World of Warcraft’s Lead Designer talks about “The Burning Crusade” expansion

World of Warcraft has literally made the world of gaming, well, their world. With around 6 million (and growing) subscribers, WoW revolutionized the role-playing game market. Gamers (or should I say addicts) are now all
drooling over the upcoming first expansion World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. New races to use (or kill), areas to navigate, quests to take, etc. Out before 2007, lead designer Jeffrey Kaplan talks about the still-being-developed game.

According to him, WoW: TBC will be very engaging (now that’s a mild word, outrageously addicting is more apt) both to veteran and less-advanced players. Two new races are in the works equipped with starting experiences. “For example, the blood elves (our new Horde race) will be able to adventure through Eversong Forest and the Ghostlands. Eversong is the equivalent to a zone such as Elwynn or Tirisfal Glades, and Ghostlands is roughly the same
level range as Westfall or Loch Modan. So, as you can see, there will be brand new content for people starting right at level one”, he explained.

While the Horde is considered as the “pretty” race, Kaplan was quick to add that the Alliance, though somewhat ugly, was made to be the “cool” one (ugly but cool? I got lost on that one).

Asked about the realms in TBC, he said that dungeons will be installed in some of the old continents such as Karazhan in Azeroth and Caverns of Time in Kalimdor. Quests will also be fused to the existing cities.

He also shared that the item-socketing system would be quite similar Diablo II, but that doesn’t mean the system is not without new tricks. “We plan to introduce a new type of gem that grants bonuses that depend on the other types of gems your character is using. In addition, players will be able to overwrite gems, but at the cost of the gem they are replacing” he emphasized.

The jewelcrafter profession is one addition that WoW’ers are really excited about, Kaplan shared bits of info about this saying that jewelcraters aside from being able to craft jewels (duh?) acts as a merchant-type character that sells the items it has created.

Regarding the necessity of having the expansion, he puts the die-hard MMORPG 
(you know, those “few” that abhor changes) fans’ worry to rest saying that gamers can still explore the areas the game currently has; they just won’t be able to travel to the expansion zones and do the new quests (I thought that’s
was supposed to stop my worrying?).

As a closure, Kaplan further enticed gamers about the whole expansion, particularly much-talked about new flying mounts, by saying that the coolest experience he had in the game yet, was flying over the plains of new realm Nagrand. Whoever said drugs is the only way to get “high” is indeed stupid.
World of Warcraft has literally made the world of gaming, well, their world. With around 6 million (and growing) subscribers, WoW revolutionized the role-playing game market. Gamers (or should I say addicts) are now all
drooling over the upcoming first expansion World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. New races to use (or kill), areas to navigate, quests to take, etc. Out before 2007, lead designer Jeffrey Kaplan talks about the still-being-developed game.

According to him, WoW: TBC will be very engaging (now that’s a mild word, outrageously addicting is more apt) both to veteran and less-advanced players. Two new races are in the works equipped with starting experiences. “For example, the blood elves (our new Horde race) will be able to adventure through Eversong Forest and the Ghostlands. Eversong is the equivalent to a zone such as Elwynn or Tirisfal Glades, and Ghostlands is roughly the same
level range as Westfall or Loch Modan. So, as you can see, there will be brand new content for people starting right at level one”, he explained.

While the Horde is considered as the “pretty” race, Kaplan was quick to add that the Alliance, though somewhat ugly, was made to be the “cool” one (ugly but cool? I got lost on that one).

Asked about the realms in TBC, he said that dungeons will be installed in some of the old continents such as Karazhan in Azeroth and Caverns of Time in Kalimdor. Quests will also be fused to the existing cities.

He also shared that the item-socketing system would be quite similar Diablo II, but that doesn’t mean the system is not without new tricks. “We plan to introduce a new type of gem that grants bonuses that depend on the other types of gems your character is using. In addition, players will be able to overwrite gems, but at the cost of the gem they are replacing” he emphasized.

The jewelcrafter profession is one addition that WoW’ers are really excited about, Kaplan shared bits of info about this saying that jewelcraters aside from being able to craft jewels (duh?) acts as a merchant-type character that sells the items it has created.

Regarding the necessity of having the expansion, he puts the die-hard MMORPG 
(you know, those “few” that abhor changes) fans’ worry to rest saying that gamers can still explore the areas the game currently has; they just won’t be able to travel to the expansion zones and do the new quests (I thought that’s
was supposed to stop my worrying?).

As a closure, Kaplan further enticed gamers about the whole expansion, particularly much-talked about new flying mounts, by saying that the coolest experience he had in the game yet, was flying over the plains of new realm Nagrand. Whoever said drugs is the only way to get “high” is indeed stupid.