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[WAR] It was the best of times- It was the WAAAAGH of times. <<Closed>>

Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
edited April 2009 in MMO Extravaganza
warheader.png
PATCH 1.21 IS COMING!
Get the Notes here.


LIVE EVENTS:
Mythic is releasing a “Live Expansion” called Call to Arms that is basically a staggered release of new content. Here is the schedule as of now:
  • [strike]March 3rd - 7th: Call to Arms: Bitter Rivals Live Event: Successful completion of the live event allows head start access to the new Orc Choppa and Dwarf Slayer careers. The event will also introduces a new Chaos-themed RvR Scenario, Twisting Tower.[/strike]
  • [strike]March 17th: The Orc Choppa and Dwarf Slayer answer the Call to Arms and join WAR! (Release for everyone who did not unlock them in previous Live Event.)[/strike]
  • April: Call to Arms: Beyond the Sands Live Event: The promise of great riches and powerful weapons comes from the south. ((Assumed to be tagged along with 1.21))
  • May: Call to Arms: Rise of the Tomb Kings Live Event: The race between Order and Destruction begins to unlock the Land of the Dead for their Realm.
  • June: Land of the Dead Opens: The deserts of Nehekhara open to players with the addition of a new RvR-gated dungeon zone. To gain access to the Land of the Dead, opposing Realms must battle for control of the zone to access dozens of new Public Quests, instanced lairs, and a massive new Tomb Kings dungeon to plunder in search of the Casket of Souls.

NEW PLAYERS:
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) is a MMORPG from the folks at Mythic, creators of fine gamery such as Dark Age of Camelot (DAoC). WAR is focused on Realm vs. Realm, or RvR, design. Two realms (in this case Destruction and Order) try to beat the living shit out of each other while claiming everything for themselves. While PvE exists, this is a game where PvP is the centerpiece. From the start you can head out and start fighting the other side for control of the world, be it in the game world or sequestered in small, objective-minded scenarios. As they say: war is everywhere.

This all takes place in the Warhammer Fantasy universe, an ancient piece of geek culture that has aged like a fine wine. Recently celebrating it's 25th anniversary, Warhammer is a rich piece of work that takes the fantasy genre to dark, violent places. Humans are no better than the real-world Catholic Church of the Dark Ages, Elves have serious superiority complexes and Orcs treat war like a sport. What a great backdrop for a PvP-oriented game. Morskittar is a Warhammer guru of sorts, and has a good handle on how to get up-to-speed on all things Warhammer.

So, if you want to play this is a good time to start. Scroll down for information on free trials and get started in WAR.

RETURNING PLAYERS:
Welcome back to WAR. We are glad you interested in coming back. If you have been away for more than 60days, you can just hop on down to the Free Trials section below and ask someone for an invitation to the game. When you click the link, it should offer you some place to reactivate your old account, allowing you to play the game for 10 days but as your old characters.

So what is new? There's been plenty of awesome new features and live events. The first major fix was to fortresses which are rarely if ever crashing now. What else? Well there is ORvR influence now. The more you fight, the better chances you have to build up points over time and get rewards for them like at chapter hubs only these items are pretty damn sweet. It sounds like a small tweak but it really makes ORvR more consistent, especially so when coupled with the Zone Domination system. When you capture a BFO, it has a timer that ticks down, same thing with keeps. Hold everything in the zone long enough and the zone flips, regardless of Victory Points. So what else is there? Well you can check out the 1.2 notes right here. Mythic has been very aggressively pumping out juicy patches. 1.2 patch notes.

Again, welcome back.

FREE TRIALS:
Free trials are now available from the main WAR website but invitations from current subscribers are preferred as they will get a free 30 days and some other cool rewards. Each subscriber has up to 6 invitations to offer every month and the trial lasts 10 days of free game play across any of the servers. To get a trial, pick a letter from the list below and PM the recipient your first name and email. You should be set after that!

CLICK HERE!

UPDATE: Also! If you have been out of the game for more than 60 days, go on and PM one of the above! We can hook you up with 10 days on your old account! What a good time to Come Back to Camelo-- er, Warhammer. ;)

ARMIES:
Warhammer Online has two realms, each with three armies, and every army has four careers. While some careers are similar to each other in terms of mechanics, you're looking at 24 careers here and while there may be one with a similiar mechanic on the opposing faction, each class has its own unique hallmark. For example, the 3 tanks from Destruction play very differently from one another, even though they still are tanks. Black Orkz have Combos they string together, Black Guards have hate that builds and Chosen have auras that can twist and become even more vile. All three are tanks, but how they tank is unique. If you need help deciding, click on the army and read up on their careers. Each race has a Tank, Healer, Melee DPS and Ranged DPS class. Be sure to try a handful of them out to at the very least, rank 5 to see if you like where the class is going. Each Class is useful in both PvE and RvR. There are some that are better at PvE than others but if you are mixing up your play-style, WAR should not feel grindy and you should not base your class choice on what 'levels' the fastest.

WARTest-2009-03-01-16-27-45.jpgWARTest-2009-03-01-16-54-43.jpg
WARTest-2009-03-01-16-57-22.jpgEmpire1.jpg
DE3972482.jpgHighelf21.jpg

GUILDS:
Penny-Arcade has two main guilds, The Six Mouths from Destruction on Iron Rock and also the Candymancers from Order on Badlands. Do a /who [guildname] to talk to these people and see if you can join in from in game or make a post on the forums or PM someone here on the PA forums if you know they are an officer or guild master of one of the two servers. Both guilds are friendly, active and casual. Also thanks to the 2 new careers that have rolled out, there are players across both guilds from all level ranges! Our guilds are a great way to get into the game.

Six Mouths Info
Candymancer Info

Rumor has it that there is a European PA guild called Obsidian Spur and that it is rolled on the server Karak Eight Peaks. Seems Klyka and Echo are the notable mentions from other there. Probably no finger EU WAR PA guild.

ADD-ONS**:
Warhammer Online has very extensive Modding and UI support for those of you who are into that sort of thing. Even better, many of your favorite WoW addons have found their way into WAR with more being uploaded every day. Here are a few must haves.
Note: Having the Curse Client makes the install and uninstall process a whole lot easier but does require paying attention to basic instructions to set it up properly.
  • Curse's Main Website.
  • Libslash. A great client tool for modders, allows for complex commands and mods. WARNING: Many mods require this 'mod'. Just install it and that's all. It's all done behind the scenes.
  • Action Bar Color. Out of range spells and abilities get shaded red for easy recognition.
  • ReAction Bar Color. Same as above, but also colors reactive abilities (IE requiring a block) a tint of green when they are ready.
  • Killing Blow. Displays name of person you just killed and their RPs.
  • Focus. Set up 2 macro buttons on your hotbar. One makes your friendly target your /assist and the other refreshes their target. VERY excellent for RvR.
  • Victory Points. Adds a Victory Point counter to your UI instead of just eyeballing bars.
  • SNT Bar. Great UI toolbar. Kinda tricky to set up though.
  • No Movie Mod This removes every opening movie, including the logos. I, Accualt, declare this shall be in every OP ever from now on.
  • State of Realm Shows you a detailed look at Tier 4, and also includes the keep status of Tiers 2 and 3. Shows the Victory Points of all Tiers and will even display timers when local Battle Objectives are taken.
  • Aura Let’s you put up static images when certain effects are active…such as debuffs that damage you when you move.
  • PhantomAllows you to turn off UI elements that you normally aren't able to.
  • Warhammer Scrolling Combat Text From the makers of the WoW mod.
  • Waaaghbar Continue A strip that you can place at the top or bottom (or both) sides of your screen. Lists info like friends/guildmates online, money, level/rank progress and more. This is a continuation of the original, which had ceased work.
  • Squared A layout of boxes for your party/warband. Makes things a bit cleaner.
  • Auto Dismount Does what it says. Dismounts you when you use an action.
  • Item Rack Saves multiple gear outfits. Switch from dungeon to RvR in seconds.
  • BuffHead Shows icons of your buffs or debuffs above your target's head, complete with timer bar.

RESOURCES:
The Warhammer community is FULL of fantastic resources. Digging around, let me share some of the best around. Bookmarking these is a great help. To really break your noobhood, these resources really do a hell of a job cramming in necessary info without being bloated or filled with crap. Study them religiously.

SUPPORT:
Mythic doesn't just throw you into an ocean and leave you to fend for yourself. Where's the WAR in doing something like that? Below are official Mythic Entertainment links.

SCREENSHOTS:**
newwar1.jpg

newwar2.jpg

newwar3.jpg

newwar4.jpg

newwar5.jpg

newwar6.jpg


OP is the work of Lucky Cynic and probably others. It’ll be updated with new stuff, so check frequently.


**Pending Updates.

Lucky Cynic on
«13456762

Posts

  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I ground out some shoulders for my choppa just now and now he looks right proper beefy.

    I liked the weakling killer when I first got it, but the 30s cooldown cooled me down real quick.

    So I went back to whacking things with dual weilding, it's double the choppy! You can't go wrong!

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited March 2009
    I heard about targeting changes being added. More leeway for targeting is great, but I really want it to target when I press down on the mouse. I hope this is what they meant.

    Sterica on
    YL9WnCY.png
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I get odd targeting behavior in the Khaine's Temple map in Tier 2.

    If someone is clearly visible but around a corner, clicking on them does nothing.

    Very frustrating.

    It's as if the invisible matter constituting the box model of the building restricts my targeting ability.

    Boo-urns.

    Jasconius on
  • ghost_master2000ghost_master2000 Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Jasconius wrote: »
    I get odd targeting behavior in the Khaine's Temple map in Tier 2.

    If someone is clearly visible but around a corner, clicking on them does nothing.

    Very frustrating.

    It's as if the invisible matter constituting the box model of the building restricts my targeting ability.

    Boo-urns.

    that's exactly what it is. pisses me off every time on that map.

    ghost_master2000 on
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Yeah. I mean. I thought DirectX, etc had ways to get around that shit.

    You can solve that problem in Flash in about 2 seconds.

    Jasconius on
  • DacDac Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I'd like to see server response time and mob behavior tuned up before anything else. I love WAR, but I can't stand it when I attack a mob, see him run ten feet, then rubber-band back. This doesn't happen ALL the time, but it's exactly the kind of thing that shatters any sense of immersion, in addition to being a little frustrating ("Oh come on, I hit that guy!... oh, I hit that guy. Now he's behind me because I turned around to chase him.") Another high-priority issue for me is the bug where, I guess if you time your button press wrong (slightly before the GCD), when the game 'queues' up your move and executes it, it doesn't animate the move NOR put everything on GCD, which for a moment looks like you messed up and you hit the button again... only to realize that you just did it, and now whoops, you just did it again!

    Little things, but they're the most common issues I run into when playing. If this game had a mob position code like WoW (where I don't think I've EVER seen these issues), WAR would be my favorite MMO, hands down.

    Dac on
    Steam: catseye543
    PSN: ShogunGunshow
    Origin: ShogunGunshow
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Dac wrote: »
    I'd like to see server response time and mob behavior tuned up before anything else. I love WAR, but I can't stand it when I attack a mob, see him run ten feet, then rubber-band back. This doesn't happen ALL the time, but it's exactly the kind of thing that shatters any sense of immersion, in addition to being a little frustrating ("Oh come on, I hit that guy!... oh, I hit that guy. Now he's behind me because I turned around to chase him.") Another high-priority issue for me is the bug where, I guess if you time your button press wrong (slightly before the GCD), when the game 'queues' up your move and executes it, it doesn't animate the move NOR put everything on GCD, which for a moment looks like you messed up and you hit the button again... only to realize that you just did it, and now whoops, you just did it again!

    Little things, but they're the most common issues I run into when playing. If this game had a mob position code like WoW (where I don't think I've EVER seen these issues), WAR would be my favorite MMO, hands down.

    I adjusted to War mob behavior pretty quickly. I throw something at them and then wait until they've worked out their dyslexic pathing, all the while mashing a damage button I know I wont mind doing twice.

    It didn't really occur to me that this would fall into someones shit list, it's interesting to see other peoples attitudes to these things. I'm not saying you are wrong or any thing btw, just discussing.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • DacDac Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Dac wrote: »
    I'd like to see server response time and mob behavior tuned up before anything else. I love WAR, but I can't stand it when I attack a mob, see him run ten feet, then rubber-band back. This doesn't happen ALL the time, but it's exactly the kind of thing that shatters any sense of immersion, in addition to being a little frustrating ("Oh come on, I hit that guy!... oh, I hit that guy. Now he's behind me because I turned around to chase him.") Another high-priority issue for me is the bug where, I guess if you time your button press wrong (slightly before the GCD), when the game 'queues' up your move and executes it, it doesn't animate the move NOR put everything on GCD, which for a moment looks like you messed up and you hit the button again... only to realize that you just did it, and now whoops, you just did it again!

    Little things, but they're the most common issues I run into when playing. If this game had a mob position code like WoW (where I don't think I've EVER seen these issues), WAR would be my favorite MMO, hands down.

    I adjusted to War mob behavior pretty quickly. I throw something at them and then wait until they've worked out their dyslexic pathing, all the while mashing a damage button I know I wont mind doing twice.

    It didn't really occur to me that this would fall into someones shit list, it's interesting to see other peoples attitudes to these things. I'm not saying you are wrong or any thing btw, just discussing.

    It might have something to do with my switching between WoW and Warhammer pretty regularly. I don't play the former as often as I used to, but I hop on for a couple hours of raiding two days a week and occasionally dabble in dailies to keep the money for repair bills coming. In WoW, if I'm in range, and I hit my attack, it goes off... No questions. No worrying about mob pathing or anything like that. What you see is what you get.

    It's rather jarring to jump onto Warhammer, where you have to kick into a completely different mode. I expect range has an easier time with this, as most of their abilities have an exceptionally large range.

    Dac on
    Steam: catseye543
    PSN: ShogunGunshow
    Origin: ShogunGunshow
  • KG3000KG3000 Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I seem to remember a lot of rubberbanding with monsters in WoW back in the day as well.

    KG3000 on
    What?
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited March 2009
    KG3000 wrote: »
    I seem to remember a lot of rubberbanding with monsters in WoW back in the day as well.
    The problem is WoW fixed it, has become insanely popular and thus everyone expects such from every MMORPG. So a company has to spend the normal starting costs in addition to what took Blizzard X years to get where it is now.

    Sterica on
    YL9WnCY.png
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    That's pretty much impossible to do Rorus (instantly achieving current wow levels of polish). It seems once you are the leader in a field, you stay the leader until your game is just too old. Any other game that hasn't put in the same amount of money as the leader has get's unfavourably and unrealistically compared to the leader. (Note I'm not saying unfairly, as that's a morality decision and its not really worth going into that.)

    Hardly anybody who compares mmos in this unrealistic manner realises that companies aren't allowed to go around stealing wow code to make it perfect, either that or they expect people to reverse engineer or somehow come up with years worth of coding now.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Oooohkay guys. Finally I have my computer back up and running. I had to reformat and start all over so while on one hand, yays, fresh start, on the other hand, Boo, gotta rebuild the thing from the ground up pretty much. I will get to the new OP when I get to it... :)

    Lucky Cynic on
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Also they took down oceanic about half an hour after prime time starts, for around three hours I think?

    This had better be a really important hotfix. :(

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • ArkadyArkady Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So I've got a couple friends starting this game, one of em is going choppa and the other is doing shaman. Naturally, I am inclined to pick up tanking, but I can't decide for shit.

    Black orc

    Pro's: ORKZ IZ BEST.

    Con's: Not a fan of the combo system. I like being able to use abilities when I need them. Are situational things like silences and stuns, the kind of thing I'd want to use at precise moments tied to building up to da best plan or are they generally free of the system?

    Chosen

    Pro's: Looks totally fucking badass.

    Con's: Twisting is shit. I wasn't a fan of it in EQ and I doubt I will be now. Are the auras at least off the gcd? I heard something about them being usable any time between attack animations?

    Blackguard

    Pro's: Hate is an easy and straightforward mechanic and I've seen crazy fucking blackuards top the damage charts with their nutbar AE attacks. This probably makes it sound like I care about my damage, but I don't. It was just something I've noticed and that seems like a perk to me.

    Con's: Epic blackguard looks stupid as fuck.

    Also, what's up with tanking? There was some rumbling that generating threat is broken?

    Arkady on
    untitled-1.jpg
    LoL: failboattootoot
  • Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I play a Chosen and I find their versatility in PvE and in RvR is pretty damn handy. 1.2 really helped smooth some things out and while I don't usually twist, what I often do is instead just run one aura and when about to collide with a group of enemy players, is swap to another aura. So normally I would be running toughness, but then I would switch to resist. I can't stand twisting but this helps smooth things out I have found.

    It really is up to you how you want to play. Seems like you have dipped your feet in all 3 tanks.

    Lucky Cynic on
  • Panda4YouPanda4You Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Being a sorceress hiding in a mob of 10-12 choppas is good, clean fun for the whole family. I've only played a healbot in this game but I can get used to getting 500-1k xp for every Shattered Shadows I cast in RvR.

    Panda4You on
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I wonder if choppas get pick lock.

    I hope it's called, like, bash lock, or something.

    And instead of a picking animation they smack the door.

    you can get into combat without hitting anyone (on other classes I've noticed this). Once you do get into combat (for example a single axe toss and nothing else achieves this with my current tools, but there are a few group based choppa buffs later on which would probably do it without that), your furious/berserk meter starts ticking up.

    Technically, it might be possible, to sneak up on someone from behind as a berserked choppa.

    This would be completely worth it, regardless of outcome, for the visual shock alone.

    It's Choppin Time!

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • bookworm13bookworm13 Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So anyone notice any difference with the click-targeting? I didn't notice any damn change. :|

    Also zmailmod was updated for the patch - now I can select all and read a book while the gerbil-powered mail system pokes its way through all my items.

    bookworm13 on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    It didn't really occur to me that this would fall into someones shit list, it's interesting to see other peoples attitudes to these things. I'm not saying you are wrong or any thing btw, just discussing.
    Try a White Lion. Oh, did you send your pet in first? Good luck guessing where the mob and the pet really are, because they sure as hell aren't where the game says they are.
    Also, positional openers. I have an attack that only works from the side/back that curses the target, and another that only works when the target is cursed, so in PVE I either need the lion to take aggro (that is, I take aggro, then have the lion taunt, because I can't just send the lion in first due to previously mentioned issues), or I need to open from the side. Which causes them to rubber band up and down visually.
    Or, I could not use said attacks, but that's a bit of a :| solution for poor mob pathing.

    I'd also be rather happy if they fixed keep/fort defenders to not constantly leash up and down the premises. So many times I've had the fuckers leash at 1%, then come back at full health. If you're leashing at least wipe the damn aggro.

    [edit] I will say that Pounce was a godsend for that problem, though. The first time I use it on a target it counts me as being behind someone for a second or two, allowing me to use positional openers.

    Glal on
  • SeidkonaSeidkona Had an upgrade Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Joined the fight to mance some candy last night.

    Good Times were had.

    Seidkona on
    Mostly just huntin' monsters.
    XBL:Phenyhelm - 3DS:Phenyhelm
  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Rorus Raz wrote: »
    KG3000 wrote: »
    I seem to remember a lot of rubberbanding with monsters in WoW back in the day as well.
    The problem is WoW fixed it, has become insanely popular and thus everyone expects such from every MMORPG. So a company has to spend the normal starting costs in addition to what took Blizzard X years to get where it is now.

    It's not just WoW. CoH/CoV doesn't have these kinds of animation issues, and I believe the relatively new LoTRO doesn't either.

    It does bother me in WAR, but animations are not the reason why I quit. It's a constantly noticeable, but not at all game-breaking problem.

    Septus on
    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • HiravaxisHiravaxis Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I hope they get a pick lock type skill.
    Typically without this skill, MDPS has zero to do in a well defended keep take.

    Hiravaxis on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Which classes get pick lock? I couldn't really find any info on that, just millions of pages of people complaining it didn't work.

    Glal on
  • ProfessorPolycarpProfessorPolycarp Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Witch Hunter and Witch Elves get Pick Lock. White Lion, Marauder, Choppa and Slayer get Bypass Defenses--which is I believe essentially the same thing.

    ProfessorPolycarp on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Fuck yes.

    Glal on
  • chasehatesbearschasehatesbears Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    And tanks get to play with themselves outside the postern door :P

    Or do they get a differently named skill? Not that it really matters, this skill seems kind of situational at best.

    chasehatesbears on
  • Mnemon-CorbantisMnemon-Corbantis Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    The tank RR45 skill is bolster - which heals 5 percent back to a doors damage on a 3 minute cooldown.

    Mnemon-Corbantis on
    logo.png
    Empire - Veela Server
  • chasehatesbearschasehatesbears Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    The tank RR45 skill is bolster - which heals 5 percent back to a doors damage on a 3 minute cooldown.

    That seems a bit more useful.

    chasehatesbears on
  • AvynteAvynte Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    The tank RR45 skill is bolster - which heals 5 percent back to a doors damage on a 3 minute cooldown.

    That seems a bit more useful.

    It's pretty funny during fortress fights if the defenders have a bunch of high RR tanks and the attackers don't assign enough RDPS on the door. You'll see all of them dealing damage and the door just keeps repairing and repairing.

    Avynte on
    ECOED.jpg
  • DizzenDizzen Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Dis wrote: »
    Where are all the Slayers and Choppa Screenies?
    We need Screenies!!!
    Not really a Choppa image, but here are a couple of screenshots of one of the several Choppa-led charges I have the privilege of experiencing Tuesday night.
    hoesnale_028b184.jpg

    and then

    hoesnale_030681.jpg

    I'm glad my guy had the foresight to wear brown pants. And a brown robe.

    Dizzen on
  • DroolDrool Science! AustinRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I seem to remember Mark Jacobs talking about AOC closing and merging servers and how that was a really bad sign for any MMO to be doing that.

    Has he reversed his stance on this subject now that his own MMO seems to be scaling back?

    Drool on
  • AvynteAvynte Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Speaking somewhat along that topic, in case anyone missed it, MJ posted the state of the game yesterday:
    Folks,

    It’s only March and it’s been a very hectic year already for us here at Mythic. The last six months have seen an awful lot of excitement and change here at the studio. We’ve launched another successful MMORPG but this time in the face of the worst economic conditions that most of us have ever seen. We’ve done some things that we are very proud of, some things we regret and some things that we are very excited about going forward. As I’ve said about Mythic throughout the years, we are not perfect but we will always try our best to create great games. So, without further preamble (or simply ramble), here’s my Winter’s End State of the Game with a quick peek at the past, the present, and a much deeper gaze into the near future.

    Right now we are in the middle of our first LIVE expansion for WAR. As part of that, we have just released our biggest patch yet for WAR. While I am a long-standing member of "There is no such thing as a miracle patch" club, this patch cycle (1.2) and the one that will follow it (1.3) represent a huge number of changes, bug fixes and additions to our game. Given the proximity of these two releases, I think it is pretty safe to say that these represent one of the largest (if not the largest) amount of new content, tweaks, adjustments, etc. to any MMO over the course of several months. The team has worked very hard on this and the scope of this patch cycle demonstrates Mythic’s willingness to continue to work on WAR as it stands now and not focus resources in other directions. While the 1.2 patch, like big MMO patches in every game, came with its own warts, overall it was a big win for Mythic and the WAR community. I would be remiss if I didn’t talk a little bit about our next patch, 1.2.1. Currently, the 1.2.1 patch already contains 400+ bug fixes in both content and systems and we hope to add even more fixes to this list. Additionally, 1.2.1 also contains the initial Keep Upgrade system (more on this below), more improvements to T3 in terms of content and experience and the Combat and Careers team will give some extra loving to the Archmage, Shaman, White Lion and Marauder, another Live Event and much more. Currently, this version is slated to be released next month. Since 1.2 launched, we’ve already had a number of hot fixes and we continue to make adjustments to 1.2 on a daily basis even as we prepare for 1.2.1 and 1.3. RvR has never been more active and exciting in the game and we have a lot more coming down the road some of which I shall address now. We have also launched our first ever public forums and so far, things are going great over there. We’re getting a lot of feedback and the discussions there are quite spirited and at times, quite helpful.

    One of the things that the team has been doing since we launched is gathering player feedback from a variety of sources. Whether it is blogs, in-game feedback, public tests, our own experiences as players or through the forums, we have been looking at what people are saying about our game. So, I would like to take the rest of this SotG to address many of the key concerns. So, without further delay, here’s an "Eleven Enticing Enhancements" list for WAR.

    1. Client/Server performance in RvR - We will continue to work on ORvR performance from both a client and server standpoint throughout the game focusing on both frame rate and client stability improvements. While on the server side, we have made a ton of progress on fortress takes and overall game stability, we need to keep working on overall client performance and we intend to do just that. We will also continue to make improvements on game interactions and ability responsiveness in large RvR battles.

    2. Bug & Polish - I’ve written before about our need to spend more time on both bugs and polish as they are two sides to the same coin. Patch 1.2 contained many hundreds of bug fixes and we aren’t stopping there. Bugs are a priority and always will be throughout the this game's lifespan. In terms of polish, we have already made improvements to UI, Guild Window, Warband UI, Art, Animations and other areas that need polish. The Ward System will be receiving an overhaul to make it more understandable and accessible. Again, this is only the beginning and more improvements are in the works as we continue to polish these and other areas of the game.

    3. Open RvR in general - As the core of our game is RvR, we will keep refining all the systems to help encourage people to join the RvR action, especially those that have never participated in RvR before. We hope that the Zone Domination helps bring players together by encouraging defense (and attacking) of BOs and Keeps. We are also working on a new ORvR Influence bar which is filled by killing players and unlocks higher Renown ranks in T4. We also want to improve XP, Renown and Influence Rewards for fighting other players apart from those bars. Additionally, we are working to implement a new RvR ToK section which tracks and rewards RvR and especially ORvR. We are also looking at implementing a "Nemesis" system which tracks the top 20 enemy players that kill you and which will give you rewards for hunting them down.

    4. Keeps in general - Getting the balance right for Keep attacks and defence has been quite challenging. We want to encourage players to get involved in the ORvR action and while we have done a lot of things already, we want to do even more. Our current plans include putting in a Keep Upgrade system that encourages guilds to claim and upgrade Keeps. These upgrades would be usage upgrades, not just visual upgrades. We are looking at giving interesting and useful things to guilds who upgrade Keeps; defence improvements, guilds rewards, etc. We also want to put in more attacker options, more attacker abilities, and experiment with new types of siege warfare. Down the ramp (a pun a day and all that) a bit, we are also working on putting in an additional ramp to the Keep Lord room in every Keep and Fortress in the game. Finally, we are working to refine the experience in the Fortress so that Fortress attacks happen more often and attackers have a better chance of winning (get Conqueror gear into the world).

    5. Keep Defense - We have improved Rewards for Keep Defence in 1.2 and we will continue to improve Loot, XP and Renown for defending keeps as well as giving Loot rewards (gold bag) to guilds that successfully claim and defend Keeps through Zone Capture.

    6. Battlefield Objectives - They are getting a lot of attention in the current patch cycle (1.2/1.3). This includes tying in the BOs to Keep takes in a more meaningful way. We want to make BOs more relevant and necessary from Keep take to Zone Capture progression. Our first step in this was the Zone Domination system, but we are looking to do more than that. We also plan on improving the rewards for BO defence.

    7. Zone Capture - This is a major part of our ORvR system and we want to continue to refine it. This includes what we have already done to make Zone Capturing more straightforward and understandable, improving the Zone Control UI to give more information about Victory Points and where they are going, and the new Zone Domination System. We will continue to tweak and improve Zone Capture through the current patch cycle and beyond.

    8. Zone Capture rewards - Along with improving the mechanics for capturing a zone, we want to improve the rewards for doing so. We will also fix the problem with Renown and XP in T4 Zone Captures. It currently is awarded only on campaign capture, but we will push this down so players are rewarded at the Zone Capture level. We also want to give specific Zone Capture loot rewards that include access to a select piece of Conqueror gear after a certain number of Zone Captures.

    9. City Raiding for fun and profit - The City Raid experience that we currently have in the game will also get some additional work. Our primary goal is to add more RvR opportunities throughout the entire Raid. We are looking at a number of options and possibilities under consideration for more "RvR" and less "PQ action". For example, players will no longer be able to bypass other players in City Selection and you will no longer have City Instances which are 40 vs. 0! Defenders will be allowed to remain in the City the entire time it’s contested, but not in the large PQs such as Bright Wizard College or the City Dungeons. We have a couple of other things in the works as well that we’ll talk about as we get closer to 1.3’s release.

    10. Career Balancing - Patch 1.2 contained a lot of changes, tweaks and adjustments to careers and we will continue this process with the 1.3 cycle and beyond. Our primary focus over the next few months will be the Crowd Control concerns and we will continue to investigate and fix issues we find with this type of ability.

    11. Scenarios - While controversial for some, Scenarios are a major source of enjoyment for a large number of our players. We will continue to experiment with, and improve, the Scenario experience. This includes adding new Scenarios temporarily for events, adding new permanent Scenarios, and continuing to refine the Scenario play experience.


    So, those are the primary things we are going to focus on over the next few months and beyond. I would now like to talk a little about the Tomb Kings. The work that the team has done so far on this area is nothing short of fantastic. For those that played DAoC and have fond memories (and/or the occasional nightmare) about Darkness Falls, this area will seem both right at home as well as something new and exciting. As the art team did with WAR, they have nailed the Tomb Kings shut (sorry, couldn’t resist). The area already looks great and will only get better over the next few months. The team has also been working on certain improvements to PQs and doing some rather, ahem, interesting things, within the Tomb King area to make sure that the players have a quite memorable experience while dropping by for a visit. So, take your shoes off, feel the sand beneath your feet and if you feel the sharp edge of a blade touching your neck as you go through some of the areas, well, what’s an eternity or two between friends?

    Well, that just about wraps it up for this State of the Game. I hope that you agree that we are focused on the right things and that you are excited about the things we are working on. On a personal note, I’d like to extend an invitation to all our players to try out our forums and give us your opinions there. We’ve got a lot of things coming over the next few months and as always, we want and need your help and feedback. With our PTS and our official forums, we’re giving you a great opportunity to both help us make your stay in WAR ever more enjoyable.

    As required by lawyers everywhere throughout the universe, here’s the usual disclaimer that this letter is a guide to what we hope to include in this upcoming patch cycle and not a guarantee of any kind. Personally, I’m waiting for the day that we contact extraterrestrial intelligent life and the first thing that they say is not "Take me to your leaders" but rather "Take me to your lawyers!"


    As always, I thank you for your support, patronage and interest in WAR.

    - Mark Jacobs

    VP, GM Mythic Entertainment

    Avynte on
    ECOED.jpg
  • DacDac Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Avynte wrote: »
    Speaking somewhat along that topic, in case anyone missed it, MJ posted the state of the game yesterday:
    Folks,


    1. Client/Server performance in RvR - We will continue to work on ORvR performance from both a client and server standpoint throughout the game focusing on both frame rate and client stability improvements. While on the server side, we have made a ton of progress on fortress takes and overall game stability, we need to keep working on overall client performance and we intend to do just that. We will also continue to make improvements on game interactions and ability responsiveness in large RvR battles.

    Which is exactly what I wanted to hear.

    Goddang it Mythic. Stop being awesome.

    Dac on
    Steam: catseye543
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    Origin: ShogunGunshow
  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So, I'm not really sure how I should play a Blackguard in PvP.

    I have no problem playing a tank in PvE, but in PvP, what's my role? I don't do that much damage and I don't really live that long (especially not against 5 slayers AoEing our entire team in 5 seconds.).

    So what should I try to do and how should I try to equip myself?

    Klyka on
    SC2 EU ID Klyka.110
    lTDyp.jpg
  • HiravaxisHiravaxis Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Drool wrote: »
    I seem to remember Mark Jacobs talking about AOC closing and merging servers and how that was a really bad sign for any MMO to be doing that.

    Has he reversed his stance on this subject now that his own MMO seems to be scaling back?
    Regardless of MJ's comments on AOC, this is the right move for the game.

    He hasn't explicitly reversed his stance. He's just giving the players what they want.
    It's a tough call, but again, it's the right call.

    I respect and appreciate their ongoing commitment to the game.

    Hiravaxis on
  • SeidkonaSeidkona Had an upgrade Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Klyka wrote: »
    So, I'm not really sure how I should play a Blackguard in PvP.

    I have no problem playing a tank in PvE, but in PvP, what's my role? I don't do that much damage and I don't really live that long (especially not against 5 slayers AoEing our entire team in 5 seconds.).

    So what should I try to do and how should I try to equip myself?

    My favorite thing to do was to guard a DoK and wreck havoc with them. Baring that I would just try and tick off the enemy side so much they wasted time trying to kill me, making my DPS and Healers get a free ride.

    Pointing an laughing helps.

    You won't top any charts, but it feels useful at least.

    Seidkona on
    Mostly just huntin' monsters.
    XBL:Phenyhelm - 3DS:Phenyhelm
  • Hiryu02Hiryu02 Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Don't forget that one of the biggest reasons that Mythic opened up so many servers, was that the beta testers clamored for it.

    Later on, after the population stabilized, it became apparent that there were too many servers, and players have been requesting measures to get the population together, for more active servers.

    Hiryu02 on
    Sev: Your gameplay is the most heavily yomi based around. Usually you look for characters that allow you to force guessing situations for big dmg. Even if the guess is mathematically nowhere near in your favor lol. You're happiest when you have either a 50/50, 33/33/33 or even a 75/25 situation to go crazy with. And you will take big risks to force those situations to come up.
  • TagTag Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Entaru wrote: »
    Klyka wrote: »
    So, I'm not really sure how I should play a Blackguard in PvP.

    I have no problem playing a tank in PvE, but in PvP, what's my role? I don't do that much damage and I don't really live that long (especially not against 5 slayers AoEing our entire team in 5 seconds.).

    So what should I try to do and how should I try to equip myself?

    My favorite thing to do was to guard a DoK and wreck havoc with them. Baring that I would just try and tick off the enemy side so much they wasted time trying to kill me, making my DPS and Healers get a free ride.

    Pointing an laughing helps.

    You won't top any charts, but it feels useful at least.

    Playing a tank on my Blorc was one of the most frustrating things to do solo, but amazingly fun with a (rl) healer friend. Having someone you know will keep an eye on your health makes all the difference in the world -- when my friend got sucked into WoW again I eventually set the character aside.

    Tag on
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    (Retired) GW2 Characters (Fort Aspenwood): Roy Gee Biv
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  • Hiryu02Hiryu02 Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    World first:

    http://realmwar.warhammeronline.com/realmwar/CharacterInfo.war?id=351454&server=158

    Goddam that was fast. Though I believe he admitted to account sharing? Ban?

    Hiryu02 on
    Sev: Your gameplay is the most heavily yomi based around. Usually you look for characters that allow you to force guessing situations for big dmg. Even if the guess is mathematically nowhere near in your favor lol. You're happiest when you have either a 50/50, 33/33/33 or even a 75/25 situation to go crazy with. And you will take big risks to force those situations to come up.
  • vonPoonBurGervonPoonBurGer Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Hiryu02 wrote: »
    Rank 40, renown rank 11?? That is not a state I'd want to be in, but grats to him I guess.

    vonPoonBurGer on
    Xbox Live:vonPoon | PSN: vonPoon | Steam: vonPoonBurGer
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