TinyPortal

I know that traditionally SMF and TinyPortal have been used for a lot of WOW Forums.  For those of you who don't know, Blizzard is preparing to release their newest expansion (Cataclysm is due in stores on December 7th, 2010).  Over the last couple of weeks, Blizzard has started pushing the new Cataclysm content to players of the game (roughly about 5 or 6 GB compressed).  This past Tuesday, during their routine maintenance, they activated the first patches or the game and when users logged in the next day, the first patch was installed.  The graphics have been improved dramatically.  In fact, it's breathtaking.


Anyway, the main reason for this post is that Blizzard will begin airing their first television commercials (in HD I'm sure) for the expansion beginning today, October 17th, 2010.

The following information may be of interest to those of you who would like to check it out ...

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For those in the United States, you'll want to tune in on Sunday, October 17th to FOX for the Cowboys vs Vikings game.  At 4:15PM EDT, 1:15PM PDT the commercial will air.

This Sunday, during the Dallas Cowboys versus Minnesota Vikings NFL game on Fox (starts at 4:15 PM EDT, 1:15 PM PDT), we are debuting a new television commercial for World of Warcraft's upcoming expansion. The commercial will feature the first look at cinematic footage from Cataclysm, so tune in to an exciting game this Sunday and catch the new commercial!

In the United Kingdom you'll want to tune in on October 20th to the Champions League match between Tottenham and Milan on ITV1.  At 21:30 UK time, there will be an ad break and the Cataclysm commercial will air.

On Wednesday, October 20, viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to catch our latest made-for-TV advertisement immediately following the Champions League match between Tottenham and Inter Milan on ITV1. Set your alarms for the 21:30 (UK time) ad break to see this new cataclysmic ad featuring the cinematic footage from World of Warcraft: Cataclysm!

Of course, I'm sure we'll be seeing it pop up on YouTube shortly thereafter, and maybe even Blizzard's own website.  I'd imagine the quality will be fairly poor on YouTube initially, with better versions once Blizzard releases the ad to the public.

It is awesome ZarPrime. I am one of the fans.

For those who missed the TV Commercial ~ In the last 6 hours, Blizzard Entertainment has released 3 new videos on their YouTube Channel, including the commercial (Headset Recomended) ...
Cataclysm TV Spot --> http://www.youtube.com/warcraft#p/u/1/QfPtkexMc14
Cataclysm Cinematic Intro --> http://www.youtube.com/warcraft#p/u/2/Wq4Y7ztznKc
BlizzCon 2010 Promo (Online Virtual Ticket is $39.95 {USD}) --> http://www.youtube.com/warcraft#p/u/0/F8tw7ZVyMHw

ZarPrime

Edit:  I just watched the Spanish version of the Cinematic.  The audio where Deathwing is speaking in Spanish is absolutely Epic.  Wow !!! (no pun intended) ...
Spanish Version of Cataclysm Cinematic Intro ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nXJ564UYjY

Awsome stuff.   Never played WoW myself, what are the in game graphics like now.

Me, I am waiting for Guild Wars 2  ^-^

Freddy,

I've only been playing the game since last November.  One of the guys who I hadn't talked to in over 25 years found me on Facebook last year.  He had gotten me to install a Ventrilo client to talk to him and his friends and I soon found that not only does he play the game but his wife does as well, along with 4 or 5 other people that I also hadn't talked to in over 25 years.  His friends from back then were my friends as well and it was a nice reunion.  Anyway, they all play the game and soon got me started playing it as well.  It was nice to touch base with these friends after all that time.  I don't play nearly as often as they do.  Some of them are on there every night but it's not unusual for me to go a week at a time without even opening up the game.

Anyway, for your question, one of the main things that drew me to the game and kept me interested was the graphics (and also the sound).  Since I never played it 4 or 5 years ago, I really have nothing to compare it to from back then.  However, I always liked the graphics, a lot.  There have been some new features added for the upcoming expansion that make the graphics even more impressive.  A couple of these are sunrays coming through stained glass windows and the rippling water effect.  Just since the patch I did a week ago, the graphics are already a lot better even though the expansion hasn't kicked in yet.

Anybody that currently plays WOW knows that you will soon be able to use flying mounts in the lower continents.  Up until then, you can only use flying mounts in Northrend (the cold upper continent) and in Outland (the world that was partially destroyed in a previous expansion and now accesible through the Dark Portal).  In addition, there will be 2 new player races in Cataclysm, the Goblins and the Worgen.  The Goblins will be allied to the Horde and the Worgen will be allied to the Alliance.

Anyway, I started watching some of the videos that an English fellow who's been playing in the beta made and they give you a pretty good idea of how good the graphics are now.  I've linked them below.  The Worgen, being a new race, sort of interested me so I watched a few of these videos where he had made of a run-through of the Worgen starting area.  Also, Orgrimmar is one of the major Horde cites (Orc and Troll) and Stormwind is one of the major Alliance cities (Human).  Both of those cities will drastically change in the expansion when Deathwing manages to partially destroy them.  Stranglethorn Vale is one of the most beautiful zones currently but will be even prettier in the expansion.  There is also a new feature called phasing which will almost make the world change before your eyes while you are playing.

All of these videos will give you a pretty good idea of the graphics in the game if you view them without watching them Full Screen.  Watching videos Full Screen on YouTube usually cuts the resolution so drastically that you can't appreciate how really good the graphics are.  Anyway, here are 6 YouTube videos that you might like.  The 3 Worgen ones are pretty long but quite enjoyable to watch.  Oh, yeah, if you want to hear the sound from the game, you might want to watch these videos with your headset and the sound cranked up because the English fellow is narrating them and has the sound from the game turned down a little low.

WARNING:  For anyone currently playing WOW, there are some spoilers in these videos.  For anyone who wants to be totally surprised once Cataclysm kicks in on December 7th, I don't recommend watching these.

With that being said, here are the links ...
Cataclysm Beta - Orgrimmar from the Air ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_n8Pe8WMA&NR=1
Cataclysm Beta - Stormwind from the Air ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We_ip2uUGmk&feature=channel
Cataclysm Beta - Stranglethorn Vale ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8cS6JigVXg&feature=related
Cataclysm Beta - Worgen Starting Zone commented playthrough ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpdLsNQJnvc&NR=1&feature=fvwp
Cataclysm Beta - Worgen Starting Zone 2 : Worg it Off (Levels 5-7) ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESLEBUjpirw&feature=channel
Cataclysm Beta - Worgen Starting Zone 3 : Dude, where's my dog? (Levels 7-10) ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaiUf5E2mnw&p=03E7FB07FE01D6F4&playnext=1

ZarPrime

Edit:  I did a little more exploring for videos yesterday and found the German version of the Cinematic Intro.  If anything, Deathwing sounds even more terrifying speaking German than he does speaking Spanish --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1Aodo92xA&feature=rec-LGOUT-farside_rev-rn-2r-4-HM

Oh, and earlier, I mentioned the 2 new races.  3 Worgen (basically werewolves) videos are above.  Here is the first Goblin Starting Zone Vid.  This one is kind of long, about 40 minutes, but it's one of the most humorous and enjoyable vids I have seen, lots of great graphcis as well --> Cataclysm Beta - Goblin Starting Zone 1 ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=AWg-JPI57PA

BTW, the English fellow that has done all these videos has a website where he lists all the Cataclysm Beta vids that he has done in the first 17 pages or so.  His YouTube username is TotalBiscuit (http://www.youtube.com/totalhalibut).  I rather enjoy his narration though, very humorous  --> http://www.cynicalbrit.com/

Oh, and here's an interesting short video, a Compendium of the changes for Cataclysm in the Starting Zones for all the other pre-Cataclysm Races.  Again, there are a few spoilers here, but a good look at the scenery and graphics, after all that's what you asked about ;) --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntcLor2A_jM