New Dawn is a new sandbox survival game which takes a close look at history. You play one of the natives on a small island near South America. Your homeland is raided by vicious pirates around the year of 1800. This epic struggle pits the local natives as defenders of their island against the invaders. You’ll be able to gather tools, weapons, and resources to rescue your sacred ground. We spoke to game director Tedesco Giorgio about the project.
MMORPG: New Dawn takes place on a deserted island, tell us the story behind the game.
Tedesco Giorgio: Terrible pirates land on an unknown island off the coast of Southern America at the end of 1800. They quickly occupy it with brutality and immorality. These sea men are pitiless and killing them will be hard! A new dawn will rise for the natives. Their life will change radically and they’ll have to hide and find a solution to survive. For the natives, every cloud has a silver lining. They will find new defensive tools, building techniques, weapons and tools useful to survive.
MMORPG: How does the player take on the role of the natives who now have to hide from the pirates?
TG: The natives will have Pirate’s villages to loot. Also, flotsams will appear casually where players might find some more gear. Another place to look around is in pirate camps for receipts and weapons. As a native you’ll have plenty of options to fight and discover new ways to avoid your foes.
MMORPG: You can actually kidnap pirates and make them work for you, can you explain those mechanics?
TG: We have a Savey System which allows you to catch and trap a pirate. Your aim will be to make him collaborate with the natives. He will eventually start to follow your orders. You can also equip weapons, ammunition, clothing, and food to help him defend your territory.
MMORPG: What is it like to visit other islands in the game?
TG: There will be several neighboring islands. You can visit these islands using a raft to gather more resources.
MMORPG: You can actually tame a wild horse in the game?
TG: Yes, you can tame a wild horse in the game which will give you a lot more mobility.
MMORPG: Survival games are very popular, what are some of the ideas that set New Dawn apart?
TG: New Dawn’s aim is to be a pure survival game. We don’t want to just create another survival FPS. We don’t think that adding just hunger and thirst icons, a game can be defined “survival game”. We set the natives against the pirates in a true sense of old world survival. Our community has been very supportive and our team is happy with the work we have done so far. We’re an indie company so making sure the game is fun to play is important to us.
MMORPG: What are some other features about New Dawn that you’d like to mention?
TG: The pirates will be provided with an advanced artificial intelligence. They will attack the villages and structures but also have the ability to plunder player items. We love climbing trees so this element was added for avoiding the pirates, it also can be used to discover new areas. Finally as the natives you will be able to set up houses, villages, and cities, but keep in mind the pirates will always be looking for loot.
MMORPG: Will New Dawn be single-player?
TG: Yes, you’ll be able to create a local server for your solitary adventures.