User Interview: The Others' Hornet

Recently we had a chance to interview the man behind "The Hornet" of the anti-hero group The Others. As a veteran MMO player, he had some pretty interesting views on the current state of MMOs, what makes DCUO unique and what things DCUO can do to avoid the pitfalls of other superhero-themed MMOs.



How long have you been crafting the character, The Hornet?
I initiated The Hornet's creation in May 2004, when City of Heroes emerged, though he didn't begin to take on his current form until 2006, when I decided I wanted to play him darker and more "street level".

We consider what groups like you and The PeaceKeepers gives the DCUO community a high (but good) standard, what's the motivation for the high level of detail on your website and characters?
OCD, likely... though I like to think it has to do with a love for the theme and characters, and a desire to serve those characters. The act of creation is it's own reward, or what have you. Right? I think it all makes the experience more immersive and fun to play.

What's your previous Superhero MMO experience?
Six years of City of Heroes in which I started two big and decently popular guilds, The Cerulean Legion (inspired by The Green Lantern Corps and the Nova Corps) and S.C.O.R.P.I.O. (inspired by S.H.I.E.L.D., Wildstorm's StormWatch: Team Achilles and the novel, Rainbow Six), two smaller and less-known private guilds called StormForce (inspired by groups like The WildCATS and The Outsiders) and Operatives, Inc. (villains for hire). Many, many alts over the years. Lots of RP with a lot of great people.
I then played about ten hours of Champions Online.

What superheroes inspired Hornet?
He was inspired by The Green Hornet, Kato, The Phantom, Iron Fist and The Question.

The Others are quite simply, THE STANDARD for vigilante groups, how does the lack of a vigilante class make you feel?
Not sure what you mean... If you mean as far a game mechanics go, it has no effect. Playing these sorts of characters is mainly a function of RP, and whatever comes up in-game that doesn't quite jibe with that theme is an opportunity to figure out an interesting RP solution, which further enmeshes the character into the game world.
If you mean as far as how many vigilante groups there are... I don't mind The Others being one of very very few. Makes us unique as heroes, as we should be. For heroes, the norm should be groups like The Peacekeepers or Vanguardians, I think. People should always aspire to do the right thing, and be paragons of justice and righteousness.

What made you pick the anti-hero?
They just appeal to me on some level. Their comparative lack of moral restrictions in dealing with "evil", perhaps. The whole "gritty" aesthetic. It's fun to play a character who is on some level so free, yet has these darker tendencies they must fight within themselves as to not "cross the line".
It is simply one good type of character to play. I'm also a member of The Peacekeepers and playing a more heroic type named "Cyphon".

Would The Hornet take the life of one of his enemies?
Depends. He has no stomach for such things, though if it were the only solution he would do it without hesitation. He has no problem brutally beating most bad guys to a bloody pulp though.

Are you a PC or PS3 player? What are some of the differences between each?
I'm playing on the PC, and at this time there are very few differences save for the sorts of players you typically find on each... as far as I understand. I've never really been into consoles since I got into computers, many years ago.

Who did your website?
I did, with template help from GuildPortal. I loves my graphics. I use Photoshop every single day.

Give me some of your impressions after watching the IGN Live Demo of DCUO?
The game feels pretty unfinished to me, and lacking in both character costume creation and powers. There were some bugs during the demo as well. It obviously wasn't ever going to be ready for November 2nd. Glad they delayed it, in the sense that had they released it as is it would have failed big time... imo.
Still, I liked a lot of what I saw and can't wait to get my hands on it. Exciting combat, gorgeous environs. Cool NPCs. Gotham City was just stunning.

How were you introduced to DCUO?
I don't recall, though I knew I'd play when I heard that Jim Lee was involved. Big fan. I also really, really wanted to play as a Green Lantern. Still hoping that this will come to pass via expansions.

MMOs are more than just combat, what non-combat elements would you like to see added?
Lots of emotes, bases, storylines. I'd love to do some detective work as part of the game. Perhaps more mini-games, like they have with the racing.

Let's say DCUO introduced Guild Wars/Matches (where teams of "supers" could organize and battle each other) in the coming months? would it be a Good or Bad thing?
It would be a grand thing! One thing you see time and time again in superhero comics are battles between good guys, mainly due to some misunderstanding. Of course, in the comics neither side wins.

If you could take down one DCUO NPC Villain, who would it be?
Me personally or The Hornet? I suppose the answer is the same... The Joker. It's sort of ridiculous that he isn't dead already.

Which player-controlled evildoer would you put behind bars?
I'm actually not familiar with a lot of player-controlled baddies, but Wastewalker of the Warbringers is an excellent example of a being too dangerous to be at large.

What are the three things DCUO can implement to keep you as a long-time player?
Customization, story and variety of play.

In the same vein, what three things can guarantee you won't be around long?
The opposites of those things.

If you could have one dream game feature, what would it be?
Well, I'd love the opportunity to actually join the Corps and have my own Green Lantern character.

What other game elements are a MUST in DCUO?
Regularly scheduled and delivered game updates, including maps, costumes, stories/missions and powers.

What unconfirmed new DCUO content would you like to see?
That whole Green Lantern thing I was talking about before. The ability to become one, or possibly one of the many Corps.

If there was one change you could make to DCUO in its current form, what would it be?
I'd add height and weight sliders and many new costume options in the character creator.

In your opinion, what is DCUO's greatest strength?
Action combat or environment aesthetics. Some might say the IP, but I don't really care about that other than the fact that it's neat.

What weakness hurts DCUO the most?
Lack of options in character create and powersets. It hinders people's ability to create that character they have in their mind's eye.

What are you on the lookout for in the Beta? How important is BETA Feedback?
I'm on the lookout for fun, really. I want to see what's fun, what isn't, and report that along with bugs I find. I think it's important for the devs to have beta feedback. They can't think of everything, after all, and limited friends and family testing is just that... limited.

We recently suggested how much Spatial Chat adds to online gaming ( http://tinyurl.com/27qpep6 ) what's your opinion?
I don't know if I have ever encountered Spatial Chat in any game. It's interesting, certainly. I can see how it might add a great deal to the experience, should voice chat be your method of communication.

With you guys and other anti-heroes of questionable background and moral character like the Dark Enforcers around, is the Vigilante Class a must-have in DCUO?
Of course. I think every type of hero group really adds to a broader, fuller experience both in RP and combat. Life's no fun without a few scoundrels around.

Is a Danger Room/Training environment where we can match-up and practice against other heroes (or AI) a necessity?
I'm not sure if it's a necessity, but it would be one heck of a neat feature, and a lot of fun.

If you could choose an Arch-Rival in DCUO, who would it be?
The Hornet has one already. His name is "Recoil". I can't play them against one another, but I can do some written RP to that effect.

We recently printed a suggestion on a arch-rival system. ( http://tinyurl.com/36wqj3g ) what are your views?
I'd love it. Every hero and villain has their arch-nemesis. SOE wants to tailor the MMO to the IP, right? Well, there you go.

There's a big push for a more robust character creation system, what's the obsession with making characters "look" just right?
As I mentioned earlier, people want the ability to create that character they have in their mind's eye. CoH and Champions did this with varying degrees of success. People now expect it. DCUO should do it, and the "Superhero MMO" in general, better than what came before. All eyes are on SOE to take the online superhero experience to the next level.

PVP or PVE server, and why?
PVE. Hard to RP with people while in constant danger of being "ganked".

What villain team would you look forward to matching up with in a well-done Guild Wars system?
I don't really know of any villain teams other than The Warbringers. I can't think of any. I don't really pay attention to player villains at the moment.

Describe The Others in one word?
Resolute.

What Villain group is the biggest threat in DCUO?
Player-controlled...? The Warbringers... as far as I know.
NPC's...? The Sinestro Corps.

Should DCUO have a Sidekick feature where new players can use NPCs or more experienced players as Mentors?
It is a long-established part of the DCU...so.....

What elements would you add to a Secret Identity system?Housing/lairs and maybe a civilian identity slot. Maybe also some manner of system wherein you can walk around in your civilian id.