WoW Alpha Movies

[ryan]

http://www.3daffex.com/alex/1.WMV
http://www.3daffex.com/alex/2.WMV
http://www.3daffex.com/alex/3.WMV

OMG :p

[eyelleye]

Those are pretty sweet! Also I recommend DLing the newest movie (70mb or so) from FilePlanet.com

[eyelleye]

Well, looks like someone made it into the beta... wasnt me tho... =(

http://www.shadowedsoul.com/

[Jess-e]

Well, looks like someone made it into the beta... wasnt me tho... =(

http://www.shadowedsoul.com/
Those pics look soo sweeet!

[eyelleye]

Yeah... I also downloaded the movies off of fileplanet (highly recommend checking that shit out!)... man... were they ever SWEET!!!

The more I read about it... the more stoked I get!

[ryan]

I really like how the graphics were done in WoW. The graphics are setup to allow large viewing distance(for trees and such), unlike star wars galaxies...

[James]

Yeah but you'll need a beast of a machine to run WoW :)
I can't wait till it's out. Not to play, but in the hopes it sucks a lot of ass.
Granted, a lot of my hatred is from the fact SWG wasn't quite what I'd hope it'd be and I invested a LOT of time and money into it.
I thought SWG would be the Second Coming, just at a lot of ppl seem to think WoW will be, that's why I want it to fall flat on its arse. :)

[eyelleye]

Well... WoW is taking a different approach to MMOs... There is actually a rather long article at gamespy on SWG & MMOs in general. If I manage to dig up the link again, I'll post it... cuz its a really good & in depth read... (ie they actually wrote a decent article)...

But, for your WoW delights atm... here's some new screenies:

http://media.pc.gamespy.com/media/016/016985/imgs_1.html

[James]

I'd be interested in reading that article, but although admittedly I don't know much about WoW, it doesn't look to be doing anything different to any other MMOG out there.

[ryan]

I heard that the blizzard team that made the warcraft series left, and they have new people working on world of warcraft. Anyone know anything about this?

[eyelleye]

I heard that the blizzard team that made the warcraft series left, and they have new people working on world of warcraft. Anyone know anything about this?

Yup... its true. Or, rather, a large portion of the folks that made some of the great blizzard games have left the company. I read about it a while ago... will have to dig up the article tho.

As far as the SWG article I was talking about, I managed to dig it up:
http://www.gamespy.com/articles/499/499433p1.html?fromint=1

Its a 3 parter... about 9 pages or so, and by far and away, one of the best articles Ive read on that particular MMO & MMOs in general.

[eyelleye]

Also, here is a snippit about some of the Blizz employees that left:

http://www.gamespydaily.com/news/fullstory.asp?id=5417

I've read the story in a few places, but thats what I could find this morning. Our 'net here at work today is slow for reasons I wont get into... perhaps when its back up to snuff I'll look around for one of the others I read.

[eyelleye]

Completely un-related... but as I was posting on another forum... I recalled another article I read (this time on Salon.com) about a job I used to have. Again, highly recommend reading this article as well... '-)

"We don't support that." (http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2004/02/23/no_support/index_np.html) We're not here to help fix your computer. We just want to get you off the phone.

All about doing tech support for an outsourcer. It might only be 90% true... but that 90% I can guarantee is true, as it mirrors my own experience... a right funny read too. Just click the "Free Day Pass," watch a 10 second add (when I did it, it was a cool flash add for a car thing... I even had to check out the website too... nifty shit).... and then you can read the whole article. I assure you, its worth it. '-)

[James]

My mate Tom is on a year out and he recently got a tech job at Newcastle University. I thought he was talking shit, he'd struggle on putting in a new graphics card let alone any tech advice for anyone! He said "Yeah well, hopefully by the end of it I'll know enough to build my own computer!"
Seriously, if that guy can get a tech job, anyone can.
No offence intended :D

I only ever called a tech guy once, and he was really helpful, and they guy they sent out with the new parts for my PC was really nice too. Maybe that was a one off tho :)

[eyelleye]

Well, the call center I worked at was just starting (meaning I was in the 2nd batch to go through training). As a result, the early folks actually had to have some comp experience. In fact, the "interview" was a 25 question oral exam administered by someone from HR & a techie. I think I missed 2 questions... one of them being something like "in windows 95, what IRQ is the modem usually located" or some such shit. Really obscure shit was on that test... but I knew most of it. During class they actually taught shit about how to diagnose problems... but again, I knew a far majority of it... tho there were guys smarter than me in class. Of course, after we had been up and running for 6 months, it pretty much ended up like the situation in the article. They'd hire pretty much anyone who could fill a chair. I knew guys that would do pretty much anything in the article... while my call times suffered & went about fixing problems... but then, somebody has to do it. =)

[Cray]

Sorry to take this back a couple of posts, but most of the billizard ppl are bye bye? So I guess this means no WC4 or SC2 huh... Guess I have to go pick up KotoR now.
Anyways what races/proffesions are you guys looking at for WoW?

[eyelleye]

Well, from what I've read Blizzard will continue to work on its titles, so I suspect we'll continue to see things like a SC2 come out. I also think a fair bit of their top talent has left for other ventures (seems they have gone mostly to 2 diff companies I think), so... should be interesting to see if they continue to make great games or not. I believe Vivendi closed Blizzard North studios, tho Im not 100% on that yet.

Personally, I havent decided what race or class or whatever I wanna play for WoW. I've read up on their faq and whatnot, and have an idea or two... but, I dont think I'll decide until the game has locked down the final code. I'd decided my profession before swg released and then they took it away from me... so I don't feel like making that mistake twice.

As far as KotoR is concerned, I highly recommend it. While technically an RPG, it was more of an action RPG and a real hoot to play. I recently picked up the new Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow for the PC... man is that ever a cool damn game. I played the first one on xbox when it came out (one of the few I've played from start to finish). The new one takes all the things I loved about the original and amped it up a bit. I tried the FarCry demo, but apparently it doesnt work so well with ATI cards. Consequently, it either crashed my pc, or when I did get it to run, the graphics were so fubar I couldnt play. Im not a big FPS fan, but it looked interesting. Oh well, too bad for them, I wont be picking it up now!

[Cray]

Did anyone make it into Beta For WoW? Just wondering if the Blizzard guys are going to screw up where SoE did and release WoW (WAY) to early. Oh and if anyone did, how much can you custimse your Av?

[eyelleye]

Well, I know I didnt make it in... but then again, after having problems submitting my app, I didnt expect to make it in. It's not a big let down tho.

One thing I have noticed in all the screenies is the graphics are fairly blocky. While its not as purty as others, I dont expect distance or frame rate problems either. That said, I would guess character customization isnt as good... oh well, trade offs. Personally, having the trees n shit show up further away than 10 feet... I guess I can deal with that... even if they are blocky trees... half mile viewing distance isnt too much to ask is it? Hell, Farcry managed it!

[Jess-e]

A link posted on the WoW community site containing a "First Impression" article about WoW beta, a good read none the less.

http://www.just-rpg.com/default.asp?pid=1013

[ryan]

I love the low polygon, high quality texture, large viewing distance in WoW...that's exactly what i would have done...I remember seeing it for the first time and being like "damnit now i'm not going to be the first to make a really good mmorpg!"....jk

Notice a difference between blizzard dev's and SWG dev's...

SWG devs= don't really know what people like or what makes a really good game(look how many changes(not bugfixes or add-ons) they've made after release), have to get info from the players

Blizzard dev's= experienced, know what people like by experience and instinct, know how to make fun game

Also, there's no NDA for WoW beta right now so there's plenty of info on it in the forums...

[James]

What the fans want and what's good for the game in the long run are almost always not the same thing :) Every profession until the very last server is shut down will forever proclaim their class is nerfed/bugged/underpowered, and claim Profession X has been given loads of attention, was fixed weeks ago and can take on at least three Jedi without batting an eyelid. "OMG, my dancer is SOOOO crap in a fight, I dueled a Commando last night and he took me out in like, 2 shots!"
Also, WoW has not yet been released, so you cannot say that it will not also make unpopular changes :)

**Continues to stick pins in his Blizzard Voodoo Doll**

[eyelleye]

Wow... for someone who'd never played an MMO before EVE/SWG, yah sure learned quick! I, of course, learned with UO years ago and didnt figure much would change... therefore, I continue to have faith in the developers (tho it wanes from time to time when they consistantly fuck up)...

I still hope that WoW will be good. God knows, I'll prolly get it anyways. Overall, it looks fun & conceptually its a little bit different. Someday I'll happen across THE thing, MMO-wise, that Im looking for. UO was closest... but not quite there. Everything since then that Ive either played or read about has "elements" of something I want, but just not quite there yet. Ahh well... Glad Im going on vacation tomorrow for a week. 6 days without civilization, a large expanse of ocean & lots of beer. What more could a guy wish for? =) Actually, a lot... but I'll settle for this.