Nintendo released a new interview with Square Enix‘s Tomoya Asano and Yasuaki Arai on the Nintendo Switch news channel. Mr. Asano worked on Triangle Strategy as well as Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler as a producer. One of the most important questions posed to the developers was why they chose the name Triangle Strategy.
With that out of the way, Nintendo then asked the pair which of the game’s elemental attacks they prefer, as well as why they chose to give players the ability to traverse multi-tiered maps, among other things.
What is the origin of the term Triangle Strategy?
Asano: It really derives from the same name convention as the Octopath Traveler game. Octo, which means “eight,” depicts the eight characters and the eight pathways you may take. So, in the game for Triangle Strategy, there are three angles [Utility, Morality, and Liberty]. I’m sure a lot of the American audience has remarked on how strange the name is, but one of the most important things we consider when naming games is that when players read the name of the game, they can understand what sort of game they’re going to be playing.
When we look at what the three angles symbolize, we can see that they represent three nations and three more key personalities (Frederica, Roland, and Benedict). Each of these people has their own set of ideals and objectives, which impact the plot.
Where did the story originate?
Arai: When we first began the project, we wanted to make a narrative for adults. To accomplish this goal, we choose the tactics genre and a combat setting. We attempted to make such a difficult topic as simple as possible. When we think of a dispute, we think of at least two opposing parties. Why are they battling? What do they desire? That was our beginning point when brainstorming ideas for the plot.
Triangle Strategy differs from many other tactics games in that it can traverse multi-tiered terrain.
Why do you believe it was necessary to include this mechanic?
Arai: We may create variants to the characters in the game by having those tiers or tiered features. We didn’t want the most powerful characters to be a swordsman, tank, or magic dealer, so tiers were the best solution. Each character should serve a function. This implies that characters equipped with ladders may assist archers by transporting them to higher ground, allowing them to cover a larger area. A interesting component is that all of the characters are linked and may collaborate, allowing you to form your own group and strategy in any circumstance. We hope the players appreciate it.
Which elemental attack do you two prefer?
Arai: I utilize a lot of electrical assaults myself. It has a paralyzing side effect that comes in handy on the battlefield. I also found towards the end of work that the wind feature was quite handy. It was first impossible to distinguish between the effects of fire, ice, thunderbolt, and wind.
Looking at each character, whose skill do you find the most beneficial in getting through the game?
Asano: One of my favorite features, which you can see in the demo, is the option to build an ice wall. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the tactics RPG genre is deciding where to place your characters at the start of the combat. There are many heights [or tiers] at which you may employ an ability like ice wall to block an enemy’s passage. I believe this is something special, and I strongly advise you to try it!
Arai: Character placement is crucial in this game. As a result, I propose employing knockback to force the foes away. There are several skills that allow you to push other characters. There are many more characters that can set traps. Each map, like Arai indicated, has a lot of heights. So, knocking an opponent back when they’re on higher ground… that’s satisfying! And this has the potential to do a lot of harm to the adversaries.
Where did the convictions originate from, and what part do they play in the game?
Arai: When we originally began working on the project, we identified eight beliefs as fundamental game components. Eight was a lot of numbers. It was quite difficult to distinguish between eight convictions. As a result, we condensed them in order to make the game system more understandable. To address the concept of justice and rights, we choose the three [Utility, Morality, and Liberty]. We urge everyone to ask themselves, “What is justice?” “What exactly is a right?”
