In the Champions universe there is an arena system where super-powered contenders come together to show off their combat prowess. Players can earn special PvP rewards, ratings, and titles by playing in different PvP scenarios. We plan to add even more types of PvP scenarios and rewards in our ongoing post-launch content!
And for players completely uninterested in PvP, will not participating be much of an issue for them?
The PvP system is completely optional; there'll be plenty of other activities for non-PvP people.
If player-villains do eventually become a key aspect of the game, is there a chance that we could play as our heroes' Nemesis?
It's definitely a possibility! We've been talking about that here at Cryptic for awhile; it's just a matter of getting the time and tech resources to pull it off properly.
A big part of conveying the Champions Online story to the player is our mission system. Originally it started with a number of simple mission-giver contacts but as more tech came online we expanded it to have more "discovery" style missions where players uncover stories for themselves by exploring the world, finding clues, etc. To support this we have developed an achievements system where players can uncover and read more about various large-scale plots within the Champions universe.
But we also believe the story of the players' characters is just as important! For example, our Nemesis system allows players to build an arch-enemy for their hero to fight, bringing more of the player's own creativity into the game. We also have a set of web-based tools to allow players to share information about their characters with friends online. As the game grows we want to try to provide more tools so players can tell more of their own stories within the larger Champions universe.
Strong audio design is an important aspect of any videogame, especially with MMOs where sounds and music play repeatedly. What can we expect to experience from the sound and music of Champions Online?
Cryptic has a talented audio team that is currently producing a number of original sound FX, musical scores, and voice-overs for the different areas, groups, and signature villains within the Champions Universe. We have developed an audio system that offers a degree of sonic variation and musical interactivity that has not been seen in MMO's to date, insuring that music and SFX will not be become repetitive and boring. Players will definitely want to play with their sound cranked up high!
What types of travel powers will players have access to in Champions Online and how will they function?
We'll be providing a number of classic super-powered travel powers including flight, super-speed, leaping, and teleportation as well as hybrids like acrobatics and cool variants like ice slide. Each of the powers function a bit differently but it comes down to a basic trade-off between your increased movement and your power building capabilities.
Champions Online allows players to form supergroups with a ranking system, team colors, logo, message system, and access to a supergroup vault. As the game progresses we'd like to expand this into a supergroup base and leveling system.
We haven't heard much concerning the achievements and perks systems, something that Cryptic was early to adopt. What's new or different with Champions Online's version of this addictive meta-game?
Champions Online has a LOT of achievements/perks related a various game activities – completing storylines, exploring new areas, defeating signature villains, PvP, etc. In addition to providing goals for players to achieve and tracking story progress we are providing an extensive rewards system. Players will have a lot of fun using the achievements/perks system to improve their character in different ways!
Thanks for you time, Randy, we're really looking forward to playing it for ourselves!
[Update] Cryptic sent along some further clarification on the question concerning audio in Champions Online.
