Exclusive Interview With Kaos War Developer Will Corwin
Posted by Mark Cwalinski on 05.29.2007
411mania chats with Will Corwin of Shattered Reality Interactive about their new MMO game, Kaos War
Recently 411mania got a chance to talk to Will Corwin, a designer and environment artist for Kaos War. Kaos War is a new MMO played from a 3rd and 1st person perspective with fps and action style controls. Unlike most MMO games Kaos War delivers real time action, allowing the player to direct his weapons or powers in combat. Although the game is still in development, Will was eager to share with us some details about the new game.
Mark Cwalinski of 411mania: What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish by the time Kaos War hits shelves?
Will Corwin: We'd really like to have a strong user base with an exceptional interest for the game world. A number of short novels, maybe comic books or a CCG can go a long way towards getting people excited about the game. If we can get people into the game looking for particular locales, villains, protagonists and environments, I think we will immerse the players that much more than releasing a game no one is familiar with at all.
411mania: How tough has it been to balance great gameplay with great visuals?
Will: I think over the past few years we've learned from the mistakes of others very well. The current engine we're using is very portable, and will result in an overwhelming success in accessibility. It's just not fun loading up a game and finding you can't run it. All of the graphics in the world won't create a great game, and even if you have a great game, graphics that aren't tailored properly will just turn people away from your game, instead of letting them enjoy it. We will not be making that mistake.
411mania: In your opinion, what is the best feature of Kaos War?
Will: I'd probably go with the combat. Fast paced platform action. No sitting down to regenerate mana, no hitting your autoattack and going to eat a sandwich. Keeping a player interested in the gameplay itself is important. Interactive gaming is key, and although we'll have plenty of features to cater to the gamers who like slower paced combat, we'll really appeal to most of the gamers who haven't given MMO's a chance yet because they think they're boring, or too slow.
411mania: What is the combat system like? How does this differ from other MMO's?
Will: Think of playing Gears of War and God of War at the same time. Slashing with your weapon while you fire away with your auto pistol. We want to focus on making your decisions count, almost like a fighting game, but allowing players to let the game hold their hand when necessary. Just like in a fighting game, you can kind of fake it for a while until someone realizes you're just mashing buttons. You do pretty well mashing that horizontal slash, but odds are you're going to get beaten if you just mash buttons every round. Our moves will be one button presses, not difficult maneuvers like in a fighting game, but learning to link moves together and which abilities will get you out of harms way or defend against an attack the best will be important. Just remember that our goal is to appeal to the gamers who aren't into "sandwich combat" as we like to call it (healer -> tank -> mob <- dps). That's pretty boring when you think about it. It's taken the genre a long way, but it's time to move on.
411mania: What was your biggest inspiration for coming up with the design of Kaos War?
Will: I can't speak for Damon, but my biggest inspiration was definitely seeing the artwork for the first time. Once you get some of our artists concept art in your hands you just fall in love immediately. Everyone's creative energy works really well together and when we get rolling, we come up with some really fantastic ideas. As a whole, no one particular thing has been an inspiration, just the team in general.
411mania: What has been your toughest challenge in creating the game, and how have you been dealing with it?
Will: Well, we're independents, so that's easy. The whole goal was to show that independents can make it too. That with enough hard work and perseverance you can accomplish anything, and we're proving it now. A lot of companies and "professionals" or "experts" want to tell you that you can't do something, and then can't fathom how you accomplished something on your own when you do make it. When all is said and done, we want to be in the position to help others that are in the position we were in to make it. I know the gaming community has talented individuals, they just need a chance to make their mark.
411mania: With games like World of Warcraft already dominating the market, how do you plan to break into the MMO genre?
Will: It's all about indirect competition. Our business model will differ, our gameplay will differ, and our world will differ. We're not terribly concerned with what WoW is doing most of the time (they're slowly learning, it seems), and for all it's subscribers, everyone is still aware of it's flaws. It probably does that particular model of the MMORPG as well as anyone ever will, but that model has to change. Nothing in this world is static, and we'd be foolish to simply copy WoW, change the names, change a little artwork and call it a new game. Tons of companies will attempt this and probably fail miserably. I'm looking forward to the doomsayers telling us how the genre is dead when the WoW clones don't succeed, actually.
411mania: Do you see Kaos War as a revolution, or just a game that does everything right?
Will: In some ways both, but I'd be more comfortable just calling it "the next step". Games want to create their own universe. The most fun I have in games is when I do something that was probably unintended by the developers. Splitting mobs on pulls, kiting, guard killing, manaburn teams, all of these things were unintended by EQ's developers, and they were probably the most fun parts of the game. The linear path these games force upon their players is just a sad state of affairs, and we hope to change that. I think that if you have to tell a gamer what to do when he gets into the game, you've already hurt yourself, and might have lost a potential customer. I should be able to hand Kaos War to an average consumer and have them instantly know how to play and have fun. That's really one of our biggest goals. When the guy with an xbox360 who only plays Madden, GTA and Gears of War picks up the game, he should instantly have fun and get involved. Show that gamer a traditional MMO, and they might quit within the first few minutes.
411mania: How do you plan on captivating the hardcore gamers as well as the casual gamers?
Will: Hardcore Gamers, ultimately, will never be appeased. But they'll play. We'll have content tailored specifically to raiding guilds, content for PvP territory control guilds (Want to own a fortress? I thought so). As well as plenty of control in the market and economy for the hardcore crafters. Individual hardcores (Gamers who are usually guildless, or don't care for guilds, but still play a great deal), will probably find themselves involved in some of the top tier instances and arena battles. The key is really to offer as many paths as possible, instead of shoving someone in one direction and telling them to behave. I never have to do any one thing in the game to reach my max skillset, the best equipment, and the most money. The focus will be on balancing these different spheres of gameplay, and making sure one way isn't "easier", resulting in the opinion that it's the only right way to play.
411mania: What has been the developing team's greatest motivation for creating Kaos War?
Will: I think proving to ourselves, and to everyone out there that this game can be made. It'll be on the shelves, and I doubt anyone from the industry will say a word about our background when it's out. But they're more than happy to call us names and tell us how we can't do it now. We feel like the underdogs, fighting to prove everyone wrong. The Gator national championships helped a lot, too!
411mania: With all of the challenges you guys have had to face, have you ever contemplated giving up?
Will: It depends on what you mean by giving up. The closest members of this team are aware that the game will ultimately be on the shelves. Individuals will come and go, it's the nature of the business. As a whole, no, there may have been some slower times when we were wondering where rent would come from, but there was no doubt that we'd be drawing on the street to get this game done if that's what it took.
411mania: On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate Kaos War's chances of becoming a major hit? Why do you feel this way?
Will: 9, but of course I'm biased. Accessibility, fun, retention factor, graphics, and performance. We want to deliver on each and every one of those points, and I think if we meet our lofty expectations, we will have put a 9 on the shelves. Our focus differs a bit from other games, and I'm confident that the way our game is built from the ground up will appeal to the widest audience possible, without watering it down or diluting the content. A tough sell to even the most optimistic people, but we're unwavering when it comes to our goals.
411mania: Out of all the work the team has done, are there any decisions you regret making?
Will: Some team members haven't fit, at times. Would I call it a regret? No, of course not. Sometimes you're going in different directions and need to discontinue your talks. I think of all we've done, my biggest regret is at times bending too far and allowing other people to make us play the game by their rules, instead of dictating the pace ourselves. As independents, that's a hard choice to make, but by sticking to our guns we've come out on top so far, and plan to continue that for a long time.
411mania: What do your friends and/or family think about taking on this very ambitious project?
Will: My personal family is very supportive. I'm a great position where I was able to take a risk and try to make a dream a reality. A lot of folks don't have that privilege, and I'm grateful for the opportunity every day.
411mania: What advice would you give to other up-and-coming developers like yourselves?
Will: Just believe in yourself. 99 out of 100 people are going to tell you that you're stupid, that you don't know anything, and that you can never compete, you'll never make it. Just keep working hard and you'll come out on top. Someone will eventually see your potential, and your hard work will be worth it. As long as you keep your feet moving, you will get there.
411mania: Although the game is in its early stages, do you have any goal for a release date?
Will: Oh, you guys and your release dates. When will you learn?
