Here is an interview that Angry Joe did with one of the devs. Even if you don't like him, it's a pretty good interview that answers good questions and reveals more details.
Details from video:
Creative Director Interview
- It's a big game, and they are a small team. That's why it's taken so long.
- Started with the main version of the game in May 2016.
- Originally 4 person team. 13 in 2017 and currently 20
- Guy being interviewed has a background in open world games and has done that for many years. Worked at Avalanche (and others I think).
- Also a background in pen and paper RPGs
- Originally started as a top-down game with Diablo-esque environments. The 6 devs at the time in 2016 took a vote to change it and pull the camera down.
- Various combat styles including guns and melee with mention of lightning attack based weapons and the ability to switch between them quickly in combat.
- Weapons shown have rarities, qualities, damage number range, add-ons, weight classes, attack speed, armor pierce, critical chance, required attribute, and required skill. Not all weapons have requirements.
- World is square kilometers in size and nothing procedurally generated. All handcrafted
- Character is customizable and can be "mutated". Characters you make are given a genetic code so they can be shared/recreated.
- Character stats shown were:
- Strength (Damage), Vitality (Health, Health Regen, Armor, Power Resist), Charisma (Persuasion, Barter), Intellect (Power, Energy, Energy Regen, Power Resist, Power Pierce, Cooldown Reduction), Agility (Move Speed, Attack Speed, Range, Dodge Energy, Dodge Deduct), Luck (Loot Chance, Critical Chance).
- HUD seems fairly minimal and non-intrusive
- Huge focus on customization including what you can craft. You can craft your jacket, shoulder pads, pants, headgear. Can put ridiculous things on the things you craft and make it crazy.
- Weapons range from crush, slash, one handed, two handed, etc. You make the weapons from stuff you find in the world. Such as a candle holder combined with a rolling pin and then putting glass shards on the rolling pin. Not all weapons are wacky or super crazy.
- You can get vehicles to explore with such as a mech or jetpack. There is an air balloon too.
- Collectible aren't the style of 100 feathers, but exploring and finding things is rewarding in a different way. Such as finding rare gadgets or tools to use.
- Did their best to fill the world with interesting things to find or characters to meet.
- Many characters aren't related to the main story at all, but have their own stories and quests. One example was this lone character with a briefcase that leads to you helping him and if successful you can "fly away" on his briefcase.
- You can customize your vehicles.
- There are underwater areas including underwater vehicles, bosses, and combat. A squid like vehicle was shown fighting a turtle looking boss.
- There is a sort of morality system, but it's called the aura system and is more light vs dark. This isn't called out in dialogue. Ties into your powers in a way (inFamous was referenced), but it's not completely gated (like no longer being able to use power B if too far Dark)
- World is post-apocalyptic and dying.
- 6 tribes in the world, 3 of which are "Dark" and 3 of them are "Light" and all have different goals. Tribe leaders can ask you to help/reject other tribes at times.
- Last year has been mostly working out bugs and glitches. THQ supported them greatly throughout development and with QA testing.
