Exclusive: Paul Hellquist Reveals Secrets Behind Stray Kite’s Epic New Game Wartorn!

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In the coming months, we’ll see the release of a highly anticipated strategy game titled “War-torn,” developed by an exceptionally skilled team. Recently, Game Rant was granted an interview with Paul Hellquist, the creative director at Stray Kite, who was also the lead designer for the popular game “Bioshock.” During this interview, we gleaned more insights about the upcoming game, “War-torn.

More recently, the game development studio known as Stray Kite Studios (a team with backgrounds in hit franchises like Age of Empires, Borderlands, and Bioshock) unveiled Wartorn. This is a fantasy roguelike game featuring elements of real-time strategy (RTS). Expected to launch in Early Access by late 2025, Wartorn signals the debut of an exciting new intellectual property that benefits from AAA developers now exploring the creative freedom found in indie game development. Game Rant had a chat with Paul Hellquist, the studio’s chief creative officer, who shared valuable insights into the evolution of Wartorn.

For your convenience, this interview has been condensed and clarified.

Senior Designer On Borderlands Talks New Game Wartorn

Question: What factors made Warborn more appealing as Stray Kite’s inaugural self-produced game, compared to other potential debut projects?

During our brainstorming session about potential games, it turned out that roguelike mechanics were a common element in most suggestions. Additionally, the team was keen on developing a tactics game. Considering this, we thought, “Why not merge these two concepts?” The blend of these genres seemed unique and intriguing to us, sparking our enthusiasm about what could be created.

I’ve been looking forward to “Wartorn” for several compelling reasons. For one, after 25 years in the industry, I haven’t had the opportunity to create a fantasy game yet. Additionally, being deeply rooted in the FPS genre, it’s exciting that “Wartorn” is giving me the chance to explore different design territories and broaden my horizons into a fresh type of game.

Could you explain how your work on pioneering games like the original Bioshock and the Borderlands series has influenced the development of Warborn?

The games, Borderlands and BioShock, have provided me with a strong basis in systemic game design. By this, I mean creating intricate systems that collaborate to generate experiences more significant than their individual components. I am particularly fond of emergent systems which enable players to discover and utilize strategies creatively, as well as designing instances that are unforeseen and personalized for each player. Wartorn is implementing these design philosophies and techniques into a genre that typically avoids such complex designs.

In the game Wartorn, one instance where this is evident is through our interconnected combat system featuring squads. By working together, your squads can achieve results that a single unit couldn’t manage alone. For instance, consider a scenario where you initially soak an opponent with water and follow up by shocking them with electricity from another team. This combination triggers chain lightning, damaging all enemies who were previously wet due to the first action.

By engaging in such interactions, the system might produce unforeseen outcomes, enabling you to employ your opponents’ skills in cunning manners to their disadvantage.

Q: How will Wartorn stand out from similar titles (in terms of both genre and mechanics)?

In several distinct aspects, Wartorn sets itself apart. Unlike many tactics and strategy games, it delves into systemic and emergent gameplay mechanics, a focus we touched upon earlier.

As a gamer, I’m thrilled to be part of a team that’s crafted an extraordinary art style we’ve dubbed “Fantastical Romanticism.” This distinctive approach sets us apart by infusing the game with a painterly feel, giving it a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that breathes life into our world. It’s like stepping into a historical painting, where every scene is steeped in history and storytelling.

Additionally, we’re striving to make this genre accessible to a wider audience by limiting the squad size and incorporating a slow-motion function that allows players to control the tempo of real-time combat. The game also immerses you in a detailed fantasy world, while providing an engaging narrative that forms the foundation for intense battles.

A: Could you share some instances from your development history, as showcased on Stray Kite’s site and Wartorn’s announcement trailer, where this background or experience has aided in overcoming specific challenges during the game’s creation?

Our studio’s history of working on hit RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games like Age of Empires 2 and 3, as well as Halo Wars, has equipped our team with the knowledge to create and release exceptional video games. In particular, our art director, Paul Slusser, has a wealth of experience in this area, having contributed to numerous RTS titles. This expertise is particularly valuable when it comes to designing art for an isometric camera view and offering guidance on effective strategies for controlling such games with a gamepad, as he has insight into what has worked well in the past.

As a gamer myself, I’ve got to hand it to Ryan Slack, our ace programmer. With his years of UI experience in AAA games under his belt, he’s been instrumental in setting up a system that allows us to whip up the numerous UIs we need for our game in no time.

Then there’s Kyle King, our lead artist, who’s got a knack for animation. His past work on cinematics and ability animations from Borderlands has been a game-changer for us here at Wartorn. He’s the man behind the memorable motion and poses of our characters – simply put, he knows how to make them move!

A: Could we discuss how the range of Wartorn compares to the significant projects you and your team at Stray Kite have previously developed?

A: It’s significantly smaller! Compared to the large-scale AAA productions we’ve worked on before, Wartorn can be considered an independent (indie) title. Our studio, Stray Kite Studios, is self-financing this project with our own funds, which is in stark contrast to the deep pockets of big AAA publishers. The advantage here is that we have greater creative control over the game we’re developing than most of us have ever had in AAA production. The development process has been particularly exhilarating because of this.

As an enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that we’re crafting a game where every team member significantly contributes to the player’s experience, whether it’s through design, storytelling, or visual aesthetics of our title. However, we’ve had to curb our grand ideas given our modest team size – barely 10% of what we’ve worked with before. This constraint has pushed us to be more discerning about our game, focusing on the essential elements that will ensure its success.

Paul Hellquist On the Unique World of Wartorn

Question: Which unique fantasy elements displayed so far in Wartorn are you particularly pleased with from your world-building perspective?

A: We’re designing a brand new fantasy realm – isn’t that exciting? The opportunity to craft our own world has been truly captivating. Our aim is to make the land of Talaur seem both recognizable yet distinct. We don’t want players to feel utterly disoriented because everything is so unlike conventional fantasy settings, but at the same time, we want to ensure that numerous aspects are exclusive to Wartorn.

I’m particularly proud of how ‘Mantras’ serve as a central theme in our world-building for Wartorn. These Mantras represent various philosophies embraced by the people of Talaur, shaping their thoughts, actions, and even game mechanics, particularly combat abilities. We strive to seamlessly integrate our narrative with our game mechanics, and the Mantras act as a bridge between these two essential elements of Wartorn.

Q: What are the big inspirations for the world of Wartorn and particularly its diverse inhabitants?

In crafting our epic fantasy world, “The Lord of the Rings” served as a major influence due to its grandiose storytelling and immersive sense of adventure. We drew additional inspiration from “Dungeons & Dragons,” particularly the way various species interact within our society. It’s also important to note that “Magic: The Gathering,” which I’ve been a fan of for three decades, has played a significant role in shaping our creative vision. The game boasts an impressive array of creatures, many of which are less frequently seen in other fantasy series.

A: In the game, how many distinct monsters will players encounter, and what range of enemy types or factions can they anticipate?

During your journey, almost every kind of foe you battle can eventually join your ranks, a group we refer to as a “company.” Our goal is to offer more than 50 distinct types of squads for early access, with this number increasing as we approach our 1.0 release. Moreover, certain features allow you to customize these squads by equipping them with extra abilities, thereby expanding the variety of unique squads at your command.

Question: What amount of narrative is included in Wartorn, and could you elaborate on the unique interplay between the storyline and gameplay in Wartorn?

A: We’ve prepared a substantial amount of story material for our strategy game, drawing inspiration from the engaging narrative style of Hades and the central role it plays in the game.

Travelers should aid Yara and Elani as they traverse Talaur in search of tranquility following the destruction of their home, and assist them in reuniting with their kin who were separated during the conflict. Along their path, they will discover ways to make an impact in a world devastated by war, interacting with both loved ones and adversaries along the way.

A: After keeping it under wraps for quite some time, is there something exciting I can finally share with the gaming community? What’s one tidbit of information that I’ve been eager to reveal to the gamers?

As a passionate enthusiast, I can’t help but feel exhilarated! After dedicating countless hours to this game over time, the moment has finally arrived where we get to unveil it to the world. It’s an incredible feeling!

[END]

Wartorn is coming soon to Early Access on PC.

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2025-01-20 20:04