Champions Online Dev Blog: Rethinking Archetypes

Cryptic has released a new dev blog as part of its Evolution of Game Design series on Champions Online. This entry focuses on rethinking archetypes. The superhero genre is fraught with archetypes which function like classes in other MMOs. While Champions Online is trying to break out of confining character within archetypes, the first dev blog talked about giving characters bonuses for choosing skills and powers within an archetype group. Gamers have protested the system.

…when we discussed [archetype bonuses] briefly in one of the Cryptic Q&A sessions, the prevailing reaction by the community was strongly against any type of archetype bonuses whatsoever, no matter how small. Many people pointed to the “total customization” experience touted for Champions Online, and how making archetype distinctions effectively restricted power choice by creating optimum and non-optimum groupings of powers.

The dev team has re-considered the archetype bonus and is re-designing the mechanics to create an open character creation system. The results will be published in a future dev blog. The important note here is that Cryptic is taking feedback from gamers into account in the development of Champions Online.

via Champions Online