I’m gonna be back playing WAR for a month or so, until the 9th Jan when my sub is up. My guild has decided to wind itself down with the vast majority of players including the leaders deciding to move to SWTOR. So for a few weeks there is to be something of a last hurrah with a few players like myself popping back on-line for a farewell Des bashing.
I have been increasingly tempted to get back into things anyway so this was all the incentive I needed. I will not be going to play SWTOR unless there is sufficent positive feedback about end game PvP so I may even stay in WAR after doomsday if there are still some people to play with, and against.
I had about 4hrs in game on Friday night. Was awesome fun, just the buzz I’ve been missing.
Monday, 5 December 2011
Friday, 15 July 2011
Fair Fights
1 Destro + 1 Order = 1 Winner + 1 Whiner. Bask in the glory of my mathematics.
I think future development of WAR needs to focus on fair fights. 2 faction RvR was never going to cut it and the campaign and introduction of Forts/Relics needs to be seriously focused to reduce the advantages of numerical superiority.
AAO and Underdog (does this still do anything?) isn't enough on it's own. Maybe it was to start with, but not anymore, not now have folks the option to reroll on the same server to play on the winning game. Crashing the client does not enable the measely 8hr lockout you know.
Karak Norn has been suffering from realm imbalance for a long time now with Destro dominating for months. And if Destro aren't dominating Order are.
The latest Destro dominance came about when a french server merged with Norn and with this came a guild called Legion de Midgaard Nord, LNM, who can regularily field 6FG of well geared players, and play well to boot. Destro was already in the ascendancy on Norn at the time but this merge cemmented it big time.
It has been politely requested via the medium of forums that Destro should stop zerging Orders for the good of the server but that's not going to happen.
Whilst I would like to say Orders should man up and adapt it just hasn't happened either and just won't happen. Success breeds success. Many Orders have rerolled Destro's to ride the renown train to Altdorf or gradually quit RvR after geting wiped one too many times.
There has been some adapataion by Order. Some Guilds and alliances have merged but this has been slow going and in the meantime, and to their great credit imo, LNM rerolled to Order and are racing back to T4 as we speak. They say they will review the situation when they reach T4 and settle on a side. It's very admirable of them but it won't change anything. One side will always dominate.
LNM's reroll has created a vacuum on Destro's side now and Order are back in the ascendcy, suddenly emerging from the warcamps/Sc queue, or returning from Dessie alts.
Allowing cross-realming was criminal to be honest. Like me you may be a pillar of rightousness ;) but the world is full of easy moders. It really is. Look outside, there's one right now!! And why not, why do things the hard way when there is an easy way? It's human nature. But it's sucks for both sides really and drives everyone towards RvE.
How can a 2 faction game ever be balanced?
My radical idea would be to allow everyone to fight each other and only Guild and Alliance members are friendly targets. Maintain some lore and RvR by not allowing Order and Detro to Guild or Alliance together but everything else is a free for all. I'd make a new map to go with this. Call it T5. A large PvP zone with hex-style territory, claimable by guilds and rewards points but split up depending in the size of the guild. This would put the cat amongst the pigeons.
I'll get my coat ;)
I think future development of WAR needs to focus on fair fights. 2 faction RvR was never going to cut it and the campaign and introduction of Forts/Relics needs to be seriously focused to reduce the advantages of numerical superiority.
AAO and Underdog (does this still do anything?) isn't enough on it's own. Maybe it was to start with, but not anymore, not now have folks the option to reroll on the same server to play on the winning game. Crashing the client does not enable the measely 8hr lockout you know.
Karak Norn has been suffering from realm imbalance for a long time now with Destro dominating for months. And if Destro aren't dominating Order are.
The latest Destro dominance came about when a french server merged with Norn and with this came a guild called Legion de Midgaard Nord, LNM, who can regularily field 6FG of well geared players, and play well to boot. Destro was already in the ascendancy on Norn at the time but this merge cemmented it big time.
It has been politely requested via the medium of forums that Destro should stop zerging Orders for the good of the server but that's not going to happen.
Whilst I would like to say Orders should man up and adapt it just hasn't happened either and just won't happen. Success breeds success. Many Orders have rerolled Destro's to ride the renown train to Altdorf or gradually quit RvR after geting wiped one too many times.
There has been some adapataion by Order. Some Guilds and alliances have merged but this has been slow going and in the meantime, and to their great credit imo, LNM rerolled to Order and are racing back to T4 as we speak. They say they will review the situation when they reach T4 and settle on a side. It's very admirable of them but it won't change anything. One side will always dominate.
LNM's reroll has created a vacuum on Destro's side now and Order are back in the ascendcy, suddenly emerging from the warcamps/Sc queue, or returning from Dessie alts.
Allowing cross-realming was criminal to be honest. Like me you may be a pillar of rightousness ;) but the world is full of easy moders. It really is. Look outside, there's one right now!! And why not, why do things the hard way when there is an easy way? It's human nature. But it's sucks for both sides really and drives everyone towards RvE.
How can a 2 faction game ever be balanced?
My radical idea would be to allow everyone to fight each other and only Guild and Alliance members are friendly targets. Maintain some lore and RvR by not allowing Order and Detro to Guild or Alliance together but everything else is a free for all. I'd make a new map to go with this. Call it T5. A large PvP zone with hex-style territory, claimable by guilds and rewards points but split up depending in the size of the guild. This would put the cat amongst the pigeons.
I'll get my coat ;)
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
The Kid and the Vicar
I had an impromptu game of Warhammer 40K (tabletop) with my cousin on Christmas Day last year. Whilst he taught me a lesson in why not to drink 3 bottles of red wine and take control of an army of slavering genestealers he mentioned that he played WAR with his some of his friends. He’s 11 by the way. I am 33.
This made me think about the different type of people who play Warhammer Online and where Mythic/Bioware/EA see the market for WAR.
When I was eleven I played Warhammer tabletop too, and computer games (Dungeon Master on the Atari ST anyone?). I very much doubt my cousin played WoW before WAR . He did not seem like a grizzled DAoC veteran either.
My next door neighbour is a vicar, he’s 40, and a huge tabletop fan. He enjoys the painting and modelling aspect the most and makes some simply amazing converted armies and scenery. He had heard about WAR and asked me about it. I was very cagey to be honest. I do not see WAR as Warhammer at all. It’s a PvP MMO. Although he likes to play Guitar Hero on his Xbox he is no gamer and I don’t think there is anything for the tabletop hobbyist in T4’s endgame PvP. In short, I did not recommend it to him.
Somewhere in all last week’s goings on I picked up that Mythic are going to make this new announcement at Games Day US, Game’s Workshop’s annual tabletop fest. Game’s Workshop’s Warhammer hobby has a hugely established fanbase of all ages around the world. I’m wondering if the news will be something to try to continue tap into the ever-lasting and lucrative Warhammer hobby market. Something to make the game more accessible to Warhammer fans who are also casual gamers. One commenter on Bootae’s blog threw out the idea of the game being released on Xbox, which Mythic did demo was possible before launch. Would certainly fit the criteria some of the bloggers have mentioned (e.g. speechless). Only Sigmar knows, and his bloggers ;)
This made me think about the different type of people who play Warhammer Online and where Mythic/Bioware/EA see the market for WAR.
When I was eleven I played Warhammer tabletop too, and computer games (Dungeon Master on the Atari ST anyone?). I very much doubt my cousin played WoW before WAR . He did not seem like a grizzled DAoC veteran either.
My next door neighbour is a vicar, he’s 40, and a huge tabletop fan. He enjoys the painting and modelling aspect the most and makes some simply amazing converted armies and scenery. He had heard about WAR and asked me about it. I was very cagey to be honest. I do not see WAR as Warhammer at all. It’s a PvP MMO. Although he likes to play Guitar Hero on his Xbox he is no gamer and I don’t think there is anything for the tabletop hobbyist in T4’s endgame PvP. In short, I did not recommend it to him.
Somewhere in all last week’s goings on I picked up that Mythic are going to make this new announcement at Games Day US, Game’s Workshop’s annual tabletop fest. Game’s Workshop’s Warhammer hobby has a hugely established fanbase of all ages around the world. I’m wondering if the news will be something to try to continue tap into the ever-lasting and lucrative Warhammer hobby market. Something to make the game more accessible to Warhammer fans who are also casual gamers. One commenter on Bootae’s blog threw out the idea of the game being released on Xbox, which Mythic did demo was possible before launch. Would certainly fit the criteria some of the bloggers have mentioned (e.g. speechless). Only Sigmar knows, and his bloggers ;)
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Baited
Yes, I am eagerly awaiting the July 6th news. I am checking all sources of WAR news for WAR news every few minutes.
It feels like Transfer Deadline Day for an Everton FC fan. UK football reference here, humour me :)
SkySports (1 hour before the deadline): "Yes, Argentine World Cup hero Juan Roman Riquelme has been spotted outside Goodison Park..."
(30 mins before deadline): "No, turned out it was the cleaner".
Latest snippet from Werit on Twitter is they are on their way for playtesting and presentations. Playtesting? I am sure they are not playtesting F2P, the no.1 speculation going around. And could they playtest a shakeup of the RvR campaign? Not sure how, unless they can go into a new or restyled zone or something. Maybe new keep siege interations? Ladders and stuff.
Course, they could playtest new careers but let's not go there.
Werit, Gaarawar, Mykiel and Eka are over there in the US, and Bootae and Zizlak on Skype (no.1 skype conversation EU). Maybe others???
Last time Bloggers were invited to Mythic they introduced the new City sieges and that turned out well, although a tad stale now. What will it be indeed? I can't help but get excited.
It feels like Transfer Deadline Day for an Everton FC fan. UK football reference here, humour me :)
SkySports (1 hour before the deadline): "Yes, Argentine World Cup hero Juan Roman Riquelme has been spotted outside Goodison Park..."
(30 mins before deadline): "No, turned out it was the cleaner".
Latest snippet from Werit on Twitter is they are on their way for playtesting and presentations. Playtesting? I am sure they are not playtesting F2P, the no.1 speculation going around. And could they playtest a shakeup of the RvR campaign? Not sure how, unless they can go into a new or restyled zone or something. Maybe new keep siege interations? Ladders and stuff.
Course, they could playtest new careers but let's not go there.
Werit, Gaarawar, Mykiel and Eka are over there in the US, and Bootae and Zizlak on Skype (no.1 skype conversation EU). Maybe others???
Last time Bloggers were invited to Mythic they introduced the new City sieges and that turned out well, although a tad stale now. What will it be indeed? I can't help but get excited.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
A Wink and A Smile
I have not played much of 1.4.3's Live Event yet. Didn't get the eldest to bed 'til almost 11 last night so was knackered and just inhaled vapours from an empty beer bottle and vegged my way through a couple of Scs. What little I saw of the College of Corruption I couldn't make sense of, just got farmed on the stairs.
I logged off quite down actually. I shouldn't bother logging in so late, just to catch a lock and PuG a scenario or two. Leeching locks used to be worthwhile when I was RR50 and shit, as you could get about 10% renown for it, but not so anymore.
Soloing Scs rarely turns out for the best at that hour either. In Gates of Ekrund last night the only DPS in the group, a WH, stealths up and goes missing, wants to be the man I guess. One of the healers turns out to be DPS. I actually had some fun though. Switched to my WB spec,a nd with Odjira, Quick Escape, and full defensive setup I gave the Des a good run around. Got 0 renown though.
My overall thoughts on patch 1.4.3 are that is of very little consequence to me, or the game. WAR's events aren't really events as I imagine them to be. Nothing actually happens. It's just an extra scenario with some progress/reward attached. My WAR is oRvR, not Squishies of Asqy or whatever they are called. When will they do a Live Event that actually takes place in the live world, in the lakes? They could try some new campaign ideas or something, wandering monsters, special RvR quests into the side zones to rescue supplies or something. Something!
Despite the little grumble up there I am content with the game as it is, plenty of fun to be had. Can't get enough of it in fact. It's not exactly what I want it to be, but it what it is, you know. Yadda yadda yadda. WAR has a lot to offer me when I am fully awake and there is beer in the bottle.
But what's this 6th June schizzle? I have learnt not to get carried away with my hopes and expectations for WAR but if Bootae deems it appropriate to devote a wink and a smile to it then it might be something up my street. I'll wager it's not more vanity pets. My guess is it's a joint sub for DAoC and WAR, perhaps with a levelling bonus to get people going. This is a guess. I hope it's wrong.
I logged off quite down actually. I shouldn't bother logging in so late, just to catch a lock and PuG a scenario or two. Leeching locks used to be worthwhile when I was RR50 and shit, as you could get about 10% renown for it, but not so anymore.
Soloing Scs rarely turns out for the best at that hour either. In Gates of Ekrund last night the only DPS in the group, a WH, stealths up and goes missing, wants to be the man I guess. One of the healers turns out to be DPS. I actually had some fun though. Switched to my WB spec,a nd with Odjira, Quick Escape, and full defensive setup I gave the Des a good run around. Got 0 renown though.
My overall thoughts on patch 1.4.3 are that is of very little consequence to me, or the game. WAR's events aren't really events as I imagine them to be. Nothing actually happens. It's just an extra scenario with some progress/reward attached. My WAR is oRvR, not Squishies of Asqy or whatever they are called. When will they do a Live Event that actually takes place in the live world, in the lakes? They could try some new campaign ideas or something, wandering monsters, special RvR quests into the side zones to rescue supplies or something. Something!
Despite the little grumble up there I am content with the game as it is, plenty of fun to be had. Can't get enough of it in fact. It's not exactly what I want it to be, but it what it is, you know. Yadda yadda yadda. WAR has a lot to offer me when I am fully awake and there is beer in the bottle.
But what's this 6th June schizzle? I have learnt not to get carried away with my hopes and expectations for WAR but if Bootae deems it appropriate to devote a wink and a smile to it then it might be something up my street. I'll wager it's not more vanity pets. My guess is it's a joint sub for DAoC and WAR, perhaps with a levelling bonus to get people going. This is a guess. I hope it's wrong.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
The Battle for Thargrim's Headwall
I took part in Grezko's event on Thursday gone. It was a Dwarf vs. Orc & Gobbo only battle in Black Crag. It was a hoot, despite loads of elves turning up. Screenshot here is us Dawi lined up ready to take on the stinkin' greenskins.
I miss this sort of thing from the game. For me this event brought Warhammer to WAR, if you know what I mean.
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Lesson #341: How to Zerg
I've had a bit of an AFK lately due to the birth of my second son (:D woot!). Just getting back into things the last week or so.
My last post was soooo negative for me, I am a lover really.
Last patch was very good for the game and I am enjoying every bit of it, of course I am, and everyone around me seems to be as well.
WAR is great, you really never now what to expect, you can be fighting small scale one minute and the next thing you know the Zerg turns up. Soloing is cool, Scenarios are cool, massive RvR is cool.
Here's a video a guildie posted on our forums, made me chcuckle. Norn gets like this occasionally on Saturday nights :)
My last post was soooo negative for me, I am a lover really.
Last patch was very good for the game and I am enjoying every bit of it, of course I am, and everyone around me seems to be as well.
WAR is great, you really never now what to expect, you can be fighting small scale one minute and the next thing you know the Zerg turns up. Soloing is cool, Scenarios are cool, massive RvR is cool.
Here's a video a guildie posted on our forums, made me chcuckle. Norn gets like this occasionally on Saturday nights :)
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