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BioWare doctors "disappointed" in EA Louse
BioWare founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka recently sat down for a lengthy interview with Eurogamer. The doctors discussed Dragon Age II, Mass Effect 2, and more importantly for MMORPG fans, Star Wars: The Old Republic. In terms of a release window, Muzyka confirmed 2011 for the Star Wars opus but wouldn't commit to the first half, second half, or any other portion of the year. The interview also addressed the recent rant by EA Louse that, in part, predicted The Old Republic would be "one of the greatest failures in the history of MMOs" and that also decried working conditions at BioWare-Mythic. Zeschuk and Muzyka mentioned the fact that BioWare recently won a top 100 employers award and invests both time and money into bettering the workplace environment for employees. When pressed as to the credibility of the anonymous poster, the doctors dismissed the posting as difficult to act upon. "We sit down and do an open forum with all the employees and get feedback from them. We welcome one-on-one feedback. When we get stuff we can improve and act on we do it," Muzyka said. Finally, the interview touches on the financial gamble that TOR represents for BioWare and Electronic Arts, and neither founder comes across as particularly concerned. "We know millions and millions of people out there love this universe, and we're delivering a great game experience in that universe," Muzyka said. Head to Eurogamer for the full article text.
New Dark Age of Camelot patch goes live
BioWare-Mythic's Dark Age of Camelot is like a grizzled veteran soldier trapped deep behind enemy lines with nothing more than a bayonet and a can of rations -- no matter how bleak or hopeless things get, the old cuss just refuses to die. Incidentally, how weird is it to mention BioWare in a Dark Age of Camelot post? Anyway, I digress. Today marks the latest update to the long-running realm vs. realm MMORPG, and version 1.107 brings a few noteworthy changes to the endless fray. Chief among them is a class balance tweak that allows Savages to train the Realm Ability Charge. The powers-that-be have also lightened up on the stiff penalties for not paying your rent, as player housing contents will now be repossessed (as opposed to destroyed) when you fail to pay the landlord on time. Finally, Mythic has switched the realm timer back on, and it will now take five minutes to swap realms on the same cluster. For a full listing of the patch changes, visit the official website.
Warhammer Online reveals the classes of the Skaven
While last year was technically the Year of the Rat, the rodents seem to have taken over this year as well in the form of the Skaven. Players were excited when it was first announced that Warhammer Online would at last feature playable Skaven, even though it was stated that there would be certain limitations. A new document about the creatures has just gone up, with both fiction to explain the presence of the creatures on each side and a breakdown of the abilities they will bring to the battlefield. Like other races, the Skaven have four classes unique to them. Warlock Engineers deploy support equipment while fielding powerful effects borne of Warp-Energy, Gutter Runners stay in the shadows and sabotage enemy fortifications, Rat Ogres sow confusion and panic with their powerful frames, and Pack Masters support the nearby Rat Ogres and spur their allies forward. Take a look at the full document for more details on these long-awaited additions to Warhammer Online -- and don't mind the scurrying sound from the walls.
Waging WAR: Guide to defensive stats
Greg takes us through to see the dark side of our character sheets, and explains the various defensive stats found in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. He trudges through this week's Waging WAR with the stubborn stoutness of an Ironbreaker, and the cunning pre-determination of Tzeentch's Chosen to bring us this guide... For every 10 tanks running around with gigantic two-handed weapons and the Focused Offense tactic slotted, there is one tank with a shield. And for every 10 of those tanks, there's that one who will step onto the battlefield and shake its very foundations with his/her ability to soak incredible amounts of damage and survive. What makes those tanks so indomitable? It is their preference for and understanding of defensive statistics. Sure, they may not hit as hard as others, but their ability to stand defiantly in the face of an entire warband is what makes them so fearsome. With confidence, these rare titans stride onto the battlefields knowing they could put up a fight against death itself and stand a chance to win. Continue after the break as I explain the defensive character statistics of WAR.
Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion
This week, Waging WAR brings you Greg's hands-on impressions of the new RvR 24v24 instanced dungeon coming soon to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. With true grit, determination, a staff, sequined robe and his trusty wizard hat, Greg brushes the dust off of his Archmage skills and reviews Thanquol's Incursion. I was able to put together everything needed on Wednesday evening, so setting up for Friday afternoon's scheduled test of Thanquol's Incursion didn't take long at all. I didn't want to get tied up in learning a new career along with testing completely new content, so I decided to stick with what I know best and roll my Archmage on the PTS. Luckily, I tend to go light in the add-on department, so after getting my keybindings ready and scattering my UI all over the screen in my own (olympically) special way, I flew to Praag and found a warband in no time flat. Friday's event started up right on time, and the testing was under way. The warband headed out to one of the various instance gates and we zoned in. Follow along after the break as I discuss my first-time hands-on experience with the new RvR gated 24v24 instanced dungeon: Thanquol's Incursion.
WAR preps Daemon Moon Rising event
We've been talking a lot about Halloween-themed in-game events of late. Whether it's Middle-earth, Hyboria, or Erinn, everyone seems to be getting in on the act. Not to be outdone, BioWare-Mythic is entering the fray with the forthcoming Daemon Moon Rising event for Warhammer Online, which includes the Daemonball Rally public quest, the Daemon Mask quest, and the High Pass Cemetery scenario battle. New reward masks are also in store, and you even have a chance to loot last year's Witching Night mask rewards in case you missed them. This year's event is currently ongoing, and will last through Tuesday, November 2nd. Tiptoe over to the official WAR site for all the grisly details.
Warhammer Online previews Thanquol's Incursion
If there's one note that Warhammer Online has been hitting rather steadily of late, it's the solid note of the Skaven. The vicious rat-men have been a popular race in the franchise for years, and the promise of an increased presence for the group has been met with nothing but anticipation. So it's unsurprising that Thanquol's Incursion is the newest element of the game under development as a 24v24 RvR dungeon -- a chance for both Order and Chaos to fight back against a Skaven operation of enormous scope. While the dungeon contains several Skaven bosses, the theme is still RvR, with boss fights tallying victory according to both damage dealt and enemy players slain. Players will engage in battles on multiple fronts, and the preview suggests that there's a definite element of trying to work the bosses to deal the most damage possible to your enemies. Take a look at the full preview for what promises to be an all-out brawl between three different sides for Warhammer Online enthusiasts.
Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part two
In this week's installment of Waging WAR, Greg returns to the Chaotic Zeal series and peels back another layer or two of the Zealot career in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. He tells us about his experience through tiers 2 and 3 and talks about what makes the zealot stand out in the chaos crowd. If only we could get him to eat his onions with the same fanaticism... At the end of the first issue of the Chaotic Zeal series, I left off by saying that I was happily looking forward to playing through tiers 2 and 3 and the promise the Zealot would bring. I'll kick off this second article in the series by saying that I wasn't disappointed in the least. The Zealot is an absolute pleasure to play as a PvP healer, despite the settings and circumstances I was presented with. The career's growth is robust and meaningful with a variety of attractive tactics and morale abilities, while the playstyle becomes more and more refined over time. I could fill an entire column with anecdotes and memories of my time with the career through the middle tiers, as the Zealot is a career experience that tends to be quite engaging and memorable. Instead, I'll focus on my impressions of leveling through them. Thus, with my Zealot poised on the precipice of tier 4 at level 30, I'll look back and recall the issues I faced getting there. Follow along after the cut as I discuss the middle tiers with the Zealot career.
Blogger claims to be Mythic employee, tells "Why Warhammer Failed"
If there's one thing the internet needs more of, it's drama. OK, that's a giant lie. The stuff is everywhere, and the MMO industry is no exception. Here at Massively, we get tips about player and industry kerfuffles on a regular basis. It usually turns out to be either a minor conflict or some industry he-said-she-said, but every now and again something takes hold and causes enough of a stir to make everyone take notice. The "Why Warhammer Failed" blog post from "EA Louse" is a perfect example. EA Louse claims to be a Bioware-Mythic employee who will be "dismissed from Bioware Mythic during the next round of layoffs EA coming this November," and he or she has a bone to pick. We've attempted to contact EA Louse to verify his or her identity, but at the moment there's no way to determine whether this person is legitimate or a random troll. Either way, the post has gained an amazing amount of attention today -- including some from Mythic's former Director of Community Sanya Weathers. Sanya had quite a bit to say in response to EA Louse, and while the whole situation should be taken with a grain of salt rather than official EA news, it's still gained plenty of attention in the MMO blogosphere.
GDCO 2010: Panel and interview roundup
As you may have noticed if you're following our GDC Online 2010 coverage, we were there in full force. Karen Bryan, blogger and podcaster extraordinaire, covered the event along with our own Beau Hindman. As a wrapup to her interview articles, Karen gives this final impressions piece on the panels of GDC Online 2010. I had a busy week at GDC Online, seeing some great panels and speaking with some enthusiastic developers. Since not all of you could attend this Austin, Texas event, we've done our best to bring you the highlights. Follow along after the jump for a quick rundown of what I saw, as well as the big takeaway from each.
Waging WAR: The new RvR... Are we there yet?
This past week was an exciting week for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning as the new RvR systems were released for testing on the public test realm of Warpstone. Greg took part in both the Wednesday night and Friday afternoon sessions, and writes about his experiences and impressions in this week's Waging WAR. When Mythic said that testing would begin in October, I don't think anyone expected to get his hands on the new changes to the RvR system so soon. Wednesday night was the first focused test, and I made it a point to take part. I also took part in the European-friendly session scheduled for Friday afternoon. Both events took place in the Tier 3 (Chaos vs. Empire) pairing across the zones of High Pass and Talabecland. There are certain issues that I feel are important enough to discuss regarding the way the new battlefield dynamics will bring about a golden age for melee careers, but this week, I want to focus on the RvR itself. Things have well and truly been shaken up, and this fresh experience is going to take some serious adjustment for veteran players as well as newcomers to the game. Continue along after the break for more discussion on the topic.
WAR's Gouskos talks Skaven, subscriptions, and RvR
Bioware-Mythic producer Carrie Gouskos recently stopped by the Ten Ton Hammer podcast for a revealing interview regarding changes to Warhammer Online's RvR mechanics, the subscription-based business model, and (of course) more information regarding the Skaven additions coming soon to a server near you. In addition to detailing the mechanics of mercenary Skaven troops and how players will interact and control the popular rat-men characters, Gouskos also dropped a nice nugget of information regarding the new Skaven dungeon that becomes available as a campaign offshoot around renown rank 65. The new area features a 24v24 free-for-all map that is also populated by legendary Skaven bosses. Finally, Gouskos talks a bit about WAR's pricing model going forward, including the decision to parcel out portions of the RvR expansion pack as well as avoid jumping on the F2P bandwagon. "We could spend a lot of time converting the game to free-to-play or we could work on this RvR pack. We chose the latter. So, is it off the table completely? No. Is it something that we want to do in the near term? No. We want to provide content for our subscribers," she said.
Waging WAR: Coming soon, to a theatre of WAR near you
We interrupt this week's scheduled career spotlight on Waging WAR to bring you Greg's impressions of the latest and greatest news from the floors of GamesDay: UK regarding Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and the new RvR content coming soon to a theatre of WAR near you. OK. So. Take everything you know about the Tier 4 RvR Campaign in WAR and press the "Delete" button right now. In fact, press it a few times. Actually, keep going. Keep pressing it until all you're left with is three pairings with three zones each, each zone containing four battlefield objectives and two keeps, and two cities as the capstone for each realm. OK. Now access that part of your brain that stores silly words and euphemisms regarding "the problem with WAR." See that entry for "Waithammer?" Delete it. "PvDoor?" Press the button. Actually, just go wild. Take every criticism you've ever had for WAR's endgame and just throw it out. We're talking total tabula rasa here (and not the ill-fated game). OK, stop. That should do. With an open mind and absolutely no knowledge of in-game mechanics, you're now primed to understand what I'm about to describe regarding the changes that are on their way, and more importantly, why I believe those changes are so critical to the glorious future of WAR. If your curiosity is even remotely piqued, click the "Read more" button.
Warhammer producer's letter talks ORVR changes
Warhammer Online producer Carrie Gouskos has checked in with her monthly producer's letter, and the update has quite a few things to say about the two-year-old title's immediate future. First on the docket is a mention of the upcoming RVR pack, which will be bringing the new playable Skaven race, a Skaven-area play field, armor sets, and a renown cap increase. Gouskos also talks at length about the new ORVR changes, which "represent a holistic attitude shift in our current gameplay offering within a single zone." Players will fight over battlefield objectives, which in turn will produce resource carriers that travel from the objective to their warcamp. The resources will be added either to the warcamp owner's total or the opposing force's total if they manage to intercept the carriers. Resources will level your keep, and each level will provide corresponding benefits that aid in the destruction of your enemy. Check out all the details at the Warhammer Herald.
The Re-Enlisters: Re-enlisting for truth, justice and the Mythic way
The Re-Enlisters are on the loose, so prepare to feel the magic and hear their roar! Hm... that might be Thundercats. In any event, the we-so-crazy folks at Mythic have put together a smashing campaign across all three of their titles -- Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online -- to attract new players and pull back in those missing in action: Ultima Online: We've already heard about the upcoming High Seas mini-expansion that's currently cutting its way through beta, but Mythic is also tempting buccaneers with a bevy of swag if they sign back up before October 11th. Dark Age of Camelot: For the next two weeks, returning players will be treated to 14 days of free game time, special bonuses, and a "Heroes of the Realm" live event. Warhammer Online: WAR is offering a similar deal of two weeks' worth of free game time for re-enlisters, and is throwing in three fun in-game items such as the skeletonizing Signet of the Cursed Company to sweeten the deal. The three MMO teams also put together a pretty funny retro-style video to promote the campaign, which you can view after the jump.
Ultima Online's high seas move into open beta
It's difficult for an MMO to be any longer in the tooth than the venerable Ultima Online, a game whose presence and launch has defined much of the genre for years. But the game hasn't stopped updating or running through its long history -- in fact, the game is expanding yet again in the near future. The High Seas booster pack, a mini-expansion for the game, has just gone into open beta, complete with a new dedicated forum and FAQ for players looking forward to an array of nautical adventures. When the booster goes live, every Ultima Online player will benefit from enhanced boat movement. Players who purchase the $15 expansion, however, will also receive a plethora of oceanic improvements, including improved ship combat, paintable boats, fish markets, and NPC ship combat allowing you to attack both pirates and merchant vessels. Add in new ship types, and players will be well-served on their nautical ventures by the expansion. You can take part in the open beta now, or just keep your eye on the main forums for discussion of the experience.
Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part one
Continuing in the tradition of the Nagarythe Chronicles, Waging WAR moves forward this week with the first issue of another multipart career spotlight for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. This time, however, Greg has defected to the velvet darkness of Chaos. Brandishing a skull in one hand and a twisted dagger in the other, Greg rolls a zealot and starts down a road of uncertainty, where the only constant is Change by the will of Tzeentch. It has been a long time since I've played the game on the side of Destruction. Actually, truth be told, I've never really been serious about any Destruction character I've ever rolled at all, with my highest level being somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 or so on a blackguard when the class was first released. It has also been quite a while since I've done any career spotlights for the column. With those facts in mind, I've decided to do a multipart series for the zealot and to take a look at how they play and what makes them tick through the various tiers of growth up into Tier 4. The reasons I chose the zealot for the series are simple and few. First of all, the last time I had my hands on the zealot career was long before the new Harbinger mechanic was released, and I want to try it out for myself. Second, I have a considerable amount of experience healing (and DPSing) with my archmage, so I have a baseline for comparison. Finally, I thought a defection would be fun as I level and discover new areas, quests and storylines that I never gave myself a chance to become familiar with. Follow along after the break as I take a look at the zealot through levels 1-11 in Tier 1.
WAR celebrates second anniversary, offers vet rewards
Its hard to believe that Warhammer Online turns two this week, but at least Bioware-Mythic is rolling out the veteran rewards to ease the sting of getting older. While many things have changed in the course of the game's first two years (including Mythic's absorption by BioWare, the departure of head man Mark Jacobs, and the debut of the endless free trial), the WAAAGH! remains the same. In addition to the constant strains of battle, dedicated 24-month players can now make use of the Double Aegis which gives an experience bonus to surrounding players, much like the one-year anniversary WAR Aegis. Vets also receive a regenerating firework launcher which, unlike the majority of fluff fireworks in other games, never exhausts itself and can be used indefinitely. Finally, a celebratory veteran cloak is also available. Check out the details at the Warhammer Herald.
Waging WAR: The blame game
In this installment of Waging WAR, Greg flips the world all upside-down-like and examines the soft, warm underbelly of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. The PvE side. He holds a mirror to some of the questions he's found himself asking in bad situations involving mean, unforgiving bosses, and he shows us all how not to play The Blame Game. Oh, and HAPPY SECOND ANNIVERSARY, Warhammer Online!!! Ahem, we now return you to our regularly scheduled Waging WAR content. Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is primarily about the RvR. As such, we don't often discuss some of the things in the PvE instances throughout WAR that we've all experienced at least once (or at least most of us, anyway). Whether you're heading into Hunter's Vale in Tier 1, setting up for a boss in the Tomb of the Vulture Lord, or preparing for any number of instances in-between (I can name five major ones off the top of my head), we've all been there and done that. Things have inevitably gone south for all of us at least once. For some of us, things have gone south repeatedly, on the same boss, with the same group, in the same instance. Frustration and enmity start to set in, and people start wondering, "What is going on here?" What follows then is usually a series of questions tracing a certain pattern that we ask ourselves as we try to figure out what the problem is. I guess it is only human nature to enter into this type of internal dialogue when faced with problem solving in social situations. Follow after the break to see what I'm talking about.
Waging WAR: Taking the stand
In this installment of Waging WAR, Greg makes it personal and sticks up for himself and Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. He draws his sword and board, holds the line, and explains in no uncertain terms why he still enjoys the game. Recently, a few readers have suggested that my columns have essentially been slanderous. And while I'll admit that my writing about WAR hasn't exactly been all kittens and rainbows, imagine if it were. Would you be able to take me seriously if every week I came across as though I were a starry-eyed, adoring fan wearing rose-tinted glasses and playing the game through an internet connection made out of candy? Although I recognize my responsibility for the game as a relatively well-exposed writer, I also recognize the ability of my readers to think critically about the things I say and to avoid knee-jerk reactions to the first sentence that doesn't exactly fit with their particular jigsaw puzzles of expectations. The simple truth is that, like many of you, I am simply a long-term player who cares very much about the future of WAR. I am affected by the same things that you are when you get frustrated by the games you care for. Sometimes, that care becomes concern or frustration. Sometimes, the truth hurts. Either way, all I ask is that if you choose to read this week's column, stick around to the bitter end, and save your comments until then. So, in my defense, I'll take the stand and try to explain why I still enjoy the game, regardless of my recent frustrations.
