I see so many topics nowadays about new heroes that I’d like to do one against it.
I very much like the story-lore aspect of this game, and I love that so far fatshark has focused on the ubersreik 4 (5).
I’d very, very much like to get new maps and story content (lorebook, dialogues) than getting a new character, who would probably feel a bit off. Also, the job required for a new character would be monumental, requiring tons of interactions with the other, to be add to even old missions, without adding too much in terms of replayability. It would be comparable to getting a new career (or 3) but the maps would stay the same. New maps arguably are the way to keep the game fresh.
I already feel that the career system (while admittedly awesome from a gameplay perspective) has put a toll on the amount of character interactions needed to make that career feel like it’s a story thing, a real deal happened to a char, and not some gameplay/cosmetic thing put on top of basic classes.
The problem is that we are in a crossroad where we have to choose between two roads:
If you choose to make a game with immersion and history you need npcs to interact, puzzles and secrets that discover unique things, epic cinematic, missions to know more about the history of our characters … The game is currently go there and do this, there is nothing to interact with, you can only kill and kill.
If you choose to have diversity and playability you need well-elaborated talent bars, more heroes to create different teams, more types of enemies and bosses to have more challenges, different weapons and armor to create diversity … All we have are the hats and the V1 old armor, and the recolor items.
I like the second option more, but what is clear is that the game has to take a direction and evolve.
Like they’ve stated, they will be working on the game for 5-10 years. And in the interview, If I remember correctly, only 5 of their staff are working on new projects. That means their other 80 or so staff are working on V2. I think they have more than enough manpower(is it sexist to say this now? Since they’re swedish I’ll say,“manskraft”, wait “personkraft” is more gender neutral lol) to work on new maps and a character. And apparently, according to the interview they are working on new characters already.
they are working on (at least) 3 different versions of the same game (pc, xbox, ps4). I wonder how much, in percentage, they could share the code between the different platforms.
If I remember correctly, nearly all are working on the PC version. Which is then ported to the consoles. Didn’t hedge even state on here somewhere that only like 3 people are on the PS version?
I don’t remember, but I doubt only 3 people can keep on with the work. Probably they move from the main to the portings when ready, and in that particular moment only 3 devs were messing up the ps4 built.
It’s not that I don’t believe in hedge, but as sw developer it makes me rise an eyebrow. But anyway I’m not there, so I can only (badly) guess. Still as “professional” I find interesting knowing about those “behind the curtains” things
I’ll just agree with OP here.
They should definitely focus on nearly everything else first.
Should they eventually add an extra character? Well, sure, but I hope it doesn’t cost other content.
People seem to have this notion that a new character or three would suddenly drastically change gameplay and replayability, when it is already an academic choice of which character to pick.
It’s a game about swordplay, coordinating with a team, but not one of pressing a series of buttons.
Creating something truly different will be both a lot of work and a monumental task to balance properly, so I doubt we’ll see more than 1 or 2 additions to the roster over the next 5 years. And if we do, I expect a lot of people will be disappointed.
Personally, I’d like to see a new hero. I agree that they shouldn’t come too often though, 1 or 2 over the next five years would be a good pace. Though, I would like to see a new hero sooner rather than later, as the longer they leave it, the more work they would have to do to retcon them into the old maps, add dialog, and re-balance game mechanics to fit the new play styles and group compositions. In my mind, it would be nice to have another option to play, and it would shake things up a little depending on how they set up the mechanics of the character’s classes and the roles into which they fit.
I too wish for more maps, enemy types, and enemy factions. Though I would imagine it’s a balancing act and whatever the devs decide to do, FS probably isn’t going to just solely focus on new characters and leave everything else at the wayside. They’ve probably got a mix of things in store for us over the next five years.
That said, this is simply my opinion and I can understand that people might prefer other content first. In the end though, I’m excited to see what comes next.
I don’t remember, but I doubt only 3 people can keep on with the work. Probably they move from the main to the portings when ready, and in that particular moment only 3 devs were messing up the ps4 built.