Gamespy has a talk with Codemasters Community Liaison Manager - Michael Rowland about magic,science,and the new MMO in RF Online.Below is a snippet:

If there‘s one trend that‘s become clear since the success of World of Warcraft, it‘s that companies have finally gotten turned on to the money-making potential of massively multiplayer games. With so many coming down the pike, however, how does a company produce a product that stands out among the legions of cookie-cutter fantasy lands? Some are looking outside the fantasy genre, delving into the realm of comic books or history or science fiction. Others look for a gameplay hook, perhaps taking their cue from Asia, where MMOs in countries like Korea have become a huge part of the entertainment scene. Codemasters is hoping that RF Online, an unusual fantasy/SF hybrid MMO that already boasts over a million players in its native South Korea, will leverage both points of distinction into a big success in Europe and North America

GameSpy: RF Online is notable for the diversity of its three different factions. Can you give those gamers who are unfamiliar with the game a brief overview of the sides and what makes them distinct?

Michael Rowland: Sure. Each of the three factions in RF Online has evolved differently over time, and each has unique powers not seen in the other factions. From a gameplay point of view, each faction will share some similarities in terms of classes available, but the look and feel of each race is distinct, as are their territories. The Cora, for example, live in a land of rolling hills and flowing greenery. The Accretia, on the other hand, leave nothing behind but harsh desert, and the Bellato are a race of scavengers who use whatever works, which creates towns cobbled together with nuts and bolts.

The individual beliefs of the three races also determine the powers, abilities, and play style of each faction. The Cora are strongly focused on magic, the Accretia are pure technology, and the Bellato use elements of both. The mix is pretty fun to experiment with and players should find something to suit their individual tastes..