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Wryxian
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  • 0. [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:01:51 PDT
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The first part of this panel was an inside look at how dungeons are created in World of Warcraft. The first step to making any dungeon is thinking of an epic idea. We go through a list of questions to form the idea of this dungeon: Where is this place? Who lives here? What will the player do? And why is this dungeon epic?

The next step is to create a 2D layout of the dungeon that shows how players will flow through the dungeon, where the encounters will be, and any specific points of interest.

We then begin the process of blocking out the dungeon and creating a 3D structure following the layout. This version is playable in the game. We check the scale of the dungeon many times at this point to ensure it gives the proper feeling and atmosphere for players going through it.

In the final stages, we work on interactive objects like doors, elevators, and destructible objects. Through this whole process we work very closely with our art team to ensure everything looks great.

The next phase is where we create encounters. It always starts off with a brainstorm of ideas, so everything we can think of is a possibility. During this brainstorm we also try to identify any new tech that we can use in the encounters as well as new art. It is very important that we provide variety from one encounter to another and really determine what will be fun for players to experience.

To bring these ideas to life we use a propriety tool called “Wowedit.” Yes, we really went all-out with the clever and original names for our tools. We use this tool for creature placement, spell/ability creation, and any scripting that needs to be done for an encounter, such as phases where different things are happening.

After that, it’s playtesting time! The design team always plays the encounters first, as we will often require a lot of iterations before we’re satisfied with them. It then moves on to testing by our quality assurance department and eventually on our Public Test Realms. During testing, we listen very closely to all the feedback that comes in; something may sound fun on paper but turn out differently when playing.

We are committed to the quality of our work and know our players have high expectations for everything we create. To fulfill this we try to not only create great epic dungeons but always aim to make each one better than those that have come before.

"For no pact may be struck, no secrets may be learned, no good can come from these beasts."

Community Team - English
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Wryxian
Blizzard Poster
  • 1. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:02:08 PDT
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The second part of the panel went on to preview several of the new 5-player dungeons that will be released in Cataclysm or in a future content patch for Wrath of the Lich King.

The first one was Abyssal Maw. This dungeon is one of the two new 5-player dungeons that are located in the Sunken City of Vashjir. This dungeon will give players a non-linear experience located on the ocean floor. We have also made some great graphical improvements in our water effects that will be featured prominently here.

The next dungeon we saw was the first of two 5-player dungeons that will be located in the lost deserts of Uldum. We are focusing on making this epic Titan dungeon into a non-linear experience as well, and players will once again encounter the ever-adventurous dwarf, Brann Bronzebeard.

The panelists also went into details on a new wing that is being developed in the old favorite, Blackrock Spire. It will be an entirely new dungeon located in Blackrock Mountain, and gives us a chance to reinvent a classic area. Players will be able to explore this and figure out why the Twilight’s Hammer is here and whether or not there really was only one Beast.

After that, the panel went on to talk about raid dungeons, the first being Icecrown Citadel, which will be released in patch 3.3. This is the home of the Lich King and his Scourge army. The waypoints used in Ulduar received a lot of positive feedback, so we plan to use those again in this dungeon. We are currently planning to implement 12 epic encounters, including battles against the ultimate Frost Wyrm, Sindragosa, and the Lich King himself! This dungeon will also include a new 5-player dungeon with 8 bosses spread across three separate wings.

The next raid dungeon is called Blackwing Depths. This will be an entirely new raid based on the original and classic favorite, Blackwing Lair. Unlike Naxxramas, this dungeon will include brand-new art, items, and creatures. A possible appearance (with updates) of some old friends is possible too…

The developers then went on to show us the new World of Warcraft: Cataclysm raid dungeon called The Firelands. This is a 10- and 25-player raid dungeon in the elemental plane of fire, and is an exterior raid zone like Ahn’Qiraj 20 or the Caverns of Time Battle of Mount Hyjal. This plane is the home of our old friend Ragnaros, the Lord of Fire. Here players will be able to fight him again, but this time he will be at his full strength.

To wrap up this panel, we talked about the five-year anniversary event, Onyxia! She is receiving several updates including updated encounter mechanics and new loot. There was a definite assurance to everybody that there will be more deep breath randomization than ever before!

That’s it for this year’s Raid and Dungeon panel. See you next BlizzCon!

"For no pact may be struck, no secrets may be learned, no good can come from these beasts."

Community Team - English
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  • Outland
  • 2. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:05:09 PDT
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I want to see you at BlizzCon on the Live stream!

_̴ı̴̴̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡*̡̡ ̴̡ı̴̴̡ ̡̡͡|̲̲̲͡͡͡ ̲▫̲͡ ̲̲̲͡͡π̲̲͡͡ ̲̲͡▫̲̲͡͡ ̲|̡̡̡ ̡ ̴̡ı̴̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ My Booty Bay Beach Shack!
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  • 3. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:09:30 PDT
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Q u o t e:
I want to see you at BlizzCon on the Live stream!


Yup, Ancilorn said you were there.

C'mon, you can wave to us or something.

http://www.coldheat.de/archiv/bilder/blizzcon-pal-panel.png
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  • Outland
  • 4. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:20:17 PDT
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Im not interested in SC2 stuff now, I want more WoW stuff on the stream! :(

Waiting for closing ceremony!

_̴ı̴̴̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡*̡̡ ̴̡ı̴̴̡ ̡̡͡|̲̲̲͡͡͡ ̲▫̲͡ ̲̲̲͡͡π̲̲͡͡ ̲̲͡▫̲̲͡͡ ̲|̡̡̡ ̡ ̴̡ı̴̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ My Booty Bay Beach Shack!
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  • 5. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:31:43 PDT
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You forgot to mention the part in Icecrown Citadel where Varian and Garrosh go DERP DERP DERP and try to get us all killed.
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  • 6. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:43:43 PDT
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Looking good :D

"Grant me the strength to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."
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  • Scarshield Legion
  • 7. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:47:59 PDT
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Finally we'll get back the good 'ol dungeons that are not just go along the way and kill bosses type.

Can't wait! I was really disappointed with the way Wotlk instances worked.

Oh and give more trash! Like in TBC!
Make us use some CC, please!

[ Post edited by Xahjun ]

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  • 8. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 14:55:02 PDT
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so what was all this B.S. Blues posted on the US forums about 30+ bosses in Icecrown?

Is your battlegroup broken? Sick of 40v10 AV?
Blizzard Europe say there is no problem. Tell them otherwise here:
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=9520913721&pageNo=1&sid=1#1
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  • Outland
  • 9. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 15:01:34 PDT
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Q u o t e:
so what was all this B.S. Blues posted on the US forums about 30+ bosses in Icecrown?


It's called a joke.

_̴ı̴̴̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡*̡̡ ̴̡ı̴̴̡ ̡̡͡|̲̲̲͡͡͡ ̲▫̲͡ ̲̲̲͡͡π̲̲͡͡ ̲̲͡▫̲̲͡͡ ̲|̡̡̡ ̡ ̴̡ı̴̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ My Booty Bay Beach Shack!
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  • 10. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 15:48:01 PDT
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Q u o t e:
You forgot to mention the part in Icecrown Citadel where Varian and Garrosh go DERP DERP DERP and try to get us all killed.


Isn't it Varian and Saurfang?

http://www.coldheat.de/archiv/bilder/blizzcon-pal-panel.png
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  • 11. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 15:52:42 PDT
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Would the cross realm LFG thing open up for specific invites to other realms? Like to my friends playing on another realm?

Hell, It's about time!
If lastpost.date olderthan months(2) AND thread.stickied == "false" do thread.lock
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  • 12. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 15:57:55 PDT
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I'm just so glad there's going to be another 5 man with Icecrown. I'm sick of everything being focused on Raid content.

Bring back proper CC! ;)
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  • Chromaggus
  • 13. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   22/08/2009 16:18:56 PDT
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Q u o t e:
so what was all this B.S. Blues posted on the US forums about 30+ bosses in Icecrown?


GC hoped that number was high enough to make it clear it's a joke...

http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Kazzak&n=Feinel

"Pff, they're just Halloween masks, you morons!"
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  • 15. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   23/08/2009 04:58:12 PDT
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Ok, so in patch 3.3 there will be a new 5man instance and 2 raid dungeons :P Can't wait to do BWL again and kick Nefarian's scaled bumm :D
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  • 16. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   23/08/2009 05:03:54 PDT
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Q u o t e:
You forgot to mention the part in Icecrown Citadel where Varian and Garrosh go DERP DERP DERP and try to get us all killed.

Shoo dwarf, lets kill Arthas and then we have a war.
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  • Scarshield Legion
  • 17. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   23/08/2009 06:18:17 PDT
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I wonder how the players will contact eachother before the party is formed, before summoning the players at the Meeting Stones, and before the players walk in.

I suggest to make the players visible and chattable as soon as they are in the party. The player will be visible to you in the world, if he is a member of the same party or raid, and if he is in front of you, and not in stealth (in case of Rogues, Night Elves and Druids in Cat form).
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  • Outland
  • 18. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   23/08/2009 08:49:20 PDT
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Before adding more content, maybe fix the instance queues first.

Jinn / Alowin
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  • Stormscale
  • 19. Re: [BlizzCon 09] Raids and Dungeons   23/08/2009 09:10:42 PDT
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Q u o t e:
Before adding more content, maybe fix the instance queues first.

They have at least a year to fix it before Cataclysm. I'm confident that they'll make it.

Clicking all buttons and hoping for the best.
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