Magic Hat Software's Irth Online is a fantasy-themed persistent state project said to emphasize role-playing and allowing players to determine their own in-game experience. Officially announced late last month, although it has been on our radar for some time, it's currently in closed beta and targeted to launch in the second quarter of this year. The setting is one in which a fragile peace exists among three civilizations, the northern Arcadians, swamp-dwelling Morbus and tropical Mezoteks. Features likely to interest players who prefer open-ended virtual worlds include a free-form storyline and a skill system in which characters can learn any ability without racial or class-based restrictions. After the announced Q2 target launch date made us particularly eager to know more, Lead Programmer Dennis Robinson collaborated with Developers Alan Chipura and Tony Pungitore to answer the first half of our questions.