- When in the timeline does World of Warcraft take place?
World of Warcraft takes place three years following the aftermath of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, when a great tension has settled over the ravaged world of Azeroth.
- We've seen from an older screenshot that the Dark Portal has been rebuilt (after having been destroyed in Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal). Can you give us any background on why it's back or what role it'll play in the game?
The foundation of the Dark Portal was never destroyed, even though the connection of the worlds was severed. While it is no longer active, there is a legend of a ritual contained within Medivh's spellbook that might one day allow powerful Warlocks to open the portal.
- Will World of Warcraft mix with Warcraft III? If there are new foes, do they include the Night Elves, Undead or Burning Legion?
World of Warcraft will be set in lands both familiar and new to long-time players of the series. It is difficult to discuss the World of Warcraft story without giving away the plot for Warcraft III. We can say that Azeroth will experience significant changes and be a very different world than Warcraft fans know today. And, while there will be plenty of recognizable characters and places to explore, we think that the balance between discovering what is known and what is different is something that players will really enjoy.
In regard to the inclusion of the Undead or Burning Legion, you will just have to wait and see...
- What continents are in World of Warcraft? Will they be familiar to fans of the Warcraft RTS series?
Currently, players will be able to explore the lands of Azeroth, Khaz Modan, Lordaeron, and the newly discovered lands of Kalimdor. Players familiar with the Warcraft series will find that we have depicted nearly every location from the Warcraft universe in World of Warcraft.
- How many continents/islands will there be? How big will the world be?
World of Warcraft will be vastly larger than any other universe found in previous Blizzard games. In World of Warcraft, players can expect to journey through the familiar lands of Azeroth, Khaz Modan, and Lordaeron, to name a few. The game will also feature several uncharted and exotic new lands. We are expanding the Warcraft universe because we believe that a critical part of the MMORPG experience is the ability to journey through robust new lands. Our goal is to create a vast new world filled with adventure and excitement, while keeping the game fully populated to support a strong sense of community.
- Will there be "zones" in World of Warcraft?
World of Warcraft will not feature "zones" in the traditional sense denoting loading screens between each area of gameplay. Our plan is to incorporate different regions of the world for players to explore, each with their own distinct look and theme. Questing through the majority of these regions will be seamless, however, certain regions may require a short load time.
- Will you be able to visit the familiar locations from Warcraft, Warcraft II and so on?
Most definitely. Players will explore the ruins of old battles, interact with legendary heroes, and visit many of the locations that have made the Warcraft series so memorable.
- Will there be secret locations or Easter eggs?
There are plenty of special locations for players to discover. The level designers have gone all out.
- Will there be water-based, interactive environments?
Yes.
- What is the time cycle in World of Warcraft?
Currently, the game is set to run on a 24 hour time cycle which is dependant on where each server is located. This is one of those things that is being looked at closely, and is subject to change before the game is released.
- What kind of weather effects will there be in the game?
Players will experience numerous changes in weather throughout the world. The game features dynamic skies and clouds giving players the ability to actually see clouds begin to form and coalesce into stormy weather. Snow, rain, and fog are just some of many additional weather effects players can expect to find in the game.
- Will there be monsters that randomly roam in packs from time to time?
Yes, and we call this dynamic game play. The plan is to have numerous dynamic encounters in the game that will be randomly timed and placed.
- Will there be dragons in the game?
Yes.
- Will there be "named" or "unique" monsters in the World of Warcraft?
Yes there are many unique monsters in World of Warcraft. Some will appear randomly, while others will only spawn when certain conditions have been met.
- In other games problems have resulted from players being able to attack monsters without retaliation. What are the solutions to these problems in World of Warcraft?
The creatures in World of Warcraft have special AI to prevent them from being exploited. Creatures recognize when they're being exploited, and when this happens, they go into "evade" mode and return to their spawn points.
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