So. Just sat through another Warhammer conference call. I’m sorry if this is turning into a WAR fansite, but their PR push is just so hilarious to listen to.

I can still honestly say - I have concerns about the game. Above and beyond, as a giant MMOG nerd, their high concept stuff sounds really, really interesting. I’m very much looking forward to the game, while still being a bit skeptical that this can be put out before the end of the year. As always, we shall see. Read on below for more from the EA Mythic show, details on the Empire/Chaos war, Jeff Hickman’s extremely quotable quote, and a lot of talk about the Disc of Tzeentch.

The principals on the call:
Jeff Hickman, Senior Producer - The ‘fact guy’. He rambles about everything in the game. Lots of detail. He lets Paul imbue the ‘fun’.
Paul Barnett, Creative Director - “Walk softly and carry a lightbulb.”
Lance Robertson – Producer
Josh Drescher - Senior Designer

Empire and Chaos Armies, in a nutshell, are the two sides of humanity. One is all grim darkness, one is perverted by tentacles and puss. On the Empire side, for classes, you’ve got knights, witch hunters, bright wizards, and holy priests. For chaos you’ve got Marauders, The Chosen (WWF Wrestlers with axes and armor), Zealots (crazy guys with daggers and skulls), and Chaos Sorcerers (the disc guys, hurling lightning). According to Paul: “There is a medieval Germanic outlook. Chaos: same thing but with with tentacles.” Empire is medieval Germanic Europe on the brink of extinction. Everything is intruding on these guys. Dark Elves, Greenskins, everybody.

What kind of trophies will there be for Empire and Chaos?

Paul: Curse the teen rating! Curse the inability to put in all the gibbley gubbley bits!!
Jeff: Because of that, we’re still talking about it. Some of them might be equipment, some might be limbs …?

How to Empire/Chaos Characters get more powerful as they higher level?
(with dwarves, their beards get larger, with trolls they get bigger)

The reason orcs gets bigger is because they don’t do anything better. Humans are going to be done through loot. Just like humans in real life do. If we do different, they just old and withery and grey. They’ll get bigger hats, etc, just like real humans.

We’ve seen some scenarios for the Dwarves/Orcs, can you name some for Chaos/Empire?

Northern Fortress: Like the Osgiliath attack in LOTR. Get out of a boat, run through stone area, then kick the crap out of each other, then hit the bigger fortress.

66 Hellcannons: End of “Saving Private Ryan”, with the ruined city, killing people, heavy machinery all about.

Can casters cast on the run?

Casting must be while standing still, though there are instants to cast. They are rare. “It’s like Painting. You can’t paint the Mona Lisa while on the run.”

How will you handle loot distribution?

Five or six methods. From random rewards, piece of loot drops all the way to planned stuff - PQ influence, choosing your rewards. Drops from monsters, drops from players. Drops from RvR capital cities. You just pick up stuff out a loot pile in the cities. Loot from capturing the king! Several different systems in place. “You get what you deserve.”

Will the emphasis be on open-field combat, or the scenarios?

Scenarios have more point value, but battlefields are probably going to be where things are won and lost. Most susceptible to raids and compelling and dangerous places to be running through. “Going to spend a lot of time there.”

Have you come to any conclusions on a death penalty?

“Yes, next question!” No losing constitution, maybe rez sickness, penalty for death is time. Have to run back to the war from someplace else. Dying is part of the game.

Will we really be able to see notable differences between similar class/level characters?

People are paying lots of money to be a hero, to be unique. They’re going to *have* to be able to have multiple characters from one tier in a lineup and see lots of differences, or the artists will be eaten. Lots of customization, from where trophies are places to gear to etc.

Will the ‘look’ of of zones change when enemies capture them?

“When Chaos is there you’re going to know.” They’re still talking about it, but they can’t really talk about how. It will be clear who is in charge.

Are Chaos mutations permanent or temporary?

There are some that are temporary. Mostly the Maurader uses these. Permanent changes are still in talks. No comment on those.

Areas designed to be RP hotspots?

“The whole game is an RP hotspot.” Lifelong Warhammer fans are going to get a kick out of playing the game. Someone named Kate from Games Workshop, a part of their Fantasy RPG team, was in the room. She says: “The game looks gorgeous. They got the spirit of the races, good stuff.”

Will NPCs have a voice, or be text?

No voiceover. Sometimes they’ll make noises. They likened the VO work in EQ2 to a powerpoint presentation lecture, where you can read the whole thing in a second but the speaker drags on and on.

What transportation methods are there besides walking?

Couple of transport methods. Mounts, mass transit, “Orkapult!”, we don’t believe that you have to visit somewhere before you have to transit somewhere.

Beta?

No definitive answer. No official answer. They’re doing an internal beta. When it’s opening up … will be ‘very soon’, but no commitments.

How weird do the Chaos mutations get?

They are just awesome. Mice instead of blood. Chaos-centric. Go somewhere and kill stuff. Chaosified things.

Comment on Witchhunters
Torturing is a way of life for them, tried to incorporate that into the game a bit. Hat, boots, awesomeness! Chaps! You don’t *start* with a hat, but you get your first kickass hat pretty quickly.

Disc of Tzeentch

Living entity, kept under control by the chaos sorcerer. Might turn on the caster at any time. Like a ‘chaos shark’. Teeth and spikes. Evil! The idea is as your sorc gets more powerful, your disc will show a difference and be able to do different things. “Biggest coolest, most discy-est thing ever! … You’re evil Marty McFly [on a hoverboard], only with teeth and chaos energy.” He’s ALWAYS on a disc. You won’t sink on the disc.

What makes the Zealot tick?

A crazy fanatic, runs around covered in feathers. Birds flying around him. He throws potions, stabs you. Chaos leeches. He’s the healer. Fetishes! Bird seed! They referenced the book More Scary Stores to Tell in the Dark. Scary Scarecrows.

How difficult was it to narrow down the careers? Were there some that made the cut?

There are four designers in his tummy right now, because of this debate/fight. It was insanely difficult. Indescribable. The IP is so rich and so broad, they could have just done 24 Empire careers. We have to find the ‘focused, targeted’ careers. They went around the room, buy-ins from IP, code, art, getting focused on the characters. “For the next 10 years we know all of our expansions.” So much cool stuff they haven’t even touched on.

You have mentioned collision detection being in the game. Are LOS and ranged attacks impacted by this? Can you cast through characters?

You can block the movement, but you can’t block attacks through yourself. You can cast a spell through someone, so yeah. Jeff is obsessed with PvP working right. “Don’t go stupid! Make sure it’s fun and its fair!” Jeff’s Quote: “Fun, you fuckers!” “There goes the teen rating.”

Are you planning on allowing guilds to hold specific areas of the world for themselves, like in DAoC?

You can claim objectives. You can’t really claim for the guild, but for the realm. Similar to DAoC, they have that type of gameplay. Types of things in WAR are similar but not the same. Not looking for the same type of gameplay.

Will there be environment elements that can be used in RvR?

Environment will affect you based on where you are. Scenarios will have water, falling, non-environmental effects. Cannons, fortresses. You can use whatever, block LOS. Lead your foe off of cliffs, etc. Tall bridges.

Will multiple monitors be determined?
TBD.

Which was the race that was most fun to work on?

CHAOS! They have an evil design team.

WAR and LOTRO are coming out both this year. How do you think LOTRO will fare compared to Warhammer?

Two completely different games. Not going to comment on competitor. Not our policy. I wish them the best of luck. Environment is very competitive. Ripe for the plucking for the right game. We’re an outstanding game with new features. “Cradle to grave, hobby commitment.”

What is the policy on RMT?

Totally against it as a studio. Marc Jacobs has made a big stand against it. Still working on systems to make sure they can combat that. The entire game is built to stop that sort of thing.