PS Vita already has quite a strong foundation of games announced before launch and that is likely going to lead to it its success, despite some issues with the battery. Ruin(working title) is another title that really shows off the potential of the Vita, not inly in graphical prowess but in social connectivity, such that could only work on an always connected device(3G).
Before I get into what these social features happen to be I will let you know that this is one of the titles that also supports PS2 PSV cross-play. Meaning you can play on PS Vita while out then transfer the game to you PS3 and continue from the exact instance you left of.
Idol Minds and SCE San Diego Studios (a co-developed project) are quite ambitious to bring a unique experience not only to the Vita but to the RPG genre. This is where the social aspects come in to play in this online multi-player title. Lair, the home space for your character will work as a sort of hub for all interactions in the world, dealing with permanent upgrades to being a place for others to loot and pillage.
You spend a great deal of time outfitting your lair with relics acquired through gameplay and they will help you greatly on your adventures by way of increasing your offence, defence or adding other unique attributes. You can customize pretty much anything in the lair from the layout of items to what creatures you wish to have defending it while you are gone.
Travis Williams, Senior Producer of Ruin mentions how PvP interactions work differently in this game as opposed to other online RPGs, more specifically how to get an item(in this case the Heart of Titan) that you want from another player. “If you want to take that item from him, you can challenge him,” Williams explained. “You can bet on his Heart of Titan with another valuable item. If he agrees, the game will put both items into escrow while you beat the hell out of each other’s Lairs over the next 24 hours.” And, 24 real-world hours later, the player with the highest aggregate score will claim both items – and bragging rights. “The best part,” Williams said, “is that the competition and stakes were mutually agreed upon.”
There is also co-op gameplay as well in case you need that extra built of help on your adventure, but Matchmaing is something that was heavily focused on. Williams “ultimate goal is to pit you against other people who play at the same times as you do, who have the items you want, and who provide a good match for your skill level. Meanwhile, in the background, Ruin’s social system will serve as an instigator, goading you into action against other players with an in-game messaging system and notifications. “We’re in the role of the kid who starts trouble on the playground,” Williams said. “We’ll say, ‘sure, you could go and attack that random dude on your friends list and we’ll give you 100 XP…But this other dude just hurt you, he attacked your Lair. We’ll give you 1000 XP to go hurt him back!’”
There will also be announcements made across the game regarding characters you met, notifying you of rare items they have acquired and how they are defending themselves. Which makes it more tailored information that you may actually want to know. Keep in mind it will also alert your enemies of your progress and what items you have as well, so you will likely have to spend plenty of time ensuring your lair is well defended.
It seems Ruin will really help create a community on a portable game in a way that has never been tried before.
Source: Playstation Blog
