D.W. Bradley, one of the Godfathers of the CRPG genre, is a man famed for his work on many CRPGs during the late 1980s through the early 1990s. Bradley worked on many classic CRPGs including a trilogy of Wizardry titles (Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom, Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge, and Wizardry VII: Crusaders Of The Dark Savant), Might and Magic, and, more recently, Wizards and Warriors.
A while back, RPGamer had the opportunity to have a chat with Bradley concerning his new project, Dungeon Lords. Dungeon Lords promises to contain a unique battle system which mixes RPG and fighter game elements, a deep, involving storyline, and extensive skills, spells, races, and classes to fiddle around with while customizing your character.
Phillip Clayton: What sets Dungeon Lords apart from other RPGs? On the Dungeon Lords website, the combat system is described as "a unique combination of RPG and Fighter game action," how will the combat system differ from those of other "action" RPGs?
D.W. Bradley: Dungeon Lords has an extremely sophisticated combat system that we've worked hard to ensure is accessible to most everyone by basing it on standard FPS shooter controls. This allows players to fight in real time and execute many different types of moves. At the same time, Dungeon Lords has all the depth and story that people have come to expect from great RPGs.
Phillip Clayton: What was it like working on the game?
D.W. Bradley: Lots of hard work, especially at the end when you’re exhausted but know the finish line is in sight.
Phillip Clayton: How many people are working on Dungeon Lords?
D.W. Bradley: The team size changes throughout development, and many people have contributed to the game, but the most we had simultaneously was probably around 30.
Phillip Clayton: What did you like most about making the game?
D.W. Bradley: The best part is completing it so that people can enjoy the results of all our hard work, and we can go home and get some sleep.
Phillip Clayton: Do you have a favorite character from this title?
D.W. Bradley: There are many interesting characters in Dungeon Lords, to pick a favorite would be like a parent picking his favorite child.
Phillip Clayton: What is the most poignant moment in the game?
D.W. Bradley: You’ll have to play it to find out. ;)
Phillip Clayton: Can you elaborate on the multiplayer aspect of the game?
D.W. Bradley: Dungeon Lords has been built from the ground up with the goal of multiplayer cooperative play. Players can go through the campaign together, and we have specifically designed mechanisms to allow players to play together even where one player has not been available throughout the whole campaign-experience is shared equally by the party, and lower-level players tend to catch up quite quickly. Players will also be able to carry over their characters from single-player campaigns.
Phillip Clayton: How linear or non-linear would you say the game is?
D.W. Bradley: Getting through the main storyline and quest will keep players entertained for quite some time, and this can be done without attempting any of the many interesting side quests. So really, it all depends on the player.
Phillip Clayton: Is there anything else you would like to comment on?
D.W. Bradley: We've built Dungeon Lords from the ground up to include all the classic elements of a great RPG while striving to make it accessible to all sorts of different players. We’ve created a huge world with thousands of interactions, and spent a lot of time balancing puzzle intricacy and innovation so that there’s something for everyone. The single player campaign is over 30 hours and cooperative multiplayer will add even more.
RPGamer would like to thank D.W. Bradley for taking some time to chat with us. Those who want to catch a glimpse of the game can do so in our screenshot gallery, or, alternatively, can check out the official site. Dungeon Lords is scheduled for release before the end of the year.
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