Planescape: Torment Producer working on first-person RPG

Guido Henkel, who both produced and appeared on the cover of Planescape: Torment, has a new RPG in the works, codenamed Deathfire.

Deathfire is planned as a first-person, party-based, real-time RPG with a focus on story. It is linear rather than open-world, and take inspiration from Dungeon Master, Wizardry and modern titles like Legend of Grimrock.

According to a blog post on Henkel's website from late March, Deathfire is in the very early stages - he only came up with the idea around Christmas 2012. At the time, just Henkel and two artists were working on the Unity-based title.

The veteran developer did try to Kickstart another RPG last year, called Thorvalla; the project failed, though, probably because nobody knew anything about it. Henkel said he's learned from the experience, and wants to make Deathfire a smaller project.

That's not to say it's not ambitious; Henkel said a tight focus on linear narrative and environments, as well as commitment to first-person, should allow his team to deliver some very special stuff.

"Think of it this way, if there’s an earthquake, in most stepped genre games you would see the screen shake and that’s about it. In the case of Deathfire, I want this to become a much more gripping event where you will see rocks shake loose, where dust clouds will form and debris will rain down from the ceiling. Characters will react to it, voice their disapproval and fear, based on their stats, or urge the others to move along before everything caves in. On the whole, I want it to become an experience that is every bit as vibrant and alive as it is dangerous and adventurous," he wrote.

Henkel has already gone public with a detailed break down of the game's planned character mechanics; there will be six races; eight classes; six statistics; weapon skills; and then 34 traits, broken down into Resistances, Body Skills, Nature Skills, Craftsmanship, Mental Skills, Negative Attributes, Magic Skills and more.

Henkel's studio, G3, has been fairly quiet during its lifespan, sticking mainly to mobile releases and Henkel's fiction.

Thanks, Eurogamer.