Lethem2 sent us a link to this interview at GameSpot about The Matrix Online:
GameSpot: E3 is finally over. How was the game received at the show? And how has the new development announced at E3–that Sega would be copublishing the game with Warner Bros.–affected the game’s development, if at all?
William Westwater: E3 was a blast–if very exhausting. Overall, we felt the show went well, and we met a lot of Matrix fans who were very happy to see that the game is still alive and well. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has done a terrific job insulating our team at Monolith from all the ins and outs of the publishing business. Sega’s addition to Warner Bros.’ strategy only added to our excitement here, and its involvement in the project has only boosted our momentum.
GS: Though we know that the game is supposed to be set after the events in the third motion picture, could you tell us about the game’s setting and story? At E3, Warner Bros.’ Jason Hall stated that the game would be “the fourth movie in the series.” How will the game’s setting live up to this claim?
WW: I think Jason Hall makes a great analogy. The Matrix Online takes the characters of the films, adds a unique twist–thousands of players–and then unleashes them together on the world of the Matrix. The characters and questions raised in the movies live on in The Matrix Online, and if you play, the future of the Matrix is literally in your hands.
GS: And prior to E3, Hall made an even more intriguing statement to the press about Warner Bros.’ commitment to quality–and the company’s new licensing and royalty structure. How has the team received this new policy? Has this new change impacted the game’s development in any way?
WW: Prior to E3, we were furiously trying to ensure The Matrix Online ran well, played well, and looked great. After E3, we have been furiously trying to ensure The Matrix Online runs well, plays well, and looks great. Monolith believes in quality. Just grab a copy of No One Lives Forever, Aliens Versus Predator 2, No One Lives Forever 2, or Tron 2.0, and I think you’ll agree. No, seriously, go get those games.
GS: Tell us about the game’s three factions: the humans, the Machines, and the Merovingians. What are their motivations, and how will they affect the way the game is played?
WW: As with any good movie, you have to experience the story. However, from the movies, you know a good bit about the start of our game. Neo saves the Matrix, although only at great personal cost. Though Morpheus is wrong about the prophecies, yes, his blind faith ironically is Zion’s salvation. The Oracle survives; her plan triumphs. But, equally, her enemies multiply–the frustrated Merovingian and analytical Architect both entering into a new, unexpected world. The war is over, but can the peace survive?
For the second half of the interview, go to the source:
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/matr…ew_6101184.html