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I've been reading some really exciting designers' interviews (called "Morrowind Developer Q&As") over at IGN. They've been coming out every week, and there's loads of quotable stuff in the lot, as well as enough to make my hands twitch for the game. Check 'em out.

Here are a few quotes by the development team. Regarding the three major noble houses (whose ranks you can join later in the game, and whose quests net you higher status):

"I think the Telvanni are the most interesting, probably because they are the strangest in comparison to wizards I've seen in other fantasy products. They actually grow their buildings. If you join them, and get high enough in rank, you too get to grow your own Wizard's tower. Again, I find them interesting, but the one I'd play is the Hlaalu. They're the smuggler-baron types. I just like the things they're up to. They're scoundrels with style, like Han Solo, but uhh...Dark Elven. " -Todd Howard, Project Leader

"They all have their interesting points, depending on what sort of character type you like most. I think the Telvanni are completely, insane, batty freaks...To top it all off, they live in some outlandish, bizarre houses. Their dwellings look like the contents of a Dinty Moore beef stew can, minus the beef. I wouldn't tell them that though." -GT Noonan, Artist/Lead Dungeon Design

"House Redoran, so its members claim, is the only Great House attempting to play by the rules in Morrowind. Where the other houses are sneaky, backstabbing, and power-hungry, the folks in Redoran (and others around Morrowind) will refer to the Great House as 'noble' and 'law-abiding'. Join the faction, and you're explicitly told that the only proper way to resolve a violent conflict is through a duel; murder is NEVER an option. Redoran Councilors are awfully concerned with slander; a concerted effort is made to stop the remarks of Hlaalu and Telvanni nobles besmirching the Redoran name (no matter how true those remarks might be).

But once you scratch the surface, you'll see that things aren't as clean as they seem from the outside. The Redorans are upset by the recent Telvanni expansion in the province, and are willing to go to some lengths to curb it. Efforts are made to undermine the crooked deals of the Hlaalu, and often no one looks to see how crooked those efforts themselves are. Finally, the members of House Redoran may be great warriors, but they're still plagued by the typical in-fighting and political intrigue of any governing body." -Bruce Chapin, Designer

"I've really enjoyed playing through House Hlaalu. It's an interesting faction in general - the members are all about business, but what their business is ranges from abolitionist to druglord. I also think there's the greatest range of NPC personalities you'll meet when playing the Hlaalu storyline. You'll meet a powerful Duke and his equally powerful brother; both are major players, and the politics involved are intriguing. Plus, one of the higher-ranking members of Hlaalu just wants you to take your pants off. You just gotta like that." -Mark Nelson, Designer

On areas to visit:

"I'm a big fan of the Ebonheart region. There's a huge Imperial style castle, and probably 10-11 individual buildings in the keep. You'll know you're there when you see the giant dragon statue outside. The scale of the place is so massive, it's really striking in-game. The interiors hold a number of surprises as well, including some secret tunnels...and my very favorite interior, the Argonian Mission, complete with an arboretum showcasing the flora of Morrowind. " -Mark Nelson, Designer

Classes and Factions:

"Some players will define their class by answering a series of thematic questions posed during characterization. This is a pure role-playing path. Other players will select one of the pre-designed classes because they have solid role-playing and game-playing hooks. And OTHER players will build their classes by choosing skill by skill.

The 21 pre-designed classes are a comfortable mix of old familiar archetypes, like the Barbarian and the Sorcerer, and new, Morrowind-specific archetypes, like the Pilgrim and the Witchhunter. We created the 21 classes to fit coherently into the themes and setting of Morrowind, and to mirror the virtues and weaknesses of the NPCs that share those classes in the game setting." -Ken Ralston, Producer

On Races:

"...Each has unique bonuses and special powers. The Bretons are magical in nature and have special powers like “Dragon Skin.” Redguards are quick warriors and get the “Adrenaline Rush” power. Nords are endurance-based heavy warriors, with powers like the “Thunder Fist.” Finally, Imperials are the statesmen and persuaders who have the “Voice of the Emperor.” Each of these options offers really different things you can do in the game.

"Like humans, the Elves are very different from each other. In general though, the Elves are more magical than humans. The High Elves are the best magic users in the game, but are also very susceptible to its effects. The Dark Elves embrace the destructive powers of magic, but are also good warriors. Finally the Wood Elves make excellent archers, and get fun powers like “Beast Tongue” that allows them to command a creature once a day to fight for them.

"The beast races are by far the most unique from each other and the other races. The Orcs are masters of armor and get the “Berserk” ability. The Khajiits are excellent at acrobatics and make great thieves. They get the “Eye of Fear,” which causes enemies to flee when used. Finally, the Argonians are immune to poisons and disease and are the fastest race in the game. They can outrun anything.

"They all get along differently, and it has subtle effects in the game. Talking to someone of a similar race gives you a bonus as to how much they like you, which effects everything from information to barter prices. They break into three basic camps; humans, elves, and beasts." -Todd Howard, Project Leader