At Gamescom 2024, Joel Bailos spoke a lot about the plot and gameplay of Dune: Awakening.
The big interview FandomWire started with alternative timeline and plot. From the point of view of the game creator, Paul Atreed would have created a problem with his dominance to play with multiple factions. At the same time, Joel Bailos understands the risk that many people may not like this alternative history, but he is optimistic:
«I mean, Herbert’s original work is a masterpiece, isn’t it? And yet what Villeneuve did with them is amazing».
He also believes that the alternative chronology will avoid discrepancies with existing works in the «Dune» universe. The creators of future titles will also be able to not look back at the game. As for which games he is focusing on, Bailos answered clearly:
«Games I’m into are like the old Skyrim game».
Dune: Awakening is not strictly tied to the movie, but is aesthetically compatible with it and was created in collaboration with Legendary Pictures. both creative teams shared their work and had lively discussions.
«We worked with Legendary from the very beginning, and we developed the game in parallel as they were working on the movie. So they sent us 3D scanned assets of things from the set, and we also visited the set to see what they were building».
Spices, sandworms, and ornithopters will play a big role in the game. These are the most vivid details of the «Dune» universe, so they must be in the game.
«In the movies, ornithopters are so cool. We knew that people would want to fly them. So we built them into the game. It’s also obvious that sandworms — is the main thing people know about Dune. Spice is a thing, and I actually talked to Legendary a little bit about Villeneuve’s development. The game does a little bit more with spice than the movie, it expands on that lore a little bit».
The creators of the game tried to capture the flavor of Frank Herbert’s universe and at the same time make it accessible to newcomers. According to the legend, the player’s character enters Arrakis for the first time.
«The idea is that we try to guide the players by treating them as if they don’t know anything about the universe at all. … So they know less than anybody else, right? You have to learn to survive, right? And you have to learn to survive in this really dangerous wilderness. … Your character has no idea, like in the movies when Paul first tries to walk on the sand. You’re not free as your character can’t do it yet, are you?».
The game’s creative director directly says that some of the mechanics described in the books come to life in Dune: Awakening. The game will also differ from many other survival games due to the peculiarity of the universe. For example, there is no wood on the planet, but a lot of stone.
«You see this guy here, he’s literally sucking the dew out of the plants with this special scythe. It’s a completely different mechanic that you’ve never seen in a game before. And this is from Dune».
Sandworms are analogous to the atomic bomb in other multiplayer games. When someone puts down a thumper, a worm should appear. But it takes time and can be avoided. It will also appear during the collection of spices, and you need to take this into account. For example, send people to set up bait further away from the place of prey.
Riding on worms will also be possible, but not in the release — perhaps in future patches. The studio has some interesting ideas and is thinking about their implementation. There will be other vehicles instead. They will be able to be additionally equipped with scanners, lights, combat lasers, etc. There will even be rocket launchers. resource gathering and crafting will play a big role.
Dune: Awakening will feature large sandstorms that will cause large-scale destruction. They will change the map beyond recognition. Some areas will be available for exploration for a long time, but then they will change.
Factions and teamwork will play an important role. Success will bring beneficial results for everyone.
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