Fate/EXTRA Record is full of elements absent in the original, such as the renewed deck builder gameplay and Servant Time to interact with Servants. Tell us what were the points you felt the need to modernize and the points you felt important to preserve from the original when engaging in such a thorough remake.
Aniplex Inc. Staff: To let older Fate/EXTRA players feel the fidelity of the remake, we followed the original's plot closely and made no updates to the more iconic lines.
On top of that, the development team was intent on providing a better and more substantial experience for JRPG fans. The gameplay has been rebuilt from scratch, as you'll see in the deck builder system and arena minigames.
The identity of Fate/EXTRA, in my impression, was the process of exploring the dungeons and gathering information to slowly learn the opponent's identity and how to fight them. In what ways did Fate/EXTRA Record polish the original's exploration and info gathering? Also, the original Fate/EXTRA gave you combat advantages for gaining intel on your enemy. Does Record still do that?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: The original's experience of gathering intel by talking to the enemy pairs and NPCs, seeing their fighting style, and reading research about them is generally preserved. That said, the intel gathering sections has new gimmicks to make them more intuitive.
The video demonstrations on the stage explained what Saber and Archer can do, but what about Caster? I'd appreciate any info you can share on her abilities.
Aniplex Inc. Staff: The most unique thing about Caster are her Talisman cards, which work as time bombs. A clever combination of cards can result in extremely high delayed damage. Other than that, she also rich in trickster abilities, with several options to generate advantage through debuffs.
Could you repeat the explanation of Saber's and Archer's abilities?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: Saber's appeal is in charging and merging rose cards to raise her firepower through the roof, and Archer is made to work with multiple different strategies, like extending chains to slowly build up big damage or using Hunter's Mark (debuff that amplifies the damage an enemy takes) and projected Noble Phantasm for a one-hit kill.
In the demo, I couldn't use items outside of battle. Will it still work like that in the commercial version?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: We're not letting players open the menu in the demo, but in the commercial version, you can use items and swap Mystic Codes/Codecasts in the middle of the arena.
As far as I know, being able to see the enemy's damage numbers is the standard for deck builders. Tells us why you chose not to make them not visible.
Aniplex Inc. Staff: The developers said that Record keeps damage calculations undisclosed because having visible estimations would turn it into an arithmetic game, causing an irreparable loss of accessibility. Being an RPG is the point of greater importance.
What are you trying to accomplish with all these major updates to the combat mechanics? Tells us how you arrived at the current card-based format.
Aniplex Inc. Staff: The developers answered: "The starting intention of the remake was to add more substance to the original's gameplay. We examined many highly strategic battle styles and chose deck building for our mechanic."
How much does deck customization change the range of each Servant's combat? For example, is it possible to have a Caster specialized in blunt force or a Saber with as much draw power as the average Archer?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: Most cards in a deck are unique to a Servant. Therefore, your strategies will depend on which card you can obtain. The developers mentioned struggling with how to balance that front, as too many options would overcomplicate it.
The world of Fate/ has expanded considerably since Fate/EXTRA's release on the PSP. With Fate/EXTRA Record releasing as its latest title, will there be any cameos and elements imported from other titles, aside from those already revealed?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: Sorry, I cannot answer about any that hasn't been revealed yet. As for what was already revealed, Lewis replaces the Aozaki sisters from the original.
Is possible for further Fate/EXTRA sequels and/or spin-off to come out depending on how well Record does?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: Aniplex will entertain the possibility now that the game is our responsibility, but there are no plans at the moment.
Would we be correct to believe that the developers, Meteorise, had been in contact with Studio BB from the beginning, working on the game's development throughout the entire process?
Aniplex Inc. Staff: Many revisions to the development structure had already been tested out during the search for collaborators. Meteorise was chosen among the options experimented with.
