We're a small group of core developers which consists of only three people at this point - a programmer, a 3d graphic artist, and a concept designer. We're looking to expand the team as the project enters the next phase of development. There is an internship program in the game design program at the local college where we can draw from the talents of future game designers as well.

I've played too many. :) Earth & Beyond, Eve Online, SWG, WoW, EQ, UO, Final Fantasy, some NWN persistent worlds, and I'm almost scared to admit that I've been on The Sims Online & There as well.

There will be solo opportunities in the game as well as difficult challenges that will require the strength of a posse or gang.

Projectile and melee weapons are planned, each having their own unique skill trees. Horses will be a major component of the game, just as they were almost a necessity in the wild west. One of the main professions in the game will be Horse Husbandry (taming, breeding, training), but more on that later.

This is currently under much debate. On one hand, it would be a huge addition to community-building in-game. On the other hand, it has to be done right and planned out. The major drawback to player cities is that they have to serve a purpose, or there's not much fun in trying to build a city and grow it. We'll be providing more details as we move further along.

It would be difficult to take a player hostage, and truthfully, it probably wouldn't be much fun for the hostages. :) There will be several underhanded activities available to those that want to follow an outlaw's ways, and also counter activities to those who follow or enforce the law.

Trains and ferries are still on the drawing table. Nothing has been decided on their implementation, but zone-to-zone travel will likely use them.

The game will have multiple factions. In the wild west, there were no true lawmen, and likewise no true outlaws. Most people lived in the gray area between the two. As such, a character's faction with a certain group, town, or gang will be decided based solely on their actions toward that group on an individual basis. This way, you could be loved by one group, hated by another, and somewhere in-between with others.

Ive played SWG and yes im a wanderhomie, EQ, EQ2, WoW, Eve and a few others that are completely out there (Utopia?)

This is where you come in. The game is about what we the players want not just we the developers. Unlike some of the other games I have played you have the devs responding to you in posts nearly all the time (Eve being the obvious exception here). You can help make the game into what ever you would like to see by making suggestions just like this. So seriously thank you!

Will we be able to rob banks and get real ingame money? If so could we take real players hostage?

Sounds great so far. Hrmm, for the player cities like in SWG you could have a player city offer some sort of bonus to something that the player specifys. Like one town is full of saloons so the town is basically one to relax and heal up if your wounded or something and another town focuses on making money so they get a bonus to selling items. Or maybe you could have hideouts instead of towns. Have a bandit hideout that provides defensive bonuses to the players that are associated with that place while other players raid their base to rescue someone, steal their swag, or just show 'em who's boss. :P