Gray Wolf is a clone, that's different. what helped you make that decision?
Gray Wolf has been a hero I’ve been developing the better part of six to seven years now, and she’s constantly evolving. Making her a clone of her mother was an unexpected turn in her development, but ultimately I’m happy with that decision. I felt as though she was becoming rather bland. When you broke her down to her base, she was another vigilante with a chip on her shoulder, specifically seeking vengeance against a secret military organization (Tartarus) that had killed her mother and kidnapped her father.
She needed more flavor, so bringing her own identity into question was a fun turn of events and made her drive against Tartarus that much more passionate and personal. It also resulted in the creation of her primary nemeses, Project: Legion, which allowed me to use the other clones as phantom aspects of herself that she despised.
What's your previous Superhero MMO experience?
I had played both City of Heroes and Villains for five years and played Champions Online for three months.
What's your favorite DC Comic?
I’ll be honest; I’ve never been a big fan of DC and am only sparsely familiar with their lore, which I hope DCUO will provide a little bit of a learning experience.
Is DCUO the realization of a long-time dream for many hardcore fans of Comics and RPGs?
I honestly hope it is. If DCUO is able to break the combat mold used by the majority of other MMO’s (auto-attacks and button-cycling) and get player’s involved with combat, it would provide a much more enjoyable experience.
If they’re wanting to satiate the Comic fans, then they’ll need to make us feel as though we are actually part of the universe and that we’re writing our own comic series with the missions we run and the choices we make.
Satisfying RPG fans can be a bit tricky, since it depends on how you define role-playing. Some RPG fans are satisfied with merely being able to integrate themselves in the world with both the NPCs and other players, but I know of fans who want to feel as though their actions have a more tangible effect on the world.
Is DCUO going to satisfy them? I hope, but that’s most I can do.
What made you join The PeaceKeepers?
…Myself? Alright, but seriously. I joined the Peacekeepers just as I was leaving City of Heroes. I felt as though I was stuck doing the same things I’ve been doing for the past several years and I wanted something new and refreshing. Something that would help evolve the Gray Wolf even more. Then one day Thor’s Assassin was posting a link to his Peacekeeper wiki on the CoX forums and I was immediately intrigued. Here was a team of individuals who were so invested in their characters that they were wanting to develop them outside of any game medium; DCUO didn’t even have a release date yet. Better yet, they were recruiting.
I saw the Peacekeepers as a perfect opportunity to bring the Gray Wolf into a productive environment where I could not only focus on developing her character, but also find a way to share her concept with other characters and see how well she’d be able to integrate into a group mindset.
The Gray Wolf’s days of running alone were over, she needed a pack.
Are you a PC or PS3 player? What are some of the differences between each?
I was originally going to be a PS3 player, but I recently switched over to the PC side due to personal connection issues. The key factor between the two platforms is controllers, since both my systems should be able to handle DCUO perfectly.
I prefer the PS3 controller because it easier to use and is reduced to a set number of buttons. Everything you need is within the reach of your thumbs or index fingers. The main downside is that you lack the capacity to hotkey buttons to customize your own style of play. Though I’ll be stuck using the keyboard and mouse, at least it makes chatting without a headset incredibly easier. The main downside is that you really need to have an intuitive grasp of the space of your keyboard or you could find yourself focusing more on what button you need to push than what is happening on your screen. The more functionality that DCUO gives to the mouse, the better.
The PeaceKeepers set such a high bar when it comes to your website and other elements of presentation, where was this passion/attention to detail born?
Think of anything you’ve felt so invested in that you were prepared to see it through to the end and squeeze it for everything it is worth. This could be an expansive video game that you want to reach 100% completion with; it could be a community blog that has attracted an incredible fan base and their attention drives you to keep them entertained; heck, it could be the next door hottie that just moved in and if you shape up your body, bake a golden tan, and practice that perfect smile…you might just have a chance.
That kind of drive and passion is what the Peacekeepers use. We enjoy our characters so much and have invested so much personal creativity that it has reached a point where it just feeds itself. Not only that, we feed off of each other as a family, and we feed off of the community as peers. We want to do so well, because we have that passion growing inside. We want to share it with everyone. It not so much a matter of pride, but a matter of satisfaction.
What interview on our blog was your favorite?
I’m always a fan of your in-character blogs, whether it was from High Score, or Black Falcon, or Shammy, but I definitely enjoyed Blitzfreeze’s OOC interview. It provided some interesting insight from the other side of the fence.
How were you introduced to DCUO? What were your initial thoughts?
I was first introduced to DCUO when I joined the Peacekeepers. I hadn’t really been looking for other superhero MMO’s since my general disappointment with Champions.
My initial thoughts were, admittedly, a bit low, but that was just my personal bias against the black and white nature of many of DC’s heroes. However, the game has since grown on me because the promises from the developers’ intrigue me and I hope they are able to follow through with them.
What other superhero MMOs are you a veteran of?
City of Heroes had me for about five years. I loved the expansiveness of the world that they created, the lore that was developed, and the number of story arcs that could be played through. Champions Online had me for about 3 months. While I really wish it could have succeeded, the biggest thing that turned me away was the lack of soloability. Unless you constructed the uber-build for your hero, you hit a wall about level 26 that you couldn’t break without a team.
What suggestion on our blog do you like most?
One thing I wish could have worked out with Champions Online was their Nemesis system. The suggestion of having a player nemesis seems incredibly appealing, and I’d definitely play on the PvP side to get on some mutual Versus action.
If you could take down one DCUO NPC Villain, who would it be?
Eh, heh. Does it HAVE to be a villain? Could I take on Superman and say it was an accident? I honestly don’t have a preference for an NPC villain, but if I could have a chance to wipe the floor with that boyscout…I’ll take it.
Which player-controlled evildoer would you put behind bars?
…Hmmm, should I really publicly admit to which players I’m gunning for in-game? Well, if I see any power rangers, I’d love to take a shot at them.
What are the three things DCUO can implement to keep you as a long-time player?
1) Soloability: While teamplay is definitely fun and rewarding, I want to know that my gameplay isn’t dependent on teaming with others just in case I find myself alone at night or in the early morning.
2) Combat: DCUO is breaking new territory with their combat system. If they keep on the right track, I will never be bored by clicking buttons and waiting for the recharge.
3) Replay Value: I want to know that I can play through the game several times and rarely need to repeat the same content I just played through…at least not for the second character.
In the same vein, what three things can guarantee you won't be around long?
1) Challenge Me!: It’s tough to balance soloability while keeping the game challenging. I want to fight for my success through persistence and tactics. I want to taste the sour bitterness of defeat sometimes, because it makes the thrill of victory that much better.
2) Character Creation: City of Heroes has been around for almost 7 years and they still have the best character creation system to date, in my opinion. DCUO will need to take them up on that challenge, because the creator is the first thing people see when they play and the first thing they will base their opinions on. I just want to feel unique.
3) Peerless: I don’t want to feel like I’m some subordinate to someone else (such as an NPC) when I play. I want to feel as though I’m the winner in the end; I was the hero that saved the day…rather than I was the hero sent to clean the mess.
There are a number of notable female heroes created by men, why?
This is an extremely broad question, but in the end it all depends on who you’re asking. I’ve seen plenty of men create female heroes because they find them attractive. I’ve seen others use them as masks to play roles they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. I’ve seen others do it for the control. And then there’s my reason:
I created the Gray Wolf as a female originally without too much thought into why. Perhaps I’ve always found the strong female personality appealing, but at the time of her creation (pre-CoX) she could have easily been a man. The Gray Wolf was a Russian bounty hunter whose mission was to fight violent Chechnyan rebellion while aiding peaceful dissent. As more depth was added to her, I looked to (ironically, villains) Sniper Wolf and Xenia Onatopp for strong, passionate fighter personalities for inspiration until I started creating something original for Gray. Then Gray became a hero in CoX. The Gray Wolf being female was more of an afterthought, it just felt right at the time. But that’s just my reason…ask ten other guys and you’ll get ten different responses.
What unconfirmed new DCUO content would you like to see?
I’d like to see the full extent of their character creation system. I know the purpose of DCUO is actually the game, but as long as they provide an entertaining and challenging way to reach max level, then I’ll be happy with whatever content they provide. I know it’s unlikely, but I have a costume wish list I’d like to see for Gray.
Such as Killer Frost’s fur-trimmed gloves and boots in a DCUO screenshot, a fur cloak would be nice as well…so would a bladed-bow. In the end, give me an expansive character creator.
If there was one change you could make to DCUO in its current form, what would it be?
We have been given a good idea about what power sets are going to be available in game, if I could…I’d love to see more options, because eventually (despite what weapon you choose) you’re going to see a lot of similar heroes out there.
In your opinion, what is DCUO's greatest strength?
The promise of completely renovating the superhero MMO genre. It needs new blood. CoX is still pretty much the same game that it’s been for years and CO was a miserable flop, so it’s about time we find a new way to experience the genre we love.
What weakness hurts DCUO the most?
It has pre-defined source material. I know the DC aspect is what attracts many people to the game, but I wonder how much flexibility this will offer to explore new dimensions of the genre. Are we going to be confined by what is set by DC Comics, or as the game evolves, will the focus be put on us as individual heroes outside of the main DC cast? Will new NPC characters be introduced with fresh agendas completely outside of DC lore? Allowing us to face those kind of individuals would really help the players come into their own as heroes, instead of lackeys.
What are you on the lookout for in the Beta? How important is BETA Feedback?
Anything and everything really. The more we know about how the game is developed, the more we will know whether or not the game is right for us and our investment in time and money. BETA feedback is extremely important for those of us on the outside, in order to keep our attention. I just hope the developers are just as willing to hear the feedback, because the testers ARE their audience. The satisfaction of their audience will determine whether they can be more successful than CoX or flop like CO.
How would you do Secret IDs?
Secret IDs are more of a roleplay aspect for me, so implementing it would be as simple as changing the costume you’re wearing to civilian attire. But there has been talk of using Secret IDs as a PvP deterrent. I suppose that would be a creative way to hide from unfriendly eyes by turning on a Secret ID power. Again, it’s more of a roleplay aspect which can be fudged.
Gray Wolf has evolved from Anti-Hero to more traditional hero, is the Vigilante Class a must-have in DCUO?
I wouldn’t say the vigilante class is a requirement. I just hope their writing staff leaves enough room in the story arcs for vigilantes to imagine their own motives behind their actions, and feed a sense of independence. A vigilante is still a kind of hero, so it’s not like you’d see them working next to villains, unless you’re working to bring them down from the inside.
Sidekicks? Yay or Nay?
Nay. I don’t need some amateur pip-squeak following me around and getting hurt. About the sidekick system (ala CoX), I’ve always been leery about it. While it offers friends of varying levels to play together, I hate how it can be used to farm experience. The way you play is up to you, but I just dislike running into high-level characters that don’t know how to play their build…or even the game.
What about super-vehicles and Lairs/Bases?
I’d love to see Gray riding her motorcycle in the streets…unfortunately, I just don’t see vehicles being practical enough to implement in game. Superspeed will always be king on the streets and they can even run up buildings; flight offers the quickest route: a straight line. Now about Bases? Definitely! If they could offer a housing system similar to what was implemented in EQ2, then I’d be incredibly satisfied.
PVP or PVE server, and why?
PVE. Though I enjoy PvP and will definitely create a secondary character for it, it will not be my focus. Sometimes I like to just play the game without needing to watch my back. Also, as a whole the Peacekeepers wouldn’t want to force any of our current or future members into an environment they may want to avoid entirely.
Aren't Invisibility and Teleporting Iconic Hero Powers?
Perhaps, though in the case of Gray, both of them are wholly self-serving, she couldn’t use them for other people’s benefit unless she gave them the device. I know I won’t be able to create the Gray Wolf as she is now in DCUO, but the DCUO version of her will always be viewed as the watered-down character. Invis/TP was a concept developed from CoX that I found worked quite well with her.
What new things would you like to see in Character Customization?
…Hmmm, an ‘independent’ mentor? What if I don’t want to have Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman as my mentor? Give me that and I’d be happy.
What's the biggest benefit of an In-Game Economy?
A solid in-game economy will allow players to eventually access whatever they need based on whether they have the cash to purchase it. I always have a sour opinion of those who would either a) use real money to purchase equipment or; b) try to cheat their way around the work to get some of the better goods. Either work hard to earn your stuff, find a friend who is willing to share with you, or play the market, supply and demand can make you rich if you know how to use it.
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