DC Universe Online
has always been about breaking down the artificial barriers that the
industry has fashioned for itself. That’s true whether we’re talking
its first-ever trans-platform presence for an action MMORPG, the gulf
between PvP players and those that strictly enjoy PvE, or that between
single-player types who might flirt with multiplayer on occasion and
dyed-in-wool MMO gamers. DCUO’s latest feature takes these innovations
to a whole new level with iconic play, which allows players to step
into the shoes of some of their favorite DC characters for small-scale
PvP arena battles.



The purpose of iconic play is not to replace the game’s core PvP
gameplay, where you’ll take the character you’ve created into the
ongoing fight between heroes vs. villains. Rather, Senior Producer Wes
Yanagi views this as a way to expose players to fully-featured
characters with familiar abilities and get waist deep into PvP without
the usual concerns over level differences, power and ability “builds”,
or balance issues.  

style="width: 600px; height: 295px;"
alt="Batman, Robin, and Nightwing"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/38344">

Batman, Robin, and
Nightwing

According to Wes, “The way we think about it is that in DCUO, you’re
building your own legacy - building your own superhero or supervillain
and becoming a iconic in the DCU. But in order to become a iconic, you
have to learn from the legends. In the PvE world you learn from them,
but playing as them you get a deeper understanding of the strategies
and tactics, the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. You can
then apply that to your own character.”



The storyline grounding for iconic play is that it’s essentially just a
teaching simulation, and “simulation chips” for different signature
iconic characters are unlocked in different ways. “Right off the bat,
you have access to Robin and Harley,” Wes explained. “As you play more
PvP and gain more PvP currency, you can unlock Bane, Nightwing, and
Huntress. At the highest levels you can unlock the Joker. And if you
pre-order the game, you start off with Batman as well.”



Each icon character has certain trademark powers and also a few
surprises. The Joker, for example, is an expert at crowd control,
pulling weapons like laughing gas out of his bag of tricks to subdue or
stun enemies, then escaping with his jetpack. Batman has his full
compliment of devices too, from different types of batarangs to the
bathook, but can also go stealth to sneak up behind enemies and
temporarily handcuff his opponent.



And while players don’t have to stick to the strict heroes vs. villains
motif for iconic play (though seeing eight batmans engaged in a battle
royale would be a little bizarro worldish), there are certain combo
“synergies” between characters, such as Batman and Robin and Harley and
Joker. Producer Tim Hill noted, “We want to make sure we capture the
whole sidekick angle.”



“And the great thing about all of this,” Tim continued, “is that we can
add all the characters - we can keep going.” And not just the DC
Universe characters are fair game, but places that a player would have
little business traipsing around in normally.



Take for instance the Batcave, which happened to be the scene of our
San Diego hands-on demo of the iconic play system. The Batcave is a
dedicated PvP arena, a single-point capture and hold objective, with
(as you can imagine) lots of defenses you can activate and use, along
with numerous physics objects, such as healing barrels, AoE flame
barrels and freeze barrels too. Props were also thrown-in for
atmosphere points, like the  batwing, past and present batman
costumes in a display case, and even a giant penny and a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batcave">joker card
as a nod to serious DC fans.

style="width: 600px; height: 338px;" alt="Arkham"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/38343">

Arkham

Other popular places mentioned as sure locations (but not necessarily
arenas) in DC Universe
Online were Stryker’s Island Penitentiary, the Hall of
Doom, and (you guessed it) Arkham Asylum. These areas will definitely
be in the game (if you had any doubt), but as of now the only 2v2 arena
we’ve heard about is the ten minute timed battles in the 
Batcave. Tim made mention of larger scale 8v8 fights as well.



And while iconic play might be just a simulation, but as you
participate in battles and K.O. other players, you’ll accrue both
acheivements and influence points for your own character, which allow
you to buy special gear especially tailored to PvP combat.



What we saw of the iconic play system at SDCC 2010 is apparently just the
beginning. According to Wes, “We like to think of them as weight
classes, and what you’re seeing here is the ‘human’ class. Next is
the  “super” class, which Wes described as “the real heavy
hitters in the DC Universe.”



Like a mix between LotRO’s monster play and WoW’s battlegrounds and
arenas, DC Universe
Online’s iconic play is both a fun diversion from the
game’s core gameplay, a way to teach the basics endgame PvP in a
non-gimped, non-threatening way, and something more competitive players
will no doubt take seriously as well. We look forward to hearing more
about the iconic play system and DC
Universe Online as the game super speeds toward a November
2nd release date.