In the past few months, we’ve had the chance to explore some of the amazing work the Tech team has put into physically building Titan City. I wanted to add onto that and give everyone a glimpse into the way we built the concept for Titan City and its diverse areas through words. Some games let players down when it comes to the setting -- it’s partly my job to make sure that doesn’t happen to you guys!

For me, Titan City is one of the most important characters in the game. It’s the setting where your story will be told, yes, but it needs to be a dynamic, thriving place to foster that amazing story. It has to be a place where you want to be and a place full of mysteries, challenges, and areas of interest. We also needed Titan City to be a place that serves the needs of our community. We want this city to be your city and that has been in the back of my mind for years now!

There were several axes to consider when concepting the Districts. We needed to build areas for the community to use. We needed to build areas different enough so that each District was distinct. We needed places where villains could thrive. We needed spots of interest to anchor stories and lore. And we especially needed some places to have fun! It’s a lot!

Alexandria became one of the first areas we needed to build. Phoenix Plaza, and its adjoining areas, are going to be the first thing many players see when they enter our world. We wanted a place for the community and a crown jewel for our city in one; and, in my opinion, we succeeded. We needed a place for the community to gather, places where players could explore the history of the city, and unique locations that made Titan City unlike any other place. Our team has gone above and beyond to deliver.

Realism is an important quality to have in our digital city, especially for me. We have a set location along the northern coast of Massachusetts, which means we need to be a realistic northeastern city. Areas like Ironport and Liberty Harbor contain the industrial, fishing and shipping history of the region, while Clarkstown reflects the blue collar workers whose efforts make the city move. Titan City will have affluent areas, nice places to raise a family, and poverty-stricken streets.

Titan City will reflect the area’s past and the people who live there, just like a real city. Some of this past is more fantastical than you might see on today’s urban streets, but not so far from where we could. We can see the future (and the retro-future!) in the Northeastern Research District. We can see the city’s diversity in areas like Lotus Hills, a thriving community originally built by Chinese and Korean immigrants, and Highpoint, an artistic and musical hub full of graffiti and jazz clubs.

As a role-player (boo, hiss, etc!), I know how important areas where players can interact are and how diverse they can be if we try. Sprinkled throughout Titan City are different locations to foster interaction. We’ll have shady bars for villains, shiny rooftop gardens for heroes, and everything in between. There will be cemeteries, woods, hospitals (both bustling and abandoned), lighthouses, and cheesy fast-food chains. There will even be ugly buildings, because every city has some of those for residents to hate! And we simply wanted areas that could be fun! Victory Beach, our very own amusement area, recalls the time of great resort destinations on the Northeast coast.

I cannot wait for you all to explore the geography you’ve been hearing about for a while. It is going to be amazing!

See you all in our city,
Cy “Aquashock” Coughlin, Continuity Lead

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