Home

Last updated: Jan 2012
 
General Design/Overview

• The game has been in development since 2006. According to CCP Producer Chris it continues to remain in pre-production status as of Aug 2011.
• This has been slowed by keeping up with EVE and developing Incarna.
• Preparing to develop 'carbon technology' aka Incarna framework for what should provide state-of-the-art character customizations, unlike any seen in any game before, for the mmo.
• They claim they have in fact, hired a fashion designer, to help make the avatar clothing more realistic and stylish.
• The game world will be based on Vampire: the Masquerade, however some game mechanics of the newer setting Vampire: Requiem will be used where logical.
• The 7 Camarilla clans will be playable at launch. Other sects, supernaturals will make a appearance but as NPCs/lore within the game.

 

In a 2009 public financial project outlook CCP document the following 2 quotes were taken from it as they directly relate to the WoD project:
 
"Given the World of Darkness legacy, its large fan base, and proven appeal to both genders, we estimate the subscriber potential of this product to be two to three times that of EVE Online, without competing head on with CCP's existing products thus enabling wider total appeal."

"This engine will manage the full-body representation of humans, creatures, and other non-player-characters (NPC) for both indoor and outdoor game environment settings. Ambulation includes R&D in Artificial Intelligence, Animation Systems, Advanced Character Rendering Technology, Crowd Simulation, Navigation, and Pathfinding for agents in indoor environments. Ambulation will be used to deliver the new EVE Online feature “Walking in Stations”, and will be the technology foundation for the World of Darkness character system."

 

In a Sept 2010 interview for VG24/7 CCP’s Torfi Frans Olafsson confirmed the MMO World of Darkness is in a playable state.

 

Notes taken from The Grand Masquerade 2010

- They have stated several times the 3 types of play styles they wish to emulate is coffee house, sandbox and theme park game play. Player interaction the main focus.

The four overall themes they intended to have in the game are:
- Mystery
- Romance
- Power
- Danger

-One of their criteria for success is to make the game as accessible as possible. specifically they want to get women involved in the game, as well as casual players. also, they want to maximize the amount of human interaction that happens in the game.

-They confirmed that the game will not be combat intensive (unless you choose as such). Knowing, influencing the correct people is arguable more important than being the biggest brawler.

-They will not be catering to immaturity in the game, however, they would like to see these types of offenses policed by players, rather than in-game mechanics.

-They confirmed that factions and territories will almost certainly be a big part of the game.

-They confirmed that the game will definitely contains gay clubs. This is an excellent angle to cater to the gay and lesbian audience.

-They again, did confirm, that starting off there would only be vampires, but one of the other developers also confirmed that there would be playable human classes -- although nothing specific. I only can assume he means the likes of ghouls and hunters.

-The game will be fully PvP, i.e. There may be elysium areas, but nothing like the flagging system, as seen in PvE wow servers.

-In regards to the development cycles, some disciplines simply will not be included because they are way too complicate to implement well -- specifically, temporis.

The Grand Masquerade 2011 Information collected by WoD News staff

• The producers stated their philosophy in making this MMO was "human interaction". They feel that is limited in the current crop of MMO's and their biggest weakness.
• They are trying to emulate the feel of LARPing more then EVE or any other game system with this MMO
• There will be a general CCP run metaplot that develops over time but the main metaplots will be left for the players to drive forward.
• Next year is when more specific info and details will come out
• Incarna is actually considered a prototype, the rendering engine that will ship with the MMO will be much more advanced.
• Everyone starts as a mortal, becoming kindred is optional and can not be forced on you. You can play he entire game as a mortal only.
• There will be final death for both mortals and kindred.
• PvP will be more limited in some ways, yet more open in others then any other current MMO.
• There will be cities (plural) and communication between them (the various kindred and clans) will be encouraged/possible.
• Caitiff will NOT be in on release. They discussed it internally and couldn't find a way to make them work in a way they liked.
• Casual players will find the game accessible but hard core players will have a much deeper experience and more rewards/benefits.
• Considering some kind of web site access interface for the MMO
• NO day/night cycle, only night.
• No one will always be 100% safe
• Humanity is a stat in game and one use is to address griefers. The more you cause issues for other players, break the masq, etc the more you can loose humanity and once it gets too low other players (and NPCs?) can attack you (implied even if you are in a non-pvp area).
• Helps to make friends and not enemies in game as you can not get to the top of the food chain without networking and having friends to assist you.
• Players will have havens.
• Players can climb the ladder and get to Prince levels of power and run a city
• Can get to Prince level power without killing a single thing, all done via networking, politics and friendships
• ONLY kindred on release of game, no were's, mages, etc. However those other supernaturals may be used in a NPC fashion or/and their lore appear in game.
• MMO character sheet very similar to the V:tM PnP character sheet.
• Character names over the avatars head by default turned off, but can turn them on.
• Game world/environment will change over time; real in game consequences for player actions.
• Diablerie and related game mechanics from the PnP game is "under heavy discussion" no decision as of now.
• Dynamic NPC missions/World events
• One world server, no shards/instancing.
• Torpor in game but not used as in PnP game, used as a mechanic to explain why a kindred did not die/final death
• They are aware the WoD is a adult setting and the devs are going to not shy away from gore, blood and nudity. However such will have a reason and not adult content for the sake of adult content.
• Seemed to imply your personal haven is where its open season, as gratuitous as you wish, full nudity for example.
• Public nudity (by players) will be limited to prevent griefers and non-RPers from breaking immersion. However all is fair game in your haven.  
• Hinted consensual PvP fight to the (final) death will be a feature between players.
• CCP Chris said in his opinion SW:ToR isn't a MMO, it is a SP game that has a MP element as the game isn't player driven.
• To go up the food chain you NEED support from other players, impossible to do it alone.
• The different cities will be different sizes (and I assume looks as well)
• Using software called Cerberus for real time translation in game via text chatting. CCP Chris said 5 languages (didn't state which however) on release.

Quotes from CCP Chris during his Sept 2011 video interview at TGM by Machinima Realm.

"LARPing is fundamentally MMO (...) players getting together in a sandbox style of play"
[about the 7 starting clans]: "later we WILL expand that"
"Something similar to Generation used"
"I would absolutely say that Diablerie is part of the game now"

 

 

In a Jan 2012 video interview CCP Chris stated the following about the game:

• Bloodlines the PC game is a big inspiration to the MMO, they are trying to capture the same atmosphere/using it as a point of reference.
• He finds PnP RPG's natural to move into a MMO as it is about individual characters not a specific one (ie Spiderman).
• A lot of focus on player to player interactions due to lack of GM unlike a table top session.
• Confirms single shard concept from EVE will be used due to shared technology. (Who called this 6 months ago? oh that's right, me. )
• States there is still a AAA team working on the MMO from all aspects of the gaming industry.
• Wanted to focus on vampires only to give depth due to focusing on only one playable supernatural on launch.
• Said on the surface the game will not seem to be about supernaturals but becomes evident when your character digs into the game world.