Mark Jacobs Announces Two New Classes

[Loneliness]

Mark Jacobs has always been a very vocal member of the video game industry, even dating back to his days before Dark Age of Camelot, so it's no surprise that he's posted a State of the Game for Warhammer to let everyone know what's going on now, and what can be expected in the coming months.

After over three years of work and one of the smoothest launches in MMORPG history, WAR is moving quickly towards the end of its first month. This is a perfect time to take a look at where we were, where we are and where we are going. First, on behalf of everyone at Mythic, I would like to thank you for your interest in our game. While it is impossible for me to personally thank all 750K+ worldwide account holders, please know that we are grateful for your support to date and the support we hope you will show us in the future.

The first, and probably most important feature coming in WAR's first major content patch will be the addition of the Knight of the Blazing Sun and the Black Guard, two of the four classes that were cut in beta, due to 'not being fun.' Now Jacobs feels they've reached the point of being worthy of existing in the live game world, so they're slated for a December patch. "I also said that we would not charge any additional fees for this new content or put it in a separate expansion pack; that’s not how we operate. We’ve kept to that plan and with the introduction of these two classes, Mythic shows that once again we are happy to keep giving players more value for their subscription dollars than any other MMORPG developer," Jacobs said.

There are additional improvements and features coming to the game in the patch, including an influence system for RvR, itemization tweaks, improved rewards for RvR, mail system improvements, item linking, Main Assist and Target of Target functionality, and much more.


Original Post

 

[Manisch Depressiv]

"Mythic shows that once again we are happy to keep giving players more value for their subscription dollars than any other MMORPG developer," Jacobs said."

Right. He should focus more on the game than on writing his marketing crap, considering that DAoC players had to pay for 2 accounts for years to be effective...

 

[Tallen]

"Mythic shows that once again we are happy to keep giving players more value for their subscription dollars than any other MMORPG developer," Jacobs said."

Right. He should focus more on the game than on writing his marketing crap, considering that DAoC players had to pay for 2 accounts for years to be effective...

My thoughts exactly.

They remove 4 classes and 2 major cities (which were interestingly not mentioned at all) before launch, then plan on reintroducing two of those classes a few months later and thats supposed to be a bonus somehow?

Really starting to dislike this pretentious tosser (Jacobs).

 

[Raven]

Jesus, its going from bad to worse isn't it?

oh well.

 

[Aqe]

My thoughts exactly.

They remove 4 classes and 2 major cities (which were interestingly not mentioned at all) before launch, then plan on reintroducing two of those classes a few months later and thats supposed to be a bonus somehow?

Really starting to dislike this pretentious tosser (Jacobs).

Many other MMO developers would have released the classes in a expansion.
They weren't in the game in beta so only record we have of them is that mythic first planned to include them.

 

[Ezeine]

Classes for free and yet people still whine

 

[Raven]

/rant

I don't care if I have to level to 40, I do care if its the same rubbish as the last 5 levels with absolutely no bearing on the end game. They have dropped the ball BIG time, they better get a fucking move on and pick it up again.

As manisch said in a previous thread "MMOs have exactly one shot"
Less than a month now until the WoW expansion, Blizzard have been crafty fuckers and already tempted a lot of people back with the recent half expansion, class changes, new craft, a far better achievement system etc etc when it goes live proper it will beast WAR in its current form.

Mark Jacobs comes across as a patronising arsehole, telling people that they enjoy his vision of the game even though it is boring, pointless and has absolutely no relation to the end game. Fine if he wants to force his pointless headline grabbing changes then he should be ready for when it falls on its arse and take full responsibility. Giving people something that he had already taken away and proclaiming himself the saviour of the MMO expansion just smacks of stupidity, I am amazed he tried to get away with it.

I didn't buy WAR to grind for hours on end hoping I don't crack before the real deal end game PvP. It should not be a test of patience before the actual promised content of "WAAAAAARGH" or whatever.

Granted the bugs need fixing but so does the content. I wonder what sort of players they picked for their BETA. Did nobody point out to them that grinding in the hope of something better just doesn't work?

I had big hopes for WAR, I was genuinely excited about it, very disappointed.

/end rant

As you were

 

[Raven]

Classes for free and yet people still whine

They aren't free. They were removed because they were not ready and had to be rushed out, he is now putting them back and making out its some sort of big gift.

 

[pikeh]

They aren't free. They were removed because they were not ready and had to be rushed out, he is now putting them back and making out its some sort of big gift.

So what?
Would you rather they werent implemented at all, or that they were implemented, but blatantly broken?
More content and yet people still have a dig.

 

[Legean]

Find it funny how everyone thinks they're owed something.

 

[scorge]

Many other MMO developers would have released the classes in a expansion.
They weren't in the game in beta so only record we have of them is that mythic first planned to include them.

Hammerer was, not in open beta though

 

[Raven]

Find it funny how everyone thinks they're owed something.

I am actually, you see I paid for a product that hasn't delivered yet. I really truly want to enjoy WAR but I just can't in its current form.

 

[Manisch Depressiv]

Find it funny how everyone thinks they're owed something.

Asking for less is wanting more too?

I asked for less bullshit, e.g. less of MJ's silly comparisons to competitors ("smoothest launch", "more value for money").

Quite amusing that Blizzard annoyed him now, by saying that Warhammer lost subscriptions. Who started with the comparisons in the first place?

 

[Bahumat]

Mark mark a comment about "no other game I know of released new classes for free". Someone said Company of Heroes did. No idea if that was true?

 

[Raven]

Someone said Company of Heroes did. No idea if that was true?

One of a few games yes.

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

Not really anything to get excited about here. Yes its stuff that was taken out pre-launch. Yes its not technically new. However, it still counts as new post-launch content. It may leave a slightly bad taste in some mouths for people that were looking forward to specific classes that then got removed.

Mark Jacob's announcements are nothing but marketing with the usual spin that marketing people put on marketing announcements. Neither bad or good, its just marketing noise.

Mythic may want WAR to be Led Zep to WoW's Beatles, but the fact remains they are competing for people's leisure time in the same market and will always be at each others' throats and undermining the competition in any way they can. We, the customers, can chuckle slightly at their [the gaming companies] manouevering - its readily transparent and at times popcorntastic. If their senior staff are stupid enough to get mouthy in public places ultimately the online community will destroy them both. These people are tolerated only as long as they supply a product that satiates gamers' appetites and the appetites of gamers are known to be fickle.

Blizzard's move to pre-release some patch stuff actually smacks of a tiny bit of desperation. On logging into WoW I found several glaring bugs in the new 'content'. Blizzard's patch day for the latest patch was nothing short of shockingly bad in a way that the WAR release never was, even despite the complaints that Euro players may have had about open beta. Servers were generating constant CTDs for many players and often going offline entirely. These things are happily glossed over by people that just want to bash. I don't claim that GOA/Mythic's rollout was totally smooth (cue Mani's current favourite saying here ) but it beat the pants off Blizzard's patch day, at least in Europe.

I don't think Mark Jacobs shows Mythic in a positive light when he posts. He comes across as a gaming fanboy that lucked into a big job without learning actual management skills along the way. This may not be the case of course, but its how he comes across. Ego + Drive <> Management Skill. Thats not to say these attributes are not important, just that they are not the entire required skillset.

I'd imagine there are a few people in the creative departments at Mythic that quietly seethe when Mark Jacobs posts about 'his vision' etc given that anything on this scale is a collaberation between a large team of creative and technical minds and the originating intellectual property actually comes from Games Workshop, not Mythic. A detail he may want to consider before implying to lay claim to one of the UK's favourite gaming brands as 'his vision'. Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought Paul Barnett was the Creative Director for Warhammer Online. Mark Jacobs is just the guy that goes to meetings with Electronic Arts, talks to the accountants and overrides the marketing department with his forum posting.

 

[Manisch Depressiv]

 

[Gahn]

/rant

I don't care if I have to level to 40, I do care if its the same rubbish as the last 5 levels with absolutely no bearing on the end game. They have dropped the ball BIG time, they better get a fucking move on and pick it up again.

As manisch said in a previous thread "MMOs have exactly one shot"
Less than a month now until the WoW expansion, Blizzard have been crafty fuckers and already tempted a lot of people back with the recent half expansion, class changes, new craft, a far better achievement system etc etc when it goes live proper it will beast WAR in its current form.

Mark Jacobs comes across as a patronising arsehole, telling people that they enjoy his vision of the game even though it is boring, pointless and has absolutely no relation to the end game. Fine if he wants to force his pointless headline grabbing changes then he should be ready for when it falls on its arse and take full responsibility. Giving people something that he had already taken away and proclaiming himself the saviour of the MMO expansion just smacks of stupidity, I am amazed he tried to get away with it.

I didn't buy WAR to grind for hours on end hoping I don't crack before the real deal end game PvP. It should not be a test of patience before the actual promised content of "WAAAAAARGH" or whatever.

Granted the bugs need fixing but so does the content. I wonder what sort of players they picked for their BETA. Did nobody point out to them that grinding in the hope of something better just doesn't work?

I had big hopes for WAR, I was genuinely excited about it, very disappointed.

/end rant

As you were

The grind wasn't there, we had boosted xp for that -.-

 

[Xandax]

My main problem with this is that having seen DAoC - Mythic does not have a good track record of getting balance right when introducing new classes.
The new classes in DAoC were insanely overpowered compared to the classic ones. My fear is that the reintroduced classes will follow this recipy, basically making the other (tank) classes redundant or sub par.

Would be good to get a human tank on Order side for sure though.

 

[partyanimal]

/rant
...

so, since pvp is the endgame, is war pvp not to your taste?
war pvp may not be as good as in daoc, but its 100 times better than any other mmorpg around

wow expansion would be another grind fest for zillion factions, preqs to enter dungeons, gold farm and endless runs to farm new sets from zillion bosses.
new class unbalances will provide with new fotm classes.
new craft will offer nothing at all since a new patch will provide items with even better stats.
ofc you may be craving for the moment you ding 1000000 times dancing naked in ironforge...

and what kind of grinding do you speak of?
most of the ppl level while they enjoy pvp
influence grinding? guild runs once a week can offer a couple of bubbles of influence by finishing all pqs of the chapter once...
gold farming? lol

 

[Raven]

so, since pvp is the endgame, is war pvp not to your taste?
war pvp may not be as good as in daoc, but its 100 times better than any other mmorpg around

wow expansion would be another grind fest for zillion factions, preqs to enter dungeons, gold farm and endless runs to farm new sets from zillion bosses.
new class unbalances will provide with new fotm classes.
new craft will offer nothing at all since a new patch will provide items with even better stats.
ofc you may be craving for the moment you ding 1000000 times dancing naked in ironforge...

and what kind of grinding do you speak of?
most of the ppl level while they enjoy pvp
influence grinding? guild runs once a week can offer a couple of bubbles of influence by finishing all pqs of the chapter once...
gold farming? lol

That's not the point. I am sure the end game open pvp is good but I am damned if I am going to spend weeks and weeks grinding over and over again in the hope that it is really that good the game is so geared towards instanced pvp that I really can't see it being any different at level 40. Level up in scenarios? God no, they are the definition of tedium.

The WoW expansion is a means to progress our raiding as a team, having cleared up to SWP which is the reason I play WoW, not for the PvP, its dogshit, I can't stand instanced scenarios (as mentioned previously) There are no pre-reqs for dungeons in the new expansion, just a challenge and gear progression. There is also a PvP zone with Blizzard talking about revamping the PvP system in an attempt to move away from instances into open world PvP, how this pans out is anyone's guess though. and who the hell farms gold anyway? you can make a couple of thousand gold in a days farming, that personally keeps me in raid materials and repairs for weeks.

Influence isnt a problem, you can cap a chapter in less than an hour and move on (they have that aspect down pretty well) its the actual exp grinding, its so bloody dull, the zones are drab and boring the mobs uninteresting, bugged and the story doesn't seem to fit, where is the lore? Sure you can read the tome but what's the point? I want to interact with the story not be told "you have met Mr NPC" then have to open up my tome to read about him, if I wanted that I would google it.

 

[Leel]

Well, I might read what he says if it wouldn't be in such a marketing propagandistic form. But I guess that's just how they do it in the US. I want cold hard facts, and information, not this bullshit where they are always trying to sell something.
The game does feel a bit lacking in content. So far I find playing alts in t1 and t2 more fun than leveling my 31 marauder further (even though I know from hearsay that it's about to get fooking op as I get just a few more levels).

 

[Talivar]

Well for me there has been nothing more dull than the wow raid grinds, how ppl can come here and say war grinds are so bad then go on to even mention wow is beyond me. Lets see spend your night questing or pvp on war and make a lv or go do the same raid u done 10000 times before in hope u get a SINGLE item or maybe a couple if you super lucky in wow. Everyone has a right to an opinion and ofc ppl will like and dislike war but please dont call it a bore because of grind and then go praise wow the mmo king of grind.

 

[Raven]

ofc its a grind, no MMO isnt at the end of the day but its how well the game disguises it that matters, in WoW at least the zones have their own character, there are some genuine pieces of gaming artwork in some of the zones and exploration of a new zone usually has a few "wow" moments, the WAR zones are just drab, there is very little going on in them. Sure you can play wow as a grind, but there are decent PVE dungeons along the way. Its the community too, its not just rolling up to an 25 man instance and farming it, its all the build up discussion, the team work in a raid team, the planning and coordination.

Mythic seem to have gone down the instance route to heavily, they are good fun a couple of times but after a while its just boring (imo) the outside pvp zones need to be far bigger, it just feels you are getting funnelled into a scenario that could well be instanced, very little thought has gone into it.

I may sound like a bit of a WoW fan boy but I am not, I so want Warhammer to be good, I want decent PvP, I wouldn't have bought it along with a new PC to play it on if I didn't. I just feel let down because despite all the pre release hype it is just another grindathon with very little going on to justify it.

Reduce the amount if instance scenarios, 1 per tier is more than enough.
increase exp fro mobs.
introduce some interesting zones.
fix the many mob/pet bugs that have existed since daoc (its a revised version of the game engine that powered daoc)
Increase the size of the open PvP zones and declutter them.
Reduce the random factor in public quests, they need to look at the roll system.
Introduce some fun and interesting quests, sure WoW is mostly kill X deliver Y but there are hundreds of funny, interesting and story driven quests around too.
Seasonal events are good too.

All this should have been picked up in the beta

ofc this is just my opinion, I am sure some people enjoy the game but for me it feels as though they have taken the worst aspects from other games and mixed them up to make what is frankly a bit of a mess.

 

[partyanimal]

nice input there, raven, but i really like that there are so many scenarios.
some of them need to be redesign, but even so, they are much better than the 3-4 bgs in wow.

 

[adams901]

/rant

I don't care if I have to level to 40, I do care if its the same rubbish as the last 5 levels with absolutely no bearing on the end game. They have dropped the ball BIG time, they better get a fucking move on and pick it up again.

As manisch said in a previous thread "MMOs have exactly one shot"
Less than a month now until the WoW expansion, Blizzard have been crafty fuckers and already tempted a lot of people back with the recent half expansion, class changes, new craft, a far better achievement system etc etc when it goes live proper it will beast WAR in its current form.

Mark Jacobs comes across as a patronising arsehole, telling people that they enjoy his vision of the game even though it is boring, pointless and has absolutely no relation to the end game. Fine if he wants to force his pointless headline grabbing changes then he should be ready for when it falls on its arse and take full responsibility. Giving people something that he had already taken away and proclaiming himself the saviour of the MMO expansion just smacks of stupidity, I am amazed he tried to get away with it.

I didn't buy WAR to grind for hours on end hoping I don't crack before the real deal end game PvP. It should not be a test of patience before the actual promised content of "WAAAAAARGH" or whatever.

Granted the bugs need fixing but so does the content. I wonder what sort of players they picked for their BETA. Did nobody point out to them that grinding in the hope of something better just doesn't work?

I had big hopes for WAR, I was genuinely excited about it, very disappointed.

/end rant

As you were

People keep comparing to WoW... Isn't WoW also a mindless grind to reach a certain level so you can either take part in boring arenas or spend 6 hours doing an end game raid?

Its been a few months since I stopped playing, but I remember having to regularly kill 900 (insert monster name here) so I could pick up 10 (instert Item here) before having to travel across half the known world to hand in a quest... only to be sent all the way back to do the 2nd part.

I have actually found it easier to level in War ( I did my first 20 lvls playing PvE only), my complaint about war is the lack of RvR pre 40.

 

[Tallen]

Many other MMO developers would have released the classes in a expansion.
They weren't in the game in beta so only record we have of them is that mythic first planned to include them.

All 4 classes were in the closed beta, how do you imagine they were tested and deemed "not fun"? The original concept was 4 classes per race and one city per race. The two tanks are coming back it seems, but no mention of the Hammerer or the Choppa NOR the 4 missing cities. What, when they reintroduce those we will be having to suck their preverbial cocks for more wonderful free content?

This is NOT free content or new content or new classes, this is Mythic catching up on the content they pulled during beta for various reasons. While i (and many others) agreed and supported them pulling this content from release as they didn't feel it was ready, I get agitated when they claim this as a new free content release when it's not that at all.

 

[Tallen]

Well for me there has been nothing more dull than the wow raid grinds, how ppl can come here and say war grinds are so bad then go on to even mention wow is beyond me. Lets see spend your night questing or pvp on war and make a lv or go do the same raid u done 10000 times before in hope u get a SINGLE item or maybe a couple if you super lucky in wow. Everyone has a right to an opinion and ofc ppl will like and dislike war but please dont call it a bore because of grind and then go praise wow the mmo king of grind.

 

[dee777]

and who the hell farms gold anyway? you can make a couple of thousand gold in a days farming, that personally keeps me in raid materials and repairs for weeks.

I am not going to argue your other points, as those look to my like your personal oppinion that you of course are entitled to, but a couple thousand gold in a days farming in WoW is utter bullcrap.

 

[Roo Stercogburn]

I am not going to argue your other points, as those look to my like your personal oppinion that you of course are entitled to, but a couple thousand gold in a days farming in WoW is utter bullcrap.

Actually, if you get lucky and find some epics, rare recipes, darkmoon cards, disenchantable drops etc while farming that you can put on AH for stupid money, you can do this. However, I would say those kind of days are the exception rather than the rule. Certain elites are also farmable by classes such as paladins or druids and I know of several players that took on the boredom factor and went for it. Other than tackling these kinds of mobs a couple of times just for the "Been there, done it" factor, I never bothered though.