'Horizon Zero Dawn' Campaign Divides Missions Into Three Tiers, Says Dev

Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn Photo: Sony

New details on Horizon Zero Dawn’s base gameplay hit the web this week, thanks to an interview with the game’s ranking quest designer, and we’re finally learning a bit more about the various ways traditional RPGs have inspired Horizon Zero Dawn dev team.

Earlier this week, GameReactor published a new interview with Horizon Zero Dawn’s lead quest designer, David Ford, that focuses (primarily) on the structure of Guerrilla’s first open-world game. The discussion apparently took place during this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, following a hands-on demonstration; however, the information has only been available to fans for a few days. But this is definitely a “better late than never” scenario. Plus, the interview arrives alongside new footage of Aloy interacting with a variety of the robotic dinosaurs that will appear in HZD .

According to Ford, “a lot of different game systems” can be used to improve Aloy’s combat prowess, including the equipment and skill systems found in most modern RPGs. Obviously, maintaining and upgrading your equipment has been a key component of most open-world games for the better part of a decade. But Ford says a variety of weapons and ammunition options, along with a “robust skill system”, that let players tweak Aloy’s strengths to fit their playstyle.

Ford also offered an hierarchical breakdown of the quests we’ll see in Horizon Zero Dawn. Like many open-world titles, HZD will offer a combination of primary and secondary quests. But the studio has actually split Aloy’s missions into three groups: main quests, that impact the entire world, tribal missions, that affect Aloy’s standing with individual groups, and missions intended to improve (or expand upon) the protagonist’s relationship with particular characters. While not a revolutionary concept, the breakdown does provide some insight regarding the impact the player’s choices will have on Aloy’s life.

For a closer look at Horizon Zero Dawn , take a few minutes to watch GameReactor’s interview with David Ford and/or spend a few minutes revisiting the Horizon Zero Dawn gameplay demo from Sony’s E3 press conference. Then head down to the comments section and let us know what you’re hoping to see in Horizon Zero Dawn when the game debuts next month.

Horizon Zero Dawn is in development exclusively for PlayStation 4. The game is expected to debut Feb. 28, 2017.

Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more Horizon Zero Dawn news throughout 2016 and however long Guerrilla Games supports Horizon Zero Dawn .

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