Ask Blizzard Employees About Things That Matter

In just a few days, some of us will be making the trek to this year's Blizzcon event in Anaheim, CA. In addition to the interesting announcements, sneak peeks, and other distractions, we will be sitting down with several Blizzard employees to answer any questions you might have. So far we have scheduled some time with Chris Sigaty, lead producer on StarCraft II; Jeffrey Kaplan (aka Tigole), game director for World of Warcraft; Leonard Boyarsky, lead world designer on Diablo III; and Paul Sams, Blizzard COO. Please address your questions to one (or several) of these candidates and try to keep them civil and on topic. Questions about Diablo III's art style will most likely be omitted since we have limited time and that dead horse has already been beaten into submission. The usual Slashdot interview rules apply, but beyond that, the sky is the limit.

Comments

Diablo III Mousing

[vjmurphy]

For Leonard Boyarsky, lead world designer on Diablo III: what mice do those at Blizzard use for Diablo III? Some industrial, made of titanium, super-reliable mouse with smooth right and left clicking action? Or do you run through mice like an Amazon through Tal Rasha's Tomb?

Will Diablo III introduce any new mousing techniques, like perhaps middle clicking, or triple left clicking? How about support for right and left mouse wheel clicking available on logitech and microsoft mice?

Follow Up Question

[mfh]

Do you feel that Blizzard's dominance hurts other MMORPGs?

And to follow up that question, how does it feel to bask in the glory of your defeated enemies, drinking their blood as they futility attempt to dethrone your empire, unsuccessfully and without any hope? Do you ever break out into song, perhaps in Orcish or Gutterspeak, to said victories, uncontrollably -- or have you become numbed by the whole experience?

The Colbert Report asked Rush this, so...

[bigstrat2003]

To any of the interviewees: do you ever get tired of being so awesome and kicking so much ass?

Re:Dear Blizzard

[Otter]

Can you estimate the damages I would need to pay you for loading a copy of World of Warcraft into my computers memory a million times using an unauthorized method?

I imagine that Blizzard does in fact employ people capable of multiplying some number by a million and getting an accurate result, not just an estimate. You should have gone with a billion, or some other number that defies calculation.

Dear Blizzard:

[Windows_NT]

Is it cold in your office?

Re:Classes, Races & Professions

[The_reformant]

To Jeffrey Kaplan (aka Tigole), game director for World of Warcraft: Zug-zug?

Re:Six Sigma at Blizzard

[Nefarious Wheel]

More to the point, how do you handle the approach of MBA's? Do you just stand off and send in the pet, or drop a snake trap and wait for their approach? Can they be soloed? And why are the only tameable Auditors caster-stat?

for Jeffrey Kaplan aka Tigole

[way2trivial]

Where exactly is the USB key with the "Sword of a Thousand Truths" right now?? and exactly how is it guarded??

Re:The Original Warcraft.

[BloodyIron]

Please state your answer in the form of a question.