In the latest installment of the “Forged in Aeternum” series, New World developers served up a feast for fans of the popular MMORPG with a deep dive into the game’s culinary scene. Episode 85, titled “New World: Forged in Aeternum – Cooking Q&A + Trade Skill Showcase,” whisked viewers through a flavorful blend of game development insights, cooking simplifications, and a dash of competitive cooking flair.
Lead Seasons Designer Patrick Smedley and Senior Game Systems Designer Tony Morton cooked up an informative session, addressing the community’s burning questions about the Season Five Public Test Realm (PTR) and the rationale behind simplifying the cooking trade skill. The episode stirred interest with its initial focus on the cooking trade skill simplification initiative, aimed at decluttering recipes and streamlining player interaction with cooking in New World. The developers dished out the decisions behind the initiative, emphasizing their goal to make cooking more accessible and less overwhelming for players.
The discussion served a rich mix of technical tweaks, including the removal of dual-stack recipes and the adjustment of crafting and gathering food tiers to offer a more concentrated and approachable trade skill. The spotlight on cooking as the starting point for trade skill simplification was underscored by its low risk and high potential for applying learned lessons to other trade skills in the future.
Diving into community queries, the devs tackled the increase in material requirements for recipes—a change swiftly adjusted based on PTR feedback. They emphasized the importance of the PTR as a test kitchen for new ideas, highlighting the iterative nature of game development and the role of community feedback in shaping the game’s evolution.
Addressing concerns about the potential high costs of stat foods due to a new focus on legendary fish, Morton and Smedley explained the balancing act between making fishing valuable and keeping food costs manageable for players. The developers reassured fans that adjustments could be made to ensure the in-game economy remains vibrant and that players won’t be priced out of necessary sustenance.
The episode took a playful turn with the Trade Skill Showcase, pitting developers against each other in a spirited cooking contest to crown Aeternum’s Next Cooking Star. The segment, infused with humor and a hint of competitive tension, provided a lighthearted conclusion to the Q&A, showcasing the team’s camaraderie and creativity beyond the digital realms of New World.