The Matrix Online Interview

IGN PC has conducted an interview with Monolith's William Westwater, asking the producer several questions about the combat system in The Matrix Online. An excerpt to follow:
Q: Tell us briefly how the combat system works. Is it the traditional round-based, rules-governed format as most MMOs?

A: Fists. Blocks. Throws. Insane aerial martial arts. That's the heart of the Matrix movies -- and The Matrix Online as well. The combat system melds the best of MMO team strategies and ranged combat with a unique mano-a-mano fighting system that we call Interlock. We wanted the visceral oomph of a twitchy punch-em-up without losing the feeling of a good role-playing game. That meant even if the Internet had no lag, we didn't want to make a game all about fast thumbs -- your character's skill is the biggest determining factor in what moves you can use and how much punishment you can take. However, against even opponents, strategic knowledge decides the victor.