Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Mythic: Wrath of Heroes gets rid of 'all the boring crap' of WAR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/mythic-wrath-of-heroes-gets-rid-of-all-the-boring-crap-of-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/mythic-wrath-of-heroes-gets-rid-of-all-the-boring-crap-of-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/mythic-wrath-of-heroes-gets-rid-of-all-the-boring-crap-of-war/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wrath of Heroes
Mythic is taking an interesting approach in promoting its new MOBA, Warhammer Online Wrath of Heroes -- it's throwing Warhammer Online under the bus. At the Wrath of Heroes reveal panel at PAX, the Mythic team talked up its new project as something that Heroes' parent game is not.

The team found that people liked WAR but couldn't justify investing in it, so Mythic wanted to create an experience for them. The team took what it saw as one the more popular aspects of WAR -- the scenarios -- and modified them to pit three teams (six on each) against each other for quick, 15-minute gameplay sessions. On death, you can choose any hero in your arsenal so you can adjust to whatever your team needs.

This game format allowed the team to strip away the parts of the game it saw as unnecessary. "We went, you know what? If you play the MMO, we give you all this cool equipment on your adventure, and it's a neat thing to do, but let's just get rid of the boring crap and give people cool [stuff] to wear," Paul Barnett said.

Citing the accumulation of multiple -- and sometimes quite situational -- skills over the course of "748,000 hours of grinding," Barnett said that his team got rid of this approach by focusing on only five skills per hero in Wrath of Heroes. He thinks that the small incremental progress of skills and skill effects in Warhammer Online is "dull" and instead extolls Wrath of Heroes for picking the best skills, effects and armor so that players don't have to worry about getting all of them.

You can watch the full reveal panel of Wrath of Heroes after the jump.

[Thanks to Joris for the tip!]

Continue reading Mythic: Wrath of Heroes gets rid of 'all the boring crap' of WAR

MassivelyMythic: Wrath of Heroes gets rid of 'all the boring crap' of WAR originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6v6v6bioware-mythiccarrie-gouskosdark-age-of-camelotdeveloper-panelea-mythicf2pfree-to-playgamespotgearmobamythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettpaxpax-prime-2011reveal-panelthrow-under-the-buswarwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-wrath-of-heroeswrath-of-heroesTue, 06 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online producer's letter hints at major forthcoming features]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/warhammer-online-producers-letter-hints-at-major-forthcoming-fe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/warhammer-online-producers-letter-hints-at-major-forthcoming-fe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/warhammer-online-producers-letter-hints-at-major-forthcoming-fe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The first Warhammer Online producer's letter of 2011 is hot off the virtual presses, and Bioware-Mythic's RvR title has a few changes in store for the upcoming year. First and foremost, Carrie Gouskos has given way to James Casey when it comes to authoring the producer's letter, and Casey states that Gouskos is "still working on WAR, but is looking at a different aspect of the game. This new focus will be revealed in due time."

As far as WAR itself, 2011 will see what Casey calls major features in each of its numbered patches. These features include the expansion of existing areas "as well as new concepts to the Warhammer Online experience." No concrete details are forthcoming as of yet, but Casey does hint at further reveals in upcoming producer's letters.

Finally, the letter takes a brief look at WAR's live events, upcoming account entitlements, and the ongoing issues with server population. Casey doesn't commit to any news on server merges but does state that "we are actively discussing our plans for lower population servers."

MassivelyWarhammer Online producer's letter hints at major forthcoming features originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Continue reading Waging WAR: The new RvR... Are we there yet?

MassivelyWaging WAR: The new RvR... Are we there yet? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy-belfordBioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mmorpgbioware-mythiccarrie-gouskosEAea-mythicfeaturedmythicmythic-eaMythic-Entertainmentpatch-1.3.6patch-1.4podcastPodcastspublic-test-realmpublic-test-serverre-enlistersrvrrvr-campaignrvr-lakesrvr-packrvr-updateswaging-warwarWarhammerwarhammer-eaWarhammer-OnlineWarhammer-Online-Age-of-Reckoningwarhammer-online-eazergSat, 09 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR's Gouskos talks Skaven, subscriptions, and RvR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/wars-gouskos-talks-skaven-subscriptions-and-rvr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/wars-gouskos-talks-skaven-subscriptions-and-rvr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/wars-gouskos-talks-skaven-subscriptions-and-rvr/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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.

MassivelyWAR's Gouskos talks Skaven, subscriptions, and RvR originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioware-mythiccarrie-gouskosf2pfree-to-playinterviewmythicmythic-eaMythic-EntertainmentskavensubscriptionswaaaghwarWarhammerWarhammer-OnlineWed, 06 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer producer's letter talks ORVR changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/warhammer-producers-letter-talks-orvr-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/warhammer-producers-letter-talks-orvr-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/01/warhammer-producers-letter-talks-orvr-changes/#commentsFiled under: , ,


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.

MassivelyWarhammer producer's letter talks ORVR changes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioware-mythiccarrie-gouskosmythicmythic-eaMythic-Entertainmentorvrproducers-letterresource-carrierresourcesrvrskavenwarWarhammerWarhammer-OnlineFri, 01 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More RvR pack details in the newest Warhammer Online producer's letter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/01/more-rvr-pack-details-in-the-newest-warhammer-online-producers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/01/more-rvr-pack-details-in-the-newest-warhammer-online-producers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/01/more-rvr-pack-details-in-the-newest-warhammer-online-producers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The beginning of a new month is upon us, and that means we're due for another producer's letter for Warhammer Online. This letter is coming on the heels of the major announcement of the RvR pack, so it was inevitable that the letter would have a veritable buffet of information for players, and it doesn't disappoint. As the letter explains, the addition of the RvR packs is the capstone on the design work that's been done over the past several months, focusing on the battles of RvR and trimming away the extraneous elements.

Naturally, there's more information on the role of the Skaven, who will be playable by either realm rather than simply being an NPC faction. There's also more talk about the increase in the RR cap, with the goal being a closer approximation of Dark Age of Camelot's similar system. Carrie Gouskos also re-emphasizes that the game isn't going free-to-play at the moment and the team has no plans to change that. Warhammer Online fans should be very happy about the newest letter -- it promises many good things for the game in the near future.

MassivelyMore RvR pack details in the newest Warhammer Online producer's letter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioware-mythiccarrie-gouskosdaocdark-age-of-camelotea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsexpansionexpansionsmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentproducer-letterrvrrvr-packskavenwarwar-eawarhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/waging-war-rvr-packs-the-wait-and-see-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/waging-war-rvr-packs-the-wait-and-see-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/waging-war-rvr-packs-the-wait-and-see-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This week Waging WAR rides the double rainbow of gameplay customization via downloadable content and takes a cursory glance at the RvR packs being teased by the folks behind the development of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Let's follow along and see what Greg can unleash this time.

It is difficult to talk about the future of WAR right now. Not because it doesn't have a future, but because the availability of information regarding it is not exactly easy to find. Actually, information on the future of WAR is all but non-existent, surrounded by controversy on all sides, and steeped in rumor, speculation, assumption and misinformation. The best I can put together is that we, as players, can look forward to some sort of set of three different "RvR Packs" allowing us to "customize" our gameplay experience moving forward. The packs have been called "Power," "Progression," and "Personality." What exactly each contains is a mystery, although the few talking points I was able to find regarding these RvR packs are speculatively disappointing at best. Although Carrie, Andy, and anyone else involved with the Mythic development team have said time and time again that they are not discussing moving toward the free-to-play business model, what they're proposing with these customization packs looks suspiciously like the item shop established by Turbine, implemented in Dungeons & Dragons Online and soon in Lord of the Rings Online as well. V.I.P. membership, anyone?

Although concrete information is scarce and difficult to find, let's take a look at the most commonly referenced points of interest after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition

MassivelyWaging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-the-tower-of-eternityaion-tower-of-eternityandy-belfordbalaurBioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mythicbioware-pointscarrie-gouskosddoddo-storeddo-unlimitedDLCdownloadable contentdownloadable-contentDownloadableContentDragon-AgeDragon-Age-OriginsDungeons-and-Dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineEAea-mythicf2pfeaturefeaturedfeaturesfree-to-playgames-daygames-day-2010games-workshopgamesday-ukLord of the Ringslord-of-the-rings-onlineLordOfTheRingsmass-effectmass-effect-2MassEffectmicro-transactionmicro-transactionsmonster-gamesmonster-playmythicmythic-eaMythic-Entertainmentrenownrenown-armorrenown-bonusrenown-caprenown-pointsrenown-rankrenown-rankingrvrrvr-packscenarioscenario-weaponsscenariosskaventurbineTurbine-Entertainmentvipwaging-warwarWarhammer-OnlineSat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online's RvR pack announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/warhammer-onlines-rvr-pack-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/warhammer-onlines-rvr-pack-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/warhammer-onlines-rvr-pack-announced/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mention "Skaven" to your average Warhammer Online player, and you'll be treated to an almost instant recitation of all the reasons why the race ought to be playable. It appears that players might be due to get that wish -- as well as a few more wishes -- with the announcement of the RvR pack for the game. Although we only have the broadest strokes of an outline for the pack, it promises to expand the game's core focus of PvP with an increase in the renown ranks to 100.

Executive Producer Carrie Gouskos has confirmed the involvement of the Skaven, although she's stated that they'll not be playable directly from level 1. How the integration will take place is unclear, as are most of the fine details, although the pack will clearly be a big change for the game's overall structure. The pack is also meant to move away from the "huge expansion" model that's common in the MMO genre, with the company presumably moving to several smaller expansions on a quicker timetable. It's good news for Warhammer Online players to see what's coming around the bend, especially if players can run about sowing chaos as ravenous rat-men.

MassivelyWarhammer Online's RvR pack announced originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioware-mythicbreakingcarrie-gouskosea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsexpansionexpansion-modelgame-mechanicsgamescomgamescom-2010level-capmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentrenown-caprvr-packskavenwarwar-eawarhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 18 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New developer Q&A looks at the next stage of WAR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/new-developer-qanda-looks-at-the-next-stage-of-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/new-developer-qanda-looks-at-the-next-stage-of-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/09/new-developer-qanda-looks-at-the-next-stage-of-war/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Some things in life are so regular as to be dependable: the eruption of Old Faithful at Yellowstone, the frenzy of Black Friday shopping, and a Mythic developer Q&A Ventrilo session when a new patch goes up on the test server. Following a similar Q&A session from a week ago, Mythic devs returned to chew the fat with Warhammer Online players about anything and everything under the virtual sun.

Mythic's Carrie Gouskos, Nate Levy and Mike Wyatt fielded a large range of questions, from class balancing to destructive environments. A lot of focus was given to the upcoming 1.4.X patch, the next major step for the game. Mythic was coy about topics like player housing and improved crafting, offering up a "no comment" when the devs were asked about them.

One player wondered if fortress sieges would ever return, to which Mike replied: "Hopefully, at some point. There's a lot of problems with how we would like to implement it, usually with population density and the server not being able to handle the load. So we're looking at ways to bring them back in some fashion, at some point."

The full transcript is available at Gaarawarr Gabs.

MassivelyNew developer Q&A looks at the next stage of WAR originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioware-mythicblack-fridaycarrie-gouskosea-mythicfortress-siegemike-wyattmythicMythic-Entertainmentnate-levyold-faithfulq-and-aventwarWarhammerwarhammer-onlineyellowstoneMon, 09 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online devs bare their souls in a recent public Q&A session]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/01/warhammer-online-devs-bare-their-souls-in-a-recent-public-qanda-se/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/01/warhammer-online-devs-bare-their-souls-in-a-recent-public-qanda-se/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/01/warhammer-online-devs-bare-their-souls-in-a-recent-public-qanda-se/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's a rare treat when MMO developers take the time to sit down with fans and allow them to pose questions in a public setting, so it's great to see Warhammer Online's dev team doing just that. On July 30th, the devs opened the doors to BioWare Mythic's Ventrilo server for players to come in and submit one question to be answered, which resulted in dozens upon dozens of responses.

Burglir's Blog recorded the Q&A session, which was subsequently transcribed by Gaarawarr Gabs for all to enjoy. While some of the questions covered the same ground as the recent Producer's Letter (including a new 6v6 scenario and additional Live Events), most of them got into specific inquiries regarding classes, balancing and RvR. Some of the topics included magus/engineer pets, group heals, Linux support (spoiler: not going to happen), crowd control, cross-server scenarios, new races and something called "lolsquig speak."

One of the players even admitted to naughty exploiting when he asked about the Kraken Sea zone (of which he got a peek). Nate Levy shot back an interesting response: "The very, very short answer is we build out a lot more of the game than we ever end up using and sometimes there are things like that."

You can read the beefy transcript over at Gaarawarr Gabs.

MassivelyWarhammer Online devs bare their souls in a recent public Q&A session originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back when she was first placed in the position of Executive Producer for Warhammer Online, Carrie Gouskos promised to try for a letter every month. She's stayed true to that promise, and as the end of July approaches at breakneck speeds, there's a new letter for the fans. After a quick recap of the known news about the game (the testing of patch 1.3.6 and the European migration), there are several other updates, starting with the return of the Wild Hunt to the game with the coming patch.

The letter also contains the promise of a new 6v6 scenario for the Weekend Warfront rotation, citing the matchup as a popular format that needs more representation. We also get a hint of future plans to help encourage RvR whilst leveling, said plans involving new enemies with high XP values being added to the RvR lakes. There's also a promise of a rework to the mechanics of some of the ranged classes, a coda to the most recent letter which should have several points of interest for dedicated Warhammer Online fans.

MassivelyJuly letter available from Warhammer Online's executive producer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6v6carrie-gouskosea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsexecutive-producermatch-formatmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentopen-rvrprodcuers-letterpvppvp-mechanicsrotationrvrrvr-lakesscenario-formatscenarioswarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.6warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaweekend-warfrontwild-huntFri, 30 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare Mythic says "Never!" to Real ID]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/bioware-mythic-says-never-to-real-id/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/bioware-mythic-says-never-to-real-id/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/bioware-mythic-says-never-to-real-id/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Worried that Blizzard's Real ID system may be coming to an MMO near you? BioWare Mythic has a few words of reassurance on that point: "No. Never. Never. No." This was the response by Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos to Eurogamer when asked if BioWare Mythic was mulling over a Real ID-type feature for its games.

BioWare Mythic's general manager Eugene Evans supported that sentiment and expanded on it: "We wouldn't do it. I'm surprised they did it, and for a group that is so close to their community, it was amazing that they misread it that poorly. I'm pleased to see them reacting to the community. We should all learn to listen to our communities. Their community made it very clear what the right answer is."

This follows the controversial decision -- later retracted by Blizzard -- to force World of Warcraft forum posters to use their real names in an attempt to cut down on trolling and forum spam. Since the controversy, other MMO studios have come out strongly against Real ID, so it's good to see that this includes the folks behind Warhammer Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

MassivelyBioWare Mythic says "Never!" to Real ID originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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From Mythic Entertainment to EA Mythic to Mythic Entertainment to (now) BioWare Mythic, Warhammer Online's developer has seen its fair share of name changes. Change is the theme of the June Producer's Letter, as Carrie Gouskos not only announced the new name for the merged developer, but a number of other changes for WAR as well.

The takeover of Europe's WAR operations from GOA was a significant topic. Mythic is hosting the EU side on five servers: two English, two German and one French. "We're overjoyed to welcome our European players and are looking forward to more direct interaction with them," Carrie said.

She also pointed to the future with the upcoming 1.3.6 patch, which includes a nifty feature called Against All Odds that rewards outnumbered armies with up to 400% more experience, renown and influence in RvR lakes. Other upcoming changes include armor appearance slots, tweaks to open RvR, and a forge to alter the stat bonuses of city armor. You can read the full Producer's Letter here!

MassivelyAgainst All Odds -- it's the WAR Producer's Letter for June originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>against-all-oddsbiowarebioware-mythiccarrie-gouskosgoamythicopen-rvrpatchpatch-1.3.6previewproducers-letterrvrupdatewarwarhammer-onlineThu, 01 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Waging WAR: An in-depth look at the Producer's Letter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/waging-war-an-in-depth-look-at-the-producers-letter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/waging-war-an-in-depth-look-at-the-producers-letter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/05/waging-war-an-in-depth-look-at-the-producers-letter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

This week, Waging WAR is going to take a deeper look at the Producer's Letter for this month of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. There are lots of new promises coming down the pipeline, and plenty of speculation to follow. Let's sift through some of the hubbub and get into the nitty-gritty of it all.

First of all, there's a serious cliffhanger in the notes suggesting that we'll be given a reason to wear all the sovereign gear that's being won in the new city sieges. Currently, there is good reason to wear (or at least acquire) warlord gear if for nothing other than the wards they provide -- and thus the significant advantage they give in the new city sieges. However, there is nothing in the game that requires the wards that the sovereign gear provides. If we insert tab-A into slot-B, the only real conclusion we can come to, speculatively, is that a new expansion is just beyond the horizon, and close to being revealed. Such an expansion could very well add a new tier (and new wards and warded content), in addition to buckets of other new content, such as a new pairing (as has been speculated many times in the past -- Skaven vs. Lizardmen, anyone?) On this point, I suppose we'll have to apply the "wait-and-see" motif, and just wait and see. Also, E3 is also coming up very soon (June 14-17). Could the EA/Mythic booth have some big news secretly tucked up their collective sleeves? As a disclaimer, this is only wild speculation by this particular columnist and nothing above should be taken as official suggestion of anything mentioned at all. But we can hope, can't we?

Continue reading Waging WAR: An in-depth look at the Producer's Letter

MassivelyWaging WAR: An in-depth look at the Producer's Letter originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The recent release of patch 1.3.5 has brought with it the complete death of Warhammer Online, if you equate a more active city siege environment with "complete death." Even though it came late in the month, it's certainly a major point of discussion for executive producer Carrie Gouskos, and it's addressed in the most recent producer letter for May. But that's the least of what needs to be discussed, and the talk starts with a reversal of the prior announcement that 1.3.6 would allow players to create characters of both realms on the same server. Fan reaction was negative enough to change the decision.

Moving along, the producer letter promises the introduction of armor appearance separate from armor stats, similar to how Lord of the Rings Online allows players to wear a purely cosmetic set. There's also the promise of major updates to the Runepriest and Zealot careers, to make both of them more active and engaging to play in either healing or damage. Fans of Warhammer Online should take a look at the full producer's letter to see more discussion about what's coming around the bend for the game.

MassivelyCosmetic armor and more promised in Warhammer Online's May producer letter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskosclass-balanceclassesea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsfuture-updateslettermythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentpatchesproducer-letterwarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.5war-patch-1.3.6warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 02 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The siege begins with Warhammer Online's patch 1.3.5]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/the-siege-begins-with-warhammer-onlines-patch-1-3-5/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/the-siege-begins-with-warhammer-onlines-patch-1-3-5/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/the-siege-begins-with-warhammer-onlines-patch-1-3-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If there's been a recurring theme in recent news about Warhammer Online, it's been the promise that 1.3.5 will be a glorious patch to behold. At the heart are the revamped RvR-focused City Siege events, letting players assault the center of the enemy's power. Last week was the public testing of both redesigned cities, and it must have gone quite well, because the patch has hit the live servers. Now, instead of fighting against the city's ruler in a PvE format, players will fight alongside the heavy hitters in a 24 vs. 24 battle.

The changes to the cities aren't the only improvements to the game, however. Mythic has also added several quality-of-life improvements such as changes to inventory spaces and mini-map highlights to help point players to regions of interest. City sieges are the lynchpin, however, and as was discussed during our recent chat with executive producer Carrie Gouskos they're part of the game's major push to celebrate RvR in all its forms. Warhammer Online players can take a look at the full patch notes here -- or just get in the game and into the action as fast as possible.

MassivelyThe siege begins with Warhammer Online's patch 1.3.5 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 May 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskoscity-siegesea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artslaunchesmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentpatchesrvrupdateswarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.5warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 19 May 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Our talk with Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/our-talk-with-warhammer-onlines-carrie-gouskos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/our-talk-with-warhammer-onlines-carrie-gouskos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/our-talk-with-warhammer-onlines-carrie-gouskos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's been a tumultuous time for Warhammer Online of late, but the new executive producer Carrie Gouskos seems to be well-suited to weathering the storm. She's been overseeing the development of the game since February, and under her direction it's moved more and more steadily into an RvR focus. We recently were lucky enough to get a chance to talk with Ms. Gouskos about her involvement with the game, her opinion on the game's state, and what she could let us know about its future.

Massively: In the simplest terms possible, what is Warhammer Online's development focus at the moment?

Carrie Gouskos: Now that we've gotten through the 1.3.5 patch -- and this is about to surface for the players, but obviously, for the developers, we're always kind of looking at least a little bit ahead, sometimes very far ahead -- our next big thing is sort of twofold. One, I kind of made a renewed commitment to some of the more major bugs that I really want to address. But really, our major one is open RvR, and addressing some of the issues that our players have brought up to us.

Continue reading Our talk with Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos

MassivelyOur talk with Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskosdevelopmentdevelopment-focusea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsexecutive-producerfeaturedinterviewsmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentpreviewsrvrwarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.5war-patch-1.3.6war-patch-1.4warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 12 May 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR: Play both factions on the same server by patch 1.3.6]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/war-play-both-factions-on-the-same-server-by-patch-1-3-6/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/war-play-both-factions-on-the-same-server-by-patch-1-3-6/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/war-play-both-factions-on-the-same-server-by-patch-1-3-6/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's always important to eat your dessert first at dinner and then the main meal -- or so our rapscallion uncles taught us. So it is with developer articles. While the bulk of Carrie Gouskos' April Producer's Letter for Warhammer Online was devoted to examining the reasons behind the 1.3.5 patch changes, including the 100% RvR city sieges, it's not a bad idea to skip ahead to the final paragraph of the letter for one truly tasty tidbit:

"By 1.3.6 players will have the capability to play as both Order and Destruction on the same server. We did this in Camelot, because we wanted to give players more choices about where they wanted to play and who they wanted to play with. We're aware of the possible downsides (such as cross-realming) and we're aware that people have a lot of realm pride, which we believe is very important, so we're going to be introducing a significant lockout timer to switch between realms."

Up to this point, once a player rolled either a Destruction or Order player on a server, the opposing faction was denied to them unless they deleted every character and started over. This certainly represents a significant change in the the faction struggle of WAR, but could also solve the issue of friends being unable to connect on the same realm because one rolled Order and the other Destruction. Carrie highlighted other changes and revisions forthcoming to the game, including an auction house revamp and a pass at improving the open-RvR experience. Head over to the WAR Herald to read the full letter!

MassivelyWAR: Play both factions on the same server by patch 1.3.6 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-housecarrie-gouskosdark-age-of-camelotdestructionfactionsmythicorderproducers-letterrvrrvr-city-siegeswarWarhammer-OnlineFri, 30 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online courts their notable bloggers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/warhammer-online-courts-their-notable-bloggers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/warhammer-online-courts-their-notable-bloggers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/05/warhammer-online-courts-their-notable-bloggers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If there was any doubt in the Warhammer Online community that producer Carrie Gouskos was serious when she said she wanted increased community involvement, it doesn't have much of a leg left to stand on. The amount of information that's been coming out of the team has been exceptional, and the regular producer letter has certainly helped the feel of the team being invested. But they're taking it a step further: they're bringing four of the biggest bloggers about their game straight to the office, and they're giving them -- and other players -- a great opportunity to connect with the team.

Not only will the invited bloggers have a chance to ask the developers any questions they can think of, with an emphasis on patch 1.3.5, the team is inviting players to send the bloggers questions via Twitter. The event will be taking place on Thursday, April 8th, with the tweeting of questions set to begin sometime after 2 PM EDT. The trip itself lasts both Thursday and Friday, and should provide some of the most vocal Warhammer Online fans with some interesting news about their favorite game. Win-win for the fan community, yes?

MassivelyWarhammer Online courts their notable bloggers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggerscarrie-gouskoscommunityea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentreal-world-eventtwitterwarwar-eawarhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaMon, 05 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online Producer's Letter teases 1.3.5 improvements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/warhammer-online-producers-letter-teases-1-3-5-improvements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/warhammer-online-producers-letter-teases-1-3-5-improvements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/warhammer-online-producers-letter-teases-1-3-5-improvements/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As March winds down to a close, the WAR continues -- and Mythic producer Carrie Gouskos steps up to rally the troops behind a few juicy, if tantalizingly vague, quality of life improvements coming in the 1.3.5 patch. Take my hand, Dorothy, for it's dyes, scenarios, Marauders and minimaps, oh my!

Following Warhammer Online's patch 1.3.4, the team has kept a close eye on the PvP scenarios, and while they are happy overall, the plague of player /AFK's have taken their toll. Carrie promises that they are "actively investigating a solution for this problem." She also highlighted the improved communication efforts of the team, as seen on the official Dev Discussions forum.

Small but attractive improvements are in store for WAR's 1.3.5 patch, including a sharper look for armor dyes, "gutters" for the minimap to show off-map objective directions, and dual wielding for the mutated Marauder class.

Continue reading Warhammer Online Producer's Letter teases 1.3.5 improvements

MassivelyWarhammer Online Producer's Letter teases 1.3.5 improvements originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskosdev-discussiondual-wieldingdyemaraudermythicMythic-Entertainmentpatch-1.3.4patch-1.3.5producers-letterpvprvrscenariosunlimited-trialwarWarhammer-OnlineWed, 31 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online gets a new producer's letter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/warhammer-online-gets-a-new-producers-letter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/warhammer-online-gets-a-new-producers-letter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/warhammer-online-gets-a-new-producers-letter/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Hot on the heels of the 1.3.4 patch, we've received another letter from Warhammer Online's producer discussing the state of the game and its immediate future. Carrie Gouskos, who has apparently inherited the position formerly held by Bruce MacLean and Jeff Skalski, has taken the opportunity to share information of the coming updates to the game. It's also a chance for a new outline of how the team wishes to improve upon community relations, with the promise of more frequent news and updates along with early player involvement in the testing process.

In addition for soliciting players for loading screen tips, the letter talks about what can be expected with the next two small patches for the game, 1.3.5 and 1.3.6. The former is slated to shift the core experience of cities and city sieges to an RvR experience, emphasizing PvP combat and with encounters balanced to shift based on population sizes. On the other hand, the latter is going to examine armor sets closely and try to provide a redesign for maximum player benefit. Warhammer Online fans can look forward to more about these features in the coming months, with any luck.

MassivelyWarhammer Online gets a new producer's letter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bruce-macleancarrie-gouskoscity-siegeea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsjeff-skalskimythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentpvprvrset-redesignstate-of-the-gamewarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.4war-patch-1.3.5war-patch-1.3.6warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 24 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Carrie Gouskos shares a couple WAR teasers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/29/carrie-gouskos-shares-a-couple-war-teasers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/29/carrie-gouskos-shares-a-couple-war-teasers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/29/carrie-gouskos-shares-a-couple-war-teasers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MMO blogger Werit recently caught up with Mythic Entertainment's Carrie Gouskos and asked her a few questions. For those of you who don't know Carrie, she's an associate producer for Warhammer Online who has worked on such things as the Tome of Knowledge, user-interface, Realm War website, and Mac client.. The interview mostly covers things she's been working on, so be sure to check it out.

While discussing the Realm War site, Carrie offered this teaser: "Actually one of the unannounced Special Projects that we've been investigating since the beginning of the year is an example of an extension of the Realm WAR. I can't spoil it now, but I would keep an eye open in the next month or so for more info." We can't help but wonder if this has anything to do with EA's May 2008 acquisition of MMO social network, Rupture.

Carrie also briefly mentions something about a "cards" page in the Tome. Will WAR be getting a trading card game? Does this signal an imminent RMT or free-2-play model? That's just speculation at this point but we'll keep our ear to the ground for you.

MassivelyCarrie Gouskos shares a couple WAR teasers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskoseaf2pinterviewmythic-entertainmentreal-money-tradingrealm-warrmtrupturetome-of-knowledgewarwarhammer-onlineweritTue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic's Carrie Gouskos on Warhammer's ToK and hints of patch 1.3 ]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/mythics-carrie-gouskos-on-warhammers-tok-and-hints-of-patch-1-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/mythics-carrie-gouskos-on-warhammers-tok-and-hints-of-patch-1-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/mythics-carrie-gouskos-on-warhammers-tok-and-hints-of-patch-1-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The 1.2 patch for Warhammer Online is barely a week old, but Chaos Moon managed to speak with Mythic's Carrie Gouskos about many a things -- including some hints for the 1.3 patch. There was also some general discussion of future updates to the Tome of Knowledge and much love from Carrie concerning the Book of Grudges mod. We're pretty excited to hear stat tracking for Scenarios and oRvR battles are on their way.

Of course the big news concerns clues of what to expect in the next big patch. Following some of Carrie's comments, it sounds as though the Tome of Knowledge could be getting a new feature or two in the 1.3. update. Additionally, some further UI information and visual improvements are on the was as well -- although Carrie mentions the visual boost will be minor.

What sorts of UI improvements could be on the way? The added layer of information to the open party and world map systems in 1.2 have been very well received, but going from Carrie's comments it seems as though something much more exciting is on the way. Given the size of the first two live events, something tells us Mythic will be showing off whatever it is they're working on next in a big way.
Warhammer Online Coverage Mythic has announced the first expansion to Warhammer Online! Check out the announcement itself, the two brand-new classes coming to the game, and the enormous new dungeon/zone slated for a few months away! Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyMythic's Carrie Gouskos on Warhammer's ToK and hints of patch 1.3 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskoseaelectronic-artsgames-workshopmodsmythicmythic-entertainmentopen-rvrorvrpvprealm-vs-realmrumorscenariostome-of-knowledgewarwar-patch-1.2war-patch-1.3warhammerwarhammer-onlineMon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: The Tome of Knowledge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/massively-goes-to-war-the-tome-of-knowledge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/massively-goes-to-war-the-tome-of-knowledge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/18/massively-goes-to-war-the-tome-of-knowledge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We've talked with designer Carrie Gouskos about her work on Warhammer Online's Tome of Knowledge and now you get to see what all of the fuss is about. This all-in-one in-game information tracker is so incredibly useful, every MMO on the market will implement a version of it in the next year or two. Yes, it's that good. Think of it as a lore wiki, quest tracker and creature database tailored to your individual character and available at any time while in the game. Check out the gallery to see what we are talking about.

Gallery: Warhammer Online

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: The Tome of Knowledge originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskosfeaturedjoystiqfeaturesmassively-goes-to-warmythic-entertainmenttome-of-knowledgewarwarhammer-onlineThu, 18 Sep 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EA Mythic gives fans an in-depth look at Warhammer Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/ea-mythic-gives-fans-an-in-depth-look-at-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/ea-mythic-gives-fans-an-in-depth-look-at-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/ea-mythic-gives-fans-an-in-depth-look-at-warhammer-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

So, Warhammer Online was just delayed for another few months. Fans are preordering the game like crazy, and why not with such a fantastic collectors edition? But what the heck have they been working on up there? Are they just larking around, making us wait? The answer to that is a categoric no, and to prove it EA Mythic has collaborated with Ten Ton Hammer to offer up a string of videos showing fans the current state of the game. This series is informative, extensive, and extremely exciting for anyone looking forward to the PvP-geared fantasy game. So what do they have on offer?

How about a walkthrough of the bastion of Order, the city of Altdorf? This tour examines everything from taverns to towers, and everything in between. They have up a tour of the Inevitable City, the Chaos-warped counterpart to Karl Franzs' beautiful metropolis. Fans of 'not-combat' will enjoy a discussion of the character customization system called dyes, as well as even more details on the trophies system. Those same folks might enjoy this little video about ... crafting! Yes, crafting in Warhammer Online is covered by this video demonstration. If you're like me, you're really looking forward to the Tome of Knowledge, one of the game's most unique features. A great walkthrough from Carrie Gouskos gives us the ins and outs of this multi-layered achievement/unlock/lore/map/quest-tracking system. Finally (and perhaps most fantastically) Josh Drescher and Paul Barnett sat down with the TTH folks to talk about the big picture, the thousand-foot view, and why they have no problem taking their time getting the game out.

MassivelyEA Mythic gives fans an in-depth look at Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskosea-mythicjosh-dreschermark-stonepaul-barnettwarwarhammer-onlineFri, 28 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST