FPS (First Person Spell-Casting): Hands-On with Lichdom

From our visit to Xaviant earlier this month, we had the opportunity to play-test an early build of Lichdom, thanks to Michael McMain and Tim Lindsey. Read on below to see what we thought of the game.

(Editorâ€s Note: We played through a pre-alpha build of Lichdom. Please remember, our experience playing through this build is in no way indicative of how the final product will play)

Entering into the low-lit room, Vernon and I were greeted by rows of cubicles lined down the two long walls of the rectangular room. Each cubicle had its own computer terminal, headphones, controllers, and video cameras.

Michael and Tim introduced the area as the “lab”. This place is where all the recent builds of Lichdom are tested by employees and guests. Having play-testing sessions helps the developers and designers at Xaviant figure out what elements of the game can be improved, modified, and removed from the latest builds. It also helps them assess from capture equipment, gameplay metrics, and player feedback, how players favor certain areas, at which points they get stuck, where bugs and glitches occur in the build, and the reactions of the players during key moments in cinematics and gameplay.

The testing is usually focused from day-to-day; between content, storytelling, level design, pathing, combat, and features. Usually, at the end of every day, judgments are made about which direction to take the game, based on the experience gained from play-testing new builds. Usually, if any of the developers or designers have issues or points of contention about the different aspects of the game, theyâ€re told to table it and bring it to the play-testing lab, where they can work through their concerns while playing the game. Actually seeing where issues lie while playing a game that youâ€re designing, helps foster a much better understanding of where improvements can be made.

The build that we played through was an actual pre-alpha game build (several are pumped out from a build machine every day). It wasnâ€t prettied up for any potential game journalist visits. This was the real deal. This was what the developers and designers slaved throughout the day to output; a better playing build.

Michael and Tim gave us the lowdown on the location (Riftwood) that weâ€d be playing through in the recent build, and a minimal tutorial on gameplay and spell casting. Once we had some idea about the controls, Tim asked if he could record our gameplay (and reactions, through the aforementioned cameras). Not even missing a beat, we both yielded our approval to them; the faster we got our grubby mitts on this alluring game, the better. After a few moments, Tim and Michael left us to our own devices and ran back to the observation room, (which has equipment that catches gameplay metrics, captures direct video play-tests, and also player reactions to what happens onscreen) to watch us from afar.

We both started in an area called Riftwood, which is one of the first areas that Xaviant has released to the public view. Itâ€s an arboreous area, spotted with substantial hills, cliffs, and a few caves. After a slight story element played out, we proceeded into the area proper. Tim had previously stated that we would be collecting loot around the area (if you recall from the interview article last week, loot is a major part of the game; it defines your character and play-style). He also mentioned how we could modify our spells using the various loot pickups. We can change how a spell is delivered or targeted, and what attributes we can modify, like augmenting damage, or changing the property of a spell (how many enemies you can chain with your lightning attack, etc.) We started with the 3 basic spells, which are Fire, Ice, and Lightning. Each of these spells have their own versions as well; light and focused, heavy and wide, and the third is usually all out destruction. For example, Fire can be sent out in an acute shot, have an area-of-effect attack, or rain down fierce firebombs from the sky. The same goes for Lightning (which mostly stuns and chains enemies), and Ice (freezes your enemies for a short period of time). The two other spells that we didnâ€t have a chance to play were Gravity and Corruption. From what Michael and Tim told us about those two spells, maybe we should have made some time, because they both sounded pretty fascinating.

After using one of the more powerful attacks of each spell, we could see that each subsequent use of the same attack would take longer to charge. The humming auditory cue of our efforts to prime the attack grew more prolonged, and at that point we understood that we really didnâ€t need a gauge to tell us how much longer it would be before our “heavy” spell would be ready; the modulation of the windup was effective enough. This is quite an innovative way to inform the player without using a gauge or visual cue.

Another combat element that we thoroughly enjoyed is the evade move. Once activated, you can move in any direction in slow motion. It adds quite a wild pace to the combat, since you can anticipate a hit, evade it, and then cast your spell. One thing that I did question a little was that I couldnâ€t seem to cast a spell while evading. I think that would add even more of a dynamic aspect to the combat. Melee was non-existent, or at least I couldnâ€t find a button or button combination to initiate it. Even a close-quarters magic attack would have sufficed. Again, this was only a pre-alpha build of Lichdom, so things may be quite different in the final game.

The enemies in the build were pretty standard, mostly utilizing their clubs and axes. These ‘lighter†enemies were apparently out for blood, because each time we were noticed from afar, we were rushed immediately. The AI was sufficient and smart enough to try to edge through to our peripherals; trying to flank and catch us off-guard. This came more into play when the ‘heavies†carrying shields were introduced (and apparently, the lighter enemies worked in tandem with the heavies.) There were various times when we took a few good smacks to the head by some unnoticed ‘lighter†enemies, who took the opportunity to do so, while we were engaged with their larger and less timid brethren. Still further on, we battled with a new ranged enemy type. These ladies apparently suffer from a Scorpion complex and hurled spiky chains at us non-stop. Once impaled, we were dragged in, all the while being attacked by other assailants. At that point, it wouldnâ€t have been out of place to have heard a “Get over here!” being echoed throughout the mountains of Riftwood.

Both Vernon and I went through different experiences playing through the map. Vernon went into more of a mage-like mode; picking up more loot drops than me, and augmenting his spells. I was in pure FPS mode; playing the game as if I were playing Call of Duty or Halo; running around with wild abandon, “shooting” my spells and strafing around enemies, not really caring about compounding the strength or effects of my spells. Playing as a mage through Skyrim and Lichdom are a complete night-and-day difference. With Lichdom, I felt more in control of my casting. More like a shooter. And you know what? I enjoyed it.

The environment of Riftwood was stunning, even in this early build. The resourcefulness and skill of the developers and designers was apparent throughout the map. The foliage and environment looked incredible (to me it was at least on par with Skyrim), the skybox was convincing, and the enemies were well-designed and primal.

Check out the Lichdom Combat Teaser below:

After Vernon and I completed our jaunt through Riftwood, Tim and Michael proceeded to show us an impressive cinematic involving an NPC character. Vernon approached his interaction with the NPC as if it were some sort of quick-time event (read as: he quickly dispatched the NPC). I on the other hand, chose to sit back, relax, and watch the absorbing cinematic. Tim and Michael were both pleased by each of our reactions. The whole point is that we had a choice; we could sit there and listen to the story, or we could outright affect the event if we wanted to. This aspect of direct involvement or passive observation with certain story elements and interactions is also one of the key facets that Lichdom will provide for its players.

So what do we think? Overall, we enjoyed our time play-testing Lichdom, even with such an early build. With its unique spell-casting and loot system, beautiful environments, engaging and decently smart AI, striking in-game cinematics, and intriguing story, Lichdom is one game that weâ€re going to keep a close eye on.

Do you want to experience Lichdom for yourself? Do you live around the Atlanta metro area? Youâ€re in luck: Xaviant is holding monthly play-test sessions and they want everyone to join in on the fun. Apply at the following link and help them field test the game:

http://Lichdom.com/blog/play-testing-application/

 

The post FPS (First Person Spell-Casting): Hands-On with Lichdom appeared first on SpawnFirst.

Last week, we had an opportunity to hold an interview with Xaviant, a Georgia-based game development studio. Xaviant was formed in 2008 and since then, theyâ€ve been prepping to turn the RPG world on its head. Their upcoming flagship title, Lichdom, brings to the table some interesting concepts and innovative gameplay. Itâ€s a Cryengine 3-based RPG game, and the studio has more than a few tricks up its sleeve to make Lichdom stand out from the crowd.

After a brief tour of their amazing studio, we sat down with Xaviant head Michael McMain (CEO) and Tim Lindsey (Design Director), who were courteous enough to allow us an extended interview session, and also let us experience their game, Lichdom, firsthand.

(The initial portion of the interview was with Michael only, with Tim joining at a later time. Vernon Gomes, SpawnFirstâ€s Marketing Coordinator, conducted the interview along with me)

Karam: I just wanted to get an understanding of your background in the industry; how did you start and what did you do?

Michael: Before Xaviant, I was the CEO of RealTime Gaming, which is a company that developed software for the online casino industry. The owners decided that they didnâ€t want to be in that business anymore, so they sold it. At that point I decided that I wanted to move in the direction of developing my own games. Iâ€ve been an avid gamer since I was a kid; and like many people that love to game, I had a dream of making my own. After RealTime Gaming, I was finally in a position to follow that dream, and thatâ€s when I founded Xaviant.

“In my opinion, the best games make you forget about things like the controller and buttons. They immerse you completely in the combat, in the drama, in the story, the action, the lore.” Michael

Karam: What is the focus of the company, because you have this motto “You Will Feel Everything? And how are you instilling that value?

Michael: In my opinion, the best games make you forget about things like the controller and buttons. They immerse you completely in the combat, in the drama, in the story, the action, the lore. A game fails when it pulls you out of the moment. For example, when youâ€re hitting the X button when you shouldâ€ve hit the Y. Our goal is to deliver experiences that take you out of yourself, and put you in a world where you are completely surrounded by every element of the game – the sights, the sounds, the feel. Thatâ€s what we mean by “you will feel everything”.

Karam: …so that youâ€re directly connected to the game…

Michael: Exactly. So youâ€re in the moment, in the game and you say, ‘oh! I just killed that guy with lightning!†and not, ‘oh! I hit my x button just in time and this happenedâ€.

Karam: We were thinking initially that your motto “You Will Feel Everything” was going on more of an emotional aspect, but youâ€re talking about a connection.

Michael: Exactly. Emotional feeling obviously plays into “feeling everything”. The game weâ€re building, Lichdom, is a good example of that. It has story moments that are very poignant and engaging. In that sense, weâ€re trying to make sure that youâ€re immersed in it – that if you decide to give us your attention, weâ€re going to make you feel emotion as well as the physical and sensory elements of the game. Thatâ€s our goal.

Vernon: You said earlier that youâ€re not an Indie game studio, but I still want to ask if you want to target the Indie gamer niche.

Michael: Perhaps I should clarify myself – I donâ€t look at the word  “Indie” as negative. I think Indie is the future of gaming, and that there are so many people out there that have amazing ideas. But the common perception, or perhaps, misperception, of “indie” studios is that they are generally bootstrapped start-ups making smaller titles. Thatâ€s not us. Weâ€re a well-funded independent studio making a big title. I just want people to understand that distinction.

Karam: This is your first game as Xaviant. Looking to the future, after Lichdom is released and depending on its reception, how do you want to be known as a company? Do you want to known as an RPG company, or this is just the first project that youâ€re going all in for? Are you thinking about other genres in the future?

Michael: Thatâ€s a good question. As a gamer, Iâ€m at my core an RPG gamer; thatâ€s what I love. Iâ€ll be honest with you; I play games that arenâ€t RPGs, and I scratch my head sometimes, and wonder why they didnâ€t put something RPGish in it. Something that would engage you; that would further tie you to the needs and the motives of your character. To make you feel like you built something. So, I canâ€t imagine us making a game that doesnâ€t have some RPG quality to it.

“Our primary principal goal is gameplay. The gameplay has to be completely and utterly solid.” Michael

Karam: So if you ever do create a shooter, you would instill some of those concepts into it.

Michael: Absolutely. I think shooters could definitely benefit from that, I think they would be much more interesting. I find myself playing games like Rage, as an example; that game is amazing and itâ€s just so beautiful. Could you imagine what it could be like, if you had the RPG qualities of Fallout on top of that?

And whatâ€s interesting about this is that our game, when you play it, is a shooter, and weâ€re obviously using an engine (Cryengine 3) thatâ€s designed as a first-person shooter engine. So, one of the things that I had told to the team in the beginning is that we have to make sure that this does not feel like a standard magic game. It has to feel different than that. So we did a lot of work to get it away from feeling like you are carrying or shooting a gun, but still let it feel like a shooter and play like a shooter. Meaning that the combat is fast-paced and there are a lot of things happening around you. That the player is forced to be reactive, and I think that weâ€ve pulled that off.

Vernon:  Besides immersion, what else you have done to make Lichdom different than something like Skyrim?

Michael: Our primary principal goal is gameplay. The gameplay has to be completely and utterly solid. And again, thatâ€s part of the “You Will Feel Everything”. We want players to forget the controller and stop stressing over it. So, gameplay is huge, and weâ€ve iterated on that a lot. We didnâ€t even fully realize the core of our combat or get it refined to the point where I could call it done, until last week.

The second fundamental that weâ€re trying to deliver is this concept of loot, and thatâ€s where the RPG lives. The things that drop in the world are defining you as a character. In our game, everything about your RPG experience exists in that loot. So when we talk about things that games might have in them like talent trees or so forth, thereâ€s nothing universal, or core to you as an individual; itâ€s all in the loot that you find.

And then the 3^rd differentiator is story. Itâ€s very gripping, very interesting, and very engaging. We really tried to focus on keeping the story from getting long and drawn out. Itâ€s a 30 to 35 hour game, but out of that 30 to 35 hours a lot of it is action. And so we want to make sure that the story moments really count, that theyâ€re poignant.

Karam: So does that entail that you wonâ€t have too many sidequests in the game?

Michael: Yes. Weâ€re trying to deliver something similar to the Borderlands experience, but rather than you having a list of things in your log that you have to clean out, it will be more like alternatives. Weâ€re going to be delivering what you would call a sidequest, through things we call vignettes. So rather than getting a log that says “go over and kill these bandits”, whatâ€ll happen is that youâ€ll start walking over into the enemy territory, and youâ€ll hear two bandits arguing. At that point you can decide to sit there and listen to them, and get a little something out of it. Or, you can decide to charge into the bandit camp and start blowing them away. Weâ€re trying to give players choices and keep players from living in quest logs and living in textual interfaces.

“I would say that the two biggest things that Iâ€ve brought from all of my previous experience building large world games, is an idea of how to pace and iterate.” Tim

Karam: So which conferences have you showcased this game in?

Michael: We had a first look play-test at SIEGE  here in Atlanta. At GDC, we gave a tech-talk about what itâ€s like to use our tools. We used some components of the game there, and we also released a little combat trailer showing little snippets of our combat.

Karam: And will you be going to E3?

Michael: We will in some fashion, though weâ€re not going to have a booth there. Our big unveiling is going to come later in the year. We have some interesting plans that weâ€re going to do in the October to November time frame, this year. A little closer to when the game is going to be out, as far as making the big splash.

(After this portion of the interview, we walked around with Michael to look at more of the studio and search for Tim)

(Now with Tim and Michael):

Karam: So Michael went over the shooter aspect of the game, and how that should feel for the player. What other gameplay elements make Lichdom unique? Outside of the loot system and what we covered. What other things are you bringing to the table?

Tim: Our mission really is to deliver an experience. Weâ€ve chosen not to bring in a lot of the RPG expected formats so youâ€re not going to find armor, or at least, not as youâ€re used to it. Youâ€re not going to find gauntlets; instead youâ€re crafting all of your defensive abilities through the spells. So what weâ€re really bringing to the table is a much deeper investment in how the player manipulates the spell system and everything that they append to their character.

Michael: Thereâ€s one other thing that Iâ€ll point out, that I think is a big differentiator for us and is something that we couldnâ€t talk about until last week: one of the things that we have in our gameplay experience is that we have the ability to crit (critical effects). So for Frost a critical effect means that not only will you take more damage, the Frost will freeze you solid. Lightning will stun for a short period of time. Now thatâ€s not unique; thatâ€s pretty standard, but one of the things weâ€re doing in this game is weâ€ve provided a tool for the player to choose and guarantee a crit when they decide they want one. So that if you need to freeze the guy solid, you have the ability to do that. You have the ability to charge up your attack to a point and youâ€re guaranteed that the next hit is going to be a critical. By the way, that charging effect has a diminishing return on it in the sense that it takes longer and longer to charge over time.

Tim: The magic chemistry set (what we refer to it a lot here) is sort of a periodic table of magic. It begins with finding something that is very known, like fire does damage. I can cast Fire as a fireball and I can figure this out in seconds; but then the depth comes into building that spell and then discovering what you can combo with what. Thereâ€ll be simple combos that you can create in todayâ€s play-test, but Iâ€ll just let you guys discover those instead of giving them away. In addition to that, as far as features for players to look forward to; environmental interaction is a big chunk of the rest of this year. Youâ€ll see today how all of the spells work with our NPCs. Our AI uses clever tactics, like tactics that require two NPCs; one shielding while the other one flanks. Youâ€ll see them moving and taking a lot of tactical positions.

“And then pass after pass, like an oil painting, building up the gameplay experience, distributing the design effort across the entire team instead of just saying ‘designers made this, we promise itâ€ll be fun’.” Tim

Karam: Lichdom is coming out on the 360, PS3, and PC, correct?

Michael: PC-only release initially, and then next-gen consoles. The next-gen consoles are not in the pipeline. That would take a publisher relationship, or require us go through the more independent channels to get to other consoles.

Karam: Going on your past experience building these games, have you brought in anything from those games; a lot of those concepts with you?

Tim: Absolutely. I would say that the two biggest things that Iâ€ve brought from all of my previous experience building large world games, is an idea of how to pace and iterate. So pacing in terms of how to pull a player to a point of interest, every some number of seconds based on your gameplay goals. Since this is not a sandbox like the Elder Scrolls (series), youâ€ll find a lot more fast-paced visceral combat, and itâ€ll actually take you longer to get to your next checkpoint than it would in an Elder Scrolls game. Thatâ€s because weâ€re focusing on the combat here: youâ€re standing in an area for longer, fighting against enemies to get loot, and then hitting that checkpoint. So just understanding how to deliver that pacing is something that comes from experience.

The 2^nd piece there that kind of ties hand-in-hand to this, is a methodology for our crew in terms of how to build with design first and not to say that the game is done, but instead to say ‘this is a first passâ€, a quick pass on design that gives everybody what they need to fuel a fire. Other departments can then go ‘okay, what parts of the design are malleable?†‘well, here are the areas that we actually need some creative input for, and here are the areas where we need design work for the environment, and hereâ€s an area where we actually need animation throw in and figure out how to make this area play bestâ€. And then pass after pass, like an oil painting, building up the gameplay experience, distributing the design effort across the entire team instead of just saying ‘designers made this, we promise itâ€ll be funâ€.

Karam: Well, that does it for our questions. Thank you.

Michael: Thanks.

Tim: Thank you.

After the interview, Michael and Tim escorted us to the game testing lab, where we actually got a chance to get our hands dirty with a pre-alpha version of Lichdom. How did it play? Did this early build manifest any of the ideas and concepts that Michael and Tim talked about? Was it actually enjoyable?

Join us next week for the second portion of our visit to Xaviant, as we spill the details on how Lichdom plays.

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