During PAX Australia I had the chance to sit down with John Mamais, Head of the Krakow Studio at CD Projekt Red. Mamais was in Australia to promote the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, showing gameplay to Aussie fans for the first time in the country and presenting the game on stage in three panel demonstrations.
Sitting down with Mamais, we discussed all things Cyberpunk 2077, at least those he was able to talk about, and I managed to get some information about the crafting system in the game.
While the Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account responded to a fan request about crafting, the answer was somewhat vague. It confirmed crafting would be in the game, it didn’t reveal to what depth it went or how the system would work.
Mamais cleared it up for me.
Cyberpunk 2077 Crafting
Like the previously revealed information, Mamais confirmed that players will be able to craft weapons, armour, ammo, cybernetic upgrades and more. He also confirmed that the system would function similarly to the one in The Witcher 3.
You find a recipe and you need to get to get the components, buy them or find them. Then if, if you’ve developed your crafting skill you can craft those things.
Or you can find someone to help you craft them.
When it comes to ammo types, Mamais mentioned there are multiples and specifically spoke about Smart and Powered ammunition.
Smart ammo is able to track a target and curve around, above or under cover. Powered ammo is different in that instead of avoiding cover, it ploughs right through it. Players will be able to craft both of these ammo types, and more when Cyberpunk 2077 is released.
Crafting cybernetic upgrades will also be beneficial for players, especially as, Mamais told me you’ll be able to change every part of your body.
“You can change every part of your body effectively. And they all have different impacts on stats,” he explained. “Arms, legs, respiratory system, skin systems etc. There’s tonnes of these systems.”
In The Witcher 3, crafting was deep and complex, but often it could become a bit tedious to find the ingredients and craft them. Mamais wouldn’t elaborate on if this would be streamlined in Cyberpunk 2077. He did note that to effectively craft, players would need the right components, a recipe and perks that enable crafting.
Thankfully, if you’ve not invested in the right build, you should be able to respec your character. I asked Mamais about it and he said, “Yeah. I think there’s, there’s a way, but don’t quote me on that.” He explained that he was certain the feature would be included but he wasn’t 100% sure how it would be implemented.
Crafting is always a huge part of any RPG, especially one such as this, involving body modifications and future-tech. It’s nice to know that CD Projekt Red is taking what it created in The Witcher 3 and improving on it and expanding it.
Cyberpunk 2077 launches for PC, PS4 and Xbox One on April 16, 2020.
