Bill Roper speaks to alltern8.com about the many changes and views Champions online has worked with over the last few months.

Alltern8: If the forums are a reliable indication, Champions Online has certainly divided gamers, with players either loving or hating the game for its accessible, humorous and action-orientated take on the MMORPG. Were you expecting such a dividing reaction?

Bill Roper: Champions does seem to be a game that you either love or don’t, and that did take us a little by surprise. It’s interesting, though – this just may be the way that gamers view MMOs now, if not all games. It may be a side-effect of the huge amount of games being made and the length of time spent on games both pre and post launch, if a game finds a solid audience. Players that like what we’re offering with Champions Online really love the game.

A8: One of the most appealing aspects of the game for us was that it brought attention to the original HERO system Champions role-playing game and its world, characters and mythology; a universe that many gamers perhaps weren’t familiar with. How have the long-term fans reacted to Cryptic’s reconstruction of a universe that has until now been played predominantly in participant‘s heads?

BR: They really appreciate the attention to detail we’ve given to the world, the heroes, villains, and overall spirit of the game. We’ve paid a huge amount of attention to little details in the world, and the hardcore Champions lore hounds absolutely love it. Players that are new to the Champions universe have responded very positively to it, and that also make us really happy.