Rob Pardo talks content with Businessweek
by Amanda Rivera 
May 3rd 2007 at 5:00PM
Recently Blizzard's Rob Pardo sat down with Businessweek. He mostly talked about the future of the game, the success of The Burning Crusade, and the creative process. Since reading his interview, I have spent a lot of time mulling over what he said. The first thing that stuck out in my mind was his likening the MMO to a television series. "We're developing episodes just like Lost or Seinfeld," he commented, "We're always trying to come up with something that's true to the theory; that's true to the content that people love; but that is new."
I never had the chance to look at the development cycle like this. In some ways it explains the company's drive to constantly bring us new content rather than connecting old dots (Uldum anyone?). The designers are looking forward, and as they mentioned at Blizzcon in 2005, more portals will be opening, new worlds for us to explore. And we as gamers are ravenous for this new content. Our expectations are high, and the company is there to try and satiate our ever growing appetite. What this also means is that there is a story arch with which they are working. I know Lost is working on a seven-year story arch. Does this mean that we can expect a grander plotline connecting the expansions together? I for one am eager to find out.
I haven't really thought about the game in these terms. My previous experience with MMOs (*cough* Anarchy Online *cough*) has taught me that games are fairly linear. Yes, there might be a new world connected to the old one, but the story pretty much stays the same. Since playing World of Warcraft I have had to reinvent my view of the MMO, and now I, too am one of those ravenous players dying for new stories and new characters to love or hate. This interview has made me wonder where we are going with the next expansions. So I'd love to hear what you think. Beyond the proposed Northrend and Emerald Dream expansions, where would you like to go as the World of Warcraft universe expands into new worlds?
Filed under: Blizzard, Expansions, Interviews
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Pritchard May 3rd 2007 5:31PM
Well whatever it is, I hope it's loaded with factions to grind rep for. Mmmmm-mmmm. Love them factions!
amasen May 3rd 2007 5:53PM
Truthfully as long as it follows any of the Warcraft lore I'd be happy as long as I'd like to actually be able to do the content. My life doesn't allow me to revolve around the game, and because of that I cannot be a raider any more. I play at very odd times 7-14 hours throughout the week with real life friends and long term in-game friends -- so only enough for me to do 5-10man instances.
But if Blizzard could actually make their game so that even regular players could very slowly over time experience their lore...
Then I'd say make an entire expansion about the caverns of time, in which all the famous moments in azeroths time are experienced.
Or Sends us throughout the world to help restore the remaining aspects to power... Have 4 different end game instances in storyline's in which you are trying to help restore the 4 dragon flights...
Northrend of course to remove arthas from power.
Matt May 3rd 2007 6:04PM
@2
I could not agree more. I barely have time to do 5 mans most weeks. I still have not set foot in Molten Core and I've been playing for almost 2 years. I can grind to 70, PVP and do the occasional 5 man and I CAN'T be alone. Does anyone know the percentage of Raiders out there? I have no idea but it cannot be the majority of players. So why all the Raiding content?
I would LOVE to down Rag, fight Nef, see Illidan but I never will. I wish for future expansions they would find a way to make this accessible to the rest of us somehow. Let me "group" with NPC heroes so I don't have to spend an hour trying to find a group only to have it disband because someone has to eat dinner.
Also, dynamic enviornments would be outstanding. World events or PVP events to take over a major city. Can you imagine the Horde gathering outside of SW with the chance to raze it to the ground??? Then it would "respawn" in about a month leaving the Alliance without one of their cities...
Christopher Merchant May 3rd 2007 6:21PM
I think it's important to continue that 'television series' metaphor...
Almost all successful TV shows run old(er) episodes on syndication; so new viewers can catch up at their leisure, so old-timers can look back on the series, etc. If you're going to treat it like a TV series, take it all the way. There are new players that will never see Ragnaros, and there are old-timers that want to go back and whip his ass with a challenge in-tow. Syndicate 'em. ;)
Chris
amasen May 3rd 2007 6:32PM
@ 4
I like what you are saying there. I fought rag/nef/c'thun and I would love to go back with a small team (10man) of l33t players and take them all down. If only Vael didn't BA mana users every 15seconds (and tanks every 45), the prophet split into 3, huhu chain poison the first 15, and C'thun spank you with 10+ tentacles then it could be done.
All these encounters were fun and I would love to show them to my friends who never got to see them.
Robert May 3rd 2007 6:39PM
Not to derail this thread too much but why do so many people who post comments talk about how forming groups are 'impossible'? Seems to be an amazing number of people here who only ever group in PUGs and spend most of their time farming solo. Then complain about how content in a multiplayer group-oriented game is inaccessible.
Why not just make some friends? Is it an anti-social thing or are you on a ghost-town server? Or is there some other reason?
I see it come up again and again and I'm kind of at a loss!
Kuroshiro May 3rd 2007 7:25PM
I wanna know what the hell happened at the Shady Rest Inn, dammit! I've followed the questline from BOTH sides and it just dies on both sides. :(
Gazoo May 3rd 2007 7:24PM
Anyone who does not have time to devote to the game should not complain about not progressing.
Example:
You and I go to the local amusement park. We each pay $15.00 to get in.
You get on 4 rides, buy a bucket of popcorn, win a small prize and go home after 1 hour.
I get on 32 rides, buy popcorn, a soft drink, a couple of beers, play the gambling games, win 4 giant adorable and huggable pandas and 3 trashy plastic trophies, and go home after 8 hours.
In addition, I meet a cute blonde and her three friends and I get a date out of the deal.
Then we meet up later and you do nothing but cry and whine about how I had more fun than you, and got to take home all those goodies AND got a date.
Well, if you had put as much effort into having fun as I did, you would have more stuff to show for your time at the park. But you didnt. You went home. Not my fault you couldnt or wouldnt stay.
So it is with raiders vs casuals. Cant stay at the park? Well, too bad. Some of us can.
Rich May 3rd 2007 8:02PM
Gee more Raider vs Casual drama.
BenMS May 3rd 2007 8:03PM
What I would love to see is some massive catastrophe the players have to recover from. The Necropolises that came in with the Scourge Invasion patch were pretty cool, but imagine the Burning Legion open a portal outside Ironforge and Orgrimmar and take over those cities with various hellspawn. And then, you have a new zone to fight in, and possibly even a new raid boss or two. Not sure if you would make them instances or not, but it would certainly shake the players up...
Argent May 3rd 2007 8:03PM
@7:
are you a speech writer for george w. bush?
your diatribe made about as much sense as he usually does.
it sure would explain a lot.
twh May 3rd 2007 8:04PM
And people wonder why raiders are usually loathed.
Andrew May 3rd 2007 8:06PM
@7 -
Except the entire part of the point you missed is this:
Casuals can't LIVE at the amusment park. They don't work there, they don't live there, they dont' sleep there.
Maybe once or twice a month they can go play all day at the park, but normal life intervennes most of the time.
Video games in general are built upon the idea of progression. To WIN. Well, to WIN in WoW, you have to dedicate a tremendious amount of time to it, much more than most people have.
I think that is where people get a little pissy. The "raid more noob" arguement is easily countered with "sorry, I have a life outside wow too".
kyle May 3rd 2007 9:40PM
ok let me give this a shot. there are still a few baddies we need to kill: Ashzara in the Malestrom, Arathas in Northrend, Deathwing in somewhere (grim batol), and Kil Jaden in maybe the emerald dream.
so lets see, emerald dream is in the original WoW you bought just like outland was so we know that is most likely the next expansion. i would think that kil jaden is most likely the bad guy in that one so you'll get that expansion in 2008, maybe with 2 new races. maybe not, maybe a new class or hero classes. Also level cap is raised to 80 and grim batol opens up.
next could be the great sea expansion with the south seas, malestrom, a bunch of islands, maybe gilneas opens up and specialized aquatic battlegrounds with a naval combat if pirates of the burning sea proves that can be a selling point. maybe 2 new races, maybe not and siege weapons in battlegrounds. also uldum opens up. also level cap raised to 90. 2009?
then in 2010 you may find Northrend finally opening up with a level cap raised to 100. 2 new races and a new class definately. maybe undermine opens up.
also there is the possability of other planets opening up or maybe the twinting nether opens up and an unnamed leader of the burning legion is revealed.
i dunno, just a guess.
Gazoo May 3rd 2007 8:14PM
@11 - Casuals cant live at the Park.
Well, too bad for them then. If you dont have the time, then dont expect the rewards. If you cannot put the effort in, then stay home and do something else.
Casuals gripe about new raid content being put in they can't experience. Well tough. That is the casuals choice. The reason they cannot raid is irrelevent. I make the time, I give up other things to be in a raid, and I do so because I enjoy raiding.
I raid because I want to experience the endgame content, I enjoy working with groups of people toward a common goal, and every now and then I get a decent piece of gear for my effort.
If you dont want to put forth the effort, cant or wont make the time to raid, cant or wont make a commitment to achieving something bigger than yourself, then dont.
But stop trying to restrict those of us who do make those decisions from experiencing the raid content we want to experience.
Cant stay at the park? Ok, fair enough. Then go home after 1 hour and be happy with what you could get in the time you were there. Stop whining about how much fun other people have when they stay longer, do more, and get more loot to take home.
Urthona May 3rd 2007 9:42PM
Gah! Park? Date? Popcorn?
I think the number one concern with a lot of people who don't raid is the monotony of the climb. Once you've exhausted the questlines on Alliance, you switch to Horde, but after that, working on another character becomes tedious as all get out.
What if Blizzard implemented a few new quest hubs throughout the world to open up more unexplored areas of the game, without necessarily demanding new landmasses be created by the developers?
Like what if the Horde sent an expeditionary force to Addle's Stead, complete with flight path, vendors, and few pertinent questlines that opened up Westfall, Deadmines, Duskwood and Redridge to Horde players sick of the Barrens?
Likewise with a flight path set in Dun Algaz, giving the Dragonmaw orcs an emissary and allowing quests for Horde throughout the Wetlands and Loch Modan.
For the Alliance, we'd need a boat going from Theramore's north dock to Southshore, as the end result of that trek would be an Alliance flight path and vendor station between Beren's Peril and Ambermill. Shadowfang Keep is a cool instance that doesn't get the traffic it deserves.
Alliance players could also get a flight path and quests at Bael'dun Keep. The dwarves there could allow for quests in Wailing Caverns, both Razorfens, and Thousand Needles, not to mention hunting quests in the Barrens.
Numerous other places could be expanded upon: adding increased rep quests for the centaur clans in Desolace, more quests in Stonetalon, Azshara, and Moonglade, quartermasters for the Westfall Militia, Crossroads Guard, and Goblin cities.
As much as I'd love to see new landscapes, I'd attempt to reuse old things in new ways. Thoughts?
Nebz May 3rd 2007 9:43PM
I am so happy that Blizzard is putting in Daily quests for something that is cool. Now casuals can be just as cool as the hardcore, and the hardcore can QQ some more.
Artaz May 3rd 2007 9:05PM
While Illidan appears to work for the Legion, and despite Sunstriders betrayal, he also works against them, in an effort to remove them once and for all. This is more than just killing their leader/s but involves destroying every possible means to get from the Twisting Nether to our universe. Since these seem at the moment to be located on Draenor, it would be most likely that any plan to do such would most likely destroy whats left of Outland.
At the same time Illidan is also allied with Deathwing whose experiments with cross breeding and mutating different dragon types (Part of which his son, Nefarion worked on) has lead at least to the creation of the Infinite Dragonflight. To Illidan this would be a plan b. If he cannot save the universe, then at least he can help Deathwing preventing certain things from happening, the result being to his advantage. While you would suspect neither understand the consequences of their actions in relation to the timeline, Deathwing knows fully well what each step entails. What Deathwings purpose is here though, one can only speculate.
When players finally interupt Illidans plans and save Outlands (at the same time stopping the final destruction of the Burning Legion) then the battle will move to a different front.
While heros will need to defend the timeline, Deathwing himself must be found and the corruption to the Emerald Dream will help point the way.
However, he will be forgotten as Arthas plays his hand and pushes south from Northrend. This will begin the next war.
Arthas's forces will quickly overwhelm the northern sections of the Eastern Kingdoms as Arthas makes his way to Lorderan to not only repay an old debt, but to secure his former capital.
Sylvannas will call for aid, but realising she is no match for Arthas will push forward her plans and begin the release of a new plague, the one designed to destroy all life on Azeroth.
The Alliance will get wind of her plans and push toward to prevent them as well as to confront Arthas's forces. The order of the Silver Hand, reformed under the leadership of Tirion Fordring will form a force that will delay Arthas considerably in Northrend, but will it be enough.
However, the horde will not get involved. While these events unfold on Azeroth, the Burning Legion will quickly move to take full control of Outlands. The Maghar and Mok'nathal will call upon Thrall and Rexxar to aid them lest they be overwhelmed. Kil'Jaedan (sp?)will resume control of the Black Temple and step up the summoning of Demons to form his army.
With the forces normally in Outlands depleted due to events on Azeroth, A'dal will push all together and move to stop Kil'Jaedan. Horde and Alliance forces will descend once again upon the Black Temple, aided by the Naruu. With the aid of players, the Black Temple will crumble away to reveal a crystaline structure underneath, the true temple, the original one, where the Naruu once sat to be revered as Gods. A'dal will release his energy, the blast will destroy Kil'Jaedan and the light, focused through the structure of the revealed temple will send a wave through Draenor that will pull much of it back together, healing the land. A'dal's essence will sink beneath the temple to slumber in a tomb below.
Meanwhile on Azeroth, the Kingdom of Gilenas (spelling?) (The one south of the Grey Wall) - will call for aid from any who would help for their kingdom is being invaded by Naga. The Naga have constructed a few tunnels from their home in the Maelstrom to move into Azeroth as a force, and with them are the Old Gods, unleashed from their prison by the remaining high magic of the Naga.
The Blood Elves however, learn little about any of this. Representatives of the Scryer faction have returned to Silvermoon and informed their people of the betrayal and death of Kael'thelas. This throws the blood elves into civil war, for not only do many not believe the accounts given, many nobles now move to fill the void in the Blood Elf Hierachy.
The Trolls of Zul'Aman - well aware of the squabbling inside Silvermoon take the opportunity to exact revenge on its now disorganised former foe.
While Darnasus is aware of the happenings on Azeroth, its focus lies on the strange events that have happened in its city. Malfurion, rescued from the Emerald dream is weak, and rests in seclusion in Moonglade. Fandrel is none to pleased about his return though and Tyrande is anxious for Malfurion is distant, barely acknowleding her when she vists. Fandrels ire is raised moreso when Malfurion orders him to send word through the Cenarion to all alliance and horde people of the threat Deathwing represents, and asking for their aid. They must enter Grim Batol for there is one there that can unite the Dragonflights against Deathwing.
Fandrel refuses to take orders from Malfurion suggesting he is not fit for leadership. Malfurion agrees and hands leadership to Fandrel before leaving, without Tyrande. Fandrel, as obvious as always, complies with Malfurions orders, though accredits the discovery of the information to himself.
Unbeknowst to all though, Deathwing has descended on Uldum. While his progeny may be dead, he had succeeded where they failed and created a chromatic dragon. A being powerful enough to defeat the guardian of Uldum. Inside, Deathwing begins using the anceint artifacts of the Titans to refine his creation, his new brood, the flight that will rule all of Azeroth. But it is more complex than he thought, the magic of the Titans are almost beyond his reach. But Uldum was more than a workshop, it was also the central hub for the Titans efforts across the cosmos. Ancient constructs mark the races of the universe in an ever changing map. He can see the places the Legion had invaded, can see that Draenor was the key, for portals to all places could be opened from that world. Yet it had its limits. Each portal on Outlands would only ever open up to one specific place, hence the dark portal, between Azeroth and Draenor would always only ever open up to be exactly that, a portal between Azeroth and Draenor. Uldum however held one more portal, one whose destination could change with the use of the map that surrounded it. But its activation required more power than Deathwing was capable of. He would need to ascend, and to do that, he would need his brethren. Fortunately he had thought this might be the case, and had set events in motion. All he had to do was wait, and once again, they would come to him.
In Outlands, the Naruu have secured the Black Temple as their new base, and send out their allies to confront and take control of the remaining portals on Draenor. At the same time, others move to explore the new land brought in by the magic of A'dal, some joined back to Draenor and some floating close enough to be reachable. Remenants of other gates are found along with some old artificats. The Naruu order the securing of these old gates and their repair.
Meanwhile, Illidan, who fled to a secret chamber deep under the Black Temple and been preparing for his next step is surprised by the emergence of a powerful essence at the end of one of the large chambers. Its a crystal of pure darkness, a void that distorts everything around it, as if drawing and bending the light into itself. He recognises something in it. Something that calls to a part of him that he has never fully accepted. Something....demonic.
In the future of Warcraft, you will help free Malfurion from the Emerald Dream, confront the forces of Arthas in Northrend, Aid the Kingdom of Gilenas (sp?)against the Naga and descend into the Maelstrom to face the Gods of old. You will explore more of the Outlands and fight against the armies of the Burning Legions eventually using their own gates to venture to their universe, the Twisting Nether where you will attempt to end their threat forever. You will enter the Grim Batol to answer many new questions and to unite the Dragonflights. You will venture amongst the ruins of the Titans City to stand against the armoured form of Deathwing and then, journey to various worlds in the universe, some of which still fight against the armies of the legion.
However - I could just be making this all up ;)
Dave N May 5th 2007 2:14AM
@7:
I have a hard time picturing you getting a date at a raid. Of the extra popcorn, I have no doubt. The question is: are you Kyle or Cartman?
Hypothesis May 3rd 2007 10:43PM
Gilneas for sure, I want to know what's behind that gigantic gate!