World of Warcraft – Gameplay and Systems Deep Dive

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World of Warcraft – Gameplay and Systems Deep Dive
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Azerite

• Gnomes and Goblins will give you maps who lead you to islands with Azerite
• Will take ships from faction hubs to find Azerite
• Denizens of the islands will fight hard to protect Azerite

Island Expeditions

• 3-player Scenarios
• 4 different difficulties: Normal, Heroic, Mythic and PVP
• Role agnostic
• 15-20 minutes to complete
• Low que times
• Goal: Obtain Azerite for faction and for yourself

Gaining Azerite

• Nodes and chests
• Creatures and Questgivers
• Powerful bosses and more

Dynamic Replayability

• Intractable environment
• Shrines that give buffs but also debuffs
• Puzzles and optimal ways to play through scenarios
• Same island will look different and have different challenges every time you que up
• Locations of enemies, shrines and intractable items is random as is time of day and look of island

Randomly Generated

• Creatures
• Capture points
• Chests and Azerite Nodes
• Questgivers
• Consumables and Shrines
• Start Locations
• Caves, Ships...and more!

Faction Champions

• Classes of AI will be based on race

AI Creatures

• Tactical ability usage: will polymorph and steel azerite nodes among other things
• Will go after map objectives while you are
• AI makes strategic decisions
• AI have personalities
• Example: "Sneaky Pete" Rogue could came and sap your healer while you are fighting a boss
• Unpredictable

Different Island Locations

• Randomized islands mean random locations
• Abandoned Gilnean islands, Un'gol Ruins, Havenswood are examples
• Take you to a wide variety of different visual locations

Heart of Azeroth

• Victor of war will inherit dying world
• Heart of Azeroth artifact is a neck piece
• When the Heart comes in contact with Azerite it levels up and gains new abilities itself
• Heart of Azeroth also unlocks new abilities based on armor slot
• Gaining azerite causes Heart to unlock rings that have different abilities
• Every time you loot a new item, your Heart stays the same. You keep moving forward
• The strength of the individual azerite power is determined by item level
• Example: Character Shaman has a Heart of Azeroth power of 20, which unlocks 2 rings on the neck. The 3rd requires level 21. Each ring gives you a few choices of abilities to empower, such as increased ghost wolf speed or more damage reduction on astral shift. When you unlock a new ring you get to choose between several different abilities to empower.
• Choices will always be individual and new choices are made throughout the entire expansion.

Warfronts

• 20 player
• Alliance vs Horde
• All out war
• Warcraft RTS fantasy

State of Eastern Kingdoms

• Undercity lies in ruins
• Eastern Kingdoms: Alliance
• Arathi Highlands is key

For the Alliance!

• Undercity isn't defensible
• Threat of Horde remains
• Cut off the north, especially Silvermoon City

For the Horde!

• Make a syand
• Prevent the alliance from building up
• Launching point for Gilneas

First Warront

• Stromgarde
• Stromgarde is being updated
• Establish base
• Gather resources: Lumber and iron
• Territory gain allows research and to start building bases
• Gather resources for yourself or work together to build buildings faster or focus on one you think is more important
• Just like RTS game, troops will be made and sent to front lines, though you should be there to help them
• Other faction will be trying to take your territory
• Fight different enemy commanders
• Research new war technology
• Battlefield events: random events happen such as a mercenary showing up that can be paid to give more troops.

Social Features

• Enhance existing social structures
• Make it easier to manage connections and keep communicating
• Integrate Battle.net voice into WoW

WoW Communities

• Character specific groups
• Cross-server
• Be in multiple communities
• Roster of members
• Simple role management
• Quick Join
• Voice Integration
• Auto-maintained calendar invites

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