Wartales News

Originally posted by author

Attention Mercenaries!

Welcome to a very special Q&A with the wartales devs, where we tackle the questions that you guys want answered!

This week, we're addressing all of the questions you guys have all been leaving us since the announcement of a Wartales AMA last week, covering topics such as co-op, the size of the world, helmets, loot, Early Access and betas...

Read on to find out more!

[h3]How many professions will there be?[/h3]

We can't give a definitive answer for the final release, but at the moment we have 9 professions and the plan is to add more.

[h3]Will there be some kind of battle limit like in the demo?[/h3]

Once the game releases into Early Access, there will be absolutely no limits on how long you can play the game or explore the world for. The 7 battle limitiation was strictly for the demo.

[h3]Will Medieval Firearms such as Handgonnes or Arquebuses be implemented into the game? Thank your for the opportunity to ask the question, can't wait for the Beta release![/h3]

For now, we don't have medieval firearms in the game but we have powder that can be used to craft some primary explosives. It is a possibility.

[h3]Will there be some form of procedural generation like in BB?[/h3]

The game is designed to make the designed content (narrative, ruins, arenas, ...) interact with a whole host of systemic content (bounty hunts, rat invasions, hideouts, ...). Almost all of the combat maps are procedurally generated.



[h3]Hello, will there be Russian?[/h3]

Да.

[h3]Will you be able to use magic in combat?[/h3]

In the world of Wartales, you won't find magic, strictly speaking. Nobody is able to cast fireballs or teleport. Nevertheless, you will find fantastical elements, events or enemies, such as the ghost pack, the ruin crawlers and way more to discover. Maybe they are not that fantastical when you know the truth... A crude science based on newly discovered explosive powder and pestiferous alchemical reagents will allow you to achieve certain things in the future. Magic, no. Fantasy, yes.



[h3]Are there any plans for post launch DLC?[/h3]

Right now, we are focused on the core game and creating as enjoyable and rich an experience as possible for the Early Access release and ultimately the full release next year. If, there is still demand for more wartales and we can find some compelling content to develop or a good reason for DLC, it may be something we explore, but it's too early to think about anything like that just yet.

[h3]Will battles play on a visible (hex) grid, if not, why have you decided against it?[/h3]

We wanted the player to feel free in their movements, without looking for pixel perfect movement which is often tedious. We believe that by adding a flexible grid, we give the player the opportunity to express themselves while maintaining control.



[h3]How much does the price of goods fluctuate between towns and difficulty levels? Does killing merchants influence these prices (reduced supply)?[/h3]

Each town has its own production of trade goods and therefore, their own needs. Basically, a trade good that you bought somewhere can cost way more in a region where this trade good is rare. You will need to draw your own resource map to know what road is worth it.


[h3]Can all parties access the black market (referenced in previous Q&A) or only unlawful parties?[/h3]

You will have to commit some petty theft in order to be contacted by a black market representative who will open his doors to you. But no worries, you won't have to be a king of crime. But being a king of crime can open you other doors...

[h3]How big is the world of wartales going to get?[/h3]

Pretty big. At least ten times what you experienced during the demo.

[h3]When's the full release[/h3]

Early Access release will be before the end of the year, full release will likely be late 2022

[h3]Does the world have a religion, or perhaps multiple religions with multiple branching sects? [/h3]

A single religion dominates the world of Wartales, but some cultures have unique practices and fanatics. There are whispers that some cultists are meeting somewhere.



[h3]Will there be any helmets for your characters in the game ?[/h3]

:)

[h3]Will co op be coming to Wartales at some point in the future?[/h3]

This is something we have seen a number of requests for since the announcement of the game, and we'd love to look into this down the line, so while we're certainly not ruling anything out yet, don't get your hopes up on seeing anything like this too soon...

[h3]Will wartales be available for macbook with m1 chip?[/h3]

The game will initially only release on Windows as part of the Early Access, we might add OSX support on final release, but it will not be M1 native (x86_64 emulation layer)

[h3]Is there going to be a Hardcore Mode?[/h3]

Of course. We also love dying.

[h3]Is there going to be more interaction between the inhabitans of the world? Are bandits for example also going to attack traiders or are guards going to help you if you are being attacked?[/h3]

Yes. You will see that what roams the world is capable of many things.



[h3]Will it be possible to "elect" a leader for the company (and at the same time will this character gain a trait for being the leader?)

Btw: Please keep your good work up! I´m really looking forward to play Wartales as soon as Early Access starts![/h3]

Yes, you will be able to elect a captain among your companions and to choose some lieutenants too. These ranks provide unique skills and bonuses.

[h3]Are there going to be achievements?[/h3]

There will be no Steam Achievements in the alpha, but they are planned for Early Access alongside having gameplay related achievements in the game.

e.g: kill 8 wolves in one fight => awards "Wolfkiller", give attribute point for example

or "negotiations done : 100" => awards +10% chance on negotiation

[h3]Have you drawn on any real life cultures/societies? If so what effect have they had on art direction and world building?
[/h3]

As said in the previous Q&A the environments of Wartales are very strongly inspired by Scotland and the north of England.
To be more specific this is the inspiration for the core of the world story, the Edoran empire. Edoran is inspired by the Roman/Celtic culture, and Wales is the real life location where this civilization existed. But Wartales is not a medieval documentary so we have mixed this core inspiration with a lot of other European cultures and different eras. The world of Wartales will be composed of many specific biomes that will reflect on the various local cultures. For example The empire of Edoran is based on Wales but Harag kingdom is more based on the Scottish highland and Belerion on Iceland.
So as you travel you will see some changes in the landscape.

[h3]Will there be kingdom management?[/h3]

We wanted to change the register from some of the games in the genre. We opted for the route of the mercenary band that travels the world, sets up camp in the forest and goes on an adventure. You will get a lot of camp equipment and can set up your camp as you wish. You can brew your own beer, dry your own meat or collect honey in your beehive. Think long-term for your camp. The camp is your kingdom. Small, but cosy.



[h3]Will there be "legendary" types of weapons and gear the players can get from enemies/crafting?[/h3]

Yes, you will find legendary items in multiple ways.

[h3]Will there be a system of boats, navigation or something like that?[/h3]

This is definitively something we have in mind...

[h3]Are there any future plans to support consoles as well? [/h3]

That's definitely something we're thinking about should ther ebe enough demand, but we're focusing solely on the PC version for now.

[h3]Are there going to be unique companions? [/h3]

Yes,you will find unique companions with unique skills. But be careful with them. If they die, you won't be able to find another companion like this.



[h3]Will there be different starting locations or will it always start in the same spot? [/h3]

We want you to be able to choose your starting region after the first time you played. You'll also unlock new customisation choices for your party at the start of the game, including the choice of starting classes and other initial perks. It is doable because a huge part of our content scales on your party's level and power. Some content remains designed and you'll need to be strong enough to take it down.

[h3]I love the style of your games and your team is doing great work! Will you have modding capability to the game?[/h3]

This is something we did with Northgard after some time, so maybe we will have it for Wartales as well in a few years, but our current focus is to be able to provide all players with the best game and we have a lot of ideas of new content that could not be acheived through moddding alone.

[h3]Are you planing any backgrounds that alter gameplay ? Like cultists or one-man-army?[/h3]

Definitely something we're looking into...

[h3]Will resources respawn or will there be camps to capture to produce more?[/h3]

Resources will slowly respawn but it is better for you to change region.

Originally posted by author

Thanks everyone for your questions, we're so happy to see all of the anticipation for Wartales and all of the support we've received since release. You guys are awesome!

Don't hesitate to leave us a question on, Discord, Twitter, Facebook or on our Steam forums, we'll do what we can to get it answered in a future article!

And that's about it we guess...

Oh wait, no! Tomorrow, we're sending out the first round of invitiations to the Wartales public playtest! If you've signed up, make sure you keep an eye on the email address connected to your steam account to see if you've been invited...

- Shiro Games

Originally posted by author

Attention Mercenaries!

Welcome to this weeks Wartales Q&A!

Today, we take a brief look at what to expect over the next couple of months as we speed towards Early Access release later this year and wind down this round of Q&As as we turn our focus to the rapidly approaching closed beta...

Read on to find out more!

[h3]As it’s the last Q&A for a while, is there anything you want to say to the community?[/h3]

"First of all, the whole team would like to thank you for all your feedback, your attendance and reception to our Q&As and your warmth and vivacity on the Discord. We are delighted with the reception you have given to Wartales and we have the ambition to make this game a reference in the genre. We know how important the community and players are to this endeavour and are delighted to see that you are already helping us to grow and mature Wartales. We genuinely cannot thank and appreciate you all enough"



[h3]What’s have you been doing since the release of the demo ?[/h3]

"Well, a lot has changed but don't worry, not the essence of Wartales! We've taken your feedback into account and fixed a lot of the issues and areas that saw some negativity while also expanding on gameplay and features that we thought were secondary that resonated with you all. Over the weeks, the whole team has been working hard and you can be assured that we are not behind on the features we wanted to develop for the beginning of early access, there is some absolutely incredible stuff coming to the EA build that we genuinely cannot wait to see your reaction to.



We've added a lot of different content that we've talked about in previous diaries, namely the tombs of the ancients (dungeon crawler), the arenas (complex challenge with a small team), the rat invasions (how far will you go to burn the most nests?), Paths (echoes of the way you play), new elites, new units, new animals, new skills, talents, professions, items and so on. Enough to keep you on the edge of your seat for several dozen hours!"

[h3]What’s next ?[/h3]

"A closed beta period will precede the EA release so that we can test and fix the game to ensure the best and most enjoyable and feature rich EA experience possible. Please note that the EA release will only be the beginning of the Wartales adventure. It's obviously too early to talk about what we're working on to develop Wartales during EA and we don't want to spoil the surprise just yet.



Just know that we have lots of plans and our notebooks are full of ideas from team members but also from your own suggestions which we are enjoying dissecting, analysing and testing. We will be very attentive to the evolution of each patch and each feature and will ensure regular communication and follow-up throughout this experience. And of course, gathering your feedback. It is important to us to build the game alongside our community. You guys are going to be invaluable in how this game games together and the road ahead"



[h3]Can you give us 5 words to hint towards some stuff we'll be seeing in EA that we haven't seen or heard about yet?[/h3]

"Faire, Swamps, Dead cities, Beast, Snake, Capital cities...

That's 6 (okay, technically 8) and it's all you get, for now... Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading our dev diaries, as much as I enjoyed writing them and as much as our great communication team enjoyed editing them :)

Take care and we'll see you on the beta battleground soon... ;)"

Originally posted by author

Thanks for taking the time to read, we'll see you in the Early Access release Q&A's...

Don't hesitate to leave us a question on, Discord, Twitter, Facebook or on our Steam forums, we'll do what we can to get it answered in a future article!

And don't forget to sign up to take part in the upcoming Wartales playtests over on the Steam page where you can also Wishlist the game, if you haven't already!

- Shiro Games

I didn't realise how annoying I found main quests in RPGs until I played a game that didn't force one on me. That game is Wartales, an upcoming tactical open world game from the developers of Northgard, Shiro Games. It plonks you into a fairly mundane medieval world - in the sense that there' are no wizards's no magic, elves, or grand drama for you to fix - where you can just exist as mercenary doing as you please. It's coming out in early access at some point in the near future, and after having a go of the demo, I spoke to game director Nicolas Cannasse about why they chose to make a game that sets you free, rather than railroading you into some giant mission.

Read more

Originally posted by author

Attention Mercenaries!

Welcome to this weeks Wartales Q&A!

Today, Pierre Etienne will be discussing the Art of Wartales. We will be taking a look at the global art style of Wartales which includes the inspiration for the environment, architecture, characters and weapons as well as the thought process behind the UI.

Read on to find out more!

[h3]What are the influences for the global art style of wartales?[/h3]

The universe of Wartales is set in a medieval fantasy universe which draws its inspiration from medieval Europe, spanning an artistic period going from the 5th to the 14th century. The general philosophy is to offer credible environments and characters for fans of medievalism, while maintaining a somewhat original aspect.



Wartales' graphic universe is therefore influenced as much by a naturalistic and documentary approach as by artists with very dark and melancholic fantasy universes such as Arthur Rackham or John Howe.


[h3]What was the inspiration for the environment?[/h3]

As said in the previous Q&A the environments of Wartales are very strongly inspired by Scotland and the north of England.



To be more specific this is the inspiration for the core of the world story, the Edoran empire. Edoran is inspired by the Roman/Celtic culture, and Wales is the real life location where this civilization existed. But Wartales is not a medieval documentary so we have mixed this core inspiration with a lot of other European cultures and different eras. The world of Wartales will be composed of many specific biomes that will reflect on the various local cultures. For example The empire of Edoran is based on Wales but Harag kingdom is more based on the Scottish highland and Belerion on Iceland.
So as you travel you will see some changes in the landscape.


[h3]What was the inspiration for the architecture?[/h3]

Much like the landscapes, the architecture reflects the people. So most of the buildings reflect the style of the Edoran empire, with stone walls and red tiles for the roof.

Hubert Robert - The Old Temple - 1787

There is also this ancient and mysterious civilization that has left many ruins and secrets that are influenced by a mix of ancient culture like the Greek and the Mesopotamians. But the core inspiration for this are the romantic ruins and the Piranese prisons.




[h3]What was the inspiration for the characters?[/h3]

The characters of Wartales are nomadic adventurers and their designs are therefore representative of their function. Most of them wear bags, warm clothes and capes to face the harsh climate and nature. They are also warriors so their outfits are optimized for combat. The characters represented in the band are both female and male and all have very athletic builds to match their extreme lifestyle.
For the proportions and the faces we were very much inspired by MMA wrestlers for both women and men. The outfits themselves draw their inspiration from various periods and cultures of the Middle Age going roughly from the late Roman empire to early Renaissance. You will find outfits with some Celtic inspirations as well as Gothic armor for the more sophisticated. The main idea was to take various existing pieces of armors and do some mashup with them.



The NPC’s designs were also influenced by middle age outfits but we have made sure that they were really different from the trained warriors. They are more simple and reflect their sedentary lifestyle and their jobs.


[h3]What was the inspiration for the weapons?[/h3]

Wartales weapons are largely based on real weapons such as can be found in European museums. We will thus find falchions, corbin beaks, fauchards etc. However, especially for the most powerful weapons, one can find uniquely designed equipment made by legendary blacksmiths as well as ancient weapons, hidden deep in the dark ruins. But still, at least in part, inspired by existing weapons in the real world.




[h3]Can you talk a bit about the UI?[/h3]

Wartales is a game where the user interface is quite present with various tables rich in texts and figures as well as many written dialogues. The style is therefore sober with fairly legible typographies and slightly typed like garamond for example. The iconography work is also very important with different levels of more or less diegetic stylizations, depending on whether it is skills that will be illustrative or simple logos that will be much more stylized and functional. The UI will of course largely evolve during the Early Access.

Originally posted by author

Thanks for taking the time to read, we'll see you next week for the next entry in our weekly series of dev Q&A's!

Don't hesitate to leave us a question on, Discord, Twitter, Facebook or on our Steam forums, we'll do what we can to get it answered in a future article!

And don't forget, you can now sign up to take part in the upcoming Wartales playtests over on the Steam page where you can also Wishlist the game, if you haven't already!

- Shiro Games

Originally posted by author

Attention Mercenaries!

Welcome to this weeks Wartales Q&A!

Today, we talk about the World of Wartales and the inspirations behind it. We take a look at the different ways of navigating it, how it will grow and evolve over early access and some of the more interesting sights and scenes you can expect to come accross in your travels...

Read on to find out more!

[h3]How many regions are there in Wartales and how do they differ from one another?[/h3]

First of all, I want to make it clear that the number of explorable regions at the release of the EA will be different than at the final release. It is therefore expected that we will release a good number of regions during the EA. We want to take the time to work on our regions properly, whether it's the narrative, visual or gameplay aspects. In this sense, we have set a rule for ourselves and we are committed to it: each region must offer a different gameplay experience. If by adding a new region, we change nothing except the location of places to discover, then we will not validate such a region. Regarding the average size of a region, the size of the demo is an medium size and we plan to develop between 20 and 30 regions, each with its own scenario, its own game rules, its own unique missions, its own local specialities, its own geology and all its own specificities.


[h3]What are the inspirations for the environment ?[/h3]

We really enjoyed working on the environment. Nature, both splendid and terrifying, dominates the vast expanses where only the brave dare to venture. The inhabitants of these lands are hardened by the climatic conditions and the many dangers that threaten them every day, whether supernatural or not. In general, the environments of Wartales are very much inspired by Scotland and the north of England. There are snow-capped mountains and windswept moors as well as vast oceans with dark, turbulent waters. Nature inspires a sense of wonder and danger to enhance the sense of adventure. The colours and atmosphere can change dramatically depending on the time of day and the vagaries of the weather.



The architecture is influenced by different eras, such as the Middle Ages. One can feel that Romanesque architecture is still very much present, especially in the temples and in the use of Roman tiles for the most important buildings. The rest of the dwellings are more rudimentary with low stone buildings with wooden or thatched roofs. In general, the architecture reflects a decline and a period when important knowledge was lost. The fauna is semi-realistic and the classic bestiary of the European countryside, coasts, forests and mountains contrasts with the rare fantasy elements of the game which I am sure you will enjoy discovering and fighting!



[h3]Are there ways to travel between regions other than walking?[/h3]

Of course! On the back of a dragon. More seriously, we're planning different ways to move around the map quickly. If you've paid your way into the counter of two different villages, you can take the common road and travel by carriage between the two very quickly. Also, if you find the entrance to a mountainous gallery, you can enter it and try to find an exit on the other side (which will sometimes be in another region!). Once you have done this, you can now go through the gallery very quickly to travel between the linked regions.



We also have a climbing system that allows you to place ropes at the top of cliffs that will allow you to climb down certain cliffs. By doing so, you can access certain hidden locations, reach a related region or simply create your own shortcuts in the world! We felt it was important to let the player take control of their appropriation of the world. Finally, in a yet undefined future, you can hope to sail the icy waters of Wartales...

[h3]Will there be hidden locations to discover?[/h3]

Of course. Exploration is one of the main features of Wartales. What would an exploration game be without hidden locations? I won't talk too much about it of course so as not to spoil it, but you should know that there are different types of hidden locations. Some are only accessible via certain game mechanics. For the others... you'll have to look harder. Or turn your camera!



[h3]What are some of the interesting things I could find around the map?[/h3]

The world you live in is alive and organic: wild animals roam the forests, bandits wait in abandoned watchtowers, the Guard hunts down thieves and the Ghost Pack attacks remote villages. It is also vast, with some twenty regions shared by the major forces. In this context, you play as a neutral group, free to act and do as you wish (while obviously assuming the consequences of your actions). In short, you lead an itinerant band of adventurers who are not tied to any one place and are eager for adventure and combat. However, going on an adventure for several days in the wilderness requires careful preparation. Indeed, the game is designed to require adaptability and real preparation for each expedition. As a reminder, characters must be paid every day, fed at every rest and armour must be repaired with raw materials and wounds healed with remedies. For example, there is in-game content such as the Tombs of the Ancients that are designed to take time to complete (count several days of rank at a time to explore a tomb with potentially many battles).



Thus, you will need to prepare yourself in the service areas of towns and villages to stock up on supplies and then go on adventures. In short, the further you progress in the game, the further you can go: you should see the villages as beacons to which you must return to sort and empty your inventory (limited in weight to be stored but compensated for by the recruitment of animals such as horses) and replenish your supplies for your next expedition (food, materials, remedies). Indeed, the more gold you have, the better you will prepare your expeditions and the more difficult content you will achieve (sometimes several in the same expedition).

Then, you will explore and travel. We have established regions in which Points of Interest (POIs) are placed. A POI can be a place where resources are collected (mine, sawmill), a place where resources are spent (forge, apothecary's office), a town (which groups together several POIs) or a singular place whose operation can be unique. In all cases, if a POI offers unique or systemic gameplay, it is above all a place where the game's narrative can emerge.



POIs allow us to create an effect of expectation, projection and desire for completion. A POI is constructed in the form of a point & click gameplay diorama: a 3D scene, an open shot of the daily life of the world's inhabitants, such as the interior of a farm or a tavern. It offers actions to perform, visible or hidden, characters to talk to, elements to interact with...



As the game progresses, you will come across points of interest that may have regional particularities. Near the sea, you will find fishing huts. In the often icy mountains, abandoned guard posts used by kingdoms to protect themselves from bypasses stand alongside bandit-occupied mines and unexplored ruins. The challenge is to offer content that is adapted to the environment in which it is placed, while providing its own dose of narrative. In Wartales, there is no main quest or main story with heroes, cinematics and achievements. There are only stories told in the form of narrative fragments and, above all, the stories that the player tells himself and to which the game is designed to respond and echo.



The elements placed in the world are the first direct vectors of this narrative. With this in mind, we have placed resources to be collected according to a logic: cowbane is collected in swampy surroundings while snow iris only grows in the mountains. The same goes for the points of interest: it is impossible to find a mine in the middle of a plain and conversely, you will not find a cabbage farm in the middle of a mountain. The coherence of the world thus directly involves the gameplay. Depending on your needs, you will explore this or that corner of the world to collect these resources. And maybe, have fun getting lost!

Originally posted by author

Thanks for taking the time to read, we'll see you next week for the next entry in our weekly series of dev Q&A's!

Don't hesitate to leave us a question on, Discord, Twitter, Facebook or on our Steam forums, we'll do what we can to get it answered in a future article!

And don't forget, you can now sign up to take part in the upcoming Wartales playtests over on the Steam page where you can also Wishlist the game, if you haven't already!

- Shiro Games