Back at Gamescom 2018 NetEase, a leading Chinese internet technology company revealed a new virtual reality (VR) videogame titled Nostos which immediately caught the attention of many with its beautiful trailer. During the event VRFocus’ Nina Salomons had the chance to talk with ShuiGe, a producer on the title to learn more about the ever changing world of the VR title.
In Nostos, players will need to explore a vast, beautiful but desolate world in which cities have been abandoned for decades and are now crumbling away. Within this rich landscapes and locations are historical sites that hold the remnants of the war that brought about the end that players will need to explore in order to uncover the truth about what happened, all while trying to survive out in this world.
Thanks to the immersive power of VR, players will not only be immersed within the title but also be able to play as themselves, as ShuiGe explains in the below interview noting the power of technology to create these opportunities. Being a multiplayer title, players will encounter other players along their journey but will not only be limited to a single world.
“We designed the multiplayer world in the game to have a maximum of 20 players but we have so many worlds that players can cross to those worlds” ShuiGe noted: “The player can change the world by building something or destroying something to make the ecosystem different, so every world will be different.”
Making the worlds feel unique by the player’s actions not only allows for great gameplay but also creates the chance for players to tell their own stories to each other. Seeing how a town come to be and hearing how the players have had to defend it over time allows for fantastic story telling that is driven by player action. The building system which was shown briefly in the reveal trailer, is send to allow players the chance to build whatever they want. “The build system is piece-by-piece and you can build any kind of house you want and build something functional like a tower, bonfire or a store. You can build anything you want” ShuiGe adds.
One final piece of information that ShuiGe reveals in the interview is that though climbing and driving are already in the title – and seen in the trailer – the team are thinking about adding a system for airships. They want each of the systems to feel great while still offering an easy way to explore the world that is engaging and fun. Given that 20 players will be sharing a world, having airship races would be somewhat exciting.
Nostos is currently in development for the HTC Vive and is planned for a release in Q3 2019. The team have not ruled out a release on Oculus Rift or PlayStation VR but are not committing to anything just yet. For more on Nostos in the future, keep reading VRFocus and you can see the full interview for yourself below.