Vanguard: Saga Of Heroes Interview (con't)

FiringSquad: Vanguard is being designed around group team adventures. Having said that will there be any solo quest play in the game that will satisfy players?

Nick Parkinson: Vanguard is, as you say, primarily a group centric game. However, that’s not to the complete exclusion of solo play. We do actually have quite a bit of solo content – not as much as group geared content, but enough to make sure there’s something meaningful to do for those who may not have the time or desire to find a group on any given night.

That said, the best rewards are always going to be gained through working together with your fellow players in one way or another.

FiringSquad: The game will also have a lot of mounts, from dragons to horses to sea vehicles. How important is having a mount in the context of the game?

Nick Parkinson: Very important. The size of the world is immense and players are going to want some way to keep travel time at a reasonable level. Fortunately, you’ll be able to get your first horse pretty early on (around level 8-10 right now) and constant upgrades (in both gear for mounts and mounts themselves) are available after that.

FiringSquad: Will there be an overarching storyline with plots that will evolve in the game?

Nick Parkinson: Yes. The official description is this:

“Welcome to Telon, a vast and magical world teeming with riches and danger.

Vast and ancient civilizations have crumbled under the strain of internal strife and the relentless march of time. Even as the people struggle to reclaim their land and rebuild their once great cities, quarreling fiefdoms have emerged to struggle for control of the empire’s remains.

Now a new threat looms large as the age-old magics that once existed only in legend, reawaken and threaten the diverse races and kingdoms of Telon. With the lands now set upon by rapacious and ominous forces, the warring factions have struck an uneasy alliance to stand against the greater danger that threatens them all. In Thestra, the sprawling green hills and serene glades are plagued by a relentless undead menace. Qalia’s windswept deserts and hidden valleys are filled with the whispers and rumblings about the dark power beginning to emanate from the great Mount Stiirhad. The chaotic jungles and mystical ruins of the Kojan are overrun with fiendish spirits from a time long since past.

Adventure, intrigue, and fortune await any hero hardy enough to brave the challenges of these untamed realms.”

Players have the option to start on Thestra (European themed), Qalia (Arabian themed) or Kojan (Asian themed). Each continent is currently battling some strange, otherworldly invading force – and nobody is quite sure why they are invading or what they want. It’s up to the players to find out.

FiringSquad: What are some of the development team's favorite NPC creatures in Vanguard and why?

Nick Parkinson: We all have our favorites for various reasons. I have a few personal favorites -- the wyrms that players are able to eventually obtain as mounts, just because they look so cool, any of the undead because they really look creepy and as weird as it sounds there’s a certain fish model that I just can’t get enough of.

Other popular ones on the team include the ogres, giants and the placeholder for unfinished NPCs, which is a human sized, bipedal cartoon rat wearing a Sigil t-shirt. How could anyone not love that? *grin*