The Matrix Online Interview

GameSpot has published a two-page interview with Monolith's William Westwater, asking the director of online development and producer several questions about The Matrix Online. Here's a little something to get you started:
Q: We know that The Matrix Online has an open-ended character development system based on skills, rather than on rigidly defined professions like "wizards" or "elf wizards." What can you tell us about how character development is shaping up at this time? How is a typically combat-heavy character developed at this stage in the game...with what skills, and in how many (or how few) levels can we start to see these skills really take effect? What are the differences between a combat-heavy and a non-combat-focused character at this point?

A: Unlike traditional class systems, in The Matrix Online, you choose your abilities when you load into the Matrix. As your character improves, you gain additional memory capacity and can load more complex and more powerful abilities. Generally, these abilities build on one another so that new abilities rely on the code included in a previous ability. This dependency tree and your character's memory capacity are the only limitations that you face.

Since you can easily jack into and out of the Matrix, your flexibility is considerable. Of course, abilities aren't free. You must find, craft, or buy them--and you may want to invest in improving the individual ability codes. More codes equals more flexibility, and with hundreds of ability codes to collect, you'll have plenty to play with.