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[Producer Josh Drescher no longer employed at Mythic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/producer-josh-drescher-no-longer-employed-at-mythic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/producer-josh-drescher-no-longer-employed-at-mythic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/producer-josh-drescher-no-longer-employed-at-mythic/#commentsFiled under: ,

EA Mythic games producer Josh Drescher dropped a bomb on Twitter this morning: "Not EXACTLY how I expected the day to start: As of 11:00 AM today, I am no longer an employee of EA Mythic."

Details are sketchy, but they come from the man himself. The animosity level is low to nonexistent; Josh says it was a layoff, not a firing, and he still loves Mythic. He obviously can't give details at this point -- and doesn't have many to give if he could.

What does this mean for WAR and Mythic? There's no word from that corner yet, but we'll be keeping an eye out for more news. In the meantime, is anybody looking for a devastatingly handsome, well-seasoned producer/designer?

MassivelyProducer Josh Drescher no longer employed at Mythic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingjosh-dreschermythictwitterwarWarhammer-OnlineThu, 17 Jun 2010 12:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Developer round table: MMO betas, page 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/developer-round-table-mmo-betas-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/developer-round-table-mmo-betas-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/developer-round-table-mmo-betas-page-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading Developer round table: MMO betas, page 2

MassivelyDeveloper round table: MMO betas, page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribetabetasclosed-betacrypticcryptic-studiosdeveloper-round-tableeaelectronic-artsjack-emmertjosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentopen-betaMon, 30 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview sheds more light on Warhammer Online's trial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/22/interview-sheds-more-light-on-warhammer-onlines-trial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/22/interview-sheds-more-light-on-warhammer-onlines-trial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/22/interview-sheds-more-light-on-warhammer-onlines-trial/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Times have been somewhat erratic for Warhammer Online, but most everyone can agree that the switch to an endless free trial was a positive move for the game. It's almost transparent how the change came almost immediately following the changes made in patch 1.3.2 to streamline the starting experience, but it's a wise move all around and makes the game more accessible than ever before on both levels. Producer Josh Drescher recently sat down with the Zam network to talk a little more about the rationale behind the change, as well as the limitations on the experience.

As Drescher points out, one of the major limits toward any sort of time-limited trial is that many players feel pressured for form an opinion in a very constrained timeframe. For more casual players, it can be almost impossible. The new move makes it both easier for players to take their time, and easier for players to try it, hibernate, and then try some of the new features as they come out. For more of the specifics, as well as a rather oblique non-answer to the question of Warhammer Online's future in light of recent layoffs, take a look at the full interview.

MassivelyInterview sheds more light on Warhammer Online's trial originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsendless-trialfree-trialinterviewsjosh-drescherwarwar-patch-1.3.2warhammer-onlineSun, 22 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic removes time limit on WAR free trial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/mythic-removes-time-limit-on-war-free-trial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/mythic-removes-time-limit-on-war-free-trial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/mythic-removes-time-limit-on-war-free-trial/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Warhammer Online's October newsletter just arrived in our mailboxes and its full of frothy WAAAGH!. Predominantly featured are the 1.3.2 updates, which most of us already know about including the removal of fortresses, a new keep difficulty system, client performance improvements, and of course, the New User Journey. Check out the video podcast with producers Jeff Skalski and Josh Drescher for a full run down.

A couple interesting bits stuck out for us. First, as Werit points out, Mythic has removed the 10-day time limitation on their free trial. Players can now experience all of what tier one has to offer without worrying about a looming deadline. This should work out quite nicely with the New User Journey. We also noticed the release of a new Warhammer-themed living card game by Fantasy Flight Games called Warhammer Invasion. This should be of interest to those who just can't get enough order or destruction in their day.

Finally, you should come back in one hour for our exclusive GameX interview with Matt Shaw and James Casey as they discuss the free trial and explain their decisions behind the 1.3.2 changes.

MassivelyMythic removes time limit on WAR free trial originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jeff-skalskijosh-drescherlcgliving-card-gamemythic-entertainmentnew-user-journeynewsletterwarwar-newsletterwarhammer-invasionwarhammer-onlineweritFri, 30 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New WAR dev interviews have a slightly different tone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/06/new-war-dev-interviews-have-a-slightly-different-tone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/06/new-war-dev-interviews-have-a-slightly-different-tone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/06/new-war-dev-interviews-have-a-slightly-different-tone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MMO studios are often chided, if not outright derided, for sounding as though their words are being translated by a public relations or marketing babel fish. Fans must commonly navigate on-message superlatives while trying to seek out nuggets of real information. Mythic Entertainment has never been entirely immune to this, especially during their Warhammer Online pre-launch communications.

Frank of the the Overly Positive blog recently picked up a slight change in tone from the WAR developers though. In a series of interviews with Gaar, it seems as though they are cutting through the marketing-speak and discussing things plainly and openly. Some might claim that it's too little too late or that Mythic has finally come to terms with their current situation, however, few can argue that it isn't a breath of fresh air and a step in the right direction. Step One is to admit there is a problem, right?

As for what you'll learn from the interviews themselves, there's actually quite a bit. Josh Drescher shines some light on Mythic's thought process moving forward with the game and Nate Levy explains some of the issues the Combat & Careers team are dealing with specifically.

MassivelyNew WAR dev interviews have a slightly different tone originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gaarinterviewjosh-dreschermythic-entertainmentnate-levyoverly-positivewarwarhammer-onlineThu, 06 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer's 1.3 (Land of the Dead) public test has begun]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/warhammers-1-3-land-of-the-dead-public-test-has-begun/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/warhammers-1-3-land-of-the-dead-public-test-has-begun/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/warhammers-1-3-land-of-the-dead-public-test-has-begun/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mythic just began rolling out phase one of their highly anticipated 1.3 patch (Land of the Dead) for Warhammer Online. This phase will focus primarily on combat and careers and the new expedition mechanic, so players won't actually be able to enter the new Tomb Kings zones just yet.

What's that saying; "Good things come to those who wait?" Keep telling yourself that - it will get you through the long and chilly desert nights.

This will be the fifth massive patch for WAR subscribers in 2009 and its contents rival any of the others. Just to name a few highlights, patch 1.3 will introduce The Land of the Dead, a new sigil system that replaces wards, additional keep upgrades, and additional career balance focusing on AoE and crowd control abilities.

Land of the Dead information came pouring out of Baltimore this week as Mythic was participating in Games Workshop's annual Games Day event. Our very own Colin Brennan was there and got plenty of juicy details, including a zone overview, hands on impressions, and interviews with Mark Davis, Josh Drescher, and Paul Barnett. He hasn't even posted everything yet, so keep checking in! The 1.3 patch is set to launch mid-June.

MassivelyWarhammer's 1.3 (Land of the Dead) public test has begun originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>games-day-2009games-workshopjosh-dreschermark-davismythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettsigilswarwar-1.3-patchwarhammer-onlineFri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Games Day '09: A moment with Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/games-day-09-a-moment-with-paul-barnett-and-josh-drescher-pt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/games-day-09-a-moment-with-paul-barnett-and-josh-drescher-pt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/games-day-09-a-moment-with-paul-barnett-and-josh-drescher-pt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

So, I know this is on many player's minds. Is this going to replace city raid content?

Josh: No.

Ok then.

Josh: Well, I mean the short answer is no.

Paul: My answer is totally no.

"This is a long term, total commitment from our studio to our players and to our newer players coming along."
Josh: Long answer, I've been with Mythic for eight years. I was here before Camelot launched and we know what this type of content does to a greater RvR campaign. While the RvR campaign is certainly more diverse and larger in Warhammer than in Camelot, but we know pragmatically that by tying the content to the campaign and requiring success on the battlefield to gain access to this content, that success may push you towards capital city content. Even if RvR is not your focus and your focus is to get down into the dungeon, you're going to wind up working your way towards the capital city. It just happens organically, so we're really not concerned about that too much.

At the end of the day, if people end up deciding that they enjoy this content more than city capture, we never felt that we need to integrate the players into the game in one set, specific way. Personally, I really love scenarios over everything else. I don't have much time to play, so for me, 15 minute scenarios are the way to play. That doesn't mean I won't engage in RvR, but overall I get 15 minutes here, 15 minutes there, and scenarios will always be my core fascination.

But there are other people who like large-scale raid content, who don't like RvR or PvP. This is a great way to have them go down and get that Disney Land experience while running through well-thought out content, but there's also that added danger that at any moment enemy players can swarm in. Also, as Paul likes to say...

Paul: I don't like building fart balloons.

*Laughs*

Paul: It's like the extended cut of a great movie. You have the main core of the movie, but you also have that extended stuff. You can watch the main core of the movie, but if you really want to obsess and you really want to see all of the detail you can watch the extended cut. It's more of the same, but it's new and cool. That's what it is. The movie is still the movie, our game is still our game, regardless.

Ok, so, this is basically a small expansion, honestly. Where do you see Warhammer going from here?

Paul: Go straight, go straight, go straight, go straight. This is a long term, total commitment from our studio to our players and to our newer players coming along. Try it out, it's never going away, it's only going onwards and upwards.

Josh: I agree with Paul. Our boxed expansion schedule, such as it is, is probably going to mirror very closely to what we did in Camelot -- an alternating sequence of free expansions via patches and then boxed retail expansion content. Almost certainly you will see retail expansions in the near future, but you will certainly keep seeing free expansions as well.

"To go to a person at a time like this when unemployment is rampant, the economy is in the tank, and retirement funds have gone away and say, "Hey, can I have 10 to 15 dollars of your money every month to play my game?" is actually a pretty bold request."
We've always felt the relationship we, the developer, have with our players should be something more than just simple money extraction. At least 50 percent of it should be grateful generation of wonderful things for them to have for free.

All right. Now the hard question. 300,000 subscribers -- how do you guys feel about that? It's the number you started with, and it's the number you currently hold now.

Josh: There is no start and there is no now. Now, as a company, we're legally not allowed to comment on those numbers any further than what was reported, but we're very happy with the enthusiasm and continued dedication of people all over the world who have played Warhammer for the last nine months.

It's been a really difficult time not just for the games industry, but for everyone. To go to a person at a time like this when unemployment is rampant, the economy is in the tank, and retirement funds have gone away and say, "Hey, can I have 10 to 15 dollars of your money every month to play my game?" is actually a pretty bold request. So for people to come to us and say that the commitment we've shown and the game that we've built is worth that kind of display, we have nothing but thanks for those people. We are unbelievably grateful that they've stuck with us and we hope that this type of content that we've been developing for the last nine months is an indication of our dedication to our end of this type of interaction. They trust us to do this, and we're trying to make good on our end of it and bring great things to them consistently.

We are very happy with where the game is. We would obviously love to have more people try Warhammer, which is why we have the trial out...

Paul: Which you can download right now!

Josh: And we're very happy to continue on into the future. Also, this event is the last thing I'm allowed to do before I go get married. I'm very excited, I'm getting married next Saturday.

Paul: It's an exclusive for Massively!

Josh: I love you Aubrey, please continue marrying me. Put that in big bold letters. Breaking news: Josh loves Aubrey.

I will totally do that. Josh, Paul, thank you so much for your time!
The sands of the Tomb Kings are coming as the final release in the Call to Arms live expansion, the Land of the Dead approaches! Massively has your back with coverage from Mythic Entertainment at Games Day '09, so get your WAAGGGHHH ready for RvR mayhem as Massively re-arms for WAR!

MassivelyGames Day '09: A moment with Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-to-armsdark-age-of-camelotdarkness-fallsgames-day-2009interviewjosh-drescherland-of-the-deadmarriagemarriage-proposalmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettpvepvprvrscenarioswarwarhammer-onlineWed, 13 May 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Games Day '09: A moment with Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher (also, Josh loves Aubrey)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/games-day-09-a-moment-with-paul-barnett-and-josh-drescher-als/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/games-day-09-a-moment-with-paul-barnett-and-josh-drescher-als/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/games-day-09-a-moment-with-paul-barnett-and-josh-drescher-als/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Even with all of the excitement occurring at Games Day, Mythic's Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher still had a moment to sit down with us at Massively and talk a little shop about Warhammer's overall status, Mythic's future direction of the game, and why players should come back and experience the Land of the Dead.

But they're tricky folks, Paul and Josh! They even tried to turn the interview back around at us at some points! But we stayed strong for you readers, and were able to get some interesting answers out of them regarding Warhammer Online. Also, we have exclusive coverage that Josh indeed loves his fiancee, Aubrey. Yay marriage!

Interested in the full interview? Hit that link and read on!

Continue reading Games Day '09: A moment with Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher (also, Josh loves Aubrey)

MassivelyGames Day '09: A moment with Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher (also, Josh loves Aubrey) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-to-armscurse.comdark-age-of-camelotdarkness-fallsfeaturedgames-day-2009interviewjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesland-of-the-deadmythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettpvepvpraiders-of-the-lost-arkrvrthe-mummythe-rocktrapswarwarhammer-onlineWed, 13 May 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Apparently, the reaper likes to WAAGGGGHHHH!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/12/apparently-the-reaper-likes-to-waagggghhhh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/12/apparently-the-reaper-likes-to-waagggghhhh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/12/apparently-the-reaper-likes-to-waagggghhhh/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Here's something we never expected to put in the same sentence -- Blue Öyster Cult and Warhammer Online. Yes, you heard us completely correctly and this isn't some kind of hallucination.

Eric Bloom (a level 40 sorcerer on Ironfist, mind you) and fellow bandmate Richie Castellano went for a tour of the Mythic Entertainment offices back in March. What ended up happening after was not only a tour but also a step into the recording booth as they teamed up with Paul Barnett, Josh Drescher, and Brad Derrick to record "Kiss My Axe (While I Drink My Beer)!"

The song is a ballad dedicated to the dwarven slayer's ways of drinking, killing, killing, and did we mention drinking? If there's any man who doesn't fear the reaper, it's certainly a dwarven slayer.

Mythic is offering their song free for download over at the Warhammer Online main site.

[Via Giant Bomb]

MassivelyApparently, the reaper likes to WAAGGGGHHHH! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue-oyster-cultbocbrad-derrickdwarven-slayereric-bloomjosh-drescherkiss-my-axemusicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettrichie-castellanoslayerwarwarhammer-onlineSun, 12 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic's Josh Drescher interviewed on patch 1.2, official forums, and beyond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/mythics-josh-drescher-interviewed-on-patch-1-2-official-forums/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/mythics-josh-drescher-interviewed-on-patch-1-2-official-forums/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/mythics-josh-drescher-interviewed-on-patch-1-2-official-forums/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The always witty and rambunctious Syp of the WAAAGH! Blog recently had a chance to chat with Warhammer Online Producer, Josh Drescher. Josh took time out of his busy schedule to give some insight behind Mythic's patching process, stance on official forum moderation, and how they try to achieve class balance.

Don't be surprised to see another monster patch rivalling that of 1.2 in the future, but expect many smaller patches as well. Their only patching philosophy is not wanting to follow a defined patching schedule because doing so can lead to all kinds quality of issues.

The official WAR forums are heavily moderated to prevent "Internet toughguys" from cluttering up the discussion. Mythic hopes their forums will be a place where they can hear the players' voices easily and clearly and the players can hear what the devs are saying and planning without having to scour the Web.

Josh also paints a picture of the ever-complicated issue of combat and careers balance. To learn more about this and other creamy WAR goodness that came up in the discussion, make sure to head over to the WAAAGH! blog for the full scoop.

MassivelyMythic's Josh Drescher interviewed on patch 1.2, official forums, and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.2-patchinterviewjosh-dreschermythic-entertainmentsypwarwarhammer-onlineWed, 11 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The WAR on Twitter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/16/the-war-on-twitter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/16/the-war-on-twitter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/16/the-war-on-twitter/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It seems that any game company that wants to get the word out about what they're doing, or simply to generate buzz, leverages social networking. Many companies are now using that diminutive yet potent power of Twitter and Mythic Entertainment is no different.

The WAR Herald has announced that it's now twittering updates on Warhammer Online hot fixes, dev blogs, and topics of interest to the WAR community in general. The WAR Herald isn't Mythic's only Twitter presence though -- both Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher have feeds as well, followed by a growing legion of Warhammer Online fans.
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!

MassivelyThe WAR on Twitter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityjosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettsocial-networkingthe-war-heraldtwitterwarwar-heraldwarhammer-onlineMon, 16 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer developers weigh in on 1.1a RvR changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/warhammer-developers-weigh-in-on-1-1a-rvr-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/warhammer-developers-weigh-in-on-1-1a-rvr-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/warhammer-developers-weigh-in-on-1-1a-rvr-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Yesterday, just a day before this morning's announcement of the 1.1a patch to Warhammer Online, we had the chance to speak with some of the leading lights in the Warhammer development process. Adam Gershowitz, Associate Producer Josh Drescher, and Designer Brian Wheeler laid out the ins and outs of Realm vs. Realm changes in our discussion.

Said Josh Drescher, "The core philosophy for 1.1 as regards RvR is to guarantee you a rewarding time in open field combat. It should be just as rewarding as spending an hour anywhere else in the game. We want to address the problem where players would want to participate in open RvR, but had limited time and felt they would be better rewarded in a Scenario. We were specifically addressing that in this update this time around."

Read on below the cut for our full discussion.

Continue reading Warhammer developers weigh in on 1.1a RvR changes

MassivelyWarhammer developers weigh in on 1.1a RvR changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzbrian-wheelerfeaturedinterviewjosh-dreschermythic-entertainmentwarwar-patch-1.1warhammer-onlineThu, 11 Dec 2008 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic working on expansion and 'new-new classes']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/mythic-working-on-expansion-and-new-new-classes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/mythic-working-on-expansion-and-new-new-classes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/mythic-working-on-expansion-and-new-new-classes/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you go to Paul Barnett's personal blog, you'll discover two enticing things. One, there's a lot of videos with him doing his thing in a pretty much unfiltered manner. And two, you can grab sneak peeks at upcoming Warhammer Online updates and fixes in general. Today Paul posted a video in where he flashes a sheet of paper filled with his thoughts on expansions and new careers, but not just one's we've heard of apparently. Nope, Paul quickly points out that these are "new-new careers" before Mr. Josh Drescher (also featured in the video) pulls the latch shut on that topic. Oh, how they love to tease us.

So now we're left the with a question: Are these new-new careers to possibly replace one of the old ones, or for an eventual expansion? We wouldn't be surprised if they were for both, honestly. Don't put it past Paul -- a man who just finished having a wonderful time playing D&D over the weekend -- not to have oodles of careers ideas written on pieces of paper. Check after the break for the latest video update.

Continue reading Mythic working on expansion and 'new-new classes'

MassivelyMythic working on expansion and 'new-new classes' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>careerdungeons-and-dragonseaelectronic-artsexpansionjosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineTue, 28 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Destruction's dominance is temporary, says Mythic's Drescher]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/destructions-dominance-is-temporary-says-mythics-drescher/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/destructions-dominance-is-temporary-says-mythics-drescher/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/24/destructions-dominance-is-temporary-says-mythics-drescher/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Today the 24th episode of Massively.com's companion podcast, Massively Speaking, is live. In it, we talk with Warhammer Online's Josh Drescher and Dan Enright all about the game since launch. We had a great time, but we felt that we needed to ask some tough questions for the community. We went for the good stuff, asking about everything from Public Quest imbalances to the grace period miscommunication last week. One question in particular we wanted to make sure got addresed, and that was the percieved imbalance between the Order and Destruction factions across the servers. Drescher said that all signs point to Destruction's dominance being temporary.

Josh Drescher: There's something about the kind of person who likes to Beta test MMOs that draws them towards the badguys. All throughout Beta we saw a disproportionate popularity on the Destruction side. We know from previous games we've worked on, the good guys tend to be significantly more popular. Everyone wants to save the princess and have shiny armor. Even though we don't offer any princess saving in our game, we knew that the good guys were going to wind up generally more popular in the long term.

What we're seeing now is that people looked at server populations on launch day and made a choice. "Oh, I've heard bad guys are really popular, I want to be on the side that's most popular." They chose Destruction characters initially.

Dan Enright: Actually, a lot of people have been going in and choosing Order deliberately. Whether they saw the shorter queues or knew they'd have more opportunity to participate in Scenarios, or they just wanted an increased challenge ... we're seeing a lot of people move to Order.

Be sure to check out the full interview in Massively Speaking Episode 24!
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out all of our previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyDestruction's dominance is temporary, says Mythic's Drescher originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dan-enrightjosh-dreschermassively-speakingmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlineWed, 24 Sep 2008 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Josh Drescher interviewed about Warhammer Online on the BigCast]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/josh-drescher-interviewed-about-warhammer-online-on-the-bigcast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/josh-drescher-interviewed-about-warhammer-online-on-the-bigcast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/josh-drescher-interviewed-about-warhammer-online-on-the-bigcast/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


This week, our sister site Big Download's weekly podcast features a casual interview with Warhammer Online's associate producer Josh Drescher. Topics covered range from how things went leading up to the day of launch last Thursday, the current situation on previously cut content, how said content would be implemented when eventually returned and ... frozen whales and Bacon Salt? We're not sure exactly how to describe it to you without being even more confusing, so you'll just have to listen in for yourselves. There's also lots of discussion of PC gaming topics and tomfoolery abound for anyone looking to pass the time on a drive home or at the office desk as they whittle away the hours.

MassivelyJosh Drescher interviewed about Warhammer Online on the BigCast originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bacon-saltbig-downloadbigcastfrozen-whalejosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentpc-gamingwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 23 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report offers part two of their Warhammer Online special]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/the-mmo-report-offers-part-two-of-their-warhammer-online-special/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/the-mmo-report-offers-part-two-of-their-warhammer-online-special/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/22/the-mmo-report-offers-part-two-of-their-warhammer-online-special/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Last weekend, as a preview before the launch of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, G4's MMO Report ran a special video touring the Mythic offices with Paul Barnett as guide. This week, the show follows up with a more serious look at the game from the other frontmen on the team: Josh Drescher, Jeff Hickman, and Mark Jacobs.

Join the hearty crew as they run through the features list for the game and wax eloquent about the project they've spent years developing. Frankly, if you've been reading Massively and (even moreso) if you're already playing you probably know everything they have to say. Still, there's nothing like watching a passionate nerd talk about their life's work backed by dramatic fantasy music. Click through below the cut for their passion unfiltered.
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out all of our previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

Continue reading The MMO Report offers part two of their Warhammer Online special

MassivelyThe MMO Report offers part two of their Warhammer Online special originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jeff-hickmanjosh-dreschermark-jacobsmmo-reportmythic-entertainmentvideowarwarhammer-onlineMon, 22 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic releases trio of WAR launch day videos]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/mythic-releases-trio-of-war-launch-day-videos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/mythic-releases-trio-of-war-launch-day-videos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/mythic-releases-trio-of-war-launch-day-videos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As busy as the Mythic folks have been gearing up for launch this week, they still took the time to have some fun and meet some fans. All of their antics have been recorded for your viewing pleasure, with the credits posing as a particularly entertaining -- if not lengthy -- video. Also, our hope is that Josh and everyone exposed to too much radio-frequency energy at least gain some kind of superpowers. There's a lot to watch between the three separate videos, but it's all fairly entertaining for any fan of the Warhammer Online guys. We hope they're starting to recover from launch day at least a little bit, but if these videos are any indication then they've only just begun.

MassivelyMythic releases trio of WAR launch day videos originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bannercreditseaelectronic-artsgamestopjeff-hickmanjosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettsigningwarwarhammer-onlineFri, 19 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The BigCast @PAX08 Special: Warhammer Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-bigcast-pax08-special-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-bigcast-pax08-special-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/the-bigcast-pax08-special-warhammer-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Massively's sister site Big Download has a very special podcast with Jeff Hickman, Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher from Warhammer Online. Of course, you probably don't need us to tell you that these fellows made for a very interesting podcast, but what you do need to know is that this edition of the BigCast is very NSFW, so it may be wise to wear some headphones. As it happens, there isn't much talk about Warhammer Online. Instead, you'll hear a lot Mr. Barnett asking everyone questions and the ever-informative Josh Drescher pitch a very wonderful radio ad for Bacon Salt -- because everything should taste like bacon.

As someone who was a part of this endeavour into the unknowns of German hotels, taxis and of course, Bacon Salt, this blogger can tell you it was a wild ride that you won't be remiss for listening in on.

MassivelyThe BigCast @PAX08 Special: Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bacon-saltbig-downloadbigcastjeff-hickmanjosh-drescherkyle-hornermythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettpax-2008podcastwarwarhammer-onlinexav-de-matosWed, 03 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@PAX08: Warhammer Online team going all out]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/seen-pax08-warhammer-online-team-going-all-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/seen-pax08-warhammer-online-team-going-all-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/seen-pax08-warhammer-online-team-going-all-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We've spent a lot of time stomping around the exhibition hall at PAX this year and there are plenty of sights to see. One constant of the show floor was the never-wavering, always-happy-to-see-you team at the Warhammer Online booth. They also liked to make strange "w" signs with their hands at us. We think it's probably some east-coaster thing or maybe a esoteric European gang sign. It could've also been related to Warhammer Online, but that's probably unlikely.

This was the first year that Paul Barnett, Jeff Hickman and Josh Drescher were there to answer questions, chat with fans and generally be cool, approachable guys. While hanging around the booth after our (soon to be available) interview with Jeff and Paul, we lost count of how many times they posed for pictures, signed things, repeatedly discussed issues, or just generally made themselves available for poking and prodding throughout the day.

Gallery: PAX 2008 General Gallery

MassivelySeen@PAX08: Warhammer Online team going all out originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jeff-hickmanjosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentpaul-barnettpax-08pax-2008pax08warwarhammer-onlineSun, 31 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online video interview with Mythic's Josh Drescher]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/03/warhammer-online-video-interview-with-mythics-josh-drescher/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/03/warhammer-online-video-interview-with-mythics-josh-drescher/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/03/warhammer-online-video-interview-with-mythics-josh-drescher/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


WAR Stratics has posted a rather off-the-cuff video interview with Josh Drescher, Associate Producer with Mythic Entertainment, who has been working on Warhammer Online. The San Diego Comic Con interview is completely unscripted, indeed it may have been unplanned, as WAR Stratics prefaces the video with "this is what happens when you turn fans of the game, who just happen to be press, loose on the devs." But Drescher's humor really shines through, as does his enthusiasm about bringing RvR to a fanbase numbering in the millions.

The highlight of the interview is Drescher's response when asked about what will suprise fans the most once they're able to play Warhammer Online. "That everything we've said is true... we like to bring the game to events like this where we can just give people unfettered access to the game exactly as it is right now. And basically prove to them, everything we've been telling them is true. You really can level up through the entire game, never going on a quest. You can play RvR from beginning to end." Drescher racks up a few extra points for the Mad Max reference in there, and closes with, "WAR is coming, baby. Very, very soon." We know a lot of you have been waiting to get your hands on this game, or at least the beta. So on a 1 to 10, how excited are you about playing Warhammer Online?

MassivelyWarhammer Online video interview with Mythic's Josh Drescher originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betafantasyinterviewinterviewsjosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentpvepvprvrstraticswar-straticswarhammer-onlineSun, 03 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Warhammer's designers explain the career/city removal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/e308-warhammers-designers-explain-the-career-city-removal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/e308-warhammers-designers-explain-the-career-city-removal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/e308-warhammers-designers-explain-the-career-city-removal/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Careers lead Adam Gershowitz and Associate Producer Josh Drescher were instrumental in making our Massively goes to WAR series a success. Our lengthy discussion with the two Warhammer Online designers resulted in our in-depth analysis of (at that point) every class slated for the game. Last week at E3 our discussion with the two gentlemen turned to the removal of four of those classes, as well as four of the slated endgame capital cities.

The announcement of that content removal has been a sore point for some members of the Warhammer community, but Drescher and Gershowitz were adamant that it was the best decision for the game. We talk in-depth with the two about why the content was removed, how the decision was made, and what the designers are going to do with the time they've freed up for themselves. Oh, and they're firm: EA had nothing to do with it. "EA has supported us this entire time, and it's really not EA pressure that led to this decision. What you've got to realize is that we're making a giant game. It's very expansive and it has a lot of features. We could easily fall into the trap of 'forever making the game'."

Continue reading E308: Warhammer's designers explain the career/city removal

MassivelyE308: Warhammer's designers explain the career/city removal originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzcitiesclassese3-2008e308featuredjosh-dreschermassively-goes-to-warmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlineMon, 21 Jul 2008 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: Warhammer Online is pretty much done]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-warhammer-online-is-pretty-much-done/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-warhammer-online-is-pretty-much-done/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/e308-warhammer-online-is-pretty-much-done/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We had a chance to chat today with Josh Drescher and Adam Gershowitz, two of the leading lights behind EA Mythic's Warhammer Online. Even just two months after our huge Massively goes to WAR series, there were new elements to view and discuss. We'll get you that information as soon as we can, but we wanted to share what might have been the biggest surprise of our chat: essentially everything that will be in the game at launch is now in the game.

Said Mr. Gershowitz, "Basically where we're at right now is the guild Beta. We're in high polish mode, which means that everything in the game is in at this point. Everything we're going to ship with, for the most part, is in, is being played, everybody is taking a look at it, giving us feedback and now we're doing the final polish."

Tune back in soon for information on Warhammer's built-in UI customization, reactions to the recent class and city removal announcements, character customization tidbits, and much more.

MassivelyE308: Warhammer Online is pretty much done originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitze3-2008e308featuredjosh-dreschermassively-goes-to-warmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlineThu, 17 Jul 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Josh Drescher on WAR in a post-WoW world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/josh-drescher-on-war-in-a-post-wow-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/josh-drescher-on-war-in-a-post-wow-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/josh-drescher-on-war-in-a-post-wow-world/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Many of you probably know Josh Drescher from his nifty production podcast videos for Warhammer Online. While you may think of him as "that video podcast guy" Drescher does also work on Mythic Entertainment's upcoming MMORPG as well. In an interview with Gamasutra, the man behind the digital curtain of animated bits discusses his thoughts on MMOs in the post-WoW era. The general gist of his thoughts? World of Warcraft has done quite a bit of good for the industry --- which is true -- and Warhammer Online is a different experience that will draw from the general audience created by Blizzard's success. He also plays the "WAR doesn't have to compete against WoW" record once more, in case you hadn't heard the tune already.

From the sounds of things, Mythic doesn't seem to think its game is going to gain enough critical mass to tip the scales against World of Warcraft -- and why should it? Drescher himself puts it best when he says, "I imagine if you ask most of the people who are continuing to work on [Vanguard, Lord of the Rings Online], they're profitable, and really, at the end of the day, that is the most basic metric of success."

MassivelyJosh Drescher on WAR in a post-WoW world originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardelectronic-artsgamasutrajosh-dreschermythicmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 14 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 50 news nuggets about the Warhammer Online guild beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/top-50-news-nuggets-about-the-warhammer-online-guild-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/top-50-news-nuggets-about-the-warhammer-online-guild-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/top-50-news-nuggets-about-the-warhammer-online-guild-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Podcast of Reckoning recently had the chance to sit down with Josh Drescher, the Associate Producer for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Their lengthy discussion covered a lot of aspects of the upcoming Guild Beta, information we imagine you'd be keenly interested to see in print. Thankfully the GreenSkin is all over it, offering up another '50 bits of information list' culled from the podcast. Some of them are just wacky fun, but others are really interesting and give us a good sense of EA Mythic's dedication to the art of WAR. Some examples:
  • The developers have joined some of the major pre-release guilds in secret, to get a better 'feel' for player interests.
  • Exploring the world and engaging in multiple parts of the game will offer players a more 'well rounded' character than one who simply power-levels through the game.
  • There are extensive guild tools in the game built from the ground up by and for guild leaders and members.
  • The developers see the testers as a part of the team, and treats their feedback with a great deal of gravitas.
  • Drescher's wedding was actually scheduled to avoid Warhammer's development period. That's dedication.
Make sure to check out the 'cast as well.

MassivelyTop 50 news nuggets about the Warhammer Online guild beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guildsjosh-drescherpodcastswarwarhammer-onlineFri, 04 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Every Warhammer class explained]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/massively-goes-to-war-the-classes-of-warhammer-in-a-nutshell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/massively-goes-to-war-the-classes-of-warhammer-in-a-nutshell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/massively-goes-to-war-the-classes-of-warhammer-in-a-nutshell/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last week Massively.com had the chance to sit with developers Adam Gershowitz and Josh Drescher during our visit to EA Mythic. There for a tour of Warhammer Online in its entirety, we'd already covered the innovative Engineer and Shaman classes. The morning was quickly running out, and to compensate for the sheer amount of information we needed to pile through our demonstrators went into overdrive. For roughly an hour we moved quickly from class to class, visiting the highpoints of several different types of gameplay. Much of our discussion explored the karmic doppelgangers across classes; different races entirely that share similar roles or playstyles.

As our weeklong series - Massively goes to WAR - rolls on, read below for crunchy game details on every single class in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. At the end of the piece, check out the designers' take on why the Skaven (among other races) aren't in the game. And, if you're a fan of the recently announced White Lion class, make doubly sure to look below, because we have a few great details that should make you very, very well pleased ...

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Every Warhammer class explained

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Every Warhammer class explained originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzclassesea-mythicfeaturedjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesmassively-goes-to-warwarhammer-onlineWed, 04 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Chaos Marauder]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-marauder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-marauder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-marauder/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In the balance of our time viewing the ins and outs of Warhammer Online, Josh Drescher and Adam Gershowitz gave us a big portion of their day. After giving us a high level overview of all the classes (which you'll see here on the site later today), there was a few moments left over for personal favorites. At Josh's urging, Adam logged into a Chaos Marauder to show off the mutational fury of that faction's front line. This melee warrior's capabilities are predicated on the internal darkness that boils into his skin, malforms his limbs, and gives him the capability to cause massive amounts of damage.

His karmic doppelganger, the High Elf Shadow Warrior, is likely to get played more just by virtue of elven popularity. Still, the Marauder's place in the Warhammer world has its own horrific charm. Read on for details on their meat clubs, axe hands, and the aptly-named 'Wave of Horror.'

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Chaos Marauder

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Chaos Marauder originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzchaosea-mythicfeaturedjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesmaraudermassively-goes-to-warwarwarhammer-onlineWed, 04 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Dwarven Engineer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-dwarven-engineer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-dwarven-engineer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-dwarven-engineer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Our time last Thursday talking Warhammer classes with Josh Drescher and Adam Gershowitz was illuminating on many levels. For example, did you know that the user interface for every class in the game has been given a complete makeover? Not only will every class receive a neat widgety component (ala the Goblin Shaman's Mork n' Gork heads), but the bar itself is themed to the class's role.

The action bar for the Dwarven Engineer, as you might imagine, is a sight to see. This defensive ranged specialist is a unique addition to the MMO landscape. And yet, we couldn't help but feel the stunty's gameplay was incredibly familiar somehow. In fact, the experience of playing an Engineer in Warhammer Online bears a lot of resemblance to that of the Team Fortress 2 Engineer. If the little dwarf had complained "Spies sappin' ma sentry!" it would hardly have been surprising. Read on below for more on this highly skilled specialist ... and a few words about the Chaos Magus all the way at the end.

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Dwarven Engineer

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Dwarven Engineer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzengineerfeaturedjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesmassively-goes-to-warteam-fortress-2warwarhammer-onlineTue, 03 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Goblin Shaman]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-goblin-shaman/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-goblin-shaman/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-spotlight-on-the-goblin-shaman/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sitting down with Josh Drescher and Adam Gershowitz to discuss the classes in Warhammer Online is somewhat like getting to sit next to the director during a feature film. They're so intimately tied to the game that every race, class, and locale in the game has an associated story. We had the chance to get the director's commentary straight from the source, and the result is a wealth of knowledge about the 24 different in-game classes.

The first class we took for a tour was the Goblin Shaman, the healer/DoT specialist for the greenskin race. Though nothing was said beforehand, the tiny gobbos with the big sticks are this blogger's favorite class. It was therefore especially enjoyable to check out the numerous tweaks to the concept, look, and UI of the little healer. Read on for the full Waagh!

Gallery: Warhammer Online

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Goblin Shaman

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Spotlight on the Goblin Shaman originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzclassesfeaturedgoblin-shamangreenskinsjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesmassively-goes-to-warwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 03 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds pt. 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

<-- Jump back to part 2

Is there a formal in-game mechanic for alliances?

Christian: There certainly is. We do allow formal alliances in the game, you can form an alliance with up to ten guilds, and you can assign officers within that alliance structure, though that is very limited. We actually have a roster for the alliances, you form it just from this window, and then it populates with your alliance roster. Note that every member from your alliance is not displayed in this roster, only your guild, the alliance leaders and the officers, because that would be - if you had ten guilds in your alliance, that would be a lot of people.

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds pt. 3

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds pt. 3 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christian-balesea-mythicguildsjosh-drescherliving-guildswarwarhammer-onlineTue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

<-- Jump back to part 1

We note there is a website and an email address down there at the bottom of the tab? What are those?

Christian Bales: That's just my web, that's test for now, but that's when the guild leader wants to set the actual guild's email address and the guild website.)

Josh Drescher: You can set that to be whatever you want, so ... Obviously, one of the cool things that you really want from a guild is a sense of belonging, the team jersey, you go and dress up in your Redskins jerseys or wherever you're from. It'll have the guild heraldry. The heraldry is a customized, unique sort of heraldry for your specific guild. So a symbol on it, specific color scheme, shape, patterns and so forth that's applicable only to your guild, that your guild will have the ability to place on various things.

Christian: On your standards and on your guild cloaks.

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds pt. 2

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christian-balesea-mythicguildsjosh-drescherliving-guildswarwarhammerTue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-everything-you-need-to-know-about-guilds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Warhammer Online's ongoing series of production videos are almost too informative sometimes. For the bloggers at Massively, they pretty much do our job for us. Not that we don't mind taking it easy, but as you've probably gathered right now we really enjoy talking about MMOs. Thankfully, some topics are complicated enough that they warrant a second look. Warhammer's Living Guilds system, for example, was the subject of a great video just a few weeks back. And yet, there are still a number of questions you can walk away with.

Where can you use the guild banner (now called a standard)? What kind of tools will guilds have for coordinating events? What about the big picture? How to alliances work? And, perhaps most importantly, where can guildies get drunk together? All of these questions and much, much more are explored in the latest of our ongoing series of articles about Warhammer Online.

If you're so inclined, you can jump straight to to part 2 or part 3, or join us below as we chat with Mr. Drescher and Ms. Christian Bales.

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: Everything you need to know about guilds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christian-balesea-mythicfeaturedjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesliving-guildsmassively-goes-to-warwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 03 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to WAR: The early days of Mythic Entertainment]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-the-early-days-of-mythic-entertainment/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-the-early-days-of-mythic-entertainment/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/massively-goes-to-war-the-early-days-of-mythic-entertainment/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Thursday afternoon Christian Bales and Josh Drescher sat down with us to discuss the Living Guild system in Warhammer Online. We did, at length, and you'll see the results of that discussion on the site later today. In the midst of all that information, though, we got to talking about their early days at Mythic Entertainment. Unlike many of the AAA MMO developers today, Mythic originally started out as a 'garage-style' development house.

It's hard to imagine today, walking the halls of EA Mythic's corporate office space, but the duo's tales of antenna-based internet service, hallway offices, and legacy code make for a great reality check on the modern MMO marketplace. Read on below the cut for stories that will make you very glad to be working in a cubicle ...

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: The early days of Mythic Entertainment

MassivelyMassively goes to WAR: The early days of Mythic Entertainment originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christian-balesdaocdark-age-of-camelotea-mythicfeaturedjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesmassively-goes-to-warmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 03 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online is headed to the land down under]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/warhammer-online-is-headed-to-the-land-down-under/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/warhammer-online-is-headed-to-the-land-down-under/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/warhammer-online-is-headed-to-the-land-down-under/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Drop bears. Death kangaroos. Surly emus. Australian gamers have a unique sense of humor, something they share (obviously) with the sensibilities of Warhammer Online. EA Mythic has taken their threatening marsupials very seriously, and announced in an interview with Gamespot that they'll be offering local servers to Aussie players when the game launches later this year. In fact, they're working right now to add an AU server to the Beta.

The ever-informative Josh Drescher told the game news site that their support of the gamers down under is entirely about personality and recognition. In Drescher's eyes the Australian Warhammer fans have been incredibly supportive, whether in the form of Beta signups, forum postings, or angry stuffed animals mailed via parcel post. The associate producer credits their relationship with EA here - this is another element to the game they may not have been able to offer if they hadn't partnered with the software giant.

At the end of the day, Drescher says it's about recognizing an under-supported marketplace: "It's clear to us that it's a completely viable new market that hasn't got the attention it deserves ... I don't know the exact location, but we'll be hosting the server somewhere in East Asia, so it will be in the correct time zone. At the moment we are targeting it squarely at Australia and New Zealand." The full transcript of Gamespot's interview is also available, where Drescher offers up some familiar (but always entertaining) insights into the world of Warhammer.

MassivelyWarhammer Online is headed to the land down under originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiaea-mythicjosh-drescherwarwarhammer-onlineFri, 16 May 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic's efforts aided by WoW, planning ahead]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/wars-got-five-years-of-content-sort-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/wars-got-five-years-of-content-sort-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/wars-got-five-years-of-content-sort-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

In a recent interview Warhammer Online senior designer Josh Drescher remarked that World of Warcraft has actually made it considerably easier for other MMOs to succeed in the market, contrary to popular belief. While nobody has come close to dethroning the Blizzard juggernaut and its 10 million subscribers, WoW has done a lot to expand the the potential user-base, and for that Mythic is grateful. Drescher notes in the interview the rate of success in a post-WoW world is considerably higher than it was before, making for a more friendly marketplace to release a game.

It's this kind of mind for market dynamics and future-planning that's really coming to define the modern MMO game designer. For them, retail release is only the beginning of a long process that can extend as far as ten years into the future. So when it appeared during the interview that Drescher suggested that the Warhammer Online team had content planned out five years in advance, some people were understandably confused about the scope of Mythic's development efforts. Was the game delayed to implement content intended for half a decade from now?

Continue reading Mythic's efforts aided by WoW, planning ahead

MassivelyMythic's efforts aided by WoW, planning ahead originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-mythicfive-yearsgame-designgamesindustry.bizjosh-dreschermythicWARwarhammer-onlineWed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Josh Drescher explains WAR's living guilds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/josh-drescher-explains-wars-living-guilds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/josh-drescher-explains-wars-living-guilds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/josh-drescher-explains-wars-living-guilds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This month we get a look into one of the many cool aspects of Warhammer Online: living guilds. This important Warhammer Online feature is explained by the dreamy Josh Drescher (that's right we said dreamy, just look at those honest eyes) who yet again explains the system in such a way that we cannot help but woo over him -- we mean it, the system.

Anyhow, living guilds are EA Mythic's response to the many different problems with running a guild in MMOs. Everything from the complexity of running a website -- which you don't need with the bevy of features WAR's living guild system offers -- to giving players a powerful reason to join guilds and participate with other guild members in the first place. Did we need yet another reason to be extremely excited for Warhammer Online? No, but it really doesn't hurt to have more of them.

MassivelyJosh Drescher explains WAR's living guilds originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-mythicelectronic-artsjosh-drescherliving-guildsproduction-podcastwarwarhammer-onlineWed, 07 May 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Catching up with WAR: An update on Warhammer Online's closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/catching-up-with-war-an-update-on-warhammer-onlines-closed-bet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/catching-up-with-war-an-update-on-warhammer-onlines-closed-bet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/01/catching-up-with-war-an-update-on-warhammer-onlines-closed-bet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The men and women behind Warhammer Online love their job. It's not hard to see, or hear, and yesterday we had the opportunity to listen in as Warhammer's leading lights chatted about their favorite subject. EA Mythic participated in a conference call aiming to update fans and press alike with the latest news of their much-anticipated title. The team went through a slew of general questions, fleshing out our understanding of the features coming with the game's fall release. Sitting in on the call were Adam Gershowitz (Combat and Careers lead), Josh Drescher (Associate Producer), Paul Barnett (mouth-full-of-pizza), Jeff Hickman (Senior Producer), and Destin Bales (Content Director).

Join us as we walk through the often-humorous commentary from the WAR boys. We'll learn about RvR, keeps and siege, cooperative gameplay, the makeup of the endgame, the viability of PvE, and what you have to do to end up on Paul Barnett's whiteboard. Read on to find out, and to see some exclusive screenshots of the game in action.

Gallery: Warhammer Online: Concept Art

Continue reading Catching up with WAR: An update on Warhammer Online's closed beta

MassivelyCatching up with WAR: An update on Warhammer Online's closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 May 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-gershowitzea-mythicfeaturedjeff-hickmanjosh-drescherjoystiqfeaturesjustin-webbpaul-barnettpublic-questsrealm-vs-realmrvrwarwarhammer-onlineThu, 01 May 2008 08:30:00 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<![CDATA[Warhammer's Josh Drescher clears up details on this round of beta invites]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/warhammers-josh-drescher-clears-up-details-on-this-round-of-bet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/warhammers-josh-drescher-clears-up-details-on-this-round-of-bet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/warhammers-josh-drescher-clears-up-details-on-this-round-of-bet/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We previously reported on the erroneous emails from Warhammer Online's Beta Center, asking people who hadn't yet been invited to the beta to update their DxDiag file and consequently getting their hopes up. EA Mythic had already confirmed for these poor sods that they would need to wait for a real beta invite, but associate producer Josh Drescher has offered up a few more details about the situation on his personal site.

Drescher states that the receipt of the emails by those not already invited does not mean you have a greater or lesser chance from anyone else of getting in, does not mean that something is good or bad about your computer that will lead to you getting picked or avoided, and it doesn't mean that you've already been picked (although you could be, unrelated to the email).

Continue reading Warhammer's Josh Drescher clears up details on this round of beta invites

MassivelyWarhammer's Josh Drescher clears up details on this round of beta invites originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beta-centerbeta-emailbeta-inviteea-mythicguild-betainvite-emailjosh-drescherwarwarhammerWed, 06 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Associate producer with EA Mythic Josh Drescher talks Warhammer Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/19/associate-producer-with-ea-mythic-josh-drescher-talks-warhammer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/19/associate-producer-with-ea-mythic-josh-drescher-talks-warhammer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/19/associate-producer-with-ea-mythic-josh-drescher-talks-warhammer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The tantalizing drip-feed of information on Warhammer Online continues. One of EA Mythic's associate producers, Josh Drescher, recently gave his time for an interview and answered some good questions for the fans. There are a couple of things that he had to decline commenting on due to marketing plans, but for the most part, he provided very interesting answers to the questions posed.

Among other things he mentioned, he confirmed that there will be NPCs involved with RvR, to prevent situations where there is a completely unguarded territory up for capturing when there are no players about to help defend. He comments on WAR's answer to a "charge" type ability for melee classes (designed to assist these classes in closing the distance on a target) and says that instead of a charge akin to World of Warcraft's for example, which basically teleports you right up to the target with zero player control, theirs will be like a secondary sprint that makes you move a bit faster than your prey while you retain complete control over movement.

Another pertinent portion of the interview is Drescher's commentary on equipment and balancing. He is asked whether players will be required to raid end-game bosses over and over to obtain the best gear and keep up in RvR. His reply is two-fold; firstly, the very best gear will be obtained from city siege and capture (with other good gear being rewarded upon completing specific tasks and quests), and secondly, gear will not be the most important factor in RvR success. The link below will take you through to the full interview and the rest of Drescher's answers.

[Via MMOsite]

MassivelyAssociate producer with EA Mythic Josh Drescher talks Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chargedrescherea-mythicequipmentgearjosh-drescherrvrwarSat, 19 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Weekend WAR-flix: Career System and RvR Combat + Inevitable City]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/01/weekend-war-flix-career-system-and-rvr-combat-inevitable-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/01/weekend-war-flix-career-system-and-rvr-combat-inevitable-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/01/weekend-war-flix-career-system-and-rvr-combat-inevitable-city/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you missed out on the latest Warhammer Online Newsletter, and you don't feel like reading all the goodness ripe for the taking; I have two videos found in the newsletter for the price of one post. That's how I roll -- all unselfish like in a little ball of Warhammer love. In this first video EA Mythic's Associate Producer, Josh Drescher talks about the Career System and RvR Combat. Highlights include:

  • Career Mastery: Talent trees to distinguish careers
  • RvR Combat: Evolve the best things from Dark Age of Camelot's RvR into a a kick ass RvR system never before seen for WAR

Continue reading Weekend WAR-flix: Career System and RvR Combat + Inevitable City

MassivelyWeekend WAR-flix: Career System and RvR Combat + Inevitable City originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-centerea-mythicjosh-dreschermythicnewsletterRvRvideoswarwarhammer-onlineSat, 01 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST