Matrix Online Stratics recently had the opportunity to ask some questions of Monolith Productions' Director of Online Development, William Westwater. Westwater shared several new details about the world of The Matrix Online with us. Here is the first half of our two-part interview with him.

MxOS - It's widely known that The Matrix Online will feature gunplay along with martial arts combat. What are the differences between martial arts and firearms combat from a player's perspective?

WW - In MxO, martial arts is face-to-face kinetic combat, you versus your enemies. If you turn around and try to run, your opponent may knock you down before you can get away; unless he's too busy to try to stop you. (Pays to have friends).

Standard gun combat is much more distant. You shoot at your target, who is usually too busy trying to do something else - fight someone, run away, or initiate a virus for a few examples - to focus on dodging your shots. You fire and move freely as you see fit; he does the same.

However, as you know from the movies, operatives in the Matrix have exceptional abilities. When two gunmen focus on one another, they can begin what we loosely call dueling. This is the Interlock form of gun combat and here you can use many special moves that combine the fierce energy of martial arts with the explosive power of the modern gun. Kick. Bang. The best of both worlds.

MxOS - What types of weaponry will be available for players to use? Which types of guns? What, if any, martial arts weaponry can we look forward to?

WW - We've focused on open hand martial arts for the start of MxO as well as handguns, rifles, machine guns and shotguns of many sorts.

MxOS -Megacity is a very large area for a player to move around in. What transportation mechanisms will players use to get where they need to go?

WW - Megacity is infinite, but operatives (the people of Zion) are only interested in the hot zones in the city. We call these zones districts, and Zion high command has identified four critical districts that will need investigation in the weeks immediately after the Peace. This is the state of the world when we launch. Operatives use known Hardlines to jack into these districts as needed. Also rumors persist in Zion that operatives may be able to gain access to the backdoors of the Matrix as well. Of course, if you'd prefer something more 20th Century than the Hardline system, we have subways to get you around as well.

MxOS -We've heard a lot about how incredible the mission system is. Can you describe what steps a player might go through in a typical MxO mission?

WW - In MxO, you are an operative - either working for Zion or working for another competing Organization within the Matrix. Since each Organization has different needs, your tasks will vary somewhat based on your alliances. Each mission is run by a Controller within the Organization, so you have some guidance while you are working - however, the Controllers are only as good as their information. If the information is bad, you may just face more guards or a stronger security system; if the information is planted, you may be walking into a trap. Keep your eyes open and send your spies in ahead of the team. Charging in guns blazing is a good way to earn a fast trip back to the Hovercraft.

As we said, this is only half of what William told us. Be sure to stop back by on Monday, August 23rd for more. We still have answers to pressing questions about PvP, factions, constructs, player housing and crafting to give you! Until then...

Justin "Mendel" Gould
Associate Editor, Matrix Online Stratics

Be sure to check out Part 2 of this interview as well!