Black Isle Announces New RPG

Just when our hopes were dipped (well some of our hopes… <looks over to Equis>) from UWO’s demise, comes a piece of info that will be sure to bump back up our anticipatory levels to where they were before. Black Isle Studios, creators of Fallout and Planescape, is in development of a 3D RPG with similar elements to the aforementioned games, named TORN (which I’m sure is an acronym for something… what I don’t know). Here’s the press release from PRNewswire:

IRVINE, Calif., March 22 /PRNewswire/ — Black Isle Studios, the award winning role-playing game division of Interplay Entertainment Corp. (Nasdaq: IPLY), announced today the development of their next epic, Black Isle Studios(TM): TORN(TM). Set in an original high-fantasy world created exclusively by Black Isle Studios, TORN includes many of the popular gameplay elements found in the award-winning Fallout(TM) series and adds unique new features that will heighten the player’s experience. This exciting, real-time 3D saga, which takes place in the ancient kingdom of Orislane in western Agathe, will be available for Windows(R) 95/98/00/ME-based computers in Q4, 2001.

“With TORN, we’ve taken the best elements from Fallout, a completely original fantasy world, and combined it with real-time combat,” stated Feargus Urquhart, Black Isle Studios Division Director. “It’s pretty much everything our fans have been asking for since we produced the original Fallout series.”

TORN contains a skill-based character system that allows for innumerable approaches to any problem in the game, whether through combat, guile, or diplomacy. Utilizing items of the player’s own creation, four different realms of magic, and enough specializations and abilities to make every character unique, TORN will take the player through a twisting, epic tale of noble allies, vile treachery, vengeful tyrants and maddened gods that will set the precedent for fantasy and adventure games to come.

Utilizing the LithTech(TM) Development System Version 3.0, TORN operates on a real-time version of the rule system behind the Fallout series and allows players to pause the game at anytime to issue commands and control companions. Pre-generated characters will be provided for those who do not wish to indulge in the detailed character creation process. TORN will include new Perks (Pyromancer: the character’s effectiveness with explosive fire-based magic is increased) Traits (Lone Wolf: the character gains bonuses when working without companions), skills (Fortitude: increases a character’s Hit Points), and even new races such as the sidhe and ogres in addition to humans, dwarves, halflings, and elves. The non-linear features of the game such as customized character creation, multiple story arcs and NPC reactivity greatly enhance replayability. TORN can be played as either a single-player or multiplayer game, supporting up to six separate players.

More info on the game can be found at TORN’s Official Site. Thanks Flagg for the flag.