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According to a recent GamesIndustry interview with Josh Drescher, EA Mythic’s senior designer, Warhammer Online has been built to contain five years of content.In the interview, which will be published in full next week, Dresher discussed the challenges the development team faced when creating Warhammer Online and also discussed the MMORPG’s longevity:

“All the under-the-hood numbers all actually scale through the next five years. What you don’t want is when you launch the game you’ve got 40 levels - and it takes however long it takes to get to level 40. You then launch an expansion and it now takes two weeks to get to level 40 because now we need everyone to spend six months to get from level 40 to 50. So you need to spec the game out in such a way that you actually have those progressions in mind for later - so you don’t wind up trampling all over the earlier experiences every time you expand the game. We have actually five years’ worth of numerology out in front of us in terms of all that.”

Sounds like loads of content can be expected when Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning launches sometime this Fall. No wonder it has taken so long.

Via: GamesIndustry.biz

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Namco-Bandai has released an Editor’s Day 2008 video from Warhammer: Battle March.

On the Xbox 360, Warhammer: Battle March includes the original content from Warhammer: Mark of Chaos as well as all-new features, intuitive control schemes and support for online play via the Xbox Live online entertainment network. Thrusting players into Games Workshop’s renowned fantasy world, players will be able to control six unique armies – the Empire, Chaos, Skaven, High Elves as well as the all-new Dark Elf and Orcs & Goblins forces – as they battle for supremacy in a world torn apart by constant warfare. The individual units of each army can be customized in great detail, allowing players to put their own mark on their fighting force and strike fear into their opponents with terrifying combinations of weaponry and armor. Players can also control Heroes and Champions for each army, high-powered units that gain new abilities as they tear through the opposition. Placing the focus of gameplay on combat and tactics rather than tedious resource management, Warhammer: Battle March on the Xbox 360 features two control schemes for both master battlefield tacticians and novice warriors that offer full control over all aspects of the player’s army. On Xbox LIVE, up to four players can engage in massive multi-army clashes in head-to-head and team-based modes of play.

An expansion to Warhammer: Mark of Chaos for the PC, Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Battle March builds upon the game’s tactical foundation to offer new units for each army as well as an original campaign and new online modes. Players will be able to experience the mysterious sorcery of the Dark Elves and the savage brutality of the Orcs and Goblins in an all-new chapter of the game’s single player campaign as they battle to overcome an invasion by the armies of Chaos.

Warhammer: Battle March is expected to hit the PC and Xbox 360 in September.

A video featuring footage from the Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning closed beta was unleashed this morning. If you were interested in playing WAR before, you will be gagging for it after watching this - well, at least I felt that way.

Based upon Games Workshop’s tabletop fantasy war game, EA Mythic’s Warhammer Online: AoR will hit the PC sometime this Fall. For more information and tons of assets you can look back over our previous posts here.

EA Mythic has released a new series of assets from its upcoming MMORPG, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.

Included in the assets are screenshots of the noble High Elves and the Inevitable City, the dark and anarchic capital city for the forces of Chaos. A new zone overview, complete with new art, provides details about the Elven land of Caledor, home of the Dragon Princes. Newly revealed concept art shows off the wicked weapons of WAR, and introduces fans to the leaders of the forces of Destruction: the sinister Witch King Malekith of the Dark Elves, Grumlok and Gazbag of the Greenskins, and Tchar’zanek, dread Champion of Chaos.

For more information on Warhammer Online: AoR check out our previous posts.

MORE SCREENS

By the Gods this man is bold and brazen!

THQ’s Jack Sorenson stated in a recent interview that World of Warcraft has basically peaked and other MMOs are about to get in on some of the MMO loving from gamers tired of the online behemoth.

Speaking to Eurogamer last week at Gamers Day in San Francisco Sorenson stated that:

“However long it takes World of Warcraft to go through its cycle there will always be people on it, probably always be millions of people on it, but does it keep at that peak? And I think that, I wish I could see the numbers, but my guess is that it probably already has peaked - but it’s still a great business. Who wouldn’t want that?”

He went on to speak about THQ’s upcoming Warhammer 40K MMO stating that:

“We haven’t announced a release date, but it’s certainly not imminent and we plan on doing a very high quality job. That’s certainly one thing that World of Warcraft’s proved: not only do you have to do it well, it has to be great from day one. There’s not a tolerance like there used to be, when Ultima came out… All those games were buggy and horrible, and eventually got there. You can’t do that anymore, which has lengthened the cycle for good-quality MMOs. Blizzard based a lot of their, let’s say, RPG characteristics on 40k, which was the original. There’s a lot of commonality there that just comes right out of what Games Workshop has developed - the fiction, and the rest of it is incredibly deep. I think if we’re true to that and do it at a high quality, then people will come. And they can certainly co-exist.”

That was straight from the horse’s mouth, not mine, and if you want to read the rest, click through the link below. I almost refused to touch this with a nice, clean, germ free 10ft pole but I figured you would hear about it sooner or later anyway.

Thanks: Eurogamer

DISCLAIMER: This is post was not intentionally trying to get hard-core WoW fan’s silk panties in a wad - it is only the news as reported so please refrain from bashing the author. The views and opinions of Jack Sorenson expressed in this post do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Gaming Today News Editors, their spouses, significant other, lovers, pets, imaginary friends, game characters, house-elves, multiple personalities, ancestors, neighbors, fifth cousin twice removed, or the evil monkey residing in our closets.

The first details on THQ’s Warhammer 40,000 MMO have come to light and according to the information made available, it is likely going to be more of an MMORPG instead of an MMOFPS with an “in-depth combat system orientated around cover, suppressive fire and flanking”.

Players will be able to form squads, and firefights will take place on an epic scale and all races important to WH40K lore will be represented. The ability to explore cities, alien temples, Chaos shrines, deserted battlefields, mysterious ruins, ancient structures, and ‘drifting hulks in space’ will be included in the content along with what creative director Joe Madureira calls: “Tons of stuff hanging off your character, weapons, and scrolls”.

This all sounds really cool, but what I am wondering is whether this will compete with Warhammer Online: AoR. Even though there will be a major difference between the two, I am wondering which of the two Warhammer MMOs will win out in the end. I guess we will have to wait and see, especially since this one is apparently years off.

Thanks: CVG

Mark Jacobs, the General Manager for EA Mythic recently stated in a blog post that the possibility of one million users for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning could be surpassed once the title is opened up to the Asia markets. The closed beta for the MMORPG has ongoing for over a year now, and the number of users has already surpassed 500,000.

Jacobs had this to say regarding the number of beta testers:

“Actually, I’d be surprised if we didn’t hit one million once we start taking beta apps for our Asian partners. Even without Asia, based on our current sign-up rate, we should blow through 750,000 and we have a decent shot at one million. Since we have already far surpassed my initial goal, I’m quite happy with what we have. And since I’m sure somebody will ask this, my goal, post EA, was to have 500K signed up in North America and Europe.”

Despite some delays, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is currently scheduled to be released in the Fall.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

The New York Comic Con will be taking place April 18 – 20, at the Jacob K Javits Center in New York City and for those planning on attending, you might want to check out the gamer’s summit that will also be part of the festivities.

Attendees will be able to take part in roundtable discussions on writing for games, advice on how to break into the industry and gaming journalism. Michale Capps, the president of Epic Games and Gears of War writer Joshua Ortega will be there providing some information on Gears of War 2, and other titles such as Age of Conan, EVE Online, Iron Man and Warhammer Online will also be featured at the summit. Gaming publishers Konami, Namco Bandai Square Enix, and Ubisoft will also have exhibits for gamers to check out at the show.

Some other cool things to look forward to at Comic Con:

• The Premiere of Dr. Who Season 4
• An Evening With Neil Gaiman
• Autograph opportunities with Guillermo del Toro, Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, and Mike Mignola

If you live in the New York area or are in need of a fun little road trip the dedicated gamer’s summit is scheduled for April 20.

Via: Press Release

Jeff Hickman, the producer for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, has stated in a press conference that the MMO has has its release window changed from Q2 to Autumn. With repeated delays and EA staff members claiming that the game was not listed on their release schedule, EA also eventually confirmed this morning the Fall release window.

With the release schedule being changed, Warhammer Online may just end up being the beneficiary of great sales for the Holiday Season. Plus, it is always better to put your effort into releasing a quality game than a game that will make you look like a bunch of hacks. Personally, I do not care when it comes out as long as it eventually does and I get to play it. I have been working here for almost a year now, and this has been on my “must play” list from day one and I will definitely be pre-ordering it.

Thanks: Videogamin247

EA mythic has released details for its Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Collectors Edition. Warhammer has traditionally been a collector’s game and this special edition caters to that.

“Collecting has been a part of the Warhammer hobby experience for 25 years, and this special Collector’s Edition continues the tradition with exclusive offerings, including an official Games Workshop miniature,” said Mark Jacobs, VP and General Manager, EA Mythic. “We are bringing the quintessential elements of Warhammer – tabletop miniatures, incredible fantasy art, and delightfully grim fiction – along with exciting in-game bonus content, together in what is sure to be one of the premier Collector’s Editions of all time.”

The WAR Collector’s Edition includes:

• Two official Warhammer metal miniatures depicting the Greenskin warboss, GRUMLOK, and his shaman, GAZBAG for you to assemble and paint
• The WARHAMMER ONLINE: PRELUDE TO WAR full-color, 128-page hardcover graphic novel which is a pre-quel to the WAR storyline
• THE ART OF WARHAMMER ONLINE 224-page hardcover collection of original art from the game
• The Librams of Insight in-game item which allows the player to earn experience at a higher rate for a limited time. (XP-gain modifier for 60 minutes, 3 uses, 90 minute reuse timer.)
• Access to twelve (12) bonus quests awaiting them in their Tome of Knowledge; each offering an exciting in-game reward and a unique character title upon completion
• Twelve (12) bonus heads for additional character customization options with a truly distinctive look for each race (with male and female versions)

As an added bonus, players who pre-order the Collector’s Edition will receive two exclusive in-game items, guaranteed access to the Open Beta, and special early access to the live game.

The WAR Collector’s Edition will be available for 79.99 USD. Players in North America can pre-order their copy at Best Buy, EB, GameCrazy and GameStop retail stores, and online at Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, EAStore.com, EBGames.com, GameStop.com and GoGamer.com.

via MMORPG

EA Mythic is finally revealing the details on the Dark Elf sneak peek for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Players were allowed to beta test the Dark Elf race for the first time in late December to early January.

The feature includes a background story invoving the Machiavellian politics of the Dark Elves. You can also look over content and storyline from the first four PvE-only chapters of the assault on Ulthuan.

There are few beta journals available to give players a feel for the gameplay experience as well as more screenshots like the one above. Get all the details on the Warhammer Herald.

We’re taking a break this week from the virtual game table series to soak in some of the information on the upcoming D & D Insider after last weekends D&D Experience in Washington DC. Instead I thought I’d take some time to talk about one of the classic games that just about any true blooded strategy gamer will likely recall with one part nostalgia and one part pain: Risk. And lest you wonder what the video game angle is here, EA recently signed a long term agreement with Hasbro to create online versions of their board and card games - so its likely that we’ll see this game in a new form soon.

I was one of the lucky 1000 who received the preview version of the forthcoming Risk update. Now I’ve not played Risk 2210 more than once nor have I played Risk Godstorm but I’ve logged far too many hours in my life rolling the red and white dice in my ploy to take over the Napoleonic world.
Read the full article

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning has put out a new preview video featuring two character classes in action; the Sword Master and the Witch Elf.

The video runs roughly 6 minutes and demonstrates stances, combat techniques and combos from both classes. It also talks about the Blackguard, the tank class of the Dark Elves.

via Jeuxvideo.TV

If you’re looking to get into the Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning beta, check your Betacenters because EA Mythic has just issued a batch of new invites. With over half a million beta testers already on the WAR Path, it’s amazing to think that the servers can handle the load in this testing phase. Login to the Betacenters here to see if you’ve been drafted.

via Warhammer Online Herald

Warhammer Online Combat and Career Lead Adam Gershowitz and Designer Nate Levy took time to talk with MMORPG about the Disciples of Khaine character class. The Disciples of Khaine are a Dark Elf exclusive healer class for the new Warhammer Age of Reckoning MMO.

These unconventional healers are granted power through destruction from Khaine, the Elven god of war and rage.

Martial prowess, murder, sacrifice, pleasure in pain… these are the attributes that Dark Elven worshipers revel in when they become Disciples of Khaine. As a result, Disciples draw their energies from the blood of their enemies. Khaine rewards slaughter and suffering in the form of spells so that in order to gain the energy necessary to heal, the Disciple has to first draw blood in melee combat.

I really like the concept of having to take life to give it. It’s a perfect touch for these unabashedly evil characters. I also love the artwork for the class. For the full overview of the class read the article on MMORPG.

Here’s a video of the Disciples of Khaine in action.

A few years back, while trying desperately to perfect my RTS skills for an upcoming LAN party, I decided it was time to take a break. I made a visit my local gaming store to look at the recent book releases, hoping to find a new d20 related resource to help energize a slowly fading campaign. Browsing the shelves, I noticed a group hovering around the gaming tables that were almost always filled by Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic players. This time instead of paper cards in shiny plastic “card condoms” there were small plastic miniatures and a tape measure arrayed out before them.

“What the hell?” I wondered, these guys never put away their binders of cards, yet they were absorbed in this new game, picking up the pieces, turning something on the base and making clicking sounds as they advanced across the tabletop.

This was my first exposure to the addiction that I now call “Plastic Death”. I watched as the players pulled out a few miniatures, recorded their point values and then randomly placed cups and plates upside down on the 3′ x 3′ playing surface. The players surveyed the landscape like Douglas MacArthur and Hideki Tojo looking for advantage in the battlefield. It wasn’t long before my curiosity got the best of me and I sat down to play a demonstration scenario.

Read the full article

Yesterday, William posted the latest trailer for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Today, we received some new concept art along with a map screen and a few landscapes. The game looks to be shaping up nicely, and with the Warhammer universe being the huge machine that it is - what with the comic books, videogaming titles, and tabletop game - WAR is looking to give WoW a run for its money. Well, that is what Mythic Entertainment is hoping to accomplish anyway - and with less focus on PvP and on constant raging wars instead, each fight you engage in will have both an economic and strategic impact on your faction which is much different from what WoW currently offers players.

You can check out more information on WAR via our previous posts and you can also view more of the new screens and concept art here.

The above video has me getting more excited about Warhammer Online. I haven’t actually played the game, but videos like this make me wish I was in on it. The enthusiastic video released by EA Mythic introduces us to the Disciple of Khaine.

Check out the official Warhammer Online page to find out what’s going on right now with the closed beta. The site also has plenty of articles and information on the exciting game.

The Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning team at EA Mythic has put out a new video to welcome players back to the WAR beta.

The video features Jeff Hickman, Senior Producer, and Paul Barnett, Creative Director who should now be familiar faces to anyone whose ever caught any of the previous WAR developer videos. This three part piece enlightens the WAR community as to what changes have been made to the beta and how it’s all going to work.

Catch the Welcome Back to Beta video on WarCry.

EA Mythic’s Paul Barnett, Creative Director of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, and Josh Drescher, the Associate Producer, have a new video up on WarCry.

This latest video podcast reveals changes to the Realm vs. Realm for WAR. They cover victory points and their relation to prior control, scenarios and PvE. They also discuss keeps and other changes that will make RvR a more rewarding experience.

Check out the WAR video podcast on WarCry Network.