So, an avid fan of Snail Game’s martial arts MMO, Age of Wulin sent me an interview article I missed out on the Chinese media. The interview is done with Snail Game’s CEO, the enigmatic Mr Shi Hai, which was is actually carried out on Weibo, China’s preferred choice of Twitter-like social media and it lasted for 3 hours. Please note that some questions and answers are summarized and only selected ones are translated. More info about the game can be found here (link).
Q: Will Age of Wulin (CN) be delayed at the last moment again?
A: This is the very first time the comapny has stated in black and white on Age of WUlin’s website regarding the beta schedule.We did create an illusion in the past, having an optimistic time frame in mind for the beta test, but perhaps we were too optimistic and sent out the wrong information to the players through interviews and forums. We did try to get the beta phase out as soon as possible, but the game just wasn’t finished.
A: If by then the players do not see Snail Game’s hardwork and feel that we are dropping players a smokebomb, I advise players to delete Snail Game from their to-play list. Even if they tell their friends how sh*t Snail Game is, I will have nothing to say.
A: The main quest line currently takes over 30 hours to complete, but the other world and game interactions does not have any time limit.
A: From what I last know, surnames do not affect the Miracle Quest system. I must confirm this again with the project department.
A: For overseas players, we will open a new proxy server for them (no specific additional details). For the other regions, once again, will not be able to play with each other during Closed Beta 1.
A: Currently the game can be played using game pads, but it is not officially supported at this moment. We will work on this once the game has been polished.
A: Nothing is confirmed now for the final build, that is why we had the summer camp seeking advice from players and the Closed Beta phases. We want to bring out a polished product to please the players and build a trusting relationship with them.
A: For the registration phase, it is up to our partners in Europe to handle. I must stress that the upcoming Closed Beta phases is the process which will optimize Age of Wulin. I can confirm the version our European partner is getting will be the more polished one after the Closed Beta phases (which ends in April 2012).
A: From what I know, the NPCs will remember such acts. In theory, you can do whatever you want, but sometimes players must control their actions as well.
A: It is currently around 6GB. The client can also be updated for future phases, hence there is no need to re-download.
A: No, players will not be able to do that. But PK is possible when performing Qing Gong (scaling walls, buildings, treading on water).
A: There is only 1 character slot available now. As the amount of freedom in Age of Wulin is high, one character will be able to leave a clan and join another. But given that all actions will be remembered by NPCs, frequently leaving and joining clans is something players must control.
A: Marriage feature is actually one of the big systems in Age of Wulin and currently it has some interactions with NPCs. We have many ideas for this system, but it will be developed and implemented only after the Closed Beta phases, which means the system’s exact details are not confirmed yet. While marriage between players and players is the most important element, marriage with NPCs is also a part of the system. This will affect the whole game world in some ways.
A: Many game companies nowadays take little effort in polishing this system, with players walking awkward paths and walking into objects all the time. Age of Wulin has a save path system, where players can use the routes veteran players use. Or simply save their own paths for personal use during the 2nd time.
A: There will be minimal content for this feature, but it will be improved and updated once Open Beta begins.
Q: Are players able to kill others who are offline (please read Point 17 here) ?
A: No, the current system only supports players kidnapping players who are offline. This system will be affected by server disconnections and lags, hence we are actively seeking feedback from players during the Closed Beta phases and help us polish the game.
A: No, currently skills are learned via skill manuals. In the future, user-created skills can be taught to others. However, if you have a skill manual and want to “duplicate” it, you can find a player with the appropriate crafting skill to do so (each character can only have 1 crafting skill). The higher the crafting skill, the more powerful skill manuals they will be able to duplicate.
