Warcraft Blog : Clan oS - Old School

Skillz to Pay the Billz II

2009-09-12T11:06:00.007+08:00

If there is one Warcraft III video you have to see, this is it. Skillz to Pay the Bills II boasts stunning visual effects and sounds. A lot of effort has been put to this unique 34-minute video - all 2 years of work.

Skillz to Pay the Billz II Trailer

You can watch it on Youtube in 4 parts:
Skillz to pay the Bills II - part 1
Skillz to pay the Bills II - part 2
Skillz to pay the Bills II - part 3
Skillz to pay the Bills II - part 4

but I highly recommend that you download the file from SK Gaming. There are 3 versions avaiable there for download differing in quality and they come with extras like wallpapers and screenshots.

Like most Warcraft III videos, Skillz to pay the Bills II showcases the "skill moves" made by professional War3 gamers - then SK players Reign, Miou, Remind, Soju and Lyn. It has several mini-stories with no coherent plot including a 2-minute video clip of Lone Wolf and Cub movie. It ends with a fight scene made in World of Warcraft between 2 characters, perhaps representing good vs evil.

Samurai likened to a Blademaster

Lastly, I think the wallpapers are well-made so I'm sharing them with you here so you don't have to download the whole movie just to get them.

Skills to pay the Bills II Wallpapers - 1024x768

Skills to pay the Bills II Wallpapers - 1920x1200

DotA Sounds

2009-07-06T05:35:00.000+08:00

Those DotA sounds you hear whenever you do something special in DotA (consecutive kills, first kill, etc.) can not be found in the game itself but are specially made for that custom Warcraft III map.

Aside from giving the player a sense of accomplishment , it also provides a little bit of encouragement. I have them all compiled in separate MP3 files so you can use them in your videos or play them endlessly in your music player. :)

Download DotA Sounds

My First First-Person video

2009-06-19T07:28:00.001+08:00

My first First-Person video that I made using XFire. Watch it to see how I play Warcraft III: the Frozen Throne. :)

Nothing special really. You can see in the video my control groups, my lag on Battle.Net(220 ping) and a general idea of how I play.

XFire is a gaming service that lets you take screenshots, make videos, chat with your friends in-game and even stream your games.

Original video link: My First-Person Video
Add me on XFire: XFire
Watch my stream: My XFire live video

Music of Human Towers

2009-06-01T12:13:00.001+08:00

Music of Warcraft III Human Towers. xD

World of Fight

2009-05-13T07:09:00.000+08:00

World of Fight is The9's answer to World of Warcraft. After losing rights to operate WoW in China last month, The9 wants a cut of the WoW MMORPG market share. But with a WoW ripoff? Let's just hope that it is not.

It looks like The9 is still bitter about losing the deal. The online game is yet to be released but signs available now hint to a game very similar to World of Warcraft. The new game's site http://www.wofchina.com/ reads "WoF , a new game by The9 Ltd., is soon to come" in Chinese and is almost the same as http://www.wowchina.com/, WoW's official website in China. There are no screenshots and gameplay videos available at the moment as The9's WoW license is yet to expire in June.

Source: Link

Li "Sky" Xiaofeng

2009-05-05T05:42:00.004+08:00

Li "Sky" Xiaofeng is the best Human Warcraft III player.

Name: Li "Sky" Xiaofeng
From: China
Birthdate: March 27, 1985

WoW Pod for hardcore Warcraft gamers

2009-04-27T02:52:00.005+08:00

The WOW Pod is an immersive architectural solution for the advanced World of Warcraft player that provides and anticipates all life needs. For gamers like you, it is simply WoW heaven. Everything you need from food to toilet is here. You no longer need to leave your seat to meet your real-life needs.

When hungry, the gamer selects a food item such as "Crunchy Spider Surprise" and a seasoning pack. By scanning in the food items, the video game physically adjusts a hot plate to cook the item for the correct amount of time. The virtual character then jubilantly announces the status of the meal to both the gamer and the other individuals playing online.

The exterior of the WoW Pod mimics the look of online game architectural structures whose swaths of flat, pixellated surfaces digitally recreate the built environment of an imagined past. But upon crossing the threshold and entering into the WoW Pod’s interior, the player finds the digitized look actually becomes the real life experience that World of Warcraft simulates.

Homepage: Link
Source: Link

Created by Cati Vaucelle and Shada/Jahn, its main purpose is to "question the inducement of pleasure, fantasy fulfillment and the mediation of intimacy in a socially-networked gaming paradigm such as World of Warcraft". Though it's not a commercially available product, you can visit it at MIT Museum from March - September 2009.

DotA Ultimate Storm Spirit

2009-04-16T03:57:00.004+08:00

Two pandarens meet for rounds and rounds of ale. With the aid of the drinks and a little help from Puck, one of them transforms into the Ultimate Storm Spirit - in his dreams, at least.

Note: Oh in case you're still out of clue, the last post Warcraft, Heroes of Azeroth was one of Blizzard's April Fools jokes in 2007. I wanted to feature something related to Warcraft III and I think that was the perfect one. WoW to WhoA. Cheers!

WHOA, the next Warcraft game

2009-04-02T03:26:00.000+08:00

Another game based on World of Warcraft is in the works. Warcraft, Heroes of Azeroth is set six years before the start of the conflict in WoW. It is designed to capture the strategic element of Warcraft III and the hero power-levelling in World of Warcraft - the best of both worlds!

Know more about Warcraft figures such as Illidan Stormrage, Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, Kel'Thuzad, and Jaina Proudmoore. Command 4 different races, each with unique set of powers and abilities. Visit famous locations in the WoW world like Stratholme, the Plaguelands and Ashenvale. Enjoy well-designed PvE and PvP gameplay. And much much more.

Read more at the official site.
Read more about the unreleased game Warcraft Adventures.

Battle.Net relaunched

2009-03-27T06:05:00.003+08:00

With the upcoming release of Blizzard's next games Starcraft II and Diablo III, Battle.Net was relaunched as a central account management for all Blizzard games. Starting with World of Warcraft (by merging WoW account), you can now create a single login for future Blizzard games.

One neat feature of this new Battle.Net is that you can add your games to the account. By storing your cd-keys on your account, you can download the games directly from Blizzard.

Some of the benefits of the Battle.net account include:

Fewer passwords to remember. One single log-in lets you access World of Warcraft, the online Blizzard store, and more -- including upcoming games such as StarCraft II and Diablo III.
Opt in to upcoming Blizzard Entertainment beta tests. Put yourself in the running to be invited to test upcoming games.
Easy access to your classic games. Store your CD keys for classic Blizzard Entertainment titles, and then download the games whenever you wish.
And more to come... We're planning to add more features in the future, including tools to help friends communicate between games and bring players closer together.

The old Battle.Net can be accessed at http://classic.battle.net/.

New World of Warcraft Statue at Blizzard HQ

2009-03-20T02:26:00.002+08:00

Blizzard's Headquarters in Irvine now has a new statue in its courtyard - a stunning 12-foot Orc riding a wolf mount. The statue was created in New Zealand by Weta Workshop, the same company that made the special effects in the Lord of the Rings movies. While it acts as a decoration of sorts, it also proudly tells the world of ~~the company that WoW made~~ the highly-successful game that Blizzard made: World of Warcraft.

The statue was modeled after a miniature that was given to Blizzard employees as a Christmas gift.

More photos here.

Rise of the Invoker

2009-03-12T01:55:00.000+08:00

Rise of the Invoker is an entertaining Dota video about Kael the Invoker battling it out against 4 enemy Sentinel heroes. The video is well-made; it makes excellent use of camera angles.

WoW, "the most dangerous game in the market"

2009-03-06T07:32:00.001+08:00

Swedish Youth Care Foundation likens the MMORPG giant World of Warcraft to crack cocaine labeling it as the "most dangerous game in the market". The addictive nature of WoW has caught the attention of the organization whose report is backed by Swedish National Institute of Public Health. "The crack cocaine of the computer gaming world." as the org put it. For me, it is simply "World of Warcrack". xD

Sven Rollenhagen, author of the report adds "Some people are literally unable to drag themselves away and will play it till they drop... There is not a single case of game addiction that we have worked with in which World of Warcraft has not played a part."

The case in point is that of a 15-year old who suffered from convulsions after playing the game non-stop for 24 hours. The teenager fully recovered but the father launched a campaign warning parents of the dangers of prolonged gaming sessions.

Source

Power of the Horde

2009-03-02T23:46:00.008+08:00

Power of the Horde is a rock song describing the battles of the Orcish army called the Horde. Storm, Earth and Fire refer to their shamanistic beliefs.

Power of the Horde lyrics

Storm, Earth and Fire, heed my call!

I am the son of the wind and rain,
Thunder beckons and I heed the call.
If I die upon this day,
In battle I will fall.

Hear me brothers gather up the wolves,
To battle, we will ride.
War drums echo the beating heart,
Pounding from inside.

CHORUS:
STORM
Black clouds fill the sky.
EARTH
I hear my battle cry.
FIRE
Thunder we'll bring forth.
DEATH
From the power of the Horde...

Far Seer to the Warsong Clan,
To no man will I kneel.
Feel the power and the energy,
Born of black blood, honor, and steel.

I feel the fire burning in my veins,
Lightning strikes at my command.
By storm and earth, axe and fire,
We come to claim this land.

(CHORUS)

(Instrumental)

Yeeeeaaaahhhh!

Surrounded by the enemy,
The wolf among the hounds.
Thunder turns to silence it,
Took the hundred to bring me down.

Wolf brothers falling at my side,
With honour I will die.
Upon the Altar of the Storms,
I will be reborn.

(CHORUS)
For I have been reborn.

STORM
EARTH
FIRE
DEATH
The power of the Horde...

Power of the Horde was included in the expansion pack The Frozen Throne where it was used as the background music for the Credits section. It was sung by rock band "Tenth Level Tauren Chieftain", consisting of top Blizzard executives with SamWise as the lead singer. The name of the band changes however, reflecting the highest level the hero Tauren Chieftain can attain in the Warcraft Universe. Currently, it is "Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftian" following the release of the Wrath of the Lich King.

Live performance at Blizzard Worldwide Invitational 2008 in Paris, France
Download Power of the Horde MP3

Trivia: In single-player mode, typing "TenthLevelTaurenChieftain" (without quotes) will play this song. This works only if you have The Frozen Throne installed.

Warcraft III: Batman

2009-02-23T03:16:00.001+08:00

Here's one very funny Warcraft III video made to the tune of the 1960 Batman TV Series - funny for those who play War3 that is.

For those who don't play this game, the laugh factor comes from the strategy. Players who encounter this hit-and-run tactic may find it very annoying; but it could prove to be a funny and entertaining sight for spectators. LOL. xD

Warcraft, Starcraft and Red Alert

2009-02-18T04:09:00.011+08:00

Imagine Warcraft, Starcraft and Red Alert were real people. And they were made to stand next to each other, side by side for everybody to see. Then each is compared with the others, weighing down their strengths and weaknesses. Who would stand out? All three games analyzed and reviewed.

You can practice Warcraft for two months and learn all the skills.
You can practice Starcraft for two years and still haven’t mastered the basics.
You can practice Red Alert for two decades and be as good as when you began playing.

When you can beat two computers in Warcraft, you can start winning in multi-player.
When you can beat seven computers in Starcraft, you still can't win against humans.
When you beat a computer for the eight millionth time in Red Alert, you realize you never played humans.

Play Warcraft for two hours and you can lose to the same strategy 8 times in a row, suffering a crushing defeat.
Play Starcraft for two hours and you can lose to 16 different strategies 8 times in a row, suffering a crushing defeat.
Play Red Alert for two years and you lose to the exact same thing forever, suffering a crushing defeat.

Play Warcraft and you only have to practice one race to learn all the match ups of that race.
Play starcraft and you will realize, 3 years later, a Zerg exterminator used to be good with the zerg.
Play Red Alert and you only need to practice one nation to learn every single nation.

Learn a few strategies in Warcraft and you can start winning.
Master fifty strategies in Starcraft and you still can't start winning.
Learn a few strategies in Red Alert and they’re all useless. Just stick to the one everyone uses, forever.

A noob's day in Warcraft: You cornered your enemy but they still managed to get out in one piece
A noob's day in Starcraft: You realize apart from gorilla warfare there is also ground pushes, ambushes, harass, seiging, nuking, faking, etc.
A noob’s day in Red Alert: You realize strategies are pointless—mass mass mass!

In Warcraft no matter how far you are from your base you can still return and save it in ten seconds(teleport).
In Starcraft your army can be in the east side of your base and yet your west portion still gets wiped out.
In Red Alert, pay attention to your ore miners.

In Warcraft you scout once every 5 minutes and know what your opponent's army consists of.
In Starcraft you scout 5 times every minute and still get false intelligence.
In Red Alert you scout for the first 5 minutes and there’ll be no need to do so anymore.

In Warcraft you can relax if you win a big battle.
In Starcraft you won a big battle and got caught by a drop, losing your base completely.
In Red Alert you won a big battle and you feel good — it’s just normal routine.

In Warcraft your army gets wiped out and you’re basically dead meat.
In Starcraft your army gets wiped out 10 times and the victor is still uncertain.
In Red Alert your army gets wiped out and it’s just everyday life — come back in 10 seconds.

In Warcraft you can watch half the replay and tell who's going to win.
In Starcraft you realize your prediction on the victor is wrong towards the last minute.
In Red Alert you don’t know what a replay is, nor do you know about live games.

In Warcraft you can hold back, turtle and wait for your chance to come.
In Starcraft if you hold back and turtle, you'll find out that every expansion is taken by your opponent with his workers working in it.
In Red alert you only fight for resource, that’s the way it is.

In Warcraft every unit you have is important.
In Starcraft you'll know what a horde is like.
In Red Alert a unit is made to die.

In Warcraft you're proud of your hero that's one level higher than your opponent's.
In Starcraft you're proud of your zealot that blew up 10 siege tanks by sacrificing itself to the spider mine field and tank fire.
In Red Alert you’re proud of your air unit that secured the resource node.

In Warcraft when your APM (actions per minute) is over 150 you'll get bored that you start setting rally points.
In Starcraft when your APM is over 150 you'll be able to execute the most basic commands.
In Red Alert when your APM is over 150 you’re out of your mind. APM does not exist in Red Alert.

In Warcraft you get excited when you micro 12 individual units.
In Starcraft carpet bombardment with 12 dropships on 12 different screens is still basic(maybe not...).
In Red Alert placing a building is micro.

In Warcraft even meteors can recognize friends from foes.
In Starcraft a careless psi storm will be more catastrophic to you than your opponent.
In Red Alert your units kill each other.

In Warcraft you always say ‘that’s logical'.
In Starcraft you always say ‘that's possible’.
In Red Alert you always say ‘that’s impossible’.

In Warcraft you'll learn what efficiency is.
In Starcraft you'll learn what quantity is.
In Red Alert you’ll learn what ranking is.

In Warcraft you'll learn the importance of level-ups.
In Starcraft you'll learn the importance of economy.
In Red Alert you’ll learn the importance of a huge army.

In Warcraft you learn how to battle.
In Starcraft you learn how to wage war.
In Red Alert you learn how to follow the instruction booklet.

In Warcraft you'll find out that there are some completely useless units in the game.
In Starcraft you'll find out that every unit can be used in certain strategies.
In Red Alert you’ll find out that every unit is completely useless except for a few.

Warcraft is a test of your micro skill.
Starcraft is a test of your brain and hand.
Red alert is a test of your patience.

Strategies in Warcraft change according to the latest patch.
Strategies in Starcraft change according to the pros.
Strategies in Red Alert are ambushes.

In Warcraft you say the word imbalance and everyone starts debating on race, hero and units.
In Starcraft you say the word imbalance and everyone disagree in general.
In Red Alert you say the word imbalance and you’re in the wrong discussion — every nation is the same.

Someone says Warcraft is crap and you will get pissed and start fighting.
Someone says Starcraft is crap and you will cast a sideward glance and ignore them.
Someone says Red Alert is crap and you will get pissed but still agree.

Play Warcraft long enough and you'll find out that it's a great game.
Play Starcraft long enough and you'll realize that starcraft is more than just a game.
Play Red Alert long enough and you’ll think a good company is more important than a good game.

Play Warcraft long enough and you'll think of how fun Warcraft is.
Play Starcraft long enough and your daily actions will be enhanced by Starcraft.
Play Red Alert long enough and you'll get more and more single-minded.

Play Warcraft long enough and you'll know more and more.
Play Starcraft long enough and you’ll be asking for more and more.
Play Red Alert long enough and you'll learn more and more rubbish.

Warcraft is the most brilliant game Blizzard ever created.
Starcraft is the art created by god via Blizzard for all gamers.
Red Alert is the reason why Westwood sucked.

I didn't write this one and I can't track down the original source. Obviously, the writer is a huge fan of Starcraft. I edited some entries and removed a few lines. I'm pretty sure Warcraft pertains to Warcraft III and its expansion. And based on what I've read, the Red Alert lines apply to RA I and II.

WC3 Comprehensive 3v3 Guide

2009-02-14T02:44:00.001+08:00

3v3 is a game type less popular in the Warcraft 3 scene. Being out of scope of professional leagues, its different strategies remain largely unknown or unused. Worry no more. Experienced Azeroth players have written a comprehensive 3v3 guide. Whether you're new to this game type, an occasional 3v3 player or an advanced micro maniac you're sure to pick up a thing or two.

The guide has many pictures highlighting important notes. It lists useful tips for each race pointing out its different strengths and weaknesses. It covers many different strategies from the commonly used "massing" types to the surprising "teching" ones. But more importantly, it gives sound advice on counter-strategies and explains small details that can change the outcome of a game. Read the guide for a more fun and fulfilling 3v3 game.

Download the guide from the original post or from this link .

Warcraft III Maps

2009-02-11T01:31:00.003+08:00

Are you looking for a particular map you've played before? Or perhaps you're looking for new maps to try. These sites have hundreds of maps for you to download. Some great maps offer new types of gameplay and some are just plain fun.

Blizzard's Map Vault
Battle.Net/war3/maps
Warcraft.org
IncGamers
Epic War
Map Gnome Database

This list shows the official sites of certain maps so you're sure to get the latest and official versions.
Dota All-Stars
Enfo's Team Survival MT Edition
Rabbits vs Sheep
Pudge Wars
Stronghold

WoW made half of Activision-Blizzard earnings

2009-02-05T01:14:00.099+08:00

This does not come as a surprise to me. The popular MMORPG World of Warcraft topped the Activision-Blizzard's money-makers list for fiscal year 2009 racking up about half of its earnings, financial analyst Arvind Bhatia of Stern Agee said. With 11.5 billion subscribers (December last year), it's no wonder that this gold mine outperformed Call of Duty, Guitar Hero and other titles.

...he expects WoW subscriptions amounted to earnings per share of about 30 cents out of a total 60 cents, or around $400 million total, in the fiscal year ended in December.
-Edge-Online

Even with the release of several competing MMORPG titles last year, WoW's growth showed no sign of slowdown. The report mentioned only the income from monthly subscriptions. Taking into account the epic release of Wrath of the Lich King, the actual figure which includes sales from the expansion title may even be higher.

WoW in a Super Mario Theme

2009-01-31T03:31:00.013+08:00

Ever seen World of Warcraft characters play the Super Mario Brothers in the WoW world? This video is old but it's fun nonetheless.

Story of the Jarhead

2009-01-24T08:11:00.003+08:00

A machinima loosely based on the movie Jarhead, which tells the story of a marine on duty in the desert of Saudi Arabia.

World of Warcraft 101?

2009-01-19T09:42:00.006+08:00

That's not about teaching noobs the basics of the game nor a good alternative to the in-game tutorial. It's a college course proposed by David Friedman, an economics professor at a law school. World of Warcraft 101 (as I would like to call it) looks into the intricate market of WoW, an aspect of the game Friedman knows very well as he himself is a player.

"WoW has markets and prices, including an auction house with many buyers, many sellers, and a wide range of products for sale. Prices are readily observed—starting prices, buyout prices, relative prices at one time, changes over time. Actual sales prices are a bit harder, but if your students are active players they are probably buying and selling things and could be persuaded to keep track of prices paid and received and make the information available to the rest of the class."

Not a bad idea really, and certainly not a new one. Classes based on popular media have appeared before like "The Science of Harry Potter" in Frostberg State University and "Simpsons and Philosophy" in University of California at Berkeley. Friedman is positive that the interactive nature of the game will keep the students involved and interested in the subject, not to mention the fun and excitement of the game itself.

Read David Friedman's blog

Source: World of Warcraft as a College Course?

World of World of Warcraft

2009-01-14T05:45:00.002+08:00

No, that isn't a typographical error. That's the title of the sequel to the widely popular MMORPG World of Warcraft. WoWoW now lets you role-play someone who plays WoW. WoW! Isn't that great?

Live the life of a World of Warcraft addict. Make decisions on how he plays the game and how he lives his real life. "The game promises to bring a level of realism to video gaming never before seen". And with the creation of new World of World of Warcraft realms, you can easily play the original WoW from within the WoWoW game.

Due to its success (selling more than 100,000 copies in the first day of release), World of World of Warcraft has already spawned a sequel planned for release in the Fall this year. No working title has been mentioned yet but it is most likely World of World of World of Warcraft, or just WoWoWoW.

In case you didn't catch the words of the interviewee: "My avatar is the biggest World of Warcraft fan in the whole World of World of Warcraft World." GG

Illidan with Fireballs

2009-01-09T19:17:00.007+08:00

Former Clan oS - Old School member Elf_Rulez submitted to me an image of Illidan with fireballs on his hands. It has the Clan oS tag above it, which I think is really cool.

I asked for another version without the clan tag. Here it is:

Over the years, I have collected images of Illidan in any form. Check out my Illidan picture gallery .

The Craft of War: BLIND

2009-01-04T00:43:00.007+08:00

Last month, I featured a South Park episode Make Love, not Warcraft in which a World of Warcraft machinima played a big part. Its well-written script, quick-wit jokes as well as the WoW appeal made it a big hit to fans, even winning an Emmy award. Today, I'm presenting you another machinima made by Percula in the WoW world.

Though it is a bit lacking in speech and the music is somewhat off-theme, this Vimeo video has the best fight scene I've seen yet in a machinima. Cool moves and awesome stunts were all made in-game, perfectly pieced together to form an action-packed battle sequence. The best part is that Percula announced that it will be the first in a series, meaning there will be more to come. Enjoy!