BlizzCon Discussion

Cranberry · 10/10/08, 8:01 AM

Preliminary information from MMO-Champion:

Upcoming patches

* Patch 3.1 - Patch 3.1 will be the first content patch of the expansion and is already done. It will include Ulduar raid instance (10 and 25 Man) (Source)
* Patch 3.2 - Patch 3.2 will add a new and still unknown raid instance to the game. (Source)
* Patch 3.3 - Patch 3.3 will introduce Icecrown Citadel and should also resolve the storyline of Ashbringer. (Source)

Others

* New dances will be added in a content patch, one of the objective with the dance studio isn't to just add new dances but also let players combine moves to create their own dance. (Source)
* Guild ratings might be added in the future, guilds could receive a rating based on their PvE and PvP accomplishments.(Source)
* Achievements based on guild accomplishments could be added to the game. (Source)

Live (tournament) streams via BlizzCon 2008

Anyone have a link to someone liveblogging to add here?

Shatter Combo w/ Fries · 10/10/08, 8:14 AM

It doesn't start for 7 more hours. Tournament wise, there will be live blogging on gameriot surely, and you can also just hang out in the bg9 irc channel, most of the tournament attendees tend to hang out in there and will be talking about it, i'm sure.

mhr_78 · 10/10/08, 8:17 AM

Afaik on IRC:

#blizzcon08 on irc.QuakeNet.org

And wc radio:
WoW Radio - Azeroth's First & Only Talk Radio Station

Zifna · 10/10/08, 10:54 AM

Hm... it looks like the only way to watch the panels if not at Blizzcon is to buy a $40 DirecTV membership? If true, that's more than a bit of a bummer...

tiberion02 · 10/10/08, 11:08 AM

Surely their will be videos of the panels around the internet not long after they air live.

◊ Cathela · 10/10/08, 11:13 AM

...resolve the storyline of Ashbringer.

Apologies if I'm way behind the times here, but will this bit of the plot be accessible to people who didn't get an Ashbringer out of Naxx Classic?

dr_AllCOM3 · 10/10/08, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Cathela

Apologies if I'm way behind the times here, but will this bit of the plot be accessible to people who didn't get an Ashbringer out of Naxx Classic?

I'm sure the old Corrupted Ashbringer will have nothing to do with WotLK. Blizz doesn't force you to go into old content (anymore).

◊ Repeek · 10/10/08, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by dr_AllCOM3

I'm sure the old Corrupted Ashbringer will have nothing to do with WotLK. Blizz doesn't force you to go into old content (anymore).

They'll probably just have some special dialogue if you have the Corrupted Ashbringer next time you encounter either Morograine (father or son); much akin to the special interaction between Shade of Aran and Atiesh.

Emeraude · 10/10/08, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Repeek

They'll probably just have some special dialogue if you have the Corrupted Ashbringer next time you encounter either Morograine (father or son); much akin to the special interaction between Shade of Aran and Atiesh.

Yes, but sadly Atiesh/Karazhan/Aran are considered canon. Corrupted Ashbringer dropping in Naxxramas is not, as far as the lore goes Darion Mograine was the one to free his father by stabbing himself with the Corrupted Ashbringer.

When they say "resolve the storyline of Ashbringer" they're only referring to closing out the Ashbringer lore in general in Northrend, not anything to do with what the players who looted Corrupted Ashbringer in Naxxramas did.

Camaris · 10/10/08, 12:56 PM

As far as I understand it, the move of Naxxramas from EPL to Northrend is a bit more of a lore retcon than we are used to, in that it never really was in EPL from current lore perspective. Therefore, but this is just me speculating, it seems likely that Corrupted Ashbringer will at most have novelty value with regards to the upcoming Ashbringer stuff.

If Ashbringer is a big enough thing to announce so far in advance, it will probably be something else than 'just' a legendary 2H sword. It seems kind of obvious that it will feature as an opponent to Frostmourne, but I wonder how and if they are going to involve non-sword-wielding characters in some exciting way.

Discounting the 2.2 Voice Chat non-patch, three patches seems to indicate a similar lifespan to TBC for WotLK.

So.. with the Dance Studio basically discounted as a Big Surprise Announcement, I wonder if there's really anything they've held back on for BlizzCon. If they haven't, this BlizzCon may be more interesting from a Starcraft and Diablo perspective than a WoW one.

obbity · 10/10/08, 1:03 PM

The way I understood it, Naxx really was in EPL and the Corrupted Ashbringer was taken from there before Naxx retreated back to Northrend. It doesn't seem like a lore retcon, it seems perfectly plausible.

I wonder if the Ashbringer will make it in game as an item with that patch or if Frostmourne will eventually be an item as well. Two really powerful two hand swords of legendary worth seem a little excessive in the same expansion.

Copernicus · 10/10/08, 1:07 PM

The Ashbringer also has a mini-series of comics associated with it that are currently being released - Wildstorm

We should have a better idea of its lore status after that is finished.

Kirion · 10/10/08, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by Camaris

As far as I understand it, the move of Naxxramas from EPL to Northrend is a bit more of a lore retcon than we are used to, in that it never really was in EPL from current lore perspective. Therefore, but this is just me speculating, it seems likely that Corrupted Ashbringer will at most have novelty value with regards to the upcoming Ashbringer stuff.

If Ashbringer is a big enough thing to announce so far in advance, it will probably be something else than 'just' a legendary 2H sword. It seems kind of obvious that it will feature as an opponent to Frostmourne, but I wonder how and if they are going to involve non-sword-wielding characters in some exciting way.

Discounting the 2.2 Voice Chat non-patch, three patches seems to indicate a similar lifespan to TBC for WotLK.

So.. with the Dance Studio basically discounted as a Big Surprise Announcement, I wonder if there's really anything they've held back on for BlizzCon. If they haven't, this BlizzCon may be more interesting from a Starcraft and Diablo perspective than a WoW one.

Not exactly.

Naxx was in EPL, Darion stormed it and killed Kel'Thuzad, plunged corrupted Ashbringer into his heart to free his father. Phylactery was stolen by father Montoy and lately Kel'Thuzad was ressurected by Lich King.

Darion's sacrifice and later intervention by Tirion Fordgling cleansed Ashbringer. It was send to Northrend but courier was intercepted by vrykyl. Players will retrive it and give to Tirion.

Emeraude · 10/10/08, 2:41 PM

Looks like the 3rd class for Diablo 3 has been announced, The Wizard.

YouTube - Diablo 3 Wizard gameplay

Edit: Gameplay video added

Docjowles · 10/10/08, 3:00 PM

Can you guys please take this discussion to the lore thread, or at least spoiler tag it?

Shatter Combo w/ Fries · 10/10/08, 3:01 PM

http://media2.wcradio.com:8000/listen.pls = live stream started right this sec

There is apparently no wireless internet at the building this year (lol), looks like we'll only get info from people posting from their phones.

gia · 10/10/08, 3:03 PM

What sites are doing live updates for Blizzcon? Blogs, videos, etc. Please link them if you have any.

Shatter Combo w/ Fries · 10/10/08, 3:06 PM

Announcer guy: "We are broadcasting live in pay per view, I want to say thank you for everyone watching us from home"

Someone in crowd: "LOSERS!"

Charsi · 10/10/08, 3:06 PM

BlizzCon 2008: Opening ceremonies liveblog - WOW Insider

Shatter Combo w/ Fries · 10/10/08, 3:25 PM

Opening ceremonies over, no huge surprise announcements in that speech regarding WoW.

Emeraude · 10/10/08, 3:37 PM

Pretty awesome costumes.

Smurrf · 10/10/08, 4:00 PM

Hmm. This pic seems to indicate that there's already 5 classes up. I wonder if they simply have two still locked out from playing.

WOW Insider

(edit: speaking of D3 here)

Emeraude · 10/10/08, 4:04 PM

Originally Posted by Smurrf

Hmm. This pic seems to indicate that there's already 5 classes up. I wonder if they simply have two still locked out from playing.

WOW Insider

(edit: speaking of D3 here)

No, that's 3 classes, male/female of each.

◊ Lord BEEF · 10/10/08, 4:12 PM

Originally Posted by Emeraude

Looks like the 3rd class for Diablo 3 has been announced, The Wizard.

youtube link

Edit: Gameplay video added

Ummm, that's not a gameplay video at all. That's a music video of the song "my dick". Care to explain/correct?

gia · 10/10/08, 4:22 PM

Diablo III - Wizard

The Diablo 3 official site has already been updated if you want to see the gameplay video.