Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned Interview: Propaganda Games' Alex Peters

I traveled to Vancouver last week to get a glimpse at Propaganda Games' upcoming action RPG Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned. Naturally, my movie-license proximity alarm went off, but I was surprised (or maybe the word is pleased) to see that the team at Propaganda is far from phoning it in. Buoyed by a team rife with RPG experience, Armada of the Damned takes place in the Pirates universe, but before the events of the three (and soon-to-be four) motion pictures, so they're immediately not tied to any particular events, characters, or story elements. Game director Alex Peters can explain it better in this interview:

Armada of the Damned is an entirely original tale told in the world of Pirates, and features a mix of combat and exploration, both by land and by sea. On land, your character fights with a simple (at first) combo system that varies based on the timing of your button presses. But he also has special abilities that are governed by an ability meter akin to how the "rage" concept works for World of Warcraft (for the unfamiliar, the bar fills up over time and is depleted by certain actions). Enemies can be "debuffed" by taunting and cursing them in battle, and you have various grab, throw, roll, and parry options at your disposal.

For more on the game, including naval combat and an interview with Propaganda GM Dan Tudge, keep reading...

On the water, you actually have an entire ship at your command, including crew, that you use to explore the vast expanse of the Caribbean. Attacking is done via an assortment of cannon shots (vs. the enemy hull, sail/masts, or crew) and by ramming them. Different enemy ships will engage in unique tactics, and you'll also have to deal with strong waves and inclement weather.

But the biggest mechanic of the game has to do with choice. Through your decisions and actions, you can find yourself on one of two roads: Legendary or Dreaded. The first is the "good" paradigm, and focuses on the hero aspect of being a pirate, while the second places an emphasis on revenge and fear. This will effect not only how NPCs treat you, but also your combat animations and maneuvers, how different scenes play out, and even the type of ending you get (there are multiple). Propaganda's VP and General Manager Dan Tudge has Bioware, specifically Dragon Age, on his resume, and not lost on him is the importance of choice in an RPG:

We should see more of Armada of the Damned at E3, but it'll be a while before we see the full adventure, as it's not setting sail until sometime in 2011.