MMORPG.com: With the Dragon Hunt system, it senses like you’re putting up players so they can easily fight the dragons attacking Faerûn. How do you plan to make this new mechanic feel as epic as slaying a dragon?
Michael Lynch, Neverwinter Systems Designer: We definitely didn’t want to have too much friction regarding obtaining players into the latest update and combating dragons right away.
Yet, as dragons in D&D get more effective and empowered as they age, there is a wide spectrum of options when it comes to fighting dragons in Neverwinter.
One or two young dragon hunters can handle a young dragon, while an ancient dragon usually requires a fully balanced group, similar to what you’ll see fighting one of our more difficult dungeon bosses. Additionally, players can find more strong dragons for more important challenges and tips through our modifier method.
The extent to which killing a dragon is considered an epic experience will vary from person to person, and we maintain that scope for our players.
The modifications made to the dragons themselves look rather cool. Do you have any plans to review the animations and other animals in Neverwinter and change their appearance in the future?
Christopher Frenton, Neverwinter art director: We’re always looking to update the game’s visuals. We’re working on another creature update right now, but I can’t tell you what it is yet.
Dragon hunting system: How significant was it to make certain that different dragons touched different, just below the biome in which they lived?
Michael Lynch: It was essential for us to grasp the discrepancies between the chromatic dragons. Aesthetic variability is a big part of their distinguishing features and unique differences in their lair.
However, we didn’t want the distinctions to be morally visual, so each type of dragon has a preference for different kinds of attacks and has its unique abilities that give them a mixed combat look. These distinctions will become more pronounced as you fight more vigorous dragons with more excellent combat capabilities.
