Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[One Shots: A face only a mother could love]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/07/02/one-shots-a-face-only-a-mother-could-love/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/02/one-shots-a-face-only-a-mother-could-love/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/02/one-shots-a-face-only-a-mother-could-love/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Believe it or not, not every Warhammer Online image we get has a glitch in it. It just seems like more people snap screenshots of funny glitches than normal life. We figure they're too busy trying to kill each other for that. That's why even if this guy's face is scary-looking, we're glad to see it today on One Shots - and glitch-free! Without further ado, here's today's contributor: This is my Warrior Priest, Serathor, from the Phoenix Throne server of Warhammer Online. As I [was] waiting for me and my warband to finish defending a battlefield objective in the Shadowlands, I turned around to capture an amazing lightning strike hitting one of the spires.

When you're out and about in your favorite MMO, why not snap some screenshots and send them our way? It's always appreciated as we love to have lots of different worlds to show off. Just email them to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and the game the image is from. Be sure to add in your name, the name the game is from and a brief description so we can credit you properly.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: A face only a mother could love originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>destructioneamythicmythic-entertainmentone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsserathorwaaghwarwarhammer-onlineThu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What audiences should Mythic have targeted with Warhammer Online?]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/what-audiences-should-mythic-have-targeted-with-warhammer-online/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/what-audiences-should-mythic-have-targeted-with-warhammer-online/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/what-audiences-should-mythic-have-targeted-with-warhammer-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This is an original opinion piece written by someone who has been following Warhammer Online since November 2007. Comments are open on page three.

Many people claim WAR is a total fail-whale of an MMO. I can see sides of their argument, but I don't believe it's completely true. The "fail" perception mostly comes down to the expectations that were set by Mythic and EA and then never fully delivered upon. It's no secret they were aiming for 500k+ subs and then missed the mark (by about 200k), but it got me wondering... Who is/was WAR's target audience? Was their potential audience actually big enough to support their aspirations?

Let's go back. Waaaaaaaaaaay back. Let's pretend we were a fly on the wall in a Mythic/EA/Games Workshop boardroom as they were discussing the original vision and design direction for WAR. One of the first steps you take before developing any product is to define your target audience or demographic. Knowing your audience gives you better direction and allows you to focus your efforts and design decisions more clearly.

Continue reading What audiences should Mythic have targeted with Warhammer Online?

MassivelyWhat audiences should Mythic have targeted with Warhammer Online? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dark-age-of-camelotdemographicseafeaturedgames-workshopjoystiqfeaturesmark-jacobsmythic-entertainmentPvERvRtarget-audiencewarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftWed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online's target audience (part 2)]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/warhammer-onlines-target-audience-part-2/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/warhammer-onlines-target-audience-part-2/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/warhammer-onlines-target-audience-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Like I said before, Mythic screwed up royally in implementation. By broadening their appeal to too many people they diluted the quality of their feature set and in the process made some really odd design decisions (e.g., Let's ramp up this huge RvR campaign and then put a bunch of city PvE at the end of it - an attempt at balancing RvR and PvE content that failed abysmally).

What are the two biggest complaints leveled at WAR by ex-WAR players? One: The RvR endgame is meaningless, boring, and repetitive. Two: The exact same thing can be said about PvE - except all the way through.

How can you make RvR the main focus of your game without pissing off PvE folks and vice versa? You can definitely try and balance them 50/50, but let's be real here. Mythic can barely balance their classes, let alone entire aspects of an MMO. Let's also be fair -- it's a pretty damned hard task to achieve.

Make PvE gear 5% easier to get than RvR gear and you're going to start a civil war within your community. There's already latent animosity between both camps to begin with.

So, who is left playing WAR these days? Oddly enough, a friend and I were discussing this a few nights ago over the phone (which inspired this post by the way). We think the people playing WAR these days are made up of hardcore RvR folks who have had their fill of DAOC, other PvPers, Warhammer tabletop fans happy to experience the IP in a new medium, and a number of disgruntled ex-WoW folks (and other MMOs).

Those aren't actually bad audiences to work with and they can definitely be built upon. Target content to these players while fixing performance issues and WAR may start growing rather than holding steady or potentially even shrinking.

On the other hand, we feel these audiences are also prime candidates for a couple upcoming MMOs.

First, we have Aion. This is the next big RvR-focused WoW-clone (Yes, I said it!) coming to market. We think the Abyss concept will appeal to many WAR players interested in PvP because the combat is just as refined (maybe even more so) and the PvP is slightly more meaningful and hardcore. We also think it will appeal to many WoW players who choose to play on PvP servers.

Next, we have Warhammer 40K. Sure, it's a ways off yet, but we have a feeling this game will grab many WAR players who call themselves hardcore tabletop fans. It's worth mentioning that WH40K will also feature PvP and that it may even be more advanced, including vehicles and destructible terrain. That said, a lot can happen between now and release. It's risky business to bet on an MMO based on pre-beta feature lists.

WAR's biggest audience right now is made up of people interested in RvR/PvP, but we think many of these players could easily jump to one or several upcoming RvR/PvP MMOs in search of their next thrill. The titles include: Aion, Global Agenda, Mortal Online, Earthrise, and maybe even Darkfall once it releases its NA-1 server. Options for PvPers are growing in the MMO genre.

MassivelyWarhammer Online's target audience (part 2) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mythic-entertainmentopinionspvervrwarwarhammer-onlineWed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online's target audience (part 3)]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/warhammer-onlines-target-audience-part-3/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/warhammer-onlines-target-audience-part-3/http://www.massively.com/2009/07/01/warhammer-onlines-target-audience-part-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,


In conclusion, I don't actually think Mythic made a mistake in trying to take the widest appeal approach. At its core, WAR was and is an RvR game, but to only appeal to PvP players would have severely limited Mythic's potential for massive subscriber numbers. To compete with WoW, they truly needed to have a strong PvE component to their game. Where they failed to meet expectations of course, was in the execution of both areas.

Shortly after release, Mark Jacobs released a State of the Game announcement. In it, he said that Mythic would spend more time and resources on improving RvR. This was when he announced RvR influence and a number of other RvR-centric features. He drew a line in the sand that day and said WAR was an RvR game first and foremost. By doing so, I believe he turned off many PvE players interested in WAR. The pendulum began to swing.

Apparently Land of the Dead is really appealing to the PvE crowd since its release, which is great, but there are many accounts that it is hurting RvR. This effect may only be temporary due to LotD's newness, but it just further highlights my point about the difficulty involved in balancing for different audiences in your MMO.


Where does Mythic go from here? I think they need to focus more energy trying to steady that pendulum. If they ever can achieve that perfect balance of RvR and PvE, WAR may be one of the best MMOs with the widest appeal in history.

Does that mean they'll ever achieve WoW's numbers? Hell no. Accessibility alone gives WoW a huge advantage, not to mention it has now become a pop culture phenomenon.

That said, a more balanced WAR with strong PvE and RvR design could easily hold north of one million subscribers. How far north? *Ahem* I'm sure Mythic wouldn't mind feeling a bit chilly, especially after all the heat they've drawn since release.

MassivelyWarhammer Online's target audience (part 3) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mythic-entertainmentopinionpvervrwarwarhammer-onlineWed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you enjoying The Land of the Dead?]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/30/the-daily-grind-are-you-enjoying-the-land-of-the-dead/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/30/the-daily-grind-are-you-enjoying-the-land-of-the-dead/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/30/the-daily-grind-are-you-enjoying-the-land-of-the-dead/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The Call to Arms live expansion for Warhammer Online was over six months in the making. It gave WAR players the Choppa and Slayer classes, RvR tokens, keep upgrades, and culminated last week in the arrival of The Land of the Dead mega-zone. Massively wants to know if you're enjoying it.

We've been keeping tabs on various WAR bloggers who have shared their thoughts. Keen feels that the zone flips a bit too easily but is happy with the new content overall. LotD isn't the mecca of RvR that Bootae had hoped for, but he's still quite pleased with the quality of it (over the quantity). As for Thulf, well he was actually drawn back to WAR after a couple months' absence to give it a shot. It's too early for him to tell whether or not he'll keep his subscription open for it.

This writer is still waiting for the dust to settle. I don't know if there are any major issues with the zone or its effect on RvR, but I'm hesitant to jump in head first and have my experience spoiled by anything. The ancient undead can wait a little longer for this explorer.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you enjoying The Land of the Dead? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingbootaecall-to-armsimpressionskeenland-of-the-deadmythic-entertainmentthulfwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR's summer celebration event has begun]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/27/wars-summer-celebration-event-has-begun/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/27/wars-summer-celebration-event-has-begun/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/27/wars-summer-celebration-event-has-begun/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Warhammer Online is celebrating the fourth of July and summer in general by offering some in-game bonuses, and providing some explosive incentives for participating in RvR. WAR's James Nichols announced the event's official opening yesterday, saying, "It's our way of saying thanks, have fun, and enjoy the start of summer with a BANG!" As part of the event, all players can now take advantage of a 10% bonus to experience and renown gain. On top of this, slain enemy players will drop fireworks that can be used to revel in your victory -- we imagine large skirmishes will end with a whole bunch of colorful explosions for the duration of the celebrations.

These bonuses will be in effect for about a week and a half, ending on the 7th of July.

MassivelyWAR's summer celebration event has begun originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4th-of-julyeaelectronic-artsexperience-bonusfireworksfourth-of-julyjames-nicholsmythicmythic-entertainmentrenown-bonussummerwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineSat, 27 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic may take radical approaches with Warhammer Online]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/26/mythic-may-take-radical-approaches-with-warhammer-online/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/26/mythic-may-take-radical-approaches-with-warhammer-online/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/26/mythic-may-take-radical-approaches-with-warhammer-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As Warhammer Online fans wait for a post-BioWAAAGH! pep talk from Mythic's new General Manager, Rob Denton, they'll have to make due with part three of an Executive Producer's letter from Jeff Hickman.

The letter primarily discusses the ways Mythic plans to resolve the top 5 issues identified last week by various focus groups. Warhammer Alliance has an excellent summary in bullet form for those unwilling to wade through the whole article (though we suggest you do for full context).

Jeff makes a few really interesting comments in his letter that jumped out at us.

He states that Mythic is still committed to Dark Age of Camelot and Ultima Online and will be sharing their plans for both titles in the near future. We know about the new UO expansion but haven't heard much about DAOC lately. Where oh where are you, Origins?

It appears Mythic is "looking at some fairly radical approaches" to address server population issues in WAR. Maybe we'll finally see that realm queue system they had working pre-release...

Finally, it sounds like fortresses may be on their way out if Mythic can't find some way to fix them. Andy Belford had this to say: "How do we make it a fun encounter while not diminishing the epic feel of it? At what point do we say, enough is enough, and cut off the offending appendage?" Radical indeed.

MassivelyMythic may take radical approaches with Warhammer Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy-belforddark-age-of-camelotjeff-hickmanultima-onlinewarwarhammer-onlineFri, 26 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Jacobs on his departure from Mythic and EA]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/26/mark-jacobs-on-his-departure-from-mythic-and-ea/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/26/mark-jacobs-on-his-departure-from-mythic-and-ea/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/26/mark-jacobs-on-his-departure-from-mythic-and-ea/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We've had comments and opinions flying in from all over the internet regarding Mark Jacobs' departure from Mythic and EA, but finally we get to hear from the man himself, in a new post with the heading "All Things Must Come to an End" on his personal blog. Much of this post is devoted to thanking and farewelling his former co-workers, and he mentioned that there will be more thanks to come -- there's no doubt he would have built a great many relationships throughout his journey with Mythic and EA.

As for Jacobs' comments on the reasons for him leaving, we don't find it out too much, but he did have have this to say:

Early in May, Electronic Arts let me know that they wanted to make some changes within the Games Label and as a result of those changes I have been out of the office (and out of touch with the team, game, etc.) since that day.

and:

However, if you are looking or expecting me to damn EA or anyone there, you will be sorely disappointed. Over my 23 years of making games professionally I have refrained from attacking the competition, former and/or current partners, other game developers, etc. except on a few very rare instances. I have no intention of breaking with tradition at the present time and I hope my track record in this regard remains unchanged for the rest of my career.

We will be keeping an eye on Jacobs' blog for the additional posts he has promised.

MassivelyMark Jacobs on his departure from Mythic and EA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebreakingdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsmark-jacobsmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-onlineFri, 26 Jun 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[More reactions to BioWAAAGH!]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/25/more-reactions-to-biowaaagh/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/25/more-reactions-to-biowaaagh/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/25/more-reactions-to-biowaaagh/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We've been keeping our eyes on various blogs and forums discussing yesterday's big news that Mythic and BioWare are being restructured under EA's new MMO/RPG gaming division and that Mark Jacobs is no longer working for EA. Here's a summary of what we've found so far.

Many people are under the false impression that Mythic and BioWare have merged. One of Mythic's developers made this clarification: "We're still Mythic Entertainment, an Electronic Arts Studio, as we have been. I've posted this elsewhere, but we're not 'merging.' We are still a completely separate entity within EA, just as Bioware is, simply now grouped under the same MMO/RPG grouping and reporting to one person, collectively."

Continue reading More reactions to BioWAAAGH!

MassivelyMore reactions to BioWAAAGH! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaaaghbiowareblizzardbrad-mcquaidfeaturedjeff-hickmanjoystiqfeatureskeenmark-jacobsmythic-entertainmentrichard-garriottrob-dentonswtorwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftThu, 25 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic employees shocked at Mark Jacobs' departure]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/mythic-employees-shocked-at-mark-jacobs-departure/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/mythic-employees-shocked-at-mark-jacobs-departure/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/mythic-employees-shocked-at-mark-jacobs-departure/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Mythic employees were surprised by their boss' departure, sources told me today.

I spoke with a former employee, who asked to remain anonymous, about what they and their old co-workers thought regarding today's announcement that Mark Jacobs, the vice president and general manager of EA Mythic, will be leaving the company due to a new partnership with BioWare.

"People are shocked and in disbelief about Mark leaving," said the former staffer. "But they're also excited to be working with BioWare. I can't even fathom Mark leaving a company he loved so much, it was his life. Personally, I can't see that this is voluntary in any shape or form."

Continue reading Mythic employees shocked at Mark Jacobs' departure

MassivelyMythic employees shocked at Mark Jacobs' departure originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareelectronic-artsfeaturedmark-jacobsmythic-entertainmentWed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Goodbye and good luck!]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/one-shots-goodbye-and-good-luck/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/one-shots-goodbye-and-good-luck/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/one-shots-goodbye-and-good-luck/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With today's surprising news that Mythic's Mark Jacobs is leaving EA to join a new studio, we wanted to run a screenshot from Warhammer Online. Of course, when we ran across this one in the queue of shots to be posted from Warhammer Online, we couldn't resist, even though the story has nothing at all to do with today's news. This screen actually comes from way back when the Ostermark server transfers happened, and comes to us from Rumil Silverdawn, a Rank 40 player who is on Phoenix Throne. He wrote in at the time: [Some time] ago you reported on the server transfer of Ostermark to the remaining roleplay server of Phoenix Throne. Here is the last in-Ostermark screen shot of my rank 40 Swordmaster, Rumil Silverdawn of <Prophecy>, waving goodbye to Ostermark. Or is it waving hello to Phoenix Throne?

If you've got a screenshot from your MMO travels, we want to see it! The more off the beaten path, the better! Just email it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and your story. We'll post it here and let the community know. (Timing is purely a matter of how many of that type we have, and chance in terms of a match like today's!)

MassivelyOne Shots: Goodbye and good luck! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eamythicmythic-entertainmentone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotswarwarhammer-onlineWed, 24 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic's Mark Jacobs leaves EA]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/mythics-mark-jacobs-leaves-ea/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/mythics-mark-jacobs-leaves-ea/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/24/mythics-mark-jacobs-leaves-ea/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mark Jacobs, the former General Manager of Mythic Entertainment and Lead Designer of Warhammer Online, has left EA on 23rd June, the company announced today. This comes as part of restructuring plans within EA which includes both Mythic and BioWare and have culminated in the formation of a new, as-yet-unnamed, studio which will focus on RPGs and MMOs.

The new studio will be led by BioWare co-founder and General Manager Ray Muzyka, who will become Group General Manager. BioWare's other co-founder Greg Zeschuk will become Group Creative Officer while Rob Denton will succeed Jacobs as General Manager.

You can certainly expect more from us as this story develops.

[Via The Examiner]

MassivelyMythic's Mark Jacobs leaves EA originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobreakingbreaking-newsbreakingnewselectronic-artsgreg-zeschukmark-jacobsmergersmythic-entertainmentray-muzykarob-dentonWed, 24 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Land of the Dead is open for business]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/23/the-land-of-the-dead-is-open-for-business/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/23/the-land-of-the-dead-is-open-for-business/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/23/the-land-of-the-dead-is-open-for-business/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Hot sun. Sandy beaches. Exotic creatures. It almost sounds like a great vacation spot until you realize the heat is unbearable, the beaches run alongside a poisonous river, and the creatures are determined to kill you and then mutilate your corpse. The Land of the Dead may not be for your average snowbird but courageous adventurers will find treasures and excitement in great abundance - and it all starts today.

Game Update 1.3 launched exactly one week ago and introduced a special Live Event called Rise of the Tomb Kings. The event pitted the realms of Order and Destruction against each other in a massive resource-race to determine who would gain first access to the Nehekharan desert via airship. That race ended this morning and Mythic just released a patch that grants the winners 24-hours of uninterrupted dungeon access.

The Land of the Dead was a massive undertaking by Mythic that began shortly after launch in September 2008 and it will change the way Warhammer Online fans play the game from now on. How will it affect open field RvR, city siege, scenarios and other raid instances? Only time will tell (and we'll keep our eyes on it for you).

MassivelyThe Land of the Dead is open for business originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-to-armsland-of-the-deadlive-eventslive-expansionmythic-entertainmentRvRwarwar-patch-1.3warhammer-onlineTue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic wages WAR in the East]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/20/mythic-wages-war-in-the-east/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/20/mythic-wages-war-in-the-east/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/20/mythic-wages-war-in-the-east/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While NCsoft prepares to invade the West with Aion this September, Mythic has their own preemptive RvR strike planned for the East. Both Mythic and Gigamedia are bringing Warhammer Online to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on June 25th. This means people can now play WAR in North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. That's quite a global presence.

It will be interesting to see what impact this has on WAR's subscriber count in the next quarter. When WAR originally launched in September 2008, they sold over 750,000 copies. That number dropped to 300,000 by December 2008. After a couple big marketing campaigns (recruit a friend and re-enlistment) and a launch in Russia, WAR's numbers held steady at 300,000 in March 2009.

Could this Eastern launch propel them beyond the 300,000 mark again? Based on all the Land of the Dead coverage and impressions we've seen, the new live expansion should have some sort of positive effect on the game as well. I guess we'll have to wait until the next EA earnings call to find out, which should take place in August.

MassivelyMythic wages WAR in the East originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eagigamediahong kongHongKongland-of-the-deadmacaumythic-entertainmentsubscription-numberstaiwanwaaaghwarwarhammer-onlineSat, 20 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Bringing the thunder... chicken?]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/18/one-shots-bringing-the-thunder-chicken/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/18/one-shots-bringing-the-thunder-chicken/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/18/one-shots-bringing-the-thunder-chicken/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


One of the things we always thought was pretty funny about Warhammer Online was how higher-level players in lower-level areas turned them into chickens. Of course, when Mythic came up with this mechanic, they forgot (or maybe not) how silly a chicken on a big nasty wolf might be. Today's One Shots from Xtofer from the guild Grudge on the Vortex server shows off yet another strange and silly aspect of the Warhammer Online world. He writes in: I was turned into a chicken while looking for tome unlocks with a couple guildies. After zoning, I stayed in chicken form! I could cast spells and mount and constantly sound like I was laying an egg. Also, there's nothing like a chicken riding a wolf, right?

Have you done - or seen - something off-the-wall that people might find funny? Whatever the reason, and whatever the game, we want to see your screenshots! Just send them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name/server/guild and a brief description of the shot. We'll post it out here for everyone to check out and give you all the credit.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Bringing the thunder... chicken? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eamythicone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotswarwarhammer-onlinextoferThu, 18 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jeff Hickman open letter highlights Mythic's top 5 priorities for WAR]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/18/jeff-hickman-open-letter-highlights-mythics-top-5-priorities-fo/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/18/jeff-hickman-open-letter-highlights-mythics-top-5-priorities-fo/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/18/jeff-hickman-open-letter-highlights-mythics-top-5-priorities-fo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Those of you stalwart enough to bore through Jeff Hickman's most recent Executive Producer's letter, which incidentally reads like a list of 1.3 patch notes conjured by the PR department, may have picked up on the mention that Mythic is assembling focus groups to determine the current concerns and issues with Warhammer Online.

I can actually confirm this for you since I'm a card-carrying focus group member. The below list of top priorities is entirely accurate based on what I've been hearing as part of this group and in conversation with many current and ex-WAR fanatics.

  1. Addressing concerns related to Crowd Control and Area of Effect abilities.
  2. Continuing to improve client and server stability and performance.
  3. Strengthening and improving the Tier 4 experience.
  4. Improving server population distribution - both in terms of overall population and realm balance.
  5. Improving itemization and the overall distribution of "carrots" (rewards) throughout the game.
It's easy point out that many members of the WAR community have been vocal about these "Top 5" issues since release. We can only hope that the time and resources freed up by the launch of Land of the Dead will finally erase them from the game. Erasing them from memory may prove slightly more difficult.

MassivelyJeff Hickman open letter highlights Mythic's top 5 priorities for WAR originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityexecutive-producerfocus-groupjeff-hickmanmythic-entertainmentopen-letterprioritieswarwarhammer-onlineThu, 18 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The dead rise as Warhammer Online patch 1.3 goes live]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/16/the-dead-rise-as-warhammer-online-patch-1-3-goes-live/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/16/the-dead-rise-as-warhammer-online-patch-1-3-goes-live/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/16/the-dead-rise-as-warhammer-online-patch-1-3-goes-live/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Today is patch day for Warhammer Online players -- huzzah! Bug and balance fixes are of course in full swing, but the big news is the Land of the Dead live event launch. Of course, before getting to any of those juicy new content areas, players will have to participate in the brand new live event: Rise of the Tomb Kings.

This event is the final chapter for Mythic's Call to Arms content expansion and functions as a good intermediary between those initial massive updates and these new ones. So while plenty of content is indeed being added today, there's a lot more on the way in the coming months, too.

We'll be giving you plenty of coverage on the ins and outs of patch 1.3, so keep your eyes peeled for more.

MassivelyThe dead rise as Warhammer Online patch 1.3 goes live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-to-armseaelectronic-artsgames-workshopland-of-the-deadmythicwarwar-patch-1.3warhammerwarhammer-onlineTue, 16 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Pre-download now available for WAR's Game Update 1.3]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/12/pre-download-now-available-for-wars-game-update-1-3/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/12/pre-download-now-available-for-wars-game-update-1-3/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/12/pre-download-now-available-for-wars-game-update-1-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Warhammer Online's Game Update 1.3 (also known as the much anticipated Land of the Dead patch) has been locked in for release on the 16th of June, but if you plan on experiencing the new content the moment that it's available then you might want to consider pre-downloading the patch ahead of time. The pre-patcher file is 867MB's and is said to contain "the bulk of the update", meaning there will probably be a small amount leftover to download on the proper patch day. After opening the executable and installing, the game can be run as normal and the update will automatically activate itself when it's required.

The pre-patcher that we've been given so far will only work for North American and Oceanic game clients, but GOA will be bringing out their own version for European clients early next week. The NA and Oceanic file can be obtained directly from Mythic through this link.

MassivelyPre-download now available for WAR's Game Update 1.3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-mythicelectronic-artsland-of-the-deadmythicmythic-entertainmentpre-downloadpre-patcherwarwar-game-update-1.3warhammer-onlineFri, 12 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[It's coming for you: Land of the Dead dated for June 16th]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/12/its-coming-for-you-land-of-the-dead-dated-for-june-16th/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/12/its-coming-for-you-land-of-the-dead-dated-for-june-16th/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/12/its-coming-for-you-land-of-the-dead-dated-for-june-16th/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


We finally have a date on the release of Warhammer Online's brand new RvR zone, the Land of the Dead. Everyone make sure you have your swords sharpened and your armor ready for June 16th, because that's the day when the Tomb Kings rise from the south.

Land of the Dead will include a brand new zone filled with public quests, traps, and some intense RvR combat as the sides of Order and Destruction fight over control of the entire zone. To mix things up, many of the new quests will feature elements that have more in common with action RPGs than with MMO mechanics -- emphasizing movement, positioning, and cooperation over straight number crunching exercises.

We got some great interviews and a first hand look at Land of the Dead during Games Day '09, plus we also are hosting a Tomb King Cartouche puzzle contest where you can win an exclusive in-game item for WAR! So get your wagggghhh on, because the Tomb Kings are coming, and they're coming for you!
The sands of the Tomb Kings are coming as the final release in the Call to Arms live expansion, the Land of the Dead approaches! Massively has your back with coverage from Mythic Entertainment at Games Day '09, so get your WAAGGGHHH ready for RvR mayhem as Massively re-arms for WAR!

MassivelyIt's coming for you: Land of the Dead dated for June 16th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgblues-newsbreakingcall-to-armscartouchedungeonland-of-the-deadmythicmythic-entertainmenttomb-kingswarwarhammer-onlineFri, 12 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's piece of the WAR Tomb King mystery has arrived]]>http://www.massively.com/2009/06/11/massivelys-piece-of-the-war-tomb-king-mystery-has-arrived/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/11/massivelys-piece-of-the-war-tomb-king-mystery-has-arrived/http://www.massively.com/2009/06/11/massivelys-piece-of-the-war-tomb-king-mystery-has-arrived/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


As mentioned in a post yesterday, Warhammer Online and Mythic are hosting an expansive community event like none they've done before. Today, we received our piece of this contest in the form of a human skull wrapped in mummy rags and hay. Yes, the hay is real, but the skull is not. Darn.

This contest was created to celebrate the release of WAR's Land of the Dead, later this month. Those who are able to decipher the hieroglyphs from a variety of MMO websites will be rewarded with exclusive in-game items. Follow along after the jump to find out more information on this contest, and to see the photos of our unique Tomb King Cartouche.

Continue reading Massively's piece of the WAR Tomb King mystery has arrived

MassivelyMassively's piece of the WAR Tomb King mystery has arrived originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartouchecontesthieroglyphicsland-of-the-deadmythicwarwarhammer-onlineThu, 11 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST