Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Q&A

Brad McQuaid revolutionized online role-playing games when he helped cocreate Sony Online Entertainment's EverQuest more than five years ago. EverQuest was a blockbuster success, and it remains one to this day. More than five years after its launch, it continues to be the most successful online RPG in North America. But McQuaid made industry shockwaves when he left SOE in late 2001. The following year, he, along with former EverQuest producer Jeff Butler, cofounded Sigil Games Online. Now Sigil's developers are finally taking the wraps off of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, the project they've been working on the past two years for publisher Microsoft. Not surprisingly, McQuaid and company are sticking to their roots; Vanguard is an online role-playing game that will allow you to explore and adventure in a virtual world with hundreds, and even thousands, of other players at the same time. GameSpot had the opportunity to catch up with McQuaid to get the details on Vanguard.

This is an exclusive piece of concept art that depicts one of the creatures in Vanguard.

GameSpot: We've already heard that Vanguard will be a massively multiplayer online RPG. Tell us about the game's setting. Is it high fantasy, futuristic sci-fi, or something else entirely? Why did you decide to choose this setting for the game?

Brad McQuaid: Vanguard is generally what someone would label as high fantasy, although we intend to throw some twists in there too. We chose fantasy for several reasons. First, it's what we know best. We also have been thinking about and planning where fantasy massively multiplayer gamers should go next for some time. Finally, as Sigil's first game, it seemed to make the most sense to choose a setting that is the most proven within the genre.

GS: We know from your personal work on EverQuest that you're extremely familiar with conventional online RPGs. In fact, some might say that at this point, most online RPGs are conventional, that they're too similar. What specific features will set Sigil's game apart from the others?

BM: Actually, we've seen a trend lately to try to appeal to such a broad audience that the core audience has been ignored--even alienated. We plan on bringing back the challenge--the risk and the reward--but at the same time make the game more accessible and address problematic issues like camping and too much downtime. Bottom line: We not only think both [casual and hardcore players] should coexist in the same game, but that it's the direction these games should head.

GS: We're going to assume that the new game will attempt to remedy common issues that are cited by online RPG critics. For instance, how much emphasis will the game place on hack-and-slash combat? Some critics have called out online RPGs for using the pseudo-turn-based "I hit, then you hit" combat system that appeared in EverQuest. How important will combat be in the new game, and how is it going to be exciting and innovative?

BM: Combat is a key component of the game, so there will certainly be hack-and-slash gameplay. But that doesn't mean combat needs to be mindless--it can be very exciting, involved, and visceral.

Crafting also plays a big role in Vanguard, and we're creating a pretty cool interdependent economic and advancement system in which crafting relies on adventuring and vice versa.

GS: How is character development being handled? Can we expect to see something similar to the EverQuest model of characters gaining experience levels and looking for the most powerful loot possible? If not, how will players develop their characters?

BM: It's still mostly a traditional level and class-based system, just much more refined and easier to balance. Item acquisition will also be important (for both adventuring and crafting, I might add).

GS: Also, it's arguable that requiring players to invest a great deal of time and effort to advance their characters to level 50 or so, with a full set of magic armor and weapons, creates a very real attachment between players and their characters. If the new game won't have the usual "grind" to gain levels, how will it make players feel attached to their characters and make them want to continue playing and developing them?

BM: We think the trick is to continue the emphasis on character development because you're absolutely right: It creates an attachment--a sense of pride--in accomplishment and in a player's characters. The "grind," however, is something we're trying to avoid.

The game takes place in a world of high fantasy.

First, terms like "grind" and "treadmill" usually have a negative connotation to them--they imply boring repetition associated with character development and advancement. As massively multiplayer game developers, we are responsible for ensuring that the gameplay doesn't feel this way. Clearly, as you build your character you should be having fun. You shouldn't run into a situation where the path to efficient leveling or advancing of skills is the more boring path, and the actual fun part of the game is less efficient. One of our tenets is, "The path of least resistance should also be the path most fun." Now, this doesn't mean the game won't be challenging; rather, it means what you feel drawn to do to advance should also involve actual compelling gameplay.

For example, camping in one spot waiting for a spawn isn't really playing the game. Likewise, sitting on a boat doing nothing or waiting too long to recover between battles isn't playing the game, either. Our advanced encounter system should compel players to move through adventure areas, bringing back that sense of a true dungeon crawl. Travel, too, should involve gameplay and a sense of accomplishment.