Game FAQs

[Balandar]

How do guilds work?

Players can band together to form guilds, which are large social groups, in order to help each other progress in the game. Players get to choose an emblem and color combination unique to their guild, embroidered on special guild tabards that players can display proudly over their characters' armor.

What kind of weather effects will there be in the game?

Players will experience numerous changes in weather throughout the world. The game features dynamic skies and clouds giving players the ability to actually see clouds begin to form and coalesce into stormy weather. Snow, rain, and fog are just some of many additional weather effects players can expect to find in the game.

When in the timeline does World of Warcraft take place?

World of Warcraft takes place four years following the aftermath of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos™, when a great tension has settled over the ravaged world of Azeroth.

Will there be "zones" in World of Warcraft?

World of Warcraft will not feature "zones" in the traditional sense denoting loading screens between each area of gameplay. Our plan is to incorporate different regions of the world for players to explore, each with their own distinct look and theme. Questing through the majority of these regions will be seamless, however, certain regions may require a short load time

Will there be water-based, interactive environments?

Yes.

Can you explain a little about how the dungeons work in World of Warcraft?

Players will come across two types of dungeons while playing the game: micro dungeons and world dungeons. There are more than a hundred micro dungeons throughout the world of Azeroth, ranging in relative size from small to quite big. Micro-dungeon locations will include tombs, haunted mines, ice caves, and sunken ships to name a few. The transition into and out of these dungeons will be seamless, and you'll be able to run into other players anywhere along the way.

World dungeons, which are grander in scale than micro dungeons, are specifically designed for more epic encounters. World dungeons include places such as Medivh's Tower, the Westfall Deadmines, and the Scarlet Monastery. All these locations have common areas where players can meet up and fight together. But, deeper in the dungeons are areas set up specifically for more private group (or sometimes guild) adventures. These private dungeon areas, called "instance zones," allow you and a group of friends to have a more personal experience, exploring, adventuring, or completing quests in your own private dungeon. You also have the ability to invite others into your instance zone to join you. This relieves many of the camping, kill-stealing, and farming issues that MMORPGs sometimes face. The monsters in instance zones are typically more powerful, so groups of players will have to work together to defeat them, but with greater dangers come greater rewards!

How many characters are allowed per account?

Currently, the number is 8, but that number is subject to change.

Will there be "crowd control" spells like sleep, confuse, mesmerize, etc.?

Yes. In addition to crowd-control spells such as these, there will be a wide assortment of other spells and abilities that will vary the tactics players use to defeat monsters. Some examples are Call Lightning, Fear, and Dominate. Remember, though, that the monsters will have access to these too... =)

Will there be other things to do besides leveling?

There will be a huge variety of things to do to keep players from feeling like they just have to grind through one creature battle after another. Characters can craft items, fight in vast battles against other players, establish homes, and explore distant lands. Even when players do fight monsters, it will often be as part of a quest, or in search of special ingredients for their crafts.

Is there a way to finish World of Warcraft? How long can I play?

There will be thousands of hours of game play in the shipping game, and nearly infinite goals for players. Because we'll have a live team regularly adding new quests, creatures, and items, the game will never truly end.

How large is the party size for players?

Currently, the party size is five players, and the game is generally balanced for groups of five. Smaller groups can still be quite successful, and regardless of the group's size, everyone in the group will be able to make important contributions. Also, players will be able to "link" groups in order to form larger parties for raids or guild activities.

How and where can I bind?

Players can bind at bindpoints, which are scattered throughout the land. Anyone can bind at these locations, regardless of class or race.

How is death handled in the game?

A character will remain where he or she died for a reasonable amount of time (to allow for possible resurrection) or until the player chooses to "release" the character. After the player releases the character or the designated amount of time has passed, the character will reappear at a bind point with all of his or her equipment safely intact. Although there might be some penalty attached, our goal is to make sure that a character's death is not overly frustrating for the player.

How do you improve your skills?

Players will improve their characters' skills through a combination of usage and leveling. A character's level determines the maximum potential for any given skill, while actually using a particular skill determines the current proficiency in that skill.

How do mounts work in World of Warcraft?

World of Warcraft offers a variety of mounts for the different races of Azeroth (the world on which the game takes place). For example, Humans generally ride horses, and Orcs tend to favor their trusted wolf mounts. Mounts are a great way to travel the world for mid-to-high-level characters. With extensive training, riding specialists will be able to use mounts not generally available to their particular race, but this ability will be rare.

Do Tauren have mounts?

No, they instead have a special racial ability called Plains Running, which allows them to run very quickly for a certain amount of time.

[Vradish]

FAQ:combat:How does combat work? What makes it different from combat in other MMORPGs?In general, combat in World of Warcraft is faster paced than it is in other MMORPGs, without being a "clickfest." When a character attacks a creature, he or she enters into combat mode. In combat mode, the character automatically and repeatedly attacks the target creature, but the player is responsible for timing the use of spells and special abilities to be maximally effective. Warriors and other melee classes will have a host of combat abilities that they can employ while fighting, whereas magic users will be able to cast a plethora of spells.

Will the game feature hack and slash combat like Diablo?

While combat is fast paced, there will also be tactical decision making and strategy elements required to win each fight.

Will the game be a "potionfest" RPG?No. Health and mana regenerate naturally over time, and players will not be required to drink potions to restore either. That being said, having potions is a useful way to further minimize downtime (at some cost). However, most consumable items have cooldowns to prevent them from being consumed in rapid succession.

What type of PvP will you offer?

We know that the player vs. player (PvP) option is very important to many gamers. Therefore, we plan to incorporate a form of player conflict into the World of Warcraft. However, players who do not wish to be participate in PvP combat will not be required to do so. The PvP system will be incorporated in a consensual way that will be fun for those who wish to take part in this form of combat. Announcements regarding PvP options in the World of Warcraft will be announced in the months ahead.

How is death handled in the game?

A character will remain where he or she died for a reasonable amount of time (to allow for possible resurrection) or until the player chooses to "release" the character. After the player releases the character or the designated amount of time has passed, the character will reappear at a bind point with all of his or her equipment safely intact. Although there might be some penalty attached, our goal is to make sure that a character's death is not overly frustrating for the player.

FAQ:Beta:Will you guys be beta testing World of Warcraft, and how do I sign up?

Our beta tests have included public participation for several years now, and World of Warcraft will be no exception. In fact, it will probably be our largest and most extensive beta test ever.

When will the beta start?

The beta is expected to begin in Q4 (October, November, December), and it will be done in stages. That is all the information we have at this time; please watch the World of Warcraft site for any news regarding the beta.

Can you tell us more about the beta? Will there be different phases? Will there be an open beta? Will it require an NDA?

World of Warcraft is currently in the alpha-testing stage (internal testing open to the entire company). The beta test, which is scheduled to start sometime in Q4 2003, will initially be open to players in the U.S., Canada, and Korea. Participation will require an NDA. Similarly to how we've conducted beta tests in the past, we will gradually open up the beta to more and more testers in order to gauge server stability and connectivity. While we don't know what the total number of beta testers will be yet, this will by far be our largest beta test ever.

What will the NDA involve?

The NDA (nondisclosure agreement) is a standard contractual agreement used in the game industry to help prevent sensitive game information from being released to the public by those who have access to that information. Because beta testers will be playing an unfinished, classified version of World of Warcraft before the rest of the world, it’s important that there be an agreement in place that serves this purpose. The NDA for the World of Warcraft beta test has not yet been finalized. When the time comes, every potential beta tester will be able to fully read the NDA prior to accepting it, and we will encourage everyone to make sure that they fully understand and agree to the NDA first. An age limit for the World of Warcraft beta test has not yet been determined.

I'm in Europe. Will I be able to participate in the World of Warcraft Beta?

We have not yet finalized our beta plans, but we do know that at some point in the process we will need to test servers worldwide. This will certainly involve Europe, but to what extent and when has not been determined.