From a gamer's standpoint, it's always interesting to take a peek into
the lives of the individuals that design our games. Just like any group
of target="_blank">intelligent coworkers, the
developers at Champions Online range from
the brand new video game professionals to the href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/42963" target="_blank">multi-year
veterans. In
their recent "Meet the Team" feature, the href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/860"
target="_blank">Champions Online community
staff asked a series of questions to industry vet Brian Urbanek. His
answers are entertaining and enlightening, so make sure you check it
out! href="http://www.champions-online.com/articles/meet_brian_combat_systems_designer_for_champions_online"
target="_blank">(Original Article)




Q: What do you do on
Champions Online?

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Developer
Brian Urbanek

A: I work on
the combat and systems team, creating both the powers that players use
and the sinister challenges, beasties and powers that our system will
use against them. At the moment, I'm putting the finishing touches on
martial arts, getting started with my next set (which, trust me, will
go over with a bang) and retooling aspects of the game's macro economy
to fully take advantage of some great new crafting features we're
bringing online.



Q: How long have you
worked in gaming, and what did you do before Champions Online?


A: I've
worked in gaming for 12 years, and on MMOs in specific for eight.
Before Cryptic, I've had the honor to work with a lot of people at many
different companies including Dreamforge, Wolfpack, Westwood, Nevrax
and others.



Q: What is your typical
workday like?


A: Each day
I wake up and try to think of new ways to make our programmers' lives
more difficult. This usually entails finding new ways to stretch our
tech to the limits in order to make whatever power I'm working on
really stand out from what other games allow. I think it's critically
important that we remember we're making Champions, and that our powers
aren't "spells" like in a fantasy MMO, but are instead flexible, epic
superpowers.



Q: What part of Champions
Online are you the most excited about working on?


A: I'm
already working on half of it – player powers. I'm getting to
help create the spectrum of what players can do, what challenges they
can overcome and what problems they can solve. Of course, the other
half is challenging players by making trials and tribulations worthy of
their skills!



For now, I'm mostly focusing on the first half, but all that will
change when I start working with the team on the Omega System (insert
dark, ominous laughter here).



Q: What superpower would
you want and why?


A: See, it's
not about the actual power itself; it's about the flexibility with
which it can be used, and the breadth of applications to which it can
be applied. Telepathy, telekinesis, hard light manipulation, mad genius
engineering – any of these could lead to great feats of
heroism or devious acts of wickedness.



That being said, and to avoid being accused of copping out, I'd say a
form of energy control similar to a certain supreme sorcerer or lantern
of an emerald persuasion. I want to "feel" the energies coursing around
my hands, and experience shaping raw possibility with my will.



Q: What was the last book
you read?


A:
Nonfiction: War and Decision by Douglas Feith. Fiction: Inside
Straight, edited by George R. R. Martin, which is part of the Wild
Cards series.



Q: What do you like to do
in your free time?


A: Play
games! And read. Lots of reading. And drink coffee. Man, life is good.



Q: You design combat
systems. What game or games do you think had great combat?


A: "Great
combat" involves matching of mechanics to style. If I'm going to be
honest, I'd have to give a nod to the pen-and-paper RPG Exalted by
White Wolf.



In the realm of computer and console games, it depends on the genre.
God of War and Soul Calibur are obvious standouts. Sins of a Solar
Empire is an excellent recent RTS with combat that's both visceral and
beautiful. For turn-based games, Disgaea on the PS2 wins for sheer fun
factor, and the ancient titles XCom, Master of Orion 2 and Master of
Magic will always stand as the definitive classics for the PC.



Q: If your life was a
reality show, what would it be called?


A: Canceled.



Q: What advice do you
have for someone who wants to break into gaming?


A: Know
games! Don't just know the rules; look at the patterns, the systems.
Try to figure out why they're trying to accomplish things, and why they
did things the way they did. Learn new ways of doing things –
different games do combat differently. Why? God of War and Resident
Evil are both fantastic games with lots of combat, but they handle
combat in completely different ways. Why are the systems they use right
for one game, but not for the other? Be able to answer these questions.



Q: Is there anything you
would like to add?


A: We're
doing what we can to make this the best game it can be, and a game that
our fans are going to love. Keep watching … we won't
disappoint.


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Champions Online Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

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