Clan Lord: More Assorted Questions
Questions: Thomas Metcalf
Answers: Joe Williams
Sent: December 10th, 1998
Answer recieved: Decemeber 10th, 1998 (16:28:37)
Number of questions/answers: 11
Topics covered: General, Player opinions, Game questions
General
Me: Most games change completely from the time they leave the drawing
board to when they eventually get finished. Has Clan Lord turned out how
you originally envisioned it?
Joe: Mostly. The story in the manual was written in 1993, so you
can get a taste of some of the differences from that -- mostly technical
stuff.
Me: Do you think many of the games current problems (karma abuse,
overcrowding etc.) which users have been complaining about will be fixed
when the commercial version is released?
Joe: I believe that people will always find things to complain about.
I find karma useful, and I believe the world is more underpopulated than
overcrowded.
Me: Apple's great success with the iMac has been noticed by all,
and it has added a great number of new people to the Internet. Do you think
the increased number of new users will help boost Clan Lord sales?
Joe: We believe that the net will over time prove to be the most
significant aspect of computing, period, and the most influential piece
of technology since the telephone.
Me: A few months ago, I heard you had gone to Apple to give them
a demonstration of the game at that time. Has Apple been helping/contributing
with this project in any way since then?
Joe: People at Apple certainly have, though not the company itself.
Me: How helpful have the general population of testers been during
the development of Clan Lord?
Joe: Very -- whether they mean to be or not. We actually need the
annoying butt-heads during testing, so we can learn how to best deal with
them.
Me: After releasing the game commercially, will you divert some of
your lackeys <or whatever you like to call them => back to other projects,
like Spaceward Ho! 5, or just keep everyone at DT working on Clan Lord?
Joe: Clan Lord is our big thing. I'll probably get some poor college
student to take over Ho! 5 (and possibly Strategic Conquest 5) in the future.
Player opinions
Me: Some the current testers say they will not continue playing when
they have to pay because it is too expensive, although many I have spoken
to haven't even heard of the game yet. How many more people do you expect
to play in the release version than have been in the development period?
Joe: We expect the population to decrease immediately upon release,
because many of our testers are kids with little or no income. However,
we do hope to grow the number. We hope to regain our current levels within
nine months or so.
Me: Many of the testers have said that the world does not have enough
depth as it is now. Are you planning to add more of the world's background
information, or will you leave that up to the players to decide?
Joe: We'll be piling in a lot more storyline stuff. We're currently
kind of bogged with technical issues.
Me: Some players have been concerned by the low level of role playing
during the development period. How do you expect the standard/level of role
playing to change after time?
Joe: The game is more fun if people immerse themselves in the world,
so we'll
encourage that -- though we don't want a authoritarian adherence to it.
Game questions
Me: People have been speculating about Mystics for months now. Some
say their appearance is soon, others that it is still far away. Can you
clear away the rumours and set the record straight?
Joe: Nope. If you'd asked me four months ago, I would have said they'd
be a significant part of the population by now. I would have been wrong.
Many of the things we want mystics to do will require technical changes
that are painful and slow.
Me: Many people are very interested in the Order of the Glove at
this time, mainly wondering what the entire group is for, and how to become
a member. What can you tell them about the Order?
Joe: It is open by invite only. Their motives are mysterious.
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