First of all, can you explain how battle works in the game for those that are unfamiliar?
Lawrence Liberty: Battle in D&D Tactics utilizes the time-tested mechanics of D&D, the latest rule set (3.5) to be precise. Like its table-top counterpart, Tactics is turn-based, and relies on the roll of the dice to determine the outcome of combat actions. There are many strategic options during the combat phase: you can choose to gird your defenses, feint (mislead an opponent), use items, perform special actions, use magic, and of course perform a melee attack. This is all accomplished through a straightforward combat/action interface.
It's been a long time since we last heard from the game. What changes have been made in the months since we last saw the game?
Liberty: The extra time has been largely spent polishing the single player campaign and stabilizing the multiplayer experience. The game is larger and deeper than originally anticipated, with a solid 40-hour campaign. The size of the single-player campaign necessitated a good deal more tweaking and testing than any PSP project I have worked on.
How important is knowledge of the D&D franchise? How does the game cater to the hardcore and the casual gamers?
Liberty: While a solid understanding of D&D would be beneficial, the game has been designed to be accessible to the casual PSP user. You can simply hit Quickstart from the Main Menu and be on your way, letting the game guide you through the experience. There is a Glossary and Help text for most actions – so you should never be lost. For the more D&D-literate (and for those that play the game for any length of time) knowledge and strategy will pay off. Movement and flanking are important, and intelligent use of spells will make the campaign a lot easier.
Morality was a noted feature of the game: how does it come into play in D&D?
Liberty: The storyline will be determined by the alignment and morality of your main character. Depending on the choices you make, you will see differences in the outcome of the campaign.
Finally, the deal-breaker. Load times can make or break a game. How does Kuju deal with this?
Liberty: Load times in and of themselves are competitive with other recent PSP titles. However, when you account for play-time to load-time I think that you'll find the D&D Tactics is among the best-in-class. You will have a single load for an adventure – so you could go 10 to 30 minutes without hitting the UMD.
We'd like to thank Mr. Liberty for taking the time to talk to us. Expect more coverage of D&D Tactics in the future.
