In a recent community Q&A session, Jamie Henry and Chris “Joppa” Perkins, the creative director of Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, shared insights and updates as the team prepares for the launch of Season 2. The session, aimed at addressing the community’s curiosity, covered a wide range of topics, from bug fixes to new content and class updates.
Season 2 Preparations and Bug Squashes
The focus for the Pantheon team has been heavily on Madrun, involving extensive work from both art and design perspectives. As the drop date for Season 2 approaches, efforts are shifting towards Season 3 content, promising even more exciting updates in the near future. Perkins highlighted significant bug fixes, such as adjusting NPC flee speed for a more balanced gameplay and enhancing NPC pathing to avoid common issues where NPCs get stuck, improving the overall player experience.
Class Updates and Future Plans
A major topic of discussion was the highly anticipated introduction of new classes, with Perkins stating, “soon,” indicating that while Season 2 might not see new classes, they won’t be far behind. This has sparked interest and speculation within the community about what’s to come.
The Philosophy Behind Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
Perkins also delved into the conceptual framework of Pantheon, explaining the significance of its subtitle, Rise of the Fallen. Originally based on a gameplay mechanic that involved absorbing fallen heroes’ essences, the concept has evolved. Now, it mirrors the game’s narrative of disparate beings coming together on the mysterious world of Terminus, each seeking to carve out their destiny after being displaced from their home realms.
Technical Enhancements and Gameplay Mechanics
Addressing technical queries, Perkins clarified that the game doesn’t currently utilize Houdini in its pipeline and touched upon the game’s music, specifically a track named “Terminus” that has become iconic within the Pantheon community. On the topic of gameplay mechanics, Perkins discussed adjustments to experience leveling speed, ensuring that Pantheon remains challenging yet rewarding, with a focus on group play over solo endeavors.