Da Newz – July 17

Story of the Week: Four capital cities and four classes cut from launch.

• Frankly, we at WAAAGH! have never seen the WAR community so frenzied, emotional and opinionated about any event to date. As “Black Friday” rolled around, Mark Jacobs lowered the boom: four careers and four capital cities would be cut from the launch. Players were hardly thrilled, anti-WAR folk ecstatic, and bloggers went bananas.
• And let’s not forget the “other” big stories this week: Guild Beta beginning, E3, the “open grouping” announcement, and Mythic’s name change.

Beta Ticker:

• 762,013 (same as last week)

Quotes of the Week:

• “As to the future of these [four cut] careers, I would love to say that they will be put into the game at some point but I can’t.” ~ Mark Jacobs
• “Guys, just because you’re releasing a game to a bored 10 million WoW players doesn’t mean you get a free pass.” ~ Cuppytalk
• “This is probably the greatest gift that anyone has ever given me. I think I’m going to cry. I’m just so happy. You know, I could probably milk this one piece of info for an entire year.” ~ Boathammer

New Sites & Blogs:

• Th-WAR-ted’s Weblog – all nine lives of cats belong to us
• Da Squig Herder – now, with more squid

From EA Mythic:

• EA Mythic is now Mythic Entertainment. This’ll include a new logo. Next week, they’ll be Mythic ‘R Us, followed by Whatchu Lookin’ At, Mythic? and Syp Presents Mythic.
• The renamening has a couple follow-ups: Mark, James, Mark II.
• Mythic officially launches the Guild Beta!
• Mythic is partnering with Punkbuster for anti-cheating services.
• James talks about Punkbuster, as does Marky Mark.
• Mark announced that four capital cities and four classes will be held back at launch.
• Then James responded to the classes/capital cities cuts in this WHA thread.
• Mark went all over the place with his responses: here, here, here, here and here.
• A Look at Living Guilds part 4 wraps up this lovely interview with WAR’s devs.
• Mark on the upcoming NDA lift.
• Mark talks about regaining trust.
• The “Realm War” page on the official Warhammer site is now open.
• James talks about the Guild Beta rollout.
• James posted a Career Changes and Punkbuster FAQ on the official site, followed by the Capital Cities FAQ.
• Mark talked with TTH about the changes: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
• What’s “city rotations” anyhow? Mark tries to elaborate.
• Guild Highlights @ the Herald: living guilds, creating a guild, featured guild.
• Carrie commented on being included in ChaosCast #4, along with the Black Friday fallout.
• Gamasutra interviewed Josh Drescher.
• TTH featured Josh Drescher’s E3 blog — good read!
• WAR Europe has also started their guild beta.
• BOG examines what you can, and can’t, test in beta. Like, you can’t test how flavorlicious it is.
• Learn more about Da Squig Herder on his new blog!
• More beta invites! The world reels!

News & Articles:

• Loads of responses from the big classes/capital cities cut, so I’m consolidating them here: Heartless Gamer, MMOG Nation, Book of Grudges, Brotik, MMOverdose, JoBildo, Wizards & Wenches, Archmagery, Hardcore Casual, Joystiq, Keen, Massively, The Common Sense Gamer, The Greenskin, Chaos War Host, The Cogworks, The Order of Destruction, A Wall of Text, Cuppytalk, Rock Paper Shotgun, The White Tower, Werit, Wizards & Wenches (part 1 and part 2), Boathammer, Chappo’s Corner, Classy Gamer, NecroRogIcon, Scott Hartsman, Cogworks pt 2, Ten Ton Hammer, The Geek Media, Deadgod, Tobold, Book of Grudges (part 2 and part 3), Scribbles, Overly Positive, Nazgum, Th-WAR-ted, Keen pt 2, Greenskin pt 2, West Karana, Classy Gamer pt 2, Massively pt 2, Cicadymn, Vid, Bloghammer, MMORPG blog, Tholal, Heartless Gamer pt 2, Keen pt 3, MMOG Nation, Warhammer Gamers, MMOverdose pt 2, Boathammer pt 2, Player vs. Developer, Book of Grudges pt 4, Wandering Goblin, Cogworks pt 2, JoBildo pt 2, Werit pt 2, Potshot, Gamebunny, Greenskin pt 3, Gordo, Overly Positive pt 2.
• Classy Gamer likes how Mark Jacobs talks to the community.
• How much does WoW look like WAR? Why do birds suddenly appear every time Classy Gamer is near?
• Keen’s Korner: PvE in Warhammer?
• Keen is pleased with Mythic’s renaming. We will not die this week because of it.
• Know Your Gods: Sigmar at The Greenskin. I know him. He owes me a dollar.
• I know you’re all wondering, so wonder no longer: Will George buy Warhammer Online?
• Book of Grudges thinks Europe should have dual-language servers.
• Brotik drinks deep of the well of WAR stats.
• Congrats to Vid, who’s joined Mythic as a community GM!
• Wall of Text thinks that WAR “gets it”.
• Warhammer Gamers doesn’t think that Punkbuster is all that and a bag of chips.
• Archmagery explains Punkbuster. Do you think you’re lucky, punk?
• W&W talks about Disciple abilities — what’s your fave?
• Tobold chafes under the NDA chastity belt.
• Learn more about the super-awesome-eccentric blog Book of Grudges in their interview with Warhammer Alliance!
• Book of Grudges expects more out of the official WAR website.
• The Greenskin looks at the new “rotation model” city capture events, inspired by W&W’s own “rotation cities R bad” article.
• Word of Shadows wonders how WAR’s going to deal with the flamers.
• Archmagery applauds Mythic’s communication.
• Hardcore Crafting Servers! Er… what?
• EA and recently purchased Rupture will be doing… something social… to Warhammer.
• CyberVic says “NO!” to drama. And “YES” to mac and cheese.
• Bloghammer stole my idea! For shame! And so did Cogworks!
• Abritrary struggles with her own class choice selection.
• JoBildo, however, has found his one true love. Er, class.
• The Order Strikes Back: Warrior Priest. Warrior Pickle!
• Werit’s gonna capture himself some cities.
• Archmagery shoots down Open PvP servers as anything nearing fun.
• Boathammer takes a very literal look at revolving capital cities.
• Gamespot updates their impressions of WAR at E3.
• Know your Gods – Khaine. Khaine and Abelle, two great guys.
• Crack Greenskin’s code!
• If you were ever wondering what Brotik wants in an MMO, wonder no longer.
• Archmagery tries to recruit us all for dem dirty high elves.
• The average age of gamers is 35 — woohoo! I’m under the average!
• Keen and Paul: a match made in E3.
• Book of Grudges asks Mythic: where’s the GIRLS?
• Boathammer explains why he quit WoW, and what he wants from WAR.

Videos & Podcasts:

• ChaosCast #4 – Now, with more Gouskos!
• Theoryhammer podcast is taking applications for future production.
• Podcast of Reckoning #5
• Gamespot UK interviewed Mark Jacobs in this video.
• Check out the WAR E3 trailer!
• Rock Paper Shotgun is showing off a WAR siege video from E3.

Fun & Games:

• Heartless Gamer found a great analogy for WAR.
• Valor and Ruin wallpaper at the Vault!
• Ctrl+Alt+Del has a short comic about the announced feature cuts.
• Ham the Zealot and Let the Skull: a play!
• Penny Arcade did their second-ever WAR comic, this time about the cuts — along with commentary.
• “The Inquisition (part 5)” at Secret Life of Mobs carries on the torture!
• Rock out to brand new E3 Warhammer screenshots!
• Lots of new screenies over at Warhammer Vault.
• GU Comics had a one-shot on WAR’s cuts as well.
• Forum Watch: are you being watched?
• My Little Greenskin #2
• Paul Barnett explains EVERYTHING.