MMOABC: Can you tell us a little bit about Project Powder?

GM Murdock: Project Powder is a free to play online snowboard racing game published and operated in North America by Outspark. The game is currently in open beta and it mixes the best elements of MMO games with fast gameplay that’s easy to get into. At its heart, Project Powder is an action-packed racing game, but persistant characters, clan-like crews, and powerful in-game community tools give the game a longevity and interactivity that console snowboarding games can’t match.

MMOABC: How does Project Powder differentiate itself from other MMO sports games?

GM Murdock: Project Powder is fast! It’s easy to get in, have fun, and get out without losing a large chunk of your day. At the same time, it’s a game that’s extremely addictive – you’re always about to log off for the night after “one more race,” but that one last race seems to constantly get farther and farther away.

There’s also a really addictive gear enhancement mechanic that should feel like second nature to any seasoned MMO player. By combing and refining gems and ore you find on the track, you can enhance your gear with stat-boosting properties and really maximize your racing ability. Plus it makes your items glow! I think we can all agree that glowing items are awesome!

MMOABC: Currently, players can only select four playable characters and three different game modes to play. Are there plans to expand the number of playable characters and game modes?

GM Murdock: Yes! We have BIG plans to bring even more characters, tracks, and game modes to Project Powder. I can’t give many details just yet, but just keep your eyes peeled on www.project-powder.com for all the latest updates!

On thing I can mention is our upcoming interface overhaul. We’ve been working hard on these UI changes since the closed beta in June, and you’ll get a chance to see the first stage of our improvements soon. For starters, we’re going to completely revamp the login screen to simplify getting into the game and finding your friends. We’ve also redesigned the game lobby to make getting into a race even faster and more intuitive.

These are just our first set of changes – we’re going to be completely redesigning the main interface in the coming weeks, but you’ll just have to wait to hear about all of the new features and to experience them yourself.

MMOABC: Like many racing games, players expect to see a variety courses. How many courses are there for Project Powder and are there plans to add more in the future?

GM Murdock: We have a total of 33 different tracks, and more are definitely on the way! Project Powder also features 3 different game modes – race, battle, and coin – and each one is playable with a team or in an all-out free-for-all.

MMOABC: How is the character customization for Project Powder and what type of in-game items can players buy to improve their characters?

GM Murdock: The character customization is awesome! And no, I’m not just saying that because I work on the game. When you first make your character you can choose from different hair colors and starting gear, but beyond that there are tons of items, boards, and accessaries you can use to really customize your look once you get started. We have hundreds of items prepped and ready for Project Powder, and we’ll be releasing them in stages so there will always be something new and cool to check out.

MMOABC: Online hacking and gold spamming are widely evident in the MMO realm, how does Project Powder handle these disruptions?

GM Murdock: The game is designed so that there’s no way to abuse the in-game economy. Players can’t trade money – only items – so there’s no way for a few gold sellers to ruin the game for others. As for hacking, we have our own hack prevention tool and have been successful in blocking all hacks. We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to hackers, botters, spammers, and gold farmers, so race without fear!

MMOABC: Many MMO operators/publishers are currently hosting many games in different geographic regions. Some are "free to play" while others are "pay to play." What is your take on this and what type of business model will players expect to see for Project Powder?

GM Murdock: Project Powder will ALWAYS be free to play. At Outspark we believe in keeping all our games completely free. We’ll never gate content to only paying players or force people to use our cash shop. Instead, the Outspark Store is perfect for players that want to further customize their character and their experience – it isn’t possible to spend money to get the best gear or a “win for free” card. Project Powder is still a racing game where skill, not the amount of money you spend, determines who wins a race.

MMOABC: Are you guys planning to do any Project Powder contest events in the next coming weeks or months?

GM Murdock: We have some really cool online and offline events planned for the future, and will be giving away exclusive in-game items and real world prizes. Just stop by www.project-powder.com or our forums to get the latest details.

We also select one lucky Project Powder player at the start of every month to be our player of the month. You can read the latest Project Powder player of the month interview online here: http://www.outspark.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1192613

MMOABC: Will the Project Powder development team be attending any Video/MMORPG gaming events for 2008?

GM Murdock: We were just at PAX last month, and had a great time hanging out with our players and chatting about our games. We’re always on the lookout for events that let us interact directly with our community. So while we don’t have anything planned for the rest of 2008, I wouldn’t rule anything out just yet.

MMOABC: Is there anything else about Project Powder that you’d like our readers to know?

GM Murdock: Project Powder is the world’s first free online snowboarding game! I’m really proud to bring such an awesome game to players FOR FREE! We have a lot of great features planned for the coming months – Project Powder is a game that’s constantly getting great new content. There’s no need to buy a slightly updated sequel at the end of every year. Whether you’re a fan of action sports games or MMOs, the most hardcore player or a casual, first-time gamer, Project Powder is a great game to play.

So what are you waiting for?! Look for me – GM Murdock – in-game and try to pwn me… if you think you’ve got the snowboarding skills.

MMOABC: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to talk with us. We wish the best of luck to Project Powder!

You can check out and play Project Powder here:

http://projectpowder.outspark.com/