How Star Wars Outlaws’ Expert NPCs Came to Be

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How Star Wars Outlaws' Expert NPCs Came to Be

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the upcoming release of Star Wars Outlaws has me utterly thrilled. The concept of exploring the criminal underbelly of the Star Wars universe between the events of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi is an exciting proposition in itself.

Star Wars Outlaws narrates tales outside the typical grandiose space opera episodes. Remarkably, certain elements of its open-world gameplay have drawn parallels to Grand Theft Auto, making it quite clear why Massive Entertainment’s upcoming release has generated such anticipation for 2021. With Lucasfilm’s help, the game is being meticulously developed, fueling excitement among fans who are now eager to wield a blaster instead of the Force in the seedy underworld of a distant galaxy.

In the game “Star Wars Outlaws,” players can experience the thrilling escapades of Kay Vess during the time period between “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” The actions taken by Kay (and the player) will determine her standing as a rogue within this universe. Recently, Game Rant had the opportunity to interview several members of Massive Entertainment’s development team regarding “Outlaws,” the authentic feel that the movie setting provides for the “Star Wars” universe, and the significance of Expert NPCs in the game.

How Star Wars Outlaws’ Expert NPCs Work

The developers behind “Star Wars Outlaws” are deeply fond of the universe depicted in the game. Their ambition is to make this world feel real and immersive for players, with attention paid not just to epic storylines but also to intricate details on ground level. To achieve this, “Outlaws” relies on Non-Player Characters (NPCs) to bring unique facets of the game to light.

Instead of granting new gear and skills as routine progress rewards, Massive aimed for these upgrades to be exciting journeys in their own right, which is why the game introduced “Expert” NPCs. The director explained that each Expert serves as a passageway to numerous unlocks, but players must first discover them. What they’ll need to do and what rewards await will remain a mystery, creating smaller-scale adventures woven into the broader narrative storyline.

“Each unlock within the game comes with its own specific set of tasks, leading you to constantly adapt and devise new strategies. For instance, one unlock might challenge you to leap your speeder 60 meters without crashing, which could make you view your surroundings as a potential motocross playground, seeking out the largest jumps.”

Kay Vess (and the Player) Can Do Whatever They Want and Whatever it Takes to Survive

In the game “Star Wars Outlaws,” it isn’t clear whether the expert NPCs will be swayed by Kay’s reputation or not. However, the design of this game seems to prevent these NPCs from being confined in any way due to the similar system used. Karlson mentions that incorporating a reputation system into “Outlaws” felt as organic as implementing the Wanted System with looming threats like the Empire, hinting at its potential integration.

For him, the reputation system was “crucial” in transforming Star Wars Outlaws into an authentic outlaw fantasy within the iconic universe. Just like the quests involving skilled NPCs, the outcomes matter, yet the actions take precedence.

“An essential feature of this game’s structure is that you won’t be confined to a single alliance; instead, you have the freedom to switch alliances whenever you wish. While you can build a great reputation with each group during your gaming experience, it’s not possible to maintain an exceptional standing with them all simultaneously. They tend to compete rather than cooperate, offering you numerous opportunities to make interesting decisions as a player.”

Despite being cornered by a certain group, players have the option to win over another alliance to escape their predicament and advance again, should they choose to do so. This aspect of Star Wars Outlaws definitely gives off the vibe of a genuine scoundrel adventure, with Kay Vess potentially using her charm to extricate herself from such situations, somewhat reminiscent of Han Solo finding himself caught between the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub.

The upcoming open-world game, “Star Wars Outlaws,” is generating even greater anticipation due to its focus on player freedom. This means that players have the ability to strategize their gaming sessions, but the unpredictable nature of the dynamic systems could also make it thrilling to make spontaneous decisions during gameplay.

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2024-08-24 18:35