News: Matt Higby Gamespot Interview

[RedKnights]

Matt that is the most balls-awesome start to an interview i've ever seen. Take care of yourself dude.

This interview was probably the largest treasure-trove of information we have received.

Is it just me but does he look like he is in the middle of development "crunch-time" when everything is just coming together and they're racing to the finish and they're actually able to in-house play-test the game extensively. The probability of seeing the beta before the end of the year looks better and better.

I'm never complaining about not having information or more screen-caps ever again, they look utterly beaten <.<

[Mastachief]

Originally Posted by basti

That would be indeed epic.

In all those years playing games, i figured that in every game you have the same issue: Bigger map = Harder to capture. With something like 25x25, a single continent would be much bigger than cyssor is these days, and with the territory system instead of the lattience, taking such a continent entierly is pretty much impossible, even if you have all 333 guys of your empire in outfits working well together.

Such big maps would even make more sense with sancs on them. it wouldnt matter anymore at some point. Hmmm.

I see what you are saying but surely to be "on a scale never seen before" they need to eclipse cyssor a few times over. Also as you say with this whole foothold base thing the maps are going to need to be epically huge.

[EASyEightyEight]

Originally Posted by Mastachief

I see what you are saying but surely to be "on a scale never seen before" they need to eclipse cyssor a few times over. Also as you say with this whole foothold base thing the maps are going to need to be epically huge.

Maybe not epicly huge. Maybe mashing Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms together huge, and if that isn't big enough, bring down Northrend .

Well... I'd be greatly amused to be storming across Azeroth in a Marauder anyway.

[Bags]

After that interview I think Matt Higby is now my favorite dev. Sorry Robin Walker.

Chuggin' red bull during an interview like a boss.

[EASyEightyEight]

And he still nearly spilled the beans. Darn. You know he had warning sirens going off in his head. That vacation might have been permanent if he didn't catch himself, though it does seem they have a good idea of when the beta will be, they're just not confident in telling us yet.

[RedKnights]

Originally Posted by EASyEightyEight

And he still nearly spilled the beans. Darn. You know he had warning sirens going off in his head. That vacation might have been permanent if he didn't catch himself, though it does seem they have a good idea of when the beta will be, they're just not confident in telling us yet.

As much as I want them to I don't want them to tell us when BETA will be I want them to just one day go ahead and be like "Hey guys, stop fighting on Ceryshen and download PS2" and watch the populations fluctuate madly.

[FIREk]

Originally Posted by RedKnights

Is it just me but does he look like he is in the middle of development "crunch-time" when everything is just coming together and they're racing to the finish and they're actually able to in-house play-test the game extensively. The probability of seeing the beta before the end of the year looks better and better.

The Gamescom expo itself is really tiring in itself, so I don't suppose crunch mode is the direct reason of Matt looking completely obliterated.

And I'm afraid that crunch time (even if the devs were in crunch mode right now) doesn't have to point towards seeing a beta sooner, nor later. They might be working towards finishing a milestone, which may not even be a playable alpha version yet.

On the other hand, what we've seen so far looks mighty playable, and seems to be in alpha stage, internal testing and all.

[Lunarchild]

From what I gathered he was pulled right out of another convention to go to GamesCom last minute. So I am quite sure it wasn't crunch mode of the development type. Still, getting flown around like that really is more exhausting than a development crunch.

Regardless, yes they are internally playtesting it, so it is playable to a certain degree. The devs have been taunting us with that through twitter for a bit now

[Xaine]

He SO NEARLY gave some sort of guess at release/beta, did you see that?

He came so close to saying something. That was the sleep deprivation kicking in right there, you can almost see him going "Yeah, BETA you say? Sure thats around Novemb..." then the Red Bull kicks in and is like NO. NO DATE GIVING FOR YOU.

[Lunarchild]

Originally Posted by Xaine

He SO NEARLY gave some sort of guess at release/beta, did you see that?

He came so close to saying something. That was the sleep deprivation kicking in right there, you can almost see him going "Yeah, BETA you say? Sure thats around Novemb..." then the Red Bull kicks in and is like NO. NO DATE GIVING FOR YOU.

You should know that even if he accidentally did, that piece would've been cut out and we'd still not know

[Timey]

He's almost as handsome as me, good for him!

[Xaine]

Originally Posted by Lunarchild

You should know that even if he accidentally did, that piece would've been cut out and we'd still not know

Can you not ruin my dreams please.

Like, can you just..

not.

[FIREk]

Originally Posted by Lunarchild

Still, getting flown around like that really is more exhausting than a development crunch.

I assume it's more immediately exhausting (as I've never flown so fa as to experience jet lag), but crunch time exhausts you in the long term and leaves more collateral damage...

Originally Posted by Lunarchild

You should know that even if he accidentally did, that piece would've been cut out and we'd still not know

Yup, stuff like that needs to be approved by the developer/publisher before it can be released. Unless someone practices dirty pseudo-journalism, of course.

[Lunarchild]

Originally Posted by FIREk

I assume it's more immediately exhausting (as I've never flown so far as to experience jet lag), but crunch time exhausts you in the long term and leaves more collateral damage...

True, but doing these interviews at cons around the work is basically like traveling + crunch

Originally Posted by Xaine

Can you not ruin my dreams please.

Like, can you just..

not.

Well... it is still possible that some stuff slips by accidentally. And if he accidentally does so at a live QA session that will definitely get the word out quickly... It's not all gone ^_^

[basti]

Erm, guys, the game is already in alpha testing, and playable. It seems they are just doing more artwork and getting systems in the game atm. Beta may not be this or next month, but im pretty sure we will see it THIS year!