Through a new “Communinet Signal” blog, Funcom gave updates on Dune: Awakening and the process and outcomes of their in-person event presences. The second blog in this series is lengthy, and includes a mix of event blogging, behind-the-scenes looks, and some questions from the Discord community for the upcoming science fiction MMORPG.
Much of the blog recaps Funcom’s presence for Dune: Awakening at in-person expos and conferences. It includes a lot of discussion about how booth planning happened, which is a good insight for those wondering how the magic happens for developers showcasing at these events. There are some solid pictures of both the real-life Shai-Hulud replica (probably existing at a 1:100 scale, even at its massive size) and the professional cosplayers Funcom hired for these events.
As you may recall, Funcom gave its biggest series of gameplay previews and updates yet at Gamescom. On top of a major trailer during the opening show, the team presented a nearly 30-minute gameplay preview, as well as its most intenstive in-person demos—and yes, they were hands-on, finally.
Fans who have their eye on Dune: Awakening’s actual gameplay details are probably more curious about, well, gameplay details. Thankfully, it seems the Funcom team has taken a minute to give a few more details on those by way of Discord community questions.
Many onlooking players have wondered about the combat, as one of the main complaints after gameplay previews was there’s not enough emphasis on melee combat. After all, subterfuge, stealth, and sleight of hand are at the heart of the Arrakis native Fremen’s technique. Thankfully, the team says they’re focusing up on melee combat; melee and vehicle combat just wasn’t present as much in other Funcom titles such as Conan: Exiles, and so they wanted to do that first.
“Melee is an important and crucial part of the combined arms approach to combat we are going for in Dune: Awakening,” the blog explains, “and now that we have ranged combat and vehicles at a spot our beta testers and we are happy with, we are focusing on melee combat and bringing the years of expertise we have into the game. Right now we are actively working on animations, timings, general feel as well as a spin to the general mechanics inspired by how you would expect a Dune melee combat to be like!”
And speaking of combat, the team clarified the PvP versus PvE areas, in case players wish to control their PvP immersion levels. In short, there will be limited PvP areas in starting maps, but they’ll expand as players wander further into the game.
“In Hagga Basin, the starting map, PvP is only allowed in certain locations, but it is mostly a PvE map,” it’s explained. “When you access a PvP area, you are notified you are entering a Kanly War of Assassins.”
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“The Deep Desert, in contrast, is a mostly PvP zone with only a small strip in the southern region that is PvE. And then you have the social hubs (Harko Village and Arrakeen at launch), which are entirely social areas with no engagements allowed.” When you do grab your PvP base, if you keep the shield up, you’ll be safe from enemy attacks.
There are more short answers to many questions in the blog itself, also clarifying that since the combat showcases at Gamescom and the like, there have been two major beta patches with more updates and fixes. Basically, it seems like development isn’t all just for show(s).