DC Universe Online Preview and Interview

Some more online coverage of DC Universe Online is available, starting with an SOE Fan Faire-based preview from the editors at Ten Ton Hammer:

When creating a character, you select your power type, and your stances will define your roll. All characters do DPS, so that roll is not unique. How could you be a superhero without being able to do damage, after all? Fire and Ice powers are tanks, gadgets and mental powers are crowd controllers, and nature and sorcery powers are used for healing. If you need to switch your roll while in the middle of a battle a simple keystroke to change your stance will take care of it for you.

Every power type has two trees. For example Fire has the immolation and combustion trees from which you can select your abilities. All characters will also have access to a 13th tree, known as the Iconic Super Powers tree where you can learn abilities from famous super heroes. (For more information about the Iconic tree, check out our preview here).

Combat in DCUO is like attaching jumper cables to your nipples. It’s charged with fast action and intuitive controls. You feel in command immediately from your first intuitive combo to your plotted finishing strike. Since the game uses the Havok engine you can pick up objects around you and toss them at your enemies. But that’s not all. Remember that ability I mentioned earlier? You know, the one where you could envelop your enemy in an energy ball. Once you’ve done that, pick him up and chuck him around. Go bowling for baddies. There’s no part of that that isn’t fun.

Got that? Jumper cables and nipples. Moving on, Ripten shares an interview they conducted with art director Mike Daubert at the San Diego Comic-Con:

AE: I actually got my first start with MMO’s with EverQuest and loved it. How is the load time for zoning going to be?

MD: Hopefully, seamless. We really are trying to get in on them.I mean the PS3 is strong enough and powerful enough that we don’t want to you sitting there having a load screen for ten minutes or having to jump on a boat and having to float somewhere to go to another zone. We really want you guys in on the action (he says as he snaps his fingers) and making it as fast as possible.

MMO players are always, hamburger in one hand, a Mountain Dew in the other and you’re like ‘˜autorun, autorun’, you know? That’s not this. This is really a faster paced, action we’re always saying that within five minutes of the game, you’re in action, you’re in combat. That’s what makes a hero. A hero doesn’t go over, you know and collect a pie or pick daisies. A hero wants to get in there, a villain wants to feel villainous and that’s what we’re trying to really deliver to the fans.

Yessir, I don’t even log in to an MMORPG unless I have a hamburger, a Mountain Dew, and nipple electricity.