Wednesday 6 May 2009

I enjoy Warhammer

There. I said it...

For all the time I sit there wanting to go in a sulk, or turn the game off. I come back or find something else in WAR to do. I think too many people focus on just the RvR Zerg and get sick of it, thus burning out on it.

I'd rather be in a small guild warband, roaming the streets of Praag, using Snikkit the gobbo as bait to lure groups to us before smushing them. Jumping around, finding sneaky paths (nothing cheaty) to have a bit of fun. Polishing my RvR skills (you can polish a turd.. but it's still a turd) in single combat or hunting small groups. Jumping into some premade scenarios with guild mates and running instances no matter how buggy or boring they are. Getting tokens for gear (it's a step closer). Checking out new lairs or live event stuff.

Yes, the game still needs quite a bit of work done on server stability, class balance and squishing dem bugs but I'm enjoying it still. I feel I have a choice in what to do (though I'd like a bit more...) and as the servers mature and communities strengthen the game will bond the players together more (or that's cause someone put a Sticky Squig on me thinking stone). More rivalries will come together, the nemesis system will make players stick in your mind more.

There is still a huge amount of untapped potential in WAR and I hope EA gives it the long term support it needs to really grab a chunk of the market. No, I don't think WAR will ever top 1m subs, the chance has now gone, but I do think that we can reach 500k and stick to that, but we have to stick with the game.

Sure, it's shitty having to put up with server crashes and lag, it's incredibly frustrating to play sometimes with the constant crowd control locking you out, but yet, most of us, stand up, dust ourselves off and get stuck back in.

WAR will only improve over time, it will get better and more playable if given the chance. No game is a shiny beacon of perfection, WoW's Lake Wintergrasp PvP zone is a laggy turd ball if you ever play it at peak time, it IS worse than forts with less people in it so we're moving the right direction. But I think at this stage the crucial thing is for people to not burn out and hate the game. There's no harm in taking the odd day or two off, sneak on for a few hours each week if you like. WAR has that instant fix about it. It allows you to grab a few quick scenarios and log off without waiting for a 1 hour Warsong Gulch to finish because sides are turtling.

I look forward to seeing what's coming after the Tomb Kings and what changes will be made. We still have missing cities to go, plus who knows what else... Maybe a trip to Lustria or Athel Lorn. Whatever happens, I still see WAR raging on for years to come...

8 comments:

  1. Well this is a breath of fresh air! I'm glad someone has the same view on the game as me =)

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  2. i would completely agree and did awhile ago but atm i'm on burlok and well, the servers dead, the IC is being farmed and where all just waiting for GOA to get the transfers underway (they did a poll a couple of weeks back), which is ironically the way i found your blog cause where looking to at transfering to Norn =D

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  3. Yep, I agree, I think the game is great fun, and there's more to it than the RvR zerg which everyone seems to join in on. We've just got to bare in mind that most of the whining etc we read on forums is just a vocal minority who take the game and themselves far too seriously. I think the majority of players are mature enough to give it time. Rome wasn't built in a day, or even six months!

    My only grumble about this post is that you mentioned the super-secret baiting tactic. As such I'm going to keep using the term "Master Baiter" until someone laughs.

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  4. Should also mention that it really, really helps to have an awesome guild. Not to blow one's warhorn too much, but we're very lucky to have the core of players we do at HoB, and it's much more fun when we're playing together. I can't imagine playing with people you don't get along with would do anything but help foster negative feelings about the game as a whole. Which is perhaps why a more casual guild such as our own is the way forwards, as the emphasis is more on fun and less about winning, and so the mood is far less likely to turn sour if things go against us. As Kyus once told me, "casual players are the backbone of any game".

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  5. Well Ghaz, I did a small RP piece and hope if you guys do come over to Norn you keep the RP alive. :)

    http://mmmmmgud.blogspot.com/2009/04/do-you-play-through-your-mind-or-your.html

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  6. Well having the same problem with warhammer
    Too effing addictive!
    i even subbed a 6-monther last month O.o

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  7. i still prefer to see more pve in a game,so im aint giving money for a full based pvp game. Ofc i can admit it has the best pvp i ve ever seen.

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  8. haha awesome, btw i'm with the guild ruin (but thats got to change lol) with the eternal eclipse alliance. so its now a definate where moving to Norn =D, unfortunatly i got to change my name as well =( cause ghazghulls alreay taken (surprise surprise) so i'm now gonna be Ghazgar (already got a Sh called that on norn so hes gonna be deleted lol) look forward to fighting along side ya lokax

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