Blizzcon Live Stream

[mmcookies]

I'm gonna babble here while I watch the DirecTV live stream.

Still quite a ways to go until the event actually starts. They're playing WotLK trailer, Diablo3 trailer, and Starcraft 2 trailer as filler, and probably also to help people setup their streaming clients. There's a segment about Blizzcon 2008 and their coverage last year. There's also the commercial for the livestream itself, which cracks me up whenever I hear the movie trailer guy say in his deep rumbly voice, "Plus, get your very own World of Warcraft Pet: Grunty the Murloc Marine."

[Never Ending Pew Pew]

you rock!!! keep the updates coming please!!! stuck at work with no access to the live stream /cry :(

[mmcookies]

Ooh, something new. The stream just cut to discussion of Lucifron vs. Lyn in War3 tourney.

Not sure if this is last year's footage or live stuff.

It cut to what looks like live stuff, announcers setting up for segments (makeup, mic adjustments, etc.).

The stream is haphazardly cutting amongst different scenes at Blizzcon. Live run through test for the tech maybe.

Now it's back to commercials.

[mmcookies]

DirecTV logo, outside Blizzcon 2009

Showing line-ups, crazy fans shouting, and cosplayers. Too brief of a glimpse to see if any were hot :(

Crowd shot, and damn, what a crowd. Huge throngs of people milling to and fro, flooding in the fully opened front doors.
Glad I'm not there. I hate huge crowds.

What looks to be the pre-show starting up with two announcers.

Talking about highlights of the program, and noting the Cataclysm leaks.

No details so far, just a big list of topics and events.

[mmcookies]

Interesting little detail on the stream replays

REPLAYS
Delayed versions of the live stream will be available in their entirety with start times set to correspond with time zones in Europe and Asia.

I was hoping I could watch the replays whenever I want... darn

Currently playing a video of behind the scenes at Blizzard headquarters, probably from last year since they're talking about shipping WotLK.

Impressive amount of infrastructure... global network ops center that shows disaster situations and status of their data centers.

Apparently one of their data centers was hit by a tornado back in the days of vanilla WoW, which took them out for 3 days.

Showing a map of glowing dots all over the world. The guy says it's live status of where players are connecting from... sounds like a joke tho >_> I hope.

[mmcookies]

Back to War3 match discussion.

Cute Asian shoutcaster commenting... Kim something. I'm terrible with names.

Showing this cosplayer in full Raynor outfit. Not a bad costume, belly's a bit bigger than Raynor's.

Talking about goodie bags. Noobs (those chubby action figures). Apparently 250 limited edition ones given to Blizzard employees.
There're a lot of weird lookin artists at Blizzard. The Raynor noob is only available through Blizzcon... doh. I kinda wanted one.

Whoa, line up of some nice female cosplayers :o
Maybe they're professionals? Great job on the... err, draenei and elf costumes.

opening ceremonies about to start

NOOOOOOOOOO, the mainstage mic isn't audible to the stream... whew there they fixed it.

[mmcookies]

Just some guy doing introductions, sounds kinda like a flight attendant giving out information.

1600 computer, blah blah.

Morhime taking the stage. I didn't realize SC2 won best of show at GamesCom.

Morhime just said: "Everyone's rooting for something CATACLYSMIC to happen."

Talks about WoW in China, recent return after downtime, new partnership with Netease, nobody cares >_<

My client just crashed... dohhhhh...

20k tickets sold out in under a minute. He just made fun of retardins's epic QQ :(

Showing video down the memory lane of Blizzcon 2008. Damn that's a lot of female elves >_>

[Never Ending Pew Pew]

Thank you so much for giving details almost feels like im watching it. Again you rock

[mmcookies]

Talking about upcoming features.

Faction change service was equally boo'ed and cheered.

Upcoming WoW's 5th anniversary. Onyxia's first encounter was merely a setback.

SC2 with Bnet definitely going to ship next year.

oh shi... sam raimi... movie details? sam raimi was at blizzcon 08?
"bruce campbell as leeroy jenkins not a bad idea" - paraphrased

More on noobs, blah blah, blank noobs also available to custom paint at workshop.
Talking about programs, Jay what's his name, MC frontalot? L80ETC, Ozzzzzzzzzzzzzy

Stream lagging like crazy.

Metzen rolling on stage. I swear this guy's da debil. Smooth talker.

"What we've been cooking up for the past year. It's got flava."

Hints at upcoming trailers... working the crowd
"Where's the alliance at?" *huge cheers*
"Where's the horde?" *huge cheers*

[mmcookies]

D3 class unveil trailer: the monk

Tough guy walking on swept plains, big sandstorm. Not cinematic quality, looks like in-game rendering.
Monk doing battle with cultists and their leader

Second video - gameplay of monk
lots of mobs exploding in showers of blood
seems to be a lot of pbaoe skills

WoW expansion unveiling
CATACLYSM

Once again, not cinematic quality, but in game footage.
lava cliffs, desolace turned oasis???

Horde new race:
Goblins shipwrecked on the lost isles
"Goblins of kazaan found new allies in the horde"

Alliance new race:
Greymane wall to Gilneas shattered by Cataclysm.
Gloomy atmosphere in Gilneas. Undead attacks Gilneas, Alliance comes to their aid.

New race and class combinations, full list unclear

Level cap 85

flying mounts in Azeroth

new profession - archeology

guild leveling system?

path of the titans? (labeled as new character progression)

Deathwing BBEG

[mmcookies]

DirecTV interview with Morhime

"SC2 beta definitely coming out this year"

Sam Raimi plays WoW... whee!

Stupid filler questions from twitter
filler, filler, filler, not going to type transcripts

Cut to another behind the scenes segment... office of Mike Morhime... booooring :p
His office looks more like a trophy hall

heh, you get a sword for working at blizzard, after 5 years, a shield, 10 years, a ring

[cybernerv]

awesome info, keep it coming thanks :D

[Heenan]

Watching the stream as well...

The lava rips the Barrens in half. It looks like if you're not flying you won't be able to get over it, unless there's a bridge somewhere.

Yeah, Desolace looks like a lush jungle now. Pretty cool.

It looks like the Goblins and Worgen have had some really nice texture work done on them. The Goblins are almost gnome-ish in their cutsieness (although the males are still as ugly as ever). The Worgen look badass.

[mmcookies]

WoW Cataclysm Panel coming up

I should really be ripping the stream... quick, anyone know a good setup?

Deathwing needs to be reintroduced because of new WoW players who didn't play original Warcraft.
Old gods drove Deathwing mad, wants to take over the world, more powerful than ever.

Deathwing's bachelor pad "Deephome." His coming is what caused Cataclysm, erupting from the earth, causing tsunamis.
Deathwing the World Breaker.

Elemental Planes created by Titans to hold elemental powers to enforce order.
Deathwing/Cataclysm causes Elemental planes to reappear in the world.

Worgens: Gilneas closed walls to keep scourge at bay but things got desperate.
Arugal summons worgen to help combat scourge, but backfires with the worgen curse.

Hint at timetravelling worgens? lol

Worgen starting area supposedly so awesome it blows DK starter area away.
Something about a surprise from levels 1-5? stream cut out a sec

[Heenan]

Cataclysm panel starting...

[mmcookies]

Goblins organized in cartels/factions/tradeprinces
Neutral goblins (gadget, ratchet) are different group from horde goblins (from isle of kazaan).
Horde goblins will have different flavor.

Starting area: Lost Isles
Unique story arcs for both new races throughout Azeroth
Bilge Water cartel forced to incorporate into the horde.

more wrathgate-like cinematics
Dark but awesome lore ahead in Cataclysm

goblin mount is a ATV buggy?

Tremendous upheaval in post WotLK Azeroth.
Goal of the Experience: Players returning home from war to find everything has changed.

[mmcookies]

Why level 85?
- revamping 1-60 zones for pretty much new content
- two new races with highly involved lore interaction

Worgens look really badass
Goblins have fun engineery racials?
Stream keeps cutting out ugh.

7 new zones
- Deepholm (accessible through hole in the ground created by Deathwing's entry, elemental plane of earth, level 80-85)
- Mount hyjal
- The lost isles
- Sunken city of vashj'ir (underwater)
- Uldune
- Gilneas
- Twilight highlands (featuring Grim Batol)

Guild Advancement system (more in game systems panel)
- players can level up guild for new features
- pvp options
- pve options
- guild talent trees (cheaper repairs, less durability loss, mass resurrection/wipe recovery)

New Race/Class combos
- photo of Tauren Paladins, "holy cow"
- gnome priests, finally self-sufficient, ALL GNOME RAIDS!
- dwarf shaman
- full list still unclear

Terrain will be phased as well in Cataclysm
- changing coastlines as story progresses
(looks like we might be able to play through the cataclysmic event itself, won't be just a off-camera event)

[mmcookies]

Archaeology Secondary Profession
- find archaeology nodes
- perform research
- has something to do with the titan progression

Path of the Titans
- new way to customize character
- path of the titans not limited by class (think universal talent trees)

Current Talent trees not getting any deeper (51 point talents top end), but you get 5 more talent points to spend

Mastery system (bonus passives for spending certain amount of talent points in a tree)

ZA WARUDO
- 5 zones for 78-85
- 2 zones for 1-15
- fly everywhere
- zones revamped to be tighter in level ranges (5 levels per zone), gaming experience

The Barrens
- split in half with lava river
- wailing caverns dude successful in regrowing barrens

Desolace
- cracked open shore to allow water, regrowth
- new offshore pieces resurfaced

Darkshore
- no more 20 minute runs up and down darkshore
- auberdine destroyed, new quest hub/settlement further north
- Garrosh built something... stream cutout

Stonetalon Mountains
- goblins carve out mountain
- charred vale even more charred (lava flow)

Azshara
- goblin 10-20 zone
- goblins strip mined unused pvp mountain

Undercity
- top half of city finally filled in with towers and keeps

Sunken City of Vashj'ir
- a bit south of maelstrom? sound cutout :(
- located on sea floor
- Abyssal maw leads to elemental plane of water
- combat on seafloor will be just like on land? boring :|
- more underwater mounts, same speed as flying
"unda da sea, unda da sea"
- beautiful concept of underwater domes, zones

[Heenan]

Adding some images of the stream ;)

Dwarf Shaman
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm1.jpg

New Orgrimmar
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm2.jpg

Worgen
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm3.jpg

Goblin Rogue
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm4.jpg

New World Map
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm5.jpg

Tauren Paladin
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm6.jpg

Gnome Priest
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm7.jpg

[Heenan]

Barrens
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm8.jpg

Desolace
http://paulheenan.com/Cataclysm/cataclysm9.jpg

[mmcookies]

Deepholm
- temple of earth under twilight's hammer's control, deathwing's pad where he recovered and gathered strength for the cataclysm
- large subterranean environment
- something about being very very scary (goddamn sound cutting out)
- biggest zone in Cataclysm
- expansion portal hub will be in Deepholm

Uldum
- two dungeons? (stream is really starting to suck, must be a lot of ppl tuning in)
- temple of titans
- titan machine was "cloaking" Uldum, Cataclysm broke the cloaking
- brann bronzebeard is all like i'm totally there
- holds titan secret weapon (Uldumsday weapon)
- new NPC race "Tol'vir" stone-like cat people

Mount Hyjal
- underseige by Ragnaros who was banished to elemental plane of fire, but now have returned with his army to burn the world tree
"too soon"
- malfurion stormage back from emerald dream
- defending world tree will be primary questing point through the zone
- darkwhisper gorge sundered by Cataclysm and taken over by twilight hammer
- concept art, everything's burning

Twilight Highlands
- lots of emo vampires (jk)
- grim batol sheared in half by deathwing
- headquarters of Twilight's Hammer
- two new port towns for horde/alliance
- red dragons pushed back
- twilight dragon flight a major player in the zone lore

New Raids and Dungeons

Firelands - raid in elemental plane of fire
Uldum - two new leveling dungeons
Blackrock caverns - another dungeon in BRS (twilight hammer and deathwing)
Grim batol - one level up dungeon and a raid
Skywall - a dungeon and a raid

Heroic deadmines and SFK
- same art, but revamped encounters and abilities

[mmcookies]

PVP

Tol Barad PvP Zone
- prison sits on the island that horde/alliance fight over
- like WG when battle is in session
- like Quel'danas when battle is over (main daily quest hub, extra profitable for controlling faction)

Battle for Gilneas

New Arenas

Rated Battlegrounds (more in the systems panel)
- access to same types of gear as arena system

end of expansion panel

[mmcookies]

Back to interviews

Talking about organizing the movie, doesn't sound like anything's set in stone.

more stupid questions from twitter
filler filler... more organization information about Blizzard development.

If this guy uses the buzzword "gel" one more time...

[mmcookies]

"Behind the Scenes" about Blizzard Cinematic

Takes about a year to produce a cinematic intro o_o

more twitter questions
must kill twitter users...

Diablo 3 Heroes and monsters panel coming up

[mmcookies]

monk class
- inspired by p&p rpg
- fragile, fast melee (interesting contract)
- opposite from barbarian (not tough)
- fighting game character (combo moves)
- holy magic
- speed over toughness
- bit more challenging for early game, but evens out later

got stuff to do... here ends my babbling
someone else take over if you want

[Siaea]

poke poke

hey, you stopped!

I needs to know more!!

[Never Ending Pew Pew]

yea mmcookies said in the last post that he had to go. had stuff to do. Was hoping someone else would pick up the babbling :)

[Multibocks]

Hey ask about faction transfers, I NEED MORE INFO!!! Like when :)

[Heenan]

Continuing on with the Monk...

Design

Religious, spiritual warrior on the side of Good
1,001 body tattoos that takes a lifetime to finish
Part of a highly structured, theocratic society


Combo moves

Fighting game references
Depth to melee moves
Combine combo moves
Reference - Diablo 2 Assassin, WoW Rogue
Way of the Hundred Fists - Click mouse 3 times, different move for each click
Crippling Wave - debuff, reduce damage, refresh surrounding debuff durations
Exploding Palm - damage, damage, DoT bleed that explodes to surrounding foes
Can combine combos: open with Hundred Fists, go to Crippling Wave, end with Exploding Palm


Skill Effects

Martial arts action
Holy color palette
Runic knowledge
Seven sided strikes - like chain lightning, but the Monk is the bolt

[Heenan]

I was going to go through all of the videos but it looks like the news sites are on top of it ;)