Warhammer Online - State of the Game

[Garthilk]

In addition to Octobers Newsletter, below is the State of the Game from Mark Jacobs, VP and General Manager for the Studio. You can also find the state of the game in the October Newsletter which has just started to go out, please note it may take a couple of days to get all of them to your in-boxes.

In 2005, when Mythic signed the licensing agreement for Warhammer, I promised Games Workshop that we would create a great and glorious game. When Electronic Arts acquired us a year later, I told them the same thing. Now, a year after that acquisition, nothing has changed: we still intend to deliver the next great MMORPG. As many of you may have heard, we have extended WAR’s development cycle until the 2nd quarter of 2008. The reason is simple; we will not release Warhammer Online until it is the game we set out to create two years ago.

Our goals for Warhammer Online are not easily met. The game includes many new and innovative ideas, a feature set that is going to blow players away, and, most importantly, the best RvR system in MMORPG gaming. These things take time to implement and test properly. During the last phase of beta testing, we received valuable feedback from our testers that will help make these features even better. When we looked at our options, two paths lay before us: 1) Ship the game on time with fewer features and less polish, or 2) Extend the development cycle and spend the needed time and money to make WAR great. We chose the latter path - to invest additional time and effort in implementation and polish to make WAR great. Fortunately, we have the resources and support of EA behind us to extend our development cycle; time that will be used to make sure the game is everything we want it to be. WAR is coming, and it will be glorious.

One of the “popular” topics of discussion regarding EA Mythic this past week has been the subject of layoffs within the studio. While we did let several people go from the Warhammer Online team, the number was *quite* small and their loss had no impact on our development schedule. These layoffs were part of our normal studio operations and a necessary step for EA Mythic to ensure that we have a focused and committed team working on WAR going forward.

On the Beta front, we will begin a new phase of testing in December, and we look forward to getting even more people involved in WAR by the end of the year. We are approaching a half a million registrants, and, to my knowledge, this could be the most ever signups for a Western MMORPG beta. I am very proud of this as it is a testament to the strength of the community, the popularity of the Warhammer license, and the outstanding work the team at EA Mythic is doing on the game. When we open the beta in Asia, we expect the numbers to continue to climb as we’d like to see one million players signed up to test the game. At that point, we will be well on our way to bringing about the second part of the double entendre of our motto as WAR really will be everywhere.

Over the next few months in Beta, our players will find all-new content to experience, careers to play and cities to siege. Our Capital City team continues to push the envelope by creating the next generation of living cities in MMORPGs and Altdorf is simply breathtaking. New Community systems will be in place and we look forward to getting many existing guilds into the beta to try them out.

In addition, we’ll be making changes to the RvR (open field RvR FTW!) and Server Rule Set Systems. These changes bring WAR a step closer to fulfilling the promise that “War is Everywhere” while ensuring a great play experience for those that do not choose to engage in RvR 24x7. This is another example of how EA Mythic talks to the community, listens to what they have to say, and takes action. We will continue this process over the next three quarters as we continue to develop, expand and improve WAR.

As I often quote from movies, one line particularly leaps to mind right now: “Creation is an act of sheer will,” said John Hammond in Jurassic Park. Unlike his creation in that film, however, what EA Mythic creates will be great and glorious, and nobody will get eaten by giant reptiles. That is, until we get bring Lustria to life and then all bets are off.

As always, we thank you for your patronage, support and interest.
Mark Jacobs
VP and General Manager, EA Mythic

[Garthilk]

Just a few quick words.

Anyone breaking the forum rules in this thread will very quickly find themselves at another fansite. That said, personally I'm very glad to read this announcement. In the market that we're in today, big MMO titles like Warhammer simply cannot be pushed out the door and expect to be successful. I am very happy that Mythic has shown the courage necessary to delay Warhammer further and bring us a game that we can all truly be happy with.

[Taurth]

Cool. I'm yet to read it, but before I do I just want to say thanks for posting this and ofcource thanks to Mark. Its good to hear that the newsletter should start popping up soon, too.

After reading it, I must say I am a little disappointed to hear about another push back, despite expecting it. The reason is clearly justified and ofcource I'd prefer the game to be as polished as possible, its just a bit of a downer knowing I'll have to wait even longer to get my hands on this game.

Ah well. If it needed pushing back then it needed pushing back I guess.

[Cathen]

Not to much unexpected info...but good to hear none the less.

[Slash]

I can't say I surprised (we all knew it was coming), though I am a little disappointed I will have to wait a little more to slaughter some High Elves. However, I would prefer them to release a functional game a little later than a waaaghwaaaghwaaaghwaaagh game ASAP.

[Noah]

That's a shame about the delay, but I have to grudgingly accept that its necessary. At least on the bright side, I can do Spring Semester at school without worrying about having to play WAR haha.

[dutch_gamer]

I am not surprised there is a delay, I was expecting there to be one, or better yet, I wanted them to delay it to deliver a great game. I will just simply say that I agree with every point he made. And I am happy he said "In addition, we’ll be making changes to the RvR (open field RvR FTW!)". Especially the latter makes me very happy, because it shows they do want to make the open field RvR as fun as Scenarios. That part has always been worrisome to me. I am glad they are not just thinking about instances only.

[Mbj]

Folks,

Okay, the news is out about WAR being delayed till to the second quarter 2008 (of the calendar year (April, May and June), not fiscal year for those accounting types in the audience) and it’s time to don the flame-retardant suit for me. Here’s some more straight talk, no hype, spin or rinse and dry cycles. In regards to the delay, there are 4 phrases that you should know (oh, and if some of you want to, right now, expand my vocabulary by using some of your own choice words/phrases, please resist the temptation):

1) Content complete – When we have the entire content into the game this includes quests, NPCs, etc.
2) Feature complete – When all the game’s systems have been added to the game.
3) Balancing – Something that is impossible to do 100% correctly in an MMOPRG, no matter how hard we try to make sure that the systems are balanced so that races/classes/abilities all fit nicely together.
4) Polish – The time that is spent after (1) & (2) are done that is geared to improving existing content, chucking out some stuff that isn’t working and overall, adding nice touches to the game here, there and everywhere.

Over the last couple of months the team has been delivering its content in the hopes of being content complete on schedule. Once that was done, we intended to have many months of polishing that content (like all the great games do) before release. The same holds true for the systems that go into the game as well (RvR, crafting, etc.) and we would then spend time balancing and also polishing them. While the team has been delivering lots of content and features, we were eating into the time that we had allocated for polishing the game once we were content and feature complete. So, as the SotG says, we had two paths opening up in front of us. We could cut out some of the features from the final milestones and have less time to polish the game or bite the bullet and extend out the schedule. We made the choice, supported by EA, to allow us the time we wanted to both polish the game and put in the features that this game needs to be great. We now have all the polish and balance time we need to get this game ready for its debut.

Additionally, during the course of beta, our testers raised a number of issues regarding the game, among them RvR, repetitive PQs and classes that didn’t feel special enough as you play them through Tier 4. We listened to their feedback and because of it we are making lots of adjustments to those things as well. This too has been factored into the new schedule. That is the proper purpose of Beta, getting lots of feedback and then, if you are smart and have the resources, going back and getting it right. That process has begun at Mythic and with the extra time, we will be able to deal with them. With the additional of open field RvR, multiple server types including Open RvR (kill any enemy you meet other than true newbs), Core Ruleset (once you’re in enemy territory you’re flagged automatically and you can’t unflag yourself but PvP is still consensual in PvE protected areas, you can *never* unflag in RvR areas) and RP we believe this will be a great system at launch. And, according to the beta testers, they agree. Their feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive of this system though a small percentage would still like to see DAoC 2 (which we have said no to right from the beginning). In actually, the Core Ruleset is closer to DAoC than you think but still has enough difference to make it quite interesting and the Open RvR Ruleset is very different. One suggestion that I’ve seen here and elsewhere is for an Open RvR RP Ruleset which we are considering. During the ongoing beta test we will continue the polling and if there is enough support for that, we will consider it. There also has been some support for a FFA server as an additional server type, not as a primary, but we have no plans to do that at the present time.

Now, I know that on a number of levels that this news doesn’t seem to be very good. I haven’t tried to spin things but simply, as always, tell it like it is. Over the last year a number of people have raised certain fears for WAR after Mythic was acquired by EA. Among those classics are:

1) That EA will meddle in the design to make the game more like WoW.
2) That EA will not allow Mythic the time to complete WAR and make us shove it out the door on schedule regardless of the game’s quality.
3) That the game is not going to come out at all.
4) That Mythic is out of touch with what the player’s want and we are not listening.

I hope that this delay serves to quell those fears for now and for ever. They are backing our play to create a great game and if it takes a little longer, then it takes a little longer; that is the price of playing with the big boys. We are listening to our beta testers as well as our internal teams and doing what is right for WAR over the long-term not what is right just for now. As I’ve said before, and I’ll say again, we set out to make WAR a great MMORPG and that is what we intend to do. While the delay may seem like forever, it is only another quarter and not another year.

And as our CEO said in our earnings call, EA continues to invest in Mythic and in Warhammer and they expect it to be a bigger hit due to the extra time. Gotta love it when a CEO (especially of a public company) says that about your studio and your game! Not too bad eh?

Our beta will reopen on schedule in December and we will open the Guild Beta about a month later once we’re sure that everything is back up and running properly and ready to go for the guilds.

Over the years the MMO industry has seen too many games crash and burn at launch as well as some games, while marginally successful, that just didn’t live up to the hype. We are spending the additional time on WAR to make sure that it doesn’t fall into any of those categories. We could have waited till the last minute, as some other games have done, and then announced a delay. This might have been better to do from a marketing perspective but not from our perspective. I would rather disappoint some of you now, not later and especially not when we release the game.

If the delay causes some of you to lose faith, that’s okay, take a break and come back when we are further along with the game, you’ll be welcomed back with open arms by a friendly DE holding a Heartseeker when you return.

Mark

[Artorius Necto]

Well i'll just have to play it all summer then!! back to team fortress till then!!

[Nastu]

Seems to me like promising and reassuring a date over and over then pushing it back has become the mood for the industry now. Before the dates were just never set and the push backs came as no surprise. This, however, just seems to me to be baiting. It's almost like they continue to say were on sched and its all going well! Were right on time for Q1 then they go and push it back without any indication why. I, for one, and disapointed in Mythic. It seems that the "EA symdrome" has begun to creep in.

[Cathen]

Originally Posted by dutch_gamer

I am not surprised there is a delay, I was expecting there to be one, or better yet, I wanted them to delay it to deliver a great game. I will just simply say that I agree with every point he made. And I am happy he said "In addition, we’ll be making changes to the RvR (open field RvR FTW!)". Especially the latter makes me very happy, because it shows they do want to make the open field RvR as fun as Scenarios. That part has always been worrisome to me. I am glad they are not just thinking about instances only.

I concur...it definitely sounds like the beta testers made some noise regarding how heavily instanced PvP was, and now changes are being made.

Definitely wiping some sweat from my brow on that one.....open field RvR FTW! indeed.

[Lord Tareq]

I knew it, the vip's were to kind to us the last weeks, I knew they were "softening us up" for something big

Anyway, though obviously not "great news" I really like it how they really want to make sure everything is really finished before they release, and well, I'm not in a hurry
Keep working on it for as long as you like to make the best mmorpg ever




....now please tell us the final dark elf classes to compensate for this sad news

[senmance]

No surprise. Can't say I'm happy about another delay, but I can say I'm unhappy about it!

Oh well, I'm not one to whine and complain. I've stopped "waiting" for anything from this game for a while now, so this is not something I'm gonna dwell on either. Delays happen.

Just hope guild beta doesn't get pushed back even further for some magical reason that will suddenly appear...

[Garthilk]

Originally Posted by Mbj

With the additional of open field RvR, multiple server types including Open RvR (kill any enemy you meet other than true newbs), Core Ruleset (once you’re in enemy territory you’re flagged automatically and you can’t unflag yourself but PvP is still consensual in PvE protected areas, you can *never* unflag in RvR areas) and RP we believe this will be a great system at launch. And, according to the beta testers, they agree. Their feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive of this system though a small percentage would still like to see DAoC 2 (which we have said no to right from the beginning). In actually, the Core Ruleset is closer to DAoC than you think but still has enough difference to make it quite interesting and the Open RvR Ruleset is very different. One suggestion that I’ve seen here and elsewhere is for an Open RvR RP Ruleset which we are considering.

This is some of the best news I've read all day. I look forward to learning more as time goes on.

[Gemini]

Honestly Mark, that post shoulda been in the newsletter too, tells us a lot more than the state of the game address.