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News > Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning interview
Considering that more than one out of every thousand people subscribes to an online game, it's safe to say that MMORPG's are no longer niche titles. In fact, there has been such a surge in the scene that the only problem for gamers is deciding which ones to play. Few genres require the time and financial commitments of an MMORPG, so it's no surprise that players are reluctant to switch games. Every so often though, a title shows up that grabs you by the throat and commands your attention.
Currently in development by Dark Age of Camelot creators, Mythic Entertainment, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) is bound for stardom. Fan-sites are popping up left and right, forums are running fast and furious, and guilds are already forming. All for a game that is barely halfway to completion. Adapted from the miniature-based game by the reknowned company, Games Workshop, WAR pits the armies of Order and Destruction in a duel to the death. With everything from questing to PvP influencing the tide of the battlefield, WAR aims to envelop gamers in the turmoil of combat like never before.
With so many impatient fans scrounging for whatever scraps of information they can find, we thought it best to skip most of the fluff and dive right in to some of the more specific details about WAR. Thankfully, Associate Producer, Joshua Drescher, was ready and willing to answer most of our questions. A seemingly humble man of simple tastes, Drescher's only biographical statement was that, "I prefer dogs over cats, red wine over white and crosswords over sudoku." With that said, on to the good stuff.
HonestGamers: How has the experience of working with Games Workshop been? Everything in the tabletop game, such as movement, combat, and even character placement, is tightly controlled. Translating that into an MMORPG must present some unique challenges.
Joshua Drescher: It's been great. We work very closely with Games Workshop and they have a hand in just about every significant decision we make. As for it being a challenge, more often than not that relationship provides us with significant advantages rather than roadblocks of any kind. The Warhammer world is so deeply realized and richly designed after a quarter century of books, games, comics and more that it's like having a huge magic bag of tools lying around to draw from whenever you need them.
To be honest, the toughest choices are almost always related to deciding what NOT to put in the game (for now).
HG: The concept of Realm vs Realm (RvR) play is quite intriguing. For those unfamiliar with WAR, can you explain RvR, as opposed to the usual distinctions between Player vs Environment (PvE) and Player vs Player (PvP)?
JD: The primary difference is scale. Most players are familiar with one-on-one or small group vs. small group combat in MMORPGs. RvR takes that to a much higher level and allows you to be a part of what is, essentially, an ARMY and then to take part in the kind of large-scale battles you'd expect to find armies engaged in. You'll face off against waves of enemy players, you'll lay siege to their strongholds, you'll fight tooth and nail to defend your homeland. There will be more traditional PvP content as well, but RvR is all about bringing a sense of epic conflict to the game. We wouldn't be satisfied having round after round of "capture the windmill" effectively be the end-all of our player vs. player content.
HG: The idea of invading an opponent's capital is especially exciting. What can we expect when the city gates open, and how will overtaking a capital affect the world?
JD: You can expect a bloodbath. Pillaging, ransacking, all manner of unspeakable cruelties visited upon the huddled, terrified survivors of the siege-torn citadel. You know - shiny, happy stuff like that.
As for how it will affect the world, there will be various bonuses afforded to the ENTIRE realm responsible for successfully invading an enemy capital in addition to the obvious rewards that the players involved in the invasion will enjoy (slaughtering NPCs, robbing the city of resources, wealth, etc).
HG: Since WAR is a persistent world, what happens when all capitals are overtaken?
JD: We don't want it to be possible to overtake a capital then camp inside of it forever. We want you to break in, kill everyone, steal all their stuff and then leave (preferably to go to the NEXT enemy city and do the same thing to them). To that end, there will be numerous mechanisms in place that will make it impossible -- even unattractive -- to stay in an enemy city for extended periods of time. And because we don't want to just "teleport" invading players back to an external spot after some period of time, we've come up with ways for them to be driven out of the city in a more organic fashion.
HG: With players freely choosing their allegiances, and RvR pitting the two in a race to complete objectives, how do you plan on balancing uneven populations?
JD: We're keeping a lid on that one for now. It's a significant concern and a lot of our biggest, throbbiest brains-in-jars spend a great deal of time floating in thick nutrient brine, working on that very issue.
HG: The website mentions "momentum," "chaining abilities," and for the Goblin Shaman, a choice between focusing on healing or damage. It sounds like you have something interesting planned for combat beyond the usual click-and-watch auto-attacking.
JD: First off, we've got no time for relegating players to purely support roles. Every, single career will have a significant damage-dealing component. Rushing a Shaman (who's screaming and flailing and engulfed in glowing green flames because he's whipped into a WAAAGH!-induced frenzy) because you think casters make easy kills is likely to get you blown up quite nicely.
As for how combat will function on a mechanical level, there are numerous elements of the career design that will help avoid "click-and-watch" game play, but we've been careful to implement those in a way that is clear, concise and easy to use. You shouldn't have to spend six months locked in a room with a team of engineers and statisticians just to decipher how your character is supposed to be played.
HG: In PvE, battle-hardened classes can pull computer-controlled enemies off their weaker comrades. In PvP, players can target whomever they choose, so inevitably, certain classes always fall first. How will this be managed?
JD: As I noted previously, we have no "sheep" classes that can't stand on their own in combat. So you won't simply be able to rush anyone in cloth armor and expect to have an easy go of it.
Additionally, group strategy will have a serious impact. We have player collision in RvR, so you actually WON'T be able to just run through the tanks and attack less defensive classes. If you try to rush through a shield-wall of Ironbreakers... well... let's just say it's not a plan you'll opt to try TWICE.
HG: The penalties for death have not been announced, but do you have a strategy for thwarting corpse-camping (killing a player, waiting for him to ressurect, and killing him again)?
JD: Yes. But that one's under wraps for now.
HG: For PvE, it's refreshing to see more focus on branching quests. Are the quests geared to make the player choose based on the reward, or moral decisions?
JD: The quests are geared towards being fun.
If people decide to engage the content on a PvE-as-morality-play level, that's certainly fine. But there's nothing wrong with being driven by a powerful lust for loot either.
HG: What about end-game content? High-level players often get lost to the grind - running the same dungeons/quests repeatedly for one item so they can be strong enough to grind for the next.
JD: Our goal is that any content players might find themselves repeating will be sufficiently interesting that you'd be willing to play through it over and over again REGARDLESS of the rewards involved.
For example, our marquee high-end content revolves heavily around the capital city campaign system. If demolishing an enemy city ever stops being fun, it's probably best to check your pulse.
HG: The Greenskin and Dwarf Careers (classes) that were announced look to have some good variety. Any hints at what to expect for other Careers in WAR?
JD: Not at the moment, but soon, very soon.
HG: MMORPG's frequently offer options to customize a class, but players still get funneled into creating characters deemed appropriate for groups. Will players get to individualize their play-style without fears of being excluded from groups?
JD: We're really trying to steer clear of overly-hybridized classes. Our intention is to make each career distinct and productive by clearly directing them at coherent, obvious roles in combat so that the best groups are also the most diverse groups.
HG: Your website mentions customizable armor. Does this mean that players can alter the appearance of armor pieces? What other options are available for a unique appearance?
JD: Yes to former via dyes and such. I can't go into specifics for the latter just yet (but there will be numerous options).
HG: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Any last words of wisdom?
JD: My pleasure.
If folks haven't been doing so already, keep a close eye on WarhammerOnline.com (sign up for the newsletter so you can enjoy a mountain of fabulous, joyful things every month) and War Herald (where you can bribe Sanya for a spot in the Beta).
Once again, we at HonestGamers would like to thank Joshua Drescher of Mythic Entertainment, and Steve Perkins of EA for making this interview possible. You can also find out more information about Games Workshop and Warhammer at GamesWorkshop.com.
The Black Library announces third Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning novel (September 03, 2009)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning to celebrate one-year anniversary with in-game events (August 19, 2009)
WAR open beta hits Taiwan and Hong Kong on April 15th (April 01, 2009)
Mythic Entertainment offers 10 free days of WAR (March 05, 2009)
Warhammer Online arrives at Russian retail (February 05, 2009)
Night of Murder comes to Warhammer Online (February 04, 2009)
EA is bringing WAR to Russia in February (January 14, 2009)
Second Warhammer Online novel coming (November 20, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning eyes Korea (November 13, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning gets wicked (October 29, 2008)
WAR players number 750,000 and counting (October 10, 2008)
SwitchBlade goes Pro next week (September 24, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning has launched (September 18, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning ships (September 15, 2008)
Warhammer Online head start dates revealed (September 09, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning going on tour (April 17, 2008)
Warhammer slips into 2008 (April 26, 2007)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning set for 2007 release (March 16, 2006)
Breast Enlargement | Freelance Jobs | Debt Help | Debt Help | Shower Enclosures
Currently in development by Dark Age of Camelot creators, Mythic Entertainment, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) is bound for stardom. Fan-sites are popping up left and right, forums are running fast and furious, and guilds are already forming. All for a game that is barely halfway to completion. Adapted from the miniature-based game by the reknowned company, Games Workshop, WAR pits the armies of Order and Destruction in a duel to the death. With everything from questing to PvP influencing the tide of the battlefield, WAR aims to envelop gamers in the turmoil of combat like never before.
With so many impatient fans scrounging for whatever scraps of information they can find, we thought it best to skip most of the fluff and dive right in to some of the more specific details about WAR. Thankfully, Associate Producer, Joshua Drescher, was ready and willing to answer most of our questions. A seemingly humble man of simple tastes, Drescher's only biographical statement was that, "I prefer dogs over cats, red wine over white and crosswords over sudoku." With that said, on to the good stuff.
HonestGamers: How has the experience of working with Games Workshop been? Everything in the tabletop game, such as movement, combat, and even character placement, is tightly controlled. Translating that into an MMORPG must present some unique challenges.
Joshua Drescher: It's been great. We work very closely with Games Workshop and they have a hand in just about every significant decision we make. As for it being a challenge, more often than not that relationship provides us with significant advantages rather than roadblocks of any kind. The Warhammer world is so deeply realized and richly designed after a quarter century of books, games, comics and more that it's like having a huge magic bag of tools lying around to draw from whenever you need them.
To be honest, the toughest choices are almost always related to deciding what NOT to put in the game (for now).
HG: The concept of Realm vs Realm (RvR) play is quite intriguing. For those unfamiliar with WAR, can you explain RvR, as opposed to the usual distinctions between Player vs Environment (PvE) and Player vs Player (PvP)?
JD: The primary difference is scale. Most players are familiar with one-on-one or small group vs. small group combat in MMORPGs. RvR takes that to a much higher level and allows you to be a part of what is, essentially, an ARMY and then to take part in the kind of large-scale battles you'd expect to find armies engaged in. You'll face off against waves of enemy players, you'll lay siege to their strongholds, you'll fight tooth and nail to defend your homeland. There will be more traditional PvP content as well, but RvR is all about bringing a sense of epic conflict to the game. We wouldn't be satisfied having round after round of "capture the windmill" effectively be the end-all of our player vs. player content.
HG: The idea of invading an opponent's capital is especially exciting. What can we expect when the city gates open, and how will overtaking a capital affect the world?
JD: You can expect a bloodbath. Pillaging, ransacking, all manner of unspeakable cruelties visited upon the huddled, terrified survivors of the siege-torn citadel. You know - shiny, happy stuff like that.
As for how it will affect the world, there will be various bonuses afforded to the ENTIRE realm responsible for successfully invading an enemy capital in addition to the obvious rewards that the players involved in the invasion will enjoy (slaughtering NPCs, robbing the city of resources, wealth, etc).
HG: Since WAR is a persistent world, what happens when all capitals are overtaken?
JD: We don't want it to be possible to overtake a capital then camp inside of it forever. We want you to break in, kill everyone, steal all their stuff and then leave (preferably to go to the NEXT enemy city and do the same thing to them). To that end, there will be numerous mechanisms in place that will make it impossible -- even unattractive -- to stay in an enemy city for extended periods of time. And because we don't want to just "teleport" invading players back to an external spot after some period of time, we've come up with ways for them to be driven out of the city in a more organic fashion.
HG: With players freely choosing their allegiances, and RvR pitting the two in a race to complete objectives, how do you plan on balancing uneven populations?
JD: We're keeping a lid on that one for now. It's a significant concern and a lot of our biggest, throbbiest brains-in-jars spend a great deal of time floating in thick nutrient brine, working on that very issue.
HG: The website mentions "momentum," "chaining abilities," and for the Goblin Shaman, a choice between focusing on healing or damage. It sounds like you have something interesting planned for combat beyond the usual click-and-watch auto-attacking.
JD: First off, we've got no time for relegating players to purely support roles. Every, single career will have a significant damage-dealing component. Rushing a Shaman (who's screaming and flailing and engulfed in glowing green flames because he's whipped into a WAAAGH!-induced frenzy) because you think casters make easy kills is likely to get you blown up quite nicely.
As for how combat will function on a mechanical level, there are numerous elements of the career design that will help avoid "click-and-watch" game play, but we've been careful to implement those in a way that is clear, concise and easy to use. You shouldn't have to spend six months locked in a room with a team of engineers and statisticians just to decipher how your character is supposed to be played.
HG: In PvE, battle-hardened classes can pull computer-controlled enemies off their weaker comrades. In PvP, players can target whomever they choose, so inevitably, certain classes always fall first. How will this be managed?
JD: As I noted previously, we have no "sheep" classes that can't stand on their own in combat. So you won't simply be able to rush anyone in cloth armor and expect to have an easy go of it.
Additionally, group strategy will have a serious impact. We have player collision in RvR, so you actually WON'T be able to just run through the tanks and attack less defensive classes. If you try to rush through a shield-wall of Ironbreakers... well... let's just say it's not a plan you'll opt to try TWICE.
HG: The penalties for death have not been announced, but do you have a strategy for thwarting corpse-camping (killing a player, waiting for him to ressurect, and killing him again)?
JD: Yes. But that one's under wraps for now.
HG: For PvE, it's refreshing to see more focus on branching quests. Are the quests geared to make the player choose based on the reward, or moral decisions?
JD: The quests are geared towards being fun.
If people decide to engage the content on a PvE-as-morality-play level, that's certainly fine. But there's nothing wrong with being driven by a powerful lust for loot either.
HG: What about end-game content? High-level players often get lost to the grind - running the same dungeons/quests repeatedly for one item so they can be strong enough to grind for the next.
JD: Our goal is that any content players might find themselves repeating will be sufficiently interesting that you'd be willing to play through it over and over again REGARDLESS of the rewards involved.
For example, our marquee high-end content revolves heavily around the capital city campaign system. If demolishing an enemy city ever stops being fun, it's probably best to check your pulse.
HG: The Greenskin and Dwarf Careers (classes) that were announced look to have some good variety. Any hints at what to expect for other Careers in WAR?
JD: Not at the moment, but soon, very soon.
HG: MMORPG's frequently offer options to customize a class, but players still get funneled into creating characters deemed appropriate for groups. Will players get to individualize their play-style without fears of being excluded from groups?
JD: We're really trying to steer clear of overly-hybridized classes. Our intention is to make each career distinct and productive by clearly directing them at coherent, obvious roles in combat so that the best groups are also the most diverse groups.
HG: Your website mentions customizable armor. Does this mean that players can alter the appearance of armor pieces? What other options are available for a unique appearance?
JD: Yes to former via dyes and such. I can't go into specifics for the latter just yet (but there will be numerous options).
HG: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Any last words of wisdom?
JD: My pleasure.
If folks haven't been doing so already, keep a close eye on WarhammerOnline.com (sign up for the newsletter so you can enjoy a mountain of fabulous, joyful things every month) and War Herald (where you can bribe Sanya for a spot in the Beta).
Once again, we at HonestGamers would like to thank Joshua Drescher of Mythic Entertainment, and Steve Perkins of EA for making this interview possible. You can also find out more information about Games Workshop and Warhammer at GamesWorkshop.com.
News story written by Brian Rowe (October 16, 2006)*
* News, press releases and editorial content provided on the HonestGamers site do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the person posting them, or of site staff members and sponsors. All posted content is subject to change.
We like Twitter! If you like what you just read, share this article on Twitter. For easy access to similar content as we post it, follow HonestGamers on twitter.
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (PC)The Black Library announces third Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning novel (September 03, 2009)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning to celebrate one-year anniversary with in-game events (August 19, 2009)
WAR open beta hits Taiwan and Hong Kong on April 15th (April 01, 2009)
Mythic Entertainment offers 10 free days of WAR (March 05, 2009)
Warhammer Online arrives at Russian retail (February 05, 2009)
Night of Murder comes to Warhammer Online (February 04, 2009)
EA is bringing WAR to Russia in February (January 14, 2009)
Second Warhammer Online novel coming (November 20, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning eyes Korea (November 13, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning gets wicked (October 29, 2008)
WAR players number 750,000 and counting (October 10, 2008)
SwitchBlade goes Pro next week (September 24, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning has launched (September 18, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning ships (September 15, 2008)
Warhammer Online head start dates revealed (September 09, 2008)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning going on tour (April 17, 2008)
Warhammer slips into 2008 (April 26, 2007)
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning set for 2007 release (March 16, 2006)
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