WotLK Report May 2008

Kaplan explained that this was a small example of what the siege vehicle technology can do, and that it is now possible to have multiple players on mounts. Other quests similar to this one will let you fly around in planes, and give you abilities while flying [8:28], take on passengers and drop passengers off, as seen in the movie Blizzard provided us with (towards the end of the movie). Kaplan then went on to tell us about another quest where you are given a flying mount, and you must fly over a stricken village to search for NPCs that need rescuing. Once you spot one, you can lower a rope to them from your mount whilst in the air, and they will climb up to join you.

Next, we were shown another instance called Drak Theron Keep [6:43], which is on the border of Grizzly Hills and a huge area called Zul Drak [6:35], home of the Ice Trolls. This instance introduces us to the evil new race, and is in stark contrast to the other instances we had seen up to that point. These new Trolls are hostile to both factions, but are also fighting the Scourge, against whom they have had some success. This means that both the Horde and Alliance have an interest in finding out what's going on in Drak Theron Keep, so they can discover what the Trolls are doing to beat the Scourge. One of the bosses inside this instance is a Lich located in a burial chamber [6:55], who during the fight, raises several Ice Trolls from the dead to fight for him. This particular fight is a large scripted event that Blizzard have learned players love to complete. There's also a bat aviary, and a T-Rex boss, that Kaplan joked was there purely for the fun of fighting a big dinosaur. There's also a necropolis hovering right over the instance, to show the scourge are close-by.

The area beyond this instance, Zul Drak, also has an instance named Gun Drak [7:39], which contains the final boss for the Ice Trolls. This instance will show the Ice Trolls in all their glory, and teach us why they have been so successful against the scourge. The story that emerges in the completely constructed zone, Zul Drak, and the instance at the end of that zone, Gun Drak, is that the Trolls worship various animal Gods, like the rest of the Troll races. They have begun sacrificing these gods to give them the power to fight the Scourge. The whole zone is recognisable as Troll, but with a twist to it that is true to the Ice Troll culture [7:16].

Back in Borean Tundra, we're introduced to another new organisation, D.E.H.T.A - Druids for the Ethical and Humane Treatment of Animals. This group are direly opposed to Hemet Nesingwary , and give players quests to combat the game hunter's butchery, and even go up against Hemet's hunters. This leads to another new zone, called Sholazar Basin [7:42]. This zone is very similar in design and appearance to Un'goro Crater. Indeed, it was made by the creators as a testing area for new life, as was Un'goro. It is unique in Northrend, as it is the only tropical area there. The zone's climate and safety from the Scourge is maintained by pylons, erected by the Titans. Players have to complete quests to aid NPCs in the area, as one of the pylons has fallen and the Scourge are threatening to enter the zone. Hemet Nesingwary and his friends have also crashed there [7:54].

This zone features two new opposing factions that players have to chose between; the Oracles (Murloc-type creatures) and the Wolvar (Wolverine dudes). Players can complete quests for one faction while becoming hated by the other, but in a new twist, players can then easily change faction and complete the quests for the others too, and become hated by their original faction.

J.Allen Brack then told us a little about the new Russian client, and the ability to calculate alternate Russian names based on the input by a player.

That concluded the presentation. Don't forget to check out all the other information we have about the trip to Blizzard's offices, including interviews with the developers, the low-down on the Death Knight and much much more:

And the latest addition:

Wrath Presentation - All the Facts, None of the Fluff

Note: To see video of the place or NPCs referred to, check out the time stamp next to it like this [6:15], you will be taken to the official movie, just zoom forward to the time indicated on the stamp!

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Comments

SSH83

60 days ago

can we get audio stream of the interviews? Cuz i feel like i'm wasting server's bandwidth by listening the video and not staring at the speakers' faces. haha

Maticus

60 days ago

Rushster and I made some transcripts which are up now, feel free to check them out :)