We had the opportunity to ask Mark Hill, Game Producer for Perfect Worlds Entertainment's hack'n'slash dungeon crawler Rusty Hearts, some questions about the game. He has graciously provided us with some insight into the development team's minds and has revealed some plot points and future plans for Rusty Hearts.
Keep reading on for the full transcript of our Q&A!
Curse: What can you tell us about Natasha's storyline and personality? What will be her role in the Rusty Hearts universe?
Mark Hill: Natasha is a strong-willed, no nonsense character, who discovers that Death, one of Lord Vlad’s evil minions, kills her brother. Fueled with vengeance, she and her sister join the fight to avenge the death of their brother. However, at this point she does not appear in any of the dialogue but the story is continually being developed.
Curse: Each hero has a specific combat type he or she tends towards, and it looks like Natasha likes guns! Will firearm abilities be Natasha's main source of strategy, or are there other major aspects to her gameplay?
MH: As the first character in Rusty Hearts with guns, Natasha’s two primary weapons are dual pistols and a single rifle. She has the ability to knock enemies into the air and juggle them with bullets with a mix of basic gun skills, bomb skills, and acrobatic attacks. She will also be able to user her auto sentry skills to setup a device such as a land mine, a carpet of spikes, or a gun emplacement that will automatically attack enemies that are within range.
Curse: Will Natasha’s wardrobe be as extensive as Angela's, and how does her style compare?
MH: Players will be able to dress Natasha with a multitude of costume items including a variety of hair pieces. Her costumes tend to be a little skimpier than Angela’s.
Curse: We can see in the Cash Shop Costume section that there are some new locked sections, such as Face, Accessory, and Costume Packs. Does this mean whole costume sets will be able to be purchased, perhaps at a discounted price? What 'face' items are you planning to add?
MH: In the mean time, we are still exploring new costume options, including the possibility of offering full set costumes as opposed to individual pieces and facial customization items.
Curse: On the same note, there is a Pet tab! What kinds of pets are you planning on releasing, and how will they be able to assist players?
MH: This is also another feature that we are still developing, but the pet feature will eventually allow players to raise their own pets to fight alongside them.
Curse: What was the team's favorite new dungeon to work on, of those released at the Open Beta Launch?
The Labyrinth is by far my favorite. Not only is this where the climactic event of the story takes place, it also combines a lot of really cool enemies, hidden bosses, and interesting secret corridors. It’s a very memorable dungeon.
Curse: What was the team's inspiration for "The Church"?
MH: Since “The Church” is the main hub for the newest and most intense dungeons in the game so far, we focused a lot of our attention on this area. Inspired by the early stages of Castlevania and Devil May Cry, the setting and look of “The Church” is based on a major plot point in the story, which takes place inside the church and reveals the true intentions of one of the major characters.
Curse: The new event challenges are giving players some great goals to work towards, with some great rewards. What kinds of new server events can we look forward to in the future?
MH: You can definitely expect more upcoming events. We are constantly looking for ways to challenge players and reward them for their efforts by offering new events. There will be a variety of new events, including completing dungeons under specific time requirements, gaining a required amount of style points while fighting through enemies, character leveling challenges, guild challenges, and more. These events range from lasting a day to several weeks.
Keep an eye on the events section of the official website: http://rustyhearts.perfectworld.com to see what’s coming.
Curse: Will the upcoming new side-quests have any unique rewards like costumes or other vanity items?
MH: Side quests are the only way that players can get special titles for their character. The title hovers over their heads while they raid dungeons or cruise around in the hub areas, which looks pretty cool. They also serve as pieces of equipment that offer powerful buffs and stat bonuses.
Curse: How many new hair styles will be released with the new Hair Forging System, and how much will it cost?
MH: The Hair Forging system is totally free, and is based on collecting the necessary items in dungeons, or dismantling your current gear and weapons to obtain the necessary ingredients. You then take those ingredients to an NPC named “Ruska,” and he will forge your new hairstyle. The best thing about the whole system is watching the cutscene that occurs when your hair is being forged. It makes the whole process worth it!
If you haven't checked out Rusty Hearts yet, the game is a ton of fun and is also free to play - check out their official site for more information: http://rustyhearts.perfectworld.com/
Special thanks to Perfect World Entertainment for taking the time sit with us and answer our questions!
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