Picture of Lich King on Throne From Blizzard Art Book
Dave Kosak: This theme has been really powerful. We always kind of had it in the back pocket, every bit something that would be keen for Hearthstone. Nosotros too wanted to time it out right. We like to mix it up a lot with Hearthstone – take some funny stuff, mannerly stuff, and kind of brand sure you lot're e'er surprised with each expansion. So it felt like this was a good time to bust out with this one. It's got a piffling bit more of a serious accept, but at the same fourth dimension information technology's even so Hearthstone, and you saw some of that – it'southward the Hearthstone version of this theme in the preview stuff we've shown so far.
IGN: How did you get to this bespeak? Were there other ideas you explored that didn't work out?
"The thought that all of our nine marquee heroes get inverse into Death Knights, that came pretty early…" – Dave Kosak.
Jerry Mascho: On our squad, one of the internal artists, Jomaro Kindred, he's the senior concept artist on the team, he did these really cool designs for each of the heroes, and he worked with [game] design to find out what these guys would look like, as far as taking those iconic heroes and showing the dark side, and actually amping that up. They're not just Death Knights, they're something totally dissimilar.
IGN: It must have been a lot of fun to reinvent all nine of those heroes.
Jerry Mascho: Aye, nosotros had a lot of fun with that.
IGN: I'm curious whether the art direction informed the game design at all? Like, if the initial concept art for Jaina includes her holding a particular staff or something and then that feeds back.
Jerry Mascho: On the art team nosotros always want to support gameplay first, and then it was ever an thought that came from design, and we're just trying to dilate that and brand sure it's actually clear to the players, so it'south super accessible and also actually clear that when you're playing that hero that looks like what he or she does.
"We wanted to embody the three presences of Death Knights – the blood, the plague, the unholy – so, the nine heroes kind of practise autumn in those categories, and maybe if y'all do look at the art closely y'all might exist able to figure out who's falling into each one." – Dave Kosak.
IGN: It'south Mean Streets all over again!
Dave Kosak: (Laughs) Yeah, just mechanically they do all play uniquely.
IGN: People have been asking for Expiry Knight as a grade since the earliest days of Hearthstone, so I love that y'all've found a way to implement information technology on a whole other level, implementing information technology in a unique way beyond all ix classes.
Dave Kosak: We tell people – information technology's nine times the fun! You want to brand sure in an expansion everybody has something to do, and this mode all nine classes have something really exciting going on. You really get a whole lot of gameplay out of that, and so going downwards the line it'due south much easier in expansion after expansion to follow it up, because we have these nine hero cards, and there'll continue to be hero cards while this is in standard rotation. They'll even so fit into what'southward happening downwards the line. IGN: Having a bespoke thought embodied in a build-around carte for each class is an interesting trend for this twelvemonth'southward expansions. Outset we had Un'Goro's Quests and now this. I think information technology'southward a really cool direction to go in because it just opens things upward then much more – they're much less likely to simply build on archetypes that are already there. And using Rexxar as an instance, that class is a bit hamstrung by its hero ability, but now this allows yous to shift information technology up.
Dave Kosak: Yes, I call up that 1 should come across some [play] – it's costed so information technology's kind of at that line where just as you're transitioning from the mid-game to the stop-game you make this large splash, this big bear upon and suddenly y'all're changing up the way the game plays out. It's a fun card.
Jerry Mascho: The fact that you can do it each turn and you can choose what you need situationally is powerful. It's nice.
Dave Kosak: The "build-a-brute" lets you really modify up your game.
IGN: Information technology'southward very much like the adjacent evolution of the Discover mechanic. The biggest question is just whether it'south besides tiresome. You guys have been adding control Hunter tools for a while though, so maybe this is the set that it'll come up together.
Dave Kosak: Our final design squad is working really hard to ensure that information technology becomes part of the play.
You can see "build-a-animate being" in action, every bit well as other new cards, to a higher place.
IGN: What were the initial discussions like in terms of your roles – concept art and mission design?Dave Kosak: Information technology's a super collaborative process… it's the whole team getting together and saying "what's going to be really really absurd?" What's fun is that we all come at it from different angles, so I – until recently – was on the Earth of Warcraft team, and then I was really fascinated by "what's the kind of story we're telling?" And by story I don't mean, y'know, the narrative of A happens and B happens, I hateful, like, what'south the theme behind these heroes. Who are they? What practise they become? And then the story with Rexxar is he gets this unholy power and starts stitching together his animals and these abominations. Information technology'south a really fun story for me. And so I was trying to await at it as – what's the story with each of these heroes, whereas another approach is – what's the cool design? What would be really fun to see in Hearthstone? Does that map to any of these heroes? And again, super iterative and what nosotros try and do is put stuff in the game and endeavour it right abroad, and see if works, see how it plays. Hunter was 1 of the ones where once it was in-game and we started putting the cards together, information technology was super fun, and so that stays! (Laughs) That works really well.
Jerry Mascho: On the art direction side information technology was super collaborative. I personally didn't piece of work on the new designs for the heroes - Jomaro Kindred did, simply he worked with Ben Brode and Ben Thompson, our fine art managing director, in a very collaborative process. And for the first pass, they were just trying to get an idea of what these things could be, and as design tightened upwardly what they wanted to do mechanic-wise, that really informed what the art would be, and they built that into the next level, take everything to xi – what these guys await like is Decease Knights – and go from at that place. Dave Kosak: Talking nigh that iteration, mechanically we tried a lot of unlike things to sort of express how these characters become Death Knights. Exercise they shuffle different cards into your deck? Do they practice different things like that? Until we finally came out with the – permit'due south change up the hero ability, and lets take them enter the lath with a huge splash. That big entrance really ends up becoming part of the marquee. In the case of Deathstalker Rexxar when he comes on the board and just fans out arrows on every minion – FOOM! – and then just starts making these monsters, information technology makes a large affect, and then one time we had a couple of heroes that did that, we're like "okay, that has to happen". That'south the fantasy in a big manner when you sort of slam your fist on the board and say "I'm a Decease Knight at present!" And we really doubled down on that.
IGN: It's one of the things that Hearthstone does better than any other CCG – the bear upon of all the animations and sound furnishings. Information technology's all just so lovingly crafted.
Jerry Mascho: 1 of our FX artists, Hadidjah Chamberlin, created all of the "come up into play" effects on the new heroes and I think Rexxar really sells that story. Even playing Rexxar for and then long and now you're telling the story of becoming Deathstalker Rexxar, and that come into play effect happening as he slams down, it tells that story. And it's really good to feel that and to play that menu.
IGN: How has the shift from missions being linked to adventures – and a smaller prepare of cards, to beingness linked to a full expansion set up changed your opportunities for storytelling? For instance, when Mean Streets came out, I was similar "human, I'd love to see some more story content around this!"
Dave Kosak: Right! That's exactly how we felt about Mean Streets. Nosotros had these great bang-up characters, and you kind of had the quest that you could do when the expansion launched to sort of introduce the characters, but yous actually didn't get to interact with them in a way that was narrative. And this gives usa an opportunity to practise that. And yes, going forwards, we're excited almost that. Information technology'll be total 135 card sets, besides equally this opportunity to tell a little fleck of story with the missions. And the goal of missions now, it kind of changes, because you're not gating cards behind the content. Now it'southward really about getting people excited about the expansion, getting people interacting with the new cards in a new way, introducing these characters to players, that's important. It's specially important here because Hearthstone players might non take played Warcraft 3 or World of Warcraft, they might non know who the Lich Rex is yet. We've got to really establish who the Lich King is and that tin be fun, because nosotros kind of give a Hearthstone accept on information technology.
IGN: Well, I'yard that guy. I came to Hearthstone having played very little WoW. The game just appealed to me because of how great the game design was and how great the presentation was. So yes, I've only been piecing together bits and pieces of WoW lore over the concluding few years. I obviously know how important the Lich King is to Warcraft fans, merely it'southward not like I've played through that content. It must be an interesting challenge balancing fan service with also trying to get to the core essence of what newcomers need to understand about these characters.
Dave Kosak: Yep, and it really informed the mission pattern. If you played World of Warcraft, it'southward kind of like a greatest hits of the raid. Y'all see the characters you recognise in a new context, they'll exist doing mechanics that kind of echo the things that happened in the raid, but with a very Hearthstone spin on it. But even if you've never seen these characters before, at present y'all get to be introduced to them and what they're all about, and have a lot of fun with them. And a few of those bosses and so are going to become collectible cards that are in the set. Super super fun.
IGN: What can y'all tell me about the Hearthstone spin on the Lich King?
Dave Kosak: This is something we iterated on quite a flake because we knew if we going to practice Northrend we were going to do Decease Knights, and we're going to have the Lich King, he'due south going to exist there! But Hearthstone is a very whimsical, charming game. And they're sort of the final words I'd used to describe the Lich King – so what are nosotros going to do?
"I think nosotros establish something that makes the character, he's withal the Lich King, he'south still Prince Arthas, he'southward got that ego, he's got that aggression, just now he's uniquely Hearthstone. It merely works in the context of the game…" – Dave Kosak.
And then we went with a dissimilar direction. Nosotros'll talk about that more as we go toward release, but I retrieve we institute something that makes the graphic symbol, he's still the Lich King, he'due south still Prince Arthas, he'southward got that ego, he'south got that aggression, simply at present he'south uniquely Hearthstone. It simply works in the context of the game, and it'south funny, but in a way that fits the Lich King, right? It'southward not simply him telling jokes.
Jerry Mascho: He's just very very skilful at Hearthstone.
Dave Kosak: (Laughs) Yeah, he's very good at Hearthstone! So nosotros had a lot of fun with that one, only information technology took us a piffling while to get there. At start I was actually worried that we were just losing the character.
Jerry Mascho: On our team, once we heard Dave's description of what the Lich King would exist like we were excited considering we idea of the new board as if Arthas really deputed his minions to brand him a board, so we were kind of thinking well-nigh all these things back from, like, the original cinematic for Wrath of the Lich Rex, when Sindragosa is being raised from underneath the ice we thought – we've got to get a frost wyrm in the ice somewhere. Nosotros also wanted to have a Hearthstone twist on that dark fantasy, so nosotros have a create-your-own ice sculpture in the bottom correct, so we're offsetting that dark fantasy of Death Knight magic, with really comical, fun things... IGN: From an artist's perspective Hearthstone must be a dream game to work on. Every few months you have a really different claiming and tone to work with.
"As an artist it'southward kind of the perfect projection because you have something that's very dark, like One-time Gods or Icecrown, and you have something totally low-cal-hearted like Karazhan.... there'south so much variety, it's really fun to work on visually." – Jerry Mascho.
IGN: Will there still be a Heroic difficulty? Or is that gone?
Dave Kosak: Nosotros had the opportunity, this time around, because we're not gating cards behind the missions, and that always informed our difficulty earlier. Nosotros kind of had to brand sure that most players could beat the normal mode, then we provided the Heroic for a real challenge. Here, nosotros're not gating any cards backside it, then nosotros could actually create a much more than challenging see, then I'd say, probably the level of difficulty is harder than normal and a few of the missions are Heroic difficulty I'd say.
IGN: And then there'southward only one difficulty level.
Dave Kosak: There's simply one, however, we've got one of the most ambitious boss fights nosotros've ever put into Hearthstone, so when yous fight the Lich Rex, that'southward a huge, epic, knockdown, iii phase fight. We'll talk more almost it later, merely the Lich King messes with every course in a dissimilar and unique way, so information technology'due south kind of like nine fights in one.
IGN: Yeah I read that in the official postal service, that he varies his tactics or strategy depending on the class you're playing.
Dave Kosak: Yeah, yep, and some of those fights are really freaking hard! (Laughs) So we recall there'll be a challenge in that location for really skilled players likewise as content there that every player should be able to savor.
"When you fight the Lich King, that'southward a huge, epic, knockdown, three phase fight… the Lich King messes with every class in a different and unique way, so it's kind of similar nine fights in one." – Dave Kosak.
Dave Kosak: Not bad! Well, this is our first time effectually doing mission content with a total expansion and we're trying to find out – what's the difficulty that works in that context? Then give me your feedback when you play information technology, and we'll definitely be watching equally fans play it and see how they practise.
IGN: In the missions y'all're plainly trying to introduce players to the new Expiry Knight versions of the heroes, and the new mechanics and and so on, but you can't presume that they have the card collection – from the new set - to test that stuff. How exercise you approach that?
Dave Kosak: We playtest all of the missions with standard decks with basic cards and come across how nosotros practise. Difficult, but doable. We know in that location's a big skill curve in our players. The style we expect at those missions is that they're really compelling puzzles that change up the rules of the game and force you to make different deck edifice decisions than you might commonly make and find a way to solve that puzzle…
Jerry Mascho: In that location'due south also the fact that we're offering a complimentary legendary – one of the Death Knight [cards] when yous consummate the kickoff prologue.
IGN: Yep, and I recall that's super important. Information technology's a great way to give people a gustatory modality of what the set is all about. Each fourth dimension yous've done something like this – starting with offer C'Thun with Whispers of the Old Gods – the reaction is really good, and people are more likely to be invested.
Dave Kosak: Yeah, the missions will allow you become your collection started, and I think that'll be a lot of fun. Y'all'll get a little chip of headway. IGN: Will the mission content exist rolling out week past week like information technology did for chance releases?
Dave Kosak: Aye, so at release you'll be able to play the prologue, which volition give you the legendary Hero card, likewise as the outset wing, which is 3 bosses, and a calendar week afterwards the second wing will roll out, so three more than bosses, and a calendar week later that you'll get to claiming the Lich King.
IGN: Did you guys consider that you could practice dissimilar timing around the mission content, like for instance you could accept the prologue be a taste and release it a week out from the set, or you could potentially even save story content for once the meta has settled downwards and people are looking for something new. Is that something you'd discussed?
Dave Kosak: Aye, nosotros've been talking near it quite a bit. We're ever experimenting, we're always iterating, so we'll see how this is received. We've talked about both of those scenarios – like, what if the mission is early? But considering information technology's kind of giving you a taste of it we really wanted yous to be able to start your collection right away one time you see what's going on. We want yous to be able to start buying packs. Just yeah, we might change it up going forward.
IGN: Another thought would be to revisit something you've only done in one case to date and brand the cards available in Arena early. It's a keen manner to get people excited and trying out the other main mode.
Dave Kosak: In a general sense we love to go along the game fresh and have a lot going on. As nosotros were on our flying on the mode hither [to Shanghai for HCT Bound] the Fire Festival kicked off, with the Tavern Brawl and the double value quests, then it was like a mini-holiday. It's but keeping yous engaged with the game and having stuff going on.
IGN: How almost class challenges? Are they coming back?
Dave Kosak: No class challenges this fourth dimension around… nosotros're scaling up the mission team, and actually it gives us a lot of freedom going forward considering we're proverb "what would exist the coolest kind of solo content that would expand on this 135 cards?" And so nosotros have large big plans for the future. This time around information technology's a really straightforward dominate encounter that players are going to be familiar with, but nosotros're going to mix it upwardly. It's going to exist pretty heady.
IGN: You definitely take the opportunity to release something like class challenges in a couple of months' time.
Dave Kosak: Exactly, aye.
IGN: In terms of the presentation of the missions, will that exist very much in keeping with what we've seen before? Or are y'all thinking of cine between missions or whatsoever other shifts in the fashion it'll be presented?
Dave Kosak: Let's see, well, down the line annihilation's game. We'll keep experimenting with it and detect out what'due south the all-time storytelling… nosotros do have the opportunity here, which is, if you can beat the terminal boss we'll show yous the full art of your Death Knight hero, which y'all don't get to see necessarily until yous practise that. I'g sure nosotros'll probably [also] release those on the website, considering they're just really absurd. I mean, the artwork that these guys [indicates Jerry] take put together is simply astonishing. It'due south almost the Street Fighter moment when you beat the game.
IGN: In that location should also exist a mini-game between boss fights where you punch a car.
Dave Kosak: (Laughs) Just Death Knights wailing away on a car!
IGN: Jerry I have a question for you. One of the press releases that came through with the announcement mentioned "terrifying bear sharks" and I don't understand for the life of me why you guys didn't lead with that. I didn't come across them at all!
Dave Kosak: If y'all freeze frame the cinematic when the cards are dropping at the beginning you might catch a glimpse of the illusive bear shark.
Jerry Mascho: He'due south there! The shark bear. Simply for a couple of frames. IGN: Crawly. Last question and a broad 1 – what aspect of this expansion have you enjoyed working on the about?
Dave Kosak: For me, the fantasy of the nine "what if?" stories. What's the fantasy of this character condign a Death Knight? When you look at the key art, at that place's 9 stories, correct there, of the heroes. When I see Anduin completely in Shadowform, I go chills. It's just – woah, what happened there? My favourite and it'due south kind of hard to see in the art necessarily, just yous tin see that Thrall has painted the skull mask on, just like Ner'zhul… for the players that exercise know the lore behind that, it'southward spooky. Thrall did that. That has meaning. Those subtle things for people to inkling into if they're actually engaged in the lore. I only relish that then much.
Jerry Mascho: Actually, I got to illustrate the hero fine art for Thrall. That was my first hero analogy. I can't actually talk virtually what it is, you lot guys volition see it presently, simply information technology was really rewarding to exist able to work on a character like Thrall, and show his dark side. That was a lot of fun to work on.IGN: Fantastic. I tin't wait to see information technology. Thanks very much for your time guys!
Cam Shea is senior editor in IGN'due south Sydney office and tries to spend every bit much time equally possible in Nihon. He's on Twitter.Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/07/09/hearthstones-frozen-throne-everything-blizzard-would-tell-us
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