Orange County Register

UPDATE, 7/13: Just uploaded two Blizzard/E3 videos on Star Craft and WoW HERE

Reporting from E3 video-game conference in Santa Monica…

I had to stop by Blizzard Entertainment’s suite in the Loews Hotel and got to chat with Rob Pardo, Blizzard’s vice president of game design. For World of Warcraft fans, the news is probably expected.

Hopefully in the next round of software updates, voice chat will be integrated into the game. Rob said they wanted the system just right so players won’t have to rely on third-party software. The Blizzard touch allows players to dampen the sound of the game so you can actually hear other players talking to you. Also, the game’s interface will show who’s talking instead of players trying to recognize one another’s voice.

Also coming soon, Guild banks. Apparently, players have begged for this. Imagine if you’re the treasurer of your guild and you have to handle all the gold, frankincense and myrrh. “Right now, it’s a logistical pain. It’s up to the person to track everything,” Rob said. The bank will operate like a digital, automated bank so no one is in charge of every little transaction.

One of the biggest new highlights is the new dungeon of Zul’aman, a 10-man dungeon that took about six months to develop. It’s about half the size of Karazhan, the only other 10-man dungeon in the game. And really, said Rob, this is to encourage group activities. Players must band together in a guild and attempt to fight the “bosses” (big monster creatures) in order to rule the world, or at least the dungeon. Blizzard added a few other nuances — you can beat the bosses and the faster you do, the more loot you’ll get in the end.

Rob showed me what all the bosses look like in the game but they wouldn’t let me take any photos because everything could change in a few weeks. That’s how Blizzard operates - it’s not ready until it’s ready.

If you’re searching for Star Craft 2 coverage, you’ve got to wait for next month’s BlizzCon, when the company will have lots of new SC2 details out, promises Rob.

UPDATE: Just uploaded two Blizzard/E3 videos on Star Craft and WoW HERE

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