Overview

World of Warcraft, commonly abbreviated “WoW,” is a popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). It is developed by Blizzard Entertainment and boasts over ten million subscribers worldwide. WoW takes place in the virtual world of Azeroth. Players create one or more avatars and complete quests while interacting with other players in the world. WoW is available for both Mac and Windows platforms and requires users to pay a recurring monthly subscription fee.

User Interface

The WoW user interface provides players with a three-dimensional, third person world view of their character. A customizable heads up display (HUD) allows players to view character information and make changes to their avatar. Users often apply "UI mods" to personalize the gameplay interface.

Capabilities

Players have the ability to create and customize avatars as they gain experience in the game. Each avatar has a faction (Alliance or Horde), gender (male or female), class, race, two primary professions, and a class talent specification. By completing quests, players can earn items and gear that equip their characters for higher level game content.

WoW provides different genres of gameplay, including player versus environment (PvE), player versus player (PvP), and role playing (RP). In PvE gameplay, players can quest individually or join raids in which they cooperate to defeat dungeons. PvP mode provides competitive play against other players in arena battles. In role-playing mode, players act and speak as if they were in a virtual world as a fantasy character.

Blizzard provides ongoing support and new content for the WoW community. As of 2011, Blizzard has released three expansion packs: The Burning Crusade (BC), Wrath of the Lich King (WOTLK), and Cataclysm. Each expansion pack allows players to explore new game content and upgrade their characters to a new level maximum. Blizzard also provides regular patch updates for game balancing and bug fixes.

User Community

The WoW user community spans all types of gamers. Players often socialize through organized guilds and maintain a weekly schedule for coordinated gameplay. Popular WoW community websites provide game analysis ("theorycraft"), as well as custom UI mods that can enrich the game experience.

Features:

• MMORPG-style online game with millions of subscribers
• Ongoing development and release of new expansion content
• Totally pluggable and customizable user interface
• Support for PvP, PvE, RP, and RPPvP modes
• Wide user community support
• 24/7 Blizzard support available

System Requirements:

Mac OS

• Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later
• 1.6GHz PowerPC G5 or Intel Core Duo processor
• 1GB RAM
• 64MB video RAM with 3D graphics processor
• 15GB free disk space
• DirectX-compatible sound card
• 1024x768 display

Windows

• Windows XP w/ SP3, Vista, or 7
• 1.3GHz processor
• 512MB RAM (1GB for Vista)
• 32MB video RAM with 3D graphics processor
• 15GB free disk space
• 1024x768 display