As we already informed you yesterday, Funcom held a presentation of the upcoming MMO survival Dune: Awakening. Although we have already collected a lot of interesting information about the game in our archive, this time the developers boasted many interesting details, including shots of already debugged parts of the game. We also learned more about the connection of the game with the books and the current film adaptation from director Denis Villeneuve, which could fit together nicely in the finale, and fans in particular can expect a very pleasant fusion of several worlds. In other words, Dune: Awakening looks more ambitious at first glance than Conan Exiles, with which the upcoming Dune is often compared.
The developers were the first to devote space to the path that Duna traveled as a template and theme from the books to the upcoming game. While books give readers immense detail and insight into all the characters, movies serve largely as a means of visualizing dream worlds and captivating moments. According to Funcom representatives, the game tries to connect these two worlds and offer the player a unique opportunity to experience the desert planet of Arrakis in their own way. Creative director Joel Bylos outlined that playing Dune: Awakening will be primarily about survival, not necessarily just the basics. The moment the players get the supply of water that is necessary for survival, it opens up another layer before them that includes politics and intrigue.
Regarding the processing of the game, the cinematographer and producer Craig Fraser, who was a link between the filmmakers of the current Dune and the developers from Funcom, had something to say about it. Bylos confirmed that the developers were given the opportunity to look at the filming, walk through various sets, get a close look at the ornithopter and many other details that should provide an adequate perspective on the many realities that will be treated in Dune: Awakening. Developers and filmmakers then highlighted the strengths of Unreal Engine 5 and partial technical aspects, such as the Lumen lighting system, which brings great results and it must be acknowledged that the game looks really attractive thanks to it. Already at this place, the developers spoke for the first time about sandworms, their arrival on the scene associated with the sound of moving sand and other sensations that foreshadow an almost inevitable disaster.
As for the gameplay itself, the developers want to give players the maximum possible degree of freedom and leave it entirely up to them what they want to be in the world of Dune: Awakening. There are a number of possibilities, from an explorer in an ornithopter, through a scholar of one of the orders, to the administrator of his own base providing services to others. Taking into account the MMO nature of the game, it shouldn’t be a problem to fulfill these possibilities, of course the game as such is definitely about everything.
Nevertheless, in the last segment, which most resembled a developer’s diary, Bylos went back to the beginning on the topic of water, which obviously will never be enough. A person will not survive very long without filter clothes, even with them it is appropriate not to wander during the day, but to wait for a more pleasant night and especially not to be reluctant to go beyond the edge of unwritten permissibility when trying to get fluids. In other words, Bylos indicated that one of his favorite and surest methods of obtaining water is from the bodies of slain enemies in the form of blood. Once the player settles down a bit on Arrakis, they can start focusing more on crafting items or weapons and building a base that leads to endgame content involving the entire Landsraad council system. This is where the battle of individual factions for resources should come into play on a large scale, but for now it is only a promise.
As for base building, Bylos confirmed that you will be able to do it in co-op as well. An interesting element is the possibility to create your own plans – blueprints – of buildings, which can then be sold to other players. And there will also be force fields that will protect the bases from sandstorms and especially raids by other players. However, there will be locations in the game, named Shifting Sands, where there will be no certainty and every week a massive storm will occur that will change the character of the area, destroy player bases and reveal new resources. However, you will have to watch out for the aforementioned sandworms everywhere, which will be impossible to fight. Bylos stated that the only option is to run or avoid the encounter with the worms, but again, how you do that is up to you. You can of course run away from the desert to solid ground, but you can also get into an ornithopter and watch the sandy destruction from a safe height.
But when it comes to fighting your equals, you’ll of course be able to use your full arsenal of weapons, gadgets, machines or abilities to succeed. And not only in PvE battles, but also in battles with other players in special PvP zones. However, the developers have warned that even groups of players fighting on one side will have to be careful, as you can also injure your friends. We will soon be able to test all this in the upcoming beta tests, which have already started, but will gradually open up to a larger number of players. Even with that in mind, the developers still don’t have a release date for the game, so the only thing we can expect in the near future is the next edition of the developer blog and new information about other aspects of the game.
2024-03-05 10:23:43
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