|
|
We chat with the Director of Community Relations about the coming war...
Ever since it was first announced, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning has developed a rabid fan-base. From the folks behind Dark Age of Camelot and now with the publishing might of Electronic Arts, WAR has everything behind it possible to be a success. Find out more in this new interview.
|
| MMORPG.com: |
When Warhammer was announced, it immediately became the most anticipated game on our list by a country mile. The EA deal obviously somewhat deepened enthusiasm. What has the deal meant to the development of Warhammer Online so far?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
To be perfectly honest, not much has changed. We are still working hand in glove with the great people at Games Workshop. We are still completely responsible for development, testing, and making good progress. We're still exactly on track. We're still partnered with GOA for the European launch.
The differences have been psychological - as an independent studio, we had the freedom to do anything, including starve. Also along those lines, EA has resources, and that means EA Mythic has resources to hire whomever we need to get the job done.
I expect the most visible differences will come into play after we launch, in terms of distribution, worldwide partners in Asia, advertising, and really great shelf placement at the different retail stores. Mythic used to lose arguments with big retailers. EA doesn't even have to argue.
|
|
| MMORPG.com: |
You made the decision to develop in three racial pairings. First, you showed us the Dwarves and Greenskins. Can you tell us why you chose to start there and what the timeline for the next three pairings?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
It was the right decision for a million reasons, but first and foremost, Dwarfs (not Dwarves, ask GW) and Greenskins are the most iconic races of the Warhammer world. The elves and humans are just as unique in their way, but if you're looking to grab people from the beginning and say "look, this is what we're about," you gotta start with the orcs, goblins, and angry dwarfs.
* Humans are next, because there's so much anticipation for the races that most people will wind up playing in release. We also wanted to focus on what are really unique takes on the humans - as well as the hotly anticipated Chaos humans, who won't look like anything anyone in the fantasy genre has seen before. Finally, we have the elves. It just worked out that way. But who doesn't like elves?
The exact timeline is going to depend on when the devs finish it. Then marketing can talk about it. Then I can explain it.
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Obviously, you've heard rumblings about how the game looks like World of WarCraft. Bluntly, did you intentionally mimic World of WarCraft with your visual style? If not, can you explain how it evolved the way it did and why you believe people should not view it that way?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
I hate answering this question in print, because you really have to see my face to understand my tone. You must pretend, as you read this, that I have thrown my head back and laughed, and then I rolled my eyes at you. That is the exact tone my voice has when I answer this question. Also, since it is you, Lepidus, and I have known you for many years, it is highly possible that in person, I would have thrown some sort of soft toy at you for asking questions to which you know the answer.
The answer is no, we did not mimic that other game. We are developing WAR in the exact style of Games Workshop, the style Games Workshop developed back in the 1980s.
There was never a chance that we would throw out more than twenty years of development and design just because another company found that look and style so inspirational.
I don't know why things have evolved the way they have evolved. Perhaps that would be a good question for a clever journalist to ask GW and Blizzard. But I don't have a dog in that fight. My company is proud and happy to work with GW, the original designers of the look - an assertion easily proved by pulling up any number of gaming books from the eighties. We are making their world come to life.
|
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Warhammer takes itself a lot less seriously than most fantasy properties out there. Can you give us some concrete examples of how this humor has translated into an MMORPG?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
1) Paul Barnett.
2) The in-game content.
The latter is currently covered by NDA. The former is all over the internet and totally uncontrollable, bless him. But he's really got the whole spirit of the game wrapped up in every freakish interview and video.
|
| MMORPG.com: |
The last time we spoke, you had a rather concrete vision for the evolution of RvR throughout the course of character's career. Have there been any changes or innovations to PvP in the game since then?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
"Concrete vision?" That smacks of a certain inflexibility, and "inflexible" is something that a product in closed beta can't afford. We have a design framework that has not changed in a big way since the last time you interviewed the developers. The execution has in many cases dramatically changed, as we try things and decide that they don't work - or implement things and realize that those things limit us unnecessarily. I can't be specific here, because anything I say today is subject to change before the next demonstration. And at the next demonstration, you can play and write about it yourself.
Sorry, that's a terrible answer.
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Squig Herders were the most original and humorous class we heard about when we met you earlier this year. Can you tell everyone about how this Greenskin class should work?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
Rein your expectations in, a smidgen. What you were told remains true, all in all. But you won't get everything you heard about in the same moment that you create the character. There will be plenty of humor and fun as you rise through the Herder ranks, and at this time, we still intend that you will be able to hop into the battle squig as a veteran herder even if you can't start that way. But the specifics are subject to change based on testing, GW's approval, and our ability to make it fun.
|
|
| MMORPG.com: |
The hardcore Warhammer audience is divided between role-players, painters and war gamers. How have you set out to capture each of these audiences on top of the regular MMO gamers?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
This question is mind-boggling in its scope, and the answer I'm about to give is overly simplistic.
We are appealing to the figure painters, among many other ways, with all the detail and color. I have had several people with really extraordinary army collections tell me that seeing the NPCs is exactly like seeing their figures move. That was one of the finest compliments I have accepted on behalf of the team.
Roleplayers will love the rich backstory and lore. Twenty years of novels, stories, tabletop books, and more has given us this amazingly layered world. Because there has been so much history written, roleplayers have a foundation they can start from with their own characters, guilds, and adventures. This bit sounds like complete and utter marketing slop, doesn't it? I swear it's not. Talk to established Warhammer fans who have been roleplaying in live campaigns since Reagan was President.
If by war gamers, you mean the guys who enjoy virtual fighting, bloodshed, and general mayhem, we're designing the entire game for them.
If by war gamers, you mean the guys that do the tabletop environments with the miniatures, the answer is a little more complicated. Gameplay will not be like that. They shouldn't expect it. But there is an ongoing tabletop campaign here, involving artists and designers and content people. The guys love the game; they play every week. That love, and that devotion, is definitely informing the work on the MMO. So I believe the spirit of the war gamer is part of the game that we're building, and that the war gamers in the community will be able to see it. But only beta testing will prove my belief.
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Warhammer is built off the same core engine as Dark Age of Camelot. Can you talk about some of the technical improvements and innovations made to that engine specifically for Warhammer?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
Some things can't be discussed yet. This industry is just a mite competitive, and talking about some innovations a year from launch just means that someone else will miraculously launch an expansion pack with our features. This has happened to nearly every MMO ever launched.
But if the technical types reading this have been going "they must be doing XYZ, it's a no-brainer," well, chances are we're doing those things. Obviously we're doing a lot of modifications related to graphics. People say they don't care about eye candy, but eye candy is what they buy. Besides, we owe it to GW to make their world as awesome looking as possible.
And let me get my notes, the programmer with whom I spoke phrased it so nicely... ah, yes: "We are obviously leveraging multi-core processor technology."
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Chaos is easily the most foreign of the six armies you have planned. Can you talk about some of the challenges in translating these monsters to an MMP and how your team has handled them so far?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
Well, remember that we are not discussing Chaos this early, not in detail. But certainly I've touched on the topic in the Grab Bag already, so I can say what I said there. Chaos is extremely exciting because it's so different from all the playable things out there, with the mutations and the humor and the tentacles. And visually, this army is a dream come true.
But we're making a game. It should be fun to play for both those facing Chaos and those who are Chaos. There are things we can do with NPCs in terms of abilities and appearances that, were we to attempt with player characters, would suck. Check out September Grab Bag.
So one of the biggest challenges is meeting player expectations with the look and feel of Chaos, while keeping the game balanced (and frankly, doable.)
|
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Your website already has several zones listed. Can you talk specifically about one zone and why a player will want to go there from a gameplay (rather than fictional) perspective?
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
Each zone will offer the same opportunities, actually. I should say "each zone outside the capital cities," shouldn't I, since the cities are so specialized and intended for a specific type of warfare.
The zones outside the cities have little towns to get quests, meet other people, buy supplies, and immerse oneself in the culture of that zone. There will be places to explore, and to discover out of the way quests and encounters not spoon-fed to the player with NPCs and flashing things on the maps. There will be instances, and dungeons. There will be regular old monsters to hunt and kill and track in the Bestiary. There will be places to indulge in some quick and dirty free-for-all killing without having to leave the zone or even cross a zone line. There will be elements of territory control playing to the endgame of city raiding.
In other words, EVERY zone is designed to have something to do for every sort of player, with varying amounts of time to play, and all of it integrated into a larger purpose. The differences between the zones are really about the fiction, the history, and the culture. Or, put another way: We are designing all the zones to have multiple gameplay reasons attracting us players. I can't really answer your question specifically, because the specific answer would still apply to all the other zones.
|
| MMORPG.com: |
Finally, the question we always must ask. When is beta? When is release? :)
|
|
Sanya Thomas: |
You apparently haven't checked http://www.warhammerherald.com lately. ;)
|
* Editor's Note: The second paragraph of the second answer was changed a few minutes after we first published this when Thomas noted a factual mistake in her original answer.
|
| ESRB:T
;)
;)
;)
;)
I'm thinking they could have done more with a "Warhammer 40k" themed build. That would deffintly get my attention!
While some of the screen shots *do* look like it was taken from World of Warcraft others look a *LOT* better then WoW: example of "better"
I personally have next to -zero- ineterest in this game due to it appearing like a WoW clone. The *only* thing that would spark interest is more dynamics and game play *nothing* remotely similar to WoW.
Oddly enough, how many will settle for In & Out Burgers, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Carls JR., or any variation, when you want McDonalds? MMO's are not hamburgers. Hopefully someone will learn that someday...
I'm thinking they could have done more with a "Warhammer 40k" themed build. That would deffintly get my attention!
While some of the screen shots *do* look like it was taken from World of Warcraft others look a *LOT* better then WoW: example of "better"
I personally have next to -zero- ineterest in this game due to it appearing like a WoW clone. The *only* thing that would spark interest is more dynamics and game play *nothing* remotely similar to WoW.
Oddly enough, how many will settle for In & Out Burgers, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Carls JR., or any variation, when you want McDonalds? MMO's are not hamburgers. Hopefully someone will learn that someday...
It's unfortunate that people have such limited vision and continue to call this game a WOW clone. I would assume it has to do with age and ability to read but then I'd probably get flamed, but consider this: Warhammer is very old. If you are not old you probably don't understand how long it's been around, but it's closing in on 30 years. So to call a MMO based on a game that's over 20 years old a WOW clone is somewhat small minded. The art style they are using is going to fall pretty damn close to what's been had in WHFB books and manuals for years now.
Also keep in mind this game will be RVR(PVP) based. Before you argue that WoW is PVP based, think about how many PVP instances there are compared to raid instances.
I mean take this acronym: RvR. WoW has nothing even remotely close to it. Or how about this one: 4 unique classes for every race. WoW has nothing even remotely close to that either.
Wait wait, I have another one for you: lateral skill advancement. 4 tiers of 10 ranks each. Yeah WoW just has 60 levels.
Hang on I think I can possibly think of another off the top of my head..... Oh yeah. Armor customization including dyes, and the ability to mount trophies from PvP on your armor. Yeah WoW doesn't come close to that either.
Please oh Please go through of list of WoW clone items without saying things like "WoW has a minimap and WAR has a minimap so it's a clone."
Now, alot of things that warhammer seems to be doing will wrongfully be credited to blizzard and world of warcraft. Blizzard has only been good at taking what everyone else has already done and putting an extra level of polish on it. WoW is a solid game, very easy for new people to the genre to get into, but has 0 innovation and even less depth. Will Warhammer end up being as shallow as WoW? I dont know and I certainly hope not.
It's the over-done Tolkien-ish fantasy setting that people are seeing the similarities in. Yes, WoW used Orcs, but so has a ton of other games and fantasy worlds before them. And I'm sure Warhammer thought up "Dwarfs with Guns" before Blizzard did.
But that’s not why I'm not going to buy this game on launch. I'm afraid of what EA has done or will do to Mythic in the coming months or years (if they even allow Mythic to exist that long).
If I see that this game is successful for about a year, I might get into it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a HUGEEEE Mythic and WHO fanboi, but the game and gameplay so far does look alot like WOW artistically...
Anyone who has seen the gameplay video of warhammer on Warhammeralliance.com would probably agree.
[quote]But that’s not why I'm not going to buy this game on launch. I'm afraid of what EA has done or will do to Mythic in the coming months or years (if they even allow Mythic to exist that long). [/quote]
Its funny when someone takes a fleeting memory of a game turned wrong in the past due to a certain company, then speculates that every game in the future this company has a hand in will then be garbage as well. Short sighted fools.
Corporations want to make money and learn from mistakes, thats why they have a ton of money and joe shmoe is broke. The MMO market is still in its infancy and is actually, maybe just making it past "the terrible twos". A companies mistakes in the past, when the market was so fresh the shit stains still smelled, does not mean the same mistakes will occur again.
I feel bad for the people who make such comments, they act as if their girlfriends had cheated on them and they are still crying in their beers. Well they can keep crying while im sacking another factions capital city.
BTW what is your past with EA? Please dont tell me it was UO.
Funny how the interview asked 'is this like WoW?' and we got a 'No' (finally comfirmation btw, I've been saying that for ages), yet people still go 'it's a WoW clone', do people not read things? It's built off DAoC (pre-WoW), and guided by Games Workshop themselfs, who practically invented 'war'... Yet people still think 'WoW/Warcraft/Blizzard created all, tis the center of the MMOverse', whats next LOtR copied WoW? Makes me just want to.... WAAAGGHH! *thud* *chop*
Right.. bloodcrazed rank over..
Anyway.. I'm glad to see GW still have a huge hand in WAR and EA just seem to be keeping their mitts off it and just throwing money at it for the moment.. things look promising
It's the over-done Tolkien-ish fantasy setting that people are seeing the similarities in. Yes, WoW used Orcs, but so has a ton of other games and fantasy worlds before them. And I'm sure Warhammer thought up "Dwarfs with Guns" before Blizzard did.
But that’s not why I'm not going to buy this game on launch. I'm afraid of what EA has done or will do to Mythic in the coming months or years (if they even allow Mythic to exist that long).
Has the Tolkien-esque fantasy genre been done to death? I don't really know. I do know that for me personally no one has really done it the justice I think it deserves so far.
The EA Mythic thing has to make someone pause. EA destroyed Origin Studios by forcing OSI to completely change the way they did business. This is a well documented fact. Has EA learned anything? On the surface one might think so. Mythic is saying the same things that Sigil and Perpetual are saying with their recent moves to SOE Platform Publishing. Obviously there are differences in the relationships, Mythic is now a part of EA wheras the other 2 companies arent owned by SOE, yet (verant wasnt owned by SOE at the start). Only time will tell where the EA Mythic thing is concerned. If I remember right at the start EA didnt do anything to OSI, it was only later that things really started going downhill.
TheDrizzle wrote:
Don't get me wrong, I'm a HUGEEEE Mythic and WHO fanboi, but the game and gameplay so far does look alot like WOW artistically...
Anyone who has seen the gameplay video of warhammer on Warhammeralliance.com would probably agree.
Yes it might, but dont be confused. Blizzard copied the artistic style of Warhammer. They said it in tons of interviews, there were pictures in pcgamer back during a preview of warcraft of one of the art departments desks and it was covered with warhammer books, miniatures, etc. Wow came to market in the mmorpg genre first, but their look is entirely ripped off from Warhammer and Games Workshop. That's the point that people seem to miss.
I do wholeheartedly agree, however being a Warhammer fan and knowing Warcraft owes not only Warhammer but D&D and LOtR etc, I just find it insulting and idiotic that poeple can't understand or choose not to beleave that things these days CAN be based off things 'pre-'X' fad', the 'fad' these days being WoW so everything must be based off the 'fad' has thats the only way to make money...
What really annoys me atm is the people trying to convince others that may have an interest in WAR 'not to play it because it's gotta be like WoW, WoW's crap so don't play WAR', those people really need to be shot.. Mythic really do need to use the 'WAR is not WoW' stick, as then people on the fence would actally try this and not be put off with the 'WoW haters' finding a new target..
Either way I think Mythic would be quite happy with 300,000-ish worldwide playerbase and not 'try' for a 7 million effort
Have you tried their animal style?
Gandalf is sooo like a warlock.
jesus, some people....
More Warhammer questions answered here
http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/11/27/1752236.shtml
There you have it folks.
I hadn't thought about that, and now that you brought it up, I am inclined to agree with you. It's kind of like, ignorant people spreading their ignorance onto other players who don't know any better, and then they take it as fact. In that instance, I think we will miss out on some potentially great players.
As for the worldwide player base, I have to be perfectly honest. I think I would actually prefer the 300k subscription than the 7 million for numerous reasons that are too many to list here. I'm sure you agree the game doesn't have to be a huge success numbers wise to be a huge success to us.
The only thing that might concern me about a smaller player base is...is EA going to be happy about that? And what might they do in response? I am not an EA merger basher at all, but from a business standpoint (ignoring EA's history completely, purely economical here), that disturbs me slightly. Still, that's a whole 'nother conversation for a whole 'nother thread.
ZOMG EA IS TEH DEVIL1111111111111
They made every1 trammie carebears and tooked away my ganking fun
waaaahhhhaaaahhaaahaahaa
/sarcasm
I used to think the same thing til I went out and actually did some digging for information. Orgin is as much to blame for their failures as EA.
The deal for this game was done before EA came on board.
Nothing has changed since EA came on board.
EA is not calling the shots Mythic and Games Worksop are.
EA wants successful market share in online gaming and don't want to hose this up - they will not interfere, they will not dictate how the game is made.
no ingame advertising - Confirmed by Marc Jacobs. Besides, Games Workshop won't allow it - they don't even have outside advertising in White Dwarf magazine.
What EA will do is help with marketing, advertising and help with making sure the product has a lot of retail shelf space.
looks dated.
Also it looks more of the same old same old grind to end level.
Where are the new ideas?
Collision Detection with both friend and foe when flagged for PvP
Armor Customization that includes turning bits of armor on and off to be more unique
Anything dealing with Chaos
City Sieges where you actually capture the opposing king
Trophies that are worn from PvP
WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) philosophy
Tome of Knowledge (you'll have to look that one up since there's too much to describe here)
That's all I can think of at the moment.
Dated? Seriously? To me it looks great. Definitely not top of the line graphics, but I prefer to have tons of players on screen at once and a great frame rate as opposed to having my computer slow to a crawl due to the high-end graphical content.
I hadn't thought about that, and now that you brought it up, I am inclined to agree with you. It's kind of like, ignorant people spreading their ignorance onto other players who don't know any better, and then they take it as fact. In that instance, I think we will miss out on some potentially great players.
As for the worldwide player base, I have to be perfectly honest. I think I would actually prefer the 300k subscription than the 7 million for numerous reasons that are too many to list here. I'm sure you agree the game doesn't have to be a huge success numbers wise to be a huge success to us.
The only thing that might concern me about a smaller player base is...is EA going to be happy about that? And what might they do in response? I am not an EA merger basher at all, but from a business standpoint (ignoring EA's history completely, purely economical here), that disturbs me slightly. Still, that's a whole 'nother conversation for a whole 'nother thread.
OHHH i almosrt forgot to remind everyone what ea does when they take over and merge a company 3 big words EARTH AND BEYOND.
Secondly for people expecting some sandbox MMO, with new and innovated ideas pushing the boundaries of the MMO genre as we know it, will be disappointed. This game has been designed from the beginning with a single purpose in mind. Mythic realizes that not every one will like that goal or purpose, but thats just too bad. They realize they can not and will never be able to please every one. As is evident with WoW that when you try to please every one it only ends badly. Also ask Blizzard how many of their 7.5 million subscribers are in NA, I bet you that its not peaking anymore and slowly heading down. Blizzards just getting a boost from their Asian numbers because their end game is very similar to the grind Asians love in their own MMOs.
Thirdly and lastly, the EA deal. Well I like how some people just totally ignore the fact that MBJ, the top guy at Mythic before they got bought out. Is not still only the top guy at Mythic, but the top guy for all of EAs online MMO department. Basically EA realised they were screw ups when it came to the online field. They also saw that other companies were cashing in and they wanted to also. However they needed successful expertise to do so, so they turned to a small development company that did alright for themselves in DAoC. And were currently making a game that will most likely also be a success, although not in WoW numbers. Also they saw a guy, MBJ, who knew what he was doing in the field, so they absorbed them and have left them relatively alone. EA wants to make money, they figure the best way to do that is to let Mythic go about their business and make money.
I can not wait for this game because of the fact Mythic is making it, and they are making it to their strong suit. Basically a RvR game, they are also doing so with a goal and purpose in mind. They are not trying to be everythign for every one. Warhammer: Age of Reckoning will be a RvR focused game, based more on skill than gear. Simple as that, if you want a sandbox type of MMO sorry, if you want a PvE focused game look to WoW. While there maybe good PvE in WAR it will never be the sole focus of the game, because in WAR the war between the factions is the sole focus.
OHHH i almosrt forgot to remind everyone what ea does when they take over and merge a company 3 big words EARTH AND BEYOND.
Except that Earth and Beyond was a piece of ****. I would have cancelled that game too and I don't know jack about making money.
One slight thing different about the acquisition of Mythic that people should remember. EA Mythic is the MMO developing branch of EA now. They didn't take them over for the game. They took them over so that Mythic can make MORE MMOS, not just one.
Who knows what we'll see in the future. Perhaps a Warhammer 40K game, perhaps even games that Mythic wouldn't have been able to make due to being undermanned.
Mythic was acquired for their MMO Developing skills, not for one game.
Fanbois seriously need to tone down the preaching; you hardly know anything about the state of the game, you have absolutely ZERO clue what will make it to launch, and you're swallowing every bit of hype they put out.
Try play Daoc since it isn't on your list o mighty expert, or at least read up the game and you'll see plenty of new ideas, such as leveling through PvP alone for one.
Try play Daoc since it isn't on your list o mighty expert, or at least read up the game and you'll see plenty of new ideas, such as leveling through PvP alone for one.
And we have you at the other extreme , you must live a very depressing life.
When I read about this game it sounds promising. But then so did WoW a year before launch when it still seemed like it woudn't turn into another 'Raid or Die' MMORPG.
Given Mythic's reputation with DAOC, I'm willing to keep an eye on this game and see how it turns out. If WoW's 'new' PvP system doesn't help it recover, then WAR will certainly be a nice option to turn toward.
The keen eye would also notice that murlocs changed a bit from War3 to WoW as well as many other things (no more catapults, Furion Stormrage is now Malfurion (Furion is a bit close to ORION who is a Warhammer character that predates Warcraft) and hey! where did the Chaos Orcs go from Warcraft??!! oh ya, that was a bit too close to home for the peeps at GW so they got yanked. Now that the GW eye is focussed on Blizzard, I bet you will start seeing some changes in their upcoming titles. If Blizzard ever makes SC2, I'd bet the farm that space marines won't look anything like they did in SC (of course that's a good thing imo as I'm not much of a fan of the space hulk).
Fanbois seriously need to tone down the preaching; you hardly know anything about the state of the game, you have absolutely ZERO clue what will make it to launch, and you're swallowing every bit of hype they put out.
This isn't one of those cheesy games(*cough*WoW*cough) where the only difference between races is graphics. Each of the Graphics have drasticaly different classes and zones to explore. Basically, if it getts done how Mythic says it's getting done, you will be able to play through the game six times(one for each race) and get a completely different experence each time through.
The main thing that has me interest are the detials and quirks of the World. Take a look through the video blogs, especially the Squig Powered elevator. I have no idea if stuff like that will make it into the game, but if it does I'm buying it.
Also, it's really the only next gen MMO promising RvR. Connan is promising mass PvP, but I'm not even sure that my computer will run that thing in PvE, there's no way it'll pull off mass RvR.
Alot of next gens are also promising new gimicky combate systems too. I'm not sure how entertaining Connan's system is going to be. You can go on about combo and so on, but how many new skills is the warrior actually going to get? I think it will be pretty much the same thing from begining to end-game. G&H looks cool, but I wonder how that whole minions and army thing is going to work out. A classic MMO system with lateral advancement sounds like it might work(you gain skills different skills in WAR and your skills are never replaced, as opposed to WoW/Liniage System, where you mostly just gain the ability to pwn lower levels and maybe your 'fireball' levels up to 'fireball 2')
If you want to go into comparing it to other next gens: Connan has the rating, WAR has the spirit. Connan has beheadings, WAR has dead people hanging off trees or on battlegrounds being picked at by vultures.
If you think Connan is cool because it incorperates Connan lore into their game, check out the class descriptions. The Bright Wizard and Priest of Sigmar(released in an IGN intereveiw) are exelent examples of what speerates WAR from the rest.
I don't know what else you want to know about but ask I'll try to find the answers for you. WAR pretty much slips something into every part of development to improve opon the previous gen of MMOs. I mean, someone else said it seemed like it will be the same grind, here the two quests we know about so far:
The Very First Quest you Receive as an Orc: There was a huge battle. Outside the base there's no a field for of Dwarfs. Vulture have started to eat them. The boss doesn't like this and has you go kill ten vultures because they are 'picking at his trophies'. It's not much different from the rest of the pack, but I like it because of it's flavor. Like I said, it's just a starting quest.
The other thing we know is community quests. It's everybody withing your faction, that is in the same zone as you are, working together on a common quest. The example we got is there's this Giant being chased by Squigs(evil packman looking things), and so your faction(the Orcs) is supposed to kill the Squigs and get the Giant beer(because he's thirsty from being chased). In reward for the quest, you get armor or something and then the NPC Giant goes attacks your enemy's Battlefield.
actually I'm pretty sure I'm aware of the state of the game. All you have to do is type in "Warhammer gameplay video" in youtube and you'll be just as knowledgable as others as to the state of the game. Or you could go to war-rvr.net and check out the mediaplayer which gives tons of information.
Not preaching by the way. I was just pointing out the things that I've noticed in the game that are new. And to say that I'm "swallowing every bit of hype they put out" is kind of naive considering this "hype" that I'm swallowing are all things I've "seen" in the gameplay videos except for the city sieges.
You should do some research before you start calling people fanbois and take a look at the information that is readily available.
To Holyavenger:
The zones they speak of are seamlessly linked. If you check out several gameplay videos, in one really good one the character walks between two zones using a road and there is not load time or anything like that. The only thing that changes is when he pulls up the map, it's the map for a different zone.
Anyway moving on , I am also looking forward to the RvR in how you dont have to PvE to level up cause for me , I truly enjoy PvP and so I look forward to that since for me WoW PvP experience died down, I made High Warlord and then done several High End instances and it got dull for me having to kill same boss over and over for something different for items. How Scenarios make a difference because victory points are added in a certain period so that the battlefield moves on and how the World map would be shifted for factions occupying areas. For me Battle Grounds in WoW well it does get boring even though I got exalted for them all and each win is only for own reputation and honor to be gained for one self mainly to reach ranks. In the end when you come to think about it, the Battle Grounds in WoW well doesnt make people have the incentive to go attack the Capital lands of opposing Factions anymore but instead just enter BGs to fight instead.
Anyway I appologise as people may feel why am I comparing WoW to WAR well the only reason I can say is that there are going to be some similiarities for whats there but I know WAR would be different generally because WoW will mainly be for PvE players and yet WAR can move on to be continous mainly for RvR. Another thing that I'd like to mention about population in WoW, I honestly think that currently there are a number of Warhammer table top players or fans at WoW right now because of some similiarities in Warhammer and yet when Warhammer does get its release, I feel there would be a huge number of WoW players shifting to WAR because those Warhammer fans will finally get their MMO release . Not only that DAoC fans will be happy to see what Mythic has done to this highly anticipated game. So I fully reckon there will be definately more than just 300k of peeps playing this .
Anyway thats my expression and oppinion about this game. I hope you guys dont flame cause its what I just wanted to share. I did enjoy WoW at first and in the end it dies down for me because there's no innovation to continue to PvP once you reach the top . I just hope WAR could be that difference since its an RvR game for me to enjoy.
I wander if this game will appeal to me. I like DAoC, the way it was when only SI was released. No instances, the world wasn't larger than its population, and everyone grouped and hunted together, plus there wasn't quest based content to keep you solo, like in WoW.
I really hope it will be a lot like DAoC in those regards, but I fear this game will appeal to the WoW PvP crowd that didn't get the PvP they were looking for in WoW.
Besides, just becuase there are 2 continents and an ocean in between doesn't necassarily make it a WoW-clone. Having said that, in order for a game to NOT be a WoW-clone, it needs a single continent, or what?
So, by your logic, EA will remain perfectly happy dumping money into advertising and marketing this game with out having any say what so ever...
...well my friend, that’s just not the nature of the beast.
Eventually, EA will get involved with what Mythic does and doesn't do. It's unavoidable. You think you can sell off your company to some big corporation, have them hand you tons of resources, and they won't ask for anything in return besides a little profit sharing and sticking the EA on your name tag?! Don't be so naive.
The marketing department at EA will eventually begin to asses how the game will sell the best. Once the publisher, marketing department, and the dreaded "suits" start to develop a different opinion on how best to make/sell the game, they will push the development team in that direction. So many people are saying "Well EA will just let them be and they'll make tons of money and the games will be so awesome and well all live happily ever after!". LET ME EXPLAIN THIS IN VERY SIMPLE TERMS. MYTHIC IS NOW EA, EA IS NOW MYTHIC, THEY ARE ONE IN THE SAME! EA'S PRACTICES ARE NOW MYTHIC'S! If that scares you, don't worry, it should. The creative prowess that Mythic has always flaunted is jeopardized directly form this merger.
But, of course, time will tell. I love to be proved wrong, dead wrong. But I'll be d$%^ed, though, if I let them just skate by scot-free on this. Some one has to point the finger so they know their fans aren't totally ignorant and won't follow them where ever they decide to go.
I don't approve of this merger, so I critique and protest it.The only problems I had with the interview:
A .1 differance is not a "country mile"
EA has not INCREASED interest in the game, just the opposite...
Other than that I have to agree with the people who say that if you think WAR is a WoW clone its cause you are too young or too dumb to know better.
Good point. The interview seemed to ignore the fact that WAR had a rating of 7.5 before the EA merger.
Afterward it dropped to 7.1 and it has slowly been crawling back up as people are at least seeing that EA hasn't fired the entire staff of Mythic or done anything -obvious- yet.
I'm still worried but who knows, maybe Mythic really can interact with EA without becoming infected.
I hope not.
Standing in the same place for hours and killing the same monsters over and over again, dying sometimes and loosing exp so you can kill the same monster even more was not so much fun for me.
DAOC was a weak pve game but a great pvp (rvr) game. Hope that war add some good entertainment for the pve and level part and delivers a unquie and interessting rvr part.
Some quotes from EA:
"For its part, EA disputes the notion that it has had problems developing MMOs. Instead, it said the UXO move was a strategic realignment of resources."
"We really thought it was a good idea to focus more resources on Ultima Online," said Aaron Cohen, the game's product manager. "In looking at the situation, we thought it was better to focus on that successful product."
"EA said it thinks The Sims Online is doing fine. "Granted, the game didn't launch well, and could have used a bit more time in the studio back in 2002," said Jeff Brown, EA's vice president of corporate communications. "But since then, it's built and maintained a thriving community." - This is utter BS.
But on the other side you have this:
"As far as management goes, Mythic CEO Mark Jacobs will stay on board, but will take the new position of vice president and general manager of the studio. Mythic cofounder and COO Rob Denton will stay on as vice president and COO of EA Mythic."
"There is hope. Certainly when Electronic Arts rolled up Maxis, Maxis was still able to crank out great (and experimental!) games, using EA resources. The same might be the case for Mythic, especially if EA has the sense to give them some autonomy."
Honestly, to me, it seems like EA's merger with Mythic is just a way for EA to try and make a WoW killer. I'm just curious as to what is going to happen to the game a few months after release when it is not heading for 6 million + subscribers that EA is crossing their fingers for, then we will truly see if EA is trying to redesign the way they make MMO games (That being, to actually be GOOD) or just trying to find Blizzard's secret formula.
Voyage Century will begin its Alpha Testing on Dec.8th. I have some testing account.If you want to enjoy the game with me, please send E-Mail to me to ask for accounts.
E-mail:zhaojian4375@sina.com
RYAN~
Given Mythic's track record in DAoC of listening to whiners, endless cycles of revamping already existing characters, focusing their character balance efforts of PvP rather than RvR, and total disregard of player exploits via buffbots (as the buffbot exploit increased Mythic's income - my opinion), I can't get excited at all about some new title they are working on. When I left Dark Ages of Castalot years ago, I was completely fed up.
I'll probably wait for quite some time on Warhammer, reading the reviews and comments from players, and if the positives way outweigh the negatives I might jump in.
"MMORPG.com: The last time we spoke, you had a rather concrete vision for the evolution of RvR throughout the course of character's career. Have there been any changes or innovations to PvP in the game since then?
Sanya Thomas:
"Concrete vision?" That smacks of a certain inflexibility, and "inflexible" is something that a product in closed beta can't afford. We have a design framework that has not changed in a big way since the last time you interviewed the developers. The execution has in many cases dramatically changed, as we try things and decide that they don't work - or implement things and realize that those things limit us unnecessarily. I can't be specific here, because anything I say today is subject to change before the next demonstration. And at the next demonstration, you can play and write about it yourself.
Sorry, that's a terrible answer. "
I dont think it was a terrible answer, I wish a better question was asked.
As a person who has never played DAoC or is familiar with Warhammer history but an avid PvP gamer, what makes Warhammer different than current/last generation MMOs that are/have PvP mechanics?
What seperates Warhammer Online from the rest the current/last generation PvP mechanics?
And guess what? I don't care.
Daoc was one of my favorite MMorpgs, I have faith in Mythic.
I have faith in this product.