D&D Tactics - Interview @ RPG Vault

We've probably been remiss in not covering this handheld PSP game previously because the D&D license and turn-based combat puts in squarely in an area of interest…so, RPG Vault has an interview with lead designer Lee Brimmicombe-Wood from Kuju (who developed the MP aspect of Dark Messiah among other things):

Jonric: To begin with an introduction to D&D: Tactics, what kind of game is it, and what's the current status of development?

Lee Brimmicombe-Wood: D&D Tactics is a turn-based tactics game. We felt this format was best suited to reproducing the feel of the tabletop game as it closely follows the combat rules in the Player's Handbook. We began the project back at the beginning of 2006 and the game is currently in submission with Sony.

More information.

Thank god! An actual turn-based RPG! Decent 3D graphics! And real DnD, too! Hack and slash, but still!

And it's ONLY FOR THE PSP! WHYYY!!!

I can't believe I've heard no mention of this game. The article makes it look like it will be out in a couple weeks. Do I spend $169 just to play an turn-based rpg?

Releasedate: 24. July 2007

Dang, that looks really good. Between that and the upcoming Warhammer 40K: Squad Command also for the PSP, I'm sorely tempted to pick one up. I've been wanting a turn-based 40K game for ages, ever since I got an XP machine upon which Chaos Gate won't run.
Time to keep an eye on PSP prices methinks!

I have an interview pending here at the Watch with these guys, and this has been on my 'Whole Game In My Hand' radar for *months* (so if you say you've never heard of it, I can make an assumption )

They still say they're hoping to hit the end of July release, which sounds great to me - some places are pegging it as 'September', but official word is still end of July.

I want to play this game but I can't see buying a psp for it. I'll wait and hope they smarten up and put it on the pc or play it in 10 years on some site like gametap.

my thoughts exactly, prof roqua

They wouldn't release it for the PC platform, because it's like PC = Action. This is a must. Marketing experts believe that a game without any kindof action will FAIL on the PC !

Originally Posted by roqua
I want to play this game but I can't see buying a psp for it. I'll wait and hope they smarten up and put it on the pc or play it in 10 years on some site like gametap.

My suggestion is to wait for me to buy it and see if I start frothing at the mouth over it, or if it is 'meh' like most of the stuff.

If you haven't already formulated your interview Mike, I wonder if you'd ask them about the PC aspect—it looks like the kind of old-school game that would appeal to a lot of rpg-ers, but like everybody else, I wouldn't buy a handheld to play it.

Originally Posted by magerette
If you haven't already formulated your interview Mike, I wonder if you'd ask them about the PC aspect—it looks like the kind of old-school game that would appeal to a lot of rpg-ers, but like everybody else, I wouldn't buy a handheld to play it.

I already have completed the article, but I'll follow-up with the question.

[edit] I went ahead and asked, and the publisher contact is forwarding things along to the developer.

Thanks, Mike. I was hoping to catch you before it was too late.

I think that game developers need to be far, far more respectful of the time of the player. Leisure time is precious. We should not waste it. We shouldn’t burn time at the beginning making the player grind out levels before he or she can get into the plot. We shouldn’t burn time with faction grinding and trash clearing. We shouldn’t pad the game out with tons of B material.

I really identify with Jeff's comments about leisure time being precious and not to be wasted. Married with 2 children and a full time job, I really don't want to waste what little free time I have on anything boring and repetitive. After having wasted 2 hours watching The Wicker Man, my wife and I were so upset because we threw away 2 precious free-time hours on such a dumb movie.

At the same time, Just 8 years ago I would feel quite different on the subject. 8 Years ago I wasn't married, I had no children, no mortgage payment, only a part time job and was in school. Just 8 years ago I had a lot of free time compared to my life as it is now.

I think Jeff only goes wrong in assuming everyone has little free time. Some people are at points in their lives where they have an abundance of free time and therefore might find 'B' content as adding a lot of value to their gaming experience. These people could be younger kids or retired adults. Whoever they are, they do exist because I see their characters whenever I log into WOW with items I'll never ever have.

… are you in the right thread?

Now THAT would be unique….Jeff Vogel using D-n-D ruleset 3.5….

That PSP starts to get more and more titles that I want…

Originally Posted by Wulf
Now THAT would be unique….Jeff Vogel using D-n-D ruleset 3.5….

I think that a DS game in the Avernum / Geneforge line would be amazing …

Originally Posted by JemyM
That PSP starts to get more and more titles that I want…

That is true, but it seems that the DS is doing better at delivering the goods rather than just the promise …

Originally Posted by pnutz
Thank god! An actual turn-based RPG! Decent 3D graphics! And real DnD, too! Hack and slash, but still!

And it's ONLY FOR THE PSP! WHYYY!!!

Let me echo that? Why? Why? Why? Why is it that the only effort being put into a new and turn-based D&D game is on a damn handheld? Besides the expansion pack for NWN 2, there doens't appear to be anything else on the PC at all right now. And how has the PSP proven itself as a successful platform for turn-based Western strategy games?

Doesn't the PSP have a fair number of turn-based JRPGs? That might explain why someone thought that D&D Tactics should go onto that platform.

I don't have a PSP, but I really like the look of this game. I'd love a good old-school dungeon hack in the 3.5 D&D ruleset.

Originally Posted by PatrickWeekes
Doesn't the PSP have a fair number of turn-based JRPGs?

There are two sets of turn-based games on the PSP:

1. Final Fantasy style games - free roam but with turn-based combat:
- Final Fantasy 20th Ann. Edition - you are better off with the GBA FF I & II pack.
- Legend of Heroes I, II, and III - very average games obviously derivative of FF. Nice stuff, but not worth buying a PSP … or paying full price … or owning more than one.
- Tales of Eternia - EU only (and Japan), nice FF style game, terrible load times.
- Astonishia Story - really lousy in every way.
- Popolocrois - sweet and harmless and generic.
- Upcoming: Final Fantasy II - see above.
- Upcoming: Riviera - another GBA port, but this time with more stuff. I'll let you know.

2. Tile-based strategy or sRPG's:
- Field Commander - sub-par Advance Wars clone
- Generation of Chaos - sRPG that is as bad as the title.
- Aedis Eclipse - follow-up to Generation of Chaos, featured in this article. Pretty average.
- The Lord of the Rings: Tactics - blargh, blargh, BARF!!!
- Spectral Souls - really crappy with some of the worst load times on the PSP.
- Upcoming: Joan of Arc - mixed reviews from the Japanese version.

… that is most, and I was too lazy to link the others to articles and/or reviews …