The weekly feature is here and it's about cults and comics, spiders, transportation, alliances, character creation and more:

So it's been a year now of doing these once a week with a few exceptions. Next week is going to be one of those exceptions as we head out to GDC and will be gone most of the week. We've already got a good number of interviews lined up, so y'all shouldn't be starved for information despite not having the question of the week.

We're waiting for some tweaks to the aiming reticle to do our PvP combat test. We may do it this Friday, but we'll have to see. Currently this week we're working on beefing up sector 1 (which Adrir posted the map of a few days ago, I'm really curious what the colors on his version mean) and concentrating on the new-player experience. Currently things are set up where there's too much of a lag between getting in the game and being able to do what you want to do (i.e. too many missions to get items so you can skin animals, get training, etc). We're working on streamlining things so you can get straight to the type of fun you want, including PvP. There will be some PvP-capable starter areas, but no one is ever forced to go there. We're putting the Grainway on the backburner for awhile because of this, but the Drive-In is done and Bountiful is largely complete.

1. Will there be any cults that mistakenly believe that comics and graphic novels are historical/religious documents?

Fallen Earth has the full run of crazy cults that believe everything from machines are gods to President Jimmy Hoffa being buried in an underground bunker near Trailer Park. I'm fairly certain we'll get to some comic influenced cults in time (though obviously due to trademark reasons using established characters isn't really an option).

2. Is the giant mechanical spider still in the game?

The model is still in the database but we currently have no set plans for using it.

3. Will there ever be boats, motor homes, or any other advanced transportation in the game?

Boats are currently not in the plans, though with some future expansion it may be possible. We do have plans for a number of different four-wheeled vehicle options, each with its own performance profile and characteristics. Motor homes are probably pretty far off; we'd rather concentrate on things like dune buggies, ATVs, V-8 Interceptor-style cars, pick-ups, and such that we figure more players will be interested in.

4. How will multi-faction alliances work in the PvP system? Will, by some fluke, Enforcers/Travelers/Lightbearers or some other example of conflicted interests be able to ally and take a town or will our roles be restricted to the faction wheel and how the factions interact historically?

When you do a mission for a conflict town, you do it for a faction you are at least neutral with, gaining points for that faction controlling the town. Once a faction takes control, the town gains that faction allegiance, meaning that faction's allies are welcome in the town but the faction's enemies are not. So if the Enforcers take a town, the Lightbearers and the Techs are welcome, but the Travelers, CHOTA, and Vistas are not.

On that note, we're also working on clan functionality currently, and are looking at a system in which clans can have members of any faction, but clans with members of allied factions will be able to gain special faction-related abilities that less-focused clans cannot get.

5. According to this:
we have 8 hair colors and 16 hairstyles to choose from when making our character. If somewhere down the line people want more hairstyles/clothes/colors/whatever, how simple would it be to add more?

We have more than 8 hair styles and 16 colors. I don't want to give exact numbers since these things are changing pretty regularly (always going up I might add) but I can safely say expect at least double those numbers. At least.

6. Don't forget the 6-ish faces [...] per sex that is.

Actually, multiply that number by four per sex, and you'll start getting in the bottom end of the ballpark.