Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

But no need to fear a situation where you just log in to play a quick mission and all the sudden twenty players are coming for you. “Notoriety levels - the top tier - refresh every five minutes. So you really have to work to stay at the high levels.” In other words, notoriety is based largely on per-session performance. The character development that persists from session to session is based on the clothes, weapons, and vehicle options players have unlocked plus league rankings for various stats (kill ratio, cars stolen, how “dirty” an enforcer is based on the number of criminals they’ve arrested and subsequently shot, etc.). Everything is tracked on a personal and gang level, as well, but Chris hinted at systems designed around lone wolves who either elect not to gang up or simply don’t have fellow gang members online.

If this guy had theme music, what would it be? We're thinking Coldplay.

I asked Chris whether he thought the possibility of collusion between criminals and enforcers was a possibility - i.e. I’m a criminal, so you let me get away this time and I’ll let you catch me next time. But APB’s novel matchmaking system, which could pair like against like or might send one high level player after a low level group or vice versa, is in no way visible to players. “Even if you’re a criminal and your friend is an enforcer, the chance of getting paired up with them... it’s completely random,” Chris explained.

One aspect of the demo that definitely raised eyebrows was the built-in synthesizer / sequencer that allows players to design their own “bumper” music to broadcast to nearby players for game events such as kills and even their own character’s death. Additionally, RW is exploring ways to use a player’s own music library in creative ways. You may not hear exactly what the player in a passing vehicle (complete with doppler effect) is playing, but you’ll hear something from your own library that matches the genre of that music (or, if you haven’t imported your playlist, something from APB’s default library).

In closing, I asked Chris if there were any misconceptions about APB that he wanted to clear up. He raised the perennial split between a traditional MMORPG and what Realtime Worlds is hoping to accomplish. “We’re happy for people to keep saying “MMO”, but this is definitely a new style of online game. If people come expecting a traditional MMO, I don’t think they’re going to find what they’re expecting. But we definitely think that what we’re creating is something that MMO people are really going to like.”

So, flat out, what about APB would appeal to dyed-in-wool MMO players? “Obviously the persistence is there, which you wouldn’t have in other action-combat games. The ability to really show yourself off to a hundred other players in your immediate district, building up gangs that can drive around in cars - that’s something that we think appeals to everyone. Definitely the social element, and also a more real world setting.”

A big thank you to Realtime Worlds and Chris "Ulric" Dye, who graciously sat with us for an interview despite the cross-Atlantic jet lag.