How Dungeons of Hinterberg Bridges Reality with Fantasy When Creating Its Massive Overworlds

Since the unique reveal of Dungeons of Hinterberg throughout the Xbox Games Showcase this previous June, we’ve gotten a gentle stream of information and knowledge from its creators. Whether it was getting a primary hands-on and have a look at the mountainous overworld and dungeons throughout throughout gamescom, or studying extra concerning the social-sim side that gamers will expertise within the idyllic city of Hinterberg throughout Xbox Partner Preview, we’ve been handled to so much of nice particulars en path to the sport’s 2024 launch!

But Microbird couldn’t allow us to sneak off into the vacations with out one other nice have a look at Dungeons of Hinterberg, and right this moment we had been handled to a preview of its Glacier overworld as half of their newest livestream. Following that, we caught up with Co-Founder and Art Director for Microbird Games Regina Reisinger to get some extra particulars on the icy overworld, how gamers can construct rep, and monsters… so many monsters.

Can you inform us just a little bit concerning the 4 overworlds and the way they operate in Dungeons of Hinterberg?

The overworlds are an integral half of your vacation in Hinterberg: every single day of your trip begins with a hearty breakfast, after which it’s time to determine which of the overworlds you wish to go to right this moment. Overworlds are distinct, mid-sized areas round Hinterberg, and are all impressed by actual Austrian landscapes and biomes. They all maintain ample alternative and area to discover, struggle monsters, uncover some secrets and techniques, or simply sit down in a fantastic spot and meditate for a day.

There are 4 visually distinct overworlds that each one supply their very own taste of magic as nicely. If you are feeling like a soothing hike, why not go to the plush inexperienced mountain meadows of Doberkogel? Are you in a extra serene temper? Consider visiting Hinterwald, a picturesque forest the place you’ll be able to stroll between tall bushes and little streamlets, whereas recognizing some deer within the distance. Or if you wish to calm down, you can take the cable automobile as much as Kolmstein, a glacier that’s coated in snow and ice all 12 months spherical.

We’ve seen gameplay within the Forest and Mountain overworlds – and now Glacier! Can you share extra concerning the course of of creating the Glacier overworld?

The glacier is an overworld that could be very expensive to our hearts, and one which was so much of enjoyable to design.  It is the third overworld that can turn out to be obtainable within the recreation, and it switches up how we deal with motion, by offering Luisa and the gamers with a magic hoverboard talent. We actually needed to seize the superb feeling that you just get in actual life when snowboarding or snowboarding down a wide-open slope full of snow, surrounded by mountains and a view that goes on for miles. We used Unity’s terrain system, combined with some manually constructed components, so we may create precisely the type of exploration expertise that we imagined.

What distinctive talents can gamers count on from the Glacier overworld?

As already talked about, the hoverboard is one of the 2 magic expertise distinctive to the glacier, and doubtless the one gamers will use essentially the most. Zipping alongside the snowy panorama at a dizzying tempo, grinding alongside magical rails and making an attempt to finish difficult slalom programs are just a few of the enjoyable issues you are able to do with this talent. And of course, it turns out to be useful in fight as nicely, the place you need to use it to knock over enemies and draw a flaming barrier behind you. The second talent is a magical gentle ray that can be utilized to unravel puzzles, hit enemies, or manipulate your atmosphere. Combining each – grinding alongside a rail whereas zapping enemies or targets round you – is a lot of enjoyable as nicely.

You’ve spoken a bit about how Dungeons of Hinterberg’s setting and monsters are impressed by areas in Austria and its folklore. What inspirations have straight influenced the Glacier overworld?

The glacier overworld is definitely one the place we took so much of inspiration from the actual world. The Alps are identified for his or her glaciers, the place you’ll be able to expertise a wintery panorama all 12 months spherical: even in summer time, you would possibly solely be a cable automobile trip away from a mountaintop coated in ice and snow. This makes a glacier sort of a particular and magical place in and of itself. Unfortunately, the altering local weather has turn out to be a hazard for these biomes as nicely. That’s one more reason why it was necessary to us to try to seize that distinctive aptitude and feeling; to share it with gamers and hopefully make them recognize this distinctive biome as a lot as we do!

What are you most excited for gamers to take a look at within the Glacier overworld when Dungeons of Hinterberg launches subsequent 12 months?

The glacier overworld has a really non-linear, playful feeling to it. You can overlook a lot of the biome out of your first vantage level, however reaching and having access to all these areas, and the dungeon portals hidden there, will not be as simple. Players might want to discover, puzzle, full challenges, and revisit the overworld at completely different factors all through the sport. We are very excited for gamers to find all these spots, and are trying ahead to seeing how they method navigating this particular overworld – be it on a magical hoverboard or on foot.

You’ve shared with us beforehand on how some of the social dynamics work in Dungeons of Hinterberg. Can you share some extra about how these completely different biomes will have an effect on Luisa? I think about a Glacier world could not maintain the identical kind of social interactions one may have within the Forest, for instance.

Most of the socializing takes place within the village of Hinterberg, your own home base that you just return to each night. That doesn’t imply that you just received’t want any assist from your mates and connections in the case of navigating the overworlds, although! Some locations would possibly solely be accessible to you you probably have a adequate repute round Hinterberg, or a robust good friend to offer you a leg up. And sometimes you would possibly even meet a good friend within the center of a snowy slope, who would possibly provide you with some rewards for instructing them a lesson in hoverboarding!

Thanks to Regina Reisinger for taking a while to talk with us right this moment. You can search for Dungeons of Hinterberg to launch day one with Game Pass for Xbox Series X|S and Windows in 2024.