People who play online survival games are pirates, settlers, gang leaders, ambushers. They form powerful alliances and build long-term rivalries. If video games can foster fun, often hilarious, and always engaging player behavior, then this genre in particular is the petri dish in which it thrives.
Dune Awakening looks to be no different. For those of us who dream of waging political, economic, and physical war on the dunes of Arrakis, this game might be our best bet.
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To find out more, I sat down with Joel Bylos, chief creative officer at Funcom and creative director of Dune Awakening. He and the company he works for have extensive experience with survival games, and the gameplay showcase offers a glimpse into the game’s unique quirks and twists. But what about those who wish to wrap themselves in the dunes? Are Spiceheads eager to choose a faction and make a name for themselves?
Most of that happens later in the game – after you’ve established your base and established a home on Arrakis – but the roots are embedded in character creation. Being able to choose from a variety of home planets, you can craft anything from a common self-insert, a noble warrior from House Atreides, to a pale, bald Harkonnen. This, combined with the choice of which master you accept, allows you to ignite your Dune fantasy.
Eventually, you’ll encounter two main factions, both flesh and stone. Players can find handlers from House Atreides and House Harkonnen, with each faction having their own settlements in the world for players to explore and communicate with. What we’re looking at is Hako Village – part of the monochromatic homeworld that drops in the game. sand.
When asked about the purpose of Jaco Village in Dune Awakening, Byros explained: “The idea is that you want to use these spaces to showcase the identities of the factions.”
Each faction has its own hub (reminding me of the Horde and Alliance capitals in World of Warcraft) and helps connect the game to the wider universe beyond Dune Awakening.Bilos continued: “It feels a bit like a brutalist [depiction] What would the Harkonnens be like in their place? […] We wanted to create a role-playing space for players. We opened a bar, a place called Hanovars.
In the book, the Harkonnen make money from the whale fur industry, which is a super random reference. But if you walk into the Hanover Bar, you’ll notice a giant whale skeleton on the roof. So all these little things create a real environment for players to hang out in. ”
Okay, the factions are here, but how do you, the player, actually fit into it all? Well, when you find those handlers mentioned above, you will be able to complete tasks and contracts for them and earn their trust. Of course you can also join the Players Guild. A group of like-minded money makers, PvPers, roleplayers, or all-around weirdos that match your own energy. According to Byros, the guild could go further if it wanted to.
“Eventually, if you’re a guild, you might sign a contract of allegiance, which means you go to the leader of that faction (Beast Laban or Leto Atreides) and sign their faction. From that point on Since then, your guild has formed an alliance with that faction […] From that point on, you can participate in Lansraad. Lance Rudd has certain demands they need and they will change everything. They’ll vote according to a different set of rules, and you need to influence that vote. ”
For those who don’t know, Lance Raad is the entity that represents the Great House of the Dune universe and is ruled by the Emperor himself. While Byros would certainly emphasize that factions and Lancerad systems are not necessarily closely linked, those guilds that choose to represent a faction can complete goals and win Lancerad’s favor in order to receive ample favors and benefits.
“There are a lot! I can talk about it in general terms. If you influence Lance Raad in a specific way, they might reduce the spice tax, which makes it very advantageous for you as a faction to stockpile spice instead of selling it. Then wait until you win Lan Slade Slade, change the spice tax and then sell a bunch of it because it’s a great way to make money. That’s an example.”
While we won’t see Paul’s religious crusade in this alternate universe, the presence of political intrigue should be a pleasant thought for fans of Dune old and new. However, I’m curious to see how the Funcom team will address the issue of faction imbalance, especially if winning Lansraad’s favor can have a huge financial impact on players. It turns out that being a member of the same faction does not guarantee friendship in any way.
“In PvP areas you can see another Atreides player and shoot them, it’s up to you. We have this rule – what happens in the desert stays in the desert. It’s not just about saying ‘I Now it’s Atreides, that’s my brother’. No no, that guy’s Atreides and his guild are ahead of you! You kinda want to backstab them too. This is the Dune universe! In a way, this Like Game of Thrones in space, you don’t just want to “let some upstart young guild get the lead, right?” They will get more rewards than our guild. So we want to encourage this kind of dynamic social play between different groups and even within factions. ”
The upshot of all this is that it’s a fun ending for both modest role players and survival gamers who simply enjoy the dynamics between players. If you – yes, you are at home – just want to represent your Harkonnen colors with other bald boys, then the game should allow you to do that in an appropriate manner. In my opinion, this could be Dune Awakening’s real selling point, if Byros and co. can pull it off.
Because ultimately the player’s own desire to influence the game in their favor will be the ultimate power in a game like Dune Awakening. If Funcom could give them an outlet to express their competitive and dark nature, you could forget about Desert Force. You will have the power of the player. Player power inspires its base and entices viewers to try the game for themselves.
Dune Awakening doesn’t have a release date yet, but it will be available on PC. You can sign up for the beta test on the official website.