IndieRPGs.com has posted a new interview with inXile Entertainment's Brian Fargo. The developer discussed the company's upcoming Wasteland 2. A sequel to the classic post-apocalyptic RPG of the 80's, Wasteland 2 will be a top down, turn-based, tactical RPG that the developers promise will "stay true to its roots."

One of the things that was so revolutionary about the original Wasteland was its almost GURPS-like adherence to skill-based characters and challenges. Inevitably, some are going to be more useful than others. How do you deal with this? Do you deliberately try to balance the game’s skills, or do you permit imbalance in the name of role-playing?

Part of the solution is that we need to make sure to create the depth so that all the skills do get used and allow success. Obviously some skills are going to be used more than others and I think those are quite obvious. No doubt the Medic skill will be used more often than say Toaster Repair or Rocket Science. However it is a party based game so there will be a natural balancing that comes about unless you give all 4 characters the exact same skills. But that said we also reward people who pick some obscure skills to reward them for the tradeoff. But the reward may not come easy… you may have to discover it.

Wasteland has menu-based combat and a non-isometric perspective. Are you hoping to create something much closer to the original Wasteland?

Clearly things have changed since the first game and we are not trying to create a Apple II experience. What we like is the depth, cause and effect, the setting, the skills based system, Desert Rangers, modern weaponry etc. about Wasteland. We are going to allow the user to set the camera in different places so you can choose if you want a more top down view vs. a more isometric one. The menu systems themselves will also be customizable. But what makes this project innovative is really more about the communication with the fans and making sure we are in sync. We just put a long vision document out which went into great detail of what we think is important to the game as per the original and what the gamers have wanted. This transparency of development is something we relish doing and a major shift in thinking. I can’t imagine making a game any other way at this point.

IndieRPGs.com: Wasteland 2 Interview

Wasteland 2 (add to watch list)

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