Recently, Managing Editor Jon Wood had the opportunity to talk to two of the developers from EA Mythic's upcoming MMORPG, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, about the Disciple of Khaine class.

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to Adam Gershowitz and Nate Levy from EA Mythic. Adam is the lead on combat and careers and Nate is one of the designers working on the Disciple of Khaine, the class that just happens to be the focus of this article.

For those out there who might not be following Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, the Disciple of Khaine is a class available only to the Dark Elves that fills the healer role in a unique way.

Typically, healer classes cast from the same pool of magical energy as everyone else. You can only cast so many spells before that blue bar is empty and you have to wait until it re-fills enough to cast your next heal. It’s pretty standard practice. Still though, they wouldn’t be making Warhammer Online if they didn’t take that convention and twist it to fit the original Warhammer lore more closely.

In order to understand why there is a difference, it is important to understand a little more about Khaine, so, being the intrepid reporter that I am, I asked the guys just that. Khaine, I am told, is not strictly a Dark Elf god, although they take his worship to a new level of perverseness, but is also worshiped by the High Elves.

Read it all here.

Pictures speak a thousand words.  We are back to concept art again. 

There must be a vacancy on Warhammers marketing staff that needs to be filled.  Either that, or something worse.  Heck, if it's a budget issue, put me in beta and give me a max character so I can wander around taking screenshots for you guys

Now that some of the luster of AOC is rubbing off as details emerge, I'm paying more attention to Warhammer Online.  That would be pretty bad luck if both of them bombed.

What's really funny, is there is still SOOOOOOOOO much talk about Warhammer being a "WoW Clone" but if you take away the Warhammer Tabletop inspired graphics, Warhammer is proving again and again to be fundamentally different then WoW.

Age of Conan, on the other hand, is proving more and more with every new release of information that they are the true "WoW clone."

I find it hillarious...

Still, back to the original topic, the Disciple of Khaine:

This may be the first "healer" class I'm interesting in playing.

Do damage at melee range and then use your blood-thirst-induced essence to heal yourself and allies? Sounds like a blast to me!

It's like a Warrior from WoW with the rage mechanic, but you heal/debuff with your built-up essence.

Sounds hot.

I love the concept art of everything but once it's in the game it's sooo low polygon and bad low detail smudged textures that it ends up looking like crap, i just hope the pictures they taken are using low settings or something.

Originally posted by heerobya

What's really funny, is there is still SOOOOOOOOO much talk about Warhammer being a "WoW Clone" but if you take away the Warhammer Tabletop inspired graphics, Warhammer is proving again and again to be fundamentally different then WoW.

Age of Conan, on the other hand, is proving more and more with every new release of information that they are the true "WoW clone."

I find it hillarious...

Still, back to the original topic, the Disciple of Khaine:

This may be the first "healer" class I'm interesting in playing.

Do damage at melee range and then use your blood-thirst-induced essence to heal yourself and allies? Sounds like a blast to me!

It's like a Warrior from WoW with the rage mechanic, but you heal/debuff with your built-up essence.

Sounds hot.

Noone cares about the WOW/WAR argument anymore........... yes they look similar but so do alot of things.

Originally posted by heerobya

What's really funny, is there is still SOOOOOOOOO much talk about Warhammer being a "WoW Clone" but if you take away the Warhammer Tabletop inspired graphics, Warhammer is proving again and again to be fundamentally different then WoW.

Age of Conan, on the other hand, is proving more and more with every new release of information that they are the true "WoW clone."

I find it hillarious...

Still, back to the original topic, the Disciple of Khaine:

This may be the first "healer" class I'm interesting in playing.

Do damage at melee range and then use your blood-thirst-induced essence to heal yourself and allies? Sounds like a blast to me!

It's like a Warrior from WoW with the rage mechanic, but you heal/debuff with your built-up essence.

Sounds hot.

Still i could be wrong but thats what the info we have atm says.

Regardless it sounds fun , but im not sure if i would not rather be a arch-mage or shaman who it soudns liek will be able to do pretty good single target ranged damage.

Maybe they are scared to show real in game pictures or footage, maybe because they are only now just making the class.

Anyway, nice write up Jon, Sigmar FTW!

Originally posted by slannmage

 

 

Noone cares about the WOW/WAR argument anymore........... yes they look similar but so do alot of things.

I'm not saying I care. I know that WAR is not a WoW clone. I've said this many times on many different forum posts.

The fact that I've said it many times on many different forum posts in the past couple of days proves that indeed people are still making WoW-WAR comparisons.

I just find it funny that the more info that comes out about WAR and AoC, the new information makes WAR look like LESS of a WoW clone and AoC like more of one...

even though I don't think any game is a clone of any other game... but I won't go into all that.

Point is, I'm excited that EA Mythic is re-examining the "healer" role and including melee pwnage fun with the Disciple of Khaine and Warrior Priest.

Originally posted by heerobya

 

 

I just find it funny that the more info that comes out about WAR and AoC, the new information makes WAR look like LESS of a WoW clone and AoC like more of one...

even though I don't think any game is a clone of any other game... but I won't go into all that.

 

Originally posted by heerobya

Age of Conan, on the other hand, is proving more and more with every new release of information that they are the true "WoW clone."

You cant really say AoC is becoming more like a WoW clone and try and say even though I don't think any game is a clone bull.

If you want to dig at AoC do so, but let me just say imo and many others - it plays nothing like WoW, it looks nothing like WoW, and there are no freaking elves, dwarfs or greenskinned playable class'.

I still think Mythic should show the warhammer fans footage to make up after that terrible Video of the Month: Inevitable City  i know my guild are craving something better than the same old concept art.

I liked this write up, it opened my eyes a little more to the war lore, might even play the game in the future now!

The reason they only show concept art is simple.

They are revealing the classes & lore for the 6 different races, not in-game footage.

Generally, they start by creating concept art and straightening out all aspects of the lore behind WAR.

Secondly, they reveal the class unto the public through podcasts or in posts like the one we just read.

Lastly, they create the models to resemble the art and insert them into the game after animation is added.

You will see WAR combat footage of each class in the future, but for now they are simply showing classes.

I'm tired waiting for this dam game

There is plenty of in game footage out there, go look for it. That being said AoCs in game footage release of late have been 1 sec clips next to 1 sec clips and so on. No offense but that does not rank much higher on my scales.

Oh ps what about end game pve that is wowish.

Personally, I think I'm gonna have fun layin the smack down with my DoK.

D.

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

 

Originally posted by heerobya

Age of Conan, on the other hand, is proving more and more with every new release of information that they are the true "WoW clone."

 

You cant really say AoC is becoming more like a WoW clone and try and say even though I don't think any game is a clone bull.

If you want to dig at AoC do so, but let me just say imo and many others - it plays nothing like WoW, it looks nothing like WoW, and there are no freaking elves, dwarfs or greenskinned playable class'.

I still think Mythic should show the warhammer fans footage to make up after that terrible Video of the Month: Inevitable City  i know my guild are craving something better than the same old concept art.

I liked this write up, it opened my eyes a little more to the war lore, might even play the game in the future now!

Well I'm not talking about the look of the game. Obviously, AoC has a gritty, bloody, violent look and feel and I look forward to experiencing the Conan world in this way.

I'm just saying that in terms of game play systems, every new bit of information on AoC I find looks more and more like they are focusing on the same kind of end-game PvE systems that WoW has.

I say I don't think any game is a clone of any other game because it's true. Clone = identical in my view, and obviously no two games are exactly the same. I'm just saying AoC's focus, their overall design resembles the overall design philosophy of WoW more so then I believe Warhammer does.

But I do agree with you, why just show us a concept art shot of the Disciple of Khaine? From what I remember, wasn't the disciple one of the playable classes in the Dark Elf sneak peek in beta? Why not show us some footage of that?

Theres always several options for whining on a game forum when playing a hybrid class.

These guys can(and most likely will) cry about tanking, healing and dps'ing all of which they can do, just not as good the one-job-joe classes.

Originally posted by Terranah

Pictures speak a thousand words.  We are back to concept art again. 

There must be a vacancy on Warhammers marketing staff that needs to be filled.  Either that, or something worse. 

Everyone needs to remember that MMORPG.COM is usually a little bit behind with their info.  This stuff was from last month's newsletter.  THIS month's newsletter has a beta journal about a Disciple in the DE starting zone with screenshots.
http://www.warhammeronline.com/english/community/betaJournal/january2007.php

Also remember that WAR's marketing department has an iron grip on the info being released.  They only let little bits out at a time to match their internal schedule.  Mythic was working on Dark Elves for over half a year  before they released ANY information at all about them. 

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Maybe they are scared to show real in game pictures or footage, maybe because they are only now just making the class.

Nope.   Disciples are in the game and operational as you can see if you watch the lastest Video of the Month.

http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/us/media/flash/2008-01_VotM.html

Disciples wield " twin ritual blades" so any Dark Elf you see who is dual-wielding and NOT a crazed almost-naked Witch Elf is a Discple   WAR doesn't change their character classes at the last minute  j/k

On a side note - The "X game is a clone of Y game" argument is pointless.   WoW copied EQ.  EQ copied UO.   It's the normal evolution of games. 

Originally posted by Alienovrlord

Originally posted by Terranah

Pictures speak a thousand words.  We are back to concept art again. 

There must be a vacancy on Warhammers marketing staff that needs to be filled.  Either that, or something worse. 

You just need to remember that MMORPG.COM is usually a little bit behind with their info.  This stuff was from last month's newsletter.  THIS month's newsletter has a beta journal about a Disciple in the DE starting zone with screenshots.
http://www.warhammeronline.com/english/community/betaJournal/january2007.php

 

Originally posted by AmazingAvery

Maybe they are scared to show real in game pictures or footage, maybe because they are only now just making the class.

 

Nope.   Disciples are in the game and operational as you can see if you watch the lastest Video of the Month.

http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/us/media/flash/2008-01_VotM.html

Disciples wield " twin ritual blades" so any Dark Elf you see who is dual-wielding and NOT a crazed almost-naked Witch Elf is a Discple   WAR doesn't change their character classes at the last minute  j/k

People need to lay off the "X game is a clone of Y game"   WoW copied EQ.  EQ copied UO.   It's the normal evolution of games. 

last minute isnt 4 months before launch :)

Originally posted by heerobya

What's really funny, is there is still SOOOOOOOOO much talk about Warhammer being a "WoW Clone" but if you take away the Warhammer Tabletop inspired graphics, Warhammer is proving again and again to be fundamentally different then WoW.

...

It's like a Warrior from WoW with the rage mechanic, but you heal/debuff with your built-up essence.

 

Yes, I'm looking for something different than WoW too, and I hope this game will be different enough to keep my interest.  However, we all know regardless of whether it is or isn't like WoW, in about 2 years, we will all be looking for the next best thing anyway.  It's human nature to become bored and move on.  You could just do a find and replace on all the "I hate WoW" posts that we see now to "I hate WAR" posts two years from now.

I know I went off on a tangent, but getting back to the topic, this class does look like it will be fun to play

I can't wait for the game!

Now to only hope I make it into the beta before release lol.

Originally posted by heerobya

What's really funny, is there is still SOOOOOOOOO much talk about Warhammer being a "WoW Clone" but if you take away the Warhammer Tabletop inspired graphics, Warhammer is proving again and again to be fundamentally different then WoW.

Age of Conan, on the other hand, is proving more and more with every new release of information that they are the true "WoW clone."

I find it hillarious...

Still, back to the original topic, the Disciple of Khaine:

This may be the first "healer" class I'm interesting in playing.

Do damage at melee range and then use your blood-thirst-induced essence to heal yourself and allies? Sounds like a blast to me!

It's like a Warrior from WoW with the rage mechanic, but you heal/debuff with your built-up essence.

Sounds hot.

To tell the truth, it sounds more like a Druid from WoW. In bear form they would save up Rage and convert it to health with Frenzied Regeneration. Or even more simply, as a Druid I would go in with cat form or bear form, beat the thing silly, swap into caster form for heals and whatnot, then switch back to animal form for more damage.

Sure, not "exactly" like the Diciple, but hardly anything new. Now that I think of it, in Vanguard the Diciple's did this too. Had to beat things up before being able to cast heals (if I remember correctly...).

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not here to bash Warhammer. I'm looking forward to this game too and have been trying to keep my hopes up somewhat about it. Just also trying to keep some perspective about this kinda stuff.

-Naaz.