Warhammer Patch 1.02 - time to reroll an underdog (Order)

[Tr1cK]

Highlights

* The war against the gold spammers continues. We’ve added new code that will hinder the spammers as they seek to carry out their nefarious deeds! This is only the next step, not the final one, in our continued battle against them.

* We have added a 'Join All' button to the scenario window which now allows players to join all scenario queues in their current tier at once.

* In order to promote realm and population balance, some realms on some servers will now award their players with a +20% bonus to renown and experience. This is not a permanent bonus, but rather a temporary incentive to promote balance. Realms currently offering this bonus are marked on the server list with a colored icon; blue for Order and Red for Destruction - Check the Herald for the latest list!

* In response to player feedback, we have made several improvements to the behavior and responsiveness of the siege weapon interface. In addition we have fixed some issues with the control and release processes of siege weapons.

* In an ongoing effort to deter players from going AFK while in scenario starting areas, we have made the following changes:

o First, players who join a scenario and remain in their realm's spawn area for two minutes will be automatically removed from that scenario.

o Second, upon entering the spawn area of a scenario, players will receive a debuff that prevents them from earning renown and experience. This debuff will be removed when the player leaves the spawn area.

* The level range at which players are able to receive the “Bolster” buff while in RvR has been expanded. This buff will now be available starting three levels lower than it had been previously. Please note this change only applies to Scenarios on Open-RvR Ruleset Servers.

o In tier 2, the buff will apply from rank 8 to rank 17, and will raise players to Battle Rank 18.

o In tier 3, the buff will apply from rank 18 to rank 27, and will raise players to Battle Rank 28.

o In tier 4, the buff will apply from rank 28 to rank 35, and will raise players to Battle Rank 36.

* In response to player feedback, we’ve added RvR and NPC chat tabs for new players. These tabs filter scenario chat and NPC chat respectively. In order to minimize frustration to users who have already customized their chat window, we will not be overwriting any current settings, so this change will affect only new players. Players who wish to add these tabs may do so through the normal chat configuration options.

* While in scenarios, players will no longer be able to select "Need" in their loot windows unless their career or race can use the item being offered. Please note: players of a lower level than required by the item are still able to roll.

* We have fixed an issue that was causing claimed keeps to forget that they had been claimed after a server restart.

* Improvements have been made to how pets follow and they should now return to their owners more quickly.

* We continue to work on the issues with the pet window. We have identified and corrected another bug which was causing this window to disappear.
Improvements have been made regarding an issue that was causing pets to teleport back to their owners after combat.

* Fixed a bug that prevented players from creating an alliance with more than two guilds. Now that this issue is resolved, alliances can grow to great numbers to crush their enemies!

* Fixed an issue that was causing the chat window to reset to its default position at logout.

General Changes and Bug Fixes

* Ongoing improvements have been made to client and server stability.

* In order to deter players from spam-mailing, WAR continues to enforce a 5-second delay between sending mail messages. However, we have reduced this delay to 1 second for mails being sent to alts or guildmates.

* We have fixed an issue that was causing monsters to lose their aggression toward players in some rare cases.

* We have identified a small percentage of monsters in the game that were slightly less challenging than originally designed. We have adjusted the abilities of these monsters to bring them in line with their intended level of difficulty.

* Fixed an issue that was allowing players to change their tactics configuration during combat.

Content

* We have made several fixes and improvements to the behavior of monsters and encounters in the Lost Vale dungeon. Access to this dungeon has been granted once more, and it should now provide an appropriately challenging experience for high-level players.

Items

* Warlord Set Trinkets were missing their career requirements. Career requirements have been added to these items.

User Interface

* In response to player feedback, we have made several improvements to the behavior and responsiveness of the siege weapon interface.

* The words in the chat tab labels will no longer disappear when players change the game's graphical resolution.

* The chat window will no longer slide upward when being resized.

* Fixed some issues with the creation of chat tabs. Newly-created chat tabs should no longer continue beyond the border of the chat window.

* Players who interact with guild vaults while their inventory is full will no longer see items in the guild vault disappear.

* We have fixed an issue that was causing the game not to remember the chat prefix (/tell, /g, /wb), forcing players to retype it each time. The game should now correctly remember the chat prefix.

* Chat font settings will now save properly.

* Fixed an issue which was causing healers to lose targeting on a player who they just resurrected.

* A number of game actions and NPC and monster communications were being sent to players through the wrong chat channel. We have made several fixes relating to these issues.

Realm vs. Realm

* The pre-scenario countdown timer should now work properly once again.

* We have fixed an issue that was causing claimed keeps to forget that they had been claimed after a server restart.

* Players' use of siege weapons will be no longer be interrupted when those players take damage.

* We have fixed an issue that was preventing players from opening the main door of a captured keep which belonged to their realm.

20% exp boost here I come. My server is 3:1 Destruction to Order ratio.

[Tr1cK]

Current Realm Population Bonuses:

Server - Realm - Expires
Bechafen - Order - 7 Days
Ungrim - Order - 7 Days

WOOT!

Ninjaman level up!

[Odral]

Thank you for the news. Is there more to the patch notes or is that all? I 'am stuck at work and don't have access to see them.

[Tr1cK]

Originally Posted by Odral

Thank you for the news. Is there more to the patch notes or is that all? I 'am stuck at work and don't have access to see them.

I think that's it for today.

[jeffmd]

Adding xp incentives to play an underdog instead of fixing the reason why people don't play it (ie its not powerful enough or its not fun) is one sign of a game on its way to failure.

[Tr1cK]

Originally Posted by jeffmd

Adding xp incentives to play an underdog instead of fixing the reason why people don't play it (ie its not powerful enough or its not fun) is one sign of a game on its way to failure.

I don't agree with this at all. It's an incentive, not a permanent change. WoW did absolutely nothing when Alliance outnumbered Horde by larger margins than in this game. At least Mythic is doing something early in the game life. This game is based on RvR and balance is needed to have good gameplay. The biggest reason people rolled Destruction is because they have more of the 'cool factor'. The classes between the factions are balanced enough.

[CaptnStubing]

Originally Posted by Tr1cK

I don't agree with this at all. It's an incentive, not a permanent change. WoW did absolutely nothing when Alliance outnumbered Horde by larger margins than in this game. At least Mythic is doing something early in the game life. This game is based on RvR and balance is needed to have good gameplay. The biggest reason people rolled Destruction is because they have more of the 'cool factor'. The classes between the factions are balanced enough.

Bingo!

[Tr1cK]

Originally Posted by CaptnStubing

Bingo!

YAHTZEE!

So you for it, against it, or forgainst it?

[jeffmd]

alliance and horde are not a difference in classes. They used to have the pali/shaman monopolies but no more. Aside from ratial incentives (in which each side has a number of good pvp ones), they are the same class wise (edit: what im trying to get at is numbers make little difference, especialy now when pvp happens in battle grounds and arena. WotlK should be very interesting to watch, because while it will reveal if lopsided population will be a flaw, the fact that passerbys will not beable to see the pvp action unless they opt to perticipate in it will lessen the chance that one faction will get steamrolled by a zerg effect of onlookers who just happen to be in the area watching and jump in).

Warhammer is different, its classes are different all over. Something that is a HUGE nightmare to balance (ask the devs at planetside). If there is an aspect of the game I worry about it is this one. Simply balancing the fact that one realms healers is better at something different then anothers, is that one of the sides advantage will be more beneficial in pvp.

WoW PvP realms also usualy fix themselves by people seeking more to fight by joining the minority because its easier to find someone leveling up to pick a fight with.

[Tr1cK]

The so called 'class mechanics' are slightly different and the classes use different ability names, but the core mechanics are very generic and similar across the board.

A rough comparison:
Ironbreaker = Black Orc
Swordmaster = Chosen
Engineer = Magus
White Lion = Marauder
Witch Hunter = Witch Elf
Bright Wizard = Sorcerer
Shadow Warrior = Squig Herder
Warrior Priest = Disciple of Khaine
Runepriest = Zealot
Archmage = Shaman

Some careers have variances to make them unique and some don't pair up as well due to 4 classes being cut while in beta.

http://warhammeronline.wikia.com/wiki/Mirror_career

[CaptnStubing]

Originally Posted by Tr1cK

YAHTZEE!

So you for it, against it, or forgainst it?

I am completely for it. I want more of a balance and I refuse to roll Order. So if you you are given a xp bonus, fine with me.

[slick]

Originally Posted by Tr1cK

The so called 'class mechanics' are slightly different and the classes use different ability names, but the core mechanics are very generic and similar across the board.

Generally class mechanics carry right over from faction to faction equivalents, but the tanks are the only things that are a little skewed. The Ironbreaker is entirely unmatched in pure tanking ability, damage mitigation and crowd control.

Ironbreaker = It's own league of tanking.

Swordmaster = Black Orc (abilities combo off of stances, sword master is a little squishier than borcs, but have a higher threshold for DPS via greatweapons)

Swordmaster = Chosen (chosen special abilities are their AOE debuff auras, but both SM and chosen rely heavily on magical damage based attacks, both are more offense oriented)

Originally Posted by Jeffmd

Adding xp incentives to play an underdog instead of fixing the reason why people don't play it (ie its not powerful enough or its not fun) is one sign of a game on its way to failure.

Ahah hahahahahahaha. Someone hasn't played the game yet.