Ever since we dreamed that magic was real, those of us with fantastic minds have also dreamed of attending a mystical school that teaches us all the tools of the trade so we can throw fireballs at our enemies and levitate objects. wrist movement
And Wizard101 from KingsIsle Entertainment lets you do just that, and like magic itself, the game’s story is longer than you think. The game first launched in September 2008, and 14 years later it feels like a distant, mystical land in its own right, and continues to grow and nurture a community of dedicated gamers.
The continued success of the game is as encouraging to the developers as it is to the community that still plays it. Wizard101 Master Artist Jeff Toney, who has worked with KingsIsle since 2005, fell short of his initial expectations, telling us that “you always expect a great reception for any game you make, but this one has exceeded my wildest dreams. I love them.” Wizard101’s worlds and they’re getting crazier and more fun, so it’s always great to develop art for them.”
Leah Reuben, Senior Studio Director at Wizard101, is also excited. “I remember going to a pre-launch meeting and thinking how cool it would be if 100,000 people played the game,” she says. “Now here we are, almost 60 million accounts have played the game over the years and we’re having some of the best years ever as ‘teenagers’. It’s unreal and I’m proud to be a part of it!”
But how do you keep the community active for so long? Wizard101 receives three major updates a year, some of which bring significant changes to the game. For Russ Hughes, Cinematography Art Director and another member of the team since 2005, the biggest change has been a major graphical overhaul. “Character faces are now more expressive, spells have more effects, and more immersive scenes and environments have more detail,” he says. “We weren’t quite sure how it would be received, but now I’m going to go back and play in the old school world and I’m really glad we’ve started making some updates.”
Other members of the team are more interested in increasing the difficulty of the game for experienced players. Lead Creative Designer Sam Johnson is particularly interested in “bringing in more intense gameplay” like Raids, Beastmoon Hunts, and Deckathalons.
But the game is still available for new players. Cheryl Starcher, Chief Engineer at KingsIsle Entertainment since 2006, tells us, “The game starts off simple so it’s accessible to new players, but as you progress you can discover more depth as the team has made the game becomes more difficult over the years. . We try to protect the new player experience so that you can keep playing the same game you played 15 years ago at the beginning, but then it will get more difficult as you progress. »
Whether you’re new to Wizard101 or just back from a long break, there’s plenty to do on your wizarding journey. Wizard101 is available for free and a subscription is available to see everything the game has to offer. Try it for yourself today.
Source : PC Gamesn
