Torment game set in Numenera universe to be developed by inXile

inXile’s Brian Fargo has announced a new Torment game is in the works with Planescape Torment designer Monte Cook and other members of the original team.

Set in Cook’s Numenera universe, which was anothersuccessfully funded on Kickstarter last year, Fargo has elaborated on what the game will entail.

“We won’t have faeries or devils, but we’ll have diabolical creatures from far dimensions with schemes beyond human imagination," Fargo told RPS. "We won’t have gods, but we’ll have creatures who have lived for millennia with the powers of creation and destruction at their fingertips, with abilities honed over countless lifetimes.

"We won’t have other planes per se, but we’ll have pathways to hostile worlds and bizarre landscapes and ancient machines that catapult the players into places where the ordinary laws of nature no longer apply.”

Fargo said the idea for a Torment game has been mulled around the studio for quite some time, and the more the team explored the Numenera setting, the "clearer it became that it’s a natural fit for a Torment game."

"And it isn’t too surprising that Numenera’s aesthetics work well for Torment given that Monte was a key designer for the Planescape setting," he said. "Numenera is very exotic and rich, but is a flexible universe that empowers and support GMs.

"As Torment desires certain locations or features, we’ll be able to do what we need to while fully respecting the setting. This goes beyond a typical licensing arrangement as Monte will be giving us direct input and even provide writing for some of the game areas. I’m really pleased to have Monte be part of the team."

Fargo said the title is currently in pre-production at the moment with the "story outline, design sketches of the major characters, and thematic concepts defined."

Details on combat are still up in the air, but at present, the team is looking at "real-time with pause," to provide a better experience for the game, especially after criticisms arose regarding Planescape Torment's combat.

Fargo said the team is also considering taking the project to Kickstarter for funding, after the success of Wasteland 2.

"There are advantages to Kickstarter for both developers and backers," he said. "We get our games funded without dealing with a crazy publisher and the backer gets a game for much less than what the finished product would cost non-backers.

"The benefit of crowd funding is that it provides feedback and accountability to the people who are actually going to play the game. It validates the concept and helps us prioritize the sensibilities of the project. We are not forced to compromise for the thought of how the mass market might react. It’s a wonderfully pure process and one that hinges on trust."

A follow-up to the critically-acclaimed Planescape: Torment was hinted at in December by one of its original designers, Colin McComb, and given a blessing by Chris Avellone, who unfortunately is not involved this time.

You can read the full interview through here.