New Warrior skills!
Posted by Lightning on Friday, October 07
Descriptions of 4 warrior skills have been added to the new Warrior Class Attack Skills page!
Early Warrior Bridge Skills
Posted by Lightning on Tuesday, October 18
Descriptions of several bridge skills have been added to the new Warrior Class Bridge Skills page.
Dreadknight Screenshot
Posted by Lightning on Sunday, December 04
Another Dread Knight screenshot has been released. This time it's over at XVanguard. Head over and take a look.
When Knighthood was in Bloom
Posted by Lightning on Wednesday, December 07
Niborea over at Vanguard Ten Ton Hammer has published an excellent look at Paladins and modern day virtues. When Knighthood was in Bloom is a great read. Head over and check it out!
Age of the Warrior
Posted by Lightning on Tuesday, December 13
Vanguard Ten Ton Hammer has published a new article written by Martuk. It's called Age of the Warrior and it's definitely worth your time. Hop over and give it a look.
"Let me at 'em!" - Roleplaying the Warrior
Posted by Lightning on Monday, December 19
Vanguard Roleplayers Union has posted their first article to go with their new layout, and it is all about Warriors! (I knew there was a reason why I always liked those guys over there!) "Let me at 'em!" - Roleplaying the Warrior by Micajah gives suggestions on roleplaying the tank classes. Make sure to head over, feast your eyes on their snazzy new layout, and read Micajah's article.
New fan art by Fisty!
Posted by Lightning on Saturday, December 24
New fan art by Fisty! First she gave us the Inquisitor, and now we get to see a Paladin. Go HERE to see the new artwork.
The Art of War #5
Posted by Lightning on Friday, December 30 in VGF Articles
This week's issue of The Art of War reveals Sun-Tzu's thoughts about having multiple heavy fighters in your group. You can read it HERE.
Tazzrin joins the Vanguard Fighters Staff
Posted by Lightning on Thursday, January 19 in VGF Articles
We are pleased to announce that Tazzrin has joined the VF staff as our Warrior Class Specialist. Stop by the forums and welcome him to the team. Also, please note that staff positions are still available. Details about the open positions and how to apply are in this thread.
The Raiding Warrior
Posted by Lightning on Friday, January 20 in VGF Articles
The Drunken Dwarf has written his first editorial! The Raiding Warrior examines the roles of heavy fighters in raids and how those roles may change for the better in Vanguard.
TDD tastes the Sekret Sauce!
Posted by Lightning on Saturday, January 28
Fanguard secret sauce!!! Sigil game developer Darrin McPherson gave us a little bit of information about the Dread Knight during the opening festivities at the Fanguard. You can read it HERE.
Fanguard Review
Posted by Lightning on Wednesday, February 01 in VGF Articles
Our Fanguard Review is finally done! You can read it HERE! The account of the weekend's activities is sprinkled with links to lots of pictures from the event. Be sure to check them out and you'll see everything from a giant sea shell to Spiderman!
The Drunken Dwarf interviews Doug "Elidroth" Cronkhite
Posted by Lightning on Friday, February 03 in VGF Articles
The Drunken Dwarf interviewed Doug "Elidroth" Cronkhite, Associate Game Designer for Sigil Games Online, Inc. Read the interview to find out which side of the Pumpkin Pie War Doug is on, how he got into the gaming industry, and more!
The role of the defensive fighter in Vanguard
Posted by Lightning on Friday, February 10
Vanguard Ten Ton Hammer have posted an article discussing the role of the defensive fighter in Vanguard. Take a look at Know Your Role: Part 1 - Defensive Fighters and let us know what you think in the forum.
Secret Sauce on IGN and Gamespot
Posted by Lightning on Wednesday, February 15
Secret Sauce on IGN and Gamespot! It seems that the information drought is coming to an end. Gamespot and IGN both posted Vanguard previews yesterday. You can read them HERE and HERE. After you read the articles, stop by our forums and let us know what you think in THIS THREAD.
Why Tanks Should Care About Diplomacy
Posted by Lightning on Wednesday, February 15 in VGF Articles
Why should tanks care about the diplomacy sphere in Vanguard? The Drunken Dwarf spoke with Aruspex during the Fanguard and found out! Read our latest article, Why Tanks Should Care About Diplomacy and find out for yourself!
Vanguard previews at Gamezone and Gamespy
Posted by Lightning on Saturday, February 18
Two new Vanguard previews have been posted at Gamezone and Gamespy. Give them a read and come let us know what you think in our forum.
Dread Knight artwork at VTTH
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Sunday, March 19
Niborea over at Vanguard Ten Ton Hammer has created an outstanding piece of art featuring a mounted Dread Knight under a dark sky. Head over and feast your eyes HERE.
Vanguard Fighters Relaunched!
Posted by Lightning on Monday, March 27
Welcome back to Vanguard Fighters! Bigger, bolder and SQL driven!
We hope you like the new look. Existing Forum users can sign in with their normal Forum login, and don't forget you can post comments in individual news items.
Read More for information on support if you have a problem.
If you log into the site, then go directly to the Forum and the Forum does not appear to have logged you in, click on "Log in to check your private messages" and this will correct the issue. We are aware that all graphical signatures are broken, we will be addressing this in the next couple of days. If you are having other difficulties, please contact [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Server Performance Issues
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Tuesday, March 28
I don't know what to say... that's never happened to me before! *grin*
It looks like our host was fine for a HTML based site, but the SQL performance is unreliable. I'm sure you've noticed that sometimes a page is generated in under a second, and sometimes the same page takes up to a minute to generate.
We are looking into solutions to fix the performance problems and apologize for the slow load times. We'll have it fixed soon.
Silky Venom Dev Tracker at VF!
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Tuesday, March 28
I would like to post a HUGE thank you to the staff over at Silky Venom for making their Dev Tracker feed available to us here at Vanguard Fighters.
That's just another example of the spirit of cooperation within the Vanguard community that makes me proud to be part of it.
We're Moving!
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Wednesday, March 29
Vanguard Fighters is moving to a faster server!
Anyone who has visited the site since we've converted to a CMS has experienced the erratic and often extremely long page generation problems we've been having.
We understand how annoying slow websites are, and we're determined not to be one of them! Our new server is much faster and more reliable, and has room for expansion if we ever get too busy for the server to handle
Unfortunately, the move will require some downtime. Beginning at 12:00 noon CST on Thursday, the site will be down while we move everything to the new server.
The site will be unavailable while the Domain Name Servers are updated with our new location. This process will take 24-72 hours. When the new domain information is available to your ISP, you will be directed to our new site instead of the "we're moving" page. Thanks for your patience while we make this change to improve the quality of our service.
If you can see this, we're on our new host!
Posted by Lightning on Thursday, March 30
...and we're back! Your DNS has updated and you're looking at our all new dedicated server!
Welcome back to Vanguard Fighters!
New art at VTTH
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Thursday, March 30
Niborea over at Vanguard Ten Ton Hammer has done it again! This time she shows us a dwarven warrior who looks ready for action. Go take a look HERE and you won't be disappointed.
Philosophy of Two Unique Classes over at VTTH
Posted by Lightning on Tuesday, April 04
Lady Sirse talks to Darrin “Talisker” McPherson about two unique classes: the Dread Knight and the Disciple:
Happy to have a chance to dispel some of the growing misconceptions, Darrin said, “Think of Batman, or of Punisher, they are similar to the Dread Knight. They do what it takes to get the job done and then go back to everyday life. They aren’t evil per se, they just do what it takes.”
Check it out here.
VF Contest - The Greatest Tanking Moment!
Posted by TheDrunkenDwarf on Tuesday, April 04
Tell us about your greatest tanking moment and you could be the winner of a $20 iTunes gift certificate!
Were you deep in Lower Guk when your group got trained and you somehow managed to taunt 6 monsters off the healer and allow your group to survive? Was it when you stood toe to toe with Onyxia for the first time? Did the group’s warrior fall in battle and you, the ranger, stepped up and tanked to prevent a wipe? Perhaps it was the first time you tanked for a raid group?
No matter what the situation, we want to hear about your greatest tanking moments! You can simply tell your story as a player remembering a great moment, or you can be more elaborate and craft it into a work of fiction told through your character’s eyes. Perhaps you’re a poet and want to relive your adventure in verse!
However you wish to tell your tale, send your entries to [email protected] by 11:00PM CST on Tuesday, April 18th. All entries received by the deadline will be posted on the site before the weekend. A winner will be determined by the Vanguard Fighters community via a poll set up for the contest. The poll will run from the time the entries are posted until 11:59PM CST on Friday April 28th.
Once the poll closes, the winner will be announced and will receive a gift certificate to the iTunes online music store.
Contest Rules
1. Only one entry per person.
2. Entries must be received by the deadline of 11:00 PM CST on Tuesday April 18th.
3. In the event of a tie, a second poll will be used as a tiebreaker. If there is still a tie after the second poll, TheDrunkenDwarf will select the winner.
4. The prize will be delivered by email.
5. Vanguard Fighters is not affiliated in any way with the iTunes online music store, we just thought a gift certificate would make a good prize.
April Beta Newsletter Leaked - Big News for Warriors!
Posted by Lightning on Saturday, April 08
The April edition of the Vanguard Beta newsletter has made it's way into the public domain, and it contains some stunning details relating to Warriors and their abilities.
Read it here! Discussion is already underway in our Forum - let us know what you think!
The WarriorWhile the Rogues are sneaky, the Sorcerers command the elements, and the Druids call down lightning from the skies, the Warriors of Vanguard could not care any less about such grand displays. Leave all that skulking about and finger waggling to others. A warrior prefers the simplistic existence of taking a heavy object, and bashing the life out of things with it. Among the heavy fighters, the Warrior is unmatched in their ability to deliver damage.
The warrior of old, with the myriad of openers, bridges, and finishing attacks is no more, with combat now streamlined into fewer, more useful attacks, with additional flavor depending on the role being played. The wide disparity in the combat stances allows the warrior to adapt to the combat situation around them, giving defined strategic reasons for using one stance over another.
Offensive Stance
+ accuracy, - mitigation, - agro
When playing in an offensive (non-tanking) role, the new warrior is granted bonuses to combat, and has a variety of attacks available to them. These attacks have specific uses in and of themselves, which then expand and grow when combined into chains. For the most part, attack chains are only available in the Offensive stance. More on this later.Defensive Stance
+mitigation, +agro, +block chance, - damage
When playing in a defensive role, the warrior becomes much more able to take incoming damage, and all attacks generate more hate. New counter-attacks become available only in the defensive stance, and then only when equipping a shield.Attacks
These attacks are usable from either combat stance.Brutal Strike – Basic melee damage attack.
Chain opener. 5% chance to stun enemy for 3 seconds.
Furious Blow – Basic melee agro attack. Adds hate. 15% chance to daze enemy for 15 seconds. Kick – 20% chance to interrupt enemy. Adds hate. Waylay – This attack does moderate damage, but has bonuses when used in conjunction with another in the group or when from behind the enemy. These bonuses are not exclusive and can be combined.
Rend Armor – Slightly reduced damage. Target mitigation reduced by 30% for 12 seconds.
Whirlwind – Hits all targets within a 7 meter radius. Damage reduced slightly.Defensive Attacks
These attacks are usable only in the defensive stance.Taunting Strike – This moderate damage attack generates a great deal of hate in your enemy.
Adamant Foeman – This ability requires a shield. Blocks the next 2 incoming attacks, and increases your mitigation by 50% for 10 seconds.
Shield Bash – This ability requires a shield. This ability does no damage, but has a 65% chance to stun the enemy for 3 seconds, and adds a large amount of hate.Attack Chains
Attack chains work much differently in the warrior now. The warrior now has a variety of specialized attacks, which when used within a chain take on different characteristics. These attacks can then chain to several new ‘chain only’ finishing moves. Warriors begin learning 2-step attack chains at level 4, and continue up to level 30, when finishing moves become available creating 3-step chains.Openers
Brutal Strike – This attack does moderate damage on its own, but as an opening attack, influences the chain towards doing more damage.Furious Blow – This attack also does moderate damage, but as an opening attack, this influences the chain towards generating more hate.
Bridges
Whirlwind – This attack adds an AoE component to the chain. Any finishing moves that trigger from this bridge will be AoE finishing moves.Waylay – This attack carries positional bonuses such as backstab, and true flanking. Any finishing moves triggered by this bridge with also have positional bonuses.
Rend Armor – This attack damages the armor and mitigation of your enemy. Any finishing moves triggered by this bridge will have additional debuff effects.
Finishes
Flurry – This finishing move is available after a successful Whirlwind bridge attack.Savage Fury – This finishing move is available after a successful Whirlwind bridge attack.
Betrayal – This finishing move is available after a successful Waylay bridge attack.
Vehemence - This finishing move is available after a successful Waylay bridge attack.
Brutality - This finishing move is available after a successful Waylay bridge attack.
Exposure – This finishing move is available after a successful Rend Armor bridge attack.
Shock – This finishing move is available after a successful Rend Armor bridge attack.
Tactical Maneuvers These are special use abilities which generally do no damage but have other strategic uses in combat. Some of these have upgraded versions you can learn.
Taunt – adds a small amount of hate but can only be used on a single target every 15 seconds. This ability adds a larger amount of hate when used from defensive stance.
Power Attack – Toggled ability. Adds a significant power cost per swing but adds raw damage to your attacks. This ability increases in power every 10 levels.
Enrage – Toggled ability. Only usable when you are below 50% health, this ability drives you into a rage. The more damage you take, the higher the rage. At 50% health, and each 10% thereafter, you gain 10 strength, and lose 5% mitigation. At higher levels, these benefits and costs increase, and below 20% health, you may enter an intense rage which cannot be calmed for 30 seconds giving 200 strength, at a cost of 60% reduced mitigation.
Roar of Anger – You roar, dazing all enemies within 10 meters for 18 seconds. This also has a 5% chance to stun your enemy, but should any enemy be hit, the stun will break.
Barrier of Steel – This ability forces your current target to focus upon you and attack no other for 15 seconds. During this time both you and your target will be unable to run.
Primal Rage - This ability causes you to enter a rage for a short time granting increased damage, as well as immunity to stun and fear effects. This rage takes a great toll on your body leaving you weakened for upwards of a minute.
Greatest Tanking Moment Contest - Time to Vote!
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Wednesday, April 19
The entry deadline has passed and two brave souls have shared their stories with us.
Steadfast warriors? Ogre Shadow Knights? Paladins in gleaming armor? Nope! None of the above!
Our contest features entries by a Ranger and a Cleric!
Head over to the CONTEST PAGE and read their exciting stories!
Don't forget to vote for your favorite after you read them.
Your chance to get in the Vanguard beta!
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Friday, April 21
The June issue of Computer Games Magazine features Vanguard on the cover, and a code inside that will allow entrance into the beta at some point.
From the press release issued by Computer Games Magazine...
In the June issue of Computer Games, readers will find a unique code enabling them to enter the closed beta test of this MMO prior to the availability of any public access.
Go to THEIR WEBSITE and check out all the details!
Don't forget to vote!
Posted by TheDrunkenDwarf on Wednesday, April 26
There are only two days left to cast your vote for the greatest tanking moment. Two contestants are fighting for an iTunes gift certificate. Make sure you visit the Voting Booth and cast your ballot before it's too late!
Congratulations guanott!
Posted by TheDrunkenDwarf on Saturday, April 29
Congratulations to guanott, winner of the Vanguard Fighters Greatest Tanking Moment contest!
Enjoy the new music!
New fansite - Vanguard United
Posted by TheDrunkenDwarf on Thursday, May 04
A new fansite has opened its doors! Vanguard United is a dutch fansite covering Vanguard news and information. Visit them at Vanguard United.
Feedback Needed!
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Friday, May 05
Websites should be user-friendly. And who better to decide what works than the community who will be using the site to find and share information?
We're developing our class information page templates so we'll be ready when the information drought comes to an end - and we want your help!
An example of our rough draft class information page can be found HERE. Take a look and then let us know what you think in THIS THREAD on our forums.
Sigil and Microsoft split!!
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Friday, May 05
Sigil Games Online has bought the publishing rights for Vanguard back from Microsoft and will now be co-publishing the game with Sony Online Entertainment.
From the press release:
“As the development process is ongoing and constantly shifting, it became clear that MGS and Sigil had varying visions and direction for the title’s development,” said Brad McQuaid, CEO of Sigil Games Online. “In the best interest of Vanguard, it was decided that we would buy back the publishing rights from Microsoft.”
You can read the entire press release HERE.
The Dwarf finally talks about the Sigil - SoE deal
Posted by thedrunkendwarf on Wednesday, May 10
The Sigil deal with SoE has caused quite a stir in the Vanguard community. It has surely caused some members of the community to leave in protest. Many others are shaken but adopting a “wait and see” attitude. You already know that. What you don’t know is that it very nearly resulted in the closing of an affiliated fan site - Vanguard Fighters...
I won’t get into all the details here, but after many incidents with SOE’s design decisions and customer support, one of the straws finally broke the camel’s back, and I swore that I would never again support a game associated with SoE. After reading the announcement, I was stunned – Vanguard was now one of those games.
I read all the developer posts and Brad’s reassurances. I believed what he wrote, but none of that changed the fact that SoE was now involved with the game. I felt like I had to be true to what I believed, even if it meant that I would be missing out on what promises to be a great game.
I weighed my responsibility to the community here at Vanguard Fighters against my personal decision and tried to decide which burden was heavier – violating my integrity or disappointing the community that has grown around my site. The community issue is a big one, but I still felt that being true to what I believe in was the most important consideration.
I informed my staff that the site would be closing and I started talking to some of the other affiliates about moving some of the Vanguard Fighters content to their sites so that the information wouldn’t be lost.
But then I read Fozzik's article and realized that my decision not to support Vanguard as an SoE product would also be a vote against the Vanguard concept.
I very much want Vanguard to succeed. I wanted it to succeed even after I had made my decision that I would not be playing it because it has the SoE name on it now. I had planned to write a farewell post wishing everyone well, hoping that Vanguard would live up to Brad’s Vision, and regretting that I felt that I had to walk away because of my personal feelings about the co-publisher.
Fozzik’s article made me realize that I had to make another choice. It wasn’t just my feelings about SoE vs my desire to play Vanguard and be part of that community. It was also my feelings about SoE vs. my entire concept of what makes a good mmorpg (I seem to have a very similar Vision to Brad’s).
Adding that new item into the mix tipped the scales. Vanguard Fighters will remain open, but I have these final comments. I’m just one guy, but I think I speak for many when I say…
Brad, I believe in you and your Vision for what makes an MMO great. I trust your reassurances that you will do everything in your power to protect that Vision. I believe in these things so much that I am going to continue to support Vanguard even though I have very deep reservations about your choice of co-publisher. I believe strongly enough to break a vow that I made to myself long ago. Don’t take this trust lightly. I am taking a very large leap of faith. If you don’t catch me, I won’t be jumping again. Ever.
_______
Do you have an opinion about this? Share it with us on our forums in this thread
Vanguard movie over at Vanguard Crafters
Posted by Lightning on Friday, May 12
Vanguard Crafters have a short movie of Vanguard footage from E3 up. Go and take a look!