BlizzCon 2009 Video Highlights: Live Goblin, Worgen Gameplay
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pixiestixy on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 15 Comments Tags: Behind the Scenes, blizzcon, blizzcon 2009, cataclysm, demos, gameplay, goblin, races, video highlights, worgen, wow: cataclysm
pixiestixy on Monday, August 24, 2009 - 15 Comments Tags: Behind the Scenes, blizzcon, blizzcon 2009, cataclysm, demos, gameplay, goblin, races, video highlights, worgen, wow: cataclysm
Undeniably one of the best aspects of attending BlizzCon for us WoW fans was the chance to play the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm demo. Take a look here to see a little bit of gameplay on the new races, narrated a bit by me (don't mind the short little bit on Frostmourne while I was getting my camera set), and scroll down below for my thoughts!
For both races’ demos, we start off with the level 5 characters in a bind. As iTZKooPA detailed, the Goblin has fainted and needs revival, while the Worgen has been taken hostage and faces an angry mob of humans who have him in a medieval pillory. But (surprise!) in both cases you regain control of the characters and move along to some pretty standard low-level quests of collecting shiny things hidden in the area around you and killing random creatures.
The demo only allowed choosing either race as a male. We obviously have an idea of what the female Goblin will look like from released screenshots, artwork, and based on how they’ve appeared in the game thus far. But I am still incredibly curious about how the Worgen female will look. So far, the only thing we really have to base that on is the Worgen female mask found through data-mining, and who knows if that will even end up being an accurate picture when the game comes out.
Another note on appearance: Goblins look downright mean. I scrolled through every available facial expression combination, and it seemed each was a varying level of permanent scowl. Granted, Goblins have a lot to be pissed off about right now, but can’t at least one version have a smile, or a smirk, even? Perhaps they’ll add one in before all is said and done. I guess I shouldn’t fret since I’ll roll female anyway! As for the Worgens – they all have pointy teeth, obviously, but they didn’t all look as angry. Perhaps all that fur makes them soft on the inside, too.
Blizzard is also leaving plenty up to speculation, since the Cataclysm demo obviously was not the complete game. I mention this in the video as well, but another unknown is the dance that each race will perform (or any of their other emotes for that matter). One of the first thing I tried out while on both characters was a /dance, but to no avail. Only when the Worgen was in human form would he dance, and it was the usual Saturday Night Fever groove. The world map wouldn't zoom out beyond just the zone view, either, and based on panel discussions it sounds like they’re still working on the exact placement of new areas and how the post-Cataclysm map will appear.
So other than seeing how the characters move, and what kind of quests they're up to at level 5, it's hard to glean too much from the gameplay. Regardless, it was still an awesome opportunity to get an up-close look at how the new races will play.
So how are you guys feeling so far about what you've seen of gameplay? The video can be difficult to discern at parts -- some of the screens were too bright for my camera to handle -- but I hope you've enjoyed getting a bit of a sneak peek!
For both races’ demos, we start off with the level 5 characters in a bind. As iTZKooPA detailed, the Goblin has fainted and needs revival, while the Worgen has been taken hostage and faces an angry mob of humans who have him in a medieval pillory. But (surprise!) in both cases you regain control of the characters and move along to some pretty standard low-level quests of collecting shiny things hidden in the area around you and killing random creatures.
The demo only allowed choosing either race as a male. We obviously have an idea of what the female Goblin will look like from released screenshots, artwork, and based on how they’ve appeared in the game thus far. But I am still incredibly curious about how the Worgen female will look. So far, the only thing we really have to base that on is the Worgen female mask found through data-mining, and who knows if that will even end up being an accurate picture when the game comes out.
Another note on appearance: Goblins look downright mean. I scrolled through every available facial expression combination, and it seemed each was a varying level of permanent scowl. Granted, Goblins have a lot to be pissed off about right now, but can’t at least one version have a smile, or a smirk, even? Perhaps they’ll add one in before all is said and done. I guess I shouldn’t fret since I’ll roll female anyway! As for the Worgens – they all have pointy teeth, obviously, but they didn’t all look as angry. Perhaps all that fur makes them soft on the inside, too.
Blizzard is also leaving plenty up to speculation, since the Cataclysm demo obviously was not the complete game. I mention this in the video as well, but another unknown is the dance that each race will perform (or any of their other emotes for that matter). One of the first thing I tried out while on both characters was a /dance, but to no avail. Only when the Worgen was in human form would he dance, and it was the usual Saturday Night Fever groove. The world map wouldn't zoom out beyond just the zone view, either, and based on panel discussions it sounds like they’re still working on the exact placement of new areas and how the post-Cataclysm map will appear.
So other than seeing how the characters move, and what kind of quests they're up to at level 5, it's hard to glean too much from the gameplay. Regardless, it was still an awesome opportunity to get an up-close look at how the new races will play.
So how are you guys feeling so far about what you've seen of gameplay? The video can be difficult to discern at parts -- some of the screens were too bright for my camera to handle -- but I hope you've enjoyed getting a bit of a sneak peek!
Reader Comments (15)
Looks really cool, wish I could've tried out a worgen xD Firsters got pwned! :D
is tha your voice in the trialer?
Yeah if u actually read it, pixie said she narrated it... so i think that's her voice...
i must be the only one that thinks this is the stupidest thing that blizz has come up with. i mean what the difference between a human mage and a Gobblin Mage.Racials arnt that much of a difference. i still say worgen as a class would be a whole lot cooler then as a race i mean they are human that turn into werewolfs right. the reason why the new races in bc were good cause it opened up a new class for each faction. Now each factions have all the classes. need more classes to make game play better. it is just redundant a gobblin mage is the same as a freaking human mage as with the worgen. call me stupid but i dont think i will be getting the expansion. oh and wow a whole 5 more lvls woot they shouldd go to 90 that way peopel will be able to see more of the "new" azeroth. j
@kerth
Have you even seen everything else there doing?
@Kerth
Blizz has already stated that they do not want to focus primarily on leveling and that they want it to mean something when you actually do gain a level. If the structure is right from the XP standpoint then 5 levels will be plenty to see all of Azeroth's high end content.
It is not so much as how many levels there are (10 wasn't even enough to see all of the content in Wrath), but in how they tie the zones and the levels together. A lot of the zones will still be for lower levels and not for high end content.
I do agree that Worgen as a class would be way better than as a race, but that defeats the whole purpose of being Alliance only (not to mention that they are still ironing out all of the wrinkles in the last class they rolled out). Racials play only a part in the race that you pick. I certainly didn't look at all of the racials when deciding what class I wanted to play. You have to enjoy what your character looks like too, which is why I don't play as an undead. Something about how they are always hunched over, and their clothes hanging off of them bothers me.
Listen to why people want to play as each class, they certainly aren't saying "Yea Worgen. That +15 to skinning is really awesome!". Its all about how cool they look - Alliance gets a mean looking creature and Horde gets green gnomes finally.
I'm getting the expansion for one reason and one reason only - Heroic Deadmines!
@Sysco
I am with you all the way!!!!!XD
i tihnk its dumb but cool... only thing im looking foward too is sargeras and DEATHWING WOOT KILLING ONY AND NEF'S DADDY!!
Can you have a Worgen Wightout Fur?
I meen A worgen Looking Like The Mobs We are Familiar whit From Duskwood And other areas
Or Do u Need to have Fur
And Allso At Caracter Creation Can u chose how Ur Human form whill look like or its Randomised By the Server or something?
_Bad english Alert _
Um stupid question but didn't it say in the terms of use or what ever you call it for blizzcon said you couldn't take any video of the game play. Is this exempt for people with a press pass or whatever?
Eh, don't care much for goblins being a new race, I do like however that after 5 years of playing the exact same quests on every single alt that the old world content will finaly be changing, yes I know you don't need the expansion to have the changed old world but that is a nice change.
I also like that they are bringing back the content that so few people ever got to play at level the first time, all in all it seems cheap but nice, as for the person complaining about only 5 new levels I really don't want this to become another phantasy star where if your below level 194 your low level, I mean whats the point of even having numbers at that point?
All in all it will be interesting to see how it all plays out, but in general it is looking good so far, and like that they aren't going "hey look a new small little island called Asia just happened to show up over night hmm wounder how we never have seen it for the past century... I mean for nearly 4 years there was no northrend on our maps and then poof an island the size of Australlia just happens to show up that we never noticed before?
Worgen should have the Thriller dance, i know their zombies but still
Why do people complain about not having new races and then when they release a new expansion that has new races, people still find reasons to complain? It's like they complain before and after, they're never happy!
@ Boboski, I totally agree. I thought of it even before I saw your post. Worgens dancing to thriller ftw! =P
@Daniel 2.0, I'm fairly certain you won't be able to go without fur, but I expect you can choose the colour. Also, I'm fairly certain I remember reading/hearing you can customize both your human and Worgen forms.
Maybe Goblins could do the robot? They do like their mechanical things after all.