After years of development, the game “The Ballad of Ada” launched by Bandai Namco will finally be launched on January 23, 2024. Before the launch, Asian media interviewed the producer of this game, Futami Eagle World, please talk about this work.
“The Song of Ada the Strange Companion” is a PvPvE third-person shooting game in which you drive a machine and compete with your partner “Magus” for props on the ground. Players need to respond to the ever-changing environment at any time, try to survive in a cruel world, and experience a partner experience that deepens the bond, embarking on a unique and exciting journey with Magus.
About the link to animation
Q: Mr. Futami mentioned in other previous interviews that the anime version and the game version are parallel worlds, so the story, character personalities, etc. of the game will be completely different from the animation? What knowledge can players who have watched the anime use in the game?
A: It won’t be completely different. Although they are parallel worlds, the two worlds are still related. Although the story parts with the theme of “crossover” are different in the animation and the game, the underlying world is the same. By playing this game, I believe you can enhance your understanding of this “world”.
Q: What were your initial considerations for launching the animation first? Due to the postponement of the game, it has been separated from the animation for a while. Will there be any connection with the animation?
A: Originally I didn’t expect it to be so long apart from the animation, but due to quality considerations, we decided to change the schedule for the game. Because this game is not a game that cannot be played without watching the animation, it doesn’t matter to us even if players don’t care. Cooperation activities are currently under discussion.
Q: Since the animation is broadcast exclusively on Disney+, overseas players have fewer opportunities to access it. For the target audience of this game who have not watched the animation, what is the unique charm of the game?
A: The charm of the game is the two-person journey with the AI partner “Magi”. Normally, you can play with friends or by yourself, but in this game, the AI partner will be by the player’s side at any time, giving you the feeling of playing with others. I hope players can try it out!
About game content
Q: The overall action settings of the mecha in the game are more realistic, giving people a feeling of slowness and slow response. In the later stage, as players continue to modify it with various accessories, will the mecha’s mobility be greatly improved? ? Or is it a mecha that can directly obtain different action styles?
A: I think the numerical value of propulsion, falling from a height, and stepping will be different depending on the cradle of the coffin. At present, we are designing in a direction that does not change the gameplay experience, but will change the action method according to the player’s playing style. I hope players can consider the parts that feel heavy and sluggish as the weight of having a different operating system than other games.
Q: Compared with many other “survival and evacuation games” on the market, what are the main unique features of this game’s specific game process and combat experience?
A: The unique feature of this work is the Magi. Because it is based on single-player play, I wonder if players will feel it is different from other works, “as if they are playing with others”?
Q: Have you considered giving Magi more appearance customization options? Such as breast size etc.
A: Currently there are no plans to add customization options for Magi. Of course, we will also observe players’ reactions after the release and discuss other possibilities.
Q: The game is a pvpve type. What measures has the production team taken to balance the content of pvp and pve? After many tests, has the proportion of these two aspects been adjusted?
A: During production, the situation we imagined was to design a game balance with PvP accounting for 30-40% and PvE accounting for 60-70%. We will make adjustments based on player feedback after release.
Q: How did the production team design the terrain and ecosystem in the world? How do you ensure players stay fresh as they explore?
A: We used the unique world setting of this game as the stage, and designed the terrain and ecosystem in it. In addition, we also created the height difference that can be said to be the basis of a shooting game, a map design that utilizes obstructions, and a mechanism that allows you to reach the target location by moving as far as possible.
In addition, this game has a high-risk and high-reward mechanism centered on “rain”, or you cannot enter certain places without a specific key card. Even just exploring the map carefully is fun, and even drops may occur at specific times. Changes, players will be able to play with a sense of freshness at any time.
Q: How can the AI partner “Magi” help players in their exploration? Is there a corresponding upgrade or learning mechanism to give players a different interactive experience?
A: Magi will provide a variety of suggestions for the actions players want to take. They can also look for props or identify other players as enemies or friends. It will gradually provide more appropriate opinions while learning from the player’s actions.
Q: Although some players want to enjoy the game’s character and body customization and map exploration, they are worried about the losses caused by being online at any time and the PvP mechanism, and cannot avoid the plunder of other players. What is the answer to this part? Are there any countermeasures? (To put it simply, it is the balance between exploration players and PvP players)
A: If it is a PvE-type exploration action game, there are already many excellent works. Precisely because the addition of PvP, in addition to bringing more tension, you will be more happy when you successfully return from the mission, so we do not intend to reduce the possible game experience to deal with this problem.
I think players who are not good at PvP feel it is unfair because they think the opponent is a “human”. If they think the opponent is a “powerful NPC”, they may be able to play more easily.
Q: Some players mentioned that there is a chance of being wanted by “counterattacking” other players on the map. What was the original intention of the development team when designing this mechanism? Will this mechanism be adjusted in the future based on player input to balance interaction and competition between players?
A: I think… this may be because although the player was attacked by the opponent, he counterattacked without being hit.
Although if one’s own machine is hit, it will be regarded as self-defense, but the other player may be just trying to lure this player so that he cannot hit and attack. Because it is up to the players to decide what play style they want to adopt, we will also discuss it based on the opinions of many players after the release.
Q: The equipment “Daisy Ogre” given as a bonus has the risk of being sprayed during the battle. Are there any other bonuses that will not be lost?
A: “Daisy Ogre” and Cradle Coffin are consumable items, so I hope you can use them as much as possible without paying special attention. In versions such as the Deluxe Edition, there are also items such as school-style costumes that can be held permanently.
Q: After the game is launched, have you considered holding joint activities with different animation or robot works?
A: Collaboration activities are fun! The relevant possibilities will then be considered.
Q: Will this mechanism be adjusted based on players’ opinions in the future to balance the interaction and competition between players?
A: Definitely. If there are more interesting ideas and opinions, we hope to actively incorporate them into the world we create.
About previous tests
Q: Can you talk about any feedback from players after the game test? Are there any useful suggestions that will be put into the game?
A: Of course, there are various opinions to consider. We have adjusted the balance of weapons, the difficulty of obtaining props, and strengthened the teaching content. We hope everyone can try it and play it!
Q: Due to the delay, the game announcement and release time are a bit long. Will the production team feel that this will have an impact on sales?
A: No, because this game is a brand new work, so I don’t think it will have any impact. All players please be sure to play and check it out!
Q: After delays and multiple testing activities, are the changes made significantly different from the producer’s original ideas?
A: Nothing has changed. We mainly upgrade the parts that can make the game easier to play and that need to be improved and adjusted for the game itself.
Q: What problems did the public network test find that need to be adjusted or improved?
A: Although the main goal is to confirm the network quality during single-player play, in addition, we will also improve the overall balance and difficulty adjustment based on your opinions.
Q: Since its release in September 2022, it has finally been released after several tests. Can you share with players your feelings as a member of the production team?
A: Thank you very much for your active participation in the closed beta test, closed network test and open network test. Because you have been involved since before the game was released, I feel as if I developed this game together with all the players. It would be great if everyone could enjoy the feedback content in the commercial version of the game.
“The Song of Ada, the Strange Companion” is scheduled to be released on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on January 23, 2025, and the Steam version will be released on the 24th.