On indirect combat:

<Toren|DM> How will indirect combat be dealt with, such as pushing a boulder down a hill into a building that knocks the building down, curhsing and killing a poor lokai trapped inside, will the proper punishments/rewards be able to go to the atrian who pushed the boulder, will this be player based, such as the family sueing the building company for not making the building stronger, and putting the person in jail, or server-based with a karma-hit?
<WF_Arc> Basically you are talking about a chain of events.
<Toren|DM> crushing*
<Toren|DM> yes
<WF_Arc> From the boulder crashing we backtrack the event to how the boulder got moved, so yes.
<WF_Arc> Obviously within limits.
<Toren|DM> ok, so it is possible, and then how will it be handled
<WF_Serafina> the limits will be a hightly testable thing
<WF_Serafina> well, everything in Atriarch is tracked.

On one-hit kills:

<Regeta00> Will there be any 1 hit kills? Could an Eshlar crush a unarans head and kill the unaran in one hit?
<WF_Serafina> no, there will not be any one hit kills
<Regeta00> Two hit kills?
<WF_Arc> Not likely, we don't want charcters to die easily.

On aerial combat and air defenses:

<HellsChicken> will air to ground combat be possible?  For instance someone riding a Guard, and throwing down rocks, shooting arrows down at a villiage?  How about air to air combat?
<WF_Arc> Yes, yes, and yes.
<WF_Serafina> HellsChicken.. yes.
<HellsChicken> so would folks on the ground have an easy time defending themselves?
<WF_Arc> Again we don't discriminate.
<WF_Serafina> all you have to do is move out of the way
<HellsChicken> or could one person wreak havoc upon a poor town?
<WF_Arc> That would depend on how they are protected.
<WF_Serafina> assuming it is just an arrow or rock being dropped
<WF_Arc> Most towns will have anti-air defenses.
<WF_Serafina> ...big plants that lob out anti-air missiles
<WF_Arc> Either their own flying warriors, or AA guns of a kind.
<HellsChicken> cool... so if one attacked a not so well equipped town..
<WF_Serafina> plus there are guards that both are ground and fly
<HellsChicken> could they almost seize the town single handedly?
<WF_Serafina> like the Tyrusin Guard... I think there is a screenshot of one just released
<WF_Arc> Wouldn't be worth much though, if it didn't have any defenses.
<HellsChicken> not right away, but they could build it up hehe
<WF_Serafina> HellsChicken... we emphasize getting a good Eshlar to build you some defenses :-)
<HellsChicken> so would a person flying have a significant advantage one on one?
<WF_Arc> A good thing to keep in mind for player built towns: air defenses, good.

<King_of_Dreams|DM>  How discriminating will anti-air be? If I were a civilian travelling by some sort of lighter than air craft, would I have to worry about getting shot down when entering a city?
<WF_Arc> Only if you are recognized (or assumed) hostile, I would think King_of_Dreams.
<WF_Arc> Same as if you approach on foot.
<King_of_Dreams|DM> So basically you get shot down if you shoot first? Or someone on the groud decides they don't like you?
<King_of_Dreams|DM> Ok, was wondering if those in the air had to be especially carefull.
<WF_Serafina> basically... it is really simple
<WF_Arc> Yes.
<WF_Arc> No, not especially, it is just another form of travel.
<WF_Serafina> unless of course you cross hostil territory
<King_of_Dreams|DM> Will things in the air be especially vulnerble?
<WF_Arc> Just vunerable to gravity.
<King_of_Dreams|DM> Or will it be just as dangerous on the ground as in the air?
<King_of_Dreams|DM> Thank you.
<WF_Serafina> I think it would be less dangerous in the air.
<WF_Arc> That is, the damage caused by suddenly embracing the ground.
<WF_Serafina> You have more degrees of freedom.
<WF_Serafina> Move maneuverability
<King_of_Dreams|DM> Cool,
<WF_Arc> You also have less cover ;)

On current graphics milestones:

<WF_Serafina> The milestones we are working on right now are graphics.
<WF_Serafina> For example... woo Arc!  We now have awesome looking fire in Atriarch!
<WF_Serafina> We also just recently put in a brand new nighttime sky with stars.
<WF_Serafina> The stars actually orbit the planet and are accurate.
<WF_Serafina> That means you can actually navigate according to them.
<WF_Serafina> The sun revolves around the planet
<WF_Serafina> so when it is day on one side it is night on the other

On the importance of trade skills:

<taraturg> How much a role will non-violent characters, who are specialized in non-combat fields, contribute to battles?
<WF_Serafina> uh...quick answer to that...
<WF_Serafina> crafts and trades are important to almost every endeavor in the world
<WF_Arc> Much, violence is not the center of Atriarch.
<WF_Serafina> well... other than chatting and exploring
<WF_Serafina> trades are important and integral to Atriarch
<WF_Serafina> We haven't released information about it because we are saving it ;-)

On sniper weapons, projectiles, and how objects interact:

<Nguvu> Three questions: Will sniper weapons / weapons that have a zoom feature be available? How 'invisible' will damaging traps be? Will 'tactical' (small area, not massive) exploding weapons exist?
* Nguvu grins
<WF_Arc> Since we are not emphasized projectiles, offhand I would say no to sniper zoom weapons.
<WF_Arc> Nothing in the world is invisible.
* Nguvu nods
<WF_Serafina> As far as traps are concerned... traps are not specifically designed in.  They don't need to be.  Whatever the physics allows for can be designed.
<Nguvu> Ah, okay, so trip wire causing something to drop down and crush people could/would exist?
<WF_Serafina> I am certain there will be traps set that we never dreamt of
<WF_Serafina> Nguvu.. yes
<WF_Arc> Yes, however there are limits to how sophiticated it can get.
<WF_Arc> Simple mechanics. Leaning, falling, tripping definitely.
<Nguvu> Oh, Arc?
<Nguvu> What's too sophisticated?
<WF_Serafina> to follow up on what Arc is saying... we don't simulate *all* physics
<WF_Serafina> cloth is too sophisticated
<WF_Arc> Basically
<Nguvu> Cloth? The modeling of it? Like fluid dynamics?
<WF_Serafina> A lot of this has to do with the performance limitations of player's computers
<WF_Arc> Not sure how much elastics, like bungie cords, etc.
<Nguvu> Ah, okay.
<WF_Arc> Fluid dynamics are out for now. Maybe some approximation later.
<Nguvu> And..  will 'tactical' (small area, not massive) exploding weapons exist?
<WF_Serafina> It takes an insane amount of computer power to calculate fluids
<WF_Arc> We still plan to have fluid volumes though roughly approximated.
<WF_Serafina> yes, small area
<WF_Serafina> thanks Nguvu

<Zang> This is sort of a follow up to Nguvu's question: will large weapons like catapults be able to just be built to be functional from parts..without specifically telling the game that it is a catapult?
<WF_Arc> Again, if the mechanics are simple enough, they will just work.
<Zang> will gears work?
<Zang> and pulleys?
<WF_Arc> We haven't done catapults yet, but it seems likely at this point.
<WF_Arc> Levers yes, pulleys and gears, maybe, maybe not.
<WF_Serafina> gears are more likely than pulleys
<Zang> ah, depending on time?
<WF_Arc> Gears more likely than pulleys, ropes are hard to simulate effectively.

On who can tame animals:

<Regeta00> I heard the only unarans can tame the creatures of atriana. Is this true?
<WF_Serafina> Regeta00... no, it is not true
<Regeta00> oh
<Regeta00> YAY

On the physics engine and effects on combat:

<Korak> WorldFusion has went on record(hehe) saying that the physics engine(Volcano Engine *cough*) will be very realistic, and detailed.  Now, on to my question... Will height/weight play a role in Atriarch?  If so, how?  If not, why not?
<WF_Serafina> I'm gonna leave the physics questions up to our physics guru... Arc
<WF_Arc> Yes, both height and weight factor into combat.
<WF_Arc> Your reach and area of attack are determined by your body size and reach.
<Korak> in relation to height, are projectile attacks more effective at higher elevations?
<WF_Serafina> And your "Attack Zone" is also defined by your size.
<WF_Arc> Everything in the world has mass, and mass is always used for physics calculations...
<Korak> ahh, sounds like an approvement over past MMORPGs
<Korak> inprovement
<Korak> m
<WF_Arc> ...including speed, energy, power, etc.
<WF_Serafina> friction
<Korak> what about sharpness of a blade?
<Korak> (think my Q is up)
<WF_Arc> Yes, sharpness matters for certain types of damage against certain materials.

On weapons of mass destruction:

<Zang> will there be flamable or incidiary liquids or materials usefull for combat?
<WF_Serafina> There will not be mass destructive explosives.
<WF_Serafina> so, you will not be able to for example, blow up an entire town
<Zang> will there be flaming arrows?
<WF_Serafina> However, there will be flammable weapons
<WF_Arc> Chemicals will come into play for personable combat.
<WF_Serafina> yes, including for example our version of a flaming arrow
<Zang> could they ignite things?
<WF_Serafina> Zang... don't know about that one yet. It is on the feature list, but one of those features listed at the end.
* Zang nods.
<WF_Serafina> Again.. nothing mass destructive
<WF_Serafina> We won't let you burn down an entire town in the matter a few minutes.
<WF_Serafina> thanks Zang
[Editors note: It appears that Serafina has read "All Quiet on the Northern Flank".]

Thanks again to Serafina and Arc for coming to the House of Commons chat, and thanks to the folks at Atriarch Stratics for organizing and moderating the chat.

In a world where the game engine does not necessarily protect you from the effects of griefers and random PK's but does give you greater ability to organize factions kingdoms and empires, I think that governments may become rather important. That being an organization set up to protect the 'rights' of the players.

Within an empire that has a strong military and police force the citizens might be able to go about their business without fear of random death. The cost of that system may include taxes, laws and even a somewhat dictatorial government.

Of course your always free to wander to other areas but your security level may go down.

I don't know how it will work out, I'm just theorizing on what styles of play the players will find most efficient or fun. PK guilds may realize that in this game it works better to become mercenaries, or even emperors, providing protection in exchange for resources to the same newbies they might have ganked in another game. This would allow them the right of battle to protect their subjects and even let them build up the kind of huge resource base that will be required to wage war with other kingdoms and create empires. After all that's how the great kingdoms of Europe got their start.

Of course I'm no so naive to say that it WILL work out that way, but I think it would be pretty cool.