Massively: As an introduction for new players, what's the philosophy behind the New Conglomerate?
Matt Higby: The New Conglomerate are an insurgent guerrilla force fighting against pretty stacked odds: an enormous military machine in the TR on one side and the vast technological superiority of the VS on the other. This forces the New Conglomerate to be adaptive, use creative tactics and take advantage of every possible opportunity they can to accomplish their goals. Their weapons run the gamut from conventional to experimental, and they're not willing to say no to anything that might give them an edge.
Has the NC changed from what we've seen in the original PlanetSide?
From a story perspective, the NC are probably the faction that's remained the most unchanged, although we're fleshing a lot of their motivations out in our weekly backstory releases. NC gameplay still revolves around quick strikes, burst damage and durability.
What type of player do you imagine being attracted to the NC as a faction?
Shooter players who really excel at fast twitch based gameplay will get a lot out of their bursty weapons. But anyone who wants a little bit more rough-and-tumble vibe to his gameplay will love the NC; their position as the "rebel/freedom fighter" is a lot of fun.
Do you see enough of a distinction among all factions to keep a balance of player-types? Or is this a concern?
Within each faction there are roles for any kind of shooter player, so it comes down to a stylistic difference at the end of the day -- which weapons do you like the feel of the most.
Do the NC have any unique tech available to them? Unique skills?
Each of the faction has a full range of completely unique weapons with their own feel and two unique vehicles. For the NC, the vehicles are the Vanguard medium tank, the most beastly of the tanks in the game, and the Reaver, a heavily armed and armored fighter jet, which makes up for its lack of mobility with sheer firepower.
Are there any cross-faction chat restrictions?
We're still working out details on that. We'd like to allow smacktalk.
Is character customization different for each faction? Will the NC have options specific to them?
Each faction will have piles of exclusive customization options to earn and unlock in the game for its armor, vehicles and weapons.
Thank you for talking with us!
