The RIFT

[05:18] Welcome to the Podcast, Chris Junior. Can you tell us what a Senior Systems Designer does?

• The beginning starts with a few Podcasts and some alcoholic beverages. So we’ll skip to the end.
• He had lunch one day with Russ Brown and was sold on the idea of Rift.
• Systems Designers are responsible for itemization, classes, the soul system, combat, etc.
• An example of some of his recent work includes making hundreds of little mini pets to make everyone happy!

[06:12] What is your favourite part of Rift?

• The calling systems. He loves the roles and the combinations.
• He definitely likes their applications to PvP.

[06:37] Invasions and Rifts are considered to enhance world PvP, are there plans for people to auto queue and mass join raids for PvP in these situations?

• Coming out with Beta 5: Public Grouping System!
• Players will be able to flag themselves for Public Grouping.
• These will help form groups for Rifts and will help out PvPers as well!

[07:03] How will the Public Grouping System work, and are there plans to extend it to Warfronts?

• Well, you don’t really need to forms groups for Warfronts – just hop in the queue and you’ll be placed right into the action!

[07:14] How are you going to handle match-ups? Something so solo players won’t be matched up against pre-made groups? (Warfronts)

• Based on Feedback, solo players don’t like doing this!
• Their system now tries to match up solo players vs. solo players, and groups vs. groups.
• Of course, in favour of getting players into matches faster, there will sometimes be instances of solo players facing pre-made groups.
• The chances of that happening should be lower now though!

[07:58] According to the recently released PvP video, there are 4 different Warfronts (that we know of). Could you describe each for us?

• The Black Garden (Martyrdom)
  • Available at level 10, there are 10 players on each side.
  • Basically a huge cluster.
  • Objective: Get the Fang of Regulos. What does it do? It kills you! It does more damage to you as time goes on, but you get points for holding onto it. Staying in the middle where the action is nets you even more points!
• The Codex (Domination)
  • Available at level 20.
  • Basically a 4 point domination map – the Telescope, the Statue, the Obelisk, and the Codex.
  • Obviously, the Codex is worth more points than any other object on the map.
• Whitefall Steppes (Capture the Flag)
  • Available at level 30.
  • Typical ‘Capture-the-Flag’ match – with some twists.
  • There is definitely a strong team play component in this one.
• The Battle for Port Scion (Conquest)
  • Available at level 50, there are 20 players on each side.
  • This is just a small version – not the full sized city!
  • The Defiant and Guardians are fighting over a small portion of Port Scion that’s been taken over by the Plane of Death.

[09:54] Port Scion (Warfront) is supposed to appeal to both PvP and PvE players. Could you explain how this will work?

• There are many different things you can do to win.
• You can run around and kill players, do quests, kill ‘bosses’ to spawn helpful NPCs.
• There are some smaller events that will launch helpful mini-invasions against your opponents.
• Capture-the-Sourcestone minigame! Basically, there is sourcestone all over the map and you must collect it and bring it to an NPC to get more points.
• This zone is also larger than the other Warfronts.

[11:42] Is Port Scion going to be ready for release?

• The Battle for Port Scion (Warfront) will be available at release.
• The open world Port Scion will be a post-launch feature.

[12:04] Can you tell us a bit about obtaining the PvP souls and how you use them?

• Currently on Beta and Alpha the PvP souls cost 2500 favour.
• You earn Favour by killing other players (open world PvP), warfront, and quests.
• Each of the souls have a “remove control effects” ability early on.
• Each soul is broken into multiple Tiers that are opened up by obtaining ranks of prestiege.
• You start gaining ranks of Prestige at level 50 through PvP!

[13:31] How do PvP souls differ from the other souls?

• Each of these souls have a 21 point cap.
• You’ll still have 46 points for the PvE tree.
• Each PvP soul is broken into 4 different paths within the PvP soul.
• There are only 4 activated abilities in the roots.
• About 80% of the abilities in the PvP soul are only relevant to PvP.

[14:52] How is prestiege going to be gained?

• It is obtained in similar ways to gaining Favour.
• When you kill a player in the open world, win/lose/tie a Warfront, complete a PvP quest – you’ll gain Prestiege (at 50!)
• Prestiege ranks will progress like PvE levels – you’ll have a bar to fill and will still get an awesome ‘ding’ effect.

[15:53] How will PvP gear differ from PvE gear?

• Definitely a lot of Endurance in PvP gear.
• PvE has a lot of focus and hit that help with raiding.
• PvP has Valour. This increases your chance to live – reduces the damage you take from other players.
• Valour is a “top tier stat” and you gain a bit each level.

[16:50] In many games PvE “control” spells are nerfed for PvP. How hard has it been to balance the PvE abilities to keep both sides happy?

• There are many different souls, and they’ve tried to spread around some of the crowd control spells over them.
• PvP souls don’t have much in the way of control abilities, but they do offer abilities to break control effects.

[18:39] What can we expect about world PvP?

• They think that the Rifts bring some amazing options for PvP.
• Chances are, if there is a Rift, you’ll find players of the opposing factions.
• Players can also take out Wardstones of the opposing factions.
• Sometime (Maybe Beta 6, and definitely release) there will be “Ancient Wardstones” that look extremely different from normal Wardstones.
• If you attack it, you’ll be flagged for PvE. If you defeat it you’ll get bonuses for your faction!

[19:54] What mechanisms are in place (on either server type) to prevent high level characters from killing lower level characters?

• PvE servers – not as much an issue, since you must be flagged. If you are flagged, you are an open target.
• PvP servers – there are the starter zones that are safe and the beginning zones (Silverwood/Freemarch) will not flag the new players for PvP.
• Anything past that (PvP server), you’re open game! He is a big fan of limited rules.
• They do not incentivise killing lower level players – you won’t gain favour, prestiege, or loot.
• A raid of level 20s can roll over a level 50, and they will get rewards. (The 50 wouldn’t get anything from defeating them though)

[21:36] How has PvP affected the overall game? Has it made you implement things differently to help support it?

• PvP has been built into the game from the beginning.
• As you progress through the game the quest hubs slowly get closer together.. and eventually are shared!
• PvE players won’t be forces into PvP combat (if they are on a PvE server!).

[22:27] We’ve heard before from Scott Hartsman that the cities will be heavily defended and not itemized. Has the stance changed on this at all?

• There are still no city sieges planned at this time and the NPCs are not itemized.
• Players are still welcome to try, though he doesn’t recommend going in with anything less than a raid of 50s!
• This could be considered a challenge!

[23:16] Will there by achievements for PvP? First dropped loot or first city siege?

• There is a new broadcasting system for announcing achievements.
• There is not an achievement for killing Asha. Though, there is no saying what the future might hold.
• You can get an achievement for winning a duel in the opposing city! (Duel is with a friendly person)

[24:10] Like Bill Fisher, do you believe that “players are the most dangerous game”?

• They were quite happy with the end of that video, and the fact that it made the cut!
• He definitely agrees, there is nothing more adreneline pumping than being out doing quests and getting jumped by some guy (or conversely, killing him when he thought he would win!).

[24:47] Given the choice of anyone working at Trion, who would you Player Kill on-site given the chance?

• He has a list of developers who put down the Chloromancer name (that was his idea!).
• At launch he will have a Chloromancer and will be running around looking for those devs to kill.

[25:16] How many ways have you found to kill Simon so far?

• He doesn’t really need any help. He finds enough ways to die on his own.

[25:26] Have you killed him with your favourite pie yet?

• He can’t find any bakers around to make one yet!
• It is a cake that has a pie baked into it.
• Apparently it is the most amazing thing ever. (Is the cake-pie a lie? Maybe a pseudo-truth?)

[26:01] Is there anything else you’d like everyone to know about killing players in Rift?

• Looting player corpses: You can’t steal someone’s boots.
• Players all have their own loot tables, and they differ by zone.
• You might be in a Warfront one day and some epic bow drops – there will be some awesome items that only drop in certain zones from players!
• Go PvP! It’ll be worth your time.