Jeff Kaplan reveals how to get to Northrend
by Mike Schramm 
Jan 4th 2008 at 2:30PM
MMO Champion's got the rest of the details on that PC Zone interview we heard about yesterday-- Jeff Kaplan sat down with the French magazine and gave out some new hints about what we'll see up in Northrend in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.- As we heard at BlizzCon, Northrend isn't all a snow-covered wasteland-- there are forests (including one full of Furbolgs) and other terrain types to find up there.
- We've also heard this before, but it's worth repeating again: Arthas will play a much bigger part in the day-to-day Northrend than Illidan did-- lots of people, both raiders and casuals, will have a chance to "interact" with him.
- Here's something new-- there will be two entry points, and previously we'd assumed that one would be for Horde and another would be for Alliance. But that's not the case-- instead, each of the zones (the Borean Tundra and the Howling Fjord) will have an entry point for each faction. So there will actually be four ways into the expansion.
- Alliance get to choose a battle in the Howling Fjord or a massive stronghold (complete with a brand new faction leader) and a giant steamship
- And Horde either go into the Forsaken's new lands (with new architecture-- we saw it at BlizzCon), or into Garrosh Hellscream's (son of Grom) Warsong Fortress.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, Lore, BlizzCon, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
vlad Jan 4th 2008 2:54PM
mike?? 2 entry points per faction was reported by wowinsider at blizzcon dood!!!
Mike Schramm Jan 4th 2008 3:29PM
It's news to me-- I had always heard that there would be two points of entry total (one Horde, one Alliance), not two points of entry for each faction. Either way, it's great news.
Direphoenix Jan 4th 2008 5:16PM
Funny. I went to Blizzcon, listened to their little speech, played the little preview they gave and both gave the impression that there were only two entrances to Northrend: one for Horde, and one for Alliance. Now given, that would still be preferable to both Horde and Alliance funneling through the same portal into the same zone...
vlad Jan 4th 2008 11:04PM
yup yup yup. if you watch the blizzcon northrend panel (http://youtube.com/watch?v=S2hH-S3dPKA) at roughly minute 7:40 its stated that "so when you chose to enter northrend for the first time you can chose either side".
i just outnerded you all!!!!! jk good memory is all ;)
Jp Jan 4th 2008 11:10PM
Good memory, indeed. Then there's fact that everytime any WoW Insider correspondant has posted on the "Borean = Horde, Fjord = Alliance", at least one person has reported that that is not the case. Though, we've clearly seen that most WoW Insider posters don't even read their coworkers posts, so, we shouldn't be too surprised that they don't read the replies to their coworkers posts...
Xchupa Jan 4th 2008 3:06PM
Nice... to bad it'll probably be at least a year before we see it. Blizzard's stuff is always worth the wait, but waiting still sucks...
Zakk Jan 4th 2008 3:11PM
"As we heard at BlizzCon, Northrend isn't all a snow-covered wasteland"
Was very excited about Northrend when it was first announced because I thought it would be completely snowy/icy =(
"We've also heard this before, but it's worth repeating again: Arthas will play a much bigger part in the day-to-day Northrend than Illidan did-- lots of people, both raiders and casuals, will have a chance to "interact" with him."
Very cool. I couldn't care less about Illidan, but Arthas really excites me. Lucky me, eh?
"Here's something new-- there will be two entry points, and previously we'd assumed that one would be for Horde and another would be for Alliance. But that's not the case-- instead, each of the zones (the Borean Tundra and the Howling Fjord) will have an entry point for each faction. So there will actually be four ways into the expansion."
Hoorah! Very excited for confirmation that there's no chance that I'll be forced into the Howling Fjord. Like I mentioned before, I love snowy/icy areas, so I'm really looking forward to the Borean Tundra, and knowing for sure that I can choose to go there first is really satisfying.
Hank Jan 4th 2008 3:14PM
OK, but how will we get there? The dark portal is in Blasted Lands...what's the entry point from the existing end?
Baluki Jan 4th 2008 4:31PM
For Horde, I'm sure it'll probably be from the two zeppelin towers near Orgrimmar and Undercity. They'll just have to modify them to accomodate more zepps.
Or maybe they'll let us get to that zepp tower way up above Org itself (above the flight master) where Thrall's zeppelin is parked right now. That would be really cool, though they would need to add a railing.
I'm guessing that the Alliance will use the ships in Menethil Harbor and possibly Theramore.
ruerelic Jan 4th 2008 3:23PM
The other entry points aren't exactly new, they have been referenced before, just in very little detail. The primary focus has been on showing off Valgarde and Warsong, but there are screenshots of both Justice Keep and a Forsaken town which is presumably the Horde base in Howling Fjord. I imagine that the other two entry towns haven't been mentioned nearly as often in press releases because they are further from completion.
kr3wman Jan 4th 2008 3:22PM
The 2 entry points is nothing new. It has already been reported...Even here If I'm not mistaken.
Brian Jan 4th 2008 3:56PM
There wasn't much new in the latest issue. Here in the UK the magazine came with a free PC headset (for vent/VoiP) so I bought it for them too. Apparently it's next month that has a big WotLK exclusive. That issue is due out Jan the 31st in the UK.
Capitalgain Jan 4th 2008 4:45PM
Please, Please. Open up the IF airport and take a plane to Northend.
Iliya Jan 4th 2008 6:10PM
And if we had something akin to Howard Hughes' infamous Spruce Goose, it would be the grandest thing of all! :D
Charlie Taylor Jan 4th 2008 5:05PM
that would make me want to buy the game by itself!
Zakk Jan 4th 2008 9:26PM
Greatest.idea.EVAR!
Dave Jan 4th 2008 5:45PM
My concern is the lag generated by having a number of below minimum level alts in Shattrath will be repeated in Northrend. It's bad enough when people are leveling multiple 70's that they use Shat as a hearthpoint. We don't need this happening again.
RogueJedi86 Jan 4th 2008 7:23PM
"Alliance get to choose a battle in the Howling Fjord or a massive stronghold (complete with a brand new faction leader) and a giant steamship"
This annoys me. I hope it isn't a typical stronghold in Borean Tundra. Early WotLK pictures showed a Gnome airstrip, which I had assumed to be in Borean Tundra, and hoped would be a starting quest hub for Alliance there. It'd certainly be a lot more unique, and fun, than some boring stronghold that the Alliance has all over Outland, and in the Howling Fjord.
Basit Jan 4th 2008 11:07PM
'Jeff Kaplan reveals how to get to Northrend.' Too bad your article doesn't tell us this information. Saying there are 2 entry points for both factions is not revealing how to get to Northrend. Saying that "Alliance get to choose a battle in the Howling Fjord or a massive stronghold (complete with a brand new faction leader) and a giant steamship" is not revealing how to get to Northrend.
/facepalm
Lem Jan 5th 2008 10:10PM
Hmm, dont mean to be funny, but when Blizzard said there was 2 entry points to Northrend I already assumed that they meant 2 for horde and 2 for alliance.