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SPACE ACE
Anarchy Online's Morten Byom Unveils the Mysteries of Lost Eden
Funcom's Anarchy Online might not be the first game on sci-fi fans' lips this winter (a certain rival stole that honor with its less than stellar re-launch), but many would argue it should be. On the one hand, you're looking at a title that's been going strong for nigh on half a decade and continues to attract new fans. On the other, a massively multiplayer wonderland that currently sports some fine, and festive, seasonal makeovers including Santa costumes, Christmas presents and other goodies.
Let's not forget the impending launch of long-awaited add-on Lost Eden, due out early next year, either. Going the distance in terms of introducing sweeping PvP elements, this expansion promises the ability to control giant mechs, struggle for supremacy over orbital battlestations and access all-new special attacks and stat bonuses. Confident as we are the adventure is destined for even bigger and better things, we corner game director Morten Byom and force him to explain why its potential is out of this world:
LQGaming Services:: Anarchy Online is one of the oldest sci-fi MMOs out there. To what do you attribute its success?
Morten Byom: Anarchy has remained a success for quite a few reasons: It's a great game, has an awesome and loyal community and our support is outstanding. It's a game that hasn't been afraid to risk trying new things and I think it's worked out very well. I don't know that there's any one thing that has made it a success, but rather it's a combination of many things that worked out right.
LQGaming Services:: What feature do you feel most separates the title in gamers' minds from rivals like Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online, etc?
Morten Byom: Anarchy Online is different from the other titles in many ways. game mechanics, the way the game feels, the abilities to customize, the implants, the mission system, the clubs, the concept and even the business model. Anarchy Online basic version is 100% free too. Anarchy Online is very unique and innovative. One of the greatest things about the title is it offers something for just about everyone, whether you're into hanging out at the clubs and dancing, completing epic missions, going for a quick mission with friends, PVP, exploration, tweaking your character to the best it can be or you just feel like bashing some aliens.
"Imagine fighting a conventional war and suddenly discovering a whole new style of weaponry to use in battle. Orbital platforms allow players [to access] HUGE firepower"
LQGaming Services:: Just a few of the new abilities and options the Lost Eden expansion will include are?
Morten Byom: The orbital battlestations, the mechs, the ability to research and donate experience to benefit your faction's side, new creatures to defeat, new items to gain and a whole lot of new options to wail on the enemy with. It's very battle-oriented and very sci-fi. This expansion will offer something for everyone and I think the PVP types especially will find this is amazing.
LQGaming Services:: What's the general storyline behind the add-on, and how does it fit into the Anarchy Online universe?
Morten Byom: Lost Eden is the next step in the Alien Invasion saga. The people of Rubi-Ka got caught by surprise as the alien hordes invaded their planet, launching attacks on their cities. Now it is time to take the fight to the aliens and start the offensive to reestablish control of the planetary systems. To aid them in this endeavor large battlestations have been maneuvered into strategic positions surrounding the planet Rubi-Ka. These are filled with the latest technology and weapons, supplying the battle-hardened veterans with desperately needed supplies.
LQGaming Services:: Please walk us through the experience of one of Lost Eden's new grand-scale PvP battles. What would we be seeing?
Morten Byom: The PvP battles will demand a much higher degree of tactical forethought to have a successful outcome. The new vehicles available to players allow a greater variety of attack and defense opportunities. Players will fight to control the various locations around the battlestations. The more locations you control, the more points you will gain.
Here's a typical scenario: A group of defenders have set up a heavy defense of anti-personnel guns and minefields. The attacking group will have to find a way to break through their lines without suffering too large casualties. Picking the right vehicle suitable for the situation is vital to ensuring a victory. The defenders on the other side will have to try to predict the shape the attack will take and have a backup plan to foil enemies' attempts. It is all about picking the right tool for the right job.
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