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Warhammer Online Concept Art Aplenty
Posted by Mike Fahey at 7:40 AM on January 10, 2008
The team handling press for EA Mythic's upcoming Warhammer: Age of Reckoning MMORPG don't believe in information trickling. Every month we get a fresh blast of concept art, screens, and information in one huge chunk. Rather than split them up or simply toss them all together into one large gallery, I went ahead and split them up into easily digestible nuggets. This month we get information and screens on two character classes: The Sorcerer / Sorceress and the Disciple of Kaine, as well as renders of the elven zone of Ellyrion, some renders from the next cinematic trailer, and concept art featuring the taverns and RVR keeps in the game. First up is the Sorcerers, Dark Elven magic users who utilize the powers of their will to harness incredible dark magics, though building up too much power can cause the magic to turn on the player, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
Next comes the Disciples of Kaine, an evil class that combines the close-up, dagger style of the classic rogue with the dark rites of Kaine, stealing their foes essence and offering it to their god in exchange for power. Sort of a mage thief, from the information provided. Sounds absolutely splendid.
Then we have the High Elven land of Ellyrion.
The vast, rolling plains and mild climate of Ellyrion make this inner kingdom the perfect breeding ground for the finest Elven steeds in all of Ulthuan. Great herds of these amazingly swift and graceful creatures roam the grasslands throughout the year, and are prized among the noble lords of the Phoenix King's court for their magnificent quality and majestic beauty.
And a look at the various taverns serving as home bases across the lands in the game...
Realm versus realm keeps factor heavily into the gigantic, ongoing RVR combat that the game hopes will draw in PVP players in droves.
And finally a quick trio of renders from the next cinematic trailer, coming soon to video game website near you, doubtlessly joined by another several dozen bits of concept art.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Mark
Posted January 29, 2008 1:39 PM
One thing I have to give the designers of this game, is that their concept art is always top notch.
Especially with say the High Elves or the Dark Elves, I'm not the biggest Elf fan on the planet, but they've really excelled with these two.
I think my favourite piece of concept art to date is the Mastiff though, I think it's just quite odd to be seeing images of Hellhounds, Dragons, Giant Spiders and whatnot... and theres this dog.
That encompasses what will be great about this game for me, is the humour.
Tull
Posted 4:20 PM 9/1/08
@Sixtail: Sadly, Skaven will not be one of the six races available when the game is released. Though I can see them adding two more down the line. One for the forces of Order and one for the forces of Chaos. Lizardmen for the former and Skaven for the latter would be perfect with those two being major rivals.
Tull
Gouki4u
Posted 4:19 PM 9/1/08
I'd be sold on this game if it was an RPG without the MMO.
Gouki4u
Sabre_Justice
Posted 4:06 PM 9/1/08
@Cola82: It's being faithful to the tabletop game. Hell, don't get me started on the topless harpies and daemonettes...
And don't worry about PvP, if it's being faithful to the game then Dark Elves will have very few friends.
Sabre_Justice
Sixtail
Posted 4:04 PM 9/1/08
If I can play as Skraven, I will get this.
Sixtail
Tull
Posted 3:52 PM 9/1/08
The Dark Elf look has been all about blades, spiky bits and other things pointed and sharp going as far back as the late 80's when the Dark Elf was first introduced in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. I think people who look at the design aspect and try to equate it to something which has no bearing on the original art designs of the property will nitpick and complain without ever trying the game.
Tull
Nayl
Posted 3:30 PM 9/1/08
@JeffTheDragon: I suggest you get a basic understanding of Warhammer Fantasy art styles before you make stupid claims like that.
Nayl
SonOfBhaal
Posted 3:26 PM 9/1/08
@gaggle64:
AMEN BROTHER.
Also: For the Greater Good!
SonOfBhaal
moshakirby
Posted 3:20 PM 9/1/08
In the beta, it's not that great.
moshakirby
Azures
Posted 3:12 PM 9/1/08
@JeffTheDragon: Really? You're equating those tribal markings with the tattoo fad of the 90s? Thats how those weapons are supposed to look.
Azures
KenHikari255
Posted 3:11 PM 9/1/08
I simply cannot wait for this game to come out. The next 5 months or so waiting for this game is going to be sheer hell.
KenHikari255
Kyle81
Posted 3:06 PM 9/1/08
@Cola82: Those are dark elves, in the Warhammer universe thats how they are... they are all about the perversion
Kyle81
Kyle81
Posted 3:05 PM 9/1/08
Can't wait for this game
Kyle81
gaggle64
Posted 3:02 PM 9/1/08
Pretty nice. Still want my space orks and Tau mech-infested 40k MMO though.
gaggle64
TheBigC
Posted 2:51 PM 9/1/08
@COLA82
Looking at the the concept are at the WAR website it looks like most of the races that have male and female casters the female characters are dressed fairly marmishly.
TheBigC
JeffTheDragon
Posted 2:49 PM 9/1/08
the environments look nice, but I'm pretty disappointed by the armor/weapon images. "Tribal" design was a shitty 90's trend; one that is in no way timeless, intelligent or epic.
Powerful, exciting fantasy design is NOT synonymous with the poorly designed tattoes on douchey assholes; there are many other better and more interesting solutions.
JeffTheDragon
Vjeszczi
Posted 2:44 PM 9/1/08
@Cola82 Its actually based off of the miniatures produced by Games Workshop for the tabletop game.
Vjeszczi
baberg
Posted 2:38 PM 9/1/08
@Coldbrand: Yeah, killing endless stupid NPCs.
I want the thrill of hunting human opponents.
You haven't been following Warhammer Online, have you? 90% of the endgame is going to be RvR combat just like DAoC was before the stupid Trials of Atlantis expansion introduced PvE grinding for gear.
What does RvR mean? Territory control. Open battlegrounds. City sieges. The ability to completely dethrone the other faction's leader and pillage the city for spoils. After time the cities will purge the occupiers (through PvP it will be quick, or slower letting PvE guards rout the occupiers) and then it resets.
These are the promises of WAR. And if anybody can follow through on the promises, it's Mythic. Hell, if they follow through on half of their promises, it will keep me busy for a long, long time.
baberg
chewbenator
Posted 2:35 PM 9/1/08
WitchHunter of badassery! What is with the first two posts? they have half a million poeple squirming in their seats just itching to get into the beta and it will flop? Ok whatever.
Is it wrong that I get choked up whenever I get a new newsletter from them?
chewbenator
Cola82
Posted 2:35 PM 9/1/08
Can women not perform magic unless mostly naked? Is that a rule I missed? Because the sorcerer is buttoned down in the most school marmish fashion while the sorceress looks like she's about to grind against a fire pole. Surely the answer isn't that EA thinks only dudes and lesbians play video games.
Cola82
machete_bear
Posted 2:22 PM 9/1/08
Sign me up for my Squigg herder!
machete_bear
Coldbrand
Posted 2:20 PM 9/1/08
What? No.
Yeah, killing endless stupid NPCs.
I want the thrill of hunting human opponents.
Coldbrand
Garro
Posted 2:20 PM 9/1/08
I think the Warhammer fans, 40k and fantasy alike, should hold a quiet candle light vigil for what is surely to be a fallen titan. Albeit the virtual titan. Tabletop lives on and lives strong. The Emperor protects.
Garro
Wargamer234
Posted 2:06 PM 9/1/08
Sadly,is a MMORPG,this could have rocked have it been single-player
Wargamer234
Coldbrand
Posted 6:01 PM 9/1/08
@baberg:
No, I was mocking the original post's idea of having the game be single player.
I was accepted to the beta. Trust me, I've been following this one, I've seen every last video blog, I know everything about every class, and I know I'm going to be a Warrior Priest of Sigmar bashing in the skulls of kids who love to post pictures of their anthromorphic selves on deviant art.
In fact, I will smite them so furiously with my burning hammer, that they will post pictures of their anthromorphic selves weeping at the idea of my righteous servant of the Empire.
Coldbrand
Sinfjotle
Posted 5:53 PM 9/1/08
Don't encourage the lore abortions please.
Sinfjotle
deathbunny
Posted 5:45 PM 9/1/08
@JeffTheDragon: Well the problem is that physical perfection can always stand a little jazzing up, and when you're working in a 3d engine that's just typical render-what's-modeled fare, instead of and Ico type project where you can do something styalized, the urge to put pretty pictures on a deltoid is overhwelming.
What boars me is elves. So it's hard to get past that.
deathbunny
JeffTheDragon
Posted 5:29 PM 9/1/08
@Nayl:
lol hey chill buddy. stupid claims? that's a little rude of you to say. I wasn't being personl; you are.
However, yes, I am very familiar with Warhammer design and style...and this clearly isn't a direct hats-off to it, if you know what I mean. Things can be "spikey" "sharp" and even be evolutions of the original concept without relying on the solution of a dated "style". I was critiquing the design, not the gameplay, original art, or legacy of Warhammer.
Please dont' take offense to THAT. If you do, I can only assume that you are in fact the designer and don't take constructive criticism or you YOURSELF got stuck with a huge tribal backpiece surrounding a yin yang and some meaningless asian characters :-). which I am guessing (hoping) is not the case <3
JeffTheDragon
Raidei
Posted 5:28 PM 9/1/08
This game looks sweet....
Though I'd rather have my damned 40k MMO...
Screw "Witch Hunter", I want to be an Inquisitor!!!
Raidei
taftsearlobe23
Posted 5:22 PM 9/1/08
@moshakirby: really whats your screen name on the beta forums? oh don't have one? I thought so.
taftsearlobe23
TheBoxNinja
Posted 7:08 PM 9/1/08
@Cola82: The clothing lack of clothing.... allows them to better... cast magic and.... um.... entice their enemies and lackies into their evil doing..... um..... I dont know..... Im winging it..... Id say fan-service...
TheBoxNinja
taftsearlobe23
Posted 6:38 PM 9/1/08
@Raidei: THQ is making a 40k MMO
taftsearlobe23
FlapDangerous
Posted 9:16 PM 9/1/08
now, how will WAR compare to WoW?
FlapDangerous
ehlaren82
Posted 8:01 AM 10/1/08
@FlapDangerous: Where as companies want the subscriber base of WoW, players and the genre don't want endless WoW clones. So hopefully it will not be that comparable.
ehlaren82
jynxycat
Posted 1:39 PM 10/1/08
@ehlaren82: I'd say they'll borrow heavily on DAoC, as is evident from the RvR content.
Not to say that's bad, DAoC was an incredible game before the big MMO boom hit.
But definitely, they will take back some ideas that WoW stole from other games, as new comers will look for those common aspects to find something to identify with.
Regardless, the beta already has however many participants, with more than half a million others seething to get in.
They should do alright.
jynxycat