In 2019, Nine Dots, an indie Canadian studio, launched Outward, an immersive action roleplaying game that quickly captured the attention of players with its challenging gameplay. The game has sold over 1.3 million units to date and Nine Dots announced earlier this month that a sequel is in the works.
During our time at GDC 2024, we were able to have a conversation with Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, the CEO of Nine Dots Studio and Game Director for both the original and sequel. The full transcript can be found below, and if you’re interested, you can add Outward 2 to your wishlist on Steam.
What is the current length of Outward 2’s development?
In January of 2021, we commenced full production.
Before this, what kind of design documents and feedback from the initial project served as the foundation for this new project?
While developing the DLC for Outward, I had the chance to thoroughly examine what players desired from the game. It was a great opportunity to fully realize our initial vision for the title. Throughout the process, I constantly considered what changes I would make if given the chance. I also took into account how players would positively respond to these changes. As a result, the design of the DLC greatly influenced the overall development of the sequel.
What type of response did the console version of Outward receive?
Despite the reduction in production values from the port, I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of complaints. While the game was not without its flaws, it did not seem as polished as its PC counterpart. However, the reception of the definitive edition was much better, and I believe that is largely due to the fact that we had more control over its development and porting process. Our team may not have been the most experienced, but as the creators of the game, we have a deeper understanding and knowledge of its intricacies. This allowed us to make subtle tweaks that greatly improved the overall quality. Without this intimate knowledge, these improvements may not have been as apparent.
One of the key elements is the liveliness of the world. We have identified four pillars that define this, representing the four main areas that we will prioritize in the sequel. One of these pillars is creating a vibrant and diverse environment. This means incorporating a range of encounters, not just limited to hostile situations, but also showcasing different levels of hostility among individuals.
Our goal is for unfriendly humans to act in a human-like manner rather than behaving like animals. This alone would greatly enhance the liveliness of our world. Additionally, our annual calendar will allow for a more pronounced experience of the changing seasons.
When discussing density, it’s important to consider the concept of time. The gameplay at a specific location will vary between winter and summer, with transitions in between. Our goal is to create distinct and diverse seasons for each region. It’s not simply a matter of cold versus heat, but also factors like pollen levels in the air. This is one way we strive to increase the overall density of the game.
Currently, there exists a possibility for both humans and creatures to engage in minor skirmishes. Is it possible for the player to come across any additional dynamic elements?
That’s an excellent question. Once we have established the foundation of each feature, we can have some fun with it and explore different ways to utilize it. While there are some answers to that question, I have to keep them confidential at this time.
Are you interested in incorporating scripted encounters or focusing more on creating an immersive simulation experience?
It can be difficult because when we hesitate and question ourselves, it can prevent us from doing what we truly want to do. While we do have predetermined events, I am considering the potential failure scenarios. Each one is carefully crafted, but they are activated in a more open-ended manner. Therefore, I believe we will continue to strive for a balance that is most suitable.
Are there any plans to add traveling merchants in Outward 2?
Although we already included one encounter with humans in Outward, we are interested in incorporating more into the game. It is important to find a balance, as we have established that this is a hostile world where survival outside is abnormal. If we have too many encounters with humans, it goes against the world we have created. I want to avoid a situation like GTA IV where players feel guilty for killing one person, but had to kill many others to reach that point. This creates a dissonance between gameplay and story, which I am being careful to avoid.
We aim to build a highly hostile world in which even prey animals possess characteristics that enable them to survive. Humans survive by forming groups and utilizing technology, but we must be cautious about revealing this fact to the rest of the world.
Similar to the first Outward, Outward 2 also has a charming economy that extends beyond combat. The game offers various activities such as fishing, crafting, and harvesting, which provide opportunities to earn money without resorting to violence. How does Outward 2 cater to players who prefer a less combat-oriented experience?
We are continuing our current practices while also introducing a new type of item known as trading goods. These items have different prices depending on the region they are sold in. This means that you can load your mule with trading goods from one area and travel to other regions where they will be sold at a higher price due to their rarity. This addition adds a small element of trade simulation to our system.
Do the seasons also have a role in that?
At the moment, it’s not necessary, but it’s possible that we may need to think about it in the future.
I am determined for the sequel to be just as harsh and enigmatic as the original. I fully accept that it may not appeal to everyone, as there are those who are intrigued by the very same elements that repel others.
There is certainly a niche market for individuals who desire a fantastical experience that they cannot find in the real world, which can only be provided through an immersive simulation.
Indeed, we must not overlook the fact that there was a tutorial in Outward. However, it was necessary to access it through the main menu instead of within the game itself. This same method will be utilized for Outward 2.
If you prefer starting from scratch, you certainly can, but I believe that this method of following the tutorial enables you to easily jump back into the game whenever you need to. For instance, if you find yourself thinking, “It’s been three months since I last played. How did I accomplish this or that?”, you can simply access the dedicated tutorial without having to sit through nine hours of introductory content just to remember that one thing.
What technical advancements have been made possible by switching to Unreal Engine, which were previously unattainable in Unity?
The main issue has been with lighting. The Unity technology for lighting has not seen much advancement in recent years. At one point, they even discontinued a certain technology, but later reintroduced it in a limited capacity. Meanwhile, Unreal has been consistently making significant progress in this area.
Lumen automatically functions as long as your materials and processes adhere to the laws of physics. The lighting it provides is exceptional.
Unreal has the advantage of natively supporting split screen, which was a complex process in Unity. This means that a lot of the groundwork has already been laid, which I believe will provide us with new opportunities.
What do you believe to be the greatest advantage in terms of gameplay with the introduction of the new engine?
Upon switching from Unity to Unreal, one aspect that stood out was the improvement in lighting. It became much easier to identify the placement of objects in an area due to the way shadows were cast. This allowed for a clearer view of the surroundings, making it possible to recognize specific objects such as plants and chests.
In Unity, it was quite difficult to ensure that objects in the environment were easily visible due to the lack of sharp lighting. This significantly impacted the overall experience.
In addition, we can experience higher fidelity and frame rates, as Unreal is typically more optimized than Unity.
Based on the information that has been revealed, it appears that Outward 2 has been carefully designed to retain the distinct essence of the first game, with many of the core elements remaining unchanged. In your opinion, which aspect stands out as the most distinct, whether it be an updated mechanic or a completely new feature, when compared to its predecessor?
The combat is definitely the highlight, as it was purposely designed to be strategic in the first game. Each attack required a full commitment from start to finish. However, Outward 2 has greatly improved its responsiveness and versatility through the introduction of dual wielding.
By combining the move sets of different weapon types, players have the flexibility to seamlessly transition between them. Additionally, the game features canceling windows that allow players to interrupt their attacks with blocking or dodging, including the option to perform a step-dodge instead of solely relying on rolls, similar to the mechanics in Nioh.
Combining the dodging precision with the flexibility of dual wielding allows for faster and easier cancellation of attacks during both the start-up and recovery of animations, resulting in a more responsive gameplay experience. As a result, we also increased the aggressiveness of enemies to keep players on their toes and add an element of surprise, as there is now less commitment required from the player.
The design of Outward didn’t seem to encourage exploration at night. Is Outward 2 making any changes in this aspect?
In addition to utilizing bioluminescence and limiting certain interactions to nighttime, our primary goal is simply to encourage players to follow a natural cycle of sleeping, eating, and living a normal day. We believe that making it unpleasant to be in the dark serves as a similar motivation for players to sleep, as in real life. Ultimately, being in darkness limits one’s activities, just like it does in reality.
Based on our current observations, many of the weapons available for dual-wielding in the first game have been carried over to the sequel. Can players expect to dual-wield daggers in this installment as well?
Affirmative.
Are there plans to add additional armor, abilities, and/or items that enhance stealth?
In the trailer, we showcased a spell from the Sigil of Darkness that allows you to surround yourself in a dark mist. Our goal is to improve the visibility of stealth mechanics and their effectiveness. We are exploring ways to enhance these mechanics and have also introduced more patrols, rather than simply having enemies appear out of nowhere. This approach is more suitable for stealth gameplay in general.
In addition, each weapon type is equipped with a unique sneak attack that serves a specific purpose. While one may deliver a powerful blow, another may create an opening for a combo attack. This is just one of the elements we are implementing to enhance the excitement of stealth gameplay.
Are there any plans for endgame content in Outward 2, such as a new arena like New Sirocco?
Currently, our focus does not include bringing arenas and similar features. However, we do have plans to potentially add them in the future. We will evaluate and decide on additional features at a later time.
My friend is curious about whether there will be jumping.
Yes.
“No”remains the same.
Will cross-play be included in Outward 2?
The topic at hand is quite political, which is rather unexpected. I am interested in pursuing it, but it ultimately relies on the decisions of the platform owners and opens up a whole host of issues. For instance, there is the question of how to manage various types of handles, such as those used on PlayStation and Steam. How can they effectively interact with one another? It’s a complex matter to navigate.
Achieving functionality is straightforward, but attaining a polished and coherent product is more challenging. However, it is my desire to accomplish this. Gamers benefit from it, but it requires effort, and we must obtain the necessary approvals beforehand.
Will Outward 2 have the ability to support three-player co-op in the future?
The answer is negative.
Is early access something you’re interested in pursuing?
We are considering the possibility of releasing both Lost in Prayer and Witherbloom, our two other titles, in early access. Our experience with this process has convinced us to do the same for Outward.
We have definite plans for Outward 2, as we are already fully funded and have a clear vision for its development. While Lost in Prayer and Witherbloom have a more community-based approach, Outward 2 may also have elements of this. However, our main focus for Outward 2 is to conduct a sanity check during the early access phase. Going through this process with our other titles will likely influence my opinion on it in some way.
Is rune magic expected to make a comeback in Outward 2?
Perhaps.
Is Steam going to offer cloud save support for the game?
It ultimately relies on Valve’s decision. The rationale behind our decision not to implement cloud saving for Outward is the potential for issues to arise. If the system malfunctions and deletes a player’s saved file, they may wrongly direct their frustration towards us instead of Valve. We prefer not to deal with such complications in handling customer support.
My attempts to utilize the Steam cloud save have resulted in the loss of countless hours of playtime. We are hesitant to put our players through the same level of frustration that I experienced while trying to use it.
However, it is now time for me to revisit and update my knowledge of the systems from Valve. Due to past frustrations, I have not used them in quite some time. Perhaps they have improved and I can confidently integrate them into my next game.
We still have several years until Outward 2 is released, so who knows what will be included by then?
I appreciate the time you have given me.
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