Jens Andersen: Well I'll be frank as well, we need to get this game in your hands so you can put that notion behind you. Other than the fact that we are a super hero genre we are completely different. And it isn't just the IP that sets us apart. We've built a game form the ground up focused on the power fantasy of being a super hero. This meant we were willing to make changes to the MMO mold that supported that direction. There is no auto attack, to hit rolls, etc. We didn't just skin an MMO and put capes on our characters. This is a completely new breed that includes action, physics and an epic scope to the world we are creating.
MMOsite: Where does the development for DC Universe Online Gold stand now? Can you reveal us some info on the dates for commercial launch?
Jens Andersen: We are really pleased and excited with how development on DCUO is coming along. We have not announced a release date yet.
MMOsite: What major challenges did you encounter while developing DC Universe Online? Any difficulties now?
Jens Andersen: There were several. First, as a steward of an amazingly popular IP we have to make sure we get it right. The choices we make on what stories to tell, where to tell them and who to tell them with are critical to our success. To that end we work very closely with several movers and shakers from the world of DC Comics like Jim Lee & Geoff Johns. Second, the physics portion of our game. We made a commitment to this feature as a key element in delivering the super hero fantasy. So we made sure to get all of our technical ducks in a row so we could deliver it on the city wide scale. Third, I would say the action combat. Trying to make all this stuff work in a server authenticated environment with all the considerations for potential lag due to connection speed was hard to tackle and still keep it feeling responsive. Not to mention we had to make sure we could maintain balance as the game progressed. It's easy to tackle the problem in a single player experience or in a short multiplayer session with less persistence. But our game has to live and breathe for months and years not minutes and hours. These were all tough challenges and the team handled them beautifully.
MMOsite: Come back to the game itself. Will there be any faction classification? And how will the combat look like in DC Universe Online?
