Caverns of Time: 2008 and Beyond

The Burning Legion’s Defeat and Lich King’s Return

by: David "Xerin" Piner

Northrend

Soon in WotLK we’ll be steeping into the harsh world of

The Overwhelming Power of the Lich King

Indeed, we soon may be able to go toe to toe with the legendary Arthas who is now merged with Ner’zhul. Continuing Blizzard’s tradition of showing you the point of view from the “evil guys”, we last got to see the world through Arthas’s eyes in Warcraft III. We may soon see what the world looks like through the Lich King’s eyes in WotLK. During Blizzcon ’07 it was discussed that we may be able to take on the helm of the Lich King and see the world once more from that perspective. Having a player take on the role of the Lich King may sound farfetched but it’s another in a series of cool ideas that may make their way into WotLK.

Persistent World PvP

 We were given a taste of actual siege combat with the launch of Alterac Valley (AV) (thanks Mike). AV hosted two opposing sides engaging in battle for resources and territory during an all out war. In WotLK we will be served the full meal with (possibly) entire zones dedicated to persistent siege warfare. Siege weaponry has been discussed along with various defensive structures that can be captured much like Dark Age of Camelot’s  (DAoC) (and the upcoming Warhammer Online’s) Realm vs. Realm (RvR) model.  If this emulates the magic of the DAoC’s RvR then be prepared for something truly special.

The Return of Naxxramas & Dalaran

Two locations that have previously been unexplored by either all or most of the population are making a return in WotLK. The city of Dalaran has been closed since the launch of the game due to its destruction in Warcraft III. It’s one of the major countries of the Alliance (much like Stormwind) and will be an exciting city for many fans of the Warcraft universe to visit.

Speaking of Dalaran, we have no final word if it’s truly going to be neutral. The lore in Warcraft would never allow a single member of the Horde to enter the city; much less use its facilities freely. Blizzard may surprise us with two major cities in Northrend. Dalaran can fly, right? Well why can’t the Horde take over a flying necropolis? Bam! Sure, it might not be as sparkly as a flying city of magic, but it’ll fit the lore and be really cool. If they do then I really hope they make a movie of Thrall riding into combat on a windrider.

Naxxramas will also be making a return. It was released months before the first expansion’s launch and was too difficult for the majority of the population to even see, much less enjoy. Due to the amount of complaints we’ll be seeing it make a return. It’s truly going to be a glorious thing in my opinion and I can’t wait to set foot back into Naxxramas and have a try at it again.

Closing Thoughts

Personally I can’t wait for 2008 and beyond. We’ve got a lot of cool stuff coming up and WotLK is going to be one massive expansion. Blizzard’s polish along with all of these amazingly well thought out features can only mean a game that’s going to move forward and continue to amaze us with its genre shattering mechanics.

However, while I dislike ending on an uneasy note, WoW has been running strong for years now and MMOGs are much like summer camps. They have a lifespan and once that lifespan is over people will choose to go elsewhere. This upcoming year is going to see the launch of two behemoths. Age of Conan and Warhammer Online are going to be entering the virtual arena and they are not coming unarmed. They’ve learned the secrets to making a MMOG truly massive and they’re ready to brawl. Will WoW remain the undisputed champion or will one of these heavyweights finally strike a blow strong enough to knock WoW down a notch? Only time can tell, but it’s going to be an interesting battle to observe. My money will remain on Blizzard holding things strong for years to come, but in this industry you never know.

Outside of that, I can only see a year full of exhilarating changes and fascinating improvements. Even with everything I’ve said I haven’t touched on the upcoming movie, the trading card game, and many other events that’ll be happening over at Blizzard. However, as time moves on we’ll be seeing them as they unfold and experiencing the joy as we march forward into this new year.

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1. Page One - Introduction and The Sunwell Plateau
2. Page Two - The Wrath of the Lich King
3. Page Three - Northrend and Closing

Questions or Comments? Feel free to email me at [email protected]

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