Warhammer July Newsletter + Video

[Arthur_Parker]

Warhammer July Newsletter

Careers Black Orc

“Now den, some times what da boyz need is a lad what can take a beating, and beat back! Dey need a lad wif a serious pair of tusks! Dem needs a Black Orc!”
- Grumlok, Orc Warboss on Strategy

"Da bigger da Orc, da stronger da Orc. Da stronger da Orc, da more dat's Orc's da boss. No wonder da Black Orcs is always da bosses!"
- Splinta, a Goblin in the Bloody Sun Boyz tribe


Armed and armored to fight in the thick of melee as a warrior and tanker, the Black Orc matches physical hardiness with a down and dirty brawler’s fighting style that makes him the heart of any war band. With choppa and shield in hand, he can face down any foe unshaken. However, it is his unique approach to fighting that makes him as deadly with his fists as with either of those tools. He’ll knock you down so you can’t fight back, and then kick you while you’re down. There’s no honor among Greenskins, and there’s no such thing as a fair fight – and that’s the way he likes it!

The Black Orc Specialty

The Black Orc’s fighting style might best be described as brawling. He attacks with all the tools available – fists, feet, elbows, shoulders, and assorted other spiky bits, including weapons. His various attacks are designed to jar, disorient, or otherwise disable his enemy. Each of these conditions leaves the enemy vulnerable to yet more punishment. This comes in the form of other attacks which deliver additional effects based on the target’s condition. The Black Orc’s use of these tools revolves around the philosophy that the best defense is indeed a good offense.

Playing as a Black Orc

Combat for a Black Orc revolves around engaging and defeating enemies one at a time, while weathering the fire of their allies. As a front line fighter, the Black Orc is well equipped to withstand the attacks of his enemies. Though protected by shield and armor, and possessing a hearty constitution, his greatest strength lies in his ability to disable his primary opponent. His use of jarring blows and unexpected attacks allow the Black Orc to exploit the openings they create to reduce the enemy’s ability to fight back.

Fighting Black Orcs
When you fight a Black Orc it’s most important to know your enemy and his abilities. This allows you yo counter them and keep him from reaching the potential of his deadly power. He will always have the tools to engage you, so there’s little sense in trying to get around him. If you’re aware of his abilities – especially the multiple attacks he can chain off of one another – you can maneuver and break his chains, denying him maximum performance. Maneuverability, selective engagement, and an intimate knowledge of your enemy’s abilities are the keys to defeating the Black Orc.

The Black Orc Look

Fully armored in heavy armor (with lots of spikes)
Large very heavy shields (also with lots of spikes)
Choppas and great choppas (with spiky bits stuck on)

Sneak Peek Empire vs. Chaos

Grab Bag

Q: The backstory seems a little shallow, like it was just made to set up a big war. Does it get any more interesting in the details?

A: MD: This is long one, so bear with me if you will.

The backstory's primary goal is to set up a big war, yes. Does it get any deeper than that? Absolutely! We've only released the "high-level" backstory. This is the story as told in very broad strokes. I spend most of my day finding ways to make that story come alive at a much smaller level. In fact, the story has several levels to it. Let me explain:

There's the story of the entire world, which is the one that we've shown you. A big war breaks out, drawing six factions into a huge, world-spanning conflict. There's the story of the Dwarf and Greenskin conflict in particular. The greenskins have captured Karak Eight Peaks and are gathering for a big Waaagh! to march on Karaz-a-Karak and exterminate the Dwarfs once and for all. Meanwhile, the Dwarfs, determined to drive the invading greenskins out of Karak Eight Peaks, have set out on an ambitious task – to create the most powerful weapons in the history of their race. The finest warriors of the age will carry these mighty weapons into battle and lead the Dwarf army to victory.

Let's zoom in another level. There's the story of Barak Varr, the sole Dwarf harbor in their entire realm. A vital strategic center, the port has come under attack by a rogue tribe of Orcs who were on their way to join the big Waaagh! at "Eight Peaks", as the Orcs call it. The Bloody Sun Boyz have to get these misguided Orcs back on the road to the Waaagh, and the Dwarfs have to protect their vital port. There are fierce battles all throughout Barak Varr as the two factions fight for control in a battle that could greatly influence the outcome of the war.

Zooming in one more level, we come to a specific, and very important, area within Barak Varr – the Bar Dawazbak, or Dwarf's Head Gate. This gate is all that stands between the ravening Orc horde and the overland road to the Great Cove, the massive port where the Dwarf dock their ironclads. There's a ferocious contest taking place here as the Dwarfs struggle to keep the gate repaired despite the best efforts of the greenskins' Rock Lobbers. A power struggle is taking place in the greenskin camp as Lug, a high-ranking Black Orc from the Bloody Sun Boyz tribe attempts to assert his dominance over the leader of the One Tusk Orcs, Nogaz. On the other side of the gate, the Dwarfs, short on supplies and men, fight desperately to prevent their port from being overrun.

There's a lot more to the story than what we've revealed so far. The backstory permeates all of our content, and if we do our jobs right, you'll see it just about everywhere you look when you're in the game. Just about any time you have a huge war, you'll find great stories. If you don't believe me, watch Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan. The Age of Reckoning is no different, and I think you'll really like some of what we have in store for you. Keep in mind, however, than when the game launches, the story passes from our hands into yours. We'll set the table for you, but it's you, the players, who will really bring that story to life.

July Video Blog

Paul Barnett's E3 video

New Barnett in France video (sound cuts out last couple of mins in 2nd part)

There's a lot more in the newsletter.

[stray]

So in other words, the storylines really are shallow. Just different layers of shallow.

Not that I care though. It's War, not Adventure. It's just kind of silly to pass off various battle scenarios as good "storytelling" though.

[Morfiend]

Sneak Peek Empire vs. Chaos

*Drool*

[WindiaN]

thank god for this update, i was really concerned about the lore of Warhammer

[Arthur_Parker]

thank god for this update, i was really concerned about the lore of Warhammer

Update meaning the newsletter or update relating to me starting this thread?

[WindiaN]

thank god for this update, i was really concerned about the lore of Warhammer

Update meaning the newsletter or update relating to me starting this thread?

newsletter

[Arthur_Parker]

There's a lot in the newsletter.  I quoted the background story question as a valid point was made here earlier that the story they had in place was a bit weak.  I found the mention of Band of Brothers & Saving Private Ryan interesting as I've read a few of Stephen Ambrose's books.

Warhammer has always stolen ideas from everywhere which has lead to some great concepts like "Filthy Harold", I have no idea if the games going to be good or not but I'm liking a lot of what I'm hearing such as mention of Naval combat in one of the videos.

Harald Kleindeinst: This is why they call me 'Filthy Harald'. Every filthy job, baron. That's when people come to me. That's what I get. Every filthy job.

Born in 2460, Harald Kleindeinst was a captain of the Altdorf Dock Watch, stationed in Luitpoldstrasse, badge number 89, until 2503. In that year he had the misfortune to kill the wrong man. Harald saved a young girl from a naked, cleaver-wielding maniac, who turned out to be the son of Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck, Elector of Ostland. Hals had Harald's career destroyed: he lost his house, his savings, his pension and his commission.

Harald sought employment elsewhere, and acted as merchant's enforcer for the Reik & Talabec Trading Company for 3 years before Johann von Mecklenberg dragged him out of retirement to help him hunt the Beast who was stalking the streets of Altdorf in 2506.

During a riot incited by priest of Tzeentch Yevgeny Yefimovich, Harald got an oppurtunity to get his own back of von Tasseninck, by saving his life from the howling mob.

In 2507, Harald, reinstated as Captain of the Dock Watch, was assigned to handle the series of killings known as the Warhawk Murders. This appointment, made by the newly-formed Atrocities Commission, came in the wake of his success in tracking down the Beast, and he replaced Erich Viereck, whose previous investigation had seen the execution of an innocent man in place of the Warhawk each time a killing was committed. Aided by Rosanna Ophuls, Kleindeinst tracked the Warhawk down and put his Magnin to good use again in ending the Warhawk's reign of terror. During the investigation, Harald took out his frustrations on the unsavoury inhabitants of the Street of 100 Taverns, aided by a sizable dose of daemon dust, the drug taken by Norscan berserkers in battle. The incidents cause by Kleindeinst on his night-long rampage included wrapping iron bars around the neck of Temple Street gym proprietor Arne the Body, firing a Fish warehouses full of smuggled Bretonnian silks and smashing a statue of Ueli von Tasseninck.

Harald's trademark weapon is his Magnin throwing knife, uniquely weighted for him alone, and forged with silver in the steel, making it proof against both the living and the undead. As it transpired, it didn't need this extra feature to put an end to the Beast of Altdorf, who was entirely human.

It's a simple idea to steal Dirty Harry replace the most powerful handgun with the most powerful throwing knife and translate it into Fantasy but I think it's a small example of when warhammer works well.

[Margalis]

.44 magnum - the most powerful handgun in the world.

[Simond]

FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC.

[Numtini]

All this Mythic stuff is making me nostalgic for DAOC.

Someone please kill me

[shiznitz]

/stabs a vibrating chicken dildo in your eye

[Arthur_Parker]

Full version of the Warhammer Trailer is out

Same as before only with the full version of the Chaos/Human fight added on.

[Morfiend]

Full version of the Warhammer Trailer is out

Same as before only with the full version of the Chaos/Human fight added on.

Yummy.

[Kenrick]

Full version of the Warhammer Trailer is out

Same as before only with the full version of the Chaos/Human fight added on.

Yummy.

My computer just whimpered feebly, "Upgrade."

[Rasix]

My computer just whimpered feebly, "Upgrade."

There was not a single second of ingame footage in that video.  I imagine your computer is fine unless it is already past its prime. 

[pxib]

I was amused to see the "25 years of Warhammer" parallel WoW's cinematic's "10 years of Warcraft", and I was impressed (as ever) with how well we all understand cinematic combat and how poorly we've seen it transposed into games. Not only will Warmhammer combat look inferior to this, it'll feel inferior. The gestures of contempt, the dramatic pauses, the almost complete dependence on a dance of complex parries and dodges rather than a slow chipping of actual hits. Such a fight is no more "realistic" than anything the game will have to offer, but the tension and narrative it creates will be missing.

No amount of backstory (trite, well written, stolen, or otherwise) will bring it back.

[Morfiend]

I was amused to see the "25 years of Warhammer"

Yeah it said 1983-2008.

[Rithrin]

and I was impressed (as ever) with how well we all understand cinematic combat and how poorly we've seen it transposed into games. Not only will Warmhammer combat look inferior to this, it'll feel inferior. The gestures of contempt, the dramatic pauses, the almost complete dependence on a dance of complex parries and dodges rather than a slow chipping of actual hits. Such a fight is no more "realistic" than anything the game will have to offer, but the tension and narrative it creates will be missing.

No amount of backstory (trite, well written, stolen, or otherwise) will bring it back.

Well World of Warcraft's video also did a similar thing. Playing Mages in WoW certainly doesn't feel like the one you see fighting off an infernal in the video for instance. Other than the fact that Mythic seems to be making a huge deal out of their video, I don't see why this would have an effect of WAR more than WoW's video had on itself (which was none). As well if you're even relatively experienced with MMOs you already know that combat isn't going to be like that.

[eldaec]

I was amused to see the "25 years of Warhammer" parallel WoW's cinematic's "10 years of Warcraft", and I was impressed (as ever) with how well we all understand cinematic combat and how poorly we've seen it transposed into games. Not only will Warmhammer combat look inferior to this, it'll feel inferior. The gestures of contempt, the dramatic pauses, the almost complete dependence on a dance of complex parries and dodges rather than a slow chipping of actual hits. Such a fight is no more "realistic" than anything the game will have to offer, but the tension and narrative it creates will be missing.

No amount of backstory (trite, well written, stolen, or otherwise) will bring it back.

Actually, I'd say MMOG pvp fights are a lot *more* realistic than the cinematics.

 - Over in seconds.
 - Based on huge alpha-strikes rather than sustained combat.
 - Each move tends to get less dramatic and swingy after the first.
 - Frustration for the loser caused by a complete lack of understand of what the hell just happened.
 - Result can be predicted in advance nine times out of ten by examining differences in level, time-played, guild-status, and gear.
 - Organisation trumps orginality or elan.

You are right about the lack of tension and narrative of course.

[angry.bob]

People at the local gaming store came back from Gencon excited as hell after seeing it there thi past weekend. Sadly, I had to explain to them that those weren't the actual n-game graphics.

Also, based on that video, you'd have to be a complete tool not to join the Orc/Chaos?Dark Elf side.

[Ironwood]

What a lot of wank.

That video is, of course, cool as fuck.  But misleading as all hell and really, really annoying.

And WHY do we have to have the only fucking woman in the game fighting in the nudd ?  Can we not get over it ?

[Morfiend]

And WHY do we have to have the only fucking woman in the game fighting in the nudd ?

FAG!!!







j/k

[Lantyssa]

Actually, I'd say MMOG pvp fights are a lot *more* realistic than the cinematics.

It is a fantasy game.  Who wants realism?

[Rithrin]

And WHY do we have to have the only fucking woman in the game fighting in the nudd ?  Can we not get over it ?

Well, its based off Warhammer lore. Of course they chose the witch elf for their video, who according to the books wear almost nothing.

[pxib]

It is a fantasy game.  Who wants realism?

Bingo. More drama less realism PLEASE.

[Fargull]

angry.bob,

Actually they had the beta playable at Gencon.  If you like WOW, it is certainly aiming for that bar from what I could tell of the early game.  The PVP better stand out.  From spell casting to the fighting, it felt the bloody same.  The game was obviously very early, but even the early eyecandy was DAMN nice.  My biggest compaint of the beta / alpha was the combat felt MMORG slow.  The world had more atmosphere than WOW from what little I got to play.

[caladein]

What a lot of wank.

That video is, of course, cool as fuck.  But misleading as all hell and really, really annoying.

I believe the word you're looking for is bullshot.

[Tannhauser]

It's just a cinematic, designed to get you pumped up and excited about playing the game.  Chill out.

[NiX]

It's just a cinematic, designed to get you pumped up and excited about playing the game.  Chill out.

HEY! Hey! Chill out? That's crazy talk. You're crazy! Crazy son of a bitch.

[Righ]

Bingo. More drama less realism PLEASE.

Drama? That's why we have raiding guilds.

[Lantyssa]

Bingo. More drama less realism PLEASE.

Drama? That's why we have raiding guilds.

Fixed that for you.

[Secundo]

.44 magnum - the most powerful handgun in the world.

I thought the .50 Action Express was it but please feel free to enlighten me ;)  (Clint is old.)

[Righ]

You mean the S&W Model 500. I believe that the Action Express is just a cartridge, with an entirely too silly name.

[Arthur_Parker]

Warhammer August Newsletter

[HRose]

Actually, I'd say MMOG pvp fights are a lot *more* realistic than the cinematics.

It is a fantasy game.  Who wants realism?

More consistence than realism.

Take Evangelion. In every anime with big robots there are the evil guys who raid Tokyo and just Tokyo. In Evangelion that still happens, but they go beyond the superficiality to give each thing its own sense and justification. And it was cool.