A cyberpunk dystopian world and engaging ever-changing storyline – these are the main features that make gamers across the world eagerly await Gamedec’s premiere. Read the interview we have conducted with Mateusz Greloch, Community Manager at Anshar Studios, some time ago and learn more about Gamedec, an exciting upcoming indie RPG.
GOG.COM: Why did you decide to give your game a cyberpunk setting? Is there a part of this genre you feel especially attracted to?Mateusz Greloch: We are super excited about the cyberpunk and solarpunk genres - in fact, many of the ideas presented in both worlds are slowly becoming a regular part of our lives. Making a game in that genre is a real treat for the team, especially when the source material is fun to adapt.
Gamedec is based on a series of books by Marcin S. Przybyłek. The plot takes you to the Warsaw City of the 22nd century. The world’s natural environment has mutated and become hostile to humanity. People are forced to live in cities fortified from an aggressive ecosystem outside - they need a way of spending free time.
This is why virtual worlds (called sensory worlds in Gamedecverse) are becoming more and more popular. You are a gamedec - a private detective who solves crimes inside these virtual worlds. What we like
about Gamedec and the genre it represents is that it allows us to have almost infinite scenarios. There are thousands of ideas that can be visualised. Every game can cause problems to the players who will need saving, assistance, or problem-solving. This is how the profession of a gamedec came to life.
Gamedec is a non-combat game. In a world full of action RPGs this must come as a surprise...Citing the author of the books, “A gun is an easy solution. You have a problem - a gun removes the problem.” Remember, you’re a detective. You solve cases with your wits and experience, and gather clues by exploration and smart interrogation techniques. We believe that a true detective is not a happy-trigger guy but instead uses violence as a tool if every other solution fails. Having no combat doesn’t mean the game is not violent.
Sometimes your decisions will end up with a series of some severe outcomes. The beauty is that in some cases, you won’t know how the story will unfold. Based on your decisions and how many clues you discovered, the outcome might be different. You might talk to your friend about the same case you’ve been trying to solve, and you might end up talking for hours on how your approaches were different and how many options you may have missed.
We can read in the game’s description that its mechanics are strongly influenced by classic tabletop titles. Can you elaborate on that?Every case is carefully planned and roleplayed as a “pen & paper” session within the team. This whole process is made to ensure that the players' options will represent many different ways of thinking and a natural decision-making process. Let's imagine a scenario where you are presented with a dilemma, and the Game Master asks you: "What do you do?". That's where your personality and unique thinking shines through. We try to recreate this roleplaying experience in the game. You can wander around Low City streets to discover its secrets or run straight to solving the case. We don't judge - you are the sum of your choices.
One of Gamedec’s most important features is decision making. In what way is it unique and different from any other RPG available on the market?We are aware that nowadays, every game is advertised as an RPG with choices and consequences. Still, we didn't feel that it was a complex system, and sometimes the decisions you had available weren't so different from each other or didn't represent what you wanted to do or say. We try to implement a system where your decisions change the course of the case you're on at the moment. If you save one character, they might appear in the next case and help you out. If you fail and fry a kid's brain, a parent will grief and never speak with you again.
What we're trying to achieve is having outcomes that are visible for the players, and sometimes, they might not be seen immediately. A decision made in one case can lead to unlocking a new path in another job you take. People will remember what you did and how you treated them in the past. The beauty is - you cannot lose. If you fail or get a terrible outcome, the game will carry on. This is why we're excited about a mode unlocked on Kickstarter when you can't load the game to a previous state - a decision once made will stick with you forever. If you're interested in a more technical explanation and a little behind-the-scenes article, you should check out how we used Unreal Engine with Articy
to make Gamedec a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
What’s your view on the future? Do you think that the world featured in Gamedec is quite likely to happen?Marcin Przybyłek has a medical degree and thought the whole thing through. The attention to detail of how the game is played inside your brain, what equipment you need and how your body reacts to these stimulants is remarkable. Marcin's presence at our office makes room for dynamic discussions and exchange of ideas which helps our designers create the world of the 22nd century. He's working with the team as a consultant and writer, making sure we are in sync with the books' lore.
The world
presented in Gamedec looks like a natural order of things. Nature rebels, people must hide behind some barriers, cities grow up and up, society is divided by status, wealth, and fame, and the most common thing among them are video games. Yeah, we think that's pretty much what we should expect the 22nd century to look like.
Don't forget to pre-order the game on GOG.COM! 