DC: Where did the idea of KingsRoad begin?
RG: We took a look at what was available on browsers and tablets, and we didn’t see any of the great action-RPGs like the ones we love to play. Most of the big games were of the “click and wait” variety. We wanted to deliver a high-quality, immersive experience that could be played by hundreds of millions of players across any PC, whether they’re at work, school, or home.
DC: Why was ‘browser-based’ gaming the way to go for this action-RPG? What were some of the advantages of the being browser-based? Disadvantages? Challenges?
RG: Rumble firmly believes that browser and mobile are the future of gaming. With KingsRoad, you don’t have to worry about whether you have the latest high-end gaming PC, or even whether you have a PC or a Mac. If you have access to a web browser and can run Flash, you can play KingsRoad.
Being browser-based also allows us to iterate quickly. We can push new content to players every day, and we can react swiftly to player feedback in order to deliver the best possible experience for all our fans.
That said, being a web-based game means you’re at the mercy of Internet connections. One of the things we’ve struggled with on KingsRoad is ensuring that all players have a high-quality experience no matter what type of Internet connection they’re on. We’ve made tremendous progress on that since we went into open beta, and we have even more improvements planned in the future.
DC: When developing the game plan for how KingsRoad, what did you want to do differently from other action-RPGs? Where is the separation factor?
RG: Accessibility is our clear differentiation factor: no other company has released a browser-based action-RPG with true AAA gameplay and visuals with this level of accessibility. KingsRoad satisfies that urge for rich, immersive gameplay but makes it easy to get in and have fun – even if you only have 15 minutes to play.
DC: Can you tell us a bit about the classes in the game? The different weapons? How the leveling works?
RG: KingsRoad currently has 3 classes – Knight, Archer, and Wizard. You can switch between the classes any time you’re in the town hub – they level independently, but they share an inventory and a quest line. The Knight is a great close-range fighter, the Archer can easily stand back and snipe from afar, and the Wizard is a great mid-range attacker. Each of the classes has its own unique skills to learn, which you unlock and upgrade every time you reach a new level. The current level cap is at 60, but you can continue to earn skill points after level 60 to improve your skills.
DC: Can you tell us a bit about the main enemies and what gamers can expect to run into along the way in the main story?
RG: In KingsRoad, you play as an adventurer swept into a massive conflict that pits the realm of Alderstone against a mysterious enemy known as the Shroud. Defeating fearsome Shroud bosses like the Siege Beast, Malvoth, and Adamar in order to the kingdom will require all of the skills you’ll learn along the way.
DC: Does KingsRoad provide an open environment for smaller quests that are off the beaten path from the main quest?
RG: One of the cool new features we’ve recently added to KingsRoad is Bounties. Bounties are shorter maps that provide awesome rewards like XP, gold, potions – even lockboxes that contain some of the rarest items in the game. We add new Bounties to the game every single day, so players looking for a quick fix can get fresh content whenever they log in.
DC: It’s a free game online, but where’s the pay in this equation? For example, you have ‘free-to-play’ everywhere in browser-based and Facebook games, but there is always a point where the player has to pony up the bucks in some way, shape or form to either improve the chances of progression, or to open up the progression. Where does this happen in KingsRoad?
RG: We very consciously design our games so that they are fun for all players, whether you purchase premium currency or not. What using premium currency will do is amplify and accelerate the fun you’re already having – for example with potions that give your hero a brief but powerful boost in critical hit chance or a temporary XP boost. But there is no content in KingsRoad that a dedicated free player can’t access – you’ll earn our premium currency “gems” for replaying maps, completing quests, and selling rare set items. The choice is yours to dedicate the time to earning those gems or pay for them with real money.
DC: Staying on the topic of ‘free-to-play’, do you believe this method for gaming is a bigger risk for developers in the long run? Does it inspire you to make unique items, and make sure the beta process is more thorough?
RG: I wouldn’t call free-to-play a risk, but it is still a very new form of game design. There is no one “right” way to do free-to-play, so to do it well you have to continuously experiment and iterate. That’s another advantage that being a web-based game offers: we can do that sort of tweaking very quickly, truly developing the game with our players. If they like the game and spend money, we can invest more into developing the features and content they enjoy. Over the long run, we can build an epic experience by listening to our players.
Additionally, free-to-play removes the price barrier: any player, anywhere in the world, can immediately log in and start having fun. And that means that many, many more people will be able to enjoy games who couldn’t before. Imagine if the Super Bowl cost $60 per person to watch; it would never have an audience of billions. Using the free-to-play model, video games are quickly on their way to becoming a true mass-market medium.
DC: Any final words for the good folks reading this interview?
RG: Players shouldn’t just take my word on how fun KingsRoad is to go play – they can go try it for themselves right now by logging in to www.rumblegames.com/kingsroad or https://apps.facebook.com/kingsroadgame!