MMORPG: Give us some background on the new expansion, what led you to the release?
This expansion is highly anticipated, and has been in the works for a long time. Shaiya’s world history and its in-game systems come together to create a rich story line, and this next chapter is meant to blow the doors off of what players have already seen, opening up a whole new level of depth both in lore and gameplay.
MMORPG: Without giving away too much, tell us about the Trinity Artifacts.
The Trinity Artifacts are a set of magical objects that, if used properly, can unlock unimaginable power. They’ve been locked away for millennia, and are the most valuable and sought-after items in the world of Shaiya. Their whereabouts are still a mystery, but the pieces to that puzzle are out there if you’re dedicated and clever enough to seek them out and put them together.
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MMORPG: Part of this expansion reads very much like a mystery for players to follow and solve, was that your philosophy going in?
Yes, one of the great strengths of Shaiya’s story has always been that it’s deep and mysterious. That works well in two ways: the players can be actively involved in unraveling the mysteries at hand, which increases their level of engagement, as well as giving us a lot of leeway in regards to all the different directions in which we can take the story.
MMORPG: What types of terrain will players experience in Mystra? How did you go about designing the landscape?
There are three brand-new islands that have become accessible now, with terrain ranging from bright meadows to horrible deadlands. The design decisions were mainly made around the history and present state of these islands in terms of their ownership and inhabitants, but we don’t want to give away too much!
MMORPG: What are some of your personal favorite challenges that players will face in the new expansion?
The boss monsters in the new dungeons are absolutely vicious. I absolutely can’t wait to see which of our players or guilds are able to dominate them first… and it could take a while. They’re a tricky bunch.
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MMORPG: Also the expansion raises to level to 80. What can players expect for their characters after reaching this top tier?
The bar has been raised, not just in terms of adventure and combat, but in terms of strength and strategy as well. Players will master tons of new skills and can even upgrade new gear sets. One interesting new feature that’s come to gear is a scaling set bonus—if you collect and wear the entire set of the best gear in the game, you’re going to be quite a force to be reckoned with.
MMORPG: Can you sum up your approach to Trinity Artifact and what is in store for players in the coming months of Shayia?
It’s an exciting time to be a loyal Shaiya player. The competition and intrigue of Episode 6.1 is just the beginning of this epic new content roll-out, with two huge new PvP areas in the works, as well as a mountable pets system and a brand new character customization system. We expect a number of really astonishing content updates to continue to arrive in Q4 and beyond.
