Funcom has recognized the increasing concern that players can’t reach Dune: Awakening’s endgame because the Deep Desert zone is excessively punishing. The devs revealed in a recent AMA that they are already doing something to rework PvP in this risky place. After designers previously removed crushing with Ornithopters, players describe the zone as hostile and exclusionary as players continue to crush.
PvE-focused players don’t have to engage in PvP just to see the late-game content of New World. This is the word from creative director Joel Bylos in an open letter.
Core Philosophy Of The Deep Desert
Bylos stated that one of the main gameplay enhancing locations in Dune: Awakening is the Deep Desert. The Deep Desert offers high-value repeatable challenges that reset every week. They’re almost like the game’s way of telling you to keep alert when you enter arguably the deadliest territory in Arrakis yet again.
The desert is harsh, demanding players with guilds or alliances to come together as a team, they explained. However, that vision has not fully materialised. The mismatch between the bright metaphor and its realization is very frustrating – that is, the implementation has apparently proved a bit too much.
Introducing Partial PvE Zones
To make things easy for players to join in and not face difficulty spikes, there will be zones in the Deep Desert marked as Partial Warfare (PvE). With this change, players will be able to farm rare materials without worrying about getting randomly ganked.
Despite this, the most profitable spots—large spice fields, shipwrecks, and control points—will remain War of Assassins (PvP) as well and maintain their high risk, high reward philosophy.
Bylos noted that the game was still heavily tuned for group play, despite these new options. If you play alone, expect a more grinding experience unless you join up with others.
Changes To Ornithopter Mechanics
Another major issue concerns players using Ornithopters for combat griefing. Even if they’ll still be key to crossing the desert, the devs will be rolling out a bunch of balance changes to lessen their impact on fights.
- Scout Ornithopters utilizing rocket launchers will suffer from reduced speed and manoeuvrability.
- Their rockets will now generate more heat per use.
- Thrusters will provide maximum speed bonuses regardless of wing type.
- A brand new Tier 5 infantry rocket launcher is being introduced, which will help balance vehicles and the ground.
Creating equal conditions and motivating more diverse conduct in the course of these engagements.
Revamping The Landsraad System
Improvements are also planned for the Landsraad, encompassing end game action such as dungeons, contracts, delivery quests and more. According to Bylo, it is a major motivation for gameplay that is designed to generate both inter-faction warfare and intra-guild politics, as well as providing consistent targets to individuals and teams.
He stressed this system is for everybody, both PvE and PvP folks, so they can meaningfully engage in late-game content. Dune: Awakening questing system is like any typical MMO (eg daily or weekly) but is couched within the Dune political backdrop.
At the moment Landsraad has an unintended consequence of pushing stockpiling, something the system doesn’t want. Upcoming patches to fix this and other design issues are planned by Funcom.
Collaborative Development Moving Forward
Bylos finished the letter by stating that the studio will keep the dialogue open with players. He said that gaining the full potential from a live game is always a team effort between developers and the community.
The developers of Dune Awakening intend to keep things open and communicative as they continue to refine the game with a set goal in mind. That goal is to develop a survival MMO that is satisfactory to everyone, that is, anybody who prefers different playstyles.
Dune: Awakening Initial Results And Community Feedback
Ever since Dune: Awakening was released on 10 June, it has done great. The game has received “very positive” reviews on Steam and has already surpassed 1 million players. At one point, the survival MMO reached over 189,000 concurrent players, marking it as Funcom’s fastest-selling game to date.
Read more about Dune: Awakening.