The release of the third-person cooperative looter shooter The First Descendant has already taken place. However, shortly before this, journalists from the Japanese portal 4gamer.com interviewed the developers to learn more about the game and its prospects. We present to your attention a translation of the article into Russian.
The questions were answered by Song Min Kyu, who has previously created characters and lore for many MMOs and has been involved in the development of such famous games as Lineage 2, TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea and BLESS. In this article, you will learn about the concepts behind the character design and worldview of The First Descendant, as well as the features of creating graphics in Unreal Engine 5.
4Gamer: Can you give us a basic overview of The First Descendant, including the genre and mechanics of the game?
Song Min Kyu: The First Descendant is a cross-platform online looter shooter (shooter with gear and item collection elements) that can be played on Steam and home consoles. The game takes co-op gameplay as its core, allowing players to take on epic boss battles and challenging dungeons alongside a variety of characters known as Scions. In the story, the player becomes a descendant on a mission to protect his homeland from invaders from another dimension.
4Gamer: The game is a third-person looter shooter, but it also has a lot of stylish descendant action. How did you decide on the game’s genre and structure in this context?
Song Min Kyu: The basis of the game is unique descendants. For this reason, we have developed various mechanics to highlight the individuality and characteristics of each character. We also created realistic environments and distinctive landmarks to immerse the player in the game world.
4Gamer: Were there any artistic challenges or areas that were difficult to express to make the game mechanics more compelling?
Song Min Kyu: We had no experience with the sci-fi genre or looter shooters, so we had to start from scratch and face new challenges and difficulties on all fronts.
4Gamer: Can you tell us about the game world and the design concept behind it?
Song Min Kyu: The First Descendant is set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by an alien invasion. Albion, the player’s starting point, is the last bastion of humanity and was designed as an impregnable fortress to fit this concept. Much of the world is depicted as either destroyed or occupied by invading wargs, demonstrating the influence of the valgus on humanity.
4Gamer: I heard that in addition to the Valgus, there will be another threat to humanity in the game – a colossus. What considerations did you take into account when designing the game to characterize each force, such as humanity, the Valgus, and the Colossi?
Song Min Kyu: We created the Valgus to help players understand that they are not just villains, but a group with their own culture, organization and purpose. As for the colossus, we sought to present it as a mysterious entity that strikes fear into the hearts of both humans and Valgus.
4Gamer: The Human Resistance, especially the player characters, are called descendants in the game’s title and are designed in such a way that their skills and fighting style are recognizable by their appearance.
Song Min Kyu: We tried to create the characters in such a way that players could understand them intuitively. Bunny (an electrified character wearing a helmet with bunny ears) is the best example of this. Her name, appearance, colors and skills are all recognizable and beautifully designed.
The combination of an attractive concept, unique appearance and exciting playstyle makes Bunny one of the most popular characters in The First Descendant.
4Gamer: The Valgus look like invaders that are much stronger than humanity. Did you take anything into account when creating them to show this power?
Song Min Kyu: Valgus are creatures built for battle, with skin and skeleton that can withstand harsh environmental conditions. In addition, each legion has its own unique fighting style and skills. For example, the Legion of Darkness, which represents elite soldiers, the Legion of Immortality, which replaces the body with a machine, and the Order of Truth, which changes the body depending on beliefs.
4Gamer: You mentioned that the design concept for the colossus was mystical, but given the abstract nature of the concept, was it more difficult to express that visually than with the Valgus?
Song Min Kyu: The visual theme of the colossus is the fusion of machine and organism. We sought to create it in such a way that it would be beyond our understanding. There is a lot to tell about the colossus, but there are many aspects that we cannot talk about yet, and we will explain them when we are ready to do so.
4Gamer: In addition to the character visuals, this game also featured background art.
Song Min Kyu: Albion, which I mentioned earlier, is a beautiful city that 100% expresses the world of this game. We designed it based on the concept of an impregnable city, reminiscent of Minas Tirith from The Lord of the Rings.
4Gamer: The game was created using Unreal Engine 5. Besides the benefits of using this engine, can you tell us about other graphics capabilities that came with UE5?
Song Min Kyu: I think the biggest innovation in Unreal Engine 5 is the Lumen technology, which plays an important role in this game. The light quality is very beautiful. When you look at the change of time in Albion, it looks absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.
4Gamer: Conversely, were there any difficulties using UE5?
Song Min Kyu: Optimization was key. Currently, many team members are working to ensure that the game runs smoothly on PS4.
4Gamer: Are you planning any updates for the game after release?
Song Min Kyu: We are currently preparing for the new season. We’re also working on some exciting new characters that haven’t been announced yet, so stay tuned!
4Gamer: Finally, do you have a message for gamers?
Song Min Kyu: I’ve always liked Japanese subculture, so it’s deeply ingrained in me. I hope The First Descendant resonates with Japanese gamers. Thank you everyone for your love and support.
