Action RPG

Soulframe director chats “Wiz versus Waz” and a demo he hopes will help prove it’s not just a soulslike

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Soulframe is getting a Wazzard. No, not a wizard, a Wazzard.

What’s a Wazzard, you wonder? It’s the same question I had when I got to chat with Geoff Crookes and Sarah Asselin, creative director and senior community manager at Digital Extremes for their yet-to-be-released fantasy MMORPG. So, I asked them. Is there a difference between the Wazzard of Wastes that players battle in the game’s demo presented at this year’s TennoCon, and your everyday neighborhood wizard?

Crookes replied, “We’ve been having a blast for months, saying ‘Wazzard’ all the time, and honestly, it’s just Digital Extremes finding ways to make something commonplace more quirky and enjoyable. I can’t recall if it was a mistake that turned into a tradition, or it might have originated as a typo.

In a somewhat unexpected move, the director claimed that Wazzard was “too enjoyable to resist”. This comment sparked some amusing team banter about how the upcoming Waste Bear tale in Soulframe, titled “Wiz versus Waz”, is going to be quite the spectacle. The story follows your investigation into Bromius, a bear who loves trees, as requested by a rather French-accented witch with the power to control flying rats. According to Crookes, this new quest was primarily created for one primary purpose.

The initial spark for this idea was quite straightforward: “Let’s include a bear in the game,” he shared. Then, considering that bears are significant animal spirit guardians in our terminology, we reasoned that if we were to incorporate a bear omen beast, it would have distinct roles or protective duties. With Sydney Hills, our narrative designer, taking the lead, we affectionately named him the arbearist.

After assigning him the task of guarding the trees, we subtly instilled in him the notion that a threat was approaching these protected entities. Unaware of it, the pollution in the world was hindering his ability to plant more trees and due to this situation, he also fell into despair.

In alignment with the ongoing development of themes by Crookes, Asselin, and the team for Soulframe during its “Preludes” alpha testing – themes such as nature, romanticism, and redemption – this upcoming tale will also provide Digital Extremes with an opportunity to introduce new elements to their growing game.

The director mentioned that the narrative’s scope is growing, particularly focusing on the significance of trees within their world. This allows us to further develop another rival faction, the Mendicants, and explore their impact. Additionally, new adversaries are introduced, a randomly generated dungeon called Neath’uns, and elements to hint at future conflicts. Essentially, these additions serve as a foundation for upcoming quests, making each storyline a precursor for more exciting adventures ahead,” Crookes concluded.

During their presentation at TennoCon, Soulframe developers aim to give fans a sneak peek of the game that helps break away from an association they themselves acknowledge as “our own doing”. The game is called Soulframe, but it’s not exclusively for fans of the Souls series. In fact, the name was “difficult to resist” because it so perfectly encapsulates the MMORPG’s narrative, much like Wazzard.

The director acknowledged that the game might seem quite challenging to some players, but he hopes the TennoCon demo will showcase a more diverse and less intense side of it. To achieve this, they’re focusing on a more casual approach in combat, allowing players to choose ranged fighting styles. This is aimed at creating a broader experience that welcomes various playstyles and lessens the game’s punishing aspect.

In our game, Soulframe, we aim to offer flexibility for players. They should have the option to create combat builds, allowing them to role-play as skilled sword fighters if they prefer a more intense, hardcore approach. However, it’s equally important to us that we cater to those who enjoy exploring, socializing, and even rescuing animals in our rich world. Regardless of whether someone chooses to be a world-class swordsman or a compassionate animal rescuer, both paths are valid and valued in Soulframe.

As a dedicated fan, I’m eagerly waiting for the day when Digital Extremes unveils the long-awaited MMORPG, but unfortunately, they haven’t set a specific date just yet. However, during this year’s TennoCon, they’re inviting everyone who signs up for an account over the convention weekend to experience Soulframe’s Preludes. While it seems that the full release is getting closer, it doesn’t appear to be imminent, much like how Digital Extremes are choosing a more gradual approach for Soulframe’s debut compared to the slow-but-steady growth of their established sci-fi sibling, Warframe, which has grown into the powerhouse it is today.

Crookes shared that they’re leveraging all insights gleaned from Warframe’s launch, but with the understanding that the industry has significantly changed over the past 13 years. This means we can’t repeat the approach of releasing something quickly and then refining it like we did with Warframe. Instead, we chose to conduct a closed alpha for our Preludes, allowing limited access to a select community group who could help us shape and grow the project over time.

When we locate the point where the snowball is poised to continue its roll, that’s when we’ll expand our strategy significantly. We’re adopting a similar approach but being more deliberate about identifying the optimal moments when we have well-structured content loops and progression systems in place, as we anticipate increased interest in the game now compared to when Warframe was initially launched.

As a passionate follower, I’m thrilled to hear that while our snowball game, Soulframe, is still needing a bit more shaping, the developers seem to have a clear and robust vision for its aesthetic, particularly in terms of narrative and theming. One exciting addition coming to Soulframe’s skill system will be medieval martial arts manuals, enabling us to master skills like precise parrying and agile dodging. The artwork I’ve seen for these manuals looks fantastic! However, given that my initial experience with Soulframe in Preludes felt more enchanting and fantastical, I was curious about how they plan to reconcile this contrast between the whimsical and the medieval.

As a devoted admirer, I can relate when Crookes mentions striking a balance. He emphasizes that every aspect, right down to the presentation, must enhance rather than detract from the game’s central messages. This includes the magical elements, which we aim to explain convincingly and not use casually or carelessly, if you catch my drift.

Soulframe’s developers have their work cut out for them with numerous juggling acts, one of which appears to involve a more flexible approach when dealing with the game’s non-storyline elements. For instance, once the initial cinematic ends, players are immediately granted freedom to explore. This open-endedness is exhilarating, but it can sometimes result in aimless wandering until you stumble upon a quest or dungeon due to the absence of clearly defined objectives.

Asselin mentioned that currently, there isn’t much guidance in the early stages of the game, and striking a balance between exploration and ensuring players don’t miss crucial game elements is a priority. This balance is crucial for creating a smooth new player experience. They aim to get this aspect right before launching more broadly.

It’s amusing because we had set plans and were following through with them, initially aiming to be extremely guiding,” Crookes explained. “We were creating a sort of two-hour introductory quest that would keep players trapped on a specific path. However, we started receiving feedback suggesting that people enjoyed the freedom to explore. Although it wasn’t flawless, there was an appeal in discovery, so we decided to take the opposite approach and fully embrace freedom. We leveraged preludes, abandoned our plan, kept adding more content, and eventually realized we had gone too far.

Soulframe’s procedurally-generated dungeons have necessitated adjustments in the team’s original plans, as Crookes admitted that not having full control over the structure and layout of these dungeons has been challenging compared to handcrafting them. “Even with Warframe, we can manipulate spaceship designs to fit certain layouts, but when you’re carving tunnels into natural environments, you need to explain why they’re there,” he explained. In essence, creating these dungeons is a tough task, yet it’s an enjoyable one.

The team will encounter equations that require additional thought as they advance, including how adding more Soulframe’s ancestor allies to their base (The Nightfold) affects the difficulty of the world’s challenges. Additionally, there is a question about whether to include a bird racing minigame centered around Soulframe’s guiding sparrow, which could help locate objectives and return after respawning. That said, this idea was only suggested to Crookes and Asselin.

As a gamer, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of Souframe, a new MMO that, while it shares some similarities with Warframe, promises to carve out its unique identity. While Crookes expresses some “moderate” concerns about potential audience overlap, Asselin remains optimistic, viewing it as an opportunity for both games to thrive in their own distinctive ways, creating separate pathways and niches.

She remarked that while she’s played plenty of both games, they seem to share a common essence yet move at distinct speeds. Soulframe, she noted, is more earthbound and investigative, whereas the other game offers a different kind of mental stimulation. In her view, there’s a universe where fans of both could find harmony, appreciating each for its unique qualities.

It remains to be seen if, upon Soulframe’s emergence from its Preludes chrysalis, it will result in a conflict between Warframe and Waz, with the former boasting weaponry superiority, but the latter being an unpredictable force not to underestimate.

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2025-07-19 19:56

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