It has been almost been 5 years since the initial release of World of Warcraft. Since that time, we have seen many patches, content upgrades, and soon to be two expansions based on the original game engine. While Blizzard has been diligent in trying to keep their huge user base with constant content updates, it is admitted that there is only so far they can go with the "more of the same thing" philosophy. As entrenched as World of Warcraft is, with it's 10 million subscriptions, there is always the threat of new MMORPGs stealing their thunder using newer technologies and gaming engines. I am happy to learn, through a reliable source that Blizzard is rumored to be working on a sequel to the original World of Warcraft which includes a new play and graphics engine, and evolved story line.
Story Evolution
Essentially WoW Advanced (or whatever they end up calling it) takes place approximately 100-150 years after the original. Many of the same zones exist, but they have evolved based on the story line in the original game. So, for example, we learn what happened to the Defias brotherhood after ten million players have defeated them over, and over, and over again. This is a welcome relief to any player who has quested alts in the same zone a few times. Certainly the Defias threat must be quelled by now? The angle is smart, as I'm sure we all want to find out what happened in our favorite story lines from the original WoW.
Combatting Quest Fatigue - The Ultimate Battle
To also combat quest fatigue, they have somehow developed a "dynamic quest generator" and "zone adaptation" technology which changes the quests and zones based on the actions of the players of that server. It is assumed for example, if the majority of a zone is occupied by horde doing certain quests, it will change the zone and the quests in that zone (and perhaps adjacent zones) accordingly. It's uncertain exactly how this will work, but would seem to have the advantage of dynamic playability plus zone accountability to the actions of the players. This could also give a method by which a server can auto-balance the horde/ alliance ratio by dynamically giving the underdog more lucrative rewards.
Horgarth, and the Son of Horgarth
The new WoW is described as continuous, yet separate from the original. The new version will of course be a separate install and take place on new servers (ouch, how many GB am I going to need for this plus the original?). While your old characters cannot be transferred to the new game, you can literally "spawn" your characters to the new servers. What this means is you will actually play the son or daughter of your original character and get bonuses based on the achievements of that original character. With respect to Blizzard's new cause and effect paradigm, the concurrent actions of your original character in the original game will actually affect your "spawned" character like a temporal causality episode of Star Trek. How this actually will work is quite uncertain, but we suspect it might affect your spawn with respect to initial levels, money, abilities, and equipment. Perhaps you might have a quest to collect an inheritance from your parents? This is another smart move by the design team, as it creates continuity, interest, and rewards for all the effort you put into your original character.
Improved Play Engine
Not a lot was said about the game engine as it is believed that a lot of the new features are being tested for playability. The features that work will stay and the ones that don't will go. One thing that was mentioned was the shift in gameplay from an RTS to slightly more of an FPS. It is suspected that the popularity of PvP and the Battlegrounds are responsible. It was assured that the game would not lose it's general feel and orientation as an RPG however. This is done by new real time server clustering/ synchronization technology which prioritizes network traffic based on your proximity with players around you so that there is minimal lag within a party. The farther your are from a monster or player, the more forgiving the synchronization is. Secondly, they have adopted a new 2 dimensional "one button, many functions" control user interface. One could surmise that a single key could handle a bank of all your healing spells for example.
Secondly and more interestingly, it seems that a new physics engine is in place. This is said will add a whole new dimension to PvP as well as quest completion. Apparently you can do things such as hurl a boulder at your opponent, or push a book case aside to reveal a secret door to the dungeon below. One of your quests could be to seal a cave entrance by blocking it with surrounding objects, or forcing a demon into the heart of an active volcano using spells or physical means. Indeed, this should open up a huge realm of possibility with respect to game play.
Improved Graphics
Conversely, much was said about changes in the graphic engine to add extra depth in realism and playability. The weather has many more flavours, and clouds actually move smoothly across the sky. Trees blow in the breeze, and campfires give off billowing smoke from the distance (cooks be warned in PvP). Lakes and rivers get a huge upgrade with reflective surfaces, whitecaps and ripples. Similarly, shiny objects receive reflection maps and light blooms. For added realism and departure from the cartoonish nature of WoW original, limited bump-mapping was introduced. New lighting and volumetric rendering effects makes your spell casting a breathtaking light show. Also, there is a new optimized alpha-channelling system that allows for holes and translucent objects and monsters. All these upgrades will undoubtedly make the surroundings more enjoyable and immersive.
Improved Sound and Music
In addition to visual upgrades, there are improvements in sound as well. It was said that the soundtrack has grown immensely and the environment is now alive with auditory cues. Most living and moving objects make a sound which alerts you to happenings around you without rotating your camera. Upgrades to the reverb engine allow you to actually determine how far something is, and in what direction it is. Be careful when you hear chains clanking in the crypt, whispering in the dark, or growling from behind a tree! The music gets cued depending on where you are and what you are doing. When the music gets menacing, you know the last boss fight is just around the corner.
Character Realism
What seemed of particular interest was the upgrades to the character realism. Is our mighty 70th level mage still look like a cartoon? Apparently, characters receive realism upgrades as well. Their faces can actually be distinguished from other faces, and hairstyles and make-up can be changed (great for female characters). Character (and monster/NPC) movement is much more fluid and realistic. Gear responds to the environment by showing scratches, dents, blood stains, and burn marks. Similarly, your character will show cuts and bruises depending on health.
Monster Realism
Before you get too excited, be warned that monster realism has also been improved. Not only do they look more realistic, but they act more realistic as well. No longer do they wander aimlessly without purpose until you attack. Monsters and NPCs tactics change depending on the strategies of the party. The higher the level, the more the monster's behaviors are adaptive and unpredictable. High level instances are now more challenging and force you to be more resourceful when things go wrong.
So Real, It Will Make You Pee Your Pants!
All in all, the new WoW seems to be a huge leap towards realism in the areas of sight, sound and gameplay. If think World of Warcraft is addictive now, wait until you are completely immersed in this new, much improved version. There is no doubt that with the new dynamic gameplay, and player causality effects, it will be difficult to grow tired of playing. While many of these features are indeed rumored, even half their implementation will guarantee Blizzard the top spot in the MMORPG genre for at least another 5 years.
