Warhammer Online gets first big update

By Oli Welsh Published 11 December, 2008

US servers now, EU tomorrow morning.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is currently receiving its first major content update since its launch in September.

Update 1.1a is now live on the North American servers for the Mythic MMO. European operator GOA has told Eurogamer that the patch will be applied to European WAR servers tomorrow morning. Expect around three hours of downtime while the patch is applied, starting at 7am.

Update 1.1a marks the official debut of the game's two new careers, the Knight of the Blazing Sun and the Black Guard - although these were made available to some players last week, and to everyone else a couple of days ago.

Of more significance to all WAR players is the introduction of an "influence" system to open-world realm-versus-realm warfare. Working similarly to the loot system for the game's Public Quests, it's intended to add extra incentives to battle other players in the game's open-conflict zones, which tend to be on the quiet side at present.

Also addressing the game's population-distribution problems is the addition of "easy" Public Quests. One Public Quest per chapter will be rebalanced so that it can be completed by between one and three players, starting with Tier 1 in the current update. This answers the frustrations of players who have been unable to enjoy the Public Quests since the servers quietened down after the game's launch.

New adventuring content is being added in the form of some fresh quests and lairs. Item rewards are being boosted too, with revamped armour sets for all levels, new drops for some of the harder dungeons, and improved chances of getting good rewards from Public Quests. And statues to high-ranking players are now being erected in capital cities.

Mythic says it's made many improvements to the "responsiveness" of the game, a common criticism among early players. The effect of lag has been reduced, and some animation glitches have been ironed out.

Finally there are a host of fixes to the user interface, including the ability to hyperlink to items, abilities and quests in the chat window, and official support for community-created user interface mods.

We'll be taking a look at the two new classes soon on Eurogamer MMO, and reviewing the overall impact of the changes to the game early next year.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darkjinxter #1 3 years ago

    Wot no microtransactions?

  • koji_m #2 3 years ago

    cool, might resub to check it out... still like the feel and the gameplay, but something is missing....

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #3 3 years ago

    With the quality of patches Mythic's bringing out, I'd say Easter may be a point where a lot of ppl's issues about WAR will be fixed near about, dispite what the naysayers have been saying WAR isn't done yet

  • abigsmurf #4 3 years ago

    Unfortunately, the low population servers in the EU are currently one of the biggest problems. It is nice they're working full tilt to fix some of the game issues but they've a long way to go yet. Need to improve PvE incentives and content, need a complete overhaul of crafting (it's a waste of time) and need to strengthen the community side of things. Work at making the capitals bustling instead of empty. Also hear the endgame is prety shoddy

  • TriggerHippie #5 3 years ago

    I really really wanted to like this game, and it was fantastic for the first month. But I made the mistake of trying out different classes instead of levelling with the mass and soon found out that the games pretty charmless when there's no-one to do PQs with and the Scenario's aren't happening.

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #6 3 years ago

    Couldn't agree more Smurf - Norn and Izor had a small pop boost but still not enough, theres still 40+ servers still active that certainly needs scaling down, theres med/med servers out there but the low/low ones (like Izor) need more players to help us out, thats all in GoA's department..

    The 'endgame' is good but it's completely dependent on the population to actally do the RVR campain as intended not just do whats known as 'keep trading' for the items, 1.1 seems to put a little help in that department but again it's all on the players to help make 'endgame' fun..

    If anyone is returning to the game I'd recommend a med/med population server (or Izor, I'm there :)) and try not to go for Destruction if you have the option TBH, but thats why I said Easter would be a good time, hopfully GoA will have sorted out the servers by then, as I've said in many times in posts before the WHOLE of the EU hangs on the population of the servers atm
    Edited by 1 at 11/12/08 @ 17:25

  • Apologie #7 3 years ago

    I suggest Karak-Eight, its a great server.

  • AOFanboi #8 3 years ago

    PQ loot system = terribly random. Will this influence thingamabob be just as lacking in the "rewarding behaviour" department?

  • danteire #9 3 years ago

    @AOFanboi: They mean the influence rewards in the PQ's (the light blue bar you fill up as you complete PQ objectives), not the roll for the loot bags.

    In 1.1a this will mean that as you kill enemies, capture/ defend battlefield objectives and castles/ keeps in Open RvR you will get Influence and after accumulating a set amount you can claim a reward from a Rally Master. No random rolls or such.


  • Drogul #10 3 years ago

    TriggerHippie +1

  • Mooks #11 3 years ago

    What does low population say about the game as a whole? Lack of an official support site, hideous technical problems and a serious lack of polish and general quality. With Lich King up and running too little to late maybe ...

  • z.e.r.o #12 3 years ago

    I think they better to remove Tiers or introduce a upscale/downscale of levels and skills just like it happens (only updwards) in RvR.
    I for one would more than likely to bring down my capped White Lion to mentor younger players, but as the leveling system is today, well, it's almost broken and the tiered approach is just plain lame. MMOGs need more liberty on how to explore content and the sidekick/exemplar system of COX should be adopter by every game on the market, otherwise, prepare to live most MMOGs just like a really boring single player game until you reach level cap using crappy equipment and experiencing only a minimum of the contents you paid for.

  • levitate #13 3 years ago

    I bought the game from Play.com this week, at a bargain price of £9.99. Should arrive today or tomorrow.

  • Lemming81 #14 3 years ago

    "What does low population say about the game as a whole? Lack of an official support site, hideous technical problems and a serious lack of polish and general quality. With Lich King up and running too little to late maybe ..."

    WTF are you on about? Seriously. A few (frankly expected) bugs are hardly the portents of doom you make them out to be.
    Edited by 1 at 12/12/08 @ 23:32

  • jetsetdemo #15 3 years ago

    Good game, shut down half the EU server's, that would be just the thing to kick start this, Mytic must have twigged they are running more than is needed!

  • actionfitz #16 3 years ago

    I really liked WAR. I just didnt like the Games two mellee dps classes (or mirrored versions on the oposite faction).
    didnt like running around in a metal thong/bikini, or as Captain Fishfinger-Viking man.
    Here's hoping they do a good job of the Greenskin / Dwarf Mellee dps classes when they add them eventually.
    might re-sub.

    tbh I loved the looks of my Chosen and Zealot... but I hate playing Tank / Healers / Casters.

  • joepaextend #17 3 years ago

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