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The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, EVE Online, Guild Wars, Game mechanics, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Star Trek Online, Vanguard, Guild Wars 2, Humor, RIFT, TERA, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

I'm a sucker for a good, clever idea. You know the type: the ideas that make you slap yourself on the forehead and shout, "Why didn't I think of that first?" Or for the less humble of us out there, "Why, I did think of that first! But I got lost on the way to the patent office and I'm pretty sure that someone stole my dream journal to pilfer my genius notions!"

While critics point their fingers at the MMO industry and proclaim it a barren wasteland of innovation, there are quite a few awesome -- if small -- ideas that bubble up in MMO and move the genre forward. Maybe they're teeny-tiny baby steps; maybe they're giant hopscotch leaps over the six-spot with the rock in the middle. But these ideas can and have had the power to change how these games are made and played.

So this week I'm saluting 10 clever ideas, both large and diminutive, as a reward for a job well done!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas

The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online: Three years later

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Launches, Warhammer Online

To this day, I don't know what quite came over me when I decided to throw my chips into the blogging scene to cover Warhammer Online, eight months before the game launched. Like many of you, I had been a long-time reader of MMO blogs, but I was intimidated at trying my hand at joining in, perhaps elevating these writers to the status of legendary wordsmiths who penned unequaled prose in our lifetimes.

Or I just didn't want to be one of a thousand World of Warcraft bloggers who dominated the scene. Just a thought.

In any case, it was a terrific decision to do so on my part. I found that I had a passion not only for MMOs but for talking about them, and I loved connecting with other writers and readers and players, which happens with blogging. I've been asked from time to time if I regret picking Warhammer Online as the game that I latched onto for a couple of years, and I always say no -- no regrets. The game was fun, but the coverage was an unparalleled rollercoaster of anticipation, hype, fun, speculation, promise, disappointment, and above all, ideas. Wonderful, flawed, captivating ideas.

I haven't touched WAR since 2010, so perhaps I'm not the best source for the latest and greatest in the game. But what I do have to offer is a humble blogger's perspective on what went right, what went wrong, and why I'm ultimately happy that WAR came into being and is chugging along on today, its third anniversary.

Continue reading Warhammer Online: Three years later

Warhammer Online: Three years later originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's your greatest MMO achievement?

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Abraham Lincoln, possibly thinking about World of Warcraft, once said, "That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve it as well." Nido Qubein, who was later pwned by Lincoln in PvP, retorted, "Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people."

Achievements: We live to fulfill them. While many MMOs have tacked on an achievement system to motivate us to accomplish bizarre, tough, or unlikely goals, many gamers come up with their own goals all the time. What is your greatest MMO achievement? What are you most proud of accomplishing in your long (or perhaps short) career as an online gamer? Was it a goal that few if any others ever attained? Did you finally cross a finish line you never thought you'd reach?

It's OK to boast in the comments today -- actually, we downright demand that you do. Pat yourself on the back and share with us your greatest personal MMO achievement. If it made you happy and satisfied, we want to hear about it!

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's The Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What's your greatest MMO achievement? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:00:00 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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Carrie Gouskos shares a couple WAR teasers

Brooke Pilley — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Warhammer Online

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

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

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

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

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Mythic releases official Tome of Knowledge guide

Brooke Pilley — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST

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

A new guide up on the WAR Herald takes a look at one of Warhammer Online's most notable features, the Tome of Knowledge (ToK). The Tome watches and records almost everything you do in the game from time spent online to beasts killed to achievements unlocked and so much more. The more you explore and achieve in the game world, the more informative it becomes. It can be a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy of sorts for your WAR journey.

The guide gives a brief overview of each chapter of the ToK:

Quests
War Story
Achievements
Rewards
History and Lore - Noteworthy Persons
Bestiary
Armory
Live Event

Each chapter contains a number of subsections that hold vast amounts of information. Not interested in RvR or dungeon raiding? Some players make it their personal mission to fill out as much of their Tome as humanly possible. They are rewarded for doing so with special Tome unlocks, including titles, vanity gear, trophies, and tactics. Did we forget to mention it's also a pretty good read when you want a break from slaying?

Mythic releases official Tome of Knowledge guide originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Land of the Dead draws nearer in Warhammer

Brooke Pilley — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST

Warhammer Online's Call to Arms live expansion has been rolling along for months now and players are getting mighty excited about the prospects of the Tomb Kings and The Land of the Dead mega-zone. One WAR blogger is so fired-up he has an on-going guide feature dedicated to it.

Greg Moran, a fan favorite webcomic artist and owner of the Tome of Knowledge blog, just released part two of Bring Out Yer Dead. In it, he uses a hearty blend of Warhammer IP knowledge, Mythic promotional evidence, and speculation to provide details on what players might find once set loose upon the sands of Nehekhara. Part one gives an excellent primer on Tomb Kings history and lore.

The feature is supplemented by a number of fantastic original illustrations and links to external resources. We suggest you watch part one and two of Mythic's very own Land of the Dead production podcast at the very least. Part three will be released in the May newsletter. There's also a new Beyond the Sands live event running in-game from April 20-27, which will reveal many secrets leading up to the full-scale zone launch.

Land of the Dead draws nearer in Warhammer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythic's Carrie Gouskos on Warhammer's ToK and hints of patch 1.3

Kyle Horner — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Patches, Warhammer Online, News items, Rumors

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

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

What sorts of UI improvements could be on the way? The added layer of information to the open party and world map systems in 1.2 have been very well received, but going from Carrie's comments it seems as though something much more exciting is on the way. Given the size of the first two live events, something tells us Mythic will be showing off whatever it is they're working on next in a big way.

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!

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

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Warhammer Herald recommends Book of Grudges mod

James Egan — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, PvP, Warhammer Online

If you're hoping to add a little extra something to Warhammer Online's Realm vs. Realm gameplay, look no further than the "Dammaz Kron: The Great Book of Grudges" mod. Valkea, the creator of Dammaz Kron, describes the mod as a "PvP Black-Book" designed to look like a new section of the Tome of Knowledge. All transgressions against you are recorded in The Great Book of Grudges, as are your own acts of retaliation. Best served cold, and all that.

It's also gotten the nod from Mythic Entertainment. In their words, "The Book of Grudges transforms your fighting experience by adding a meta game and another objective to RvR. Just in case you need another reason to perpetuate the extermination of your enemy Dammaz Kron has your answer." Dammaz Kron can be downloaded from Curse and all the info about the mod is listed there as well.

Warhammer Herald recommends Book of Grudges mod originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Going down the rabbit hole with Warhammer Online's live events

Michael Zenke — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Warhammer Online

With just a few months of live service under their belts, the team behind Warhammer Online has already distinguished itself with quality and innovative live events. Heavy Metal, the Reikland Factory preview, Keg End, Witching Night ... all new looks at old holidays, highlighted by the game's unique Tome of Knowledge system. Crispy Gamer has a look at the creation of these events with Mark Davis, Mythic associate producer and live events designer. Davis talks a bit about Mythic's philosophy behind creating these events, and notes their high level of popularity with the playerbase.

Their popularity isn't hard to figure out. Offered Davis, "[WAR is] all about the bragging rights. Players like to show off how powerful they are or what accomplishments they've unlocked, and this is one way that they can show how cool they are." We at Massively have definitely enjoyed the events they've offered up so far. What about you? Which Warhammer live event has been your favorite? Any holidays you're particularly looking forward to the team tackling?

Going down the rabbit hole with Warhammer Online's live events originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online immortalizing top players in stone

James Egan — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

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

We play massively multiplayer online games for many reasons. For some it's the social aspects of MMO gaming that edge out your standard console multiplayer experience, while others like to explore, collect, or otherwise rack up achievements. Achiever-types have had things to like about Warhammer Online through its Tome of Knowledge which stands as a personal record of what you've done in the game, but Mythic Entertainment is implementing a way to immortalize your deeds in stone. Well, as literally as possible within a game. December's patch 1.1 will add a third dimension to the game's leaderboard system, where the top ten players will see statues of their avatars in WAR's cities, adorned with their names.

Warhammer Online's Content Design Lead, James Casey, has written a developer blog about the concept as well as the blood, sweat, and tears committed to the project behind-the-scenes. Despite the fact you'd envision statues in a game as being -- by definition -- unchanging, WAR's statues will be a dynamic aspect of the game experience. Just because you've got that esteemed status right now doesn't mean someone else isn't going to topple you from that pedestal later on. Have a look at Casey's "Player Statues" dev diary for more about how the best of the best will be able to see their achievements set in stone.

Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out our Warhammer guides: Massively's Character Creation Guide and our WoW Player's Guide to Warhammer. Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

Warhammer Online immortalizing top players in stone originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mark Jacobs on changes to WAR's open RvR

James Egan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Guilds, MMO industry, PvP, Warhammer Online, News items

Mythic Entertainment's Mark Jacobs posted a Warhammer Online dev blog today, titled "Open RvR Update" which maps out the future of open realm-vs-realm in the game. Jacobs writes that the coming months will bring some changes and additions to WAR:

An RvR Influence system. "This system is designed to reward our oRvR players with lots of new stuff that you can only get through oRvR," he says.

Increased visibility of open RvR, made possible through numerous improvements such as improved maps and travel systems, second bind points, a campaign HUD, and tier-wide messaging about the status of battlefield objectives and keeps.

Greater incentives for oRvR participation, namely through keep quests, 'Daily Event Quests,' and chained RvR missions.

Better rewards for guilds that take and control keeps, and a system of keep upgrades.

Allowing characters to gain oRvR "Fame", linked to the Tome of Knowledge and thus rewards, titles, and experience that come with oRvR success.

Jacobs cautions though, "Please keep in mind that these changes/systems apply to oRvR only and not to scenarios. This is not all we are working on but these do reflect the majority of oRvR additions that we are currently working on/planning for the next few months." Jacobs hopes that open RvR enhancements will inject more risk and challenge into this aspect of the game, and ultimately more rewards. Check out his dev blog where he outlines the changes to open RvR and let us know, do you think Mythic is headed in the right direction with this system revamp?

Mark Jacobs on changes to WAR's open RvR originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A one-month review of WAR's Tome of Knowledge

James Egan — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, Opinion

Some of us at Massively are fans of "Waaagh!", a Warhammer Online blog written by Syp. He recently put together a review of Warhammer Online's Tome of Knowledge, one month in. The Tome of Knowledge is one of the more interesting features we've seen in an MMO to date, and may well open new avenues for other MMO developers to explore as the industry matures. That said, it's certainly not perfect.

Syp breaks down how the Tome of Knowledge alternately exceeds and fails to live up to his expectations. This comprehensive look is broken down by category: Unlock Rate, RvR Unlocks, Secrets vs. Goals, Stories and Quotes, Fluff and Rewards, Titles, Bragging Rights, Nudity and Chickens, Limitations and Absences, Tome Tactics, User Interface, and Out of Game Experience. That's a fairly thorough assessment of the Tome, we'd say. Syp does have one caveat though: "This list isn't a series of 'Why I hate the Tome', but hopefully you've read it as 'I am quite fond of the Tome and want to see it get a lot better' analysis and suggestions." Be sure to have a look at Syp's "The Tome of Knowledge: A One-Month Review" for a comprehensive analysis of one of WAR's most unique features, and see if you agree with him.

A one-month review of WAR's Tome of Knowledge originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: WAR, huh, what is it good for? pt. 2

Seraphina Brennan — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, PvP, Warhammer Online, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, Anti-Aliased

With that said, let's get to the big gorilla -- the Realm vs. Realm combat. On the surface, it looks good. Letting people walk into clearly defined battlefields to fight over with incentives in the form of quests from the specific RvR warcamps and not to mention exp for killing other players as well as renown points, it looks like it's a winner. And, to be extremely honest, the system does win when you get a bunch of players in one place.

"Player vs. player combat comes extremely naturally to WAR to the point where sometimes I forget I'm in PvP because I'm having so much fun."

Player vs. player combat comes extremely naturally to WAR to the point where sometimes I forget I'm in PvP because I'm having so much fun. Yes, that line just came from the guy who'd rather do reputation grinds than visit Alterac Valley in World of Warcraft. I despise PvP, I despise battlegrounds, and grinding reputation is fun compared to getting killed every three seconds and then teabagged.

WAR makes sure that each person can actualy survive in PvP, have a chance to get away, and they make it into a worthwhile endeavor. Even if you lose a scenario, you can still turn in the specific PvP quest and get experience because you completed the scenario. PvP is tactical, interesting, and just overflowing with rewards. That's a good system.

The bad news comes in the form of World RvR battlegrounds. Once again, they're barren wastelands. No I mean that, they are barren wastelands. Haven't you seen the screenshots? (Insert rimshot here.) But, there's not enough people to really support the battlegrounds system. What we really have here is a "go in, take what you want before someone notices, and leave" system. Sure, there are quests that have owners of the landmarks "check up" on their property --

"Should that problem stop you from playing Warhammer Online? Absolutely not."

quests that will bring the enemy back to their control points -- but even those aren't being taken advantage of by the players.

So, what is WAR good for? WAR is good for a bloody fun time. The game's systems are all well done and are fun to play. The problem is that WAR is missing the fundamental oil in the machine, people to WAR with. The endgame is secure, as everyone is going to end up there, turning the endgame into a giant, vicious struggle (as it should be) but the first and second tiers are going to struggle no matter what. Even in overpopulated servers just a short while from the launch, we're already seeing signs of attrition in the design. Mythic simply thought they'd have more people constantly flowing in or making new characters.

Should that problem stop you from playing Warhammer Online? Absolutely not. The state of the game is still strong, and it's still more fun than you can get in any other game. In fact, if you jump in, you're going to only going to help in curing the problems it has. So go ahead, WAR away. The game is good for it.

Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who finally is having fun with RvR. When he's not writing here for Massively, he's over running Epic Loot For All! with his insane roommates. If you want to message him, you can do so in Second Life (SL: Seraphina Reymont), or send him an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com.

Anti-Aliased: WAR, huh, what is it good for? pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: WAR, huh, what is it good for?

Seraphina Brennan — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, Warhammer Online, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, Anti-Aliased

Well, Warhammer Online, in the very least, let me get away with putting that song in the title.

We're in the thick of it now -- WAR has launched and been installed on the machines of many. Some proclaim it to be the new timewaster, others find it to be a rip-off of World of Warcraft, and still others believe that it is, in fact, the digital messiah.

Well I don't know about digital messiahs, I just work the game design angles. And when it comes to game design, WAR is filled with new ideas. I like new ideas as much as the next person, but new ideas aren't very good when they don't work. Does WAR go the distance? I'll be glad to tell you, and you know I'm not going to pull punches.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: WAR, huh, what is it good for?

Anti-Aliased: WAR, huh, what is it good for? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively goes to WAR: The Tome of Knowledge

Dan O'Halloran — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, New titles, Warhammer Online

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

Click to Begin >>

Gallery: Warhammer Online

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

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Warhammer Online CE head start launches, revs up the buzz

Kyle Horner — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST

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

The first day of the Warhammer Online head start is over and several servers are already full of players picking sides and clashing foreheads. Another thing that's already started is the reaction around the wider web. The buzz is strong with this one. Here's a round-up of news bits relating to Mythic's newest MMO that you may find a bit surprising:

Something Awful's Goon Squad takes to Warhammer Online like Chaos flies to a smoldering pile of Orc poo. Is this a good or a bad sign?
For the extreme completionists out there that need to know how to unlock everything in the Tome of Knowledge, you may want to check out the newest Allakhazam site. It should be interesting to see how/if Mythic evolves the ToK to compete with websites like these.
If you bought the Collector's Edition and gotten your head start code, then you were part of the group who got in today. Wondering where that special racial head for your character is at and how you can get it? Mythic would like to tell you.
The ever-vigilant Mythic community reps have posted a bit more information on the how and where of getting your CE quests, which come with special titles and other rewards.
GOA sort of makes up for earlier slip-ups by getting EU players into their CE head start nice and smoothly. Let's hope this is the start of a pattern for the EU WAR service.
Mark Jacobs writes letter of thanks and excitement to everyone involved in the official beginnings of WAR.

Warhammer Online CE head start launches, revs up the buzz originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask a WAR Beta Tester: Greenskins and Chaos and Dark Elves, oh my

Kyle Horner — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, Warhammer Online

The road to Wahammer Online's release has been a lengthy walk for everyone. We've all been through ups and downs, but now that it's almost here we're more than happy to answer whatever questions are floating about your minds. So, in our second installment of Ask a WAR Beta Tester, we offer up some insight into the cut careers, leveling time and other questions of intrigue. All for the sake of satiating your burning desire to know more. Of course, we know that no matter how many answers are given there will be more questions asked. So if you've got something banging around in your brain that we haven't addressed, feel free to post a comment containing your question.

Continue reading Ask a WAR Beta Tester: Greenskins and Chaos and Dark Elves, oh my

Ask a WAR Beta Tester: Greenskins and Chaos and Dark Elves, oh my originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Elves of WAR: Lore unlocks

Michael Zenke — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, Warhammer Online, Massively Hands-on

The Tome of Knowledge is one of the most unique elements of Warhammer Online. Though it builds on the work of games like City of Heroes and Lord of the Rings Online (and obviously inspired similar mechanics in other games), the sense of 'completeness' the Tome offers is comprehensive. High Elves have it pretty good: they can start filling up one of the most fun parts of the Tome mere seconds after character creation.

The Compendium section is basically your sight-seeing guide to Warhammer Online. The Bestiary section tracks every kill you make, rewarding you regularly for ridding the world of everything from elves to orcs. The Notable Persons area tracks important NPCs you interact with. Though the big kahunas like the racial leaders are tracked in this area, there are numerous important background lore characters recorded here as well. Finally, the Compendium tracks History and Lore unlocks - hidden easter eggs of lore that everyone and anyone can enjoy searching out as they travel the game's chapters.

It is your first History and Lore unlock which you can accomplish mere moments after making your High Elf character.

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 Elves of WAR: Lore unlocks

The Elves of WAR: Lore unlocks originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comic-Con 08: Hands-on with Warhammer Online

Dan O'Halloran — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Events, real-world, New titles, Previews, PvP, Warhammer Online, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage

Last week at Comic-Con in San Diego, I sat down with Warhammer Online producer Jeff Skalski and got my hands on the beta for the first time. I could go in-depth on all the new features and functions of the game, but our own Michael Zenke beat me to the punch on that one. Instead I want to give my impressions of the game from the perspective of a long-time MMOG player with little time to play these days and even less interest in PvP.

You may be asking yourself why I would be drawn to yet another MMOG, much less one largely centered on PvP given my statement above. The answer is simple: revirginization. In a discussion I had with 38 Studios at Comic-Con, I questioned them about how they thought yet another fantasy-based MMOG could succeed in an already heavily saturated market. The answer they gave me was simple and true: gamers have had wonderful experiences when they've first played other fantasy-based titles, but the thrill has been lost by repetitive gameplay. Now, many of us are looking to recapture that newbie experience again with a new title. Warhammer Online may be that game for me, not for its PvE content, but for its Realm vs Realm PvP set-up.

Continue reading Comic-Con 08: Hands-on with Warhammer Online

Comic-Con 08: Hands-on with Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: Diet WAR

Kyle Horner — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Warhammer Online, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

Diet Warhammer Online: same great taste, less content. Is it bad that the recently re-branded Mythic Entertainment just cut out a large portion of our Warhammer Online pie and put it in the deep freeze? Well it's certainly not good when a developer cuts content they've been talking about publicly for so long, especially when launch is only three or four months away. I've already written about why this MMO ode to classic tabletop trappings shouldn't be shoved onto shelves half-baked and I still feel like I'd rather see a delay than see so much content cut. While there have been plenty of delays already, that doesn't mean more would have been intolerable.

I'm going to try and take an honest look at what the removal of four capital cities and four classes means for Warhammer Online. I will admit that when the news first hit, a vile and seemingly ancient sort of anger began to boil up inside my lungs. It was the onset of some form of draconian rage at the removal of so much content that I'd been personally invested in as a future player. I never really got into Chaos and planned on playing Dark Elves, but now a large part of that content is gone. At first I felt anger and confusion towards Mythic. It wasn't until after that initial knee-jerk anger passed that I was able to give some real thought to their choice and was able to consider the varied consequences.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Diet WAR

The Digital Continuum: Diet WAR originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively goes to WAR: Wrap-up

Michael Zenke — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, Crafting, Warhammer Online, Massively highlights, Massively Interviews, Massively Hands-on

All week long, Massively.com has been offering up feature after feature on EA Mythic's in-development MMO, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. The Massively goes to WAR feature series has taken you front to back through almost every moment of our time at Mythic's Virginia headquarters. To wrap it all up, we've got a handy-dandy clickable guide to the series. Whether you're into hardcore PvP, dungeon delving, crafting, or are a total MMO newb, we've got you covered. Click on through, and explore the world of Warhammer.

Gallery: Warhammer Online

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Wrap-up

Massively goes to WAR: Wrap-up originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively goes to WAR: Emotions behind the Tome of Knowledge

Michael Zenke — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, New titles, Warhammer Online, Massively Interviews, Massively Hands-on

In the same way that everyone on the Warhammer team seems to be suffused with passion for the game, Tome of Knowledge lead Carrie Gouskos couldn't help but pass on information about one of the game's most innovative features. Equal parts achievement system, quest log, faction-tracker and storybook, the Tome of Knowledge is unlike anything seen in other MMO titles but will be immediately familiar to players of games like Lord of the Rings Online ... or even Xbox Live fans.

If you're unfamiliar with the Tome, Carrie has a lengthy explanation on the official website. We also discussed, just about two months back, a fantastic writeup on the book by Syp of the Waagh blog. Those resources should be able to fill in your need for information and (of course) we'll have more context for you on the concept later. For today, Carrie offers up a fascinating insight into the emotional connection that the Tome can create between player and avatar. She also explains (vociferously) why Xbox Live achievements lead directly into the Tome's development. Gamerscore junkies and lore hounds, read on for your fix.

Continue reading Massively goes to WAR: Emotions behind the Tome of Knowledge

Massively goes to WAR: Emotions behind the Tome of Knowledge originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What do you want to know about Warhammer Online?

Michael Zenke — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, New titles, Warhammer Online, The Daily Grind

So ... guess where Massively is today? That's right, we've ventured outside the labyrinth of tunnels and warrens that makes up our headquarters, and are spending some time today and tomorrow with the fine folks at EA Mythic. Our hands-on time with Warhammer Online means tons of information for you, the greenskin fanatic or Chaos cheerleader. But we're only human, after all, and there's only so many hours in the day.

We want to know, then: What do you want to hear about? Does the game's unique Tome of Knowledge system make you sit up and take notice? Are you really looking forward to those innovative Public Quests? Or do you just want a bunch of footage of dudes killing each other hardcore in RvR? Whatever you're in the mood for, we'll try to keep our eyes and ears open. Don't expect to see much on the site just yet, but your two cents today could make you a very happy MMO player next week. Leave a comment below!

The Daily Grind: What do you want to know about Warhammer Online? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: MMO features in the year 2013

Kyle Horner — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

If you were to look back five years ago at the year 2003, the feature lists on the MMOs of that year look quite a bit different from the games of this year. Everything from graphical advancements to new in-game concepts like Warhammer Online's Tome of Knowledge. A lot of new features have cropped up through natural evolution and forcefulness as well. A lot of these improvements were obvious, but many of them have also been unexpected.

So what kinds of advancements will the massively genre have made in another fives years? Maybe we'll all be playing MMOs on the newest consoles, or maybe not. There are a lot of variables in this considerably young genre we all love, so looking five years into the future can lead to scary places. Although that won't stop me from trying to peer towards the future in an attempt see what sorts of virtual worlds await us all.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: MMO features in the year 2013

The Digital Continuum: MMO features in the year 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get informed on Warhammer's Tome of Knowledge

Michael Zenke — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Lore, Warhammer Online

Waaagh is not only a great orcish outcry, it's the name of a new blog aiming to talk about EA Mythic's in-development Warhammer Online. The succinctly named Syp has done a service for everyone interested in one of the most unique features coming in the gritty fantasy title. He's gone through just about every interview, discussion, or FAQ about Warhammer's Tome of Knowledge, with the goal of triangulating the scope and depth of this hypertextual book.

Even for folks who have been following this title for some time, there's probably a lot of information you may not have picked up on. For example, did you know that the Tome will unlock the lore story for all three races in your faction (Order or Chaos)? Did you know that as of late last year there were already over 12,000 'unlocks' for the book and some 5,000 tracked achievements? Head over to waaagh to get the low-down on learning.

Get informed on Warhammer's Tome of Knowledge originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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