Northern Shadow is an upcoming open-world sandbox RPG with city building elements. It is played exclusively from first person perspective. Introduces advanced AI and dialog systems, as well as city building and management mechanics. Developer Chariots has released three new images of the game which can be viewed below:
Main Features:
- Advanced AI: Character trait system provides a realistic context for AI actions. They can adapt to any situation, and always try to choose an action that represents their character the best.
- City Building: Detailed building construction system allows for extreme customization and building options for cities, down to individual flowers. You can build anywhere on the map, whenever you like.
- City Management: Realistic logistics system requires you to balance the city resources. Traders may choose not to visit a town if they find them unprofitable or dangerous. A mining town cannot survive without a steady supply of food. A farming town cannot produce food without protection. Guards cannot do their duty without adequate armaments and support.
- Huge Open World: Constantly growing 200 square kilometer map has variety of geographically different areas with different cultures. Season cycle system can change not only the look, but the topography of the map as well.
- Sandbox: Dynamic event system leverages the AI and dialog systems, so that any event that can happen, can happen anywhere, anytime, without the restrictions of the classic quest systems. Anyone can become a murderer (if it fits their character) and open up an investigation option, anyone can become a key witness to that crime. There are no special NPCs.
New Northern Shadow screenshots with @UnrealEngine. More info about procedural dialog system coming soon! #indiedev pic.twitter.com/TvKQv6cv4B
— Northern Shadow (@_NorthernShadow) July 4, 2015
In Northern Shadow the world isn’t static, entire cities can be destroyed. NPCs need to be able to react to constantly changing situations. Since you can build your own cities unlike other RPGs, you end up having to pay a lot more attention to NPC behavior. Suddenly, techniques that would work on traditional open-world RPGs or city builder games end up being irritating and unrealistic, the illusion becomes immediately obvious. Fixing this was a big priority, solution was the complete rewrite of the Northern Shadow AI.
Northern Shadow will be releasing for the PC with an undetermined release date for an early access alpha.
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We will bring you any new information on Unreal Engine 4 projects as soon as it becomes available.
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