My Warcraft tastes like Burning

After watching this *double* postage stamp sized preview trailer, I couldn’t help myself. I must post about this latest Blizzard bid.

Let’s take a look at the added feature list point by point.

-An increase in the level cap to 70. (and from the FAQ: “In addition to the level increase, every class will gain access to additional talents and abilities or spells as they level up from level 60 to level 70.â€?)

Taken at face value, this means new abilities from your trainer every level from 61-70, 10 more talent points, new talents to toss around and worry over in your builds, so start saving now, all of you who have re-rolled your talents several times already.

10 more levels, with 20 levels of skills is what they seem to want to intimate here. An increase to the level cap was pretty well inevitable, Blizzard, according to what I’ve heard, has taken a lot of flak over their 60 level cap. This is their answer to that.

But where are our Hero Classes? When will they be? This has to be my greatest disappointment from the whole of it. 10 levels seems like a cop out. Regardless of what they do to add to content, they’d have added new areas, tougher areas, newer, more powerful items, weapons, and everything else, but here we get 10 levels. And skills. Let’s not forget skills. A few new levels of the old favorites (another flick of the wrist, slight of hand maneuver like 10 more levels that really requires… about nothing in the way of effort to produce, balancing, yes, but it’s nothing innovative) And then we add the new skills. No information is yet available on this.

-Two new playable races, including the magical Blood Elves

Now Hordies can have hordes of elf girls running around doing the stripper dance. Good, I was thinking they were feeling left out of that. I’ll be happy if the Blood Elves do new dances at least. The different ears and skin colors just don’t really make much of a difference yet.

-New starting zones in Quel’Thalas and beyond.

At least they get a new area. I’ll go ahead and believe that there is a new area in development for the new Alliance race, whatever that may be.

-The entire new continent of Outland, reachable through the Dark Portal

About time, a high level continent, the images I’ve seen, brief as they’ve been, have been visually stunning. I’m looking forward to getting a chance to look around.

-Many new high-level dungeons to explore in Azeroth, Outland, and elsewhere

A typical feature, to be expected. The Caverns of Time is a pleasant one, the ability to explore the past should be an interesting experience, but what will be the mechanic?

Also, how many more keys will now occupy the banks of characters worldwide so they can access these dungeons? (*nudge nudge* where’s my keyring)

-New flying mounts in Outland

Flying mounts. Brings to mind more questions, questions of knocking people off mounts, how high will they fly? Outside of hunter range? Will there be things to avoid? Will it be like bugged gryphons?

-Many new and dangerous monsters, including epic world bosses
-Hundreds of new quests
-Hundreds of new items
These three are also expected, Nothing new here.

-A new profession: Jewelcrafting
-Socketed items

World of Sanctuary calls! We’re missing the runes. This adds one bit new, and it’s a combination with an oldie, the ability to create. Though with the Horadric Cube, were we missing it before? Will these Jewels be a stackable enhancement? Will they replace enchantments? What function will they serve that Enchantment doesn’t?

Next point, implementation.

“There will be many aspects of the expansion that are available to all players. However, in order to experience certain content, such as the Outlands, or be able to play as one of the new races, players will have to purchase the expansion.â€? -Burning Crusade FAQ

Ominous. On one side, everyone gets an update, they all get to see the new stuff. But it also means that there will probably be a necessity for people to buy the expansion, borne of the desire to be able to compete. A lot of it depends on whether the extra 10 levels are made available to everyone. I highly doubt that.

It also means that at least a portion of the expansion will be a patch to the regular game. Their distribution model is something I’m interested to see. Will they go brick and mortar, or strictly online? There has been supposition about there being a free month of service when you buy the patch, will this be the case?

Regrettably, there are too many questions that remain.