Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rumor: Senior Titan designer laid off by Blizzard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/rumor-senior-titan-designer-laid-off-by-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/rumor-senior-titan-designer-laid-off-by-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/rumor-senior-titan-designer-laid-off-by-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Blizzard logo
The recent spate of MMO industry layoffs isn't discriminating in terms of company size if the latest rumors are true. We've just been informed that one of Blizzard's golden boys has been served his walking papers, joining hundreds of devs from the likes of NCsoft, GamersFirst, GameForge, and CCP in recent weeks.

John Staats, the senior level designer on Blizzard's secretive Titan project, has been let go, according to our tipster. Staats has been with the company for over a decade and is responsible for some of World of Warcraft's most celebrated content including all the raid dungeons, Blackrock Mountain and Booty Bay, and numerous other instanced dungeons.

Staats was also described by Jeff Kaplan as the "hero of the WoW dev team."

[Thanks to Steve for the tip!]

MassivelyRumor: Senior Titan designer laid off by Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-titanbreakingfantasyjeff-kaplanjohn-staatslayoffsmmo-industryrumorrumorssci-fititanwowMon, 07 Nov 2011 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-the-highlights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-the-highlights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-the-highlights/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

To many veteran MMO players, the opening horns of EverQuest's score are enough to trigger vivid memories, violent hallucinations, and an unstoppable desire to leap through the computer screen to return to Norrath. It all depends, of course, on which MMO you first cut your teeth, and while many gamers would claim titles like World of Warcraft as their first, there is a large contingent who will confess that EQ was their first MMO lover.

In fact, before WoW came on the scene in 2004, EverQuest was the gold standard of MMOs for a half-decade -- it was insanely popular, perfectly addictive, and absolutely revolutionary. It was a giant that roamed the virtual lands of those days, a giant that continues to forge new grounds well over a decade from its inception.

It was 1995 when John Smedley realized the potential for online gaming and roped in Brad McQuaid and Steve Clover to start putting together an online RPG for SOE. What began as a small project ballooned into a crazy endeavor as the growing team created a monster RPG the likes the world had never seen before -- a game that would forever shape the MMO genre.

This month, the Game Archaeologist is going after one of the biggest treasures of recorded history as we unearth the secrets to EverQuest's popularity, legacy, and longevity. The first step on our journey is to look at some of the highlights that made EQ what it is today.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.5-dacAlex-Afrasiabiasherons-callbrad-mcquaidclone-wars-adventuresdc-universe-onlinedcuodikumuddingdkpdoomDuke-Nukem-3De-deqeq-iieq2evercrackedevercracked-the-phenomenom-of-everquesteverquestEverQuest-2everquest-2-extendedeverquest-iiexpansionsfarmfree-realmshouse-of-thuleignj-allen-brackjace-halljeff-kaplanjohn-smedleykunarkmeridian-59mezzmudnerfnichenorrathPirates-of-the-Burning-Seaplanetsideprocraph-kosterrezrob-pardoshadows-of-luclinsoesonySony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstation-accesssteve-cloversubscription-numberssubscriptionsswgthe-game-archaeologistthe-matrix-onlinethe-ruins-of-kunarkultima-onlineunderfootuovanguardverantverant-interactiveWorld-of-WarcraftwowTue, 04 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Mistakes of World of Warcraft

Kaplan was quick to note that Warcraft was far from perfect, and he wanted to highlight some of his own mistakes inside of the design.

The first mistake was the idea of the "Christmas tree effect," otherwise known as having so many quests in a quest hub that the minimap lights up with exclamation points like a Christmas tree. While players enjoy this, Kaplan wanted to say that the developer loses call control over the player at these points, as the player will not read any quest text in their clicking frenzy. There's no control over what quest leads into what or which order the player will do the quests in.

The second was the internet adage of "too long, didn't read." Quest designers don't need to write a book to get their point across with the quests. He brought up that video games had a type of "medium envy," where sometimes they get too preachy with their topics. Games should be fun first, story second.

Mystery also falls in this category. The story can provide mystery, but the quest log should never have any mystery to it. The quest log should always point where to go and what to do, but the overall story of those quests may provide some solution to some mystery.

Also avoid poorly placed quest chains, like the Chains of Myzrael questline in Arathi Highlands. The Myzrael line was hard to find, ended up spanning 14 levels, and ended with killing an elite mob that was level 44. This quest line was a "brick wall" according to Kaplan, because most players never stuck with it.

It's good to have quest chains that span content, but quest chains like this break down trust the player has with the developer. When the player runs into a chain that he can't finish with a monster he can't kill, the player loses trust in the developer's sense of guiding them to fun.

He also emphasized to avoid inserting "gimmick quests." His example here was part of the Oculus dungeon where players ride on dragons. These types of quests center around doing something the client may not be able to properly handle. Warcraft was not designed to accommodate vehicles. When developers resort to putting in parts of the game that center around a gimmick, it can detract from the fun of the rest of the game.

The horror of collection quests

Kaplan's speech ended with an analysis of why people hate collection quests so much, and a few tips on how to make collection quests into a better experience.

His problems with the quests stemmed from three areas -- dense creature population, too few of a creature to kill, and having a wide variety of items required for the quest. Having a dense creature population can put off people, especially when there's a lack of the monster required for the quest. If someone has to kill four lions for every one raptor required for the quest, then there's a problem.

His other point was that collection quests shouldn't require an insane amount of items. To everyone's amusement, he brought up the Green Hills of Stranglethorn quest chain (a chain he wrote) as the exact thing a designer should never do. Collection quests should be an easily obtainable number of items, and not such a long grind fest with the hope that your required item might drop.

Lastly, never have the player question why they're collecting the item required -- it should be clear from the onset. Kaplan brought up the infamous gnoll paw collecting quests, in which gnolls may or may not drop paws upon death, where obviously a gnoll has four paws and not a number between 0 and 1 (which everyone applauded at loudly). Quests should make sense and not become a gimmick in their own right. This causes the player to once again, lose trust.

Most of these points that Kaplan has brought up pertain to Warcraft, but can easily be applied to any game on the market. With all of this in mind, perhaps we'll get to see some better design in our MMOs from other developers, now that we're all on the same page... of the Green Hills of Stranglethorn.

MassivelyGDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardchristmas-treecollection-questscruise-director-of-azerothdirected-gameplayexclamation-pointsgdc-2009green-hills-of-stranglethorninterface-designjeff-kaplanlead-game-designermistakespanelquest-designquest-helperquestingquestsuser-interfaceworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


At GDC09, we got to talk with many people and listened to a variety of panels on all aspects of game design. But there was little doubt as to which panel attracted loads of attention -- the Jeff Kaplan panel on quest design in World of Warcraft.

Warcraft has come extremely far in terms of their UI design and quest implementation since the game launched back in 2004. Just between 2007 and 2009, Kaplan revealed that over 8,570,222,436 quests have been completed, while the daily average was 16,641,409. With those numbers in place, it's safe to say that World of Warcraft players are driven by their questing.

Kaplan's panel revealed a few tricks of the trade, as well as his beliefs regarding questing, so without further adieu let's get into the meat of his panel.

Gallery: GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth

Continue reading GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth

MassivelyGDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardcollection-questscruise-director-of-azerothdirected-gameplayexclamation-pointsfeaturedgame-designgame-developers-conferencegdc-2009gimmicksgreen-hills-of-stranglethorninterface-designjeff-kaplanjoystiqfeatureslead-game-designerpanelquest-designquest-helperquestingquestsworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Blizzard's next MMO?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/the-daily-grind-blizzards-next-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/the-daily-grind-blizzards-next-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/the-daily-grind-blizzards-next-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With Jeff Kaplan moving on to the new Blizzard MMORPG, and recent news coming out that Blizzard will indeed be hosting a BlizzCon again this year, it's time for a bit of fun. What fun would that be? Guessing what Blizzard may choose to do for their new MMO, of course! We've heard StarCraft (otherwise why put all that backstory into SC2?) re-imagining StarCraft: Ghost (they did put a bunch of money into it) and even ideas as far-flung as The Lost Vikings (world a bit small, maybe?). Of course, since we're just taking wild guesses, the sky is the limit! What do you think we'll see as the next MMO from Blizzard - and do you think we'll hear about it at BlizzCon this year?

[Edited to correct name]

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Blizzard's next MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzconjeff-kaplanstarcraftstarcraft-ghosttdgthe-daily-grindthe-lost-vikingswild-speculationFri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: It won't be World of Warcraft 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/14/the-digital-continuum-it-wont-be-world-of-warcraft-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/14/the-digital-continuum-it-wont-be-world-of-warcraft-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/14/the-digital-continuum-it-wont-be-world-of-warcraft-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


I love Blizzard, and not just for creating World of Warcraft. I've loved them since they were called Silicon & Synapse and created Rock 'n Roll Racing. But if there's one thing I've learned about the developer, it's that when making games they prefer to improve upon established models more than anything else. That statement may seem to run counter to my title, but stay with me here.

When Jeff Kaplan announced his move to the company's next-gen MMO, I didn't wonder if World of Warcraft would suffer. I also didn't ponder why Blizzard and Jeff made that choice and if it would mean their second massively multiplayer online entry was going to effective be a sequel to their first. All I considered was which MMOs they were going to pluck ideas from this time, and how cleverly they'd could be implemented.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: It won't be World of Warcraft 2

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: It won't be World of Warcraft 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardage-of-conanarenanetblizzardfeaturedfuncomgod-of-war-3guild-warsjeff-kaplanjoystiqfeaturesncsoftprotossrock-n-roll-racingstreet-fighter-ivtabula-rasaterrantigoleworld-of-warcraftwowwow-2zergSat, 14 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jeff Kaplan leaving World of Warcraft for next-gen Blizzard MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/jeff-kaplan-leaving-world-of-warcraft-for-next-gen-blizzard-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/jeff-kaplan-leaving-world-of-warcraft-for-next-gen-blizzard-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/12/jeff-kaplan-leaving-world-of-warcraft-for-next-gen-blizzard-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Big news is coming out of Blizzard today as Jeffrey Kaplan, lead designer on World of Warcraft, is moving onto the company's next-gen MMO full-time. His announcement was made via a personal post on the official forums, and included a promise to both play and stay involved with WoW while leaving the day-to-day responsibilities to Tom Chilton and J. Allen Brack.

Kaplan has definitely been involved with the project before now, but we can't stop from wondering whether this is a sign of development ramping up in a big way for Blizzard's sophomore MMO effort, because you don't move over the main dude working on your biggest property unless it's time to kick it up several notches.

And what does this mean for the next expansion in terms of direction and overall design philosophy? Well, knowing Blizzard we won't see a drop in quality, but with a changing of the guard there's always a chance for new directions to be taken.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyJeff Kaplan leaving World of Warcraft for next-gen Blizzard MMO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardbreakingjeff-kaplannext-gen-mmoworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 12 Feb 2009 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Other hero classes were considered for World of Warcraft expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/30/other-hero-classes-were-considered-for-world-of-warcraft-expansi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/30/other-hero-classes-were-considered-for-world-of-warcraft-expansi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/30/other-hero-classes-were-considered-for-world-of-warcraft-expansi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The latest official podcast of World of Warcraft, BlizzCast Episode 7, features Lead Game Designer Jeff Kaplan and Production Director J. Allen Brack doing a wrap-up of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. They talk about a wide range of topics in the context of Wrath, but one thing that stands out is Brack's mention of hero classes, and the difficulty in narrowing down to one hero class for release from a pool of 29 hero classes that were complete.

Kaplan added, "I think the class choice was super hard and eventually we had it down to three front runners which was pretty cool. We were talking for awhile about a Necromancer. He would be kind of a range caster, do a lot of corpse explode, that sort of thing. Things we ended up incorporating into the Death Knight. We also had a cool idea for a Rune Master. That was going to be more of a melee type. Think Rogue or Monk-type character, but Death Knight ultimately fit."

Check out BlizzCast Episode 7 for more about World of Warcraft from the game's creators themselves, as well as some hints about massive raid zones on the way and discussion of the game's lore.

[Via Eurogamer]
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyOther hero classes were considered for World of Warcraft expansion originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzcastclassesdungeonsexpansionsfantasygame-mechanicsinterviewsj-allen-brackjeff-kaplanlorepodcastsworld-of-warcraftwowwrathwrath-of-the-lich-kingFri, 30 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This year's GDC offers a lot for MMO fans]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/this-years-gdc-offers-a-lot-for-mmo-fans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/this-years-gdc-offers-a-lot-for-mmo-fans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/this-years-gdc-offers-a-lot-for-mmo-fans/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


A fan of MMOs? This year's Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco will have a lot to offer you. Every year GDC offers game developers and (by proxy) the gaming public an inside look at the way the industry as a whole is swinging. The Game Design track is, in this blogger's opinion, always the most interesting. 2009, above and beyond the average, is going to appeal to those of us with a love of online gaming. Two well-known MMO industry leaders will be speaking at the event. Those aside, there are numerous talks that fall well within the interests of folks who like open world environments and roleplaying combined.

Whether you're going or just reading coverage, you're definitely not going to want to miss Cruise Director of Azeroth: Directed Gameplay within World of Warcraft. Jeff Kaplan will talk about the guidelines and philosophies behind making the uber-popular game, and (tantalizingly) will be going into the evolution of Blizzard's quest design leading up to Wrath of the Lich King. The other big draw is going to be Making an MMO Based on a Beloved IP (Without Pissing Everyone Off), done by none other than Mythic Entertainment's Paul Barnett. Barnett will be speaking to the challenges of working with an established IP, as well as sharing humorous anecdotes from the years-long dev process. There are plenty more tantalizing events on the docket; be sure to check out the Cliff's notes at GameSetWatch.

MassivelyThis year's GDC offers a lot for MMO fans originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designdesign-trackgdcgdc-09jeff-kaplanmmo-industrypaul-barnettSat, 24 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR has only just begun to compete with WoW, declares Mark Jacobs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/war-has-only-just-begun-to-compete-with-wow-declares-mark-jacob/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/war-has-only-just-begun-to-compete-with-wow-declares-mark-jacob/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/war-has-only-just-begun-to-compete-with-wow-declares-mark-jacob/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you've been following this particular exchange you'll know the score, but let's recap: Blizzard's Jeff Kaplan just like turned around and said some stuff about Warhammer Online, about how he wasn't even in the Beta and stuff, and Mark Jacobs was like whoa, and he totally turned around and said some stuff about World of Warcraft, and now Mark Jacobs is all, like, dude, bring it, and everybody's like, ohmygawd, it is so on.

In his discussion with gamesindustry.biz, Mark is upfront about competing with Blizzard. 'We're in this space to be successful and, when you have a competitor that is as successful and important to the games industry as WoW has been, you don't go into this space unless you're willing to spend money and spend time and really compete against them.'

Continue reading WAR has only just begun to compete with WoW, declares Mark Jacobs

MassivelyWAR has only just begun to compete with WoW, declares Mark Jacobs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardea-mythicjeff-kaplanmark-jacobswarhammer-onlinewrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 18 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What could (and should) Blizzard's next-gen MMO be?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/15/the-daily-grind-what-could-and-should-blizzards-next-gen-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/15/the-daily-grind-what-could-and-should-blizzards-next-gen-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/15/the-daily-grind-what-could-and-should-blizzards-next-gen-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Blizzard's been talking about new MMOs as of late. Mike Morhaime told gamesindustry.biz about the challenges of launching a new game, and Jeff Kaplan dropped a few hints about the next-gen MMO that the company's been developing for a while now.

Kaplan hinted that the new game will hit consoles, and answered "all of the above" when asked if the genre would be sci-fi, fantasy, or historical. What impression does that give you, readers? Is it a totally new IP? If so, what do you think Blizz will try to do? And just as importantly -- what do you want them to do? What are you looking for in the next Blizzard MMO? World of Starcraft, or something completely different?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What could (and should) Blizzard's next-gen MMO be? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardconsolesdiscussionjeff-kaplanjeffrey-kaplanmike-morhaimenext-gen-mmoopinionspeculationtdgthe-daily-grindWed, 15 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard's Kaplan drops hints about next-gen MMO's genre and platforms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/blizzards-kaplan-drops-hints-about-next-gen-mmos-genre-and-pla/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/blizzards-kaplan-drops-hints-about-next-gen-mmos-genre-and-pla/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/blizzards-kaplan-drops-hints-about-next-gen-mmos-genre-and-pla/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Speaking to MTV Multiplayer, World of Warcraft game director Jeffrey Kaplan dropped several vague hints about Blizzard's "next-gen MMO," which is called that because so far the only info we've seen has been in job postings carrying that label. The hints don't count for much, but they're the most we've heard about the game so far.

Kaplan, who revealed he is involved in the project, was asked if the game's genre would be science fiction, post-apocalyptic, or historical, and while laughing he responded: "all of those combined!" We're not sure what to make of that. Citing the console experience of the development team, he also hinted at what we already suspected: Blizzard is at least considering releasing its next MMO on consoles. However, the game is "early in development," which makes us wonder if it might not be for today's consoles, but rather the next generation.

MassivelyBlizzard's Kaplan drops hints about next-gen MMO's genre and platforms originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzconblizzcon-2008blizzcon2008consolesgenreinterviewjeff-kaplanjeffrey-kaplannext-gen-mmorumorsspeculationworld-of-warcraftTue, 14 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Blizzcast: Professions, progression and patches, oh my]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/new-blizzcast-professions-progression-and-patches-oh-my/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/new-blizzcast-professions-progression-and-patches-oh-my/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/new-blizzcast-professions-progression-and-patches-oh-my/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Blizzcast episode 4 is out, and it's chock full of the interesting discussion you've come to enjoy from the Blizzard crew. This episode includes some fantastic interviews on a variety of wide-ranging topics from the music of World of Warcraft's Sunwell Plateau to designing the various in-game professions, and caps off with a bunch of reader-submitted dev-answered questions -- and some tasty Starcraft II information!

If you're curious about the things going on behind the scenes at Blizzard (you know, beyond frantically trying to fix the online store so people can pick up Blizzcon tickets) then be sure to check out Blizzcast #4! Or for those of you who aren't into podcasts (or who just don't have the ability to listen in right now) be sure to check out their handy transcription of the podcast, available now for your lunch-hour reading pleasure.

One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyNew Blizzcast: Professions, progression and patches, oh my originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzcastbornakkdavid-kimdryscjeff-kaplanjon-lecraftmike-heibergnethaerapodcastrussell-browerstarcraft-iitigoleworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 12 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's Jeff Kaplan previews Lich King UI changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/world-of-warcrafts-jeff-kaplan-previews-lich-king-ui-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/world-of-warcrafts-jeff-kaplan-previews-lich-king-ui-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/world-of-warcrafts-jeff-kaplan-previews-lich-king-ui-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Lead designer for World of Warcraft Jeff Kaplan is the man to talk to if you want the inside scoop on the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King. So MTV Multiplayer did, asking after some information on upcoming changes to the popular game's UI. Already well known for having one of the slickest interfaces in online gaming, it sounds as if there are going to be a lot of great improvements coming with the new expansion. Unsurprisingly, many of the upcoming improvements are going to be based on popular fan-made mods. Kaplan describes his own mod usage like 'candy', with stretches of gratuitous mod downloading interspersed with 'vanilla UI' cleansing.

WoW Insider has been all over this stuff, noting plans for a token system that will replace badges and a set of tabs to allow easy access to mounts and vanity pets. They also reported on plans for a threat-meter style addition to the game, which Kaplan describes as more like an 'aura'. "We're going to display threat by a glowing unit frame. Like if you're glowing orange, you're really close to a 70% threat threshold, and then if you turn red it means you've pulled threat. Because that's really all people need in a raid is to be able to look and go, 'Hey the mage is orange.'" They also hope to put in some sort of coordinate system, and it even sounds like a form of QuestHelper-like functionality will find its way into the game. Kaplan notes that last will probably not see inclusion until the first post-expansion patch, but that's still some great news.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's Jeff Kaplan previews Lich King UI changes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardjeff-kaplanjeffrey-kaplanuiuser-interfaceworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwow-uiwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 09 Aug 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft achievements will expand to other Blizzard titles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/world-of-warcraft-achievements-will-expand-to-other-blizzard-tit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/world-of-warcraft-achievements-will-expand-to-other-blizzard-tit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/world-of-warcraft-achievements-will-expand-to-other-blizzard-tit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's no secret that World of Warcraft will feature an achievement system that will roll out with the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. The writing's been on the wall for a little while now. New details have emerged, revealing that the achievement system will not be limited to World of Warcraft alone. Ultimately, the achievements will connect WoW with Blizzard's other major titles, namely Starcraft II and Diablo III.

MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John recently spoke with WoW Lead Designer Jeff Kaplan about the impending first incarnation of this system, which will be character-specific, as well as Blizzard's plans for account-level achievements that focus more on classes and professions. Hit MTV Multiplayer for more details on account-based achievements, WoW points, and the 'Blizzard Level' -- that all-important ranking which will soon command the attention of most Blizzard fans.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft achievements will expand to other Blizzard titles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementachievementsblizzarddiablodiablo3expansiongamerscorejeff-kaplanmtvmtv-multiplayerstarcraftstarcraft2wowwow-pointswrathwrath-of-the-lich-kingFri, 01 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wrath of the Lich King interview notes some big changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/wrath-of-the-lich-king-interview-notes-some-big-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/wrath-of-the-lich-king-interview-notes-some-big-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/wrath-of-the-lich-king-interview-notes-some-big-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Blizzard should have a reason to fret since two games, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online, are set to release this year and might rain on Blizzard's parade. However, Blizzard refuses to lower their shield and sword and bubble hearth. They are actually pretty confident in their upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, and they do not think that there is too much aggro from the new games. In an interview with Eurogamer, a few of the devs chatted about what spells will be cast to keep the accounts up and the game fresh.

Content updates do not come as much of a surprise. Blizzard is raising the cap to level 80, but they do not want you to feel as if the bar has been set and there is no progression beyond it. Raids and dungeons are going to be more inviting since, in the words of Jeff Kaplan, "Burning Crusade was way too hardcore out of the gate." If raiding is still not for you, the Death Knight is going to add a little flavor to the game. Best of all, there are going to be evolved murlocs! With this exciting change, we may feel badly about killing the poor guys over and over again for their shiny, graphically enhanced, scales. Take a look at the interview and get a feel for what awaits us on the frozen grounds of Northrend.

MassivelyWrath of the Lich King interview notes some big changes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanblizzardburning-crusadeeurogamerjeff-kaplanwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 17 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW graphics engine to be overhauled someday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/wow-graphics-engine-to-be-overhauled-someday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/wow-graphics-engine-to-be-overhauled-someday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/wow-graphics-engine-to-be-overhauled-someday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

World of Warcraft producer J. Allen Brack and designers Jeff Kaplan and Tom Chilton were interviewed by Eurogamer today. Most of the interview dealt with Wrath of the Lich King content like the Death Knight, 10-person raids, and world PvP objectives. The most interesting bits of the interview were on the last page, though; the Blizzard reps talked about WoW's future.

According to Kaplan, a major graphics engine overhaul is "probably" part of that future. While he himself is not convinced it's necessary (he cited players' lukewarm reception of similar moves by the developers of Ultima Online and EverQuest), he said: "That's actually something we talk about every expansion ... and I'm positive we'll talk about it next expansion."

In the meantime, WotLK will allow "people with high-end machines some additional graphical effects." WoW Insider joked that future graphics engine updates might be dedicated entirely to producing even larger, more detailed shoulder pad armor. We wouldn't be surprised!

[Via WoW Insider]

MassivelyWoW graphics engine to be overhauled someday originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardeffectsengineeurogamerexpansionfuturegraphicsinterviewj-allen-brackjeff-kaplanoverhaultom-chiltonupdateupgradeworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingFri, 16 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BlizzCast hits the scene]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/10/blizzcast-hits-the-scene/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/10/blizzcast-hits-the-scene/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/10/blizzcast-hits-the-scene/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Listen to BlizzCast or it may die, and go away forever. No, that's not a good thing. In the first segment, CM Kevin "Karune" Yui interviews Samwise Didier, Blizzard Entertainment's Art Director. The interview runs for 12 minutes; no ground-breaking information is disclosed, but there is some good shop-talk on Starcraft II art and his conceptual art process. You can also check out some featured artwork from Samwise throughout the transcript.

The final segment focuses on World of Warcraft and clocks in at 8 minutes. CM Drysc interviews Jeffrey "Tigole" Kaplan. Kaplan mainly rehashes what the designers are doing with the upcoming Sunwell 2.4 patch. WoW Insider has been covering this ad nauseum, but here's what I gleaned:
  • First 3 Sunwell Plateau bosses and their difficulty levels are tuned against Tier 6 players.
  • No attunement to enter or for the first 3 bosses.
  • Overall faction for Sunwell Isle is the Shattered Sun Offensive.
  • Aldor and Scryer storyline continues as their forces combine to battle against the Burning Legion. NPC changes will be reflected in Shattrath.
  • Sunwell Plateau loot rewards will be Tier 7; including, armor sets bonuses and class specific loot but no unique sets in terms of looks.
  • Kaplan assures that the Tier 7 look will diversify better than the comparisons made with AQ 40 itemization.
  • Magister's Terrace 5 man dungeon both heroic and normal modes, and it will have a similar difficulty as Shadow Labyrinth and Shattered Halls.
  • Magister's Terrace is a 4 boss dungeon. The first 3 bosses drop one 1 in 15 blues, which are normal level 70 dungeon loot. The last boss will drop 1 in 10 epics on par with lower-end Karazhan epics.
  • Magister's Terrace itemization is intended to play a deeper relevancy in WoW's itemization today by offering better rewards than older dungeons but not over doing it.
  • Possible class balancing depending on the results from the 2.3 patch, but nothing concrete at this time.
  • Daily quest allotment will be raised from 10 to 25.
That's a wrap on my show notes. Be sure to check out the official BlizzCast page where you can view the transcript or download the audio. Chris Metzen will be joining the next episode. I'm definitely looking forward to that, and maybe we will get some information on the World of Warcraft movie. Blizzard is also giving away some sweet Logitech 5.1 speaker sets and Starcraft II garb to those who leave feedback about their first show. My thoughts about the production and format are after the break.

Continue reading BlizzCast hits the scene

MassivelyBlizzCast hits the scene originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentblizzcastdryscjeff-kaplankarunepodcastssamwisetigoleworld-of-warcraftThu, 10 Jan 2008 22:45:00 EST<![CDATA[CVG interviews Jeff Kaplan on Wrath of the Lich King]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/cvg-interviews-jeff-kaplan-on-wrath-of-the-lich-king/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/cvg-interviews-jeff-kaplan-on-wrath-of-the-lich-king/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/cvg-interviews-jeff-kaplan-on-wrath-of-the-lich-king/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


If you're itching to hear any kind of information on Wraith of the Lich King, then here's a great fix for you. CVG asks Jeff Kaplan what we can expect of the forthcoming expansion from Blizzard, including everyone's favorite fallen hero Arthas. Addressing the fear that everything in the expansion is going to be covered in ice and snow, Kaplan assures that Blizzard has plenty of variety in locales. One example he gives is the Howling Fjord, which is modeled after the Redwood Forest in the Pacific north-west.

Continue reading CVG interviews Jeff Kaplan on Wrath of the Lich King

MassivelyCVG interviews Jeff Kaplan on Wrath of the Lich King originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arthasblizzardexpansionshowling-fjordjeff-kaplanstratholmeworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 07 Jan 2008 11:25:00 EST