The Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network recently sat down with Dragon’s Dogma 2 director Hideaki Itsuno at Capcom headquarters in San Francisco to ask a few questions about the upcoming game. We have prepared for you a translation of the interview into Russian.
Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette Journal/USAT Network: So my first question is one that many people ask on the Internet. Will Dragon’s Dogma 2 support 60fps on consoles?
Hideaki Itsuno, Capcom: In Dragon’s Dogma 2, we will maintain frame rates around 30 FPS or higher on consoles. On a PC, everything depends on the technical characteristics of the machine. But for consoles we are targeting frame rates of around 30 FPS and above.
RGJ/USAT: Does choosing a human or beastman character affect the plot? Will there be multiple character slots in the game or will we be limited to one character and one save file?
Itsuno: The main plot of the game is the same for either of the two main characters, be it human or beastman. However, some nuances related to the behavior of your character in the game and the attitude of other characters towards him depend on who you are playing as.
Regarding your question about multiple characters, the game has one save slot. This means that each player can only have one character and one main Pawn. However, you can change the appearance and characteristics of your character and his Pawn at any time by visiting special places where this is possible. The only thing that remains the same is your character’s race: human or beastman. This choice affects how other characters treat you, and therefore you cannot change it.
RGJ/USAT: There are a lot of games with large areas but nothing to do in them, or they just send you on fetch-style quests with no story. How did you create the research content to make it interesting?
Itsuno: First of all, we put a lot of emphasis on map density. When you first visit a place, we try to design it in such a way that you can see the destination you are going to, but without a clear path. It’s based on the idea that if you’re walking somewhere and you see a road and it’s just straight, then it’s not that interesting to walk along it. But if you can see where you’re going but don’t know how to get there, you’ll be more interested. For example, you will want to know where you will end up.
In addition, we have prepared several routes for one destination. We’ve also placed anchor points along the way so that you have multiple options and it would be difficult to experience them all at once. So even if you visit the same place, you will have a different experience and find different things. We also emphasized that enemies spawn differently when visiting the same location, so even if you visit the same location multiple times, it will still provide some value to the player.
RGJ/USAT: Will there be a New Game Plus option like the last game? And will you have challenging endgame content like Bitterback Isle?
Itsuno: Endgame is something we can’t comment on right now as we don’t want to spoil it, please just wait.
RGJ/USAT: Does this mean that you also cannot answer questions about the return of the Eternal Ferrystone?
Itsuno: I don’t know about that (laughs).
RGJ/USAT: What is your favorite calling in the game and why? (classes are called vocations in the game – approx.)
Itsuno: My favorite calling was originally a sorcerer, but lately I’ve been enjoying the warrior.
Personally, I really like doing multicast, when several characters use magic at the same time. This allows you to deal more powerful magic damage if you fire multiple spells at the same time. However, if you have four sorcerers in your party, healing becomes quite a challenge. It can actually be quite difficult to play.
But if your group includes a warrior plus sorcerers, then you can do healing while simultaneously doing a multicast. I find this idea quite funny and exciting. But yes, if you collect such a party, the wolves and hobgoblins will crush it into powder. But she is really strong against bosses.
RGJ/USAT: There are currently 10 vocations revealed. Will there be more?
Itsuno: We have announced 10 recruits so far, and that is the number currently planned.
RGJ/USAT: Can you talk about the changes to the armor system and the reasons for them? It seems to have been simplified. Has a layer of armor or clothing disappeared? Will there be a transmog option eventually? And will players be able to make equipment presets?
Itsuno: In Dragon’s Dogma 2, we changed the armor system and simplified it so that people would choose different things and there would be more visual variety. We wanted to balance it so that people don’t always choose the same things.
In this regard, we have added more variety and simplified the system. Instead of inner and outer, we divided the equipment into upper and lower body halves. We added helmets and capes. There are a few presets, but in general, what happened in the previous game at high levels was that people ended up choosing the same gear. This time we made a conscious effort to create something that, even at high levels, would encourage people to choose different things. This way there will be some visual variety in what people choose.
RGJ/USAT: So in the previous game everyone started using the same equipment and looking the same?
Itsuno: Yes, and that’s why we tried to make sure that the higher your level, the more variety there is to choose from.
RGJ/USAT: How are character stats determined in Dragon’s Dogma 2? Almost the same as before? Do you now have basic stats or does it depend on your calling or level? Will players have more freedom in choosing or distributing stats? Will there be an opportunity to reset or redistribute them?
Itsuno: I assume you’re asking how stats increase and grow, right? So, it works pretty much the same way. It all depends on the vocation. However, we tried to make sure that it doesn’t feel like your stats are limited. We’ve made adjustments so that stats don’t depend on your level. However, players will not be able to freely redistribute them.
RGJ/USAT: Does a character’s body type still have its advantages and disadvantages? If I create a huge character, will there be areas that I can’t go to?
Itsuno: There will be no situations in Dragon’s Dogma 2 where you won’t be able to get to a place because of your body type. However, body type will still affect the character’s stats. For example, this may affect the amount of weight carried or the rate at which stamina is restored. In addition, the length of the limbs affects the speed of movement or attack range.
RGJ/USAT: Will you still be able to catch and flip your Pawn? How free is the player to create a Pawn?
Itsuno: Yes, you will be able to toss your Pawn. Additionally, one of the main characteristics of Pawns is their individuality. By the way the Pawn looks, you can tell what kind of person created it, right? So this time we also emphasized this. The more stats we have, the more opportunities players have to make their Pawn unique, and we wanted to highlight that.
RGJ/USAT: Will there be collaboration with other players in the game?
Itsuno: There are indirect collaborations with other players. For example, you will be able to high-five other players’ Pawns. The characteristics of other players will also be reflected in the Pawns, so you will feel connected to them. Personally, I don’t like picking up items all the time, so pawns have traits or special stats that you can assign to pawns, including picking up items. Thus, these elements from the creator of the Pawn will be reflected on the Pawn itself.
RGJ/USAT: From a user experience perspective, will you need to be connected to the Internet all the time? Will there be microtransactions in the game, and if so, what kind?
Itsuno: The game can be played offline. However, in order to hire Pawns from other players, you will need an internet connection, which is certainly welcome.
In terms of microtransactions, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will have the Traveler’s Boon DLC, which is included in the Deluxe Edition but will also be available as DLC after the game’s release. Some items, such as Breach Crystals and Awakening Stones, will also be sold as DLC, but their quantity will be limited per account.
RGJ/USAT: How difficult will the game be? Will it be mostly similar to the first game? Do we have the option to choose the difficulty? Has the balance changed from the first game in terms of consumables such as projectiles being somewhat destructive?
Itsuno: This is quite a difficult game compared to the previous one.
Difficulty is typically determined by factors such as time, technique, and knowledge required. We tried to reduce the number of time-dependent elements.
Regarding the difficulty of the game as an action game, one of the changes we made was a system that optimizes the difficulty depending on the player. We also think we’ve successfully added some challenging mechanics that people will enjoy, including role-playing elements that require you to play a character within a specific role.
