Bae(left) and Hwang(right)

TIG interviewed JaeHyun Bae the PD of <Blade & Soul> and SungJin Hwang the director of system design yesterday.

The following interview is summarized from the full story at Thisisgame.com.

TIG > Many think there would be total 8 classes since 8 sages exists as NPCs. So what’s next?

In the beginning of the develpment, there used to be 6~10 concept nominees which are current NPCs’ classes. For now, 5 classes for players are fixed and 6th class is the summoner who has shown up in an earlier trailer. We are considering totally brand new classes we haven’t seen from any games so far.

TIG > What’s <B&S>’s end-content?

It would be the battle. We are aiming such contents that encompass PvP, PvE, solo play, end party play evenly.

TIG > When the guild system be updated?

The guild system will probably be updated at OBT or commercial service. In addition, we are working on personal connection system which is one of SNS features. We might even connect with external SNS like Facebook or Twitter.

TIG > A rumor says the commercial service could be delayed. Do you prefer to have another test before launching commercially?

We had a lot of feedback from the first CBT and it seems like it will happen in the 2nd CBT again. Well, actually we can start OBT right after couple of months if we like to do so. It is not so hard since there is not much to do except revising the current issues and expanding the world. But we got to think first if it is fun enough to play for not only gamers but also developers.

As we are going to have tons of feedback from this CBT, we need to work on them. But we also cannot delay until all the issues are done. So, as our CFO said at the earning report, the commercial service would be kicked off in somewhere around this year-end or the beginning of the next year.

TIG > The players complain that the collecting and craft systems are too boring.

For the collecting system, BOTs and workers are going to take over the market for sure as time passes. Indeed there are players who really like to collect in the game but they will be soon disinterested at it as their works are nothing to what the BOTs can do in the same period. At this situation, we cannot set the market price to individuals because that will eventually give much more profit to the BOTs.

So our answer is focused on casual players. We will also work on the feedback by, for example, placing essential ingredients in instant dungeons or to the boss monsters.

TIG > They also said RvR is boring since combo attack doesn’t work well and only single hits are preferable while PvP features breathtaking psychological battle. Any resolution?

There are hidden functions for each skill. Certain skills can block/cancel other certain skills but the players are, for now, at too low level to experience it. Some attack skills can actually be used as supportive skills in RvR.

TIG > How freely can we customize our characters?

Almost unlimited. NPCs in the game are actually made by not modelling but customizing each. I believe <B&S> will provide the most free customizing system ever so far.

TIG > What is <B&S>’s long-term plan?

Making people to play a game for a long time equals giving good experience to them. The point for the players is to meet with good people and good experience in the game.

Of course, the enchant system is a very attractive feature in order for us to hold our customers as long as we can.  I personally like it. But it is overused by both the players and the developers now. And unfortunately that caused the players hate it.

Since bunch of other games have it, we decided not to include it.

We are aiming a game that connects good people and provides fun to play. Inherently interaction between people were the key feature of MMO genre, but it went over to SNS recently. We should reflect this.

TIG > Recently NCsoft is trying to work with mobile platforms. Any plans for <B&S>?

We have so many of them. Since many people are connected via network today, it is natural to follow the trend.

What we have been thinking so far are, for example, text messege, collecting, craft, auction, guild and so on.