Project Lore

We know Blizzard is developing a third expansion for World of Warcraft. We know they're developing Diablo III, Starcraft II, and a nameless next-gen MMO. As it turns out, they're also developing a fifth project that will use a completely new engine built from scratch. Silicon Alley Insider reported on a post on DIII.net as they discovered a few job listings filed under "Unannounced Project," which is a different category from the "Next-Gen MMO" that has been used for Blizzards upcoming unnamed MMO. A couple of days later, there was confirmation that the job listings were for a game that had previously not been mentioned:

The job openings mentioned in this newspost is indeed a brand-new game that has not been mentioned before. 1. This brand-new game is not a World of Warcraft expansion, and it is not related to the Next-Gen MMO. 2. In the present, the brand-new game is using the World of Warcraft engine merely for testing purposes. 3. The Client Software Engineer job opening is to hire the person that will have the responsibility to develop an engine from scratch for this game.  This new engine will be built depending on the skill and interest of the person hired for this position. Whether this game is based on the three major franchises (Warcraft, Starcraft or Diablo) or a new IP, that remains unknown.

Blizzard has expressed plenty of interest in starting a new franchise, so it wouldn't be too surprising to learn that this new project was completely unrelated to their other works. On the flip side, it would be interesting to see a new Warcraft-related game. What could it possibly be? What are your thoughts? Excited at the prospect of new Blizzard games every year? Nervous that Blizzard may be spreading itself too thin? Silicon Alley Insider sees it as a great new revenue stream for Activision. I just can't wait to see what else Blizzard has up its sleeve.

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We saw a glimmer of this when installing Wrath, and its now beginning. Players now have the option to create an overarching Battle.net account and link all of their Blizzard games together. This may become mandatory in the future. After registering, you can "merge" your WoW account and your Battle.net account. Whenever you login to WoW, you then use your Battle.net credentials, namely the email address you used for your Battle.net account and your new password. Login for the non-WoW Blizzard games still uses their existing logon system and they will not (yet?) accept the new Battle.net credentials. You can add StarCraft Anthology, Warcraft III, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, Warcraft Battle Chest, Diablo II, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, and Diablo II Battle Chest into your Battle.net account by providing the site with your CD key. You can also buy a CD key online from the Blizzard store. You are then able to download the fully patched game to your computer using the standard Blizzard downloader used for all WoW patches and media, and in the future there may be more integrated features to unify the games. Warcraft II Battle.net edition is notably not on the list. In the future, its likely that we will see "account wide achievements" and other such things. Its unclear how or if the older games will play into this, but you can be certain that Starcraft II, Diablo III, and the currently unannounced MMO that Blizzard is working on will use the new Battle.net heavily. Warcraft II, Warcraft III, Diablo II, and Starcraft all shared the same Battle.net servers and game channels could be joined by anyone from any of those games. I'd love to see WoW join in on this, as I still hop on Warcraft III and Starcraft once in a while and would like to chat with players across all of these games. In addition, Blizzard annouced that the highly popular Blizzard authenticator will be available as an application for mobile devices, namely the iPhone and iPod touch. Its a great piece of equipment that improves account security. It is being re-branded as the Battle.net authenticator. The authenticator will work with all Battle.net games. Downloadable software is much easier to keep in stock than hardware, so hopefully this will provide players with a venue to get an authenticator. Price is not yet announced, and it may be free to increase account security. Since mobile devices (especially the iPod) must authenticate over the internet, I don't think its unlikely that an exploit to replicate the authenticator will happen at some point in the future.

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Marvel announced this week plans to develop at least two new MMOs, joining a growing list of possible competitors to WoW. A few months ago, iTZkooPA posted on whether Blizzard should be worried about other MMORPGs that already have been released. It looked like, at that time, they weren’t too concerned. Maybe they had no reason to be. Since then, WotLK became the fastest-selling PC game of all time (beating out the Burning Crusade expansion, which previously held that title), and propelled WoW to a base of 11.5 million subscribers. But there’s a long list of upcoming MMOs that are still a ways from hitting the market. Do these pose a challenge for Blizzard’s dominant stance in the market? It seems to me that several of the upcoming MMO titles depend on an already-existing fan base. Let’s take a look at the Marvel announcement for an example:

“Gazillion's new licensing agreement with Marvel calls for the development and publishing of MMO games featuring Marvel's iconic universe super heroes. The first game in development is a casual MMO for younger audiences based on Marvel's Super Hero Squad property. Super Hero Squad features an exciting, super-stylized look for the greatest Super Heroes, including Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Thor, Fantastic Four, Captain America and many others.”

Undoubtedly, Marvel has a built-in fan base already salivating over the possibilities. And some of those fans also may play WoW. So would a Super Hero Squad MMO pull WoW players away? Perhaps some, if they don’t want to pay two monthly fees for games. (Marvel hasn’t yet stated whether the new games will have a monthly fee. I’m guessing they will.) But WoW’s fan base also might not be excited about a game proposed for “younger audiences.” This is just the first of what Marvel has announced, though, and subsequent games such as the “major new Marvel Universe PC and Console MMO” may pursue the franchise’s not-so-young audiences, as well. With team members from Blizzard, Pixar and Apple, I’m sure they’re well aware that an MMO done well can reach a much wider audience. A lot has changed since my first introduction to MMORPGs through Ragnarok Online many years ago. It looks like MMOs are becoming the popular thing to do. Or perhaps I should say the profitable thing to do (especially when superheroes are in the mix). Several other companies with pre-made audiences also have jumped onto the MMO bandwagon prior to Marvel’s announcement. Sony Online Entertainment is developing a DC Universe Online, Lucasarts and Bioware are working on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and let’s not forget about the LEGO Group’s upcoming MMOG, LEGO Universe (which has revealed its own interpretation of /chicken). With as-of-yet limited details on what any of these games will entail, it’s difficult to say where their place will be in the market. Perhaps that will be determined not only by the new games’ strengths, but also by what Blizzard continues to bring to keep WoW audiences enthralled. So what do you all think? Will these games’ pre-made audiences be enough to propel them into the mainstream? And do any of them sound intriguing enough to pull you or your buddies away from WoW?

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Hey all you writers out there - Blizzard's got a deal for you that may be hard to pass up. The makers of WoW announced this week the company's first global writing contest. I'm looking at all you roleplayers and lovers of Blizzard's intricate lore. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, here's a chance to have some fun with the storylines that we've gotten to know in-game. The grand prize winner gets a trip to Blizzard headquarters in Irvine, Calif. (just south of L.A.), where you'll meet (and apparently eat with) the staff behind the lore that we all love. And the lasting prize is your very own RL Frostmourne sword (valued at $429), for whenever you feel like you need a bit of power eternal. Seven runners up also will be chosen to receive signed copies of the Warcraft Archive, Warcraft War of the Ancients Archive, Diablo Archive and StarCraft Archive. Here's what Blizzard posted:

To enter, submit a 3,000 to 10,000 word story written in English and set in the Warcraft, StarCraft, or Diablo universe by April 12 and earn your chance to visit the Blizzard Entertainment headquarters and meet the writers and staff behind the lore seen in the games and books.

The official contest rules are pretty straight-forward. You've got to be of legal age in your country of residence, and although it's called a "global" contest, it is limited to residents of 22 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, most of Europe and parts of Asia. Oh, and apparently if you live in North Dakota, Vermont, Connecticut or Maryland or Quebec, you're ineligible. So you'll have some competition. But that's part of the fun of it! You'll also have to sign a release, make sure your work is original, etc. Now for those of you who are looking for a more lasting prize, check out Blizzard's job openings page. Last I checked, there was an opening for a writer for StarCraft II. For anyone who's more interested in other aspects of game making, there also are several openings for WoW and Diablo III. The exciting part of looking at the page is seeing what kind of work they're doing. Included in the listings under the WoW tab is a position for a Dungeon Artist. More dungeons, anyone? But back to the topic at hand. I'm thinking of giving this contest a try. Any other takers?

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Money, Money, Money, Money, MONEEEEY - Via GameCyte

Last week it came out that MDY Industries would likely have to stop selling their product, known as Glider.  MDY would be able to continue sales while the appeals court heard the case, if the company was able to present arguments to the judge defending their position.  In a post on the Glider forums, MDY Industries CEO Michael Donnelly stated that the company did not expect to make a successful case for the botting program, essentially handing the victory to Blizzard Entertainment.  Blizzard, by way of blue Poster Nethaera, responded to the recent changes in Blizzard v. Glider lawsuit.  In laymen's terms, MDY was charged with breaking the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Let's back up a minute, though.  While the case is essentially over, many players out there may not have any idea what the 2006 case is all about, or how it got to this point.  For starters, MMOGlider is a botting program that was originally designed for use with World of Warcraft.  Originally called WoW Glider, the name was quickly changed to avoid any possible confusion that Blizzard may endorse the program Glider is not a teleport hack, map hack or any kind of hack.  It is simply an automated farmer. It controls an in-game character given some preset instructions, and it is capable of doing all the routine grinding you normally do but at a way lower price.   It is against Blizzard's Terms of Service and End User License Agreement and has often led to accounts being banned.  Not to mention, most players - this one included - see it as cheating...while prospering! Blizzard vs Glider has been going on since the early days of World of Warcraft, so there is a lot to cover.   Rather than reinvent the wheel, here are links to various sites that have covered the case with a quick synopsis.

• MDY Industries sues Blizzard (November 2006) - That is correct, the case started off with MDY suing the developer for allegedly attempting to block the sale of the botting software.
• Blizzard tossed MDY a counter-suit (March 2007) - A few months later Blizzard turns around and sues MDY for damages.
• MDY receives a small victory (March 2008) - The first judgment comes out.  MDY's licensing partner Lavish Software will not be forced to give up information about Lavish and MDY's dealings to Blizzard.
• Public interest group stands up for MDY (May 2008) - Public Knowledge submits a "friend of the court" brief stating that Blizzard is claiming more power than copyright protection offers them.  The group, while not trying not to take sides, states that if Blizzard wins the suit, the lawsuit will become a landmark case that gives copyright holders immense power.  More thoughts on the far-reaching topic by Terra Nova, Ars Technica and then Blizzard's response to Public Knowledge's filing.
• MDY is found guilty (July 2008) - Blizzard wins the case due to MDY's program copying proprietary code into the system's RAM.  That is illegal under the DMCA.
• Blizzard seeks to bury MDY's program (August 2008) - Blizzard attempts to stop Glider from resurfacing by handcuffing MDY in every way possible.  Company looks to stop possible open-sourcing of the code or MDY helping others develop such software.
• Blizzard gets paid (October 2008) - Judgement awards Blizzard $6 million for the hassle.
• MDY's soul is crushed - Bot maker doesn't feel they will convince the judge to allow them to keep selling MMOGlider during the appeals process with Blizzard.

As you can see, legal wranglings took awhile to come to fruition. As it stands now, the case isn't truly over, but things certainly look bad for MDY.  Should the company be unable to make its case to continue selling the software, it will like go under.  They have until February 13 to come up with something. As noted by numerous software advocacy groups, gurus and copyright lawyers, the case affects far more than just WoW's millions of players.  In actuality, it can have an impact on all third-party apps that run alongside software for anything, including every other MMOG and even this spiffy machinima tool.

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There are a number of Aussies who play World of Warcraft. I was talking to one on vent just last night. However, it seems that at this time, that number is not going to grow. Australian law dictates that no game can be traded or sold that is not classified by the Australian Classification Board as appropriate for a 15-year-old. WoW, along with many other MMORPGs, did not apply for classification in Australia due to its lack of a single player component, and thus fits into that category. As I was talking with (and playing WoW with) a player in Australia just a few hours ago, it doesn't look like accounts are being canceled or banned if they are from Down Under. With the law, though, the sale of new copies of World of Warcraft is likely going to stop in Australia for the time being. According to an article covering the controversy on IGN, penalties for selling unclassified games "range from $1100 to $11,000 for individuals and/or 12 months' imprisonment, and approximately double those figures for corporations." Blizzard will probably apply for classification as soon as possible to avoid losing any sales in Australia, though I feel bad for anyone who can't get their fix of Warcraft due to pesky laws. Any Aussies able to chime in?

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Blizzard just announced on the World of Warcraft site that they have selected the 'winners' of the BlizzCon opt-in ticket drawing. These lucky 1500 people now have the chance to buy two tickets to BlizzCon for $100 each. If anyone who was selected doesn't purchase both tickets, another round of selections will be made. For those of us patiently waiting for BlizzCon tickets, it's a big moment. This is likely one of the last chances for Blizzard fans to get tickets to the show, although who really knows how good those odds were, since we don't know the number of people who actually opted in. This drawing, of course, was the result of a failure on Blizzard's part to ensure that their online store would be able to handle the amount of people wanting tickets when they went on sale a while back. It was a good enough solution for this year, but in the future, more and more people are likely going to want to get tickets to BlizzCon. They've got to come up with something that will allow tickets to be distributed fairly. I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on the subject, too. How do you think this whole debacle was handled? What are your thoughts on a solution for the future? A bigger venue? More expensive tickets? Fewer swag items? Also, how many of you guys opted in to get tickets, and did any of you get that email letting you know you could purchase them?

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Yesterday at the Leipzig Games Convention, Blizzard gave the world the first look at Wrath of the Lich King's cinematic trailer. The trailer initially blew me away with its fantastic animation, beautifully crafted landscapes, epic music and spot on narration by Arthas' father, King Terenas Menethil. Then a friend and I began discussing it and finally, comparing it to previous Warcraft trailers. We decided that it's lacking in content. I have seen all of Blizzard's cinematic trailers, for all their titles - heck, I even own the Blizzard Entertainment DVD Collection. This allows me to see the progression of their craft. Since the release of Diablo II, the technology, art, and design of their cinematics have always been groundbreaking. Especially the technology. But what is a cutscene without story? Arthas' turn in Warcraft III still resonates in my mind as one of the coolest things I have seen from the game industry. Was it an original twist? No, but the video's presentation made it amazing. But that comparison isn't entirely far. After all, that cutscene was just that, a cutscene. What I am actually discussing is a cinematic trailer, so let us compare apples to apples. In the original World of Warcraft trailer Blizzard introduced us to everything. The classes, the races, the setting, the landscape. The trailer told players what to expect - an epic struggle. The Burning Crusade cinematic featured a cocky Illidan Stormrage daring us to come out and do battle with him. Shortly after being told that "You are not prepared" the cinematic shifts gears, introducing the new playable races. What does the Wrath of the Lich King offer us? It shows Arthas crossing a frozen lake in Northrend shortly before he plunges Frostmourne into the ice. We see the release of a large dragon (probably Sindragosa) that then stirs Arthas' undead army as it passes overhead. An epic presentation but it doesn't lead us, or the story, on, as previous trailers did. Heck, even the Sunwell Plateau trailer (basically machinima) pushed the story forward. And where is the action that the other two presentations had? Sorry Blizzard, but for all you put into the presentation, you left the story at the door. I don't enjoy or expect the formulaic movie plot of build up, climax and close in my video game trailers. Your previous formula of slight build-up and a lot of climax always had me on the edge of my seat. Ultimately, those previous trailers lead me to want the game (which would present the close) that much more. Stream the trailer here, download the high resolution version for PC or Mac or an alternate mirror for streaming and download can be found at FileFront.

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Isn't that the story of my life? This time, though, they want my friends to play a game with me. From the official World of Warcraft site:

With the new Recruit-A-Friend program you can earn an exclusive Zhevra mount, receive a FREE month of game time, and gain access to other exciting in-game benefits. From the moment your friend creates a character and starts playing you’ll both earn triple the experience when grouped together and have the ability to summon one another from anywhere in the world. Also, for every two levels of experience your friend earns, they can grant one level of experience to one of your lower-level characters.

The Recruit-A-Friend program is really stepping it up. A free month of playtime was nice, but an in-game mount? Free levels? TRIPLE XP? Sounds like they are aiming for the 20 million subscriber mark. Of course, the triple XP and free levels only work up to level 60, according to the FAQ, but this sounds like a great way to bring a friend, roommate, or SO (significant other) into the game. These bonuses should get all of your friends to the Burning Crusade content quickly. Then you can help them burn through it and get them ready for WotLK. I'm sure Blizzard is counting on you to convince your friends to pick up BC as well as WotLK, whenever that comes out.

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While we all wait for our WotLK beta keys (except for Alex, that s.o.b.), it's fun to speculate about how long exactly we will have to wait to hit Northrend with the force of two spirit wolves. Hmm, I guess that doesn't really sound very intimidating. Just you wait, though. You won't want to mess with my spirit wolves. Anyway, I don't know many players who aren't looking forward to getting their hands on some Wrath of the Lich King content. Apparently it is news that somebody mentioned that Blizzard still plans on releasing Wrath of the Lich King before the end of the year, but not before October. Word on the street is that Blizzard is aiming for a November release, which makes sense plenty of sense. Of course, WoW's first expansion, The Burning Crusade was also planned for a Q4 release in 2006, but it managed to get delayed into Q1 of 2007. So, with no official release date confirmed, when do you guys think the much anticipated expansion will be released for real?  My randomly assigned guess is November 18, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it come out a bit later than that.

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