Neverwinter - Lead Designer Talks Micro-Transactions & Lessons Learned

Gamereuphoria has an interview with Zeke Sparkes Lead Designer of Neverwinter.

Q: The Foundry has got a lot of people talking within the MMORPG community, how was the concept of the Foundry thought up to begin with?

A: Well, we’ve always loved giving players ways to tailor their experience in our games. We’ve been known for robust character customization and have worked on expanding that into player created missions in STO. When we started working on Neverwinter we knew we had a great opportunity to make the Foundry more powerful and accessible and deliver unparalleled ability for players to create their own stories integrated right into the Neverwinter world!

Q:Micro transactions have been in the spotlight recently, will Neverwinter be pay to win? Or has a balance been struck between free to play players and those willing to invest in micro transactions?

A: We want everyone who plays the game to have a great experience regardless of whether or not they have spent money. Our philosophy is the more people who play the game and enjoy it the more people want to be a part of the world. So we avoid barriers and pain points and focus on making the kinds of things that enthusiasts want to see. If the playing field isn’t level no one is happy so we’re careful to avoid that. You don’t have to spend a dime to enjoy the game or become powerful. In addition to that we have a system where you can trade in game currency to other players for micro-transaction currency so you can actually earn everything in the micro-transaction store without spending money!

Q: How key is the plot to Neverwinter? The MMORPG genre is known for having a tendency for telling weak stories. Does Neverwinter aim to change that stigma?

A: We have a good strong story that serves as the backbone for the entire game. It picks up right where the most recent source books and novels have left off and continues telling the tale of Neverwinter and the surrounding area. You can expect to see familiar faces and locations from the lore that expand on what’s happened.