Soulframe's Incredible World Is Built, In Part, From Scottish Slang And Ancient Bear Mythology

[ad_1] Digital Extremes is internet hosting its tenth TennoCon this weekend to rejoice 12 years of Warframe and the beginnings of its new IP, Soulframe. Forward of the celebration, we noticed a brand new gameplay demo of Soulframe introduced by Digital Extremes CEO Steve Sinclair, Soulframe artistic director Geoff Crookes, and senior group supervisor Sarah Asselin, and spoke with two members of the Soulframe dev workforce.

Soulframe narrative designer Sydney Hills and lead designer Scott McGregor answered our questions in regards to the recreation's new talent system; its French-speaking witch, Verminia; the singing bear, Bromius; and extra.

<div class="js-video-player-new av-video-player av-desktop-player av-video-on-demand is-vid-loading is-vid-noseek is-vid-show-controls " tabindex="0" data-id="1711323509" data-promo-id="0" data-user-has-ads="1" data-video="{"id":6465971,"title":"Soulframe%3A%20Preludes%20-%20Gameplay%20Spotlight%20Trailer","lengthSeconds":149,"startTime":0,"autoplay":true,"share":{"linkUrl":"https://www.gamespot.com/videos/soulframe-preludes-gameplay-spotlight-trailer/2300-6465971/","embedUrl":"https://www.gamespot.com/videos/embed/6465971/","embedHtml":{"640":"nnnnnnnnnn ","480":"nnnnnnnnnn "}},"device":"other","isDevice":false,"isLiveStream":false,"videoType":"video-on-demand","countdownTime":0,"guid":"gs-2300-6465971","ageGateCookieName":"videoAgeGateBirthday","watchedCookieName":"watchedVideoIds","watchedCookieDays":1,"postPlayMax":100,"adCall":{"host":"http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?","params":{"iu":"/5441/vaw-gamespot/desktop/gamespot.com","impl":"s","gdfp_req":1,"env":"vp","output":"xml_vmap1","unviewed_position_start":1,"url":"[referrer_url]","correlator":"[timestamp]","description_url":"[description_url]","cmsid":2566084,"vid":6465971,"pp":"vpaid_js"},"custParams":{"ptype":"news_article","cid":"gs-1100-6533287","game":"soulframe","genre":"action,adventure","con":"pc","publisher":"digital-extremes","embed":"autoplay","category":"games","partner":"desktop/gamespot.com","vid":6465971},"soundBasedSize":{"normal":"640x480","muted":"640x483","none":"640x480"},"daiSsbUrl":"https://dai.google.com/ondemand/hls/content/2572465/vid/6465971/master.m3u8","daiMidRollHost":2500176},"uvpHi5Ima":"https://s0.2mdn.net/instream/html5/ima3.js","cuePoints":null,"uvpc":"","partner":"gamespot","adPartner":"desktop/gamespot.com","desktopAdPartner":"desktop%2Fgamespot.com","mobileAdPartner":"mobile_web%2Fgamespot.com_mobile","mapp":"gamespot","cms":"pi","seekablePlaybacks":["html5","uvpjs"],"tracking":[{"name":"SiteCatalyst","category":"qos","enabled":true,"params":[{"name":"charSet","value":"UTF-8"},{"name":"currencyCode","value":"USD"},{"name":"siteType","value":"responsive web"},{"name":"trackingServer","value":"saa.gamespot.com"},{"name":"visitorNamespace","value":"cbsinteractive"},{"name":"heartbeatTrackingServer","value":"newimagitasinc.hb.omtrdc.net"},{"name":"heartbeatVisitorMarketingCloudOrgId","value":"3C66570E5FE1A4AB0A495FFC@AdobeOrg"},{"name":"partnerID","value":"gamespot"},{"name":"siteCode","value":"gamespot"},{"name":"brand","value":"gamespot"},{"name":"account","value":"cbsigamespotsite"},{"name":"edition","value":"us"}]},{"name":"ComScore_ss","category":"qos","enabled":true,"params":[{"name":"c2","value":"31824268"},{"name":"publishersSecret","value":"2cb08ca4d095dd734a374dff8422c2e5"},{"name":"c3","value":""},{"name":"partnerID","value":"gamespot"},{"name":"c4","value":"gamespot"}]},{"name":"NielsenTracking","category":"tracking","enabled":true,"params":[{"name":"host","value":"https://secure-us.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/m?"},{"name":"scCI","value":"us-200330"},{"name":"scC6","value":"vc,c01"}]},{"name":"MuxQOSPluginJS","category":"qos","enabled":true,"params":[{"name":"propertyKey","value":"b7d6e48b7461a61cb6e863a62"}]}],"trackingAccount":"cbsigamespotsite","trackingSiteCode":"gs","trackingPrimaryId":"cbsigamespotsite","videoAssetSource":"Publisher Asset","uvpjsHostname":"//www.gamespot.com","siteType":"responsive web","startMuted":false,"screenMediumThumb":"https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/screen_medium/1574/15746725/4492479-22.jpg","videoStreams":{"adaptive_stream":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/f09ZRxjC.m3u8"},"userId":0,"premium":false,"datePublished":1747064040,"videoAdPartner":"desktop%2Fgamespot.com","videoAdMobilePartner":"mobile_web%2Fgamespot.com_mobile"}" data-non-iframe-embed="1" data-jw-context-name="gamespot" data-jw-media-id="f09ZRxjC" data-jw-player-url="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/libraries/VXc5h4Tf.js" data-jw-video-token="" data-has-youtube="" data-youtube-icon-path="https://www.gamespot.com/a/bundles/phoenixsite/images/core/loose/icn-youtube-30x30.png"> Measurement: 640 × 360480 × 270

Need us to recollect this setting for all of your units?

Join or Register now!

Please use a html5 video succesful browser to look at movies.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, however you possibly can't entry this content material!

Please enter your date of beginning to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900

By clicking 'enter', you conform to GameSpot's Phrases of Use and Privateness Coverage

enter

Now Taking part in: Soulframe: Preludes - Gameplay Highlight Trailer

Soulframe is a free-to-play, open-world multiplayer RPG with a fantasy setting that sits in distinction to Warframe's sci-fi world. It’s rather more rooted in a connection to nature, encouraging exploration of Midrath’s mystical wilderness. As a substitute of weapons and lasers, suppose bows and magic.

In the event you're all for making an attempt the sport for your self, you possibly can enroll proper now on the Soulframe official web site. Digital Extremes is granting Soulframe Preludes entry to all gamers who enroll throughout TennoCon weekend, earlier than July 20 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

GameSpot: Earlier, Steve spoke about how talent timber felt "boring," and possibly not the best match for Soulframe as a reside service recreation, whereas exhibiting off idea artwork of a brand new talent system. Are you able to communicate a bit extra in regards to the new method of managing and acquiring expertise, and the way it works higher for Soulframe?

Scott McGregor: In the event you're acquainted with the early days of Warframe, we had a model of a talent tree. And we discovered it did not work. After which, we repeated the identical drawback once more [laughs]. And in Soulframe, we have been making an attempt to attempt to tie it to… a broader class of weapons to type of make that tempo work with the size of the sport that we're making. The video games that we make, clearly, are hundreds of hours. You already know, we're getting gamers, hopefully, in for a very long time, proper? We've got a number of gamers which have been with us on Warframe for the complete 12 years.

And designing techniques that may be fascinating and deep sufficient for that period of time is a problem. So, clearly, seeing the place we have been on the talent timber, we felt, once more, it wasn't going to work for us. So we're pivoting to a system that is extra open-ended, and extra one thing which you can add to rapidly, and out of sync. Ability timber type of endure from this drawback [where] you need to respect all of the participant's funding in it.

So, a participant that has been with us for a really very long time… when you add one thing cool and new to the sport, they'll get the factor that is on the very finish of the tree, proper? A brand new participant that, you already know, joined 5 years in, can not. Or somebody that simply, you already know, occurred to look at a dev stream is like, "Oh, these new expertise that you simply're including to the sport look actually cool. I wish to try this recreation." After which they take a look at the talent tree and go, "Oh my God, that is hundreds of hours simply to get to the tip the place I can get this last new talent."

Whereas an open-ended system, the place you possibly can add issues and take away as we develop them, permits new and previous gamers to expertise these issues. So I believe that is among the the explanation why we're doing this. It is like making a system that may develop with us.

<img alt="The Envoy fighting a troubled Bromius." src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534957-bromius-fight-6.png" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534957-bromius-fight-6.png 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534957-bromius-fight-6.png 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534957-bromius-fight-6.png 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"/> The Envoy combating a troubled Bromius. McGregor: It is not 100% [one way or the other]. [Your] development of the quantity [of skills] which you can slot might be tied to the development of the weapon class. So when you're utilizing bows, you will have like a bow talent ninja scroll sort factor which you can slot in--different bow methods and bow expertise. After which, as you get higher with extra bows, you [will] have extra slots to fit [skills] in. After which discovering the person expertise might be primarily based on what's on this planet. Like you will discover it from an ancestor, or choose up a uncommon one from a drop, or one thing like that.

We met this French-speaking witch, Verminia--who I like by the way in which, as a result of I communicate French--and it was talked about that language is essential in Soulframe. Does language range tie into the narrative, or is it extra of an total vibe or feeling you have been going for when increasing or fleshing out the world?

Sydney Hills: Yeah, undoubtedly an enormous a part of the soul of Soulframe is the completely different languages and the completely different accents. We have labored with voice actors from tons of various locations already. Kim Bonifay, who voices Verminia--she's French, [but] I believe she's positioned in London, England. Additionally, for the Bromius quest, we obtained Øystein Kanestrøm, who's the voice of Bromius. And he's Finnish, recording from Finland.

I do know in my writing, I supply plenty of inspiration from historic languages and historic slang. For our final replace, we obtained a bunch of Scottish voice actors in for all of those NPCs round Dendria, which is our pseudo-Scottish city. And I realized a lot good Scottish slang and it was a lot enjoyable [to learn]. Quite a lot of the time, I might come into the recording periods with some Scottish slang within the script, and the Scottish actors could be like, "So does this imply he is drunk?" And I might be like, "Nicely, no, I believed that meant he was drained." They're like, "Nope, this implies drunk." Each Scottish slang [term] means drunk when you actually resolve it [laughs].

<img alt="Bromius looking at an acorn." src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534955-bromius-1.jpg" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534955-bromius-1.png 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534955-bromius-1.jpg 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534955-bromius-1.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"/> Bromius taking a look at an acorn. In any case, tangent, however undoubtedly within the Bromius quest too, we had plenty of affect from Finnish mythology [and] Finnish language. There's this phrase… a Finnish phrase, [and] it type of means "tears of the deep forest spruce." And once more, it is alcohol. It is one other euphemism for moonshine.

McGregor: Oh, actually?

Hills: Doing that type of early language [research] undoubtedly helps encourage plenty of the themes. It undoubtedly helped encourage the Bromius quest. And, you already know, what would a tree cry? It could be sap.

What are a few of the challenges you face when crafting a story for a reside service recreation in these early levels, whereas gamers are nonetheless taking part in Preludes, and it isn't, you already know, absolutely open but? How far forward do you need to look and plan for a recreation that desires to develop yr after yr?

Hills: Narrative-wise, it is undoubtedly plenty of guessing. There's so much. There's some issues that we all know for positive. We've got actually massive plot factors surrounding a few of our massive villains and our massive heroes, and people who we'll want to save lots of. However plenty of it… comes up organically in writing weapon descriptions or location textual content in-game.

It is plenty of, you already know, very sluggish constructing, and each occasionally I am going to insert one other, "Okay, there's one other place on this world referred to as 'Skelflind.' And now that is a factor, and we are able to draw on it later. It is plenty of following threads of what we discover fascinating and hoping that they're going to all match collectively in the long run.

That sounds actually troublesome, I am not gonna lie [laughs].

McGregor: There's plenty of planting seeds. You are leaving little nuggets of stuff that you'll come again [to] years later and be like, "Oh, properly, that is what I meant again then about that factor that I solely talked about in a single sentence." However we increase that later. I all the time discovered that was tremendous fascinating in regards to the Warframe improvement. Stuff that was, you already know, vaguely referenced in very early lore, turns into this nice massive factor afterward. And I believe that was improbable. And I believe Soulframe will observe that very same path.

<img alt="The Envoy exploring the woods." sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280" class="js-lazy-load-image" src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png 480w"/><img alt="The Envoy exploring the woods." src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534956-wavetwood-1.png 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"/> The Envoy exploring the woods. McGregor: It is a completely different class. So, sidearms are our subsection of weapons that may solely match into that slot. I will not say that we cannot permit you finally to combine and match and put a sidearm into your fundamental [slot] or your fundamental into your sidearm [slot]. That might find yourself being a factor, however presently, proper now, we have now them in two [different] buckets.

However there might be completely different choices in your sidearm. So you'll get a magic casting wrist gauntlet in your sidearm. Or you'll get a wrist-mounted bow. It is not all the time simply gonna be blades or maces, or stuff like that. There will be quite a lot of weapons in each classes.

I believe group supervisor Sarah [Asselin] was speaking about it, and he or she stated that the sidearm could be very distinctly not [a] secondary weapon.

McGregor: Yeah… I believe Steve [Sinclair] is rubbing off on Sydney, too. They like to call things--give them names for Soulframe. Which, you already know, makes my life troublesome as a result of I all the time come across these items after we're making an attempt to speak about them in public. As a result of it is like, "It is your sidearm," [but no,] "It is your secondary."

I believe that is what's nice in regards to the video games that we do make is [that] we go that little bit further to guarantee that they've a taste and a uniqueness. It is not simply the identical factor that everybody makes use of. We attempt to verify we put one thing on it that makes it distinctive to our recreation.

<img alt="The new Wazzard of Wastes enemy." sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280" class="js-lazy-load-image" src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg 480w"/><img alt="The new Wazzard of Wastes enemy." src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534948-wazzard-2.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"/> The brand new Wazzard of Wastes enemy. McGregor: For me, presently the good one I believe we have got was the alt hearth for the bows. 'Trigger [it's] like a rain of [arrows] in an space of impact. I believed that was a pleasant play on one thing that is type of... there's bows in plenty of video games, and there is plenty of methods to do it. And I believed that felt actually distinctive to us.

The mechanic that we have been actually buzzing about within the demo is--if you noticed it within the reside demo--was the [ability to] mirror magic forwards and backwards. It was like a wizard on wizard battle. So, you possibly can truly ping-pong that projectile forwards and backwards, like a parry, proper? With swords, that is the way it works. In the event you're timing it proper, you possibly can truly bounce that forwards and backwards. And each time that projectile goes forwards and backwards, it will get somewhat bit extra highly effective. So, touchdown that shot might really feel very superb if you're the one sending it. That was one which's been tremendous fashionable within the studio, that feels actually superior.

Hills: Magic ping-pong. Has anybody referred to as it that but?

McGregor: I do not know [laughs]. I am ready for you guys to call it so I can stumble over it later.

Hills: Magic ping-pong. Write that down [laughs].

McGregor: After which, future issues. For me, it is Motes. We've got a Mote system within the game--it's simply type of bland. It is simply stats. And we have provide you with this [new] concept that the Motes are creatures that reside in your sword and provides your sword distinctive talents.

As that system progresses and begins to come back collectively, and we add to it and alter it, it is beginning to actually really feel distinctive to the sport. So, I am enthusiastic about the place that is heading as a future factor I am engaged on.

<img alt="The Motes menu, where you choose upgrades and buffs." sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280" class="js-lazy-load-image" src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png 480w"/><img alt="The Motes menu, where you choose upgrades and buffs." src="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png" srcset="https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png 1920w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_super/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png 1280w, https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1775/17752664/4534949-motes.png 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" data-width="1280"/> The Motes menu, the place you select upgrades and buffs. Soulframe is constructed on a narrative tied to nature. And we are able to see that in environments and characters just like the bear, Bromius, within the demo. Was there any emphasis being placed on including extra speaking or singing animal encounters or companions? As a result of I am imagining a Disney princess vibe, however simply extra harmful.

Hills: Yeah, the present lore is it is simply our Omen Beasts who can communicate. The entire different animals in-game, presently, are simply cute little chittering noises. Although we have been speaking [about]--[and] somebody made a joke immediately about [it having] a Pied Piper vibe--a bunch of little singing and dancing animals following behind a bard. And I believed that may be actually cute in the event that they sang.

However no, I believe for now, our Omen Beasts… embody nearly the collective spirit of the animal species that they stand for. So Bromius is the collective spirit of all the bears in Midrath. And so, due to that, he has this further supply of energy that enables him to speak with the Envoy. And I am positive we'll maintain constructing on that with new Omen Beasts sooner or later.

Are there any tales or tales you are taking inspiration from when crafting the narrative that folks won't anticipate?

Hills: Since engaged on Soulframe, I've gotten tremendous into historic mythologies. And after we first began speaking about doing a bear Omen Beast, I undoubtedly did my little analysis to see what sort of cultures have bears of their myths. And there is plenty of them. We ended up going with the Finnish inspiration as a result of Finland actually is keen about their bears.

Nonetheless, [bears] persist within the mythology [of several cultures]. Again [in] BC--like prehistoric or early historic, historical antiquity period, they've… I wrote it down… Otso! [He] is that this mythological bear that is part of this actually, actually superior poetry epic from Finland that's type of a creation fantasy. And it has the bear because the king of the forest. And he is type of equally feared and revered, which I believed is an fascinating factor to consider with Bromius.

You may see extra of him in the remainder of the demo, however he is greater than an enormous, scary man. He is obtained a extremely candy and comfortable aspect that I am actually enthusiastic about.