josh-kurtz

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  • SGW dev interrogated by Jaffa, reveals combat secrets

    by 
    Samuel Axon
    Samuel Axon
    11.27.2007

    Stargate Worlds' combat is mostly ranged, is more action-oriented than the combat in other MMORPGs, and utilizes a cover system. Before today, that was all we knew. Cheyenne Mountain's Josh Kurtz (a familiar face, now) wrote up a developer journal describing Cheyenne's ambitions for cover-based combat. The journal is humorously presented in the form of an interrogation by a Jaffa. Stargate SG-1 geeks will smile.Most objects in the world will act as cover, and players will be extremely vulnerable in open spaces like grassy fields or desert dunes. Kurtz described a scenario in which a player in Faction #1 might sit in an ambush position, waiting for a player in Faction #2 to wander into the open. If the player from Faction #2 is dumb enough to do that in a PvP area, he or she is likely to get ganked. On the other hand, he or she could move around in the woods nearby; it would take longer, but it would be stealthier and more secure.Kurtz also said that humanoid NPCs will be the most common enemies, and since humanoids will build structures and trenches and stick near them, most combat will be in cover-rich areas

  • SGW builder describes the challenges of making an MMO

    by 
    Samuel Axon
    Samuel Axon
    11.21.2007

    French Stargate SG-1/Atlantis fan site Stargate Fusion landed an interview with Stargate Worlds world builder Josh Kurtz. The interview understandably represents a Stargate SG-1 fan's interests more than it does those of a gamer, but presumably if you're interested in SGW at this early point in development you're already a fan of the franchise to begin with.Kurtz talked about the relationship the SGW team has with the producers of the TV series and about the rules the team follows to make sure they stay faithful to the source material. He also described the challenges of making an MMO, saying "the MMO market is a dangerous place because to be honest the exploration of how to build one and what will make a good one has only just begun."He's confident (of course) that the team at Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment is going to be able to rise up to the occasion and produce a top tier game.[Via WarCry]