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Ring in the new year with Warhammer Online's Keg End

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items

Amidst the news of server merges, Warhammer Online fans could probably use something to celebrate, something to lift the spirits a bit. So it's fortunate that the annual Keg End celebration is just around the corner, giving everyone a chance to get drunk and rowdy even by the already aggressive status of the world's inhabitants. Running from December 14th until January 4th, Keg End is a chance to celebrate in style in the Dwarven tradition.

The rewards for the event haven't changed much this year, with the usual assortment of Party Kegs, Keg Taps, and Battlebrew Backpacks. There are giants roaming the field looking for their own ale and a handful of sporting battles, and there are plenty of special drinks to be sampled just for the event. So get yourself ready to log in tomorrow and take a nice roll through fields filled with blood, beer, and battle. Especially beer.

Ring in the new year with Warhammer Online's Keg End originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Dat's it, boss, I'm outta here

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Choose My Adventure

As of today, I'm finished with Warhammer Online. Today is my final installment of Choose My Adventure, with the torch passing along next week to Larry Everett. Before anyone asks, yes, I'm definitely going to miss the feature... but that's not really what you're here for at the moment, is it? You're here for the fanfare, and it's all over but the depressing part.

Last week's vote was overwhelmingly meta -- rather than a recounting of events, the audience clearly wants to hear my thoughts on the future of Warhammer Online, what worked and what didn't, and why the game followed the trajectory it did. (Also, an awful lot of people want to know about the Choppa Song.) I'm admittedly coming into the game late and with somewhat less passionate eyes than many of the game's fans, but looking at my experience, I think I found a lot of the game in microcosm. I see all of the things it did right... and in hindsight, where certain choices went wrong.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dat's it, boss, I'm outta here

Choose My Adventure: Dat's it, boss, I'm outta here originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Da udder half lives

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, PvE, Opinion, Choose My Adventure

I remember thinking quite distinctly that I was ready to be done with the Tier 1 scenarios, oh, forever ago. It's not that Nordenwatch is inherently a bad scenario; it's just that when you see it often enough, you start to get sick of it. So I was very happy when the voting closed on last week's poll and I saw that I had a very different list of scenarios available to me in Warhammer Online. That had probably happened several levels ago, sure, but I hadn't been queueing.

Unfortunately, I found out that Oscar Wilde's old chestnut about the gods granting our wishes when they want to punish us proved entirely accurate. Jump on past the break for this week in Klurgind's somewhat less than epic adventure, with the caveat that it's going to be just a wee bit depressing in places. But hey, I never promised this story had a happy ending.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Da udder half lives

Choose My Adventure: Da udder half lives originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Ork in da wild

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Choose My Adventure

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this past week was the sort of event that turns one's entire life upside-down. The stuff that happened was also pretty unambiguously good, yeah, but between that and my computer randomly screwing up, this has not been the best of weeks for Warhammer Online and myself. Which is odd, seeing as how there's been big (albeit secretive) news for the community, and I've still managed to sit down and get some solid time clocked in with Klurgind despite that.

Last week's polls both indicated that I should follow the WAR Report around the map, and they also indicated that people would really like to roll up with some Massively warband action. So we're going to make an event out of it, based on the best details and planning I can provide. Click on past the break for a recount of Klurgind's most recent adventures in Warhammer Online, plans for the meetup on the weekend, and the new set of polls.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Ork in da wild

Choose My Adventure: Ork in da wild originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online bringing 1.4.1 out for testing

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Warhammer Online, News items

Scenarios have formed one of the PvP cornerstones for Warhammer Online, leading to a large-scale overhaul of Scenarios several months ago. Certain Scenarios were placed on a weekend rotation, while others were permanently available at different level bands for players to enjoy. Patch 1.4.1, which is due to hit the public test server, Warpstone, tomorrow, is making some alterations to which Scenarios may be played at all times, with some cycling into a permanent slot and others entering retirement for a time.

While the shifting lineup is certainly one of the big elements of the patch, it's not the only one. Balance changes have been made for several Skaven abilities, including several overhauls for the Packmaster class. A number of item sets have had their Renown Rank requirements lowered, as well, to give players easier access to the items; there has been a new set added to fill the newly created gap between the Warlord and Sovereign sets. Warhammer Online players can examine the current patch notes and take part in the testing starting tomorrow.

Warhammer Online bringing 1.4.1 out for testing originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Night of Murder brings holiday butchering to Warhammer Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items

It's hard to deny that Warhammer Online takes place in the most metal universe anywhere. That becomes especially clear during the Valentine's Day event in the game, which features absolutely no affection between characters but a great deal of rampaging bloodlust. The Night of Murder event is upon players once again, giving everyone an in-game opportunity to completely bypass the usual plethora of chocolates and cards in favor of battleaxes and bloody vengeance.

Running from February 8th until the 22nd, the event is a celebration of Khaine, during which even the forces of Order wind up drifting close to the chaotic side. Players taking part can net a variety of rewards, including the quite desirable Butcher's Blessing buff, which increases both Experience and Renown gains by 10% for three in-game days. Hop in now to enjoy Warhammer Online's senseless slaughter, which includes nearly as many hearts as the usual take on the celebration (except that the usual holiday involves those hearts remaining within the ribcage).

Night of Murder brings holiday butchering to Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online offering free server transfers as prelude to two server shutdowns

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Warhammer Online, News items

If you're playing on the Iron Rock or Volkmar servers for Warhammer Online, it's time to get ready to say goodbye. The development team for the game has just announced that free server transfers are being unlocked for both servers, allowing players to transfer to Gorfang to help bolster the population. That in and of itself wouldn't be all that unusual, except that when the transfer starts, both Iron Rock and Volkmar are being flagged as Legacy servers to prevent any new characters from being created.

Starting on February 9th, transfers will be enabled and the Legacy flag will go into place. After three weeks of open transfers, both Iron Rock and Volkmar will be flagged as "Retired," meaning that any characters not transferred off the server will have to be transferred to Gorfang (or Badlands via a paid transfer). That means that two of the game's remaining four American servers will be removed in the near future, and while the population boost will no doubt help Warhammer Online's RvR battles, it's still a shutdown for two servers.

Warhammer Online offering free server transfers as prelude to two server shutdowns originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online producer's letter hints at major forthcoming features

Jef Reahard — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, News items

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."

Warhammer 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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Demonic live events returning to Dark Age of Camelot

Jef Reahard — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Events, in-game, News items

It's been a while since demons ran rampant over the lands in Dark Age of Camelot (last summer to be exact), but Mythic's Andy Belford has posted a notice on the game's official website that the live developer events will be returning shortly. "The scholars studying the artifacts and objects left behind by the demons have made some startling discoveries. Rumors have begun to make their way across the realms, whispers of dark portents, rituals, and objects. The rumors have not gone unnoticed," proclaims the cryptic blurb.

Belford also mentions that players on the Mordred shard will have the opportunity to take on Mythic devs in PvP, and he gives us a heads up as to the official live event schedule:

Glamorgan: Tuesday January 11th, 8:00 a.m. EDT, 2:00 p.m. EDT, 7:00 p.m. (2:00 p.m. CET, 8:00 p.m. CET, 11 p.m. CET)
Mordred/Gaheris: Wednesday January 12th 2011, 2:00 p.m. EDT, 8:00 p.m. EDT, 11:00 p.m. EDT.
Ywain: Thursday January 13th 2011, 2:00 p.m. EDT, 8:00 p.m. EDT, 11:00 p.m. EDT.

Demonic live events returning to Dark Age of Camelot originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Community Detective Issue #15: 2010's best (and worst) case files

Jef Reahard — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Vanguard, Global Agenda, Community Detective

Hi kids, it's your friendly neighborhood Community Detective and I'm back with the final issue of 2010. Next year looks to be an exciting and somewhat scary time for MMORPG communities and customer service. Not only are we staring down the barrel of four new hugely anticipated AAA titles (RIFT, TERA, Guild Wars 2, and The Old Republic), but there are also quite a few existing games that I've yet to visit in an official capacity, as well as a couple that have undergone drastic changes and merit another review (the F2P conversion in Lord of the Rings Online and sweeping server merges in Aion and EverQuest II, for example).

Prior to moving forward, however, it's always fun to take a look back (particularly at this time of year). Join me after the cut for a year-end recap of 2010's most memorable case studies.

Continue reading Community Detective Issue #15: 2010's best (and worst) case files

Community Detective Issue #15: 2010's best (and worst) case files originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Tapping the keg

Greg Waller — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, Waging WAR

Mythic has released the Keg's End live event in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, and this week in Waging WAR, after falling off the wagon and bumping his head, Greg talks about all the things to see and do in-game during this holiday season. Don't worry, though -- we were able to get him to stop singing carols after the swelling went down.

It's that time of year again, and most everyone is celebrating something in some fashion. Whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Festivus, ultimately, it's a section of the calendar that many of us can appreciate and look forward to. On that note, I would like to extend my warmest and sincerest Season's Greetings to all Massively readers out there, wherever you are. And as fun as it is with the gift giving, merriment and world-peace-wishing, the best part of the season is when we get hammered and smack-talk our families. Wait, you don't smack-talk your family at your house? You mean... the season really is all about warmth, love, and mistletoe mischief? Hmm... well, it seems as though my family missed that memo. Behind-the-back dirt-dishing has been a staple at my house for as long as I can remember. But enough about that, let's talk about Warhammer Online and the Keg End live event -- something I can relate to. Forget about religion, politics, and corporate pan-handling; let's get out the gourds, chug a frothy or two, and loudly proclaim our bravest victories in that barrel-chested manner we're all so accustomed to (OK, maybe not all of us, but play along, will ye?).

Read on after the cut to learn about all the fun things you can look forward to with WAR's Keg End live event.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Tapping the keg

Waging WAR: Tapping the keg originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ring in the end of the year with Warhammer Online's Keg End

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items

Warhammer Online players have things to be thankful for this year, not the least of which being the 1.4 patch. And as the end of the year approaches, it's the traditional time for players to celebrate the passing of the old year in the game via copious amounts of liquor and the usual helping of ultraviolence. That's right, it's time for another round of Keg End, with Order and Destruction alike taking part in the festivities and competing for chances at the coveted Golden Stein.

Aside from the boastworthy exploits of the festival, players will also have giants to face off against, with special rewards for those capable of felling these enemies. There are also rare world drop items for players to look for, including your own personal keg handler or a battlebrew backpack. Warhammer Online players are encouraged to take a look at the official preview of the holiday event, which runs until January 4th to ensure that everyone has plenty of time to ring in the new year with a proper toast. Or a proper inebriated violent rampage, one or the other.

Ring in the end of the year with Warhammer Online's Keg End originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: White Lions ite domum

Greg Waller — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Humor, Waging WAR

This week in Waging WAR, Greg shows off the rather large chip on his shoulder and talks about one particular career in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Despite the following column, Greg wants it to be known that he does indeed love kittens of all kinds and does not condone harming them in any way, unless it involves several Doom Bolts and a few handfuls of Flickering Red Fire, in which case he enthusiastically gives his approval.

For the most part, I consider myself pretty easygoing when it comes to scenario PvP. I don't flip out when I die, I try to not take failure to heart since the next scenario is usually right around the corner, and DPS-healers don't bug me like they bug many other players out there (I used to play one, neener-neener). But recently, I've noticed a particularly aggravating trend growing among Order players on Badlands in the lower tiers. There is an inordinate number of White Lions being rolled, and objectively, it isn't difficult to see why. They're extremely mobile, they can cause outrageous amounts of damage in a very short time, and their pets represent more than mere harassment -- they actually hurt. Sadly, objectivity comes at a pretty hefty price these days. When it has run dry and all I find myself left with is the hot, bitter aftertaste of subjectivity, the result is something like the rant that follows.

Read along after the break and enjoy my rant about White Lions.

Continue reading Waging WAR: White Lions ite domum

Waging WAR: White Lions ite domum originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Guide to addons

Greg Waller — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Guides, Waging WAR

This week in WagingWAR Greg takes a look at the basic interface offered in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Well, he said he would take a look, but then he mumbled something about needing a blindfold first. Instead, he writes about all the great ways it can be changed via third-party add-ons and shows us why WAR's modding community really is just the bee's knees.

Let's be honest with ourselves right off the bat and agree that the WAR default interface, although functional, is lackluster in some respects. That's not to say that the developers of WAR made a disastrous UI for us to play with; in fact, the truth is quite the opposite. The standard UI is functional, genre-standard, and provides all the necessary information at a glance. It gets the job done. It also offers a layout editor that allows for simple, easy customization. But sometimes, someone else's idea for a UI element is simply better. Thankfully, WAR supports the Lua programming language and enjoys a strong and talented modding community.

Continue reading for the lowdown on what I consider to be the best of the best of what WAR's mod community has to offer as of patch 1.4.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Guide to addons

Waging WAR: Guide to addons originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: On the distant horizon

Greg Waller — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

It's that time again! Yes, Greg's imagination has escaped its tiny 3x3 cell and is off spreading ruination and ruffling feathers across the countryside, armed with absurd notions and a not-so-surprising lack of reason and logic. This week's Waging WAR attempts to follow along in its wake as we take another look at the potential future of Warhammer Online: The Age of Reckoning.

WAR released with an impressive lineup of playable armies and careers, setting the stage for the Age of Reckoning with a 3v3, two-sided RvR layout. In the summer following the official release of WAR, we got our first free content expansion featuring the Tomb Kings in the Land of the Dead. Just recently, we finally, at long last, got our Skaven wishes granted. In the spirit of the holiday season coming up, I've decided to look ahead at what may come in the future as we approach new horizons in WAR. Even if we discount Brettonia as another flavor of civilized human (akin in many ways to the Empire), the Daemons of Chaos as being already represented in some form or another as a part of Tzeentch's Warhost, and the Ogre Kingdoms (and other assorted Dogs of War) as being more-or-less an NPC army, we're still left with some excellent offerings from Warhammer lore as far as where WAR can go in the foreseeable future.

Follow along after the break as I take another look at what's left on the table to play with for future packs and expansions for WAR.

Continue reading Waging WAR: On the distant horizon

Waging WAR: On the distant horizon originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Inside patch 1.4

Greg Waller — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Expansions, Patches, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

The Verminous Horde game update aka patch 1.4 for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is pretty much old news by now. Despite that, Greg takes a look at some of the highlights from the patch as well as the RvR Packs in this week's Waging WAR.

Wow! What a patch! There are so many new little tidbits, toys and tweaks in this patch that it's really sort of hard to describe them all in the space of a single issue of Waging WAR. On top of all the free content in the patch itself, there are also the progression and personality packs available on the EAStore ($10ea/$15combo). In fact, there is so much new content in WAR right now, it's going to take quite a bit of time for us to exhaust it all and start complaining about stagnation again.

Follow along after the break as I talk about some of the highlights from the patch.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Inside patch 1.4

Waging WAR: Inside patch 1.4 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer's Verminous Horde patch coming on November 18th

Jef Reahard — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, Warhammer Online, News items

BioWare-Mythic has set the live date for Warhammer Online's 1.4.0 patch (otherwise known as The Verminous Horde) as well as for the availability of the game's new RvR packs. All three updates will take a bow on November 18th, with the patch comprising a free update for all subscribers and the Progression and Personality RvR packs commanding $10 price points in the EA Store (or $15 for the pair).

The 1.4.0 patch brings a new capture mechanic to WAR's open RvR gameplay, four playable Skaven classes, and a high-level Skaven-themed dungeon called Thanquol's Incursion. The Progression Pack gives you an accelerated leveling bonus, 20 more renown ranks to grind, and new gear options. The Personality Pack brings the ability to restyle your avatar in a variety of ways including new dyes, surgeon tokens, vanity pets, and a mount. Check out all the details at the official site.

Warhammer's Verminous Horde patch coming on November 18th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Battle for Badlands season 3 finale

Greg Waller — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, PvP, Warhammer Online, Waging WAR

With so many awesome things happening for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning lately, with the Verminous Horde expansion, the new store, patch 1.4 and all the rest, Greg has decided to turn his all-seeing eye sideways, to a land called the Badlands, and take Waging WAR along to explore a community-driven event that has been held there for nearly a year now with great success.

Since launch, WAR has enjoyed a great community. With every great community, a great event is inevitable. I've been around the block since WAR was released and have experienced the game on several different servers. I originally rolled my first character, a Swordmaster named Xiimmel, on Iron Rock. Later, I rolled an Archmage named Feiyen on Dark Crag, who I eventually moved back to Iron Rock where she was renamed Veeo. I never did get a chance to explore Phoenix Throne, which was collapsed along with Dark Crag some time ago. Recently, I joined the Badlands community on the side of Destruction with a variety of new characters, and the community there has been good to me so far. Part of that experience the last few weeks has been the opportunity to participate in a community-driven phenomenon known as the Battle for Badlands. Since this is all quite new to me, I decided to do a community spotlight on the event in today's Waging WAR.

Read on past the cut where I play 6Qs and deliver the details about the Battle for Badlands while I try to answer your 5Ws and maybe an H.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Battle for Badlands season 3 finale

Waging WAR: Battle for Badlands season 3 finale originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Warhammer's new online store

Greg Waller — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, News items, Opinion, Waging WAR

This week's Waging WAR catches a whiff of recent happenings on the internet and with Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Greg dives in face-first, grabs a fist-full of the news, and delivers a fast-ball rant on the issue.

Well, apparently the RMT has hit the fan, and the resulting spackle is starting to plaster the proverbial walls of the blogosphere and beyond. Recently, some information was released about what players can expect to buy at EA-Mythic's new store. Although only a few items are actually available now, there's a pretty extensive FAQ on the server transfer service, and we'll have to wait a little longer for the Progression and Personality packs, as they're set to be released along with patch 1.4. Naturally, the drama is building up some nice momentum, and it will be interesting to see how the whine will affect this particular cheese over at the Mythic official forum.

For now, you can read past the break and enjoy my rant.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Warhammer's new online store

Waging WAR: Warhammer's new online store originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Dark Age of Camelot patch goes live

Jef Reahard — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Patches, News items

BioWare-Mythic's Dark Age of Camelot is like a grizzled veteran soldier trapped deep behind enemy lines with nothing more than a bayonet and a can of rations -- no matter how bleak or hopeless things get, the old cuss just refuses to die. Incidentally, how weird is it to mention BioWare in a Dark Age of Camelot post? Anyway, I digress.

Today marks the latest update to the long-running realm vs. realm MMORPG, and version 1.107 brings a few noteworthy changes to the endless fray. Chief among them is a class balance tweak that allows Savages to train the Realm Ability Charge. The powers-that-be have also lightened up on the stiff penalties for not paying your rent, as player housing contents will now be repossessed (as opposed to destroyed) when you fail to pay the landlord on time. Finally, Mythic has switched the realm timer back on, and it will now take five minutes to swap realms on the same cluster.

For a full listing of the patch changes, visit the official website.

New Dark Age of Camelot patch goes live originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online reveals the classes of the Skaven

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Previews, Warhammer Online, News items

While last year was technically the Year of the Rat, the rodents seem to have taken over this year as well in the form of the Skaven. Players were excited when it was first announced that Warhammer Online would at last feature playable Skaven, even though it was stated that there would be certain limitations. A new document about the creatures has just gone up, with both fiction to explain the presence of the creatures on each side and a breakdown of the abilities they will bring to the battlefield.

Like other races, the Skaven have four classes unique to them. Warlock Engineers deploy support equipment while fielding powerful effects borne of Warp-Energy, Gutter Runners stay in the shadows and sabotage enemy fortifications, Rat Ogres sow confusion and panic with their powerful frames, and Pack Masters support the nearby Rat Ogres and spur their allies forward. Take a look at the full document for more details on these long-awaited additions to Warhammer Online -- and don't mind the scurrying sound from the walls.

Warhammer Online reveals the classes of the Skaven originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Guide to defensive stats

Greg Waller — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Guides, Waging WAR

Greg takes us through to see the dark side of our character sheets, and explains the various defensive stats found in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. He trudges through this week's Waging WAR with the stubborn stoutness of an Ironbreaker, and the cunning pre-determination of Tzeentch's Chosen to bring us this guide...

For every 10 tanks running around with gigantic two-handed weapons and the Focused Offense tactic slotted, there is one tank with a shield. And for every 10 of those tanks, there's that one who will step onto the battlefield and shake its very foundations with his/her ability to soak incredible amounts of damage and survive. What makes those tanks so indomitable? It is their preference for and understanding of defensive statistics. Sure, they may not hit as hard as others, but their ability to stand defiantly in the face of an entire warband is what makes them so fearsome. With confidence, these rare titans stride onto the battlefields knowing they could put up a fight against death itself and stand a chance to win.

Continue after the break as I explain the defensive character statistics of WAR.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Guide to defensive stats

Waging WAR: Guide to defensive stats originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion

Greg Waller — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Hands-on, Waging WAR

This week, Waging WAR brings you Greg's hands-on impressions of the new RvR 24v24 instanced dungeon coming soon to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. With true grit, determination, a staff, sequined robe and his trusty wizard hat, Greg brushes the dust off of his Archmage skills and reviews Thanquol's Incursion.

I was able to put together everything needed on Wednesday evening, so setting up for Friday afternoon's scheduled test of Thanquol's Incursion didn't take long at all. I didn't want to get tied up in learning a new career along with testing completely new content, so I decided to stick with what I know best and roll my Archmage on the PTS. Luckily, I tend to go light in the add-on department, so after getting my keybindings ready and scattering my UI all over the screen in my own (olympically) special way, I flew to Praag and found a warband in no time flat. Friday's event started up right on time, and the testing was under way. The warband headed out to one of the various instance gates and we zoned in.

Follow along after the break as I discuss my first-time hands-on experience with the new RvR gated 24v24 instanced dungeon: Thanquol's Incursion.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion

Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WAR preps Daemon Moon Rising event

Jef Reahard — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items

We've been talking a lot about Halloween-themed in-game events of late. Whether it's Middle-earth, Hyboria, or Erinn, everyone seems to be getting in on the act. Not to be outdone, BioWare-Mythic is entering the fray with the forthcoming Daemon Moon Rising event for Warhammer Online, which includes the Daemonball Rally public quest, the Daemon Mask quest, and the High Pass Cemetery scenario battle.

New reward masks are also in store, and you even have a chance to loot last year's Witching Night mask rewards in case you missed them. This year's event is currently ongoing, and will last through Tuesday, November 2nd. Tiptoe over to the official WAR site for all the grisly details.

WAR preps Daemon Moon Rising event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part two

Greg Waller — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Hands-on, Waging WAR

In this week's installment of Waging WAR, Greg returns to the Chaotic Zeal series and peels back another layer or two of the Zealot career in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. He tells us about his experience through tiers 2 and 3 and talks about what makes the zealot stand out in the chaos crowd. If only we could get him to eat his onions with the same fanaticism...

At the end of the first issue of the Chaotic Zeal series, I left off by saying that I was happily looking forward to playing through tiers 2 and 3 and the promise the Zealot would bring. I'll kick off this second article in the series by saying that I wasn't disappointed in the least. The Zealot is an absolute pleasure to play as a PvP healer, despite the settings and circumstances I was presented with. The career's growth is robust and meaningful with a variety of attractive tactics and morale abilities, while the playstyle becomes more and more refined over time. I could fill an entire column with anecdotes and memories of my time with the career through the middle tiers, as the Zealot is a career experience that tends to be quite engaging and memorable. Instead, I'll focus on my impressions of leveling through them. Thus, with my Zealot poised on the precipice of tier 4 at level 30, I'll look back and recall the issues I faced getting there.

Follow along after the cut as I discuss the middle tiers with the Zealot career.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part two

Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part two originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Greg Waller — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Expansions, Patches, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Hands-on, Waging WAR

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?

Waging 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.

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WAR's Gouskos talks Skaven, subscriptions, and RvR

Jef Reahard — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Warhammer Online, News items

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.

WAR'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.

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Warhammer Online brings open RvR modifications to test server

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, Warhammer Online, News items

Warhammer Online recently turned two years old, and while it's been an occasionally rocky two years, the development team has been focusing in on making the core of the game the best it can be. That's been the motivation behind the plethora of RvR updates that have been pushed live over the past year, culminating in recent news regarding the much-anticipated RvR pack. There's a lot more to come, however, and the team is giving players a chance to try out some of the coming changes early, with the updates to open RvR scheduled for public testing.

The first massed public test of the new mechanics will be taking place on Wednesday, October 6th, at 8:00 p.m. EDT on the Warpstone test server. Tier 3 combat is on the menu, with templates provided for players who don't happen to have a character that fits the criteria. No word on whether or not participants will be eligible for prizes, but considering past test realm events, rewards for players seem like a distinct possibility. Warhammer Online players are encouraged to set some time aside for the Wednesday event and should prepare themselves for Warpstone access ahead of time.

[Editor's note: We've corrected the error in the original post. Thanks to those readers who alerted us to the mistake!]

Warhammer Online brings open RvR modifications to test server originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Coming soon, to a theatre of WAR near you

Greg Waller — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

We interrupt this week's scheduled career spotlight on Waging WAR to bring you Greg's impressions of the latest and greatest news from the floors of GamesDay: UK regarding Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and the new RvR content coming soon to a theatre of WAR near you.

OK. So. Take everything you know about the Tier 4 RvR Campaign in WAR and press the "Delete" button right now. In fact, press it a few times. Actually, keep going. Keep pressing it until all you're left with is three pairings with three zones each, each zone containing four battlefield objectives and two keeps, and two cities as the capstone for each realm. OK. Now access that part of your brain that stores silly words and euphemisms regarding "the problem with WAR." See that entry for "Waithammer?" Delete it. "PvDoor?" Press the button. Actually, just go wild. Take every criticism you've ever had for WAR's endgame and just throw it out. We're talking total tabula rasa here (and not the ill-fated game). OK, stop. That should do. With an open mind and absolutely no knowledge of in-game mechanics, you're now primed to understand what I'm about to describe regarding the changes that are on their way, and more importantly, why I believe those changes are so critical to the glorious future of WAR.

If your curiosity is even remotely piqued, click the "Read more" button.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Coming soon, to a theatre of WAR near you

Waging WAR: Coming soon, to a theatre of WAR near you originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer producer's letter talks ORVR changes

Jef Reahard — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, News items

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.

Warhammer 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.

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Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part one

Greg Waller — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

Continuing in the tradition of the Nagarythe Chronicles, Waging WAR moves forward this week with the first issue of another multipart career spotlight for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. This time, however, Greg has defected to the velvet darkness of Chaos. Brandishing a skull in one hand and a twisted dagger in the other, Greg rolls a zealot and starts down a road of uncertainty, where the only constant is Change by the will of Tzeentch.

It has been a long time since I've played the game on the side of Destruction. Actually, truth be told, I've never really been serious about any Destruction character I've ever rolled at all, with my highest level being somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 or so on a blackguard when the class was first released. It has also been quite a while since I've done any career spotlights for the column. With those facts in mind, I've decided to do a multipart series for the zealot and to take a look at how they play and what makes them tick through the various tiers of growth up into Tier 4. The reasons I chose the zealot for the series are simple and few. First of all, the last time I had my hands on the zealot career was long before the new Harbinger mechanic was released, and I want to try it out for myself. Second, I have a considerable amount of experience healing (and DPSing) with my archmage, so I have a baseline for comparison. Finally, I thought a defection would be fun as I level and discover new areas, quests and storylines that I never gave myself a chance to become familiar with.

Follow along after the break as I take a look at the zealot through levels 1-11 in Tier 1.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part one

Waging WAR: Chaotic zeal, part one originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: The blame game

Greg Waller — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Warhammer Online, PvE, Opinion, Humor, Waging WAR

In this installment of Waging WAR, Greg flips the world all upside-down-like and examines the soft, warm underbelly of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. The PvE side. He holds a mirror to some of the questions he's found himself asking in bad situations involving mean, unforgiving bosses, and he shows us all how not to play The Blame Game. Oh, and HAPPY SECOND ANNIVERSARY, Warhammer Online!!! Ahem, we now return you to our regularly scheduled Waging WAR content.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is primarily about the RvR. As such, we don't often discuss some of the things in the PvE instances throughout WAR that we've all experienced at least once (or at least most of us, anyway). Whether you're heading into Hunter's Vale in Tier 1, setting up for a boss in the Tomb of the Vulture Lord, or preparing for any number of instances in-between (I can name five major ones off the top of my head), we've all been there and done that. Things have inevitably gone south for all of us at least once. For some of us, things have gone south repeatedly, on the same boss, with the same group, in the same instance. Frustration and enmity start to set in, and people start wondering, "What is going on here?" What follows then is usually a series of questions tracing a certain pattern that we ask ourselves as we try to figure out what the problem is. I guess it is only human nature to enter into this type of internal dialogue when faced with problem solving in social situations.

Follow after the break to see what I'm talking about.

Continue reading Waging WAR: The blame game

Waging WAR: The blame game originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online details plans for buffing turrets and daemons

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Previews, Warhammer Online, News items

Pets of any kind can pose some issues in games. On the one hand, you want both temporary and permanent pets to provide a utility; on the other hand, you don't want someone crippled without the pet. Warhammer Online has a number of classes that use both permanent and temporary companions, and as part of the next update for the game, the team is working on making the engineer's turrets and the magus's daemons more useful for players in combat.

Both daemons and turrets will now scale with the owner's stats, allowing their growth to keep better pace with more powerful characters. Equally important, however, is the new stacking buff that both types will receive when the engineer or magus remains near their pet. The buff will increase damage gradually while the player remains nearby, up to a 20% buff to damage output. Take a look at the full details from the development team in this small preview, a welcome promised bone for Warhammer Online players.

Warhammer Online details plans for buffing turrets and daemons originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Taking the stand

Greg Waller — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

In this installment of Waging WAR, Greg makes it personal and sticks up for himself and Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. He draws his sword and board, holds the line, and explains in no uncertain terms why he still enjoys the game.

Recently, a few readers have suggested that my columns have essentially been slanderous. And while I'll admit that my writing about WAR hasn't exactly been all kittens and rainbows, imagine if it were. Would you be able to take me seriously if every week I came across as though I were a starry-eyed, adoring fan wearing rose-tinted glasses and playing the game through an internet connection made out of candy?

Although I recognize my responsibility for the game as a relatively well-exposed writer, I also recognize the ability of my readers to think critically about the things I say and to avoid knee-jerk reactions to the first sentence that doesn't exactly fit with their particular jigsaw puzzles of expectations. The simple truth is that, like many of you, I am simply a long-term player who cares very much about the future of WAR. I am affected by the same things that you are when you get frustrated by the games you care for. Sometimes, that care becomes concern or frustration. Sometimes, the truth hurts. Either way, all I ask is that if you choose to read this week's column, stick around to the bitter end, and save your comments until then.

So, in my defense, I'll take the stand and try to explain why I still enjoy the game, regardless of my recent frustrations.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Taking the stand

Waging WAR: Taking the stand originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: Finding the sandbox

Greg Waller — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

In this installment of Waging WAR, Greg takes a look at Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning from a few different angles and goes in search of the proverbial "sandbox" in a game that contains neither sand nor boxes.

Somewhere along the line during my childhood, I developed a habit for playing games with nearly every game I've ever played. I can even remember a time in my early teens when I sat down with a few friends and collaborated on making our own version of battlechess. Pages of chicken-scratched rules and several dice results-tables later, and we were off and running for a solid week of the most entertaining chess matches I've ever played. Or there was that time with The Sims when I started creating experimental families and then leaving my computer on overnight and not interacting with them, just to see how successful they could be without my help. I could bore you for hours on end with examples of how I twisted the rules and made my own games from the games I've played.

I suppose I can blame my penchant for metagaming on my early introduction to pen-and-paper roleplaying (i.e., D&D 1st Ed., to be specific). All I had was a sheet of paper, a handful of dice, a description of the world around me, and my imagination. By its very nature, PnP gaming is sandbox gaming. The reason I'm bringing this up now is that, until WAR, I had pretty much been able to "find the sandbox" in any MMO I was able to get my hands on. Whether it was building hardcore Dungeons & Dragons Online characters, roleplaying in City of Heroes, or achievement-chasing in World of Warcraft, I've never really been troubled with finding something to do when the grind started to wear me down. But now, with WAR, I'm finding most of my old tricks for MMO metagaming just aren't working.

To read about what I've tried, and why it didn't work in WAR, follow along after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Finding the sandbox

Waging WAR: Finding the sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More RvR pack details in the newest Warhammer Online producer's letter

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, PvP, Warhammer Online, News items, Races

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.

More 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.

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

Greg Waller — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

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

Waging 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.

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Waging WAR: A healer's survival guide

Greg Waller — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Guides, Waging WAR

This week, Waging WAR steps back from all the news and hype of Gamescom and GamesDay and focuses in on the healing archetypes in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. As we all know by now, Greg plays a healer and he's put together a guide for those who kill by mending the wounds of those who kill by bludgeon or blade.

In my time in WAR I've learned a thing or two. No, I'm not writing about my extensive knowledge of how various terrains taste (the sand on the beaches of Nordenwatch and the cobbled brick streets of Praag have become favored delicacies). I'm writing about how to be an effective healer in WAR. While I am by no means invincible or infallible, I do consider myself a decent, relatively resilient and capable PvP tank (let's not kid ourselves here -- who needs plate when you can wear robes, right?). I have some advice to share with those who are interested in endgame PvP/RvR healing, or even those who are already there but seek to add an edge to their game.

To achieve enlightenment, click the Read More button.

Continue reading Waging WAR: A healer's survival guide

Waging WAR: A healer's survival guide originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online's RvR pack announced

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, Warhammer Online, News items, Races

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.

Warhammer 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.

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Warhammer Online drops 1.3.6 today

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, Warhammer Online, News items

The odds weren't in favor of us seeing the newest patch for Warhammer Online so soon... but that works just fine, since the patch itself is Against All Odds. Even if you're not using it to set up a lame joke, however, patch 1.3.6 is going live today after slightly extended server maintenance, bringing with it several updates and improvements to the game. The eponymous Against All Odds mechanic is one of the central changes, giving a side without sufficient numbers in an RvR lake bonus rewards for persistence.

1.3.6 also brings two major changes to items in the game. The first is the addition of an appearance system, allowing players to make their armor look like whatever set they want without losing the benefits of high-end rewards. The second is equally significant, splitting the high-end Sovereign armor into two sets to celebrate alternate playstyles for each class. As always, there are a number of adjustments and bug fixes listed in the full patch notes, but Warhammer Online players should be happy enough knowing that the game's latest patch is live and ready to enjoy.

Warhammer Online drops 1.3.6 today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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