Tale of Ronin - Interview @Escapist Magazine

The developers of Tale of Ronin were interviewed by Escapist Magazine.

The likelihood of success will depend in part upon three stats — energy, courage, and mind — which contribute to the overall focus of each combatant. “Trying to reduce the focus of your opponent to find an opening to attack can be a sound strategy,” said Fassihi.

Narrative events will also influence battle psychology and will be powered by another set of stats that measure the protagonist’s mental state. This system is designed to tap into the team’s mission of humanizing the ronin and presenting the realities of their conflicted life of revenge, uncertainty, shame, and friendship.

Fassihi provided a handful of examples of how this idea will emerge during the gameplay experience: “Camaraderie is a gameplay stat for the characters in a party. It is a bond between them. This bond could increase or decrease based on their shared experiences, whether adventuring or in combat. The value of camaraderie will then affect the narrative events or the battle.

“The reverse of ‘honor,’ which is ‘shame,’ is another important stat for the characters. The gamer needs to make sure this shame does not exceed a specific limit. The value will affect the game narrative. Betrayal can happen everywhere in the story.”

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Thanks Farflame!