Risen Preview

TeamXbox has together a two-page preview of Risen based on a demonstration of the RPG given by Deep Silver's Guido Eickmeyer during GDC.
Additionally, the game will change as you play and not only because there are two factions you need to choose between at the start: the government-based cleric, with a focus on magic- and staff-based skills; or the outlaw warrior, who specializes in melee battles.The decisions you make throughout will cause minor changes to the story and surroundings, as well as triggering from a number of different endings. For example, you can do such a good job at killing wolves in the world that the population dwindles. The cause-and-effect of that is that fewer humans will be eaten by wolves, meaning that you'll have a bigger human population in the game world as a result.

Wolves also provided an example of another game-design decision, which is AI that is reactive to its surroundings. On the basic level, you'll see characters reacting to the weather, so if it's raining, they'll seek a dry shelter. For a more complex demonstration, Eickmeyer showed that you can walk in the vicinity of a wolf (or maybe he'll be wandering through a thicket of trees) and he'll spot you, which will immediately have him turning his attention to you as a his next meal. However, if the wolf is already munching on a carcass, you might be able to walk close by him without him noticing you and possibly not even looking up from his prey.