Interview with Ben Miller, Lead Designer of Guild Wars: Eye of the North

While attending the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) I got the chance to speak to Ben Miller the lead designers of the Guild Wars about the new Eye of the North Series. I want to thank Eric for taking the time from the busy day to answer my questions.

GVK: What is the background and setting for the game please?

BM: It is set in the original Continent Tyrian and four major regions such as frigid, Shar Homelands, Tarnish Coast which is overgrown jungle and the Depths with are cavernous tombs.

GVK: What are some of the new character classes, weapons, and locales?

BM: Players will be able to encounter and which are your favorites?

There are no new professions but there are tons and tons of new items. We were shooting for an expansion not to make the game more complex and as such we have over 40 new armor sets. There is even a Ninja mask that can be worn by any profession. While weapons are not profession specific, some will of course be better suited for some classes than others.

GVK: What can you tell the readers about the Hall of Monuments?

BM: The hall keeps track of great accomplishments in the game that players achieve over time. The hall will also change visually and look cooler as you achieve more. The hall will also allow you to port over what you have accomplished to Guild Wars 2 when it is released.

GVK: What new races will gamers encounter?

BM: Norn, Asera, Charr. While the last is not really new, there will be much more depth given to them.

GVK: Has the graphic engine been enhanced in any way for this release, and if so, what are some of the new features players can look forward to?

BM: The game is more beautiful thanks to use of new shader technology. The game also looks great on lower end machines. We wanted the game to have a high range of access from the ground up and we pushed the graphic limits of the engine.

GVK: What can you tell the readers about the multi level dungeons, as they seem to be just what veteran players have been looking for.

BM: We included all the elements of a cool dungeon such as traps, monsters, loot, and unique and cool experiences. We have big, badass boss monsters and unique stores as we wanted this to be the most rewarding thing in the game.