Warhammer Impressions

Mandie · **on:** September 19, 2008, 07:11:06 AM

So, Tim talked me into buying it since my WoW retirement. I'm just bored out of my fucking mind. I don't like raiding much, I prefer to do BG's but hate the fact that there are only a few BG's one of which I loathe. WoW is the hamster in a wheel bullshit and it's driving me nuts.

After AoC, I wasn't really interested in WAR to be frank with you. LoTRO also left much to be desired. Both games... didn't like the character movement. AoC didn't like the 123 combat stuff or the feel of combat. LoTRO combat was very boring with even more boring classes. EQ2 is just plain ugly and I feel it's full of technical issues given it's age. Lineage 2, pretty package, shit everything else. Horrible controls, horrible community etc etc. Then you have other games which I don't even feel like going into. All in all, I never care for the classes or combat of other games when compared to WoW. In a nutshell, they are missing one critical part, Fun.

From this point forward, my review is to be compared with my WoW Gnome deep fire Mage.

So anyhow, with much pessimism and overall distaste, I installed it, loaded it up, and watched the intro video.

Holy shit, the intro video rocked my world. Ok, well, it's just an intro video.

First of all, let me start off by saying, I adore the art. It's beautiful. Is it WoW like? Yes, next next generation. The graphics are beautiful, but still with the cartoon edge, which I like (it's a freaking video game, I hate playing a waxy corpse.) The spell animations blew me away. You log into the middle of battle, not a pup tent and some corny kiddie quests. It seemed as if my realistic yet fun looking wizard was actually casting a spell vs vibrating her triangular shaped hands. Or clunking a wolf upside the head (slowly) with some blunt mace. Quests were straight forward... fun, didn't take too terribly long and wasn't collect 56 freaking Trogg teeth. I like it. So much in fact, I really don't want to be any other class. It was what a Mage/Wizard SHOULD be, but never quite was. Even with my gnome's good gear and the fact I could farm like no tomorrow, the wow factor was always missing. All around me bombs are going off, canons are being fired, there is action action action. There is a large glitz factor here, start right in the middle of action. But I should at least check other stuff out... you know, other classes.

Next I tried Dwarf Engineer. Oh my GOD. Are these dwarf chicks ever pretty, cute, and VERY FUN. Dwarf women in WoW couldn't bed down a 4 toothed trucker. I find the engineer class FUN. I was smiling from ear to ear. However, I heard that the Engineer Class has a strange ulitity, basically irritate and confuse with some AoE. Sorta like a CC thing. Jack of all trades master of none, so I decide to tinker around a bit more (but VERY hooked on the Female Dwarf)

Enter the Greenskin Shaman. Really cute and all, not my deal, too creepy/gross, I log out after I give him one good hop (I even got the named Pickle btw, which is pretty cool) and try a Witch Elf.

The Witch Elf is so pretty. But not feeling it so much, not my taste, I think it's because I like the Goodies more than the Baddies. So....

I try a Dwarf Rune Priest. I think I'm in love. She is so fun. With this class I don't start off with 3 spells, I get 2, a damage spell and a heal spell, but I love the feel of it. I feel sort of torn. I've always been a mage/wizard type. Always. And... god DAMN my Bright Wizard chick is a FOX. Whew! This chick has tattos that are on fire people, and it doesn't look stupid. Even games like Neverwinter Nights, then again I did like Necromancer in Diablo, and who's to say I might not enjoy behing a healer. I do adore the Dwarves, I really do, it just has that fun feeling, like my old gnome.

The Score SO FAR with only several hours played - Give me a few days to see where the numbers REALLY stand

10 UI and Graphics. Simply beautiful. Each race gets a little different of a UI, with a different sort of icon. The graphics I give just about a perfect 10 other than when a bug pops up, but to be frank, with all the whining about bugs and lag, I haven't encountered anything really yet. I remember when WoW first came out, our PC's would lock up in flight or in IF... and this other than a very slight stutter is nothing. Maybe when I hit the RvR stage, it will be different. Also like the compass around my character so I know where I am headed without looking on the minimap. Also like that I can track more than 5 quests at a time on my screen. All sorts of little bells and whistles... that make me realize, WoW implemented stuff like the ! and ? because of this game.

9 Quests. At level 2 I was firing and aiming cannons, pretty cool. some typical quests as well, but very fun. I also like how early on from the starting point, you feel immersed in action and war.

10 Spells, Combat and Animations. The combat is not quite as fast as WoW for some classes, but it feels more natural and real, without feeling clunky. I very much enjoy casting, it really adds to the fun factor. Animations are very cool, the eye rolling and hair flipping of my Witch for example. I also like how the mobs/people I fight all look different. Not killing the same freaking face over and over. Very refreshing.

8 Bugs and clunk. Hmmm, very little so far. I was expecting a lot more.

9 Innovation. Can't comment yet, but as far as layout and combat, the wheel hasn't been "fixed" if you catch my drift. I like it just the way it is. Will score top marks because I only see an improved wheel, not a square one.

10 Fun factor. So far? Big fun. I can't wait to log in. It's early still, and I will post as the week goes on.

9 Potential. From what I see, tons and tons of potential. Now I know why WoW opened up PvP to Pve and back transfers. I think this game would make Blizzard a lot more nervous for their monthly bottom line. However, everyone is very very wary of new MMO's, because it's been one nasty tank after another. I'm having a lot of fun and I really hope it continues that way. I think they (Blizzard) may very well be afraid of WAR taking a sizeable chunk of their already burned out income. Will it be a WoW killer? No, some people won't ever give it a try, especially because all the other MMOs are bombs (Van, AoC, and IMO LoTRO is also pretty lame, all be it not bombs and much better than Van and AoC) compared to WoW. Some people might think, ew it's PvP. And I may yet still find it's not for me, but this is a damn good game, you can tell that there was a lot of solid effort put into it by real pros. I don't want to grind for fiftyeleventyseven hours or raid for 5 hours to face monster repair bills. Suddenly, WoW seems so... simple. Very very... simple. Even if I opt not to choose WAR and I'm 90% sure even at level 3 I will be, that this game has shown me there is some real solid potential out there.

So far, it's beautiful, and I love it. So far...

Here are some screenshots:

The Goodies and My First Toon (Bright Wizard)

My Very Pretty Witch (Witch Elf) in the middle of a blink and hair toss

Witch Elf (I made her blind, so her eyes glow funny)

Witch Elf casting

Rune Priest accepting her first quest

Rune Priest casting

Rune Priest healing

Rune Priest in combat

Mandie · **Reply #1 on:** September 19, 2008, 08:10:43 AM

I love her, I might play both the BW and RP until I figure out which I like best, I love them both so much...

I feel, dare I say... it feels "right" It feels like I can finally be free of WoW and have fun again. I just hope it lasts, if you catch my drift.

Graphics set to Balanced (Not High)

Hunchback · **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2008, 06:41:14 PM

damn, the game looks fine

Is it not too much of a wow clone though?

Rick · **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2008, 07:12:07 PM

Looks so much like WoW, I didn'T even notice the slightly enhanced graphics.
Of course WoW is so butt ugly...

Mandie · **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2008, 08:03:10 PM

The more we play the more we see it's not a WoW clone. Lots of major differences, including the lack of a grind. RvR (Like a Bg) is actually fun.) There is tons of action... The longer you play the more you see it is nothing like WoW, other than a few art similarities and similar UI layout. We wake up and want to play, we realize hours (not minutes) have passed. It's that fun.

If you can play on a US server, look us up. We are on Be'lakor. I'm Brunnhilda and Sanvean and Tim is Beardo and Clegane.

The below screen is a windmill on fire. The screen doesn't do it justice as it's twirling and smoking and in action.

Mandie · **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2008, 08:08:29 PM

Here are tons more screens including crafting, some typical quests, etc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58039367@N00/

Hunchback · **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2008, 10:12:29 PM

TBH the textures seem... bleak.

Nasojiti · **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2008, 07:54:08 AM

The graphics aren't that great, even on max with forced aa/af, but, I can over look that. The graphics in AoC were pretty great, but, they led to slideshows in even relatively small battles. Warhammer on the other hand doesn't seem to lag no matter how many people are on screen. That and the fact the game is fun means the graphics are forgiveable.

Haven't encountered any major bugs yet either, lots of people reporting a ctd one but haven't had it happen.

Quests, well, they're standard MMO stuff. Go here, kill ten of whatever and return. Or go see this dude over there, or go pick this shit up and take it somewhere else. Which is fine, I guess, not particularly interesting but not terrible given the shit you have to kill for 'drops' always drops what you need.

Public Quests are okay, if a little imbalanced, parts of the same chapter can be doable with a few people while others in teh same area are virtually impossible with a large group of characters. The rewards are also pretty much junk, it seems. Given by the time you've got the influence required you'll already have better stuff from renow or just questing. At least that's what I've found.

Game seems pretty balanced in terms of Order versus Destruction, although the Destruction team seems to, at least on Anlec, have a better balance of the trinity.

Sieges and the sort, well, would've been nice if siege weapons weren't static - the weapons have to be set up at specific points - but I'm sure there's some reason for it. I just can't see it.

The RVR scenarios are okay too. Nordenwatch was/is better than the one in Troll Country/Ostland, then again, so was the one in the Shadowlands. The bolster stuff is nice too, gives you the chance to at least be somewhat competative as the lowest rank in a tier.

Skills and abilities seem to be decent for the Warrior Priest, they're virtually unkillable unless you're getting smashed by a higher level or group of enemies. At least until you run out of AP/Mana. Can't really comment on itemisation.. yet.

and on and on it goes.

Hunchback · **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2008, 05:29:02 PM

What's the monthly? The standard 15 eur?

Nasojiti · **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2008, 01:40:28 PM

I'm sure you can figure that out for yourself.

Mandie · **Reply #10 on:** September 27, 2008, 05:23:48 PM

Very very fun game. The more I play, the less it's like WoW. So far, only thing that bugs me is T2 RvR scenarios are they are laggy. I am sure Mythic will fix this, WoW was terribly laggy at first, it was possible to crash servers just by raiding a Horde City.

Kat · **Reply #11 on:** September 27, 2008, 06:57:44 PM

I like the public quest idea, but I'm concerned about its dependence on even server population to work. I don't want to get stuck grinding because I picked an unpopular race on an unpopular server.

rille · **Reply #12 on:** September 27, 2008, 11:37:41 PM

Getting it tomorrow.

Playing with a Swede, Norwegian and some Finn(s?)
...might be fun to play on a late evening and some friday/weekends.

Might be fun for a month or two

The new Olli (with hair) · **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2008, 01:22:04 AM

THat's one thing they'll have to straighten out somehow Kat because I hav enoticed that already. I'm lagging behind the general population on my server ( i work unlike most of these hobos) so they're all levelo 20-30+ I sometimes am the only one in my zone.

Mandie · **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2008, 05:00:00 AM

Everyone is rolling destruction on every server, which is a massive issue. Our guild was discussing it the other night and how it's going to fuck up end game if they don't figure out a resolution.

Nasojiti · **Reply #15 on:** September 28, 2008, 05:21:29 AM

Yeah, but everyone that's on Destruction is crap.

rille · **Reply #16 on:** September 28, 2008, 08:47:19 AM

Of course, the forces of evil must always be greater than the good! ;-)
..and usually by 1 to 20

...but the order will prevail... *cough* ok, not very likely since I'm playing on the destructions side as a dark elf.

Hunchback · **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2008, 08:50:06 AM

Why should they find a "solution" about people rolling something? Unless one faction is obviously overpowered and that's the reason people are rolling it, they should leave people do whatever they feel like.

Auryn · **Reply #18 on:** September 28, 2008, 09:23:59 AM

Corrupt installation DVDs, the main executable having to be replaced before I could even play the game, an intro video that didn't even play properly, disgusting! And a couple of crashes, but that could just be my lack of RAM.

Other than that, the game is okay though. Not much depth to the quests, I don't even bother reading the descriptions most of the time. Kill or talk to everyone you find and you'll usually end up completing them anyway.

Anyway, I'm only at level 7 so far on my arch mage. Starting spells sucked, but I've got some nicer ones now. I'm sure I'll get around to exploring the game in more depth when I can play it without getting a graphics-related headache.

Nasojiti · **Reply #19 on:** September 28, 2008, 09:27:54 AM

Auryn · **Reply #20 on:** September 28, 2008, 09:31:14 AM

Don't act like you don't agree with me, nerd.

rille · **Reply #21 on:** September 30, 2008, 12:26:04 AM

I started to play it yesterday, lvl 8 this evening.
RvR is pretty fun.

Feels alot like WoW with some improvements.
Though the 'quality' doesn't seem to be exactly as high as WoW.
Interface graphics is not as well worked and so on. A bit more bugs but nothing serious.

It's not the same impression that I first had when I first started playing WoW.
...I might get that one back when online games improve a bit. Probably 5 years until then.

rille · **Reply #22 on:** October 05, 2008, 01:29:19 AM

Is everyone still playing?

Mandie · **Reply #23 on:** October 05, 2008, 05:15:40 AM

I play - it's a ton of fun, but it's not like WoW where I logged in everyday and spent tons of time.

The PvP is hands down the most fun I've ever had in ANY sort of PvP. The PvE for me is meh. It's fun, seriously, LOTS of fun, but it's missing something. It will be a nice toy until WoTLK, unless end game holds more content. I like my PvE, you know? That sense of adventure is a big deal to me, it's why I enjoy World of Warcraft, that feeling of this huge world to explore and discover. I wish I cou;d blend the two games. WoW PvP is not very fun compared to WAR.

Ebert Von Snappenhausen · **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2008, 08:32:37 PM

I keep dying a lot.