NEWS FOR Saturday, August 31, 2002

New Poll - Deathwing @ 21:01:28 EDT
The ranged units of tier 1 have never being the most popular in games of Warcraft 3. They take extra damage from melee attacks, and hence a generally avoided by the average player. However, in certain situations and with the right support, such units a great for picking out vital enemy troops. Which of these units do you find the most useful? Vote in this week's poll.

In addition, Wraithfighter has launched a nice discussion about this very subject on a mathematical level. It's a good read.


Poll Results - Deathwing @ 20:42:52 EDT
A new week, a new poll. Here's the results of the current one:

On Battle.net, what type of game do you play the most?
1vs1   197   18% 
Random Teams   228   21% 
Arranged Teams   293   27% 
Free for Alls   29   3% 
UMS   176   16% 
Don't Play on B.net   159   15% 

TOTAL

1082

100 %
..

Interesting, it looks like Blizzard's decision to add in team support for ladder games is definitely a good one. In fact, out of those who play ladder games, team games are by far the most popular. Having an ally does open up a window of new strategies and opportunities that are unavailable in a 1vs1 match. As expected, very few people play FFAs, it takes far too long to win...


ECTS News - ShadowHawk @ 8:51:09 EDT
Blizzard has won an award at ECTS from the users of Gamigo.de for Warcraft III.  Some of the games that one in their categories really deserved their awards.  Games such as Grand Theft Auto 3 and Medal of Honor: Allied Assualt are top notch games that pushed gaming to a whole new level.  You can see the whole list of awards and comment on them right here.

NEWS FOR Friday, August 30, 2002

Map of the Week: Asteroids - Deathwing @ 19:29:39 EDT
This week, Infoceptor brings you another high quality Warcraft III Map for your enjoyment.  This time, it's a mini game, both challenging and addictive, it's a great level online and offline.

In Asteroids, players must defend earth against an onslaught of cosmic debri, only to find it is most sinister in nature. Gathering multiple space ships, and building up a fleet, players must face an alien invasion. Features tonnes of cool new units from Merc Ships and Battlecruisers, it's a great way to pass your time.

Download it here.

Got a great scenerio? Be sure to submit it instantly! Other great scenerios are available in our Map Archive.


ECTS 2002 Awards - Deathwing @ 19:19:47 EDT
ECTS has been going strong over the few days, though Blizzard did not attend it this year. However, that does not mean there's no Blizzard related news. The awards for 2002 has being announced, and Warcraft III was voted as the Top PC game by users of Benelux. The complete list is available here.

Mac War3 Security Loophole - Deathwing @ 18:58:20 EDT
Skywing has discovered a rather serious loophole with the Mac version of Warcraft 3. He elabourates:

It appears that the Macintosh versions of the Blizzard game clients do not support the verification of signed MPQs. Specifically, the SFileAuthenticateArchive Storm function which provides signature authentication services appears to be implemented a do-nothing stub, and examination of several MPQs that Macintosh clients download from Battle.net has revealed that they are indeed not signed (while their PC analogs are).

Since the Macintosh clients appear to blindly assume that any downloaded MPQ is from Blizzard (the PC clients refuse to use a downloaded MPQ that does not pass the Blizzard cryptographic signature check), it would be possible for a third-party server to send a Macintosh client a bogus MPQ.

What's the danger in these bogus MPQs? Some of the MPQs downloaded over Battle.net (or third party servers) contain code that is executed. This includes the version check library (contained in PMACVerX.mpq files, where X is 0-7), and game patches. Given this, it should be possible (and EASY!) for a third-party server operator to install and execute any code of his/her choice on any Macintosh system connecting with a Blizzard client.

Interesting... Mac Players beware. Kudos to Justin Olbrantz for the news.


New Strategy : Best Heavy Melee Unit - 2Xtreme21 @ 12:53:03 EDT
Wraithfighter sent in a great compelation of every Heavy Melee Warcraft III unit and its stats.  He includes a few statistics about each unit including Attack, Defense, Spells, and Cost.  It's a nice and easy read, so go check it out.

We are in need of strats, so if you have one, please don't hesitate to send it in.  Thanks.


NEWS FOR Thursday, August 29, 2002

Top Ladder Player Race Breakdown - Deathwing @ 20:53:38 EDT
XxGeckoxX has looked at the top 20 Warcraft III ladder players of all four realms, looking at the races which they play the most. The following results were obtained:

Human: 10
Night Elf: 22
Orc: 17
Undead: 20
Random: 11

While the Night Elves are favored, they're no favored significantly enough for us to conclude there's significant imbalance which huntresses. However, humans seem rather under represented. Still the ratio of races is no where near as bad as the ones for Starcraft, prior to serious balance patches, and hence Blizzard did do a good job.

Comment


Flying Lurkers? - Deathwing @ 20:41:49 EDT
On the subject of flying drones, LinkinHybrid, has sent word that Lurkers in Starcraft can also fly. By cramping many lurkers in a small space, he was successfully able to transfer a handful of them over a cliff. Find out more about it, along with a replay over here.

Blizzard Plans SC V1.10 to fix Drone Bug - Deathwing @ 20:29:18 EDT
Recently a deadly bug for Starcraft has surfaced online, the ability to plan your drones all around the place. Needless to say, this totally ruins the game and gives the Zerg a total advantage. Thankfully, Blizzard has confirmed that they are in the processing of addressing this bug with V1.10. Kudos to Carnage for the news.

Map Hack Update - ShadowHawk @ 15:54:16 EDT
Blizzard has provided an update on their continuing battle with map hacks:

In keeping with our aggressive stance against hacks and cheats, we have recently banned the CD keys of certain players found using the map hack in Warcraft III. Furthermore, we will continue to randomly monitor games connected through Battle.net to ensure fair play. The accounts of players found using map hack programs will be deleted, and their CD-Keys may be permanently disabled.

We regret having to employ these extreme measures, however, certain unscrupulous players impair the gameplay of the Warcraft III community as a whole, and severe action is now both warranted and required. Please note that we take no pleasure in banning CD keys and preventing play over Battle.net for those who have legitimately purchased a copy of one or more of our games. Abiding by the terms of our end user license agreement helps us keep Battle.net fun and reliable for everyone.

We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely appeal to anyone considering using a map hack program. While it might seem like fun to have an unfair advantage on Battle.net, the end result of these types of programs is that they disrupt the gameplay experience for everyone that is playing.

As always, we appreciate the efforts of our fansites in spreading the word and helping to raise customer awareness with such issues. Thanks to our customers as well for your patience and support.

-Blizzard Entertainment

These new "extreme measures" are sure to do the trick in the battle against cheating.


NEWS FOR Wednesday, August 28, 2002

War3 Map Inconsistencies - Deathwing @ 22:12:03 EDT
Atreides has pointed out that since Warcraft II, the city of Stratholme has lifted up its legs and moved a few hunrded miles. As one can expect, Blizzard did change a few things, especially geographically, since the previous installment of the game. Feel free to discuss them here.

NEWS FOR Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Map of the Moment: Insanity - Deathwing @ 20:02:09 EDT
Today, Infoceptor brings you another high quality map for your enjoyment. Insanity is a multiplayer scenario that tests both your ability to control large armies and individual heroes.

In this map, players gain units as the home base with every second, commanded by a general specific to their race. Like Magic the Gathering in Starcraft, their goal is the defeat the enemy’s general. To add to the twists, theirs creeps, a burrow and a lot of other cool stuff. This is a great map for those who seek action.

Download it here.

Got a cool scenario or map? You can share it instantly via our direct upload. There are also many other great maps available in the archive.


Night Elf Mission 2 Secrets - Deathwing @ 19:31:37 EDT
In the walkthrough published yesterday, a few secrets were missed, which thanks to our viewers, have now being included. Visit it again to find out how to get the Hydralisk to join your army, or skirt around the undead base completely. Kudos to Drkdstryer, Garrett Fitzgerald and Asgorath-x for the tips.

NEWS FOR Monday, August 26, 2002

War3 Windows XP Themes - Deathwing @ 21:55:11 EDT
Got Windows XP? Chib has sent world that some great themes for the operating system are now available. These are great for Warcraft 3 fans, do go take a look.

Night Elf Mission 2 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 20:47:37 EDT
The second Night Elf mission turns up the heat as the Burning Legion stages a full assault on Ashenvale. You start off with nothing but your hero, and must navigate through a maze of Doom Guards, Orcs, Humans and just about every other unit in the Warcraft III Universe, and even one that's not!

Where are the useful items located at? Where can I get reinforcements and how do I storm an undead base with a limited number of troops? And most importantly, whereabouts in the the level is the hidden Hydralisk? Find out!

We'll have more installkments soon.

Multiplayer strategies are also available in our Strategy Index. If you're an avid player, be sure to submit your own.


NEWS FOR Sunday, August 25, 2002

Night Elf Mission 1 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 20:05:34 EDT
Today, we begin coverage for the final campaign of Warcraft 3. The mission is relatively easy, but can be made easier if you know exactly how the triggers worked. If you do things as suggested, you can complete most of the mission without havign to face any enemy offensive.

Where is the side quest and where are the Furbolgs? Where can you find more men to add to your army? Find out:

Expect more updates soon, as things get really dicy in the Night Elf campaign.


NEWS FOR Saturday, August 24, 2002

New Poll - Deathwing @ 20:45:56 EDT
This week's takes a survey at the popularity of all the different game types that are offered by Battle.net. The online matchmaking service offers many competitive game types, ranging from 1vs1's for those who like facing the enemy alone to UMS games for those who'd rather play something fresh every time. What game type do you play the most? Tell us this week.

Poll Results - Deathwing @ 20:34:42 EDT
It's a new week, time for a new poll. Without further delay, here are the results for the current one:

It was unexpected that Blizzard did not tone down the Huntress in V1.02 of Warcraft 3? Do you believe Huntresses should be toned down?
[Comment]

Yes, Seriously   172   16% 
Yes, a Little   492   46% 
Not at All   317   30% 
Don't Play War3   78   7% 

TOTAL

1059

100 %

Interesting, it looks like the general consensus is that Huntresses are a little overpowered. Two thirds of our viewers would like to see Blizzard take some action against these beasts, a clear majority. I tend to agree, while Huntresses are far from invincible, especially when skill is used against them, the fact is more skill is required from the none night elf player... However, whatever change that's made shouldn't be drastic, something simple like giving them no bounce attack till tier 2 should do the trick.

Comment


Another Infoceptor Wallpaper - 2Xtreme21 @ 4:45:28 EDT
Hydrajoy has submitted a new Infoceptor Wallpaper.  It's very well done and combines a great use of colors and designs.  I suggest you take a look and judge for yourself.


NEWS FOR Friday, August 23, 2002

Map of the Moment: Demoncraft - Deathwing @ 21:17:19 EDT
From OneBadLarva, the creator of the popular Elfcraft comes another map in which you can try out a new race. As it's name suggest, Demoncraft allows you to play as the Burning Legion, featuring all of their units that you had to fight, from foul hounds to Doom Guards.

Balanced for multiplayer play, with new heroes lik the Warlock and Pit Lord, it's a very cool map. Download it here.

Got a map? You can upload it instantly. For other cool scenarios, check out the archive.


Zileas Goes to Blizzard - Deathwing @ 19:04:12 EDT
Zileas, former Brood War Beta champion and strategist her at Infoceptor, later lead designer at Ethermoon Entertainment (Creator of Strifeshadow), is now hired by Blizzard. You can find his good bye message over at Zileas.com. We wish him luck!

A War3 Match Against... Robin Williams? - Deathwing @ 18:58:04 EDT
Yes, apparently Warcraft 3 has gotten so popular that even 50 years old oscar winners over at Hollywood have become addicted to the game, as reported by Zap2it. We take an excerot from the article:

The 50-year-old Oscar winner, who won Best Supporting Actor for "Good Will Hunting" confesses, "I play games, I'm not going to lie about it, and when you play online against someone else, it's the best. Especially when you're playing against a 12-year-old kid who's been playing the game for a year and knows all the secrets. I'm fascinated by military games."

His favorite games include First Person Shooter, and Half-Life, and WarCraft 3.

Very interesting... unfortunately, the guy hides his identity online and would not go around with the screen name of 'Robin Williams'... who knows, you may have fought this guy already... The rest of the article, which addresses the actors addiction to the Internet, is available here.

Comment


Warcrarft III on Dragon Magazine - Deathwing @ 18:38:59 EDT
As Infoceptor previously reported (a few months back), Wizards of the Cost are planning to release a Warcraft 3 Campaign setting featuring D&D rules for all your cool heroes like the Orc Blademaster. Well, you can get a glimpse on the rules on the 299th Dragon Magazine:

The new issue of Dragon Magazine #299 has a Warcraft
III article.  The Silicon Sorcery column had 3rd
edition rules for the Dwarven Thane (Mountain King)
and Orc Blade Master as 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons
Prestige Classes.  The article is by Clifford
Horowitz, who is the author of the upcomming Warcraft
III Player Guide book that Wizards of the Coast will
release in early 2003, that will adapt the Warcraft
unizerse to the D&D rules.

This is no doubt, interesting news for D&D Fans. Kudos to Jay W. for the news. 


NEWS FOR Thursday, August 22, 2002

Orc Mission 8 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 21:43:28 EDT
The final mission for the Orcs is one that requires much skill and concentration, for you're against no ordinary race. Blizzard never bothered balancing the chaos Orcs, and for good reason, they're meant to be tougher than any other race.

How do you defeat an army of superior units? What do you do when you've reached Grom? What defenses does your human ally require and from which way should you assault the enemy? Find out!

We'll have more walkthroughs soon!


Top Selling Games - Deathwing @ 20:07:01 EDT
Without further delay, here are the Top Selling games as of the week starting from August 3rd:

  • 1 Warcraft III: Reign Of Chaos
  • 2 The Sims
  • 3 The Sims: Vacation Expansion Pack
  • 4 Grand Theft Auto 3
  • 5 Backyard Baseball 2003
  • 6 Neverwinter Nights -
  • 7 Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault
  • 8 The Sims: Hot Date Expansion Pack
  • 9 The Sims: Livin Large Expansion Pack
  • 10 Roller Coaster Tycoon
  • No surprise, Warcraft 3 still leads the way, and it's going to be a long time before we see the game dethroned.... in everything goes well, it'll still be in the Top 10 when the expansion is released. Oh... there's just too many sim games.


    NEWS FOR Wednesday, August 21, 2002

    Your Favorite Maps Improved - Deathwing @ 22:29:24 EDT
    Motivated the by large number of downloads and high demand, the authors of two previous map of the moments here at Infoceptor has taken the time to make their maps even better.

    CreepFight v1.1 has fixed a few of the bugs in the original and now has the new items and units in English. If you enjoyed the previous installment where your pit your heroes against monsters of all shapes and sizes, you'll like this one.

    In addition OneBadLarva has put up a second version of his popular ElfCraft map, a total conversion which gives you control of the Elven race. In the newer version, there's a different map, new building graphic and balance changes. Be sure to check it out.

    Got a map? You can upload it instantly. over half a hundred maps can be located in the archive.


    Editting Unit Sounds - Deathwing @ 22:17:25 EDT
    Blizzard has posted a reply in regards to the fact that the World Edit currently doesn't really support custom sounds.  They state that this feature will be included in the next patch. Find out more over here.

    New Strategy : Anti-Huntress Strategies - 2Xtreme21 @ 12:15:39 EDT
    Nightmyre's 1.02 strategy is featured next and it centers around Anti-Huntress strategies for Human and Undead.  It's written very thoroughly and it is very easy to understand and execute.  It's definitly worth a read if the "Huntress Cheese" ticks you off.


    NEWS FOR Tuesday, August 20, 2002

    Orc Mission 7 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 19:59:07 EDT
    The 7th mission of the Orc Campaign is the second largest dungeon creep you'll meet in the entire singleplayer experience, featuring dozens of creeps that simply own. Starting with a minimal amount of units, it's your uber hero control skills that'll determine whether you win or lose... and they’ll need to be fairly uber on hard difficulty.

    Whereabouts are all the awesome items on the level, like the Crown of Kings, Lion Horn of Stormwind and Claws of attack +12? Which way to you get to navigate through the confusing maze of waygates? Which creeps to fight and which to avoid? Find out in our latest walkthrough:

    That leaves only one more mission of the Orc Campaign to write up.


    NEWS FOR Monday, August 19, 2002

    Orc Mission 6 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 20:08:48 EDT
    The sixth Orc Missions gives Grom Hellscream a rest and again you control the familiar Far Seer. Featuring two side quests and two human enemies intent on stalling your progress, it's not a map that you can expect to win quickly... at least not on hard difficulty.

    What is the best way to stop enemy drops cold without having to commit any troops? How should you take siege of the enemy on the cliff tops? What can Cairn is used to maximum effect? Find out:

    Expect a new addition soon. 


    Infoceptor Wallpaper - 2Xtreme21 @ 15:35:45 EDT
    Enrickey has submitted an outstanding background based off of Infoceptor.  It includes the Infoceptor logo and some cool designs.  It's definitly worth a look.  Download it below.


    New Strategy : Carrion Swarm vs. Shockwave - 2Xtreme21 @ 7:45:11 EDT
    Our next 1.02 strategy comes from LiNKiN-PArK, who took time to analyze the Dread Lord's spell Carrion Swarm and the Tauren Chieftan's spell Shockwave.  He shows the up-sides and down-sides of both and even included a few statistics about each one.  It's definitly worth a read.


    NEWS FOR Sunday, August 18, 2002

    Farming Around - Deathwing @ 21:06:05 EDT
    Darky has sent word of this interesting screenshot that he had a chance to take during a rather relaxing 4vs4 in Warcraft 3. Take a look, it's good for a laugh.

    Comment


    Orc Mission 5 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 20:07:24 EDT
    The 5th mission of the Orc Campaign really starts to pick up the heat, as you take on, of all creatures, a demigod. Featuring a whopping 4000hp, divine armor and over 150 damage dealt per strike, this guy is no pushover.

    How do you defend yourself against their overwhelming initial strike? When should you embark on the search for the Chaos Well and how do you defeat a demigod? Find out:

    More walkthroughs are to come.


    Warcraft 3 Tournamenet - Deathwing @ 20:00:22 EDT
    Warcraft 3 Strategy has sent word that they've launched a 1vs1 Warcraft 3 Tournament featuring a top prize of $400. There’s an entry fee of $5. If you're interested, take a look.

    Possible Disconnect Hack? - Deathwing @ 19:11:47 EDT
    Rumors had spread about the internet about the availability of a disconnect hack for Warcraft 3. This one is serious indeed, and could potentially cause even more trouble than the map hack. It allows a player to change his Warcraft 3 datafiles in the middle of a game, and therefore dysyncing the game. As Battle.net is unable to determine who's datafiles was actually changed, neither players gets a win. Undoubtedly, hackers can use when they're about to lose.

    Thankfully this hack can only function in a 1vs1 game. In games with any more than 2 players, it'll be easy for Battle.net to detect who activated the hack. So, that's perhaps another reason to play team ladders, at least for the time being. Kudos to Ishanmael for the news

    Comment


    NEWS FOR Saturday, August 17, 2002

    New Poll - Deathwing @ 21:26:30 EDT
    Recently, Blizzard released V1.02 for Warcraft 3 and there was much disappointment that no balance changes were made to player units. Most especially of these were the huntress, which many players believe is just slightly overpowered. However many other also firmly believe that with some skill, Huntresses are easy to beat. What's your opinion? Vote this week.

    Comment


    Poll Results - Deathwing @ 21:04:32 EDT
    A new week has started, time for a new poll. Without further delay, here are the results to the current one:

    Which pure spellcaster do you find most useful?
    Elven Priest   186   15% 
    Sorceress   94   8% 
    Orc Shaman   439   36% 
    Witch Doctor   82   7% 
    Necromancer   330   27% 
    Banshee   34   3% 
    Druid of the Talon   56   5% 

    TOTAL

    1221

    100 %

    Interesting results. but not unexpected. The Orc Shaman took top spot, Bloodlust being their crowning glory. Indeed, the fact that this spell if able to boost a units attack speed by a whopping 40% for so little mana makes it essential for any Orc army. The other shaman spells ain't bad either, with Purge great against summons and lightning shield deadly when used correctly.

    Second was the Necromancer, and there spells are definitely not half bad. The Elven Priest takes third place for the simple fact that he can kill skeletons. Unfortunately, apart from these three, other casters are almost never seen in a game.


    NEWS FOR Friday, August 16, 2002

    Map of the Moment: CreepFight - Deathwing @ 21:27:02 EDT
    Want a level where you can just hack and slash through monster and monster, getting three super powerful heroes with super powerful items? This week's map is the right one for you. KFC-RedBulle has created a map where you and up to one ally can fight all the creeps that you'd ever want to.

    Featuring tones of new bosses, items and monsters that fill the whole screen, it's pretty cool, especially for filling in times where you don't have time to launch into a multiplayer game.

    Download here (310 kb).

    Got a awesome map that you want to share? Be sure to upload it instantly. Check out other cool maps in the archive.


    New Strategy : Sleep - 2Xtreme21 @ 14:50:22 EDT
    The first of many 1.02 strats features Drkdstryer with the proper of usage of the Dread Lord's spell, Sleep.  He goes into detail of how to use it against different kinds of opponents.  It's very thorough and is a great read.  Go check it out.


    Learn To Play 1.01 Replays Once Again - ShadowHawk @ 8:03:03 EDT
    Over at Mr Fixit Online, they have posted up a way to view 1.01 replays.  This will calm all those angry gamers who had some really cool 1.01 replays and now cannot play them.  To find out exactly how to do it, be sure to head over there and take a look.

    IT Specialist Job - ShadowHawk @ 7:55:03 EDT
    Blizzard is now looking for an IT Specialist.  "Job Duties would include building, configuring, installing, modifying and repairing computer hardware/software systems. In addition they would provide technical assistance to our development teams as well as training our system users. An ideal candidate would be an extremely customer focused and organized individual. They would also possess a high level of experience related to hardware and software."  If you want more information, click here.

    NEWS FOR Thursday, August 15, 2002

    Orc Mission 4 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 19:42:28 EDT
    The fourth mission of the Orc Campaign introduces a number of new elements. You gain control of a new hero, new units, and new mercenaries. These are the tools you need to collect the massive 15000 lumber required to complete the mission.

    What are the best ways to collect lumber? Should I destroy the Night Elf bases or stick to chopping lumber with my peons? How effective are the shredders and how best to you face the new enemy? Find out: 

    We'll have more walkthroughs up for you soon.


    Top Selling Games - Deathwing @ 19:25:45 EDT
    PC Data  has announced the top selling games of the week from the week ending August 3. Warcraft III continues to reign supreme, with no end in sight:

    1) Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (Vivendi)
    2) Neverwinter Nights (Infogrames)
    3) The Sims: Vacation (Electronic Arts)
    4) The Sims (Electronic Arts)
    5) Grand Theft Auto III (Rockstar)
    6) Backyard Baseball 2003 (Infogrames)
    7) Zoo Tycoon (Microsoft)
    8) Medal of Honor (Electronic Arts)
    9) The Sims: Hot Date (Electronic Arts)
    10) The Sims: Livin' Large (Electronic Arts)

    Interesting also to note that out of the Top 10 Selling games, four of them are The Sims... getting a little extreme huh?


    Patch 1.02 Released & More - ShadowHawk @ 12:05:15 EDT
    Blizzard has released Patch 1.02 for Warcraft III.  Here are the list of changes:

    FIXES
    - Fixed an issue that allowed players to abuse dragons with Devour.
    - Fixed an issue with dragons that could cause them to divert attacks.

    BALANCE CHANGES

    - Necklace of Immunity, Tome of Greater Experience, and Goblin Land Mines no longer randomly drop in multiplayer games.
    - Scroll of Resurrection & Scroll of Animate Dead item level increased.
    - Bridges are no longer destroyable on the (6)Stromguarde.w3m map.

    NOTE: Replays are incompatible between major game revisions. (1.01 replays cannot be viewed with the 1.02 version of Warcraft III.)

    Just connect to Battle.net to receive the latest patch.  Another change to Warcraft III is for landmines.  Read up on the change here.


    NEWS FOR Wednesday, August 14, 2002

    Orc Mission 3 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 22:06:05 EDT
    The third Orc Mission is the first mission in the Warcraft 3 Campaign where your helped by a computer AI. While the Warsong clan hardly displays any semblance of battle tactics, and the enemy, for some reason, strikes you and never them, your computer friend can still be used to great advantage.

    What units make the best support for Warsong's attacks? Is there anyway to predict who Grom Hellscream will attack next? Find out in the latest walkthrough

    Expect more additions very soon!


    Vivendi Makes New Gaming Company - ShadowHawk @ 8:56:10 EDT
    Reuters.com has announced that Vivendi is on it's way to publish a new gaming company.  Even though Vivendi announced that it might be selling off Blizzard, it seems they still have the cash to make a whole new gaming studio.  Black Label Games is the name of Vivendi's newest venture.  Be sure to take a look at the article right here.

    NEWS FOR Tuesday, August 13, 2002

    New Fan Art - Deathwing @ 20:10:35 EDT
    Today, we bring you two excellent pieces of Fan Art. The first, a great sketch of Jaina Proudmoore, the second, a stunning full color picture of a female high templar. Be sure to check them out:

    Want more eye candy? Be sure to visit our huge Fan Art Gallery, with hundreds of pictures. If you're a talented artist and feel you can create something as good as those that are being published, be sure to send it over.

    Comment


    New Strategy : Armored Army - Shield of Faith - 2Xtreme21 @ 9:07:45 EDT
    Webby has submitted an outstanding remake of Crimson's Armored Army Strategy during the beta.  He goes into detail of what units you should use and what method to best slaughter your enemies.  It's an excellent read and I highly recommend all players read this.


    New Wallpaper - ShadowHawk @ 8:05:14 EDT
    Blizzard has wrapped up their wallpaper series with the Night Elf backround wallpaper.  You can take a look at it right here.

    NEWS FOR Monday, August 12, 2002

    Orc Mission 2 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 21:01:54 EDT
    The second mission of the Orc Campaign turns up the heat, and is one of the rather difficult missions out there where you don't start off with a base. The problem here is that unlike most missions of this type, the enemy does not have a finite number of troops, only you do. Therefore, taking things slow and cautious may no longer be the best approach....

    Is it worth it to make a detour into centaur encampments for a few items? How best can you protect your Kodos? Is there any way to make the move faster? Find out:

    We'll have more walkthroughs soon.


    Best Heavy Melee Unit - Deathwing @ 20:44:50 EDT
    Wraithfighter has written up a nice mathematical analysis of the four heavy melee units in Warcraft 3, one for each for the races. He's conclusions are certainly interesting, and definitely worth reading.

    NEWS FOR Sunday, August 11, 2002

    Death and Decay Beta Style - Deathwing @ 20:10:02 EDT
    Devourer has created a very nice mode for Warcraft 3 that converts the Lich's Death and Decay into what it looked like in the beta. A nice patch, consider that it can be used on Battle.net, as it changes graphics only. Though, I would back up my War3patch.mpq first. Find it here.

    If you have a Warcraft 3 Custom, as in a custom skin, mpq file, as in any mod that can't be done with just the World Editor, be sure to send it. We're looking to start a custom archive for Warcraft 3.


    Orc Mission 1 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 19:57:04 EDT
    Today, we launch into the first episode of our complete walkthrough of the Orc Campaign on hard difficulty. For the first mission, 'Landfall' is certainly not trivial. While it is particularly hard, make any serious blunder, fail to find reinforcements, and you'll hard pressed to complete it.

    Where can you find your orc survivors, including those trapped trolls? Whereabouts can you find the Healing and should you use or save them? Be sure to find out:

    We'll have more installments soon.


    NEWS FOR Saturday, August 10, 2002

    New Poll - Deathwing @ 20:51:33 EDT
    In this week's poll, we take a systematic survey of all the pure spellcasters in Warcraft 3. There's many, and some are certainly seen more often than others. Which spellcaster do you consider the most useful? Vote in this week's poll.

    Poll Results - Deathwing @ 20:36:35 EDT
    Due to a small technical glitch, the poll last week was reset somewhere in the middle, and a majority o votes were lost. However, we gathered enough in the end to come to a conclusion:

    Which of the heroes in Warcraft 3 do you consider most useless?
    (Comment)

    Paladin   57   18% 
    Frost Lich   146   45% 
    Tauren Chieftain   21   7% 
    Priestess of the Moon   44   14% 
    Something Else   54   17% 

    TOTAL

    322

    100 %
    ..

    It appears that the Frost Lich is the least favored of all heroes... mostly due to his weak hit points and necessity to be micromanaged all the time. The Paladin and the Priestess came near second equal, and both are used somewhat as secondary heroes for their auras. Out of the least used bunch, the Tauren was most popular, it seems the Orc heroes are best balanced out of all four races.


    Beta Strategy Archive - 2Xtreme21 @ 15:07:23 EDT
    I spent the good part of tonight putting up an archive of all the Warcraft III Beta Strategies.  If you might have noticed, all of the beta strategies from the index are gone and have been moved to the Beta Strategy Archive.  Check it out if you want to see how much Warcraft III has "evolved" from Patch 1.03 of the Beta to now.


    New Strategy : Dual Orc Strategy - 2Xtreme21 @ 12:35:38 EDT
    Zenith has submitted a good Orc strategy that involves both you and your teammate being Orc.  He goes into detail of when and how you should attack.  It's a good read for all Orc players.  Make sure you play this on a big map though.


    NEWS FOR Friday, August 9, 2002

    Map of the Moment: ElfCraft - Deathwing @ 21:43:30 EDT
    So... tired of the four races in Warcraft 3 and itching to try something new? Our Moment of the Moment created by OneBadLarva  will be the map for you.

    Elfcraft, is a total conversion map based on MoonGlade which transforms the human race into the High Elves. It features of of the Elven units you had to fight in the Undead Campaign, including their towers and Ranger hero. In addition, there's half a dozen new units like the Siege Golem included to balance out the race. A great map for LAN parties:

    Do you have an excellent map that you want the world to see? You can upload it instantly and check out what other users think of it. We’ll announce exceptional maps here for additional fame, so don't miss out.


    Vivendi to Sell Blizzard - Deathwing @ 18:16:53 EDT
    Reuters has written an artical in regards to Vivendi, the owner of Blizzard as well as two other video game companies (Valve, and Universal Interactive),  and their plan to sell their video game sector to pay for their 19 billion dollar debt. What does it mean for us gamers? Not too much. Blizzard has been sold before and the effects to us were really neglible. However, it is an interesting read.

    Kudos to Jeff Barrett for the news.


    Ladder Changes - ShadowHawk @ 8:40:04 EDT
    Blizzard has released this comment about the new Ladder changes:

    We have changed player matching in random team games such that players are more evenly distributed between teams by level. Also we have removed two game types from Warcraft III, Team Free For All and Arranged Team Free For All. We found that these game types are currently unpopular. These game types may return in the future.

    Blizzard should have left the game types in so if anyone would want to play them. they would be there.  However, it's Blizzard's decision and we must abide by it.


    Reviews A Plenty - ShadowHawk @ 8:35:13 EDT
    The reviews are still rolling in so here's a nice recap of all the reviews that have went down recently:

    Those reviews should give you an accurate opinion on whether the game is right for you.


    New Strategy : Druid of the Claw Build - 2Xtreme21 @ 6:25:22 EDT
    Amadais sent in a nice build order for Night Elves which features the use of the Druid of the Claw.  He goes into detail about why and how you should use the Druid of the Claw.  For all the Night Elf players out there that just mass Huntresses, you might want to check this out.  :)


    NEWS FOR Thursday, August 8, 2002

    Undead Campaign Secrets - Deathwing @ 22:03:40 EDT
    Now that the walkthrough to the Undead campaign has been published, we have posted the complete list of secrets for the missions that it featured. These were found, compiled and written by Chib, who took the painstaking process of examining each map closely with the Trigger Editor. So don't miss out:

    We'll start walkthroughs for the Orc Campaign very soon.


    Gamespot interviews Bill Roper - Deathwing @ 20:36:11 EDT
    Gamespot has written up a nice interview with Bill Roper which reflects on Warcraft 3 and its development process. It also features a nice tidbit about the future:

    As always, we look to the community to help us uncover the biggest balance issues, and we are always watching them play and listening to their feedback. We are currently working on patch 1.02, and many of the potential balance changes will be based on the issues raised by our players. In regard to future changes and additions, we have a lot of ideas and also get some great suggestions on our forums, so we will have to really look at everything that is on the table and discuss what we could do.

    Blizzard continues to stress that they haven't yet made plans for an expansion set, but we expect one to be announced sooner or later.


    Interview with the Map Hack Creator - Deathwing @ 19:32:27 EDT
    WarcraftStrategy has sent word that they've staged an interview with the person who created the map hack that rampages across Battle.net. Apparently the person who created the hack does not support hacking, and has forwarded how the hack may be disabled to Blizzard.

    New Strategy : Human v. Undead - 2Xtreme21 @ 9:05:19 EDT
    Kaye- put together a great strategy that features the use of the Human's melee units to crush the forces of the Undead.  It's a great read for Human players as well as Undead players to work on their strengths and weaknesses.


    NEWS FOR Wednesday, August 7, 2002

    Fakui-San? - Deathwing @ 22:12:10 EDT
    Thought you guys would be interested in this e-mail sent to me by T. Taka about a hidden Easter Egg in Warcraft III

    It's about the speech of a unit. The unit is pissed Orc Witch Doctor, and it says "Fukui-san," and that Fukui-san says, "Yes, go ahead." then Witch Doctor continues "What the Iron Troll is doing right now is putting heads in the pot, they have to boil for 20 minutes so the ice can be used in their second dish, and iron raspberry sorbet." and some female commentator says "Mmmm, sounds good!"

    Well, this sounds very mysterious by itself, but if you know the TV show called "The Iron Chef," and it sounds very natural especially the part where the TV reporter says "Fukui-san," and tells him about the dishes which are being cooked by the Iron Chef. Fukui-san means Mr. Fukui in Japanese, and if you have any Japanese friends around, just ask them, they should tell you what it means. And the reason why I know that is because I am pure Japanese! LOL

    Interesting...  It might pay to find a Japanese speaker.


    Top Selling Games - Deathwing @ 22:02:08 EDT
    PC Data has released to the top selling games of the week from June 20th to 27th. We have the following results:

    1 Warcraft III: Reign Of Chaos
    2 The Sims
    3 The Sims: Vacation Expansion Pack
    4 Neverwinter Nights
    5 Backyard Baseball 2003
    6 Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault
    7 The Sims: Livin Large Expansion Pack
    8 Grand Theft Auto 3
    9 MS Zoo Tycoon
    10 The Sims: Hot Date Expansion Pack

    Again Warcraft III Takes first place, it's going to be while before Blizzard's latest classic stands down from the spot.


    Map Hacker = Banned Hacker - Deathwing @ 21:56:17 EDT
    Blizzard has made the following announcement on the Battle.net forums, stating that they'll take aggressive measures against users of the map hack:

    In keeping with our aggressive stance against hacks and cheats,
    Blizzard will ban the CD key of anyone caught using this hack in
    Warcraft III. Furthermore, we will continue to randomly monitor
    games connected through Battle.net to ensure fair play.

    Please save your replay if you suspect someone has cheated when playing against you. If you have played a game against someone you suspect of having cheated, you can file a complaint at hacks@blizzard.com (be sure to attach your saved replay file). Also, please notify hacks@blizzard.com if you have any information on persons or Web sites found to be distributing
    any type of hack or cheat program affecting any Blizzard game
    .

    It's is nice to see such aggressive action being taken. So Cheaters be warned.... your CD Key will be locked, and that's no good.


    NEWS FOR Tuesday, August 6, 2002

    Red Dragon Bug Replay - Deathwing @ 21:10:41 EDT
    Kelvin Lam has sent over a replay that demonstrates one of the bugs that is often exploited by players in Warcraft 3. The computer AI that control the Red Dragon Creep has a glitch, one that allows you to kill it with no more than an Orc Burrow. See the glitch in action in this replay, where Oman, the Red Player used it to dispatch the two most powerful creeps in the map. (Strangely, he still lost).

    Download it here. Got a replay that you wish to share? Where it's some cool strategy, an awesome comeback, or revealing that damn map hacker, you can submit it in our large Replay Archive.


    New Wallpaper - ShadowHawk @ 13:38:22 EDT
    Blizzard has once again come out with a new wallpaper.  This time, the Undead gets it's time in the spotlight.  Be sure to take a look if you would like to have this cool image as your desktop.

    New Strategy : Human Versus... - 2Xtreme21 @ 13:12:55 EDT
    I am starting a 4-part strategy that deals with what is good to use against a specific race when you are a specific race.  I put up the Human Guide today and it deals with what to do when you are Human going against Undead, Night Elf, Orc, or another Human.  It is the first installment of this guide and once they are all up, it will be updated frequently.

    I divided it into 3 sections:  Air, Ground, and Spellcasters.  Go take a look and tell me what you think.  Comments and help is greatly appreciated.


    NEWS FOR Monday, August 5, 2002

    Undead Mission 8 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 20:52:34 EDT
    The final undead mission is no easy task, and tests your ultimate ability of defending with the undead. It's also the only mission in the Warcraft 3 campaign where you get to control demon units, so it's really quite a fun map. Despite the help, you'll need every ounce of your wit the succeed.

    What should by my primary form of defence? Are the Goblin Land Mines really worth the bother? From which said do they attack with what and how best can I counter each? Find out!

    Stay tuned for more.


    Map Hack Available :( - Deathwing @ 19:35:40 EDT
    Before you start e-mailing us, no, we will not distribute the map hack. But [Mid]Cleese has sent word that one has surfaced online and I thought that it'd be right to warn all you honest players out here.

    If you encounter anyone you suspect of using a map hack, save the replay and watch it. Send the replay to Blizzard and the map hacker will have his account permanently disabled. So in short, don't hack, it's not worth the risk. But be alert for hackers, so we can put an end to them.

    Comment


    Hack Reporting - ShadowHawk @ 10:20:59 EDT
    Marn Thunderhorn has posted up a make shift guide for hacking reporting.  He also goes into detail about a maphack that has been going around.  Also posted was how Blizzard has protecting Warcraft III from hacks and all that nasty stuff.  It is recommended to take a look.  Thanks to [Mid]Cleese for the tip.

    Bill Roper Interview - ShadowHawk @ 8:35:13 EDT
    Once again, Bill Roper has been interviewed.  This time by Frictionless Insight.  The interview consists of most of Blizzard's biggest hits.  Bill talks about Starcraft, Warcraft III, and some World of Warcraft.  The interview isn't the typical Q&A but it's much like an interview a magazine would do.  Be sure to give it a read.

    NEWS FOR Sunday, August 4, 2002

    New Warcraft 3 Walkthrough: Undead 7 - Deathwing @ 21:39:37 EDT
    The 7th level of the Undead adds an interesting twist. Not only must you face three enemies who attack you from land and air, you must also brave through auras deadly to the damned.

    What is the best way to destroy each of the Archmage's maintaining their respective aura's? How can you use the trapped Golems to your best ability and where would you find Khadgar's Pipe of Insight? Find out:

    Expect more walkthroughs to fly through soon.


    War3 Game of the Month - Deathwing @ 19:31:40 EDT
    The guys over at Gamespot has just rated Warcraft III as the top game of July. Feel free to read their comments here.

    NEWS FOR Saturday, August 3, 2002

    Undead Mission 6 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 21:12:07 EDT
    Provided you build the right units and the right strategies, the sixth level of the Undead Campaign should offer you a little respite. In this level, your severely outnumbered and attacked from all sides... but you have an extra hero, and the power Frost Wyrms on your side.

    What should be my primary unit for this mission and how do I utilize my Lich? Are there any secrets and how can one destroy the town that trains Red Dragons? Find out, which base to eliminate first and what spells to use in the latest walkthrough:

    Expect more walkthroughs soon :)


    New Poll - Deathwing @ 20:47:15 EDT
    In this week's poll, we continue to probe the issue of game balance in Warcraft 3. Anyone who plays a good number of games on Battle.net will soon notice the absence of a number of heroes. Notably, very few players used the Paladin, Lich, Priestess or the Tauren Chieftain. Which hero do find most useless in multiplayer games? Cast your vote.

    Comment


    Poll Results - Deathwing @ 20:40:05 EDT
    A new week, and it's time for a new poll. Without delay, below are the results to the current one:

    Which race is the most powerful one in Warcraft 3?
    Humans   67   6% 
    Orcs   202   19% 
    Undead   147   14% 
    Night Elves   353   33% 
    It's Balanced   316   29% 

    TOTAL

    1085

    100 %
    ..

    From the result, it looks like Warcraft 3 isn't as balanced as Blizzard has hoped. Indeed, I've witnished the deminishing number of human players on Battle.net. They main complaint if that their starting units are far too weak, and are no match for those of the other races. I tend to agree.

    Night Elves were voted as the powerful, again due to their starting unit. Huntresses have caused many headaches for numerous players....  We hope Blizzard addresses these problems in the next patch.


    New Strategy : Mass Teleport - 2Xtreme21 @ 5:20:48 EDT
    The.Pants.Dance sent in a Human strategy that involves using the Archmage's Ultimate, Mass Teleport, to teleport 24 of your units into the back of your enemy's base.  It's easy to execute and can be very deadly if used correctly.  Go give it a read.


    NEWS FOR Friday, August 2, 2002

    Map of the Moment: King of the Hill - Deathwing @ 21:33:30 EDT
    Today, we bring you another highlight from our ever growing Warcraft 3 Map Archive. In today's feature, we bring you 'King of the Hill'

    A mix between the classic King of the Hill of Starcraft and Starcraft Ranchers, King of the Hill for Warcraft 3 in a map where two teams try to secure the central hill for 15 minutes. The catch is that while you've got the hill, you don't get any gold... A great map for Lan Parties.

    Download it here (107kb).

    Got a Warcraft 3 Map? Submit it for thousands to see via this link instantly. Also be sure to browse through our growing archive of cool scenarios.


    New Human Wallpaper - ShadowHawk @ 17:28:03 EDT
    Following suit, Blizzard has put up the Human Box art that now can be placed as your wallpaper.  Prince Arthas looks great with all the detail Blizzard has put into him.  It would make a good wallpaper for all those Warcraft III girl gamers.  Check it out here.

    New Strategy : The Many Uses of Sentry Wards - 2Xtreme21 @ 8:21:10 EDT
    LiNKIn-PArK has put together 2 un-orthadox ways to use Sentry Wards effectively. 1 way is to trap your opponents' expansions and the other is to actually trap your opponents' melee hero.  This is a pretty good read so I suggest you go over and take a look.

    Check out our strat archive for more strats and if you have one don't hesitate to send it over.


    NEWS FOR Thursday, August 1, 2002

    Undead Mission 5 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 23:00:39 EDT
    In the fifth mission of the undead, it is time for the final siege on Silvermoon. On hard difficulty, this mission is no pushover. You start with one Gold Mine, and there's no way to obtain another short of destroying the enemy's main base.

    So how do you overcome this difficulty? Which way the the runner's go, and how do you stop them? Find out in the latest walkthrough:

    Expect more walkthroughs soon.


    Starcraft: Team Fortress - ShadowHawk @ 8:32:33 EDT
    Hercanic has informed me that the good people over at Campaign Creations have cooked up a new mod for StarcraftStarcraft: Team Fortress, or STF, is in the beta stages as of late.  The mod mirrors the gameplay of Team Fortress and equips the units of Starcraft with the weapons that are present in Team Fortress.  To find out more about this mod, be sure to head over there and take a look.