Interview with Daehoon Jang

Guest Writer Posted: Jan 5, 2007 11:01 AM ET
Category: Interviews 0

A Talk with Daehoon Jang

MMORPG.com:	Will people with low-end computers still be able to play Xiah? Will they still get to experience the unique oriental painting-like graphics?
Daehoon Jang:	Yes, people with older systems can play the game, but as you mentioned that the graphics will not be as exciting as with a newer system. The minimum requirements are as follows: CPU: Pentium 3 Ram: 128M Graphic Card: TNT2, ATI Rage However, to fully take advantage of the graphics and game-play we recommend the following: CPU: Pentium 4 Ram: 512M Graphic Card: GeforceFX, ATI Radeon 9500

MMORPG.com:	Characters in Xiah can fly. Does this give them a tactical advantage in combat or is flying meant for aesthetics only? Will flying make gameplay feel like being in a movie like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?
Daehoon Jang:	The flying feature that exists within Xiah is purely for enhancing the game experience. This feature can be described more as levitating and moving as opposed to flying such as a bird would do. It would be more accurately classified as “wire-Fu” as you might have been in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The developers wanted to keep the unique flying feature that many people associate with Asian fantasy motion pictures.
MMORPG.com:	What examples from other MMOs do you incorporate to ease Xiah’s learning curve?
Daehoon Jang:	Xiah has an in-game character that provides players with answers similar to a FAQ, but incorporated more directly into the game. There is also a comprehensive beginner’s guide available at http://www.gamescampus.com/xiah/.

MMORPG.com:	Can you give examples of how advanced AI impacts Xiah’s game world and game play?
Daehoon Jang:	That’s a great question. Monsters have a built-in feature which recognizes a player’s level and experience and respond accordingly. For example, a player may be a high level and encounter a monster. If the monster is by itself, it will not attack the player. Instead, other monsters will be summoned and they will attack the player together.
MMORPG.com:	How do you think Xiah’s console-style gameplay will affect gamers who find consol games off-putting?
Daehoon Jang:	Xiah has primarily PC-game features incorporated into it; it also has some console-style elements as well. The main focus is on the PC-game feel and game play.
MMORPG.com:	What has been implemented in the design of Xiah’s user interface to keep it fully featured, yet easy to use?
Daehoon Jang:	The main thing that the developers did when designing the user interface was to make sure that is did not become too cluttered. One feature which helps to do that is that Xiah has many pop-up/down windows. Quick slots are also used extensively throughout the game. Short-cut features are also available where players designate commands that can be used instead of having a button on the screen which players would have to click on. A lot of other games on the market have windows that do not disappear during game play and many players find that feature bothersome. The game was designed to be user-friendly first and foremost.
MMORPG.com:	Xiah has a strong focus on community. What steps are taken to strengthen the community spirit?
Daehoon Jang:	We have created the unique feature of sub-communities (Guild, party, relation party, teacher-student, and lover) which allows players to choose the type of community structure they feel most comfortable with. This feature is a first of its kind in online gaming. We are in the process of creating a forum and hope to have that feature ready in the near future. The forum will have sections such as a fan site listing, trade and technical issues. Guild events throughout the game are being planned as well.

MMORPG.com:	Do you plan to keep Xiah free to play? Are there plans to charge for expansions or unique in-game items?
Daehoon Jang:	Yes, we certainly will keep Xiah free to play. Players will be able to purchase unique in-game items in the near future. For example, players will be able to buy stats such as “Defence”, “Attack” and many others to improve their character’s abilities.
MMORPG.com:	Many MMOGs feature intricate character creation and in-game items of diverse design, helping to maintain distinction among characters. Is anything planned for Xiah to keep players from playing clones of other characters in the game?
Daehoon Jang:	Depending on the level of your character your clothes and gear change. This feature allows for diffrentation in the game and helps reduce the chances of gamers playing clones.