Adam Davidson: Chronicle V

The Producer drops in to explain some things about Chronicle V

Adam Davidson, the Producer of Lineage II, submitted to ten questions from our intrepid Lineage II expert Laura Genender. Laura gets to the heart of what L2 fans will want to know for the upcoming free expansion.

In addition to the interview, we also have eleven screenshots.

Chronicle 4 remains our largest Chronicle to date, but Chronicle 5 is right on its heels, perhaps in some ways bigger. Many of the facets focused on in Chronicle 5 are more systemic, such as the clan improvements and class balancing efforts. In this expansion we’ve revitalized multiple systems that both appeal to new players and enrich the experience of veterans. So that, plus new lands, new castles, new contestable clan halls, new monsters and all the other things players expect from a Lineage II Chronicle, means this one is pretty huge in impact. I really think this expansion will be great for the western markets.

This applies to all levels, but in different ways. Some of the changes benefit new and lower level players, such as the Academy for the clan systems and other changes to improve solo playability in lower level areas. Then you have the new castles and raid monsters for the higher tiers. The new lands, specifically, are designed to suit various level ranges across the board, so we feel that there’s something for every type of player out there.

Some of the new areas of the game are designed for solo play. In these areas the various NPCs of the region will drop four different types of herbs that help the player solo more quickly and efficiently. Also, some of the new areas will feature brand new weather effects, such as snow.

Yeah, this item seems to have created a lot of buzz. We’re pleased that the players are so excited for it. To give a basic idea, there is just one of these per server, and any player has a chance to receive the weapon from any monster. Once you pick it up, the weapon is automatically equipped and the player cannot un-equip it. Once the player is killed, there is a chance that it will drop, and the same rules will then apply to the recipient.

There’s no need to worry as well, about someone “camping” the weapon and logging off indefinitely, then removing the weapon from the game until they see fit. There’s a timer on the Zariche that continues even when the player is logged off. Once that timer expires, the sword goes poof and is put back into circulation.

As far as other weapons go, you’ll just need to wait and see!

We’re interested to see this ourselves, since the live environment is always full of surprises. I’ll say this, I’m reasonably sure that a clan will get to level 8 faster than we think. Really, it all depends on the clans themselves and how hard they work at it.

We’re interested to see the effect on the political landscape in particular. New, larger clans will form, others will grow, old alliances will crumble, new alliances will emerge. It’s pretty exciting.

Indeed. Both Rune and Schuttgart Castles have joined the landscape of Aden. Rune is particularly different from what players have seen in the past. It is a beautiful castle that harbors a dangerous critter in its bowels. You’ll also see the addition of a couple of contestable clan halls, and they are all pretty different.

Good question. Currently we’re looking at the system, but there are no details I can divulge at this time.

These skills are primarily intended for use in PVP as a part of the class balancing effort featured in Chonicle 5. Part of the issue is that you can't actually see a monsters MP bar, thus limiting a tanglible aspect of using the skill.

Indeed, there will still be classes that possess direct heal spells.