Clan Wars: Launch Day Interview

Can you tell us a little bit about what Disciple is all about?

Disciple is based in a world called "Aphelion". Aphelion is a real word that literally means:

"The point on its orbit when the Earth is farthest from the sun"

So, this world is extremely dark, brutal and violent. If you read into the lore there are heavy God themes that deal with abandonment of the creator and a fall from grace.

As a result you have a land of people that are recklessly searching for meaning in their lives and others that have lost hope and seek only power.

The game itself is really focused on status and skill. As you fight other real people online, you can dismember them, remove their heads, gain rank, level and skill. As you mature in the game you can create and manage a clan. Clans themselves are ranked so there is a lot of cooperation involved for serious players.

What are the advantages of a browser based MMO over a standard client based game?

Accessibility. With a browser game that requires no client to play, its as easy as logging in to facebook. You don't need to worry about waiting for a large download and it's also much more difficult for an IT admin at the workplace to see what you're doing ;).

In addition, browser based MMORPGs typically cost much much less than a triple A client based MMORPG.

Quick play is a huge advantage to our game. It was designed for people to play 10-60 minutes at a time, so no need to clear the entire day for an 8 hour raid session, which goes hand in hand with playing the game in A-typical environments.

Finally, Its much easier to connect with your friends, at-least in our game. Its all one giant world (no server options) so finding someone is as easy as typing their character name into a search bar.

What are the disadvantages of a browser based MMO?

Since there is no client, the visual (graphics) aspect of the game is never going to compare to a client game. Aside from that I think its based on the users taste in play style. If you are really determined to have a game to play for 8-10 hours at a time, it will be difficult to find that depth in a browser game.

Is there a PvE element to the game, or is it strictly PvP?

The game is heavily PvP focused. It's almost like an MMORPG that is heavily influenced by social networking mechanisms. We do have, however, NPCs and Quests with a rather dark, and sometimes humorous story line.

Can you explain how progression works in Disciple?

There are 3 types of progression in Disciple. The first you are probably familiar with: Kill people, complete quests, get XP and level up. As you level up of course you will unlock new actions and attacks, as well as find more powerful weapons and armor.

Outside of that, its really all about your players rank. If you are the highest rated player in our game, you will be on our website. If you are the lowest rated player in our game, you will also show up on the bottom of the list. Its all public. You increase your rank by Battling other Disciples (Spars don't effect rank). We are using the Elo rating system for this.

Finally, your clan has a rank as well. The Clan's rank is determined by the Elo rating of all the members of a specific clan. This is partly how politics get involved. If you are in a serious clan, you may find that you are expelled if your performance is consistently low. Clan rankings are public as well.

How much customization is available to players?

When a player first enters the game they get to make a lot of choices.

First of all you can choose Race and Sex. This will determine what options you have available for skin color, hair styles and facial hair.

Next, you choose your class, and this determines primarily your fighting style, but also the general build and stance appearance of your character.

As you progress through the game, especially after level 6, there are dozens of armor and weapon styles to choose from. We have well over 1200 unique items in the game, and are already working on more.

Can you tell us a little bit about the classes in the game, and how they differ from one another?

There are 3 classes in the game that determine your fighting style.

The first is the Warlord, which is really our tank class. The Warlord's style is to absorb damage with armor and high health points, while dealing moderate damage over a long period of time.

The Bloodletter is the closest class you will find to a typical rogue. The Bloodletter has a moderate defense, but really focuses on dealing high damage and a few small de-buffs.

The hardest class to play, but potentially the most powerful if mastered correctly is the Shaman. The Shaman has low health, and low armor, and does not do a lot of damage. The appeal of the Shaman is learning how to use your heals, debuffs and damage over time effects to maximize your strategy. This class is really for the advanced players.

Can you tell us about the races in the game and how they differ from one another?

Each race is different in terms of appearance, but they also have an effect on your play style and over all build. You will get stat bonuses for your race choice, as well as two actions that will unlock as you progress through the game. Race choice really mixes with class choice in interesting ways, it makes it easy to diversify your fighting style, or stack it completely towards your strengths.

What is the business model for Disciple?

Disciple is free for anyone to play. Players also have the option to pay for a premium subscription for a small monthly fee that unlock several benefits including access to more powerful gear, an in game currency allowance, and the ability to create and lead a clan, among other things.

In addition, Players can purchase in game currency in our gold store called "Geldors" if they are looking to get ahead of the curve with more powerful weapons and armor.