Remnant: From the Ashes Interview – Talking About World Design, Crafting, Progression, and More

Gunfire Games will no doubt be on the minds of countless people for the work they’ve done in bringing back tie Darksiders franchise, but looking ahead to the future, there’s still more to come from the studio. Most notably, Remnant: From the Ashes is looking like an interesting loot-focused third person shooter, which centres its gameplay loop around an assortment of explorable worlds (all procedurally generated), a deep crafting system, class-based progression, and more. All of which to say- we’re quite intrigued. Recently, we sent a few of our questions about Remnant: From the Ashes to Gunfire Games, and they reverted with the following responses.

"Remnant will ship with a compelling storyline that weaves through many different worlds – each with its own unique biomes, creatures, events, and quests."

Can you explain what exactly “dynamically generated” worlds means in terms of gameplay?

All of the levels in Remnant are procedurally generated using cleverly designed landscape tiles to create a large variety of layouts. This treatment even extends to the side quests and events that form the connective tissue between main story quests. In terms of gameplay, this means that each player’s campaign world might look and play significantly different than their friend’s.

How many worlds exactly will there be in the game?

Remnant will ship with a compelling storyline that weaves through many different worlds – each with its own unique biomes, creatures, events, and quests. We’ll share more about each world on the road to launch.

What exactly can you tell us about the crafting system in the game?

Players will be able to craft a variety of items throughout the course of the game, from useful Consumables that confer temporary benefits to powerful Utility Items that alter the way you play the game. Additionally, the game’s many Boss creatures will drop extremely rare components that can be used to craft some of the most powerful weapons and armour in the game.

While this is emphasized as a co-op shooter, is it also playable solo?

Yes, absolutely. The game’s difficulty system will dynamically scale the number of creatures (and sometimes their stats) based on how many players are in the game at any given point.

What are some of the different classes available for players to choose from in the game?

Remnant will feature a number of archetypes that showcase sets of gear reinforcing specific playstyles. Bear in mind, however, that the archetype choices are simply an initial stepping stone to defining your character. After each character is created, the player is free to acquire whatever items, weapons, and armour he or she desires to create the perfect character that suits the way they play the game.

"Each world will feature a different set of enemies that look and fight very differently from one another. Players will need to adapt not only to new and varied attacks but also to a tempo of combat that can change from world to world."

What is the progression system in the game going to be like?

Characters will earn experience for completing quests and defeating monsters. As the character levels up, he or she will be able to affect how potent they are with certain types of weapons and armour. We’re exploring ways the world will shape characters through things like special traits and events. However, in Remnant itemization is king. The game provides a deep crafting and upgrade system that will keep players engaged for a long time.

The bad guys in the game, called The Root, look different from the kind of enemies we usually see in games. What can you tell us about them and what their purpose is?

The Root are a plague of the highest order. They have infested countless worlds and have only recently discovered Earth. The thrust of their invasion left our world in ruins. No one knows for sure what the Root truly look like but we know that they seem to take on a perverse form of the creatures they subjugate. The Root is legion – there is seemingly no end to their numbers and many fear that it’s only a matter of time before mankind becomes extinct. No one knows why they’ve come… we only know that it’s us or them.

Are The Root the only enemies players will face or does each world house unique types of enemies?

No. Each world will feature a different set of enemies that look and fight very differently from one another. Players will need to adapt not only to new and varied attacks but also to a tempo of combat that can change from world to world.

What originally inspired Gunfire Games to make a multiplayer game such as this one?

The world of Remnant is a brainchild of David Adams, the studio President. The studio has been chomping at the bit to create a third-person shooter with deep RPG elements. We’ve all been fans of the shooter genre and crafting compelling stories and satisfying character progression was a no-brainer for a group that has helped create the Darksiders franchise… it’s in our genes.

"The studio is comprised of many ex-Vigil employees – the same group that created the Darksiders franchise. Story drives us to obsession at times, but we’ve never lost sight of the importance of fluid combat, meaningful character progression, and exciting enemies. If any of these are lacking, then the experience as a whole is diminished."

Will the game focus on story as well or is the emphasis mainly on gameplay?

The studio is comprised of many ex-Vigil employees – the same group that created the Darksiders franchise. Story drives us to obsession at times, but we’ve never lost sight of the importance of fluid combat, meaningful character progression, and exciting enemies. If any of these are lacking, then the experience as a whole is diminished.

Will the game have any sort of loot boxes or microtransactions?

Remnant will be a premium game, and we’re looking at ways to support beyond the full content launch in 2019. Stay tuned!