OMG RPG

So, as we just covered in our Liveblog of the Blizzcon 2009 Opening Ceremonies, Blizzard just confirmed that their new expansion for World of Warcaft will be entitled World of Warcraft:Cataclysm.  Some new bits that weren't leaked came through, such as the Path of the Titans new levelling content, whatever that means, and guild leveling and achievements.  The trailer is already up on the WoW website, and we'll have it posted here in a few moments.  I will need a little bit of time to detail everything in the announcement -- the trick about liveblogging is that I spend more time typing and less time watching the screen. 

We are live from the Cataclysm panel, and we'll give you as much information as we get.

[12:34] Chris Metzen, Alex Afrasiabi and Tom Chilton sit down to discuss the details of the expansion.  Chilton is now Game Director of World of Warcraft.  Deathwing will be the ultimate boss of the next expansion, he was the Earth Warder, but was corrupted by the old gods whispering to him, and he ripped apart.

[12:37] The Cataclysm was caused by Deathwing erupting up from the center of the earth.  He is the great enemy that must be dealt with, and breaks the world.  Deathwing brings down the Elemental Plains, used to contain the elementals.

[12:40] Time for five sets of resist gear: The elementals are now back (Ragnaros and his gang) and they are PISSED because they have been jailed up for a long time by the Titans.

Worgen:  The people of Gilneas --  the great mage  Arugal summoned creatures to fight the Scourge for them, but instead caused the curse of the Worgen to infect his people.  The storyline will deal with this curse, the Scythe of Elune, where/when they are from. They play like Woverine, Metzen says.

[12:45] Goblins: They were Horde units in WC2.  Goblin society is divided by cartels, as we know.  The playable cartel are from Kezan as I guessed, and they shipwrecked in the Lost Isles.  Showing off Goblin Mage and Goblin Rogue concept art. The cartel is called the Bilgewater faction.

The mount for Goblins is called the Rat Rod, and it's super sexy.

[12:49] Azeroth is physically changed, but the Horde is now in upheaval as well.  The humanity has been left in Northrend.  Pictures of Orgrimmar changed, upgraded with some nasty metal Saronite towers.

[12:51] The Horde/Alliance war has started to rekindle since Wrath, and will only get uglier in Cataclysm.

[12:53] Level cap increased to 85, not 90.  They decided they will redo new older leveling 1-60 zones, so slower leveling at end game.

Two new playable races: Worgen and Goblins.  Worgen have the racial Darkflight, which is like sprint.Goblin racial is a Rocket Belt that let's them charge, and fly at enemies.

SEVEN NEW ZONES!!!

 Mt. Hyjal, Lost Isles, Gilneas, Twilight Highlands (GRIM BATOL), Sunken CIty of Vashj'ir, Deepholm, Uldum

The leveling 80 to 85 zone is called the Elemental Plane of Earth, accessed through the Deathwing Scar (I'll post that map when I can)

[12:59] Classic world revamp in EVERY zone with updated quests, art, and items.

Guild advancement system.  Players can level up the guilds that they are in, and receive perks.  Suddenly there is a reason to be in aguild and stick with them.  This reminds me a lot of City of Heroes.  You can level a guild 1 to 20, and everything you do contributes to the guild.  There will be a guild talent tree, with talents for mass ressurrection, lower repair builds.

[1:02]  New class/race combos, phasing terrain

New profession: Archaeology -- Players can use nodes, get artifacts, and use them in the Paths of the Titans

No new talents in the next five levels, but you can customize your character in the Paths of the Titans.  You can access you abilities

The Mastery System:  The enables a passive bonus for spending points in a specific talent tree.  Slick stuff.

[1:09] Planning some new zone flow for some familiar zones, essentially fixing old zones and improve quest flow.  Oh damn, the Alliance finally loses Southshore. The barrens is split in half into two zones.  finally the Barrens is no longer just orange, Desolace regrows. 

Darkshore -- Auberdine has been destroyed, and there's a new quest hub.  Garrosh is building up the Horde wherever he can.  And the Charred Vale is even more charred.

Azshara will be the new Goblin 10 to 20 zone.  The Goblins moved the mountain.

Undercity gets a revamp as well as Stormwind.

Mt Hyjal and the Sunken City of Vashj'ir will be the starting zones for high levels in Cataclysm.  Looks like this Sunken City will be much like the new Dalaran, perhaps. It's also the Gateway to the Abyssal Maw, which takes you to the Elemental Plane

There will be combat on the sea floor just like on land, but swimming will be just like normal.

[1:18] Underwater mounts will be like normal flying mounts but underwater. 

Deepholm:  There is a Temple of Earth, run by the Twilight's Hammer who hursed Deathwing back to health, and they serve him.  That group are now friggin' scary, and they've spread out throughout Azeroth.  Deepholm is located in the Elemental Plane of Earth, and a hub of all the five leveling zones.  No, so THIS is the new Dalaran.

[1:22] Uldum will not only be a new zone, but also will have two dungeions.  Described as Egypt in Azeroth.  There was a titan machine disguising Uldum from the rest of the world, but the Cataclysm destroyed it. 

 The Tol'vir, a stone cat race, live in Uldum, and we will encounter them there for the first time.

 [1:24] Mt. Hyjal, Malfurion Stormrage has returned to help defend this area, and Ragnaros will be there to fight.

There is a new dragonflight -- the Twilight Dragonflight

[1:29] Plenty of new raid content: The Firelands, Uldum, Blackrock Caverns, Grim Batol, Skywall, Heroic Deadmines and Shadowfang Keep (level 85 heroics) 

[1:32]  PvP content in Cataclysm: Tol Barad prison battlearea -- like Quel'denas combined with Wintergrasp.  There will be an instanced dungeon unlockable

Battle of Gilneas battleground ... there will be three new bgs.  Players will fight through the city, take control of the districts. 

Rated battlegrounds will be added for those that don't like arenas, but want to pvp and get the same gear.

Man, that's a LOT of information.  The panel is over, and I have too much information in my brain.  It will take me the rest of the weekend to digest this all, but after we'll have some nice discussion fodder for weeks to come.