A Passion for Side Quests
For James Wragg, the lead developer behind the highly anticipated RPG Entropy, side content is far more than just filler—it is the very heart of the gaming experience. Following the success of their previous title, Dread Delusion, Wragg and his team at Lovely Hellplace are leaning heavily into the narrative depth that made their past work so memorable.
Reflecting on their design philosophy, Wragg shared: «Side quests are almost my reason for doing videogames in the first place. A big inspiration for Dread Delusion was playing Elder Scrolls games, almost willfully ignoring the main quest and getting lost in all the side content.»
The Expansion of Narrative
Despite initial intentions to create a more succinct experience for Entropy, the project has grown in scope. Wragg admitted that the team initially hoped to keep the word count significantly lower than their previous game, fearing that the novel-length script of Dread Delusion was unsustainable. However, the urge to explore complex themes and flesh out character arcs proved too strong to ignore.
«As we've been writing it, we've found that we just like really getting into characters, and we just like fleshing stuff out with interesting themes, and that does actually take a fair amount of words,» Wragg explained.
Collaborative World-Building
Wragg credits the collaborative nature of his writing team for the richness of the game's world. He often provides broad outlines, allowing talented writers like Io Brindle to elevate the material. This creative partnership ensures that the game's inhabitants and scenarios are deeply engaging.
The game also places a heavy emphasis on companions. Players can recruit various mercenaries and story-centric characters, all of whom face the risk of permanent death. This mechanic is designed to heighten the stakes and make the player's connection to these individuals feel more consequential.
Interactive Storytelling
Ultimately, Wragg believes that the unique power of the medium lies in its interactivity. He emphasized the joy of being able to engage with NPCs in a way that novels or films simply cannot offer. «I think that one of the most interesting things about videogames is just how you can actually talk to the characters in a way that maybe you can't in a novel or a film,» he stated. «Just being able to meet a strange character and ask them some stupid questions is incredibly rewarding as a player.»
Entropy is currently available in early access on Steam, with a demo also available for those looking to get a taste of its bizarre, JRPG-inspired world.