Project Lore

It's easy to be cynical when you play online games. Between the illiterate malcontents, guild drama, and unreliable party members, it can be tough to remember why you even started playing World of Warcraft in the first place. I mean, a man can only take so much Trade chat before he's driven to the crazy house! And that's not even getting into the additional stresses placed upon hardcore players like repeated encounter wipes, angry raid leaders, and the never-ending gear treadmill. It's a wonder that everyone who plays the game isn't a big ball of fuss. Well, its an easy page to skip over when you're looking for information about the game, but it's worth hopping over to the Story Archive once in awhile. Blizzard has found a few very personal player stories that they think exemplify one of the best aspects of WoW: the way in which it can bring people together. Yes, that's right. As much as the clueless pundits and self-proclaimed social scientists might want to tell you that you're wasting your time and alienating the people around you by playing video games, that is not necessarily the case. I'd argue that even the most angry, ornery person out there -- the type that likes to solo and makes no outward effort to communicate with others -- plays this game for its social nature. It's a great comfort to some people just to know that there are other people out there, whether or not they choose to interact with them. Guilds aren't just for drama anymore! But these tales are primarily about those who do openly seek out companionship, whether it''s in the game or from people outside the game that they'd like to get to know better by playing with them. One of the first stories details a whole family that was drifting apart, but finds love and warmth again while exploring Azeroth:

"We were growing apart in real life, each of us going our own ways to do our own things. My father's friend suggested to him that he play World of Warcraft with him. Dad saw this as an opportunity to have fun while bringing us all back together. It would be something that we would all enjoy, because we were all gamers at heart...

It may seem like a little thing, but truly gaming together can be an enjoyable experience for the entire family."

I think what's even more endearing about the yarn is that nor only do they come closer to each other, they significantly increase the size of their family by creating a guild, getting to know all sorts of new people that they would consider one of their own. While most of the stories focus on family and budding romantic relationships, one of the most recently added highlights the escapist nature of video games. Some would malign players who forgo the real world for a virtual one, but that would be ignoring those cases in which a person actually has a pretty good reason to do so. Take 50-year-old Crossfire from the Shadris server:

I am a stay-at-home grandma, while my daughter and her hubby are deployed to Afghanistan at the moment. I hadn't spoke with my youngest daughter in a long time, and when my youngest son moved in with us, we got his sister into it also; now we quest, raid, and just have plain old fun... I recently found out I have two tumors in my chest and will be having surgery on the 11th of September...of all days, and plan to be sitting and playing World of Warcraft during my recuperation. I am a survivor of breast cancer, and am praying that it hasn't returned, but if it has, I'll be playing 'til my last breath...! Overall though, I have learned to relax and have fun and use my brain for something other than the drama of real life. I can escape for a couple of hours and in the end I have no worries other than maybe the next achievement or leveling of a lower character.

I hate to pull so strongly on the heart-strings and all, but that's a pretty touching story. Not only is the game able to connect people together that have not spoken with each other in quite some time, it can also help with rehabilitation by taking one's mind of the things that ail them. Hey, we all know that Warcraft can be an excellent time-waster, but virtue can be found even in that. But, you might, ask: aren't most of these benefits true of all video games, especially social ones like MMOs? Well, maybe. I don't think it particularly matters which game people play as long as they can all enjoy it. But then, maybe that's what makes World of Warcraft so special. It openly caters to a casual audience. With an engaging story, lots to do, and a ton of ways to connect with fellow players, it's no wonder that just about anybody can pick the game up and have some fun. And the best way to bring any group of people together, whether that be a family or otherwise, is to give them a common goal to work towards. So maybe that's a 5-man dungeon instead of a camping trip (not that there's anything wrong with that, either). If you're ever feeling down about your World of Warcraft experience, I'd urge you to seek out the Player Stories page and peruse the archive. People can and do find happiness within the game all the time, and that means that you can, too. And maybe it'll even convince you to connect with that long-lost relative or pal. Tell them to pick up the game, create an alt, and go level with them for awhile. See what comes of it. I bet you'll have a good time! We here at Project Lore would like to hear some of your stories, too, if you care to share them. Please post them in the comments box below!

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The Orgimmar bank, in cake form. These photos and more from this post at CakeWrecks.blogspot.com

Don't you love it when two geeky fandoms collide? That was my experience this past weekend as I was browsing Cake Wrecks and came across some brilliant WoW-inspired cakes. Now I've seen a fair share of World of Warcraft cakes before, but these definitely top my list as some of the best. So I thought I'd pass the goodness along. My fave from the post would have to be the Orgrimmar bank, complete with the sign in front and a mailbox. I have spent many an hour sorting through my goodies in that very structure. Perhaps even more impressive is a cake shaped to look like a laptop with a WoW login screen showing, all sitting atop books with titles such as "Self Help for WoW Addicts," "Gold Farming Guide" and "Shamans for Dummies." Whoever crafted this masterpiece certainly knew what they were doing. Also check out the post for a few more cakes inspired by our favorite MMO - one of an Alliance Pally smashing through a laptop screen, and two more cakes with the Horde insignia emblazoned across them in one form or another (apparently Hordies can bake. Not me, but I sure could eat one of those cakes... Now I'm hungry!) The post also is an interesting glimpse at how WoW players are viewed by the non-players among us. What do you think of this assessment?

" I get the impression that everybody who plays WoW is in the Horde (the bad guys) and that the Alliance (the good guys) are all "noobs," or geeks of lesser standing (as determined by those who really are in no position to judge)."

The author already had plenty of comments chastising her for misspelling "Orgrimmar" as "Ogrimmar." And she had another large portion of comments either agreeing with that view or opposing it. Looks like she unintentionally got sucked into the debate of what it means to be Horde or Alliance. Fun stuff. So who among our readers would flaunt their WoW fandom to the point of ordering a cake inspired by the game? I think I'd have to go for something a bit less extravagant. I'm thinking cupcakes with the Horde insignia on top. Now just to find the right occasion...

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We're back for the Preview Panel! Amatera will be hosting. 12:32: The panelists are being introduced. A huge portrait of Deathwing was on the screen. 12:34: Talk of how they approached Lich King, with Arthas confronting you throughout the expansion. 12:35: Deathwing was originally supposed to be the protector of the earth. Metzen is mostly talking about his background right now, much of which can be perused by going to Deathwing's WoWWiki entry. 12:38: "[Deathwing's] a nutcase." The corrupting power of the Old Gods has gotten worse, so he's essentially more insane than before. Deathwing has awoken from the earthen elemental plane, Deephome, and his "explosion" into the world is what causes the cataclysm. All manner of destructive forces have reshaped Azeroth. No corner has been left untouched (except, Metzen jokes, Westfall). 12:40: Deathwing's emergence has also "brought up" the other elemental planes. We will be visiting them. 12:41: Concept art is being shown on the screen. Now onto Worgen. 12:42: They wanted to have a more "monstrous" race for the Alliance (much like they wanted the Horde to have a "prettier" race with the Blood Elves). 12:43: The "Worgen Curse" afflicted Gilneas much like the Scourge did the rest of the world. 12:44: The question: "Are the Worgen from somewhere else or somewhen else?" They're kind of like the "Wolverine of the Alliance" in terms of personality and fighting strength. 12:45: On the show floor, you'll start at Level 6 for the Worgen and Goblins, so that they can preserve the surprises found in the Level 1-5 content of the starting zones. 12:46: On to Goblins. The ones you play as (the ones that are part of the Horde), are only a certain faction of the race. Their starting area is the Lost Isles, off the coast of Kalimdor, between Azshara and Durotar. There will be Wrathgate-style cinematics for both the Goblins and Worgen. 12:47: The specific faction of Goblins: Bilgewater Cartel. 12:49: Dark days ahead. Horde likely impacted more than Alliance, will need "comic relief" (aka little green guys). The Goblin mount is a sweet-looking race car. 12:50: Portrait of Thrall and Cairne rescuing Horde babies after the upheaval. Metzen says there are tsunamis, tidal waves, volcanic trenches, neverending storms, etc. 12:51: Arthas' will "get what's coming to him," but it leaves both the Alliance and Horde drained, which causes extra stress during the events of the Cataclysm. 12:52: After allowing the Alliance and Horde to work together during Burning Crusade, they decided they wanted to bring the element of war back into the universe. Wrath was all about ramping that up. Orgrimmar NOT shown as destroyed, but as being reinforced by dark iron. Onto the new features. 12:54: Level 85 is the confirmed cap. A lot of effort went into redoing 1-60 zones, but they also wanted to bring in more end-game content than ever before. 12:54: Worgen will have "Dark Flight," sort of like a Sprint ability. They show a Worgen dressed in battle armor (in-game), looks badass. Worgens won't be Paladins or Priests. All other classes open currently. 12:55: Goblins will have "Rocket Belts." These can be offensive, but also defensive. You can "disengage" from battle by rocketing forward, sort of like Blink. Most of these things will be detailed in the Class Panel. 12:58: 7 NEW zones, in addition to reworked content. Hyjal. Uldum. Lost Isles. Gilneas. Vashj'ir (new underwater sunken city). Twilight Highlands (around Grim Batol). Deepholm, the Elemental Plane of Earth. Updated quests, art, and items for classic world. 1:00: Guild Advancement System - level up your guild for new perks. Will be more detailed in the Game System Panel. There will be 20 Guild levels. Advanced by doing all the usual stuff (battlegrounds, raids, dailies, etc.). There will be a guild talent tree, which will give access to things like mass resurrection, less durability loss after raids, and reduced or free repairs. 1:01: New class/race combos. Just to spite everyone, they show Tauren Paladins first (Holy Cow!). Gnome Priest. Dwarf Shaman (shown in some magma-looking armor). Now phased terrain. 1:03: The world will be able to change as you play through quest lines. Shows a coastline flooded in three distinct phases. 1:05: Archaeology. You can scout ruins for artifacts and study them. Then you take them to different factions that can help you advance along the "Path of the Titans." 1:06: You'll get 5 new talent points, but the trees will not expand (this does not mean we won't get new talents, they just won't go past the current range). Path of the Titans makes up for that. There are multiple paths, but they are not restricted to class. There will be new abilities and passive bonuses in each path. 1:06: The Mastery System will streamline the existing talent tree. They will preserve more "fun" talents, while taking basic power boosts out. Many new dungeons, creatures, quests, items, and so on. Now more detail on those parts of the game. 1:07: Each and every zone in classic Azeroth will be affected, though some clearly more than others. Five of the new zones will help you level from 78-85. The two starting zones will actually go from 1-15. Also, flight everywhere. No silly restrictions this time around. 1:10: Multiple scales of change (i.e. Elwynn might get new quests and whatnot, but Barrens will be sundered in two). New leveling paths. Examples are shown. Hillsbrad 20-25, Arathi 25-30, Hinterlands 30-35, Western Plagueland 35-40, etc. These changes are two sweeping to note right now, but Southshore is gone from Hillsbrad! 1:12: We are now looking at The Barrens. There is a gigantic, lava-filled scar down the middle. Parts of The Barrens are now regrown via the Wailing Caverns. Desolace has cracked open, bringing in water flows, which actually revitalizes nature in that area, as well. 1:14: Auberdeen in Darkshore is destroyed, the people move north to a new camp. There is a new Horde encampment on the strand near Blackfathom Deep. Stonetalon looks crazy. The Charred Vale now has lava floes running all over it. Azshara is the new Goblin 10-20 zone. The Goblins have turned the mountains into a quarry. 1:15: Undercity features new art above ground, and Stormwind as well, so they you can fly over them. Now onto the new zones. 1:15: Vashj'ir and Hyjal will be the first leveling zones and they will both flow into Deepholm. Then to Uldum, and finally Twilight Highlands. 1:17: Vashj'ir, as the name might imply, is the homeland of Lady Vashj. There will be a gateway to the Water Elemental Plane of Abyssal Maw here. 2 dungons within it. There will combat underwater, but it will feel just like doing it on land. 1:18: There will be underwater mounts, many will be normal flying mount speed. Concept art of Vashj'ir. The zone will be colorful, featuring coral reefs, kelp, Naha architecture, the usual underwater stuff. 1:20: The entrance to Deepholm will be where Deathwing exploded back into the world. The Temple of Earth will be a key area in Deepholm. You'll see the Twilight Hammer faction everywhere, since they're servants to Deathwing. Deepholm will be the biggest zone in Cataclysm. It's an interior zone, but the cave is huge, and you will be able to fly around inside of it. Deepholm will be the central hub area, and it will have portals to most of the other new zones. Deepholm looks, well... underground. There is a large crack in the ceiling, which is presumably the entrance. 1:23: Uldum will have two dungeon areas. There's a huge river running through it, with temples created by the Titans. A Titan machine has kept an illusion over the area, but the Cataclysm destroyed it, revealing the existence of the new zone. Brann Bronzebeard will, undoubtedly, be found here. Rumor is there is a super-weapon here that will figure into the quest lines. Everyone is after it. New creature race, the Tol'vir (stone, cat-like people). They were also created by the Titans. 1:24: Of course, Uldum will be part of the larger Titan storyline. Uldum looks like an ancient version of Egypt. Very desert-like, but with lush oasis-like areas. The temples looks somewhat like pyramids. 1:26: Hey, how about Hyjal? Ragnaros (!) has opened a portal from the plane of fire here and is actively assaulting the land. Cenarius and Malfurion (!) come back from the Emerald Dream to defend Hyjal and the World Tree from Ragnaros. The conflict will be key to the storyline here. Concept art shows Hyjal on fire in areas, and it is up to the players to stop it. Darkwhisper Gorge will be useful for more than just mining now. 1:28: Grim Batol is torn in half by Deathwing's power. This is currently where he resides and it is also the HQ for the Twilight's Hammer. There will be new port towns for both the Horde and Alliance in the Twilight Highlands. The Red Dragonflight will be here, but they need your help. A new Dragonflight, the Twilight Dragonflight will be introduced. This zone still needs the most work. Let's not forget about the dungeons in the Abyssal Maw, either. 1:32: The Firelands - new raid, focused on Ragnaros. Two level-up dungeons in Uldum, The Lost City of the Tol'Vir and The Halls of Origination. Blackrock Caverns, new level-up dungeon in Blackrock Spire. It is completely new, it is NOT a revamp of one of the existing dungeons in the area. Grim Batol will have a level-up dungeon and a raid. Skywall will also be a raid and a dungeon (the air elemental plane). Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep will be Level 85 Heroic dungeons. The dungeons will looks similar, but there will be new fights, new items, and so on. 1:34: They are finishing up with a PvP details now. Tol Barad is a new PvP zone, it is off the coast of the Eastern Kingdoms. There used to be a prison on the island and both the Horde and Alliance want control of it. It will be similar to Wintergrasp, but when there is no fight, it will be more similar to the Isle of Quel'Danas. Control will open up new rewards and dailies for the side that wins. There will be three new Battlegrounds throughout the expansion. The Battle of Gilneas is the first, and seems to take place in the main Gilnean city. There will be new arena maps. People who like to PvP, but hate Arena, will now be able to be rated by playing in Battlegrounds instead. 1:36 And like that, the panel is over. No time for Q&A. Open Q&A tomorrow, as well as PvP details during the Game Systems panel. Thanks for tuning in!

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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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BlizzCon Here We Come! Blizzard is less than 24 hours away from opening the doors of the Anaheim Convention Center to its passionate fanbase to show off new products, progress on titles being worked on right now and rub elbows with fans and developers alike! If you're going to be at the convention, you want to make sure you have the best time you can have right? You probably are already here if you're taking a flight, have checked into your hotel and are ready to go! But we wanted to provide a few details for those who may have forgotten or simply didn't know about traveling and conventions. If you're in Anaheim Thursday you'll be able to pick up your badge starting at 4pm, make sure to bring your printed out barcode and ID (follow the directions on your email). You'll have until 10pm that night, but we recommend getting it done early so you can meet with some of the Project Lore staff (myself included) at the WoW Insider Party at the Anabella Hotel. And of course, it's not a bad idea to get some quality sleep the night before the convention, but you may want to explore a bit! There are many options open for you in Anaheim as there is Downtown Disney (no need for a Disneyland ticket!) which features some great restaurants, shops and a movie theater. Nearby is also the Anahiem Gardenwalk with more restaurants, shops and another movie theater if Disney isn't your thing. Also, if you're not from California you may have heard of it but you must make it a priority to eat at In N Out! If you end up there, make sure to check out their secret menu for an even better burger (or take the 10x10 challenge)! After you've filled up on food and hit the sack, you'll wake up to the big day! Friday the show opens up sometime around 11 (opening ceremonies are at 11:30). If you want a prime seat you will want to try to start lining up a few hours before if you're serious about it. If you still don't have your badge, you can of course pick that up anytime between 8am and 10pm. After the opening ceremonies you are open to do whatever you like! That's what is awesome about this convention! You get to choose what you want to do! Go hit up the BlizzCon Store (prepare for a wait though!) or other vendors (like our friends at J!NX). Not ready to shop? Visit any of the wonderful panels and hear from the devlopers themselves (check out the schedule here and map out what you'd like to see) or go play some StarCraft 2, Diablo 3, or the new WoW Expansion. There are also professional competitive players to watch, showcasing the best players in StarCraft, WarCraft 3, and WoW Arena. There will also be a live WoW Raid on Saturday, which is sure to be a sight to see! As much as the enjoyment of the convention depends on your attitude and the people you are with, there are things you can plan on, or have, that will help make sure your experience is enjoyable.

• Bring comfortable shoes: there will be lots of walking and waiting, make sure they're broken in and not brand new, you DO NOT want blisters on your feet!
• Bring water: you don't want to have to wait in line to get a drink and be thirsty while waiting, and you want to keep hydrated (not to mention bottled water is EXPENSIVE inside the convention center)!
• Bring snacks/pack a lunch: lines are long for food inside the convention halls and pricey and you may not even enjoy the food! Make sure to at least bring some snacks or even get something to eat before heading to the convention center before starting the day (Subway keeps fairly well and is close to the convention center).
• Plan out your day: after going to a few conventions, I noticed that my enjoyment of the show would increase if I had something planned out, you don't have to follow it exactly, but having a loose plan of what you'd like to do is good, but make sure you're flexible, especially if you're with a group, parent(s), or a significant other!
• Check your realm meeting time: this should be in the goodie bag when you pick this up and is a great way to meet up with players on your server (Alliance and Horde alike) and can help you find a guild if you're looking for one!
• Make sure you pack what you need: double check: clothes for each day you're there (think about packing an extra pair of clothes, just in case), deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc.
• Patience: lines will be long, the best thing to do is to strike up a conversation with your fellow line waiters, chances are they're into our beloved WoW and you can relate to something in game with them.
• Phones, Handheld Gaming Systems: these are great for those pesky lines and coordinating with friends to meetup, and who knows you might be able to strike up a quick game with a fellow attendee (I'll personally be bringing my iPhone and Nintendo DSi)

All in all though, have fun! Don't be afraid to say hi to people (if you see me, I'd love to talk WoW!) and just in general relax! This is supposed to be a fun convention and you have the power to make it that! Here also are some rough guidelines to when the best times are to hit up certain events at BlizzCon that tend to have longer lines:

• Game Demo Stations: During the costume contest and closing ceremonies the lines have traditionally been very small to play StarCraft 2, Diablo 3 and WoW. These are the absolute best times to play. If what is announced at the opening ceremonies is playable, most of the people will flock to try it out immediately and the lines will be pretty long.
• Blizzard Store: Later in the day, similar times as for the demo stations the lines tend to thin out and be much smaller, unless you're worried about an item selling out you can wait it out.
• Panels: unless you feel the need to sit up front you can come as late as the panel starting to get a decent seat. If you want to ask a question sit nearest to the microphones (where Blizzard CMs will be standing as well to screen questions). The Guild panel may be an exception although they are in an actual hall this year as opposed to a small meeting room last year (they filled up well before their panel time and many people had to be turned away).
• Tournaments: Earlier in the tournaments tend to have the best seats, but as it gets closer to the finals the seats tend to fill up (I sat on the floor for the StarCraft final last year) generally finding a seat around the semi-finals is your best bet to make sure you have a seat for the finals.

For those of you at home, if you've ordered the live stream make sure to have a nice comfy chair, drinks and snacks near by so you don't miss anything! If you haven't order the stream, be sure to follow your favorite blog with updates! There is also a free stream for the tournaments which are enjoyable to watch. Whatever you do this weekend, make sure you enjoy it as we celebrate the game, the culture and community of Blizzard games. So Project Lore readers, what will you be doing for BlizzCon? What panels look like the best to you? What do you think are can't be missed events? Did I miss anything that a con goer should be bringing?

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It's been an up-and-down sort of day for those trying to plan out their visit to the Anaheim Convention Center this weekend. Blizzard supplied a preliminary schedule for their marquee event earlier today before retracting it and replacing it with a brand new one. Why the switcheroo? No idea. The Blues ain't tellin'. Conspiracy theories aside, the simplest answer is that, after some internal deliberation, they probably decided that a few of the panels and events needed to be shuffled around. As far as WoW is concerned, a new World of Warcraft Preview panel has been slotted immediately following the Opening Ceremony. There's certainly a lot to talk about where Blizzard is concerned these days, so it may be the case that we don't get a bulk of our expansion info until the panel, itself. Either way, it's nice to set aside an extra hour or so to discuss specifically what is coming up instead of having to share space with the company's other properties during the Opening Ceremony (though I fully expect it to be "revealed" during that time). The PvP panel is gone, but I'm sure its content will be shared amongst the others. It's unlikely we'll see much beyond the next season or two of Arena for Wrath, and it might be too early to talk about specifics where the expansion is concerned. If you've got questions to ask during the Open Q&A (10-11 AM on Saturday) or during one of the Classes/Items/Professions panels (5-6 PM on Friday, 2:30-3:30 PM on Saturday). Likewise, if you're a fan of The Guild, you no longer have to miss out on any other WoW happenings (besides some tournament play) to check them out on Friday (3:30-4:30 PM). There's lots to see and do on the show floor, so make sure to start plotting your itenerary now (and get to the panels early for a good seat!). Hopefully this is the last change we'll see to the official schedule. *Here's a link to the BlizzCon map for your convenience.

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Zarhym just dropped the bombshell that, in honor of the 5-year anniversary of World of Warcraft that's coming up in November, Onyxia's Lair will be getting an update. That's right, Patch 3.2.2 will bring a new, level 80, 10- and 25-man version of Onyxia for players to take on. Not only that, but there is a new 310% mount in her loot table, along with "updated" loot modeled after tier 2 but with updated stats. Further details will be coming soon, and the full announcement is here on the official forums. I hope this news means that, if the upgrade goes smoothly, other old school raids and instances will get an update. Like, say, Deadmines? Is this news exciting for you guys, or are you thinking it might be another Naxx that was dumbed down and made a little too easy?

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Even Hoover (And His Library) Is Worried Saying there has been a bit of speculation surrounding the next World of Warcraft expansion would be an understatement.  For months now players have been looking ahead even though we aren't even on the second content patch (of four).  Blizzard added fuel to the speculation fire when it was noticed that the company is trying to trademark the term "Cataclysm" for use in games and products.  The early July news sealed the deal for many players; BlizzCon 2009 will usher in the MMORPG's third expansion. What if that doesn't happen?  What if Blizzard jut sits on the company's figurative hands in 2009 instead of following up the Diablo III announcement?  Why bust in on Arthas' reign?  After all, he is the most popular villain in all of Warcraft.  What if the announcement turns out to be the in-the-works, hush-hush, this-isn't-the-MMORPG-you're-looking-for title we know they are working on?  What if, heaven forbid, no game is announced?  After all, they are already working on four games (and the expansion), two of which should be out "soon," Diablo III & StarCraft II.  Shouldn't they focus the marketing on those titles that are first in the schedule? Let's assume that Cataclysm isn't announced, or that it doesn't pertain to WoW.  What would that mean for our favorite MMORPG? Should things go down that way, I believe it could upset the disenfranchised players.  Judging by conversations with friends, guildmates and the comments here at PL, there appears to be many players at different stages of quitting.  Many are just enjoying the Summer, others are taking a break between patches, and some see Call of the Crusade as a lore-less filler patch with nothing for them.  If BlizzCon disappoints then these members may be "taking a break" a bit longer than the developers would like.  Should things go down that way we may see the subscription numbers drop for the first time.  Perhaps even below 5 million (China's 6 million are barred from WoW still)!  Unlikely, but scary. That's just one possible scenario.  To all the speculators out there I pose you this, what if...?

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Earlier this month Hollywood Reporter put out the news that Heroes actor Masi Oka is working on a family movie called "The Defenders," inspired by his love of MMORPGs, and WoW in particular. (Yatta!) DreamWorks has picked up the film, and apparently the story will focus on a group of mostly teens who play an MMO together and end up working together in a RL adventure of their own. Sounds like a pretty neat idea, and it got me thinking. (Looking back in my blog, I do that a  lot). Anyhow, the environment of WoW allows for a great deal of anonymity for those who choose it. Of course, some of us, such as the crew on Project Lore, put their character names out there, and so we're known for our toons. But for the rest of us, WoW can be an escape of sorts from all our RL worries. And beyond Masi Oka, there are plenty of celebrities who have told the world that they, too, have gotten sucked into the World of Warcracft. Of course, there are the celebs we know from WoW commercials: Mr. T, Verne Troyer, Ozzy Osbourne, William Shatner, Steve Van Zandt. I think I got everyone. And there are many others who have admitted to their fandom that the wider community doesn't necessarily understand (or approve of). Off the top of my head, Vin Diesel comes to mind as a definite who has admitted to his geekdom. Other fairly well-known gamer celebs are Robin Williams, Matt Stone and Trey Parker (the creators of South Park who paid homage to the game in episode 147, Make Love Not Warcraft), Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov, and of course Felicia Day of The Guild. And then there are the lesser-known players of the game such as Dave Chapelle, Cameron Diaz, Kanye West, Ben Affleck and Maculay Culkin. Now, a lot of you may not give a damn who you're playing with. And I suppose it doesn't really make a difference in the grand scheme of things. But it's kind of neat to think about. That elusive rogue in your guild could be Britney Spears, for all you know. Or, that shaman that keeps sending you whispers could be your mom. Or ex-girlfriend. Or Barack Obama. You would never know! So, next time you log on, take a good, long moment to think it through. Could you be playing with someone you know (or at least know of)  in RL? It's a possibility. If I had to choose who to play with out of those I listed here, I think I'd go with Masi. He seems like a pretty cool guy. So what do you think are the odds that you've ever teamed up with a celebrity? Would you have acted any differently had you known?

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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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