Speculation on the Bioware / Mythic Chat

Today 20th August at 15:00pm CET, Bioware Mythic allowed us to ask questions regarding the new “RvR Pack” and below is a complete list of all questions.

Hello everyone, Carrie and Stuart here from BioWare Mythic, coming to you live from GamesCom!!!
Carrie – The news is all being shared at GamesCom, but the press are hitting up a lot of different places, so they need time to write it up! If you’re eager for WAR news, keep an eye out there, we’re giving several interviews a day!

Psychoic Psychoic:

What common content will be shared between the differing RvR Packs?

Carrie – The content that is shared between the different packs is different in theme in some respect (power, progression, personality) but they all share that they tie into the RVR experience in some way. This pack, unlike LoTD is RVR focused, in everything we’re doing.

Not sure how I feel about this.  We are going to need to know just what power, progression, and personality represent.   

Tom Verhaegen:

Will there be a new RVR zone introduced?

Carrie – Yes!

This can only be good. Hopefully it's big, open, and full of baddies!

Multani Multani:

Do you not fear that the up of renow rank up to 100 will not make the game more difficult for the new player against well equiped player ?

Carrie – Gonna try to answer a couple things about the RR questions. RR 81-100 will be difficult, but we are going to help players who haven’t hit RR80 yet to get up there. We’re very aware of power gap problems and will be keeping that in mind for new players and alt-a-holics.
Carrie – @Icpong – Yes new armor past Sov.

Eh, mixed thoughts again.  I'm glad they are raising the renown cap as I currently play a rank 80 Marauder, however I do not want to see them implement any more "bonus" renown items or buffs.  I think it's out of hand already.  Example, a renown rank 42 Zealot of mine received 12k renown in a single fight the other day due to the newly implemented system.  He was running in a group of 6. 

Khaldar Khaldar:

Carrie- You said the future of WAR would be announce in the end of summer, will there be an official annoucement soon?

Carrie – The RVR pack is what I’m referring to as the future of WAR, and we’re very excited about it. Of course more details will come as we continue to talk about it, at GamesDay there will be a full presentation on the stuff we’re telling the press here, additionally I have a producer’s letter coming up… etc.

I will be really looking forward to this producers letter, not to mention GamesDay.  I think we're all looking for something more official than the past few weeks of the speculation we have had. 

Ivan Reynoso:

Is the new RvR zone going to be accessible without purchasing the RvR Pack?

Yes, but a lot of the cool stuff that you can get from the RVR zone won’t be!

Dependant on what we can get from the new zone this may be good or bad.  People can make it without new trophies and titles, they can't make it without new weapons and armor.  I also hope they don't limit the zone itself by the amount you may purchase. 

Oberheim:

When “moving away from the huge expansion pack system every 2 years.” How ofted do you plan to release new packs?

Carrie – Depends on you guys, which ones you like, etc. We have lots of ideas and plans!

I read this as follows:  Depends on the number of subscribers we have two years from now.  I'm sure they have a ton of ideas and plans, but they will not go realized without a strong subscriber base.  The more we like and pay for now, the more we will see in the future.

Cyric:

Is making the Renown Rank process smoother in the lower Ranks going to be done by changing the amount you need to earn for those Ranks ?

Carrie – More likely going to involve renown-boosting buffs. But the important thing is that it will be easier!

How about make the renown gain easier through the promotion of actual RvR and PvP?  Not just keeps and bo's.  Hopefully with the removal of the VP system and the new zone, those problems are addressed.  No more buffs please.  The fact that I can go get a 400% Renown, XP, and Influence buff already is a buff enough.

Khannage:

Does the RVR packs include updates to the SC system. Made something to help more casual R40 players against those steam rolling pre-mades?

Carrie – We are focusing on ORVR, but we are doing some investigation around SC matchmaking as we’re aware of the community concern.

The fact that they are focusing strictcly on ORvR is a good thing.  It's exactly what is missing.  While the SC system is flawed at the moment, it is in nowhere near bad a shape as the ORvR.  With the proper ORvR, Scenarios will be a thing of the past. 

Eltn:

(war)Can we expect some upgrades of the current rvr zone with the rvr pack?

Carrie – Sorry guys! Last question!

Yes, as a part of the pack, we are doing updates to the ORVR mechanics, which will tie into the Skaven theme very nicely

I'm hoping this somehow opens up the zones for a more of a roaming feel.  I don't really know much about Skaven, so I can't really speculate as to what this could mean.  Maybe some new Keeps?  Fortress?  Perhaps a neutral city?

Carrie – And we’re off to more interviews. I know you’re all hungry for info. and we love your excitement about the game. The press and bloggers we’re meeting here need to get back to their hotels and home to write stuff up… so the info is coming! Also we will be recapping what we did here in the monthly producer’s letters and more info in the coming weeks and upcoming events!

All in all, the above looks good.  Any change to ORvR is almost certainly a welcome one.  Let's just see what comes out over the next few days.