Last month the Honkai Star Rail team allowed us to lob some questions their way as they were not able to attend GDC as they initially planned. On the cusp of the release of Version 2.1 when we held the interview, we were excited to get the skinny on Hoyoverse’s latest update. Now, with 2.1 out there in the wild, check out our interview with Hoyoverse which dives into how they created the fantastical dream world of Penacony, and what comes next.
MMORPG: Penacony feels distinctly different than any location we’ve been to so far. As a dream world, it feels like almost anything can happen. What was the inspiration for creating Penacony?
Hoyoverse: The core of the story in Honkai: Star Rail revolves around the trailblazing expedition, a space fantasy. The three main exploration locations — the Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI, and the Xianzhou Luofu — have each showcased distinct and independent worlds. To bring a fresh experience to players at the next destination of their journey, we have carefully crafted a stage where people gather together. That's to say, this is where people from different galaxies, factions, and diverse goals come together due to a special opportunity. They interact, exchange ideas, and enjoy this rare holiday together. In such a backdrop, Penacony, a vibrant and dreamy metropolis, comes into being.
With the themes of the "Jazz Era" and the "Land of the Dreams," Penacony is cleverly divided into twelve different Dreamscapes. Each Dreamscape corresponds to a different time of day, representing the local belief in hedonism. In this metropolis, people can seek and enjoy happiness in different ways throughout the day. As a result, Dreamchasers can encounter towering skyscrapers rising from the dry ground, intricate transportation networks, and bustling commercial streets. The city operates on a beverage-based fuel mechanism, and interactive elements such as billboards that follow you and Dreampeek Calls provide a bustling yet slightly absurd visual experience that is particular to this city.
The inspiration behind creating Penacony is diverse, and through this inspiration, we aim to present a unique and captivating world to the players.
MMORPG: Running up walls, and perspective-based puzzles are just some of the unique areas that have made Penacony such a fun place to explore. Are there other surprising areas in store for us in future updates?
Hoyoverse: The Dreamwalker and Dream's Eye gameplay not only add diversity and fun to puzzle-solving in the game, but also serve as important means to shape the immersive experience. Specifically, when constructing the dream world of Penacony, we meticulously designed every detail to ensure that the art, characters, and gameplay serve the final presentation of the dream world.
In terms of art, elements such as towering skyscrapers rising from the dry ground, intricate transportation networks, bustling commercial centers, surreal and dreamy lighting, the visible presence of SoulGlad, and whales roaming in the clouds all contribute to creating a scene that is both vibrant and absurd.
To elaborate the character design, let's take the newly introduced character, Black Swan, from version 2.0, as an example. With her expertise in divination and her origin from the Garden of Recollection, she carries a kind of nobility and elegance while exuding an ethereal and mysterious aura connected to memories. And her unique appearance is closely tied to the dream world.
In terms of gameplay, Dreamwalker grants players the ability to walk on walls, experiencing an inverted world, while Dream's Eye allows players to change perspectives and use visual illusions to solve puzzles. Both mechanics enhance the experience of "breaking the laws of physics within dreams," enabling players to achieve things impossible in the real world.
We will adhere to this design philosophy and continue to bring players more interesting and explorable areas.
MMORPG: In a world where dreams can come true, there are a lot of unique mini games, including a unique game mode with Hanu’s Adventure. Will these mini games and experiences continue to expand even after leaving Penacony?
Hoyoverse: Dreamwalker, Dream's Eye, and Hanu's Prison Break which you just mentioned, are all important ways for us to shape the immersive experience in Penacony. We are delighted that these gameplay elements have been well-received by players. As for the future expansion plans for these mini games, we will provide more details in our upcoming notices.
MMORPG: A lot of great characters were introduced in 2.0, including Black Swan and Sparkle, two extremely powerful characters. How are older characters keeping up with the pace, and combatting power creep?
Hoyoverse: Indeed, both Black Swan and Sparkle are outstanding characters introduced in version 2.0. Black Swan possesses both damage-dealing and enemy-weakening abilities. The DoT from her teammates can increase her Arcana stack, thereby boosting her damage. She is an excellent character who can lower the enemy's defense and increase the team's overall damage. Similarly, Sparkle can be considered a versatile support character, allowing the team to freely use their Skill Points. She exhibits strong versatility and is a must-have for players planning to build Quantum or Imbibitor Lunae lineups.
Although the new characters in version 2.0 era are all eye-catching, each character has its own unique traits, and there is no absolute strength or weakness. Besides their individual highlights, each character also has challenges in their usage or lineup compatibility. For example, Sparkle is more suitable for Quantum lineups, Bronya is better suited for teams with low Skill Point consumption, and Ruan Mei is more suitable for double damage-dealer lineups. Each character has its own advantages and disadvantages, and deepening the understanding of both new and existing characters will better assist players in their combat performance.
Lastly, the development team has poured a tremendous amount of effort into shaping each character, and we believe that every player has their favorite companion. We will continue to make efforts to enhance the depth and complexity of the gameplay on this basis, ensuring that every character shines and stands out.
MMORPG: Acheron has already become a popular character based on the story of Penacony alone, out of all the characters we’ve met so far, who has been your favorite?
Hoyoverse: Acheron, the Galaxy Ranger, will make a stunning appearance in the 1st half of the banner in version 2.1, allowing players to add her to their lineups and embark on thrilling cosmic adventures.
Reticent and enigmatic, Acheron is a mesmerizing character whose identity is full of mysteries. Her formidable strength and her significant contrasts between the first and second half of the story grant her immense charm. Arriving in Penacony with a secretive background, she attends a banquet hosted by The Family but maintains a distance from the protagonist. However, when necessary, she will lend a hand. Unraveling the truth behind Acheron will be a great delight for players in the following version updates.
The development team members have poured a great deal of love into creating these characters, making it difficult to choose a favorite, because we believe each character shines in their own unique way!
MMORPG: Not to spoil too much of the story, but I think Firefly’s fate shocked a lot of people, and as a likeable character, is this the end of her story? Or can we expect to see more of her in the future?
Hoyoverse: Indeed, Firefly's fate is truly regrettable. After a series of ups and downs, Trailblazers only came to witness her role as a victim to an unexpected ambush from the Memory Zone Meme "Something Unto Death" at the end of their journey. Firefly's accident has brought forth more mysteries for players.
In fact, Firefly will return in some form at the end of the version 2.1 main story. We will gradually unravel the mysteries surrounding her, and many other characters, in the upcoming updates. Please stay tuned!
MMORPG: What can we expect from the next part of the story in Penacony? What has been built so far has become a great mystery, with a lot of questions left unanswered. Will the second half of the story be the last, or do we have a lot more of penacony mysteries to look forward to?
Hoyoverse: Since the launch of the new story in Penacony, we are pleased to see Trailblazers' attention and curiosity towards the many unresolved mysteries. We've also observed the vigorous online discourse about emerging characters and narrative trajectory. Really appreciate everyone's support and enthusiasm!
As we revealed during the preview special program livestream, the overall story in Penacony will be lighthearted, joyful, and full of happiness. The main part of the Trailblaze Missions will span from version 2.0 to 2.2, concluding in version 2.3 with an epilogue. Versions 2.0 and 2.1 merely set the stage for the story, and it will gradually build up to a climax.
For the next development of the story, we have planned a series of thrilling plot twists and turns. The current mysteries will be gradually unveiled in subsequent chapters, bringing more surprises and emotions. We hope that these stories will not only be viewed as game content but also touch the hearts of the Trailblazers, inspiring them to find their own courage and beliefs while exploring the unknown world, and ultimately finding beauty and power. We are confident that the future plot development will make everyone exclaim, "Penacony was worth the journey."
We appreciate the developers for taking the time to answer our questions. Honkai Star Rail is available on PC, PlayStation 5, iOS and Android devices. Version 2.1 "Into the Yawning Chasm" is available now.
