The Game of Thrones RPG IS Happening

[TranceVance]

The Game of Thrones RPG Is Actually Happening

Back when we started seeing screenshots and hearing talk of Cyanide's RTS Game of Thrones: Genesis, there was a fair amount of skepticism about the game. Each time we posted about it, folks would express doubt that this game was accurately channeling George RR Martin's fiction, or the HBO series that it has inspired.

Part of the issue was that it was an RTS, a type of game that doesn't lend itself to the sort of political machinations and storytelling that make George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books so much fun. I even wrote a post titled What a Better Game of Thrones Game Might Look Like, where I opined that the closest thing we'd gotten to a Game of Thrones game was BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins.

I just got off the phone with Cyanide's studio director Yves Bordeleau, and he confirmed that in addition to Genesis, Cyanide has been developing a Mass-Effect-style RPG for consoles and PC that tells a twisting narrative set alongside the events of the novel Game of Thrones.

Bordeleau told me that development for both games has been going on for roughly the same amount of time. When Cyanide started several years ago, they had no idea about the HBO series—they were fans of the books, and had been asking author George R.R. Martin for rights to his series for some time. One day, he surprised them by saying "Yes."

So while Genesis traces the history of Westeros from the landing of Nymeria through to more or less the start of the first book, the upcoming RPG will pick up from there and move concurrently with the first season of the TV show (and the first book). True to the style of Martin's books, it will tell the story of two different characters, switching back and forth between them as their tales move alongside the events of the first book (and occasionally intersect with one another). None of the characters from the book will be playable, though the game's protagonists will cross paths with plenty of familiar faces over the course of the game.

Late in production, Cyanide worked out a deal with HBO to use some assets and character designs from the locations and characters from the TV series, and some of the actors from the show will be performing dialogue for the game, as well. "We entered the agreement late in the game, unfortunately," Bordeleau told me, "but we managed to have a lot of characters and locations modeled [after the series.]"

The combat uses what he called an "active pause system," which he compared to the battle system from BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic. "You pause the game to give orders, but it doesn't really pause, it slows the time down. You can see something coming and react to it."

As for the story and general design, Bordeleau told me that it would be "Less action than Mass Effect 2, it's closer to Knights of the Old Republic and the first Mass Effect. It's all about the storyline." He was cagey about how much choice would be involved in the game, but he did share in a follow-up email that "some of your actions and choices will have consequences in the game story"

In a very promising sign, Bordeleau mentioned that the developers are big fans of the storytelling in Planescape: Torment, and that fans of the art design and storytelling in that game will find a lot to like in the Game of Thrones RPG.

We'll have more information on the game once its publisher is announced and the official press releases go out, but for now, I'm heartened to hear that Cyanide is working on something that feels closer to the spirit of both Martin's books and the excellent HBO series.

It sounds as though Cyanide has been working very closely with Martin and his staff to be sure that their work fits with his fiction, and beyond that, it's clear that they have genuine enthusiasm for A Song of Ice and Fire and its characters and stories. Plus, the RPG has been in development long enough that it doesn't sound like a rushed tie-in.

Bordeleau promised more detailed information on the project "very soon," and said that the targeted release date is early 2012. We'll post more as we hear it.

At this point, I'm not expecting much, but who knows, it could turn into something good. The game has supposedly been worked on for a while and they're expecting an early 2012 release, I think that may be a bit soon seeing as this is the only real information on the game.

[starcrunch061]

Years later, broken and forgotten, I think everyone wishes this RPG did NOT happen.

[AJ_-_808]

Necro why?

[starcrunch061]

12 hours ago, AJ_-_808 said:

Necro why?

 

People were talking about Game of Thrones (theTelltale version). It reminded me of this turd. I visited the forum, and remembered the excitement that I shared with others back in the day. Feeling somewhat sad, I posted this response.

[AJ_-_808]

I got excited for a minute ?

 

A proper Thrones rpg would be epic. Who would you task to develop it? 

 

Can they even make it related to the canon, or would it be a side story like the LotR games?

[starcrunch061]

8 hours ago, AJ_-_808 said:

I got excited for a minute

 

A proper Thrones rpg would be epic. Who would you task to develop it? 

 

Can they even make it related to the canon, or would it be a side story like the LotR games?

 

Well, since this necro'ed thread lives, let's keep it up!

 

Honestly, I would like the idea of a Witcher-style GoT game; CD Projekt Red would be my choice. They treated the lore of the Witcher with respect, and would do the same for GoT. 

 

As far as canon, I think side story would be better, although again, the Witcher 3 went in new and exciting directions with main characters, and was great. But just don't wrap everything in lore. This has always been my problem with these types of projects; they seem to want to please fanboys by putting in every little thing, and end up with a piecemeal, pointless story (the Telltale GoT had this problem, although to be honest, the story of this GoT RPG was actually pretty solid at its core).

 

Just my (not quite worth) 2 cents...

[Conor]

I have this game but I've heard it sucks, though the plat is easy enough

[AJ_-_808]

2 hours ago, starcrunch061 said:

 

Well, since this necro'ed thread lives, let's keep it up!

 

Honestly, I would like the idea of a Witcher-style GoT game; CD Projekt Red would be my choice. They treated the lore of the Witcher with respect, and would do the same for GoT. 

 

As far as canon, I think side story would be better, although again, the Witcher 3 went in new and exciting directions with main characters, and was great. But just don't wrap everything in lore. This has always been my problem with these types of projects; they seem to want to please fanboys by putting in every little thing, and end up with a piecemeal, pointless story (the Telltale GoT had this problem, although to be honest, the story of this GoT RPG was actually pretty solid at its core).

 

Just my (not quite worth) 2 cents...

CD Projekt Red was my first thought also.  Although, I'm undecided if I'd rather play as a no-name character off on the side while the main events are going on elsewhere, or play as one of the (surviving) main characters in the events of the story.

 

I definitely dont like switching among different characters at different points like the telltale one. 

[starcrunch061]

2 hours ago, Stan Lee said:

I have this game but I've heard it sucks, though the plat is easy enough

 

Actually, the plat is a real drag. It's easy enough, but it's also easy enough to lock yourself out of it. I had to play it twice for the plat.