Apex Legends Season 19: A Conversation with Respawn on Conduit, Storm Point Rework, and Promo Trials

Our website recently had the chance to interview the writers and designers at Respawn Entertainment regarding the development of Conduit and other significant updates for Apex Legends. The following transcript has been edited to enhance clarity and conciseness.

Q: I am always fascinated by Respawn's iterative development process for each legend. Can you share with me the evolution of character design and story for Conduit during its development?

Christal Rose Hazelton, Conduit Writer: Throughout Conduit's development, there were significant changes. I presented multiple pitches based on her abilities, each with distinct differences. The closest resemblance to the current version of Conduit was an older and more experienced character burdened with responsibilities, much like her sister Diwa. However, the team desired a more positive, light-hearted, and humorous approach. So, I tentatively proposed another idea I had been contemplating, which centered around a superfan of the Apex Games. Fans possess an infectious energy, excitement, deep knowledge, and unwavering love for what they admire. Being in the presence of such a person, whether playing alongside them or simply being around them, truly uplifts one's spirits.

Q: What inspired the use of a Titan Battery in her design?

Hazelton: The idea to incorporate a Titan Battery into her design came from the inspiration behind her kit, which has always been the Monarch Titan. When I was writing Conduit's backstory, I wanted to maintain that connection. We discussed the concept of Conduit embodying the "heart" of the team and having an energetic presence, like "a living battery." Considering the Radiant Transfer shield recharge ability, it made sense to take this idea more literally. The specific visual depiction of this concept went through numerous discussions, and Rachel Downing from the concept team created multiple designs featuring a battery and various exosuits/combat rigs.

Chris Winder, Conduit Lead Gameplay Engineer, explained that the kit drew strong inspiration from the Monarch Titan in Titanfall 2 during the early stages of development. In light of this, the team sought ways to integrate elements of the Titan into her suit and the way she utilizes her abilities. This concept is manifested through the halo-shaped "arms" present in her tactical and ultimate abilities, as well as the exo suit legs that facilitate her passive. However, at the core of it all is the Titan battery, which serves as her internal power source.

Q: How has her kit changed since the initial concept? Were any abilities cut or altered?

Winder: Initially, Conduit's kit involved permanently healing a teammate's shields at the cost of her own. Additionally, she had a passive ability similar to Wattson, allowing for faster shield regeneration.

The cohesion and alignment with her self-sacrificing and supportive personality was evident, but it posed certain difficulties in gameplay. Initially, it altered the approach and mindset of a team in utilizing shield resources. Engaging in poke fights against a conduit team proved to be frustrating since they could effortlessly restore the shield damage. Additionally, players were frequently deterred from using the tactical ability as it required sacrificing some of Conduit's shields. Lastly, Conduit struggled to keep up with swift teammates. There are also a few other features of Conduit's kit that were experimented with and discarded, which may potentially resurface in future seasons.

Q: How effective is the combination of Conduit and Lifeline in a squad during internal testing? Is it possible for them to have an excessive amount of survivability? Is the team looking to address any concerns regarding this combo?

Winder: The combination of Conduit and Lifeline works effectively together. Conduit specializes in shields and providing active support during combat, while Lifeline focuses on reviving teammates and restoring their health after battles. When combined with a Newcastle, they form the ultimate support squad. Currently, we are not overly concerned about them being excessively resilient as they lack certain elements that other Legends offer.

Conduit can form a powerful synergy with fast-moving Legends like Pathfinder or Octane, thanks to her passive ability. These Legends can effectively "pull" Conduit along, enabling them to traverse the map swiftly and seamlessly.

The most challenging aspect of Conduit to find a balance for was the adjustment of her tactical ability. Determining the frequency, speed of shield regeneration, duration, and other factors proved to be particularly difficult. If we pushed too far in one direction, it resulted in a Conduit team that seemed invincible. However, if we didn't go far enough, it wasn't evident that Conduit was actually providing assistance.

Q: How does Conduit's family approach differ from other characters like Newcastle, Octane, Ballistic, etc.?

Hazelton: Unlike other characters, Conduit's approach is unique as she has a strong and positive bond with her family, with their unwavering support. However, her conflicts with them arise from her willingness to prioritize the family's needs over her own health and well-being, even though they have made similar sacrifices in the past. It is important to note that her methods differ from those of her family members.

Q: The Apex Legends cookbook recently released, but it unfortunately does not include any recipes inspired by Conduit. What types of food or recipes do you think she would have included if given the chance?

Hazelton: It would have been great if she had been included! However, during the early stages of Conduit's development, things were still being decided. It's possible that some of the foods shown in her SFTO trailer would have made it into the cookbook! For savory dishes, options could include pork sinigang, lumpia shanghai, pancit canton, lechon, or the always popular chicken adobo. As for desserts, turon (banana lumpia with caramel sauce) or halo-halo might have been interesting choices.

Q: What were the driving motivators behind Storm Point’s reworks and new focuses? With these changes, does Storm Point still remain one of the biggest maps in Apex Legends?

Eduardo Agostini, World Director: Our primary objective is to maintain the map's original vision of being a large, competitive map with a PvE focus. However, we recognized certain areas that were causing distractions in the overall experience. To enhance the action and pace, we removed some PvE encounters, decreased the map's size, and brought Points of Interest closer to the center. These changes have created a more engaging mid-match experience that caters to both casual and competitive players. With approximately 40% of the map being affected, along with a new skybox and adjusted lighting, the season's overall changes will be felt no matter where you are. While Storm Point remains our largest map, we believe these updates will result in a more positive player experience.

Q: What impact does Respawn anticipate Promo Trials will have on cheaters, smurfs, and similar issues?

Aaron Rutledge, Director of Experience Design, believes that the implementation of Promo Trials will serve as a true test of skill for individuals who are attempting to advance in a dishonest manner through boosting or playing too cautiously. The issues of cheating and smurfing require separate attention, and our team is consistently striving to make progress in addressing those concerns. Ultimately, I highly doubt that Promo Trials will provide any additional advantage or incentive for these types of individuals.

In conclusion, to wrap things up, what are the main things that everyone is most excited about for Ignite?

Hazelton: The aspect I enjoy the most is hearing Conduit's line interactions with other Legends, particularly the rainbow Storm Point.

Winder: Personally, I am excited to witness the players' enjoyment of Conduit as I believe she is a captivating choice for squads to incorporate a support role into their compositions.

Agostini is excited to receive feedback on the new Storm Point. It is considered one of the most ambitious map updates, and the design and art team have put in a significant amount of effort, particularly in creating the new skybox and Wattson's Pylon.

Apex Legends is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Season 19 kicks off on Tuesday, October 31.