Community Coordinator Andy Belford has fleshed out some of the patch 1.3.4 details that were hinted at in Producer Bruce Maclean's recent letter, and it looks like the Warhammer Online update should be on the test servers by the first week of February.
According to Belford, the patch will introduce an entire new line of weapons earned via RvR, rework the current structure of scenarios, and add a change to the way the campaign functions. You can read the full preview after the jump.
Mythic just added three hotfixes to Warhammer Online to fix some bugs related to items, content and RvR. Here they are straight from the WAR Herald:
For more Warhammer Online news, be sure to check out our recent interview with Community Coordinator Andy Belford about Patch 1.3.3.
Generally, "sponsored" news or feature stories are nothing more than glorified advertisements and aren't that interesting to read unless you're actually curious about the product or service that's presented. But a recent "sponsored feature" at Gamasutra might be worth a second-glance if you're a fan of Warhammer Online (via Massivley.com). Titled "Restless Entities Never Sleep -- The Back End of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning," it's an Intel-sponsored feature story that examines some of the technical aspects behind running and maintaining a MMORPG (or more specifically, Mythic Entertainment's WAR, as covered in this feature).
"In a recent interview with Online Technical Director Andrew Mann at Mythic Entertainment and Chief Technical Officer Matt Shaw," the three-page story reads, "we talked about the challenge of coordinating hundreds of servers spread across the world, the importance of normalizing the hardware platform on a common set of specifications, and the power and performance demands of processing millions of events across a 45-square mile world populated with millions of objects and thousands of players."
It's not the sexiest story of the day, but it might appeal to MMO fans with a background or education in the industries of IT and digital communication, or WAR fans curious about the "back-end" of the game they log into each day. Shaw mentions that 2000 servers support WAR's gameplay, and talks about the technology driving the machines spread throughout Mythic's network of "server farms" that distribute the load. He throws around a lot of technical jargon and describes specific products, like Intel's newest Core i7 processor line, when explaining performance and scaling capabilities. The feature's self-promoting agenda is impossible to ignore, but many MMO and WAR fans still might find it to be an interesting read. Check out the full feature here.
We've been keeping a eye on Warhammer Online recently; in late 2009, Mythic rolled out patch 1.3.2, which drastically changed and enhanced many core gameplay mechanics. A bit later, Mythic took the community by surprise and launched its new Endless Trial, converting the Tier 1 experience (Ranks 1 to 10) into a free-to-play MMO.
Earlier this month, WAR's newest patch 1.3.3 was deployed on live servers, adding more enhancements to the game. Before the patch launched, ZAM was able to get in touch with Andy Belford (Community Coordinator for WAR) and ask him a few questions about the most-touted features introduced in patch 1.3.3. In this Q&A, Belford explains how the new "Underdog" system works in RvR campaigns, and sheds some light on the in-game "WAR Report." Belford also explains the benefits of the client's new Bloom and HDR lighting techniques, and gives players the advice they need to get the most out of this year's "Keg End" in-game holiday event. Read on for the full interview!
The Warhammer Online Community Team has announced on the WAR Herald that Bruce Maclean is the game's new producer. According to the team, former producer Jeff Skalski "is still here in the studio working hard on Warhammer."
With that being said, Maclean just published his first producer's letter to look back on the game's accomplishments in the past year. He also gives us a taste of what we can expect to see in early 2010: "We’ll have exciting new Live Events, new weapons and cloaks earned by spilling the blood of your enemies in RvR, a new Scenario structure, economy and loot drop improvements, adjustments to the King and Warlord encounters to convert them to RvR-only battles, UI customization enhancements, Tier 4 RvR campaign improvements, daily quests and so much more."
You can read Maclean's full letter after the jump.
We have all sorts of Warhammer Online news to share with you today. The Keg End live event officially kicks off today, which means players can earn all sorts of in-game rewards by participating in the seasonal festivities. Keep an eye out for rare world drops, including the Battlebrew Backpack, the Dwarf Keg Handler and the Goblin Bar-Back.
Today also marks the beginning of Mythic's Call to Arms Reenlistment Campaign. All past subscribers are invited to return to the game between Dec. 16-23 to receive special in-game items and 10 free days of game time. In addition, all players will receive a 20% bonus to Experience, Renown and Influence during the same time frame.
Lastly, Design Director Adam Gershowitz just published a developer diary entry that outlines the new Underdog system that was introduced in version 1.3.3. You can read the full entry after the jump.
Game Update 1.3.3 is now live on Warhammer Online servers and introduces the Underdog system, which brings "a dynamically shifting battlefield balance based on how frequently one realm captures the others city." Players can also turn on Bloom and HDR lighting effects and teleport directly to events using the WAR Report window. Check out the patch notes for more details on the update.
In addition, the Keg End holiday event is scheduled to be held from Dec. 16 to Jan. 4, 2010. This is the perfect event for players who enjoy beer, boasting and explosions. You can even search out the Legendary Golden Stein to benefit from its damage boosting aura of Frothy Goodness.
If you're looking for a present for a Warhammer Online fan this holiday season, you may want to check out "Forged of Chaos" by C.L. Werner. This new novel is the third in a series based on WAR and "provides a gripping account of Destruction's incursion into the infinitely massive and decidedly deadly Bastion Stair in search of the legendary Spear of Myrmidia."
The book is published by Mythic and The Black Library, so you know it stays true to the lore. You can order the book online through Amazon and Games Workshop, or you can head over to your favorite bookstore. Have you read any of the other WAR novels?
Mythic has been busy tweeting over on @MythicNews, @DAoCDev and @WARHerald on Twitter today with their 12 Days of Mythic contest. Check it out:
Ho, ho, ho and Happy Holidays!
The team here at Mythic Entertainment is celebrating the end of a great year and the beginning of the next with 12 days of Mythic! Last Friday we kicked things off with simply a YouTube video and a tweet but now we want to give everyone a chance to join in on the fun!
For the remaining nine days keep an eye on Twitter and follow the @MythicNews account to catch the daily message celebrating each of the 12 days of Mythic on YouTube! Everyday we'll select one lucky winner and send them a present from the team here at Mythic celebrating all of the great games you enjoy.
So what are you waiting for? Todays message is already up and ready to be re-tweeted. Sign up at www.twitter.com and follow your favorite Mythic games @MythicNews.
Happy Holidays (and Twittering),
Your friends at Mythic Entertainment
Ever since ZAM brought you the news that Warhammer Online had switched to a partial free-to-play model, we've been eager to jump into the MMO and check it out from the perspective of a new player. Last month we interviewed Mythic Entertainment producer Josh Drescher about the new "Endless Trial" implemented in patch 1.3.2, and why it might be the glimmering spark of hope the MMO so desperately needed (last winter, droves of players left WAR to face down Arthas in WoW's Wrath of the Lich King).
The new Endless Trial converted about a quarter of the game—Ranks 1 to 10, or "Tier 1"—into a free-to-play MMO. Just as its name implies, it's a never-ending trial that offers nearly-unfettered access to Tier 1 content without requiring a dime for the game itself or a subscription fee. In addition, the developers went back to the drawing board to improve the early game experience (as well as enhancing some existing mechanics), and came up with the "New User Journey". To get a better understanding of these new features from the standpoint of both a new and returning player, ZAM signed up for the Endless Trial and went back to WAR.
