Bill Roper on Blood Moon

MMORPG.com:

What can players expect from Powerhouse 2.0? The new super power workout room!

Bill Roper:

We made a great number of changes to the Powerhouse based directly on player feedback. The main lobby has been expanded and is also a duel-free zone as we've added in special dueling arenas. There are also special Battle Stations where heroes can test newly-gained powers against holographic enemies, allowing them to try out new tactics against "live" enemies.

MMORPG.com:

Give us some insight into the Blood Moon story line. Is there a back ground to the event?

Bill Roper:

There is a chill wind blowing through Millennium City. It's late October and the moon has taken on a sinister aspect, staining the sky a bloody red. The superhero Witchcraft, of the Champions, warns that this is a dire portent of an approaching mystical threat. There have been sightings of strange creatures emerging across the world, those of savage werewolves and flesh-craving zombies. Even worse, they bear with them the tidings of a great evil returning to the world - Takofanes, the Undying Lord!

MMORPG.com:

What will players have to do as part of the event?

Bill Roper:

There are four different events occurring during Blood Moon. Some of them are focused in Millennium City while others span the globe. The Zombie Apocalypse map can be joined from anywhere in the game via the instance queue. The BITE event can be joined in every area but Lemuria. The Takofanes and Dawn of the Dead events can be found within Millennium City. Some of the events happen on timed cycles, while others are always open, but can only be completed once per day.

MMORPG.com:

Everyone loves ZOMBIES! How are they invading Champions Online?

Bill Roper:

Zombies are heavily featured in both the Zombie Apocalypse, Dawn of the Dead Heroes, and Takofanes events. If you want to get your zombie hunting on, you'll have a LOT of chances. There's even a special perk for slaying a large number of them!

MMORPG.com:

Tell us about the new Celestial power set. Will players get a chance to re-spec?

Bill Roper:

The Celestial set is a dual-purpose set. This means that the powers can be used in a beneficial way on allies and causes detrimental effects to enemies. Many of the affects within the Celestial set are based directly on player interests and feedback, so we're really excited to get it in front of them. As for players that want to hit the ground running, we've handed out a few retcons over the past month, and we know that more than a few players have saved one up just for the new power set.

MMORPG.com:

How has the game been going since launch? Where do you see things growing?

Bill Roper:

It's been about six weeks since the game launched, and we've got a great worldwide community of heroes fighting against evil with us every day of the week. We had some rough first steps, but the past few weeks have been dedicated to adding more content into the game, interacting with our players, and growing and improving the Champions Online experience! We'll continue to do so in the upcoming months and years, and look forward to continuing to make the game everything it can be.