Dragon’s Call is a new MMO in development from EverDream Studios. WarCry had a chance to speak with Lean Smith about Dragon’s Call and what fans can expect. We also have an exclusive Assassin image for your approval! Check it out!
Please introduce yourself and give us your game development history.
Hey guys, my name is Lean Smith, about to hit 30 and still single. I’m the game director and chief designer of Dragon’s Call. I have been working in the gaming industry for years, but Dragon’s Call is my first game and my game designer career is just getting started.
For those unfamiliar with Dragon’s Call, what can you tell us about the game overall?
The first thing I wanna tell, hmm, it’s the best browser based MMORPG ever made :D. If you haven’t got a closed beta key yet, just register your account on http://dc.gamedp.com.
Dragon’s Call is a fantasy themed browser based MMORPG. Blood, sword, magic, anything you could imagine in a fantasy world can be found here. Besides the usual features, we also add many interesting stuffs there’s no way you can find in other games, like the gameplay of our instance system. Sorry, I can’t tell more about it, so I decide to leave it to the CB testers.
What is the background of the name “Dragon’s Call”?
Dragons are the major force in this game, but it’s such a long story. I don’t think we can talk it through during this interview, you can read the whole story at [Warcry News Address] or [DC forum].
Do you plan any cross-platform development?
I’m seriously considering a client-based Dragon’s Call so that people can communicate between client and browser, but it’s too early to tell. For now the browser based one is my best bet.
What classes and races are included in Dragon’s Call?
There are three currently, Warrior, Mage and Assassin. More will be introduced in the future.
Which of the above is your personal favorite and why?
I prefer Assassin. Guess I watched too many Kung-Fu movies lol, and also I’m a big fan of Assassin Creed. But don’t worry about the balance, there is no IMBA in Dragon’s Call, I promise.
Will Dragon’s Call be “free to play”?
Surely it will be, and unlike the other “Free” games, money doesn’t rule the Stilland (Where the story happens), you can play the game easily even without a dime, the major factor affecting the game is your skill. But surely you can buy in-game advantage tools to save your time and play more efficiently.
Will it have a “cash shop”? What types of items will be available in the cash shop and what is the price range?
Yes it is, like Lucky Gem, Synthetic Gem, VIP, Experience Enhancement Card, Gold Drop Enhancement Card and so forth. We haven’t made the final decision on price, but the average cost is affordable for everyone.
What is your favorite premium item?
The VIP service is my favorite, it makes the game easier to handle. If you are busy at business, just login the game and set couple settings, then VIP will take care of the rest.
Many MMO players complain about the “grind” in games. How much “grind” will be involved in Dragon’s Call?
We have many stuffs set for avoiding the “grind”, game is created for fun, so don’t worry about that. You will see how it turns out in Dragon’s Call.
Will there be adequate challenges for high-level players?
Yeah, we happen to have some.
In the instance system, bosses are incredibly strong and we have added several strategic elements into the game. People have to team with the best players to survive from the battle.
The group battle system, one on one, two on two, even three on three are all available in the game. Find your best teammates to achieve supreme glory in Stilland.
Faction War, Clan War and further systems… words can’t express how awesome they are. My advice is to try out the game yourself.
What is your favorite aspect of the PvP system?
What makes me feel proud most is the algorithm setting we apply in PVP. In Dragon’s Call, the strong side of a battle can’t definitely defeat the opponent. Even you are a common player whose equipment is far inferior to that of player who pays to buy advantage items for enhancement, you still have chance to win. Good skills and stats combination can make you defeat a strong char though you are weaker. Furthermore, we’ve also prepared some free stats boost potions in the game that can boost your abilities in a short time and make you defeat powerful components.
Will Dragon’s Call lean more to the hardcore player or the casual player? What will be the best features for each type?
We’ve prepared corresponding services for both kinds of players. For casual players, they only need to spend several minutes in playing every day to train their chars and level up, and they can enjoy all gaming experience and gameplay all the same. For hardcore players, besides experience like casual players, we also add bosses with various difficulties in instances for them to challenge. Furthermore, powerful equipment enhancement system makes hardcore players able to challenge these top-level bosses and obtain legendary in-game items. Besides, such gaming modes as Clan War and Faction War that represent the team honor will be presented for hardcore players to lead its team to win victory and supreme glory in Stilland.
What is your favorite in-game area? Describe it to us please.
Among game scenes announced till now, I love Starry Sentry most. The following is the concept art of our town. I can’t wait to release game screenshots and share them with Warcry readers. However, I don’t wanna tantalize you, so I have to keep them secret till the game is to be released.
What have been your most rewarding moments in the development of Dragon’s Call?
Um, it’s hard to answer. There are too many unforgettable moments during development. If I have to choose one, I’ll mention the moment when we debugged out the first function in our game, though it was only a simple drag-and-drop function on equipment. For the first time, we came up with the idea, “Why don’t we developing a game of our own?”
When do you expect Dragon’s Call to go into retail release?
Our first closed beta is scheduled to be launched in November this year. You are welcome to visit http://dc.gamedp.com to apply for the activation code of Dragon’s Call at the first moment.
Does EverDream have any other games in development? If so, what can you tell us about them?
Indeed, we have such idea. But currently, Dragon’s Call is our most important product. We won’t take other development plans into consideration until we’ve perfected Dragon’s Call and made it best.
Please add any other information that you’d like.
Thank Warcry again for giving us this opportunity to meet you guys here. We’ll endeavor to present you the best game. EverDream will never let you down.
Stay tuned to Dragon’s Call, stay tuned to Warcry.
Published: Oct 5, 2009 11:45 am