Icewind Dale II Q&A
The sequel to the popular Icewind Dale has been in the works for some time. We talk to producer Darren Monahan to learn more about it.
Interplay must have been cringing in fear when the original Icewind Dale was released in mid-2000. Not only did the game hit store shelves a few weeks before the release of Baldur's Gate II, which had been hyped a great deal more at the time, but it also shipped on exactly the same day as Blizzard's Diablo II. That's some pretty stiff competition, but despite all that, Icewind Dale sold relatively well, thanks in part to its instantly accessible hack-and-slash style of gameplay and its rich plot and setting. Besides, the game's creators, Black Isle Studios, had an impressive pedigree that included memorable games like Fallout and Planescape: Torment, as well as a significant role in Baldur's Gate. Icewind Dale lived up to Black Isle fans' expectations, and it was enough of a commercial success to merit the release of two subsequent expansion packs: Heart of Winter and Trials of the Luremaster.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Interplay and Black Isle Studios are working on a true sequel to Icewind Dale. Icewind Dale II has been in development for around six months already--which would explain its closer-than-expected release date of May 28, 2002--and its team includes designers who have worked on all of Black Isle's earlier games. Needless to say, we were curious to find out more about this exciting RPG, so we tracked down its producer, Darren Monahan, who gladly filled us in on many of Icewind Dale II's details.
GameSpot: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions about Icewind Dale II. What's the official title of the game, and when is it scheduled to be released?
Darren Monahan: Absolutely. The official title for the sequel to Icewind Dale is Icewind Dale II. We tossed around the idea of having a trailing name (as Shadows of Amn is to Baldur's Gate II) but decided that Icewind Dale II was our title of the century. We're planning on shipping this May 28.
GS: When did you decide to go ahead with the project? When did you begin development on Icewind Dale II?
DM: Toward the end of summer 2001, Black Isle was divided into three internal project teams. The team I'm working with created Icewind Dale, Heart of Winter, and the free Web expansion, Trials of the Luremaster. The second team was working on Torn, and the third team on an unannounced project. After the decision was made to cancel Torn, we were given additional resources to move Icewind Dale II into full production. We had been conceptualizing it for some time beforehand while working on the expansions, and we kicked into full production shortly after Trials of the Luremaster was completed.
GS: So, now that some Torn members are working on this sequel, how big is the team for Icewind Dale II?
DM: We've got two full teams of artists made up of 3D modelers, 2D (textures and touch-up), and animators. The designers are Chris Avellone (Fallout 2/Torment/Icewind Dale), Dave Maldonado (Torment/Torn), J.E. Sawyer (Icewind Dale), John Deiley (Fallout 2/Torment/Icewind Dale), Rob Holloway (Torment/Torn), and our new guy, Damien Foletto. There are a couple of us producer types and two programmers from Heart of Winter.
GS: Will Icewind Dale II use the Infinity Engine, like its predecessor? Will any of the assets from Torn be used for the game?
DM: Yes, and mostly yes. We will be using the Infinity Engine for one last game, and we've been working on some really cool refinements to the engine, including the incorporation of some 3rd Edition rules. Additionally, we brought over some artwork assets from Torn.
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Icewind Dale II Review
Like its predecessor, Icewind Dale II is simply a great role-playing game.
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