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Retired Staff
Alright, it went almost invisible around London - lots of nice posters around, but no large queues like the chaos for Nintendo Wii.
Still, there are some news reports that are interesting:
Source: Interview with Blizzard game designer Jon LeCraft, SportsBlog@Guardian, January 19, 2007
Source: Frequently asked questions about 'The Burning Crusade', freep.com, January 19, 2007
Source: World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade First Impressions, CrunchGear, January 18, 2007
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Still, there are some news reports that are interesting:
Burning Crusade interview
You've probably seen the launch event pics but World of Warcraft's first expansion pack, Burning Crusade, arrived this week. Blizzard execs were over in Europe for the occasion and I had a chat with the Euro boss Itzak-Ben and game designer Jon LeCraft. Stupidly I forgot to ask when they expected the first players to reach the new highest level of 70. Apparently it took a committed/sad player only 28 hours to do. Anyway...
What is BC is how will it improve on WoW?
Jon LeCraft - It will take WoW to the next level, literally, and allow you to experience a whole new set of challenges and content. You'll be able to do a lot more things with your friends as we have a lot more instances, many with lower requirements. Also you can play as a Horde Paladin or Alliance Shaman, which will certainly add a dimension to the game.
Why do you regard BC as so important? Isn't it just an expansion pack?
Itzik Ben Bassat - I think a lot of it is down to our history as a company. Every time we release a product we've had huge interest and we don't release anything until it is meets the quality level we set ourselves.
What were the challenges in creating BC from a design point of view? How easy was it to merge the new area with the original?
JL - It was relatively easy, although I shouldn't probably say that, as we already had the dark portal. All good design looks like it was easy to do but it took a long time to get that to where we wanted. We had to balance the demands of the more committed players and yet still appeal to more casual players. So we've got the whole of Outland with a load of quests, dungeons and new things to see and do, such as jewel-crafting. And then we have the two new races with unique starting areas. So it was a challenge to make sure everything ties together and also keep a constant eye on the balance of the game.
Do you expect BC to tempt in new players, or is it for hardcore fans only?
JT - New players will enjoy the new races and the starting areas so BC is definitely not just for current players..
How do you keep the hard core players happy? Do you take any notice of the forums?
JT - Those guys are very important to us and we do keep a close eye on the forums. We provide content as quickly as we can while maintaining the Blizzard level of quality. A lot of that content is very difficult and a real challenge.
IB - All the new content is heavily played on our test servers before we launch it on the game proper. This gives us good indication of how popular the content will be.
Other MMOs such as Everquest have higher PC requirements and arguably better graphics?
IB - Having the game have reasonable computer requirements is an important part of what WoW is about. It isn't just about being popular in Europe or the US. WoW is popular in Thailand, Turkey etc. We don't want our players to spend 500 pounds on a graphics card just to play our game. We think WoW has great visuals and you won't get bored looking at it.
How important is PvP in BC?
JL - It isn't essential by any means. You can still achieve your goals or get great gear by doing the instances. But we've revamped the whole system now. There is no rank decay now, which means you don't lose rank when not playing. The new arena system is skill based and makes things more varied and competitive too.
How do stop gold-farming and cheating in general?
IB - We have the tools in place which we have developed to combat this and we regularly delete accounts and tackle the problem. But there are cheats in the real world too; this isn't just a virtual world issue.
What were the particular challenges for Blizzard setting up in Europe?
IB - There were a lot of challenges, the biggest initial one being the establishment of our European office. We set it up in 2003 and it took a tremendous effort. Once we established that we helped foster a Blizzard culture with people from 24 nations coming together. On the bigger level we had the challenge of becoming a global company. Not only a relatively small game developer from Irvine, but a massive global company that provides games development and services.
Doesn't this growth mean you lose focus and a grip on the quality of games?
IB - For some companies it might have done but Blizzard is run and managed by gamers. VPs in the organisation have been in the company for 11 years. The core philosophy hasn't changed. People talk about leaving Blizzard and coming back but we're proud of those guys who have gone on to create their own development teams.
One of the most appealing elements of WoW is the sense of a coherent world. Does BC, and the new external area of Outland, disconnect players from Azeroth and ruin the sense of place?
JT - You step through the portal and it feels like it's connected. But Outland is far away and it does look different. But when I step through the portal I definitely feel I'm still in the Warcraft universe.
How important do you think the lore and story of WoW is for players.
JL - The lore is very important as it is what makes this a realistic world. We know not everyone gets into is as other people. But it's there and even if you glimpse a piece of it here and there it's going to be cohesive and make sense. We've got these big storylines with people like Illidian and you're going to want to know what goes on with him. And even at the lower levels with people like Van Cleef.
Do you have any stats on male/female usage in WoW and any idea why WoW has proven more popular with women than other MMOs?
IB - It's around 80/20 male female. The main reasons are the social aspect of the game and probably the customisation element. We have attention to detail in the game and the action isn't just about shooting or super fast reflexes.
When are you releasing a new Starcraft or Diablo?
IB - As you know we have two other very successful franchises - Diablo and Starcraft. All of us really want to see both of these games continuing their progress; there is nothing we want more. It has been too long since the last Starcraft game. Back in the 90s we launched Battle.net which had over 13 million active subscribers, despite the ISPs charging by the minute. Battle.net really helped develop the Diablo and Starcraft franchises. WoW is a progression of this and the broadband future holds huge promise for how we develop games. How will you communicate with your friends? In-game, cellphone, we don't know. And then there are the possibilities around in-game broadcasting. There are so many possibilities with broadband and it is up to us to keep the quality while exploring these new opportunities.
You've probably seen the launch event pics but World of Warcraft's first expansion pack, Burning Crusade, arrived this week. Blizzard execs were over in Europe for the occasion and I had a chat with the Euro boss Itzak-Ben and game designer Jon LeCraft. Stupidly I forgot to ask when they expected the first players to reach the new highest level of 70. Apparently it took a committed/sad player only 28 hours to do. Anyway...
What is BC is how will it improve on WoW?
Jon LeCraft - It will take WoW to the next level, literally, and allow you to experience a whole new set of challenges and content. You'll be able to do a lot more things with your friends as we have a lot more instances, many with lower requirements. Also you can play as a Horde Paladin or Alliance Shaman, which will certainly add a dimension to the game.
Why do you regard BC as so important? Isn't it just an expansion pack?
Itzik Ben Bassat - I think a lot of it is down to our history as a company. Every time we release a product we've had huge interest and we don't release anything until it is meets the quality level we set ourselves.
What were the challenges in creating BC from a design point of view? How easy was it to merge the new area with the original?
JL - It was relatively easy, although I shouldn't probably say that, as we already had the dark portal. All good design looks like it was easy to do but it took a long time to get that to where we wanted. We had to balance the demands of the more committed players and yet still appeal to more casual players. So we've got the whole of Outland with a load of quests, dungeons and new things to see and do, such as jewel-crafting. And then we have the two new races with unique starting areas. So it was a challenge to make sure everything ties together and also keep a constant eye on the balance of the game.
Do you expect BC to tempt in new players, or is it for hardcore fans only?
JT - New players will enjoy the new races and the starting areas so BC is definitely not just for current players..
How do you keep the hard core players happy? Do you take any notice of the forums?
JT - Those guys are very important to us and we do keep a close eye on the forums. We provide content as quickly as we can while maintaining the Blizzard level of quality. A lot of that content is very difficult and a real challenge.
IB - All the new content is heavily played on our test servers before we launch it on the game proper. This gives us good indication of how popular the content will be.
Other MMOs such as Everquest have higher PC requirements and arguably better graphics?
IB - Having the game have reasonable computer requirements is an important part of what WoW is about. It isn't just about being popular in Europe or the US. WoW is popular in Thailand, Turkey etc. We don't want our players to spend 500 pounds on a graphics card just to play our game. We think WoW has great visuals and you won't get bored looking at it.
How important is PvP in BC?
JL - It isn't essential by any means. You can still achieve your goals or get great gear by doing the instances. But we've revamped the whole system now. There is no rank decay now, which means you don't lose rank when not playing. The new arena system is skill based and makes things more varied and competitive too.
How do stop gold-farming and cheating in general?
IB - We have the tools in place which we have developed to combat this and we regularly delete accounts and tackle the problem. But there are cheats in the real world too; this isn't just a virtual world issue.
What were the particular challenges for Blizzard setting up in Europe?
IB - There were a lot of challenges, the biggest initial one being the establishment of our European office. We set it up in 2003 and it took a tremendous effort. Once we established that we helped foster a Blizzard culture with people from 24 nations coming together. On the bigger level we had the challenge of becoming a global company. Not only a relatively small game developer from Irvine, but a massive global company that provides games development and services.
Doesn't this growth mean you lose focus and a grip on the quality of games?
IB - For some companies it might have done but Blizzard is run and managed by gamers. VPs in the organisation have been in the company for 11 years. The core philosophy hasn't changed. People talk about leaving Blizzard and coming back but we're proud of those guys who have gone on to create their own development teams.
One of the most appealing elements of WoW is the sense of a coherent world. Does BC, and the new external area of Outland, disconnect players from Azeroth and ruin the sense of place?
JT - You step through the portal and it feels like it's connected. But Outland is far away and it does look different. But when I step through the portal I definitely feel I'm still in the Warcraft universe.
How important do you think the lore and story of WoW is for players.
JL - The lore is very important as it is what makes this a realistic world. We know not everyone gets into is as other people. But it's there and even if you glimpse a piece of it here and there it's going to be cohesive and make sense. We've got these big storylines with people like Illidian and you're going to want to know what goes on with him. And even at the lower levels with people like Van Cleef.
Do you have any stats on male/female usage in WoW and any idea why WoW has proven more popular with women than other MMOs?
IB - It's around 80/20 male female. The main reasons are the social aspect of the game and probably the customisation element. We have attention to detail in the game and the action isn't just about shooting or super fast reflexes.
When are you releasing a new Starcraft or Diablo?
IB - As you know we have two other very successful franchises - Diablo and Starcraft. All of us really want to see both of these games continuing their progress; there is nothing we want more. It has been too long since the last Starcraft game. Back in the 90s we launched Battle.net which had over 13 million active subscribers, despite the ISPs charging by the minute. Battle.net really helped develop the Diablo and Starcraft franchises. WoW is a progression of this and the broadband future holds huge promise for how we develop games. How will you communicate with your friends? In-game, cellphone, we don't know. And then there are the possibilities around in-game broadcasting. There are so many possibilities with broadband and it is up to us to keep the quality while exploring these new opportunities.
Source: Interview with Blizzard game designer Jon LeCraft, SportsBlog@Guardian, January 19, 2007
Frequently asked questions about 'The Burning Crusade'
January 19, 2007
So after several days of questing here in Outlands, common questions have come up from people playing in this new area of "World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade." Here is a guide to many of them - read this and don't sound like a newbie in general chat!
Where is Krun Spinebreaker?
You're looking for a dead body, not a live assassin, in the foothills just barely west of the Pools of Aggonar.
Is there a reagent/poisons vendor in Thrallmar?
Yes. The Grand Master Alchemist, bottom floor of the tower on the hill. Virtually all the grand master trainers are vendors as well - very handy.
Are there class trainers in Outlands?
No.
Are there auction houses in Outlands?
No.
Are there PvP battlemasters in Outlands?
Yes, including for the legacy PvP instances. Find them in the Lower City of Shattrath.
Is there a bank in Thrallmar?
No. Shattrath City in Terrokar Forest.
Where can I buy ammunition?
The innkeeper in Thrallmar, who also handily sells very large bags for mining, engineering, gems, etc.
Where do I train jewelcrafting?
Silvermoon City.
How do I get to Silvermoon City?
Zone into the portal in northern Eastern Plaguelands or, more simply, click on the Orb of Translocation in an alcove off the outdoor courtyard of Undercity.
How do I get from Outlands back to the previous continents?
Take the portals in the center of Shattrath City.
How do I get back to Outlands after doing that?
Hearth in Outlands first. Bribe a level 65+ mage for a port. Run down to Blasted Lands and zone through the portal again.
WTF?! That Fel Reaver just flattened me!!
Welcome to Outlands. We build our own Devilsaurs.
What about XYZ dungeon?
See the dungeon guide at www.freep.com/videogames.
How do I level jewelcrafting?
See the jewelcrafting guide at www.freep.com/videogames.
Where is Reaver's Fall?
Just east of Thrallmar up on a big hill, north of the road. Look for the dead Fel Reaver.
Where is Arelion's Journal?
Two places: Hanging on a tree dead center in the Pools of Agonnar or a reasonably rare drop off the oozes there.
Where is the Expedition Armory?
West of Spinebreaker Post.
Where is Spinebreaker Post?
Suggestion: do the quests at Reaver's Fall. They'll give you a free flight there. It's in the southern part of the zone.
Where is the XX trainer?
Leatherworking: Next to the inn in Thrallmar.
Skinning: Next to the Leatherworker.
Mining: Next to the forge near the flight point in Thrallmar.
Enchanting: Tower in Thrallmar, second level.
Alchemy: Tower in Thrallmar, ground floor.
First Aid: Books sold by vendor on bottom level, Falcon Watch.
Cooking: Book sold by cooking vendor in Cenarion Refuge inn, Zangarmarsh.
Engineering: Grand Master trainer outside Zabra'jin, Zangarmarsh (look for the guy in the Deepdive helm).
Fishing: guy on the lake, Cenarion Refuge, Zangarmarsh.
Blacksmithing: near a cluster of anvils/forge on the hill in Thrallmar.
Where is Falcon Watch?
Southwest of Thrallmar. Look for the belf-style tower.
Is there a flight path in Cenarion Refuge?
No. Look just north and east at Swamprat Post (and wayyyy west in Zabra'jin.
What is the highest level for tradeskills now?
375
Can I (get rested XP, level, train jewelcrafting, visit outlands) without buying Burning Crusade?
No.
Do I have to choose a faction in Shattrath City?
Yes. You cannot level both Aldor and Scryer factions at the same time.
Which should I choose?
Depends heavily on your tradeskills.
Where do I repair in Thrallmar?
Blacksmith grand master, next to the anvils etc. on the little road up the hill.
January 19, 2007
So after several days of questing here in Outlands, common questions have come up from people playing in this new area of "World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade." Here is a guide to many of them - read this and don't sound like a newbie in general chat!
Where is Krun Spinebreaker?
You're looking for a dead body, not a live assassin, in the foothills just barely west of the Pools of Aggonar.
Is there a reagent/poisons vendor in Thrallmar?
Yes. The Grand Master Alchemist, bottom floor of the tower on the hill. Virtually all the grand master trainers are vendors as well - very handy.
Are there class trainers in Outlands?
No.
Are there auction houses in Outlands?
No.
Are there PvP battlemasters in Outlands?
Yes, including for the legacy PvP instances. Find them in the Lower City of Shattrath.
Is there a bank in Thrallmar?
No. Shattrath City in Terrokar Forest.
Where can I buy ammunition?
The innkeeper in Thrallmar, who also handily sells very large bags for mining, engineering, gems, etc.
Where do I train jewelcrafting?
Silvermoon City.
How do I get to Silvermoon City?
Zone into the portal in northern Eastern Plaguelands or, more simply, click on the Orb of Translocation in an alcove off the outdoor courtyard of Undercity.
How do I get from Outlands back to the previous continents?
Take the portals in the center of Shattrath City.
How do I get back to Outlands after doing that?
Hearth in Outlands first. Bribe a level 65+ mage for a port. Run down to Blasted Lands and zone through the portal again.
WTF?! That Fel Reaver just flattened me!!
Welcome to Outlands. We build our own Devilsaurs.
What about XYZ dungeon?
See the dungeon guide at www.freep.com/videogames.
How do I level jewelcrafting?
See the jewelcrafting guide at www.freep.com/videogames.
Where is Reaver's Fall?
Just east of Thrallmar up on a big hill, north of the road. Look for the dead Fel Reaver.
Where is Arelion's Journal?
Two places: Hanging on a tree dead center in the Pools of Agonnar or a reasonably rare drop off the oozes there.
Where is the Expedition Armory?
West of Spinebreaker Post.
Where is Spinebreaker Post?
Suggestion: do the quests at Reaver's Fall. They'll give you a free flight there. It's in the southern part of the zone.
Where is the XX trainer?
Leatherworking: Next to the inn in Thrallmar.
Skinning: Next to the Leatherworker.
Mining: Next to the forge near the flight point in Thrallmar.
Enchanting: Tower in Thrallmar, second level.
Alchemy: Tower in Thrallmar, ground floor.
First Aid: Books sold by vendor on bottom level, Falcon Watch.
Cooking: Book sold by cooking vendor in Cenarion Refuge inn, Zangarmarsh.
Engineering: Grand Master trainer outside Zabra'jin, Zangarmarsh (look for the guy in the Deepdive helm).
Fishing: guy on the lake, Cenarion Refuge, Zangarmarsh.
Blacksmithing: near a cluster of anvils/forge on the hill in Thrallmar.
Where is Falcon Watch?
Southwest of Thrallmar. Look for the belf-style tower.
Is there a flight path in Cenarion Refuge?
No. Look just north and east at Swamprat Post (and wayyyy west in Zabra'jin.
What is the highest level for tradeskills now?
375
Can I (get rested XP, level, train jewelcrafting, visit outlands) without buying Burning Crusade?
No.
Do I have to choose a faction in Shattrath City?
Yes. You cannot level both Aldor and Scryer factions at the same time.
Which should I choose?
Depends heavily on your tradeskills.
Where do I repair in Thrallmar?
Blacksmith grand master, next to the anvils etc. on the little road up the hill.
Source: Frequently asked questions about 'The Burning Crusade', freep.com, January 19, 2007
World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade First Impressions
January 18 Vince Veneziani
Yesterday I moseyed on into a GameStop to pick up the expansion pack to World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade. When I inquired about Burning Crusade, they said if I didn’t have it reserved, I couldn’t get a copy. Wow, I guess 8 million subscribers is a big deal. Disappointed, but not stupid, I went across the street to Target where they had about 500,000 copies for sale. I shelled out the $40, went home and installed it.
After I upgraded my account and downloaded some patches, I was ready to roll. Thing is, the highest character I have is a 53 Human Rogue. Thus, things like levels 61-70 and The Outland were inaccessible to me at this time. Since that’s pretty much half the expansion right there, I felt like I was already out $20. But then I remembered that Burning Crusade comes with two new races: The Dranei and Blood Elves.
I started a Dranei character on my main Alliance server (Anetheron). I named him Ferrisbueler and after getting to level 3, I remembered why I try not to make new characters in this game. Somewhat bored with the Dranei already, I decided to try out my first ever Horde character: A Blood Elf. My Blood Elf, Sandspider, is a Paladin and looks really awesome. They look like pissed-off Night Elves with a Human flesh color. I really enjoyed the beginner quests they gave me and since the Blood Elf is an entirely new race (along with the Dranei), lots of people were around to mess with. Being a Blood Elf is fun and I can totally see a lot more people using a Blood Elf instead of a Dranei.
So that’s that. As I dive further into the expansion and try out Jewelcrafting, The Outland, and other new features like flying mounts, I’ll be sure to keep you all updated. If you play WoW and want to join me on my main Alliance server (free character transfers are currently in effect!), just leave your character’s name in the comments and I’ll be sure to whisper you in Azeroth. Hell, if you guys want to roll a new Blood Elf with me, I’m totally down as long as your server is PvP. Let me know what you guys think of WoW:BC!
January 18 Vince Veneziani
Yesterday I moseyed on into a GameStop to pick up the expansion pack to World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade. When I inquired about Burning Crusade, they said if I didn’t have it reserved, I couldn’t get a copy. Wow, I guess 8 million subscribers is a big deal. Disappointed, but not stupid, I went across the street to Target where they had about 500,000 copies for sale. I shelled out the $40, went home and installed it.
After I upgraded my account and downloaded some patches, I was ready to roll. Thing is, the highest character I have is a 53 Human Rogue. Thus, things like levels 61-70 and The Outland were inaccessible to me at this time. Since that’s pretty much half the expansion right there, I felt like I was already out $20. But then I remembered that Burning Crusade comes with two new races: The Dranei and Blood Elves.
I started a Dranei character on my main Alliance server (Anetheron). I named him Ferrisbueler and after getting to level 3, I remembered why I try not to make new characters in this game. Somewhat bored with the Dranei already, I decided to try out my first ever Horde character: A Blood Elf. My Blood Elf, Sandspider, is a Paladin and looks really awesome. They look like pissed-off Night Elves with a Human flesh color. I really enjoyed the beginner quests they gave me and since the Blood Elf is an entirely new race (along with the Dranei), lots of people were around to mess with. Being a Blood Elf is fun and I can totally see a lot more people using a Blood Elf instead of a Dranei.
So that’s that. As I dive further into the expansion and try out Jewelcrafting, The Outland, and other new features like flying mounts, I’ll be sure to keep you all updated. If you play WoW and want to join me on my main Alliance server (free character transfers are currently in effect!), just leave your character’s name in the comments and I’ll be sure to whisper you in Azeroth. Hell, if you guys want to roll a new Blood Elf with me, I’m totally down as long as your server is PvP. Let me know what you guys think of WoW:BC!
Source: World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade First Impressions, CrunchGear, January 18, 2007
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