Character Breakdown: Ju-On

 

 Some time ago we had the opportunity to do a Character Breakdown Interview with the creator/player of Ju-on of The Cabal. Easily one of the most original and artistic character concepts we've seen in some time, Ju-On is one "cape" who'll test the Character Creation in DCUO to its limits. Read below for the entire Character Breakdown.

  

 Describe Ju-On.

Ju-On is a flawed character who is steeped in the traditions and arcane knowledge of the dark arts derived from the Nether. She resides in the grey world between good and evil, power and corruption. As an Elder of The Cabalists she strongly believes in fighting fire with fire and blood with blood. Ju-On’s sole purpose is to rid the world of evil, which she believes comes from the Nether.

How long have you been crafting your character?

Four months. Have some more down time accrued in the coming months and no beta key so I’ll put some more work into building up her and The Cable backstory.

How did you come up with the abilities for her?

They are derived from a game called Hellgate:London, but I’ll be introducing some DCUO specific abilities once I find out what they are.

What superhero characters influenced you to create yours?

Jean Grey. Totally Jean Grey. I really like the tension of her character traits and backstory, on one level she is a powerful mutant, on another level she has the potential to unleash a force so powerful it can destroy planets. There are two sides to Jean Grey and that is most apparent in Ju-On as well I hope. The ability to do great good but also the potential to lose control and become the destroyer of worlds. Great stuff!

I really like psionic powers. I still remember the very first time I was introduced to psionic power was back in the mid 1980’s with the pen and paper RPG called ‘Rift Wars’ which had a psionic class. I found it all very different to the standard D&D ‘magic’ powers and have been hooked ever since. Teleportation is my all time favorite psionic power.

So many hardcore fans of DCUO have gone to lengths of detailed character bios and of course GREAT artwork, why do you think so?

DCUO opens up the opportunity for all of us who are big fans of the superhero genre to have a crack at building our own heroes and villains through backstory and artwork. It is a wonderful opportunity to let our imaginations run riot and a perfect training ground for future artists and story tellers to start learning their trade. The game, for me, is an added bonus. To be able to enter the DC universe with my own creation is a real trill. 

Will the DCUO Character Creator allow you to complete your vision of Ju-On?

From initial impressions I don’t think so, not unless the creator will let me pierce bones into her skin, but I believe it is important not to get too fixated on the character creation process. In the end I’ll be very flexible and will hold judgement on character creation until I get the game and have a play around with the templates. We will see.

Should DCUO have a Bio Section where you can click on a character and see his backstory/origin?

For sure! I’m one of those RPG gamers who likes to read all of the lore within a game. It is a great option which encourages players to use their imagination and creates a bond with their character. I know that it will not be for everyone, but if they have it, I’ll be using it and reading other people’s creations. You never know, you could end up with a fully fledge DC character in a future comic book ^^ Just as long as it is copy righted to the owner of the back story then it will be a lot of fun.

What are her motivations?

Ju-On’s main motivation is to take revenge on the Nether for taking her mentor and turning him against her.

There are heroes, anti-heroes, vigilantes and villains which group does Ju-On fit in?

Anti-hero for now. Depending on how I flesh out the backstory it could change to hero to better fit into the DCUO lore.

Does your character have a history in any other MMOs?

Hellgate:London

Who would be your character's DCUO NPC Nemesis?

So many to choose from so little time. However, if Ju-On was to take on a Nether inspired nemesis it would have to be Parallax. That would be a very interesting confrontation.

Do you see any potential player-characters that might be an arch-enemy?

Sisyphus. Poor guy is going to be the most hunted player-character villain in DCUO. 

Tell us about her personality.

Those that have pierced the veil and touched the darkness and live to speak of it are forever changed. They see the other side of things, often looking at the fate of the world through the prism of the metaphor, the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow. Ju-On can never truly rest for she knows what lurks beneath the surface and will always study the Nether to draw power and in the end find its weakness and destroy it.

What are some of her fears?

To never have tried.

Some time ago we printed a suggestion for an Arch-Enemy/Nemesis ( http://tinyurl.com/36wqj3g ) option among players. Give us your opinion of it.

I liked the sound of it as long as it is balanced. It would add an extra dimension to the game and enable players a wider range of option in so far as the story goes, as it would provide us with more content then alerts and the main story line.

Should players be able to "switch sides" in DCUO?

Not really. That is what rolling new toons and character slots are for.

Lairs, Hidden Bases and super-vehicles, should we see those things in DCUO?

Lairs and hidden bases for sure. Super-vehicles not so much. I guess it would depend on how the vehicles are implemented into the game. 

Emblems and Insignias have been pretty hotly debated whats your view?

Not going to have one so I don’t really care. I think player created emblems may be problematic in turns of how it will work out within the game. I would prefer more in-game content over the ability to create my own emblem.

How would you do Secret Identities?

Haven’t put much thought into it. 

What are you on the lookout for in the Beta? How important is BETA Feedback?

No beta key unless some one wants to give me one for the PS3. I hope that the developers approach feedback with an open mind and use their judgement in analysing the feedback provided by the players. In the end the community consists of developers and players, it is not just the players. So there hopefully will be give and take on both sides in regards to how the game grows. Oh and KILL the bugs before release please!

We recently suggested how much Spatial Chat adds to the social aspect of online gaming ( http://tinyurl.com/27qpep6 ) what's your opinion?

Anything the brings gamers together, creates a rich and diverse community is a good thing.

With anti-heroes of questionable background and moral character like the Dark Enforcers around, is the Vigilante Class a must-have in DCUO?

I can see a place for a vigilante class in DCUO. Whether it is SOE sanctioned or purely player driven remains to be seen. How it fits into the developers vision of the game is unknown, but I think there is room for the class, even if its RP driven by players.

Is a Danger Room/Training environment where we can match-up and practice against other heroes/villains (or AI) a necessity?

Yes, I spent more time in the danger room in Marvel games than I did playing the main games. I thought that what was iconic PvP was going to be. I think they will have the a ‘danger-room’ in the main hero/villain halls in the game.

Why do you think user-fiction/short stories play such a huge role in games like this?

It provides a creative outlet for those of us who are inspired by designing artwork and story telling. I think it is about ownership of a character that a player has created. It offers a unique and individual experience to those players looking to go beyond the gameplay who want to flesh out their own ideas.

In your opinion does a PVP or PVE server offer more character development?

Hmm. While I would say PvE offers more character development. I think the DCUO PvP offers an interesting added bonus of being able to develop a character that fits in outside of DC developed characters. It provides a place for the various leagues and legions to play out their battles, and incorporate it into their own lore and history. I get the sense that PvP will allow us to look back and tell stories of epic battles between player created characters and guilds. So for DCUO I have to say PvP may have the edge on character development over PvE.

Can some players be designed too powerfully?

Of course. That is pretty much standard for any game. I will not be surprised the players will find OP builds which will get nerfed and other builds/skills which will be buffed. It would not be a MMO without the constant nerf/buff debate.

Should DCUO have a Sidekick feature where new players can use more experienced players as Mentors?

Hopefully that is what leagues and legions will be for. But yes that is a good idea.