Skyforge Developers Answer Your Questions Part II

Hi everyone,

Last week we posted the first set of your questions as answered by developers, and we promised that more were coming, so without further ado, here they are!

What is the skill system in the game? Will there be "special" ones that can be unlocked as a reward for various achievements in the game? Is character uniqueness system going to be implemented? Hidden classes or valuable items, unique weapons or titles available to a small number of players?

Lack of levels and instant switching between classes greatly affected the system of character development, skills, spells, etc., but "special" achievements, unique abilities, and flexible customization are all there.

We can only play the paragon of justice? Can’t we go to the dark side and bring chaos to the world?

We gave it a good thought while developing the concept of the gods of Aelion. The defenders are often assumed to be the "good gods", and the invaders are considered “evil”. But in the world of Aelion there is no advantage in being a ruthless killer – people here are the source of divine powers. Exterminating them is tantamount to destroying your own army and ammunition. What distinguishes good from evil is the attitude to people and not killings. A god that is guided by humanity helps people for the sake of compassion and a desire to help. Gods that put themselves above the fates of mortals perform feats simply to "replenish resources" and will not stop at anything.

What is the maximum number of players in a group?

We have a “rubber” group. There are activities for different numbers: 3, 5, 10 and more people. Every time we develop a new encounter, we are guided by gameplay needs and convenience.

Is all armor class-locked or will there be different kinds, and players can decide what to wear for themselves?

Some of the equipment (such as weapons) is class-locked, so the player picks a weapon by picking a class. Other equipment is universal and has no dependence on the class.

Will it cost in-game money or energy to change class in one click?

Right now we are not planning to limit this option by something other than the "out of combat" status, but it’s not a trivial question. Based on the results of the testing, a number of limitations might be added for balance reasons.

What is the interaction between gaming communities based on?

Competition for resources and assistance in protecting Aelion.

Will there be different factions and races?

In the universe of Skyforge there are many worlds inhabited by beings of different races. But only the residents of Aelion will be available at the launch. Alien invaders will be represented by mobs and NPCs.

Will there be a global economy?

Yes, each sever region will have its own economy. We have put a lot of effort into creating convenient tools that will allow players to interact with it, as well as internal auxiliary mechanics for dealing with economic "disasters" of classic MMORPGs.

Will it be possible to build cities and states, and use them to influence the world economy?

The gods of Aelion left this part to traders, architects and mortal rulers. Gods do not trifle themselves with the affairs of the common man like politics, building cities, or other mundane tasks of daily life like selling fish. They seek things that befit their status.

How will the war of the gods affect the rest of the world?

The war against invaders is always a disaster for all mortals and for Aelion. Despite the fact that the planet has abundant experience with such conflicts, every confrontation between alien worlds leaves a trace. For example, advanced technologies were obtained as a result of the victory over one of the intruders. And both flora and fauna have to constantly adapt to the alien life forms brought by wars.
Battles between the gods of Aelion mostly affect the political landscape rather than the literal one. Nobody wants to rule a scorched desert in the place of once prosperous province.

Will the game run on Windows XP? Will DX9 and Windows xp be supported?

At the start of OBT - definitely yes on both counts.

Will there be a collector’s edition?

That’s possible.

Will it be possible to try all 15 classes during CBT?

CBT will feature a limited part of the game, and some of the content will remain unavailable till later versions. But it’s too early to talk about the exact content of CBT.

Is there only one planet available, or can we invade and occupy other ones?

The primary goal of the immortals of Aelion is to defend their home from numerous enemies. It is too early to think of counterattacks.

What else is there other than becoming a god? Can you build houses, lead caravans, trade, etc., or is it just grind, grind and grind again?

"Becoming a god" is not a title or a buff. There are different mechanics, systems, events, achievements, and gameplay tied into it. And “being a god" is not just being called one. Gods have a lot of divine duties and responsibilities.

Can you play alone or do you need a party for high-level content?

Just like with PvP/PvE, there are enough enjoyable activities for both social players and loners. The only exceptions are "guild activities", which for obvious reasons are not possible without a guild.

Is it true that there will be no healing class? Will there be healers at all?

Yes, it’s true. There will be no healers in the game. We came to this decision because of the discomfort that healing seems to cause in such games - endless tug-of-war over the health bar; the whole raid focusing on the poor healer; drawn-out boss fights where winning is impossible; hopeless PvP – all of this can be easily fixed with one simple change, and the now-vacant role can be filled by several support classes.

Will there be cross-project perks bonuses/interconnection between Skyforge and AO? I’ll give you an example of the well-known Blizzard campaign that encompassed all projects

We are not ruling out this possibility.

Will it have a reliable anti-cheat system, and will there be a button in game to bring player’s actions to the attention of administration? I’m very curious to hear about security in the game. Hopefully it will be ahem different from ahem other anti-cheat systems.

We pay a lot of attention to the safety and integrity of the game, because cheaters ruin the game not just for developers and other players, but also for themselves.

Can people with not the fastest computers actually play the game and not see a slideshow? Will this category be taken into consideration and will it be possible to lower the Graphics settings to be able to play comfortably?

Yes, our goal is to ensure that the game runs well without a top-end system. We use a wide range of machines in our internal tests, and some of our colleagues play on the office laptops. We will announce the minimum system requirements at a later date.

05/06/2014