[Vangard] Interview de Steve Williams

Recently we were given the awesome opportunity of asking Steve Williams (Aruspex) a few questions about Diplomacy. Now, as you all know, there were a MILLION questions we were burning to ask, but we managed to narrow it down into 11. Thanks a ton, Steve and Nick!

So, without further ado, the interview!

"What is your role in the design and implementation of Diplomacy?"

Myself (Aruspex) and Zahariel (John Hegner) are sharing responsibility for leading the design and implementation of Diplomacy. Between us we have diplomacy covered "A to Z."

As you can see, we also make very bad jokes. Or rather, that was Zahariel's joke. I don't want credit for that one.

"From the several leaked beta newsletters, we've heard that Diplomacy is being revised and improved - can you comment on how Diplomacy is improving, and how major of a change it is?"

Making the art of conversation 'fun' can be quite the challenge. Beta test feedback and our own internal review of the systems we had implemented showed that they needed a facelift. For this reason we sat down and took a good hard look at the ultimate decision-maker of the success of a system: gameplay. Going from that standpoint, we are moving closer to the concept of what I call "the dance of argument" - pushing and pulling on each other until one side comes out victorious.

The playtests of the enhanced system that Zahariel and I have cooked up is like nothing seen before in an MMO - yet, we're building off the original system and the original vision of Diplomacy.

"Is it possible to play solely as a diplomat - safely or unsafely (in regards to, say, not getting killed by some mob) - and spend much/most of your logging time doing so?"

The short answer is yes. I can foresee a dedicated Diplomat feeling like they have some success in a night's work doing nothing but Diplomacy gameplay.

My longer answer to this is my answer to any aspect of this game: while you could play this system and little else, the satisfaction you would get will be much, much smaller than that of the person who becomes the well-rounded player: Crafter, Adventurer, and Diplomat. I have written on my whiteboard what I call the "chemical formula of Vanguard" - links between the four atoms of Adventuring, Crafting, Harvesting, and Diplomacy. Each atom bonds with the others to make a whole that is much greater than its parts. But if you really want to focus just on Diplomacy, we’re working hard to make sure that you’ll have a lot of fun.

"Some have speculated that Diplomacy is just becoming an extension to Adventuring and Factions - can you confirm this?"

I like to describe the Diplomat in Vanguard as that of the traveling adventurer who represents a higher power or works toward the common good while benefiting himself along the way. Note that common good does not always mean "the king" or "the people." It can also mean "the shady dudes down at the dock", "players in my guild", or even "players on my server."

"What are your goals for diplomacy, as far as it's independence from and interdependence with the other spheres?"

Diplomacy is a solo game for the player, but the actions of a Diplomat benefit Crafters and Adventurers. Many groups will be looking for someone versed in Diplomacy to help them prepare to adventure (if other Diplomats haven't already done the work), and Diplomats will occasionally be needing strong Adventurers to escort them in dangerous places. Crafters will be one of the main sources of Diplomacy gear, at least at launch. Some of the best Crafting recipes will be available to the Diplomat who travels throughout the continents on behalf of the powers that be.

"How will Diplomatic gear enhance the abilities of Diplomats?"

Gear will play a huge part in the gameplay of the Diplomat. "Clothes make the man" is our guiding motto.

"Are there any things that you definitely want in the sphere, but will have to wait until after launch to implement?"

Oh hell yes. The system we have is filled with expandability. We are creating Vanguard with the thought in mind that the entire world of Telon needs to remain cool and interesting for years to come. So, we are definitely setting down the foundation in many systems for a variety of options to be added over time.

"What are some of the Diplomacy stats, and how do they affect players in and out of parley?"

We are implementing what we call "Expressions" - the fuel with which people "attack" others in discussion. An example of one is "Reason" and another is "Flattery." Some of the moves you can make with your Expressions include "Comments" and "Assertions."

The dance of argument means that when you make an Assertion, you will give your opponent fuel to attack you back. This is much like in a real argument where things you say prompt the person to whom you are speaking to respond and make their own statements. My reason-driven Assertion "Itemized Comparison" may lead you to make a flattering "Enticing Whisper" to derail the argument. Of course, that whisper fuels my powerfully reasonable "Undeniable Proof" and so on until the argument ends.

"How is Diplomacy tied in with Player Housing and Cities?"

I can't say much about this now, except to say the system we have created has taken into account cities from the very start. Essentially, you can think of cities as “dungeons” for the Diplomat.

"Can you confirm any of the rumored Diplomacy classes, or perhaps at least say how many there are?"

This is (amazingly enough) still in flux. Due to the unique nature of "class" in Diplomacy (it's more of a customization tool than a all-encompassing set of parameters) we have both immense flexibility and the ability to expand easily. So, say, the Demagogue is in. So is the sub-class of Demagogue called "Firebrand." We're still working on this aspect of Diplomacy, so if I need to cut Firebrands, don't blame me!

Right now we're back to 4 main classes and 8 subclasses and we’ll be able to tell you more specifics when we finish the revamp. The Diplomacy class in general comes into play later in a character's life than in Crafting and Adventuring.

"Can any race be any diplomacy class?"

Yes. A Kurashasa can be a Firebrand just as much as a Gnome.

Well, there you have it. We'll get our FAQ updated with this info in the next few days (I'm technically on vacation now). Thanks again Steve for this great interview!