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Hearthstone play and developer Q&A
Over the weekend, as I mentioned in WRUP, I was in Paris. What I didn't mention was that I was there for the EU Fansite Community Summit at Blizzard Europe in Versailles. Blizzard's EU team were fantastically generous and wonderful hosts, and it was an excellent weekend altogether. The biggest highlight for me, and almost certainly for everyone else there, was that we got to play Hearthstone! We had about enough time for three full games, in a relaxed setting, but also with the Blizzard EU Community Team floating around to help us out and give us tips and input on how best to play. It was a fantastic surprise. Even more amazing to a Blizzard geek like me was that, shortly after finishing our game time, we got to sit down for a Q&A about Hearthstone with none other than the lead developers Ben Brode and Eric Dodds. So, what came out of that? Hearthstone Gameplay How was Hearthstone? First and foremost, what we got to play was an alpha, which only developers and internal staff had previously accessed. It has not changed a great deal in overall appearance since PAX, but many key gameplay changes have been incorporated. Unfortunately, due to Blizzard policy, we were unable to take pictures or video of the play session or anything else that took place.
TradeChat interviews two Hearthstone developers
A lot of the news lately has been about Hearthstone, the new digital card came announced by Blizzard at PAX. Our own intrepid Dawn Moore interviewed Eric Dodds and Jason Chayes about the game. But with such an interesting game on the horizon, who wouldn't be eager for more? TradeChat got the chance to interview Ben Brode and Jason Chayes about the game. Covering topics like the difference between purchased and earned packs, accessibility, and even the crafting system. It's a pretty cool interview and provides even more insight to the game. Check out the video and let TradeChat know what you think!
Daily iPhone App: Brawl
Ben Brode is a game designer at Blizzard Entertainment who has created an iOS card game called Brawl (we're still waiting for iOS games from Blizzard, by the way). Brawl is actually based on a real card game, and unlike most turn-based card games, this one's played in real time (similar to Spoons, if you've ever played that one, in that you simply lay down cards as fast as you can). The basic idea is that you pile up cards of a certain color as you pull them off of a bigger deck, and then you can claim or cancel "bases" laid out on a field. The game can be a little tough to get the hang of (though there's a pretty solid tutorial to play through), but after you get it, it's pretty simple to play. It's also tough to master, however. There are a few different decks to play with, and while they may seem similar at first, there's actually a lot of strategy in choosing to either block a base or clear it out at the right time. It's a fun mix of cards and fighting games, and of course playing the game on iOS makes for a nice representation of the action. There's local and online Game Center multiplayer support, and while the game comes with three decks, you can buy more via an in-app purchase. The art's 2D and simple, but it looks great, and the game runs well -- just as solid as you'd expect from someone with Blizzard experience. Brawl's available right now as a universal version for free, and the other decks in the game can be picked up for $1.99 each.
