Saturday, August 15, 2009
Friday, March 16, 2007
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Updated Q&A - The Warrior Priest Class and the Empire Faction
Two designers from EA Mythic fill us in on the Empire faction and its warrior priest class.
By Staff, GameSpot
Posted Mar 15, 2007 5:30 pm PT
When Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning launches later this year, it will bring the rich universe of the Warhammer Fantasy setting to life as a massively multiplayer role-playing game for the first time. Players will create their own characters and adventure and battle in huge virtual worlds populated by monsters and thousands of other player characters. The battle lines are drawn between a number of colorful and memorable factions. The one that we might relate to the most is the human-based Empire faction, with its horse-mounted knights and medieval-like warriors. And one of the most unique units in the Empire faction is the warrior priest, a warrior that combines melee combat with holy-power abilities, such as healing injured teammates and strengthening them with magical spells that "buff" their abilities. The warrior priests can easily be identified on the battlefield thanks to their long robes and vestments, as well as their signature war hammer. To answer our questions about the warrior priest class and the Empire faction, we turned to senior designer Steve Marvin and content manager Doug Woolsey.
GameSpot: The big reveal this time around is the warrior priest class. Give us an overview of this character and its abilities.
Steve Marvin: The warrior priest is a follower of Sigmar and comes of age in the Empire, the human lands savagely beset by the forces of Chaos. He is part churchman, part soldier, part healer, and part justiciar. His realm, his race, and most importantly his faith are all in danger of extinction at the hands of a ravening evil flood of appalling monstrosities. He is the levee that will hold back that dark tide. This is no Friar Tuck; the warrior priest strides to the front line, singing the praises of Sigmar and inspiring his fellow soldiers to hold fast. His is a grim responsibility, and the only times he smiles is as his hammer slams a creature of Chaos to the ground.
Warrior priests revel in combat, with their blessed hammers sanctifying each blow to the greater glory of Sigmar and his inevitable triumph over darkness. As his faith and righteous fury rises within him, his god fills him with the power to heal and bless those who join him in his struggle. There is no sight like that of a warrior priest in the thick of combat, dispensing death to his foes and life to his allies.
His blessings deliver health, morale, and strength to all of those within range of his voice, which seldom halts in its righteous soliloquy. Any who stand close to a warrior priest for even a few moments feel their bodies refreshed and their faith renewed. In the height of his faith and fury, he can call upon Sigmar to heal the injured, purge taint and poison from the faithful, or even return life to the newly dead. He can also call holy power to his hammer to deliver devastating blows, or channel Sigmar's wrath directly into the hearts of his foes.
The warrior priest kicks butt and takes names. He wades into combat and smashes things left and right, building up his righteous fury ability with every blow. He then releases that pent-up power with heals, cures, and devastating attacks. Just being near a warrior priest buffs you.
GS: We understand that even though the warrior priest is the "healer" class for the Empire faction, the profession isn't about quietly sitting in the back of the adventuring party, casting healing spells. It's much more warlike and able to fight in the frontlines. Just how strong of a fighter will this character be, and why was this direction chosen?
SM: All of our healer careers work this way. We don't just want to avoid the creation of pure support classes; we want to make it positively counterproductive to play any career that way. This is Warhammer Online. Everybody fights. Nobody hangs back. There's no crying in Warhammer.
Now, will the warrior priest be among the strongest fighters? No, of course not. Though, he will be very difficult to kill because he can rebound from damage and purge debuffs. Since he can buff everyone in his party with his continuous blessings, he is likely to be a rallying point for his group. However, his most damaging blows come only when he has built up a reserve of righteous fury through combat and chosen not to spend it on his party's health. It is a trade-off the warrior priest must constantly assess based on the needs of his group.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Beta Schedule
WAR Beta Details: Stages Defined
Current Beta Phase: First Stage of Closed Beta (Beta 1)
Includes: EA Mythic / EA / GW / GOA - Staff only.
Estimated Numbers: 400
Beta Defined!
By: Sanya Thomas 09 Nov 2006 15:22:56 EST
Originally posted 7/14/06
Here are some handy definitions of what the different phases of beta are. I also provide, for the first time, some extremely vague and tentative dates. Some of you have already won betas, and to spare you the whole "having to read" thing, you are listed as "Early Spring 2007." In theory and indeed in schedule, it may be sooner than that - but I am a bitter, cranky, old community weenie who has been through many betas, and I no longer believe in anything I can't grasp in my withered talons.
EDITED, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9th, 2006. Clarifications, mostly, but one fairly giant change relating to my not totally understanding the implications of us becoming EA Mythic. All of my dates are still listed as they were on 7/14/06.
Alpha: What we are in now. I made the grievous error of calling it a very early beta, for which I am terminally sorry. I will regret that until I die. Alpha does not have anyone playing who does not draw a paycheck from Mythic.
Double Secret Beta: What we will be in "Soon, TM." That is just beyond alpha, and includes people who draw paychecks from Mythic and selected partners. STARTS: Summer 2006
First Stage of Closed Beta (Beta 1): Sometimes called "Friends and Family," somewhat inaccurately, this is a stage where there is actually a game, but it is not usually very complete or even stable for that matter.People who don't work here are in this stage, but usually fewer than a hundred, and they are nearly all such old, old friends that they are often mistaken for employees. STARTS: Fall 2006] [CURRENT BETA PHASE]
EDITED TO ADD, 11/9/06: Tragically, when I originally wrote this document in mid-July '06, I was still learning the EA ropes. I defined "First Closed" with the old Mythic way, because we were a pretty small company. Now, with thousands of employees around the world, this phase of beta is "EA Employee Only." Double Secret Beta is EA Mythic Studio Only. In this first closed phase, we begin including people outside our studio, but bound by the employee NDA.
Beta 1.7, After Things Stop Going Boom Every Day: This is the stage you'll start seeing community testers. People who have tested for Mythic for years, or have been otherwise recommended to us as quality volunteer testers, are starting to be included. There is usually a restriction on how many people get in at this point, and often perfectly wonderful people are left out. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Early 2007
Beta 2: Still closed and covered under NDA, invitees include prize winners, guilds that win the guild contest, and some members of the print and web media - usually the ones we have relationships with. People who work at GW retail shops are getting in here, and we've got some plans for existing Dark Age of Camelot players to be invited to check out their new sibling. There will be up to a thousand people by the end of Beta 2. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Early Spring 2007
Beta 3: Closed, NDA. This is where Lady Luck will wave her wand. We will be choosing randomly from the giant pool of people who are subscribed to our newsletter. This phase will have thousands of people invited, possibly as many as ten thousand. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007
Final Beta: No NDA. Because there is no NDA, people often refer to this as "open beta." But I wanted to be really clear with you guys - we are not planning the kind of open beta where everyone with internet access can download the game and hop in. That's nutty. Right now, we are tentatively considering having everyone who pre-orders the game invited to this phase of beta. This phase will also invite winners from our big media promotions. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007
Provided By www.warherald.com
Current Beta Phase: First Stage of Closed Beta (Beta 1)
Includes: EA Mythic / EA / GW / GOA - Staff only.
Estimated Numbers: 400
Beta Defined!
By: Sanya Thomas 09 Nov 2006 15:22:56 EST
Originally posted 7/14/06
Here are some handy definitions of what the different phases of beta are. I also provide, for the first time, some extremely vague and tentative dates. Some of you have already won betas, and to spare you the whole "having to read" thing, you are listed as "Early Spring 2007." In theory and indeed in schedule, it may be sooner than that - but I am a bitter, cranky, old community weenie who has been through many betas, and I no longer believe in anything I can't grasp in my withered talons.
EDITED, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9th, 2006. Clarifications, mostly, but one fairly giant change relating to my not totally understanding the implications of us becoming EA Mythic. All of my dates are still listed as they were on 7/14/06.
Alpha: What we are in now. I made the grievous error of calling it a very early beta, for which I am terminally sorry. I will regret that until I die. Alpha does not have anyone playing who does not draw a paycheck from Mythic.
Double Secret Beta: What we will be in "Soon, TM." That is just beyond alpha, and includes people who draw paychecks from Mythic and selected partners. STARTS: Summer 2006
First Stage of Closed Beta (Beta 1): Sometimes called "Friends and Family," somewhat inaccurately, this is a stage where there is actually a game, but it is not usually very complete or even stable for that matter.
EDITED TO ADD, 11/9/06: Tragically, when I originally wrote this document in mid-July '06, I was still learning the EA ropes. I defined "First Closed" with the old Mythic way, because we were a pretty small company. Now, with thousands of employees around the world, this phase of beta is "EA Employee Only." Double Secret Beta is EA Mythic Studio Only. In this first closed phase, we begin including people outside our studio, but bound by the employee NDA.
Beta 1.7, After Things Stop Going Boom Every Day: This is the stage you'll start seeing community testers. People who have tested for Mythic for years, or have been otherwise recommended to us as quality volunteer testers, are starting to be included. There is usually a restriction on how many people get in at this point, and often perfectly wonderful people are left out. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Early 2007
Beta 2: Still closed and covered under NDA, invitees include prize winners, guilds that win the guild contest, and some members of the print and web media - usually the ones we have relationships with. People who work at GW retail shops are getting in here, and we've got some plans for existing Dark Age of Camelot players to be invited to check out their new sibling. There will be up to a thousand people by the end of Beta 2. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Early Spring 2007
Beta 3: Closed, NDA. This is where Lady Luck will wave her wand. We will be choosing randomly from the giant pool of people who are subscribed to our newsletter. This phase will have thousands of people invited, possibly as many as ten thousand. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007
Final Beta: No NDA. Because there is no NDA, people often refer to this as "open beta." But I wanted to be really clear with you guys - we are not planning the kind of open beta where everyone with internet access can download the game and hop in. That's nutty. Right now, we are tentatively considering having everyone who pre-orders the game invited to this phase of beta. This phase will also invite winners from our big media promotions. STARTS: TENTATIVE DATE: Summer 2007
Provided By www.warherald.com
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