DC Universe will swap classes for stances

By Oli Welsh Published 13 January, 2009

Easy grouping at heart of spandex MMO.

Sony Online Entertainment spent last week's Consumer Electronics Show demoing its PS3 and PC superhero MMO DC Universe Online to the American press, and a few new details have filtered through.

Most interesting is the news that the game will offer selectable offensive, defensive and support stances - damage, tanking and healing in other words - that will allow any character to switch between the roles normally associated with permanent character classes or semi-permanent character builds in MMOs.

Opposable Thumbs reports that you'll naturally be more effective in these roles if you've specialised in them, but the system still offers tremendous flexibility for grouping up.

The Opposable Thumbs preview also notes that DC Universe Online will employ another concession to easy completion of multiplayer content, which SOE is calling "soft grouping". This "allows players to complete raids and instances together without being in a group", with all contributors who take part receiving experience. Sounds like a variation on Warhammer Online's clever Public Quest system to us.

Meanwhile, Gametrailers boasts an extensive three-part video walkthrough of the DC Universe demo, which not only shows the game in action (including some nifty new character models), but also sheds some light on the character creation system.

As is the case with City of Heroes and the forthcoming Champions Online, you won't select a class for your hero, instead piecing him or her together from component parts. In DC Universe Online there will be four of these: super power (light, electricity, etc.), power source (key weapon), movement modes (super-speed, flight, acrobatics) and traits (physical aspects like strength and metabolism).

IGN adds that you'll either be able to do this manually, or select a DC legend - Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and co - for your character to be "inspired by", thus getting a quick route to the action.

The game is currently at a "very early pre-alpha" stage, so don't expect it in 2009. More at the DC Universe Online gamepage.

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (9) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • DFawkes #1 3 years ago

    I'm still not sold on the idea. I don't mind playing second fiddle to the likes of Frodo in LOTRO, but if I have super powers, I want to be the main man. It doesn't bother me as much in Champions, where I'm not as familiar with the central characters, but seeing Superman doing all the lead stuff seems weird.

    I'l probably end up getting it though, as a PS3 MMO.

  • Rash' #2 3 years ago

    Well I like the idea of making my own hero in the DC Universe. We all known about the rest of the superhero MMOs, but with a proper license this could be influencial in SOE's push for mass market adoption of the genre.

  • kestral #3 3 years ago

    I hope it won't be the same as City of Heroes etc as we've played that already but with a bit more depth. Fighting was fun but more variation would be good.

  • figgis #4 3 years ago

    Nice ideas. I hope they come together in the final game.

  • rhinoxious #5 3 years ago

    If it follows the usual MMO conbat structure, then I'm not going to bother.

    Tanking I can understand, and hanging back and supporting is fine too, but how much healing do you see in comic books?!?!

  • DFawkes #6 3 years ago

    Wolverine does it a lot. Don't say it doesn't count just because he keeps it to himself, that's healing! So what, he can't do it to anyone else, and he isn't strictly speaking a DC character. But he count. He doesn't, does he. No.

  • AOFanboi #7 3 years ago

    Sounds a bit like Matrix Online; you could swap your entire skill set, but you were inherently better at some skill trees than others based on your stats.

    Ah, if they hadn't screwed up the combat system, MXO could have been a contender.

    As for CoH, I guess the upcoming Champions Online will be closer since that's made by the same people.

  • Starkillah_79 #8 3 years ago

    Not the badest ideas, we'll have to wait and see...

  • Shrike #9 3 years ago

    Quite excited by the videos on gametrailers. I think the DCU is one of the few franchises that can withstand having their iconic characters paraded around in a MMO... it's not like continuity is sacred or anything. They can do what they like, really. And I have to admit that seeing stuff like STAR Labs gives me a fanboy shiver. So there's that.