City of Heroes Interview

The Examiner has posted an interview in two parts with City of Heroes lead designer Melissa Bianco, with general questions on the title’s positioning before moving to specific questions on mechanics. From part one.

PCGE: Action-oriented MMORPGs such as DC Universe Online and forthcoming juggernauts Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic are leading the way toward a new generation of MMORPGs. Turn-based combat seems to be slowly on its way out and faster, action-RPG style combat is in. Story telling has also advanced considerably beyond the read-a-dialog-box-click-accept model. How does City of Heroes plan to evolve or keep up?

MB: We pay attention to what other games are doing insomuch as we look at the value of the technology and how it fits into our game. We are not our competitors; the reason we’ve been so successful over the years is that we’re not trying to be another game. We’re City of Heroes.

While other games try to emulate that (magic formula) to be the big WoW-Killer, we incorporate systems that fit our game, our genre, our style. To do otherwise would be a watered down experience for our players and a disservice to the game and the IP. Having said that, there are all sorts of ways to tell stories and we’re constantly looking at new and exciting avenues to explore how to best tell them.

From part two.

PCGE: Your Alpha Slot and Incarnate System add more ways for players to advance their high-level characters. Interestingly, City of Heroes has never increased the level cap in the game throughout its long history of updates. Why did you choose to introduce the Alpha Slot/Incarnate System instead of just increasing the level cap for the game?

MB: City of Heroes dances to the tune of a different drummer. Yes, we can just add a new level cap and players hit it (for some people, it’s a day) and then they’ve hit the ceiling. But with the Incarnate System it’s more than just a level cap, it’s an entire basis of your character’s abilities and provides an incredibly challenging experience that feels more rewarding than just attaining another level. Yes, they become more awesome, but it has much more meaning. The incarnate system also allows us to explore the whole story behind the Well of Furies and how your character ties into it, which is something we can’t wait to share with more people.

PCGE: What can you tell us or tease (without having to kill us) about future City of Heroes updates? What ‘˜s on the horizon?

MB: We’ll be expanding on the world of Praetoria and we’re hard at work on the Incarnate System, which will be an ever-expanding system. We have some amazing content coming that players have been begging for and there are always the long-term goals we’re working on.