GB: How many hours of gameplay are you shooting for with Tactics?  Would you say that the length of the game will compare to the main campaign in past D&D titles such as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, or Neverwinter Nights?

Lawrence: Frankly, it’s a very long game. We’ve had some experienced testers rocket through it in less than 30 hours, but expect 40+ hours of play.

GB: Dungeons & Dragons games are usually developed for the PC.  Why did you choose to develop Tactics for the PSP and is there any possibility that the PC or other consoles could see a version of Tactics if it’s very successful?

Lawrence: We decided to bring D&D to the PSP as part of our effort to connect with RPG gamers on every platform.  There is always the possibility of bringing the game to other platforms after the initial launch, especially if the game is successful.

Thanks for your time, Lawrence!