We are here today talking with "Vesuvius" who is the Project Leader of Etherea: Dark Genesis, a new Fantasy/Mythical MMORPG in early development. Questions by GameOgre.com are in bold. 

What will set Etherea: Dark Genesis apart from other MMORPG’s on the market?

Etherea: Dark Genesis will have multiple aspects that set it apart from other MMORPG’s on the market; especially it’s developing team. The developers are very active in the community in participating in discussions and actually listening to the people in regards to the game. Also, the game has some new features that haven’t been attempted by mainstream games due to fears, especially fears regarding money. EDG is not centered on making money or paying back huge investors, actually there are no huge investors; we are more concerned about making a really fun game that many will enjoy. I believe that shows itself by the fact that the game will be a free download with only a small monthly fee to pay for expenses, like the server and future upgrades. 

Will there be an active story line in the game? 

Yes, EDG will be host to a very large and immense story line that is not only very obvious but also very interactive. The story line will influence quests and the entire game itself; players will be able to mold the story line through various events and quests. Also, since the game is being run off of a single server the players can permanently change the story line. The developers want the story line to be one of the highlights, which keeps players feeling that they are apart of the story, not just another player.

How will factions and Player Vs. Player combat be handled? Will PvP be limited to small areas or will it be a very active system?

Players can PvP in most areas, in some areas it will be disabled, like the peaceful “central” city of Etherea, and in some it will be enforced, like the military forts, for game play reasons. Players will find that PvP will not only be a great part of the story line and very interactive but meaningful and in-depth. PvP will have rewards for the players and the races as a whole. Instead of the normal two factions that you find in most games, Ethereal: Dark Genesis will have four factions, each race is it’s own faction. The races are constantly at war and will have a large amount to do with the story line; one of the only ways to access another race’s homeland is to destroy the Fort guarding the portal/entrance into the homeland through PvP. We want there to be rewards and point systems in place that make PvP not only fun but rewarding.

Will there be a place in the game for “neutral” players and those who do not like PvP?

Of course, the PvE aspect of the game will be just as large as the PvP aspect. PvE is also another huge key to the story line and especially character development. Those who wish not to participate in PvP will find that there is more than plenty to do in the game and still a huge portion of the story line for them to participate in. Even crafters will have quests and meaningful roles in the story line and game. Neutrals and crafters alike will find that there are not only story lines and quests for them to participate in but also reward systems and point systems for them as well.

How will character development be handled like leveling and skills etc.

From the beginning of the game players will choose a class they wish to play as, they may change the class later on if they wish. After choosing a class the player will notice that there are not only Character Levels but also Skill Levels. Character Levels are normal MMORPG levels that you obtain that can raise your stats and make you stronger, but you may only raise them through quests and participating in the story. Character Levels will not be able to be “ground” out in the normal MMORPG sense. Skill Levels, on the other hand, are the levels that you obtain that unlock new skills or enhancements for your character. Every time you successfully use a skill and defeat your opponent you will gain Skill Level Experience. Once enough experience is gained you may learn new skills in your tree or even upgrade one of your current skills. Each class will have three skill trees that focus on different areas of the class and allow for different customizations and combinations of skills and abilities. A player will not have enough skill points to fill up all three of the trees, thus character diversity will be fairly large and supplement different playing styles and strategies. We are also focusing a lot on endgame content for those who wish to take the game a step beyond normal game play, I hate reaching the “max” on my character and having nothing left to do.

Will there be player housing? 

Yes, players will be able to obtain housing within the cities to decorate and show off, have a place to call home, or to act as a workshop or storage facility. Player housing will be well developed and be very customizable.

How in-depth is the player economy going to be?

Very in-depth, players will be able to make just about everything in the game. Players will also be able to own their own shops, create a custom name brand line of their wares, and use their crafting skills to help their race as well as take a part in the story line. Crafters will play a huge role in the game from making all the food, weapons, armor, and etc. to repairing forts wreaked by PvP. I’m a huge crafting fan and believe in a strong player economy, so expect it to be a very in-depth system.

Will guilds play a role in the game?

Yes, guilds will play a very large role in the game including guild vs. guild combat and the combination of efforts and people to help run cities and conduct large sieges. I am also a huge fan of guilds as it is one of the most important aspects of any game; they promote unity and fun events in the game that developers cannot contribute. Many accommodations will be made for guilds including specific roles in the game for them.

Last question, how do the readers go about getting involved in this game?

As I mentioned earlier, the developers are an active part of the community and converse regularly with the community members. If you want to be kept up-to-date with the game it’s a great idea to join the forums and start having fun with the community. Also, if you don’t have time for the forums right now, or just don’t have the want, we have a mailing list you can join on our site that will be used to inform people about the game, beta, and other events. Beta is still a good bit off but when it arrives we will be taking people from the community forums first.

Thank you for your time and I wish you the best of luck on this upcoming game!

Thank you, and I hope to see you around Etherea soon!

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