Portal:News/IRC Transcripts/17 June 2010 1

17 June 2010 IRC Chat Q&A with Nick McDowell, Lore lead for the Guardians faction. Terms used on the wiki have been converted to article links to assist in understanding.


 * Abigale: Meet Nick McDowell. Lore Lead for the.... Guardians!!!


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Hello hello


 * * Ciovala mutters, "Guardians drool."


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: see just as you said that E3 had a blackout


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: witness the power of the Vigil


 * Osho: Is the Vigil ruled by females :)?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The Vigil is composed of gods that are beyond mortal understanding, but there are more "male" deities than female.


 * Raevin: i knew it. Guardians are sexist.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: nope


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: there is just an odd number of deities


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: :-P


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Billy says hi to everyone


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: He says he wants to talk about the dungeons, but isn't allowed to unveil it yet.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Guardian factoid #1 - The first ascended soul to return to Telara was Cyril, champion of the guardians (he's the armored dude you see in the header)


 * Maxxy: tell us about the Dragons


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: ahh dragons


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: my favorite


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The dragons are elemental gods that have traveled the planes since the dawn of time


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: They devour worlds until they reached Telara.


 * Ciovala: How do Telarans communicate with the Vigil? Are they physically present?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: They are not, so the Guardians need sourcestone, the same elementally charged matter that the Defiants use to power their machines.


 * Osho: What happend with the magical ward of Telara ? What exactly did the "Shadow" to the magical ward?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The Shade shattered the ward by letting in the power of Regulos.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: There was an event that broke the world while the lord of extinction fought against the celestial host.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Now the Vigil need to rebuild their armies for the final confrontation and have turned to their chosen of the Guardians to fill those ranks.


 * zephyroth: Will they have a sort of God special power to use in harsh time?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: All the races will have a racial ability, but most of their power comes from their Ascended or attuned soul.


 * Ciovala: What does the vigil ask for in return for granting power to their followers? Are they altruistic?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The Vigil will need an army for the end of times.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: You gain this power but know that there will be a battle against Regulos awaiting you.


 * souper: The website calls Tavril the High Elves' god. Are all of Telara's races associated with one or another like that?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Tavril was the patron of the elves since the dawn of time. When Regulos attacked the gods joined together and formed the pantheon of the Vigil.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Not every High Elf was so keen to share this patronage with the other races.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The Holy Sigils of the Guardians will give them powers that the Defiants are working hard to replicate.


 * Ciovala: Are the members of the Vigil all equal in power


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: I find that thinking about gods in terms of their power level takes away some of their majesty


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Thedeor is the sword. Is that more powerful that Mariel-Taun the heart? Depends on the situation I guess.


 * souper: NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Can I join Aedraxis Mathos' legion? The Guardian and Defiant are totally cramping my style.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: You can be from the same people as Aedraxis. So you could role play that you were one of his dragon knights that the Vigil brought back.


 * Ayonyx: to reiterate what Nagoth said: is there any way to fall from a faction or switch sides on a single character?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: No, if you went over to the defiants they would dissect you to get their resurrection to work better.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The gods are far seeing and made some choices that only they can be sure about.


 * souper: NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Why did the Blood Storm gods run around devouring planets? Was that to power their planes? Hunger? Greed?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: If I say it was hunger and greed that sounds like base animal emotion doesn't it. These are cosmic forces embodied in terrifying forms.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Regulos brings an end to things.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: That's what he does.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Greenscale brings a primordial explosion of life.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Maelforge heralds destruction.


 * souper: I see. Was a bit confused about that since they got all caught up in trying to control Telara. They sound... dysfunctional :P


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: @souper The gods need an army, first to redeem Telara, then for other pursuits.


 * Ciovala: Can you expand on Russ' comment, Nick? +Russ_Brown> Guardian info. yeah i can do that. Guardian are chosen of the gods. Why are the chosen by the gods? Because they are bad asses. They are the gods first round draft picks.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: While they need pious, holy people, they also need archons of war and destruction.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: so some very good people were chosen.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: and some very bad people were chosen


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The thing that connects them is that they were all the best at what they do.


 * Almalexia: Oh does that mean the Bahmi could be chosen too?


 * Maxxy: Bahmi are a mystery to us


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The Bahmi kneel to no one


 * kindair: Would it be possible for defiants and guardians to work together, or would it be too unlikely to ever happen?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: They once worked together


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: it didn't go well


 * Almalexia: Defiants probably accidentally blew up a temple or something whil;e making a new machine to boil water


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Marketing is yelling at me to shut up about that incident....


 * Ayonyx: if they are so hostile will there be any 'sactuary' areas where both factions can interact or will they always be hostile (killable) to each other?


 * Ayonyx: that's interesting, if the factions are so hateful towards each other will there be any areas that are mutually shared? (please no)


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: There will be some sanctuary zones. We're still working it out.


 * Ciovala: If guardians need to use sourcestones,too, whats the point of following the vigil? What can they offer than you can't just do yourself?


 * souper: Marketing. Totally part of the Blood Storm gods' legion


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Sourcestones allow the guardians to commune with the gods better.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Think of it as the Arc of the Covenent


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: a radio to the Vigil


 * RIRCGuest164: Nich, do you plan of keeping the 2 faction enemy or it will turn into an eq2 where faction dosent really mather except for class choosing?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Faction and abilities is a constant tug between lore and balance.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: If I was writing a novel the two sides would use radically different abilities.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Since we are making a game we have to find the right mix between signature abilities, and making sure everyone has fun in combat, crafting, and other events.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: so having the ability to explode mountains with your prayers doesn't fly with the class designers.


 * Maxxy: Can someone lose their faction then, someway? Like a traitor


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: For adding traitors and the like, this are great story concepts that I'd love to put into a game. But for launch we're trying to focus on the core game and then expand.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: What we're trying to do though is to give the role players room to find all types of characters


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: If you wanted to play a traitor I would go with being from a Dragon Cult and have been ressurected by the Vigil


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: how do you fit in with these holy people who try to help people?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: do the gods even want that of you


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: or do they want you to turn your wrath against their enemies?


 * RIRCGuest660: what are the chances we might see a centaur race playable in the game?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Oh gosh I've wanted a centaur race for so long. When we first discussed the "big guy" race years ago that was my first suggestion.


 * Ciovala: Nick: Are spirits and the such on Telara related to the Vigil, or are they more tied to the elemental planes?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Most creatures are tied through the elemental planes. But since the Vigil are needed more servants you'll notice a few spirits here and there. Tavril is fond of using spirits to speak to mortals


 * Elladar: What about a "Lizard" race? Like Iksar from EQ... :o


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: If I say there is a lizard race in the game you should note that I'm being highly ambiguous about whether or not it is a player race or a race of ravenous barbarians that seek to take down the good people of the world and set them on fire.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: You should never blame the writers for ideas that aren't in the game. Rest assured that we have suggested everything, but the ravages of time have prevented them from being in the game.


 * Ciovala: Are all dragons really gods? (although the meaning of that term is arguable I suppose)


 * Almalexia: Or did the gods just take the form of dragons


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Hmm that's a potato potahto question about the dragons


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: Let's say that they are being of incredible power. You can view them as dragons. But one of the first shots in the game you will seem them as something else.


 * anagain: You suggested halfling right? :D


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: In all my years of DMing I have never seen a good halfling. they have all been belker bitterleafs.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: but that could just be my players


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: I'm being slightly facetious. I've met a number of good ones, and named some characters after my favorites.


 * Maxxy: What is the coolest thing about the Guardians in your opinion?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: I like that the Guardians are dealing with the reality of the gods and being their agents. But they have to deal with the enigmatic nature of deities.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: The Vigil is a new religion. Five gods as one.


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: What the religion is about is up to debate and exploration.


 * Alaraca: any insight as to what kinda racial abilities are going to be given to the known races?


 * NicholasTaylorMcDowell: @racial abilities: Like all powers if I told you what they were now you'd only get angry when they changed.