Monday, February 16, 2009

WoW: Kaplan Leave for Blizzard’s Unannounced MMO

World of Warcraft’s lead designer, Jeffery Kaplan, is shifting positions within Blizzard. He will now be heading up the as-yet unannounced MMO currently in development at Blizzard. Check out Kaplan’s words on the subject below:

I wanted to take a moment to let the community know that I’ve switched roles here at Blizzard to work on our upcoming, unannounced MMO. World of Warcraft has been such a central part of my life these past six and a half years, and it’s success would not have been possible without the tremendous community around it, so I wanted to say thank you to all our players who’ve shared this amazing experience with us so far. Also, while I have served as the spokesperson and Game Director for World of Warcraft on Wrath of the Lich King, by no means would WoW be where it is today without the dedicated team that we have in place. The WoW development team is comprised of some of the most talented and experienced game developers in the world, and it was an absolute honor to serve amongst them, and they will continue to make WoW better than ever. I still plan to be very involved with the future course of World of Warcraft, but will leave the day to day operations of World of Warcraft to my partners in crime, Tom Chilton and J. Allen Brack.

When all is said and done, WoW is still my favorite game. I play it every day. None of that passion is gone. If anything, it fuels the challenge of making our next MMO even better. We know we have some big shoes to fill. So thank you to everyone who has been so supportive over the years, and likewise, thanks to those who have given us pointed feedback on all areas of the game. Without all of the feedback and participation, WoW would not be the game that it has grown to be. Azeroth truly belongs to you and we’re lucky to have shared in your journey. And as always, I’ll still be lurking on the forums and in the game.
Mostly, I just wanted to say thanks. It has been an absolute honor.

Jeffrey Kaplan

It will remain to be seen how much Kaplan’s absence will be felt but I, for one, hope they announce the MMO’s name soon!

Posted by JImmy in 02:31:38 | Permalink | No Comments »

World of Warcraft - Hitler’s Account Gets Banned

This is a funny video for anyone who plays or has played World of Warcraft. As the title states, it revolves around Hitler getting banned from WoW for botting and his reaction. I like when he threatens to leave WoW and play Everquest or Runescape instead.

Many of you probably also remember this video being used for other things like Hitler’s Xbox Live membership being banned, getting RROD and many other others, but it still brings the funny. What do you think, has this video been beaten to the ground yet or does it still have some laughs stored up?

Posted by JImmy in 02:30:39 | Permalink | No Comments »

Exploring the Games in the World of the MMORPG Genre

The term MMORPG is short for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. What makes these games different from all others is the way the game is played. They consist of a constant world for hundreds to thousands of gamers to all play at the same time and interact with one another. There is a running fee of $10 to $15 per month on top of any price that you paid for the actual game. Here are the top five MMORPG game available:

World of Warcraft ( Buy wow gold )– When it comes to the genre of MMORPG there is Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft and then there is everyone else. It is hands down the most popular and best operating game in this style. It does through a combination of exceptional artistry, paced gameplay, an engaging and always expanding world, and an interface system like no other.

EverQuest II – If it wasn’t for people playing Everquest, then there probably wouldn’t be a genre of MMORPG video games. As you can imagine, Everquest II had some pretty big shoes to fill and it did so plus much more. Let’s go over the reasons why games simply this game. First off the graphics are exceptional, the extensive use of voiceovers is perfectly worked into the gameplay, character creation is easy yet extensive, and the combat system is better than anything else out there.

Final Fantasy XI – Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past twenty years, then I’m sure you are aware than there is a video game series called Final Fantasy and it’s kind of deal. Now, the series most known for consoles has expanded into a MMORPG. The gameplay is set around three powerful nations protecting the world of Vana’diel from enemies of hostile beastmen. The thing that makes this different from the rest of the game so this list is that it is the first MMO that allows PS2, Xbox 360, and PC users too all play in the same universe.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes – This game offers gamers like you and me a seemingly huge and endless world with elaborate crafting of players skill such as a much hyped diplomacy system with which you can sway NPC’s. Vanguard isn’t for the faint of heart since it demanding game in comparison to many other MMORPGs, both in terms of hardware requirements and time requirements. The gameplay holds a considerable amount of depth, and is an ambitious project for a gamer to challenge.

EverQuest – No matter where the genre of MMORPG’s develops from here, there will always be a special place in the hearts of gamer for EverQuest. It was the first of its kind to be played in 3D game to take hold in the
US. Even to this day it still commands a very large base, and some say has more content than any of its competitors. It takes place in a mythical realm full halflings, ogres, healers, necromancers, and monsters, featuring a remarkable level of character specialization.

Posted by JImmy in 02:29:51 | Permalink | No Comments »