Warhammer Online takes us to epic places

by Chris Chester Jun 26th 2008 at 1:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Lore, New titles, Warhammer Online

One fair criticism that many observers of Warhammer Online have levied over the year or so is that from the bits and pieces we've been shown of the game, it looks rather unspectacular. Part of this, we think, is that the lighting elements haven't been fully implemented yet, which gives the game a rather flat, uninteresting look about it. The other reason, it is reasonable to surmise, is that many of the game's most grandiose architectural creations simply haven't been put forward.

In a recent trailer, it seems like many of the games more visually stunning elements are being brought to the fore. While we were still overwhelmed with the sheer volume of brown, the scale of the game is much more evident in this video than in past ones, so the Warhammer faithful among the Massively staff have found cause to be cautiously optimistic.

You might disagree, of course, but make sure to check out the new video after the jump.

Tags: ea-mythic, epic, gametrailers, scenery, video, WAR, warhammer-online

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Nostraphex said on 2:18PM 6-26-2008

This is looking much better. It's true I have the same concerns while watching earlier videos, the game was looking a bit flat and bland, but this video is showing some very nice progress. Looking good there, can't wait to be able to play it !

Hot$auce_Magik said on 4:46PM 6-26-2008

Yeah but it still only looks marginally better that WoW. \

I would expect a game coming out 5 years after WoW too be leaps and bound ahead.

Hot$auce_Magik said on 4:46PM 6-26-2008

Yeah but it still only looks marginally better that WoW. \

I would expect a game coming out 5 years after WoW too be leaps and bound ahead.

George said on 4:51PM 6-26-2008

World of Warcraft 2: Electric Boogalou

crsh said on 5:19PM 6-26-2008

It's odd how much it looks like WoW, the art direction, the effects, the colors, the animations.. without as so much as improving on them.

j_dunn said on 12:37PM 6-27-2008

I would actually say isn't it amazing how much WoW looks like Warhammer. Go to your local Game shop and pick up any of the army books and look at the Art (most notably the green skin ones). You'll find WoW actually copied Warhammer so it is kind of to be expected that they look the same.

Heleth said on 5:36PM 6-26-2008

It's the gameplay, stupid.

Sym said on 12:48PM 6-29-2008

Gameplay?? how many ways can animation of an orc swinging a sword or axe be changed or improved upon. Gameplay is not an argument.

I love WoW, but ive known all along they have ripped off Games Workshop is so many ways it was sick.

Warhammer might not become the juggernought WOW is now, but I have a feeling when its all said and done that WAR will be the superior product.

Heleth said on 1:34PM 6-30-2008

You completly missed my point. My point is, it doesn't have to be pretty to be fun.

I was defending the less than cutting edge graphics of WAR, jackass.

Heleth said on 1:34PM 6-30-2008

You completly missed my point. My point is, it doesn't have to be pretty to be fun.

I was defending the less than cutting edge graphics of WAR, jackass.

HAM said on 1:33AM 7-02-2008

Well, i don't care if the graphics are even the same 'quality' as wow and not better, Wow itself is well behind most other games in terms of graphics but that was overcome with great art direction, styling and animation/lighting and audio.

My biggest gripe with an MMO like AoC for example was attempting to go for 'realism' which ended up making everythign looking wooden. Eccept its not real, make things 'cartoony' i think it works better.

Not sure what my point is here, but im looking forward to this game big time.

Friday_Knight said on 7:02PM 7-02-2008

Shiny graphics don't mean jack if your game plays like a quadruple amputee in a marathon. The reason that WoW kicks the crap out of games like EQ is that it is smooth. WAR is picking up on all the good things that WoW has done. It's easiest to reach the top by standing on the shoulders of a giant.

Also, WoW is not directly "ripping off" Warhammer. The Warcraft world has always been about paying homage to the great sources of fantasy through emulation and veiled references. A lot of the characters, places or themes in Warcraft pull heavily from D&D and Warhammer as influences without directly copying them.

Seamus said on 12:19PM 7-07-2008

The fun that comes from playing an mmo has nearly nothing to do with graphics, its from owning people in pvp or beating a hard boss for the first time, or even from new loot. The graphics of a mmo need to be just "good enough" that people new to the genre won't be turned off to it solely based on graphics, and I feel WAR is nearly there, its not going to look like AoC but, they are shooting for more lenient system requirements, like WoW did when it was released. We know how awesome Crysis can look, but I bet it could have sold more games had it tuned the graphics down a bit, exactly like they are doing with their next release.