So here’s an interview I did several weeks ago with KC:D via e-mail, currently rendering a YT video about it and my thoughts that I’ll post later here.
EDit: And done:
-
For how many years has the game been in development? Also how large was the team you first pitched the game on Kickstarter and how much larger has it gotten since then?
The company has existed since 2011. But before we could start with the development we struggled to find a publisher who would finance this project. We had the material, we had a working prototype but little luck. We were on the edge of closing the studio. When all of a sudden a Czech investor approached us, but he wanted proof that this project has a future. That’s when we went on Kickstarter! And after this very successful campaign in January 2014, the real development started. So from 2 guys who had an idea in a downtown Prague pub, we became a full grown video game studio with over 80 team members.
-
When you originally pitched the game on Kickstarter you said you would gain most the funding from a private investor, with the original campaign goal covering only 10% of the game's cost. Given the success of the crowdfunding campaign have you been able to secure more funds for development?
Kickstarter was extremely important for us. Basically it was sink or swim. With great support of the community, the investor stepped in and with joined forces we are already in Alpha 0.5 Stage. Currently the crowdfunding is still very important to us, every cent flows directly into development. And it’s still online, so if you visit www.kingdomcomerpg.com you can contribute and get your Tech Alpha access.
-
In what time of year is the game set in 1403 and how long of a period will it span? ( weeks, months, years? ). Also how long of a time period will each Act be and will be? Finally will the Hussite Wars take place during the game or is it a precursor to them?
Kingdom Come: Deliverance will take place in early summer 1403 in Bohemia, so right before the Hussite Wars. We will tell our story in several weeks of this period. So there won’t be any seasonal changes. But you can expect weather changes. However we plan to slightly jump in time for the next Acts, to tell more about this extremely interesting and intricate story. So you might even find yourself inside the Hussite Wars, who knows J
-
What weapons will be available for players to use in Act I and will there be weapons only NPCs can use due to the difficulty of making them available for players?
Our plan was to provide every interesting weapon of the era; that includes short and long swords, sabers, maces and axes, shields and we even want to have long weapons like spears and halberds.
5) Will there be sword sheaths, axe belt loops and other kind of attachments of weapons to the body?
Hopefully yes! We are working on them.
Note: Asking cause I’m tired of seeing all that floating weapon nonsense, especially weapons on the back. I figure if Mount and Blade can do it, at least with some weapons, then bigger budget games should as well.
-
Horse fighting, how will it be implemented?
Fighting on horseback was in the plan from the beginning – and it was quite ambitious one, well… like the other plans we have here. It is very interesting part of a medieval combat and it’s also very different from what people usually imagine. So it’s also a hard task and we are not very sure how much of it we are able to finish – and how much we will have to save for the future Acts of Kingdom Come: Deliverance
-
In terms of actual history there were an incredible amount of things going around this time period: The Teutonic Knights reaching the pinnacle of their power, the Battle of Nicopolis, the invasion of the Timurid Empire in the east etc. Will things like this be touched upon in the game such as characters discussing them?
With more time and more money we could do anything! But for Kingdom Come: Deliverance we focus on this particular story about two brother’s struggle over the bohemian crown.
-
In terms of Castle Sieges will they be set battles that cannot be impacted by player actions or will we be able to take certain actions to help us win them?
It’s important to understand that these castle sieges didn’t happen every week in that time. So even in our game it’s more like the big final of our act. You will take place and you will play your role among the frontline. There will be many options before and while fighting, however you will never lead any army or become the king. You can’t change history, you tell your story within the historically correct story.
Note: I’m thinking here about infiltration missions, assassination missions or leading a small group of men through a secret entrance into the castle.
-
In terms of scale, how big will castles, towns, villages be? Also how large will the populations of these locations be in-game?
We populate them properly for the given time and place. So villages will have way less people than around castles. But overall there will be many important NPCs that really lived in that time and several hundred inhabitants of our “world”. -
Battle wise, couple of points:
a) Will we fight the entire battle in a single go, or will there be separate segments that are then tied together, perhaps impacted by our performance such as the Lithuanian retreat and counterattack at Grunwald?
Who knows? J
b) What’s the scale of these battles going to be in-game compared to the actual historical battles. ( Talking here number of soldiers )
We try to be as historically accurate as possible of course. But sometimes we need to have compromises because of gameplay.
c) I understand there was no strategic mode planned ( where you command the army ) when you announced the game, has this changed in any way?
Nope! J
Note: It would be interesting to see your character being able to command a select group of soldiers, perhaps a banner even and be able to give commands to them. Also would be great to have a pre battle phase where the generals are setting up their battle plans even if you can’t change anything just to see these legendary figures up close.
d) Will we be able to choose for who we fight for and where: Fighting for the Teutonic Knights for instance or being able to start with either the poles of Lithuanians depending on your choice.
Nope, your life is bind by law. You are not a free man, but a servant to a certain nobility who fights back against Sigismund’s Invasion. But this is the army that ruined your life, thus your interest here are the same.
- What kind of story choices will we have in the game? Micro or Macro choices?
We call it a feature when we say that every action calls for a proper reaction. And these can either be micro or even macro. The choices are reasonable. So if you for example decide to rob a caravan, the shop keepers will have less to sell and will have to raise prices. But you’ll still be Henry, the son of a blacksmith and you’ll always stay Henry.
Note: When I think of Micro choices I refer to something like Alpha Protocol where we have close to nothing in terms of world changing choices but a large amount of choices in terms of changing how characters perceive us, treat us and what happens to them.
In terms of Macro Choices I think of all the political choices in TW2 changing the fate of entire nations.
-
Is the protagonist we’re going to play a blank slate, a set character or something in between? ( think Bioware protagonists for the last one ).
Henry, in terms of his history and his visuals, is set. It’s up to you how you shape his character. You can force everyone with the tip of your sword or you can try to avoid fighting at all and be more the negotiating type. So it’s up to you, how you incarnate Henry. -
Are we going to be on our own for most of the game or are we going to be able to recruit companions to help us out?
You won’t be able to recruit or lead any army. Sometimes in quests you might have companions, which will leave after your quest is done. And you also won’t siege that castle alone! J -
Crunching is something that affects all game developers. How do you guys deal with it working on such an ambitious game?
That is a problem that is hardly avoidable. But the crew is fully motivated and they want to drive that project to an awesome end. Everyone in the studio identifies with this project so it’s not just work… but working with friends. Everyone pulls the same direction.
