The New World development team recently held a community Q&A session in preparation for Season 2, titled Blood of the Sands, set to launch next week. In the Forged in Aeternum video, they addressed various topics, with a primary focus on Season 2. The team fielded questions regarding upcoming features, such as new weapons and planned future changes, while emphasizing the importance of player feedback and industry standards in shaping their development priorities.
Producer Katy Kaszynski highlighted the team’s overarching vision for New World and their reliance on player input and metrics to determine what aspects to focus on and when. Additionally, Scot Lane mentioned that resource availability within different teams could influence their development choices. For instance, if the art team has extra capacity, they might work on updating points of interest (POIs), whereas the engineering team might tackle different features if they have room to spare.
In regards to raids, the community expressed curiosity about the possibility of traditional raids with multiple bosses, trash mobs, and varied strategies. The team confirmed their intention to introduce such raid experiences, but with a caveat. Lane explained that their priority lies in creating a solid expedition before venturing into raids. As they prepare to release the sand wurm Trial, they aim to gather feedback on it as a boss encounter. Once they are confident in their ability to design engaging raid bosses, they will shift their focus towards crafting full-fledged raid content.
Furthermore, the team acknowledged the potential for incorporating more cover mechanics in Outpost Rush. Given the prevalence of ranged weapons in this mode due to its open nature, they are exploring ways to enhance the gameplay experience through cover systems.
David Verfaillie shared insights on their approach to balancing and enhancing PvE gameplay. They aim to move away from overly specific perks, aiming to introduce more fun elements to PvE content. They also expressed a desire to separate the balance between PvE and PvP, allowing them to introduce more PvE-focused features without disrupting PvP balance.
While providing hints and teasers about future plans, the team remained relatively tight-lipped about major changes coming to crafting professions. They hinted at significant updates to be revealed later in the year, potentially tied to an expansion.
Overall, the Q&A session offered glimpses into the team’s roadmap, their dedication to player feedback, and their commitment to refining and expanding the New World experience.