<!-- if (!document.phpAds_used) document.phpAds_used = ','; phpAds_random = new String (Math.random()); phpAds_random = phpAds_random.substring(2,11); document.write ("<" + "script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript' src='"); document.write ("http://ads.tentonhammer.com/adjs.php?n=" + phpAds_random); document.write ("&amp;what=zone:19"); document.write ("&amp;exclude=" + document.phpAds_used); if (document.referrer)http:// document.write ("&amp;referer=" + escape(document.referrer)); document.write ("'><" + "/script>"); //-->

href='http://ads.tentonhammer.com/adclick.php?n=a44824e0'
target='_blank'> src='http://ads.tentonhammer.com/adview.php?what=zone:19&n=a44824e0'
border='0' alt='' />

Warhammer Online Behind the Scenes of Leipzig Games Convention

By Garrett Fuller

It has been more than a week since the Games Convention at Leipzig and there is still one more story to tell. The folks at EA Mythic were nice enough to allow us a look at some of what goes into making the game show a very hectic yet spectacular event. For the Warhammer Online team at Leipzig there was a ton of work that went into putting out the best show possible, not only for press, but especially for fans.

Paul Barnett who is the Creative Director behind Warhammer Online and Jeff Hickman who is the Senior Producer really had their hands full at Leipzig. The first press conference went off at 11:00 am on the first day of the convention. There was a large crowd of cameras and press teams from all over the world waiting to hear the big announcements about the elf classes in the game. Backed by a huge support team from GOA and EA Mythic, the front men took the stage and the week began with a blast.

The GOA team prepares to help EA Mythic wow the crowd.

Following the press conference, Jeff and Paul as well as the PR team for GOA and EA Mythic then had to coordinate all the press interviews at the GOA business booth. Although it was away from the crowds, they still had to answer the tough questions coming from the press. Imagine planning to launch new material, presenting it, and then being relentlessly tested on its integrity. That was the gauntlet that the EA Mythic team had to endure the first day of the show. Happily the team’s enthusiasm for the game carries them through just like the WAAGH energy of an endless swarm of orcs.

The real story here though is about the fans that made it to the convention. Keep in mind, Leipzig is fully open to the public. Game companies are out there on the floor facing their fans and discussing games. Personally, I wish there was a convention in the U.S. that gave the fans a similar experience. The Warhammer fans came out in droves and rushed the booth to fight it out in PvP on the first day the halls were open to the public. One guild from Poland drove a thousand miles to the convention just to play and meet the Warhammer Online team. That is some serious dedication; I’d hate to have to fight them over a battleground one day.

The fan enthusiasm continued to fuel the EA Mythic team throughout the week as the convention moved on. The best part about the Warhammer staff is that they returned that enthusiasm right back to the fans. On Saturday while walking past the booth we saw a huge crowd in different guild t-shirts with banners, one guy was even dressed as an orc! His costume was great too! These fans went crazy cheering for information, shirts, and a chance to play the game on one of the forty stations that GOA and EA had set up for fans.

No other booth in the hall had forty spots for players.

A few of the many gameplay stations set up by EA Mythic and GOA for the fans

The good folks at GOA kept the line moving and players had a great chance to test out the PvP in the game.

So after four days of both press and public constantly asking questions and screaming WAAAGH, the EA Mythic team had a chance to put their feet up. We were able to stop by and join the team for their final hours in Germany. So what happens after a brief chat about the game and the industry? The team is off to join the GOA crew at a bar in the middle of Leipzig. Keep in mind it is now 11:00 pm on Saturday night. The convention fans are still throughout the city. Upon arriving on the scene, Paul Barnett kicks into high gear and has the European fans chanting and cheering. Jeff Hickman arrives to a host of cheers and the rest of the team including Josh Drescher, Yvonne Bridges, Sergio Edma, Eugene Evans, and Yvette Nash all hit the crowd to answer questions and chat with fans. As we watched the scene unfold, it really made you feel the excitement that players and developers have for this game.

Few people have the energy to actually work late Saturday night after a major game convention. In a way it is work, but when you are truly passionate about something, the word “work” rarely enters your vocabulary. The EA Mythic team and the fans at Leipzig had nothing but passion for Warhammer Online. It is a tradition that Games Workshop started way back in the early 1980s when the game was first developed. Whether you painted miniatures, played a game on a Friday night, entered a Games Day tournament, or have tried Warhammer Online you know exactly what I am talking about. The game just brings people together, and really that is the whole point. Thanks again to the GOA and EA Mythic team and the fans at Leipzig Game Convention. You reminded me why I bought that first Warhammer miniature way back in 1986.