IGN: OK. How does that threat level work? Is it one of those things where there are on-screen indicators or do I get calls from --
John Blakely: We're not going into specifics right now. We really want to focus on, really the only thing we want to focus on going into Comic-Con is the moment to moment combat. So, we're going to get into those things as we move forward. Really what's important to know is that this is not an MMO you would expect. It's not turn-based. Let's say you and I are in an entanglement. I'm going to stun you, now, normally you would stun and you would both be there like you're not doing anything. Well, our stun, if I have ice powers, I turn you into an ice block. Literally. And I can pick up that ice block and I can throw it -- with you in it -- throw it down the street and hit four or five other defenders or four or five other enemies, do damage to them. It's a fully-realized simulated-physics world and so it's a very visceral experience. It's much more like playing a shooter or one of your favorite action games on the console.
IGN: Is it a clear-cut choice in the beginning like you can be a hero or be a bad guy, or if I start playing as my superhero and I suck, can I just say, "Well screw this, I'm going to be a bad guy?"
John Blakely: It is black hats, white hats. DC is a very nostalgic universe, so it's very much traditionally black hats, white hats. We've kept that; we've preserved that. However, they also have character like Batman. Batman kind of flirts with that line a little bit, but you always know that he is on the good side of good. We'll allow you to get close to that line, but we won't allow you to cross it. Once you're a hero or once you're a villain, you've declared a side.
Me am artwork.
IGN: Can you tell me about how character progression is going to go? Is it as clear as you're just kind of leveling up?
John Blakely: Well, there's skill involved. There's your own personal progression as you learn and figure out what powers you like to use, how you use them -- that's one part. There's also the more traditional mechanical ones if you will like levels, loots, and itemizations. You will have gear that you can get, suits that you can create. Again, we aren't going into a lot of the specifics since we're just announcing, but we are going to be an MMO. If you're an MMO player and you come into this game, you're going to go, "Wow, those are all the things I like about an MMO." Some of the analogs that you look at like Call of Duty or Bad Company, those games that are on consoles where you have those intense moments and then you have some progression. What we're going to do is bring that all together in one cohesive space like an EverQuest or an EverQuest II where those things are all in-world and not some kind of separate place where you go look at stats.
IGN: Very interesting. Is there anything I haven't touched on that you want to talk about right now? I know you guys are just introducing and Comic-Con is going to be big, I'll be there next week.
John Blakely: I would say the basic things, just to repeat, are:
DC Universe is the important thing, Jim Lee and his involvement is really interesting -- he is a gamer, which is great. He speaks our language. He's obviously a prolific artist in the universe. And then moment to moment, this is a superhero action game. We're going to be able to demonstrate that on the show floor at Comic-Con -- it's open to everybody we want fans to get in there as well as the press because we want to get the reaction and also start to build a buzz about the game because we're really proud of what we've been playing.
IGN: Radical. Two final questions for you. The first is, do I get a lair or some kind of home, or is it that you just start up and are in your suit and are ready to go.
John Blakely: Again, we're not going into those details at this point.
Uh, where's Mr. J?
IGN: I thought I could get you!
John Blakely: These [
PR] guys train us well, but certainly we want to have an experience reflective of what you'd expect in the DC Universe, so as we roll these things out I think you're going to be excited about what we can provide. If you look at our other products and you see what features we provided there, y'know, you can draw your own conclusions.
IGN: Alright, then my final, final question is for me personally, as a huge fanboy, in there any mention or showing of Kon-El, Superboy, in there? Is his memorial statue at least in Metropolis Park.
John Blakely: There will be things that are called out. I'm not saying specifics, but --
IGN: That's good enough by me.
John Blakely: We have good custodians of the DC Universe, and we have a lot of characters. It's important to make it feel like what you would expect.
IGN: Well, thank you so much, John. It's been a pleasure.
John Blakely: Thank you.