Hogwarts Legacy - Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Hogwarts Legacy was highly anticipated and well-received upon release.
• The game's popularity faded quickly a week after its launch.
• Despite positive initial reception, it lacked long-term staying power.
• The lecture explores why this was the case, pinpointing a major mistake.

Key Points

The Castle

• The castle of Hogwarts was the centerpiece the game needed to get right.
• The castle was well-realized and highly detailed.
• Initial 10-15 hours within the castle were the game's peak.
• However, after early gameplay, the castle was underutilized.

Exploration Issues

• Huge map south of the castle was less interesting.
• Development time was wasted on uninteresting open-world areas.
• 40 hours of content seemed unnecessary and filler.
• More time should have been spent focusing on Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

Professors

• Professors: Well-designed and memorable (notable mentions: Sharp, Weasley, Ronen, Garlick).
• Issue: Overlooked after initial introduction, limited class interactions.

Main Story

• Plot: Chosen one narrative fighting a Goblin rebellion.
• Critique: Linear and predictable with no major twists.

Side Story - Sebastian and Ominus

• More engaging and memorable than the main story.
• Choices in their storyline felt consequential but had no impact outside that context.

Game Mechanics

Collectibles and Quests

• Merlin trials: 95 outside of the castle but repetitive and uninteresting.
• Hogwarts secrets: Only 3 in total, contrasted with numerous, less engaging Merlin trials.

Combat

• Combat system is fun but grows repetitive over time.
• Lacked variety in enemies despite rich options from the lore.

Development and Features

• Core features like House Points, companions, and reputation systems scrapped or reduced.
• Game focuses too much on quantity over meaningful content.

Reflection

• Positive Aspects: Solid foundation, well-realized castle, memorable characters.
• Critical Points: Overambitious scope, lack of focus, wasted potential.
• Future Potential: Sequel development opportunities with lessons learned.

Conclusion

• Hogwarts Legacy is a good start but has plenty of room for improvement.
• Hopes for better integration of Hogwarts and its lore in future iterations.
• Possible focus areas for improvement: Quidditch, more engaging quests, meaningful choices and consequences.