Project Lore

Ever have trouble finding quality versions of Blizzard cinematics on the internet and refuse to spend the time downloading them from the official site? Well, now there's an easy and convenient solution! Perhaps as part of their social networking kick lately (see their Twitter accounts), the company has established their very own YouTube channel. As yet, the selection is a curious mix of "wow, that's available?!" and "where the hell is it?" In other words, it's primarily pre-rendered introduction movies and upcoming game previews that go from unreleased titles all the way back to Diablo II and the original StarCraft (though the inclusion of Wrathgate is a curious anomaly). The good news is that all of them are available in High Quality, and the newer ones in High Definition. Just don't expect to be able to view every in-game cutscene from their catalog just yet. Though, considering the prevalence of amateur recordings so comprehensive that you could watch the entire plot of WarCraft III unfold just by surfing YouTube for an hour, I wouldn't be surprised to see Blizzard to start buffing their own offerings real soon. There's nothing wrong with honoring and showcasing the work of the developer's tremendous art team, but since the service is fueled by its rich community of content creators, I'd also like to see Blizz host things like machinima, StarCraft II Battle Reports, tournament play records, and other fan offerings so that it could all be accessed in one place. Clearly, there's still some work to be done, but if you ask me, what's there is already pretty worthwhile for a channel that's still in its infancy. In fact, I think i'm going to go watch the Cataclysm preview trailer again right now. Goblins? Worgen? Massive, world-changing events and new lands to conquer? Ooh, it gives me chills every time!

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And I thought the possible announcement of in-game prizes was an exciting enough reason to start following Warcraft on Twitter! Not but a few minutes ago was a new, tantalizing hook posted to the game's page, and it says the following:

The mysteries of the Abyssal Maw are starting to take shape… #WoW

What we currently know of the Abyssal Maw. Just when you thought it was over, they reel you back in! But what could this really mean? For the uninitiated, the Abyssal Maw is the Plane of the Water Elementals, which we recently learned we'd be visiting in the next expansion. As yet, we only know of one portal to the alternate dimension, a swirling whirlpool in the center of the new zone, Vashj'ir. We also know that it will contain at least two leveling dungeons for 80-85 level players. So, does that mean we might be learning more about this unexplored area in the very near future? The Abyssal Maw was highlighted heavily in various panels at Blizzcon, perhaps indicating that it is one of the pieces of fresh, high-level content that's the furthest along in development. And that means it may also be the first that we get an extensive preview of. It hasn't even been a month since the expansion's reveal, and yet the time seems ripe for Blizzard to start peeling back the veil on Cataclysm little by little. Very little else can be gleaned from this brief tease, and there's no way that we can confirm at the moment if anything is true. After all, there's always the possibility that this might pertain to the comic series or the TCG,  but we'll keep our eyes glued to Twitter for any further information, which we will no doubt bring to the rest of you! Speculation is always fun, though. Readers, what do you think this strange message might mean?

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We reported, pre-Blizzcon, that Blizzard had created several new Twitter accounts, each focused on one of the company's key franchises. Some of you started following them instantly, while others maintained their distance from the social networking site wonder what, precisely, it could offer beyond the usual community or news features. Well, so far, the latter would be right. Posts have generally concerned themselves with daily questions, opinion polls, and highlighting the more creative aspects of the Blizzard fandom (things like fan art, stories, and, most recently, papercraft). Though there is an on-going Battlecry contest -- in which fans of the Horde or Alliance update their own accounts with "For the ____!" whenever their side's banner is lifted -- there have yet to be any prizes that you can actually use within the game. But, a recent post on the Warcraft Twitter page hints that might not be the case for long:

We are talking to our licensing department about giving out some#WoW in-game pets/mounts through Twitter. Looks promising. Stay tuned.

That's right, soon enough, you could be earning in-game content just for participating in the usual Twitter shenanigans. I can tell you from personal experience that it's not a sham, either. I recently won a Starcraft 2 Beta Key through Blizzard's Starcraft Twitter page. Generally, these contests involve little more than "re-tweeting" a phrase or offering up your own thoughts on a given subject. At 140 characters, that's not very hard at all. So what sorts of things might Blizzard actually give out? According to another tweet from yesterday, quite possible pets and mounts normally available only through loot cards:

What types of in-game prizes would you like to see us give on Twitter? Interested in #WoW TCG loot items? Spectral Tiger Mounts maybe?

This is wonderful news for those who have no interest in playing (or spending money) on the Trading Card Game. I wouldn't expect to see anything game-changing to be offered through these contests, but vanity items like Spectral Tiger Mounts, alone, are desirable and rare prizes. Do you think this sort of giveaway might get you to sign up for Twitter if you haven't already? Well, if you do, please make sure to follow Project Lore and myself, as well! We're always keen on having new friends to talk to!

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When I read on Ars Technica that Future US (publisher of gaming magazines like PC Gamer, Nintendo Power and the Official Xbox Magazine) would be dedicating an entire magazine to World of WarCraft, please excuse while I chuckle with a little skepticism. The magazine will be introduced at BlizzCon this weekend where fans can subscribe at an annual rate (at four issues a year mind you) of $39.95, £29.95, or €34.95. It will feature no ads, and be given Blizzard's blessing (so it's an official WoW magazine) and will only print as many copies as they have subscribers (so you won't see this at your local bookstore). With the economy in the state it is though, $40 a year (quarterly, four issues a year) is a very tough sell. How can this magazine possibly have information that will not be found online on blogs like Project Lore? Item databases such as WoW Head are full of so much information and sites like Boss Killers have all the strategies needed and are all products of the millions of players in the WoW community. How can a WoW magazine possibly get a foothold in an arguably already crowded market of WoW related media? The biggest help that this magazine has for it is that Blizzard is officially behind it and could possibly give them exclusive information and possibly even exclusive items (the latter would, I think, really sell magazines). The hope is that this will be an in-depth look at the game and get quotes from the developers themselves about news topics and important issues related to World of WarCraft. Their connection with Blizzard will also allow them to have a strong marketing angle, being able to sell your magazine right on the official World of WarCraft website, along with it (most likely) showing up in the launcher (maybe I'm the only one who still uses it?) could really help push copies. There would have to be some pretty strong incentives to get me to cough up $40 a year for a magazine, much less one that only comes every three months. What do you think? Will you be picking this up? If not, what would they have to offer to get you to pick it up?

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Can the awesomeness of Blizzard games be distilled into a scant 140 characters? The company's Licensing Project Manager, Kat Hunter, seems to think so. According to her own account, all three of Blizzard's core franchises are being given the Twitter treatment. So whether you're a fan of Warcraft, Starcraft, or Diablo, there's something for everyone. Or just add all three (hint: clicking the previous links take you straight to the games' respective Twitter pages)!  These accounts appear to be alternate news feeds for all of the latest Blizzard buzz. I'm willing to bet that they get quite the work out during Blizzcon. And did someone say licensing? Considering Mrs. Hunter's involvement (and the pedigree of corporate Twitter accounts in general), I think we can expect to see plenty of posts about events, new merchandise, and promotional opportunities in addition to general news items. So go ahead and add 'em. And while you're at it, why not follow Project Lore, as well? We provide a link to every new article as it's posted and it's a great way to keep up with our schedule of live streaming feeds. So what do you think of this readers? Do you even use Twitter? Is this something useful and interesting to you? I don't think you can fault Blizzard for giving their fans options and the convenience factor can't be beat. Where else can you keep up on the latest WoW news and pretend like you're best buds with Ashton Kutcher at the same time? Wait... does Ashton Kutcher play Warcraft?

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[caption id="attachment_5290" align="alignright" width="300" caption="I Love Clutter, But Not At $5 Per Ball"][/caption] Don't worry if you weren't lucky enough to score BlizzCon tickets, or you were lucky enough to trick someone into giving your Press Passes, because the store isn't all that impressive.  Actually, in my opinion it's a bit of a disappointment.  The BlizzCon 2009 section contains just five pages, forty products, to chose from. I, like pixiestixy, was incredibly excited when I heard that Blizzard would be offering attendees a chance to purchase the company's branded goodies outside the show.  Not only does it allow us to avoid lengthy lines and enjoy the festivities to the utmost, but, and this was the clincher for me, there's no need to worry about becoming a pack mule the rest of the day.  Or needing to bring an extra suitcase for all the stuff your friends make you buy.  Nope, we just buy our goods via the intertubes and forget about needing the extra cash at the show.  Look at that, Blizzard is even helping us budget our disposable (to them) income!  Too bad the items aren't exactly show stopping. Blizzard's attempt at smoothing the purchases process is not lost upon me.  It is appreciated, but I'm a bit upset as to what is offered in the "exclusive" store.  It's "exclusive" because a large portion of the goodies are actually available to the general consumer, Arthas: Rise of the Lich King for instance, already (or have been) on the Blizzard store or are leftover treats from last year.  Bubble Hearth Beach Balls, Inflatable Frostmournes, and gaming mice can make fine purchases, but the store was touted as a bonus for attendees, not a 2008 flea market or eBay replacement. As I mentioned, the idea was not lost upon me, and it is by no means all bad.  After all, the items that are new (I have no idea exactly how many are new) don't encompass everything that will be on sale at the show proper.  The offerings are just a "selection".  But in terms of serving customers, it's a pretty poor storefront.  Short, useless descriptions (what does the StarCraft 2 puzzle look like finished?) and the inability to filter the goods in a reasonable fashion caused me to close my wallet sooner than I expected. Of course that was after I purchased the stupid puzzle (need more wall ornaments), a plushie, magnet and two posters anyways.  Now I have to think about how much more I'll drop on the non-selected goods.  God I am such a sucker.  At least the lines should be shorter. What did you pick up, and how was your shopping experience?  Where you underwhelmed by the selection of goods as well, or did you expect numerous repeats?

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New Destination For SC, WC3, WoW Replays Since StarCraft hit Korea Blizzard has been a part of the eSports community, extending the range from FPS titles to RTS.  Their Sci-Fi epic still maintains a strong following, but the company has seen Warcraft III and World of Warcraft's Arena system gain a foothold in the realm of professional gaming as well.  With their last three titles becoming a major player - arguably dominant player part due to their longevity - it should come as no surprise that the developer wants to reap some sort of benefit.  Yesterday, Blizzard and ESL TV announced a new partnership, the Blizzard eSports Channel, to deliver professional eSports content to the masses. Not everyone possesses the desire to watch other people play a video game, but these aren't just other players, they are the best of the best.  If you're one of those gamers that strives for perfection at everything you do, then you should immediately bookmark the site.  Unlike many other professional gaming sites, the Blizzard eSports Channel isn't full of any fluff.  Sure, the site lacks any and all community features, but finding and sorting the vast amount of readily available content is a snap on the uncluttered and advertisementless website.  One of the big perks is that the content is from full-blown tournaments, meaning it will have professional commentary and analysis.  That, along with being able to sort by game, game type, name, date, archive or live footage makes the portal a powerful tool for pros in training. It's a good start for Blizzard, but I expect a bit more polished things from them, even if ESL TV did set it up.  More than anything, the website needs more descriptions of the videos.  If you're looking for specific battles, say an Undead vs Orc match or Terran vs Terran, you'd be hardpressed to figure it out via the "details" page.  This can either be solved by additional sorting capabilities or a basic tagging system.  To make matters worse many of the descriptions are in various languages, not a single or carefully chosen few.  Hopefully the site will continue to be refined, because you know StarCraft 2 will be added to it when it launches later this year *crosses fingers*. Although I love Warcraft III, I don't think I will do more than check the site after big tournaments.  My brother - a former sponsored WC3 player - has probably already begun devouring the 29 pages of Warcraft III replays.  I'd be cool if they added some WoW PvE content, specifically captures of the hardcore raid guilds like Ensidia running through something.  And why not?  They consider themselves professional after all. Now to watch more Grubby replays.  My Blademaster skills are terrible.

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Kotaku just came to the realization via Official Blue Post (tm) that one of Blizzard's projects, their unnamed next-gen MMO, is an entirely new franchise, which means it's not Starcraft, it's not Warcraft, it's not Diablo, it's not Lost Vikings, it's not Rock n' Roll Racing, and most disappointingly it's not Battle Chess. Zarhym says, in response to a poster wondering why Blizzard hasn't started advertising for their new MMO:

We have nothing to advertise for the new MMO because it's a shell of a game thus far. We've already stated it'll be a brand new franchise, which means the lore, art, and game play are being developed entirely from scratch. It's an overwhelming process, but a process through which we excel. Our track record supports this.

So, they're working on all new stuff. They have two fantasy titles releasing along with a Sci-Fi future title, so what's next? Where will their new MMO end up being set? The wild west? An apocalyptic future? A realistic contemporary world? Ancient Egypt? A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away? Canada? I'm thinking none of the above, because Blizzard has a way of surprising us all. Nevertheless, it may end up being a battle between two Blizzard MMOs at the top, with some players unable to tear themselves away from WoW, but many making the transition to their new property. What do you think? Are you getting tired of the Fantasy MMO? Are you looking forward to Blizzard's new title? Where do you want to see it set, and what do you want it to include? How many question marks fit in one post?

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Project Lore serves as a ground for people to learn, live and love everything Warcraft but recently myself and the guild I reside in have come to a crossroad. When is content under "farm" status and what does that mean for your guild? As of late, the guild I am in has swelled to the biggest it has been for a long time and it's given us some great opportunities. We can have more than one Naxx 25 man run, which is a great thing for us. We've seen people who we didn't know anything turn into great raiders who could be counted upon. We've been able to get people into raids they would never see otherwise. Those are all things that, as a guild, you hope for. We get to help the casual raider really get to feel like they're getting their moneys worth out of a game, and makes everyone much more of a happy group. This brings unity, but will inevitably hit a difficult wall and will be jarring for people who aren't used to the wiping that Burning Crusade used to bring. What happens on the flipside? People have become dramatic, myself included, with the future of what will happen under new content. Four rogues, under current circumstances, have no place in a raid. We'll probably be able to bring two at most because of how much other top heavy survivable DPS classes are useful to a raid. Ret paladins bring kings, shamans bring totems, warriors bring battle shout to any respectable raid. Do you, can you cut the people who are your friends to see the betterment of your guild? Will people who think they are working hard realize that they just aren't as good as some who put in less effort? Furthermore, what does Farm status mean for your guild? Does it absolve a normal loot system, does it change the award system? How does your guild clearly define what furthers your guild in the content being as easy as it is at the moment? I'm having the problem deciding when something is on farm so clearly, does it change the loot system or who attends raids? How does one draw the line? In what is classified as a casual guild, can you be the person who cuts those who can't carry their own weight but are the life of the raid? I'm hoping you fans can come through in the comments and really bring clear how some guilds do it, because honestly I've never been in a content cleared situation such as this.

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It's almost here. The day where all hell breaks loose on the Internet and two-headed orcs attempt to make a mockery of the great Horde faction. So, in celebration of the hilarity that Blizzard will undoubtedly unleash starting midnight tonight, we at Project Lore wanted to take a look back at some of Blizzard's best attempts to make a fool of us all. Shortly after my first venture into WoW in early 2006, Blizzard revealed its best venture EVER! BurgerCraft.

IRVINE, Calif. -- April 1, 2006 -- Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today unveiled BurgerCraft™, introducing the company’s latest business venture and revealing many details about the plans for its company-owned restaurant chain. The grand opening of the first BurgerCraft restaurant is set to take place on June 1, 2006 in downtown Los Angeles, California.

EPIC! Now it seems that the original WoW forum posts from 2005 that inspired this glorious idea have since been removed. But thankfully, WoWwiki and its infinite wiki wisdom have kept records of what started as a meme from poster Gilgamesh from Alleria. How many of you remember this?

WoB: Welcome to World of Burgercraft. Would you like a PVE value meal, a PVP value meal, or an RP value meal? Car 1: What is the difference between the PVE and PVP meals? WoB: The PVP burger has onions. The PVE burger does not. Except sometimes. You can add onions if you want. And we sneak some onions in toward the end of the PVE burger but you don't have to eat them. You can skip that part of the burger. Car 1: What about the RP burger? WoB: Vegetarian.

I appreciate that this joke stemmed from the players themselves. Blizzard knows how to appease its fan base! The previous year, Blizzard made a crack on its own battlegrounds system, which was then in development, by announcing that the battlegrounds would be pulled straight from Warcraft III, which Blizzard said would "allow us to better focus our efforts on creating game features that players really want, such as ordering various types of food in-game!" Apparently, food is a driving force for all WoW players. But Blizzard also is well aware of the fact that we are constantly scrounging for details on what's yet-to-come in game. They've taunted us with a great many new playable races - the mighty Pandaren, the air-headed Wisps and two-headed Ogres; items - the infamous tinfoil hat and related Troll Tears; a hero class - the Guitar Hero-styled Bard; and even a new console game - my personal favorite, World of Warcraft: The Molten Core. Each year, Blizzard seems to come up with a more elaborate prank involving fake screenshots, back stories and even bogus commercials. I would question whether it was all worth it except for one thing: it really energizes the fan community and gets us all talking. So, while I cringe at the thought of being duped into another April Fools' joke, I'm also really looking forward to seeing what Blizzard throws at us this year. Personally, I'm all for them shouting out to the fans once again and recruiting a certain legendary team to rule over Azeroth with an iron fist for the day. Your new overlords: Bowbins, Lylelovett, Winterstrike, Dorkins and Juggynaut. Perhaps you've heard of them? So, what are all your predictions for the coming mayhem? Are you looking forward to the madness, or do you plan to lie low until it's all over?

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