Rock, Paper, Shotgun

We absolutely haven’t posted enough about World Of Tanks, the free tank-battling game. Sorry about that. It’s in beta at the moment, and is just about to launch into another round of testing after 70,000 people played in the first stage. I’ve not really spent enough time with it to feel confident of writing a preview, but the few hours I’ve had in the belly of the beast have been great. The combat and tank-equipping is detailed enough and deep enough to be compelling, but I’m yet to really get a handle on the wider world-conquering stuff, or the way in which you level up through the tiers of tanks. It’s seems interesting, and deserves more time. Anyway, you can probably have a gander at it for yourself, as the beta is taking another round of sign-ups just here.

Anyone interested in upcoming tank battle MMO World of Tanks – yes, both of you – should skedaddle over to Eurogamer, who today uploaded my hands on impressions of the beta. The game’s actually a bit good, with lots of tension and keeping your eyes peeled for the enemy and then Oh, Mercy, Would You Look At The Size Of Him, and then BANG and then JESUS CHRIST. The highlight of the preview is probably this:

By contrast, your first impression of the tank garage is much more likely to make you feel you’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere. Yesterday I was, no word of a lie, looking over my PzKpfw III Ausf A and wondering whether to swap the 3.7cm KwK36 L/46.5 for either the 5cm KwK 38 L/42 or the 2cm KwK38 L/55. I was also eyeing up additional grousers and some APCR shells.

In reality, this is all simple stu- oh, my goodness! Are you crying? Please don’t cry. It was only a stupid example and the tank development isn’t like it sounds at all. Let me explain.

Well, if the Eurogamer commenters will insist on being very rude to my articles then I’ve no choice but to make insinuations about their masculinity in my copy, have I?

The World Of Tanks closed beta is in motion, and Wargaming.net have put out a new trailer to celebrate (below). It’s not a trailer I understand, however. Perhaps it’s mocking the Blur adverts or something? I am tiny brain. Anyway, the more important consideration is: tanks a lot? Or tanks but no tanks? Ah, the pun barrel is hollow and oh so empty.
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The beta itself starts on the 8th of July, but you can sign up today. It’s seems certain that you should read our interview and then go, fly! to register yourself for the beta. And then rest. Rest, brave reader. For soon you will have much work to do.

World Of Tanks! Three words that just make so much sense. It’s a free-to-play MMO that’s already doing well in Russian-language lands, is heading Westward. It really does sound splendid: a garage full of tanks, destructible surroundings, a global map for clans to fight over. But what of the details? Fortunately we’ve got some of those, right here. We recently spotted Mike Zhyvets, the game’s technical director, coming over the horizon and so we positioned our self-propelled 40mm word-cannon to land questions squarely in his mind. Read on for a full examination of his response crater.
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Via the venerable BluesNews I spy that Wargaming.net have put out a new game-footage trailer for World Of Tanks. It’s an MMO full of tanks. Will the tanks be able to wear different hats? We just don’t know. What the trailer does confirm is a complex damage model and lots of trundling about blasting the crap out of each other. Go take a look, and then sit back in your chair and wistfully think about your hopes for the future.
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World Of Tanks is a free-to-play MMO with tanks. Wargaming.net explains: “The game offers fast random battles featuring various modes, historic mini-campaigns, tourneys and epic Clan Wars on a global map, where mighty clans fight for hundreds of provinces employing grand strategy, diplomacy and economic power. Besides individual tank-ace skills, WORLD OF TANKS requires team work and a fine balance between light and heavy armor.” Great news, because there’s no kind of game that cannot be improved by the addition of tanks. Also, because it’s going to subvert normal MMO jargon when someone says “we need a tank for this group.” There’s a trailer below, and it’s quite the thing. Ha.

The game is due for release in the Autumn.
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