NEWS FOR Wednesday, July 31, 2002

Undead Mission 4 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 22:52:34 EDT
The fourth undead mission is one of the few island maps in Warcraft 3 and the only island map in the singleplayer campaign. As such, it’s only expected that strategies different from the norm will have to be applied. The enemy attacks with deadly air, and their ground defense is no weaker. While, you as the undead, start with little gold and will need to use every single piece with care.

How does one preserve gold with outmost efficiency? Which base should be secured first? Where do the waygates lead and how best is it to defeat enemy defenses with minimal losses? Find out in our latest walkthrough:

We’ll have more walkthroughs up very soon.

What? Neverwinter Nights Beating War3? Never! - Deathwing @ 22:20:40 EDT
XilliX has sent word thayt VoodooExtreme has put up a new poll that asks you which of the new games released this year is the best game so far. Right now, Warcraft 3 is second, behind Neverwinter Nights by 7%! Go forth and even the odds now.
 

Top Selling Games - Deathwing @ 21:56:35 EDT
PC Data has released the top selling games of the week starting from July 14th. Warcraft III continues to reign supreme, causing chaos to its competitors. Not even The Sims stand a chance.

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

Starcraft held the position of top selling game for nearly 3 month, and was often the top selling game for the 3 months after that. Lets see in Warcraft 3 can uphold the tradition.


New Strategy : Undead Pwnage - 2Xtreme21 @ 6:18:01 EDT
Drkdstryer sent in his Undead strategy which concentrates on using the dual auras of the Dread Lord and Death Knight effectively. It's a good read and the strategy is simple enough to be executed by even the novice UD player. Go take a look.

Check out the archive for more strats and make sure you send in your's right away!


NEWS FOR Tuesday, July 30, 2002

Undead Mission 3 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 21:44:21 EDT
The third mission of the undead begins the serious part of the second campaign, and those new to the use of undead will find this mission serious trouble on hard. The enemy has a powerful array of mages and priests in their arsenal, while your stuck with measly low level units.... the use of Necromancers and Meat Wagons is essential.

So how does the Necromancer and Wagon combo work? Which base should you eliminate first to even the odds? What are the weaknesses and skills of the non-playable ranger hero? Find out:

Expect more walkthroughs soon.


Beau Yarbrough Resigns - ShadowHawk @ 13:49:30 EDT
Today is truely a sad day.  The well respected public relations coordinator Beau Yarbrough, has made it official that he will be leaving Blizzard Entertainment and pursueing a journalism career.  Beau headed the fan site program for a little udner a year and a half and it's very sad to see him go.  He helped out many sites during his tenure (Including Infoceptor), and it is definitely greatly appreciated.  Infoceptor bids goodbye to Beau and we thank you Beau for the great you have done for the Blizzard community.

You can find his letter of resignation here.


Battle.net Additional Commands - ShadowHawk @ 9:31:38 EDT
Marn has posted up on the official Warcraft III site about additional slash commands with your friends list.  These are basically so that you can customize your friends list to meet your specific needs.  Take a look over here to learn more about additional friends commands and filters you can use to enhance your friends list.

Blizzard.com DNS Changes - ShadowHawk @ 9:27:52 EDT
Blizzard has announced that their main page will be undergoing some DNS change.  Here's what was said:

We will shortly be undergoing some DNS changes which may result in an intermittent ability to access our website within the next 48 hours. Most ISPs will have the updated DNS information for Blizzard.com within the next 24-36 hours. Other sites may take up to 72 hours before they receive the updated DNS information, and some ISPs could take as long as a week before their name servers update. Contact your ISP for assistance if you still cannot access the web site within 48 hours.

To find out more information on DNS changes, take a look at this page that will explain it all.


New Strategy : Undead Two-Part - 2Xtreme21 @ 5:39:43 EDT
This very thorough strategy, was sent in by The.Pants.Dance and it involves using the Dread Lord and Death Knight together to beat your opponents.  He outlines the skills that are the best for this strat and he even enclosed a replay.  Make sure you go check this one out.

And check back often for new strats.  You'll find them in the Strategy Archive.

If you have a strat, we'd love to hear it.  Send it over right away!


NEWS FOR Monday, July 29, 2002

Map Submission Fixed - Deathwing @ 21:44:14 EDT
Over the past few days, Infoceptor staff have located and fixed a glitch in the map submission script. If you had attempted to submit a map and got a file size limit exceeded error, you'll get it no longer. So be sure to submit it in real time. Be sure to also check the archive for dozens of cool levels to play.

Undead Mission 2 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 21:13:01 EDT
While the second mission of the undead campaign is still a warm up mission, and would have posed any challenge to serious players even on hard difficulty, it contains a number of secrets. The items you gain will be invaluable on the much harder levels later on.

So where do you find the Secret Society of the Sasquatch and get claws of attack +6? Where do you find the secret Panda relaxation area? Find out, as well as a quick, efficient way to beat the level in our new guide:

Expect more walkthroughs soon.


PvP War3 Comic - ShadowHawk @ 15:13:09 EDT
PvP Online has put up a nice comic regarding to Warcraft III today.  The comic is pretty funny,  but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.  In the comic, Jade is talking about how she is addicted to Warcraft III and how she will lay the smack down on some newbs.  Give it a read!

New Orc Wallpaper - ShadowHawk @ 15:06:38 EDT
Blizzard has put up a nice new Orc wallpaper for everyone to now set as their desktop.  While not being that original, Blizzard has made up the image that they have on the Warcraft III CD, game startup, and Box to be a wallpaper.  Thrall still looks great though.  Check out the wallpaper here.

More Reviews - 2Xtreme21 @ 6:48:17 EDT
6 more gaming companies have filed their reviews of the game Warcraft III.  If you still don't have the game, and need even more convincing, make sure you check them out.

CNN Sci-Tech
X Sages
Gamers Pulse
HomelandFed
Game Over
MGON

*UPDATE*: Here are some more reviews:

-ShadowHawk


NEWS FOR Sunday, July 28, 2002

Undead Mission 1 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 20:44:23 EDT
So, you're ready to tackle the second campaign on hard difficulty, well, you've come to the right place. Today, when launch the first walkthrough for the series of 8 undead missions.

In 'Trudging Through the Ashes', you must use stealth to your advantage. On hard, there's no way that you can defeat the enemy defenses with a pathetic level 1 hero. Where's the Ring of Protection? Where should I run and where should I fight? Find out:

For more walkthroughs, be sure to check out the walkthrough index.


Bridge Destruction a Bug? - Deathwing @ 20:13:28 EDT
Around a week ago, Infoceptor revealed to the community that bridges in Warcraft 3 are destructible. Recently the topic has resurfaced in the official forums, eliciting the following response from Marn:

This is a bug that will be fixed.

Whether this means that bridges should not be destructible or that units under bridges should not be trapped in unclear. Suffice to say, this feature can spawn many interesting strategies, which are all covered in our Bridge Destruction Guide.


New Strategy : Orc Slaughter! - 2Xtreme21 @ 3:27:42 EDT
Well I'm back and I got a new strat for you.  2[Xtreme]4u sent in a very basic Orc strat for those who are just starting Orc or possibly want to start Orc.  Make sure you go take a look at it. 

If you have any strat, be it for a specific race, or just a general one, we'd like to hear it!  Send it over.


NEWS FOR Saturday, July 27, 2002

New Poll - Deathwing @ 21:36:50 EDT
So, now that Warcraft III has been out for nearly a month, it's time to check the generally consensus on a very important combat of the game... balance. Do you believe one race is significantly stronger than the rest? Be sure to vote!

Poll Results - Deathwing @ 21:21:12 EDT
It's the start of a new week, time for a new poll. Without delay, here are the results to the current one:

Now that Warcraft 3 has finally been released, what is your opinion of it?

It's Perfect   289   31% 
It's Very Good   445   48% 
It's Not Bad   64   7% 
It's Disappointing   36   4% 
Don't have War3   86   9% 

TOTAL
920
100 %

Interesting... it looks like Warcraft 3 has recieved a very positive response. Perhaps not perfect... but good enough for anyone's standards. Only a handful disliked it... however there's an astonishing 1 in 10 who hasn't got the game! What are you guys waiting for? Buy it now!


Gamespot War3 Guide - Deathwing @ 19:45:49 EDT
Gamespot has written up an extensive strategy guide for Warcraft 3 that covers virtually every aspect of the game. I highly recommend reading it. We note though, that their singleplayer walkthrough is intended for normal difficulty rather than hard. Kufod to The_Z and War3pub for the news. 

NEWS FOR Friday, July 26, 2002

Human Campaign Secrets! - Deathwing @ 22:33:17 EDT
So, you've completely the campaign, and seen all there is to see... or have you? Throughout the single player missions, Blizzard has scattered numerous secrets for the observant and dedicated players to find. These secrets include extra items, cool references to Starcraft, and general bits of humor.

Did you know that you can meet up with Little Timmy a second time? Or that there's a shop selling machine guns? Ever come across the rat that you can't kill or the sheep the pops from a box? No? Well read the huge list!

We graciously thank Chib, who took the trouble of compiling all of these. Give him a big round of applause!


Map of the Moment: Demon World - Deathwing @ 20:09:49 EDT
A while has passed, and it's time to release another Moment of the Moment. Every so often, Infoceptor chooses a high quality map from our automated map archive for your entertainment.  

Demon World is a highly modified map with unique creeps, and give all races new units. In addition, there's a demon gate in the middle that's guarded by a Level 15 Creep. Anyone who defeats it is able to hire demons into their party. A nice two player map for those who love to get super powerful heroes, fighting superpowerful enemies. A screenshot is available here.

Got a map? Be sure to submit it instantly! For other cool maps, check out the archive.


Warcraft III Replay Archive - The_Z @ 14:00:48 EDT
The Warcraft III Replay Archive is now online. Check it out! Submitting a replay requires an account with our forums.

Books, Books, Books - ShadowHawk @ 8:28:41 EDT
Nikarita has informed us that Blizzard's third new Diablo II universe novel has been released in book stores.  The Kingdom of Shadow, by Richard A. Knaak, is said to be a really good read.  Richard A. Knaak is also the author of the novel "Day of the Dragon".  You can take a look at it, or buy it right over here.

Also now available is the Art of Warcraft book.  "A high-quality hardcover book from BradyGames featuring rare and never-before-seen images from the Warcraft universe. Art from every stage of game development is included, from early concepts to finished pieces, along with behind-the-scenes commentary from the Blizzard development team."  You can check it out here.


NEWS FOR Thursday, July 25, 2002

Battle.LAN: A Second TCP/IP Client - Deathwing @ 22:31:49 EDT
BattleLan Admin has sent over a nifty program he made that allows a person to host LAN games via the internet. Or, to put things simply, allows you to play Warcraft 3 against others via TCP/IP. It is an alternative to LANcraft, which does not function on certain systems. Be sure to check it out:

As usual, if you have a cool program related to Warcraft 3. Be sure to send it in.


New Strategy: The Tower Attack - Deathwing @ 21:17:16 EDT
Arguable are cheesy strategy, offensive towering with Orcs is nonetheless a very effective tactic in allied games of Warcraft 3. With support players, this strategy offers quick containment, and if executed correctly, will win the game then and there.

SuperKnuckles has written an comprehensive guide on how best to execute the tactic, this one's long and informative, and covers everything you'll need to know. Find out how to rule with Orcs:

Want more strategies? Be sure to check out our ever growing compendium. Go cool tactics of your own? Be sure to submit them.


Korea Hooks Up With War3 - ShadowHawk @ 10:35:06 EDT
According to the Korean Herald, Korean gamers are now taking a like to Warcraft III.  As you know, they have really done the same with Diablo II and Starcraft.  Like in the US, it is topping sales charts and has sold more than 200,000 copies.  Check out the full article right over here.

NEWS FOR Wednesday, July 24, 2002

Battle.net EasterEgg - Deathwing @ 22:34:10 EDT
I was sent this following news by Chib and Cathan:

When you first log onto battle.net, enter chat.  Then press Ctrl + Alt + F1

Instead of the help screen, it brings up Edgar Allen Poe's
"The Bells".  I know, you don't beleive me, but just, check
it out and see."

I will add that after you enter it for the first time you can just hit F1 or the ? in the lower-right of the chat screen to bring it up again.  Curiously, if you log off then log right back in, it will not appear, even if you type CTRL + ALT + F1 again.  If, however, you log off then log back on a second time, and enter it in again, it will appear.  Alternatively, if you quit the game and log back in it will work again.

Very interesting....


Human Mission 9 Walkthrough! - Deathwing @ 22:23:54 EDT
Ah.. the final chapter of the humans is the first mission that truly tests your skills in Warcraft 3. On hard difficulty, it would probably be the first mission you'll meet that really takes some thinking and planning to complete.

The enemy strikes hard and fast, with overwhelming forces led by a level 10 hero. On hard difficulty, they never run out of gold and never stop building and their hero resurrects within just a few dozen seconds.... Using conventional techniques, you're never given enough resources to win...

So how would one complete this mission? It requires a firs strike to even the odds, but then at which bases? Find out in the latest walkthrough:

We'll have more guides up for you soon!


Warcraft 3 Tops the Charts Again - Deathwing @ 22:12:58 EDT
Another week, and Warcraft 3 continues to rule the gaming world. The collector's addition sale has dropped, but that's only to be expected, considering that most people who are hardcore enaugh to spend extra money on the CE is mostly likely to hardcore enaugh to buy Warcraft 3 on the first day of its release.

Here's the list of top selling games for July 7 - 13th.

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

Very interesting, we note that Starcraft is still selling at 9th place, after what... 5 years? It's the Blizzard craze!


New Battle.net Forum - ShadowHawk @ 15:39:39 EDT
Blizzard has made an addition to the Battle.net forums today.  The Fan Fiction Forum, "open to all Blizzard CD Key holders, has been created so that fans can share their original Blizzard universe stories with other Blizzard fans."  This forum will probably be more active when World of Warcraft comes out.  Take a look if you have time.

RIP: SC, SC:BW, & W2 BNE Ladder Seasons - ShadowHawk @ 11:37:18 EDT
Blizzard has now decided to end it's ladder season sponsorships of Starcraft, Starcraft: Brood War, and Warcraft II BNE tournaments.  Here's what was said:

Starting immediately, the ladders for StarCraft, Brood War, and Warcraft II: BNE have switched to a Permanent Ongoing Competition status. This means that while players will be able to track their rank on the ladders, Blizzard will no longer sponsor tournament seasons. Please note that game support for StarCraft, Brood War, and Warcraft II: BNE will continue without interruption.

We sincerely appreciate the unprecedented levels of participation by StarCraft, Brood War, and Warcraft II: BNE players worldwide. The past four years of ladder play have provided lots of fun and many unforgettable moments, and the tournaments have been host to some of the best strategies ever to grace these games.

Thank you,

Blizzard Entertainment

This is certainly a sad for those game's gurus and strategists.  Even though it is unfortunate, this means Blizzard will now be more focused on Warcraft III to make that ladder season even better.


USEast Maintenance - ShadowHawk @ 11:30:25 EDT
Straight from Blizzard:

The ISP responsible for USEast will be performing network maintenance starting at 12:01 A.M. (midnight) EST (UTC-5) on Thursday July 25th, 2002. Maintenance is expected to last up to 6 hours. During this time, some or all Battle.net, WarCraft III and Diablo II services will be impacted.

-The Battle.net Team

We'll be sure to update you once USEast is back up and running.


2002 Ladder Champs - ShadowHawk @ 8:51:00 EDT
Blizzard has put up the list for the 2002 Spring ladder champs.  Heres the list of games for the ladder champs: Starcraft: Brood War, Starcraft, Warcraft II BNE, Warcraft II BNE Ironman.  Be sure to check out the lists if you were on of the people that played in the ladder.


NEWS FOR Tuesday, July 23, 2002

New Strategy: Shamanmania - Deathwing @ 19:52:39 EDT
Out of all the spellcasters, the two most frequently used would be the Necromancer and the Orc Shaman. In today's addition, Igor Polyakov has sent over a guide on how to take advantage of the latter.

Fully upgrade, these powerful spellcasters have over 150 more hp than archers, coupled with their powerful spells, Shamans are one of only spellcasters that can be used effectively, even without support. Find out in the ltaest guide:

Want more strategies? Be sure to check out our ever growing compendium. Go cool tactics of your own? Be sure to submit them.


World Cyber Games: Unfair? - ShadowHawk @ 18:02:01 EDT
According to Redcloak:

The World Cyber Games Organizers for 2002 have limited the United States to 1 player slot and Canada to NO slots for the StarCraft competition. These two countries, which are home to some of the top players worldwide, deserve at least the same amount of positions as countries with far fewer competitive professional players.
 
You can support our effort to get the organizers to reconsider by signing a petition which will be sent to them here: http://www.petitiononline.com/sclegacy/petition.html.

If you think this is wrong, be sure to voice your opinion at the petition through the link above.


Warcraft III Ladder FAQ & Rules - ShadowHawk @ 13:42:43 EDT
Blizzard has posted up the Warcraft III Ladder Rules and Ladder FAQ for all to see.  The rules goes over all the ladder rules as well as the things such as Charts for experience points and levels.  The FAQ on the other hand goes over all of the questions that you may have for the Warcraft III ladder.  So if you have any questions be sure to head over there.

NEWS FOR Monday, July 22, 2002

Infoceptor Investigation: Bridge Destruction - Deathwing @ 20:41:28 EDT
Yesterday, we brought you exciting news that bridges can be destroyed in Warcraft 3. And as promised, today, we bring you all the gory details about this most fascinating act.

By now, you've probably heard all the rumors, and are either screaming imbalance or that it's absolute nothing. Well, before you do, we'll provide you with some facts.

How much punishment can a bridge take before it's destroyed? What happens to units that were on the bridge when it breaks? Can units walk across the river where the bridge once stood? Can units who fall in walk out of the river? Well… find out!

For other articles designed to enhance your abilities at the game, check out the Strategy Index. Remember, we'd love to see your submissions.


TNN Special on Warcraft 3 - Deathwing @ 20:10:25 EDT
Able to receive channel TNN? You might find the following interesting:

If you like Warcraft 3 or are at all interested in it then you really should tune into the shoutcast of Char this Wednesday @ 8.30 pm Australian EST.

This week Lisa is giving her first impressions of warcraft 3, Joax is informing everyone of some general tactics that he has found interesting and useful and Doc will give you all the low down on battle.net and how it works.

Tune in from 8.30 pm Australian EST only on TNN.

More information can be obtained here.


War3 Release Lan Party - Deathwing @ 19:59:31 EDT
Elite PC LAN Center has sent word that to celebrate the release of Warcraft 3, they will be holding a Lan Party June 26th and 27th from noon to Midnight. Those who live in Arizona may be interested:

Celebrate the release of the year's most anticipated PC game at Elite PC's new gaming center. Twenty 2.4 GHz Intel gaming systems, a T1 line, and a well stocked fridge gives you no reason to stay at home and play with yourself. Elite PC is the perfect place to have fun gaming.

The Warcraft III Release Party will feature a 2v2 tournament on Friday night and the first official 'Store Pro' 1v1 tournament on Saturday. Details on even more Warcraft III tournaments will be given at the event.

If you live within the area, then it's worth a look.


1 Million Copies & Still Going Strong - ShadowHawk @ 16:00:31 EDT
Blizzard has announced today that they have reached the 1 million mark in terms of Warcraft III sales.  Here's a little interesting bit from the press release:

Over 4.4 million units of the game have been shipped to retail to satisfy demand for Warcraft III, which is now the fastest-selling PC game ever, surpassing the records set in 2000 and 2001 by two other Blizzard titles, Diablo® II and the expansion set, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction™, respectively.

Following in the tradition of previous Blizzard games, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is now the seventh Blizzard product not only to sell 1 million copies, but also to reach #1 in U.S. sales. The game, which began shipping on July 3, is topping PC sales charts in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Be sure to read the rest of the press release for more information.


Bill Roper Interview - ShadowHawk @ 15:56:33 EDT
Over at UGO, they have managed to grab a hold of Bill Roper and sit him down for quite a long interview.  While the interview mostly delves into Warcraft III, some other topics are discussed which makes the interview more rounded.  You can give it a read right over here.

NEWS FOR Sunday, July 21, 2002

Human Mission 8 Walkthrough! - Deathwing @ 20:36:37 EDT
We've complete another addition to our complete walkthrough, the 8th mission of the human campaign is strictly time limited, giving you no more than 15 minutes to reach the final goal!

How do you navigate the undead fortications?  Where can you find the Pandaren? Should I spend any money at the Goblin Merchent? Be sure to read it:

Got tips of your own for the level, be sure to post them.

Comment


Bridges are Destroyable! - Deathwing @ 19:27:57 EDT
This is a largely unknown fact, but cirE has sent word that bridges in Warcraft 3 can be destroyed! To do this, you will need to use siege weapons on attack ground, or area of effect spells such as Blizzard. Be warned, bridges are not easy to destroy, but they can be done.

This raises all new strategies, such as the map Stromguarde. if you are able to destroy the enemies bridge, they will have no way out of their island...

Comment


NEWS FOR Saturday, July 20, 2002

New Poll - Deathwing @ 20:59:19 EDT
This is our first poll after Warcraft 3's release, the topic has basically being pre determined. We want your opinion of Blizzard's latest game. The review has ranked it as one of the best games of all time, do you side with the reviews or do you remain unsatisfied? Be sure vote.

Poll Results - Deathwing @ 20:53:59 EDT
The observant may have noticed that our poll reset several times, this was a server error, which has now being addressed. Thankfully, that means we can change the polls again. Without further delay, here's the results to the current one:

Are you planning to get the Collector's Edition of Warcraft 3?
Yes   85   31% 
No, Just Normal   163   59% 
Not Getting War 3   29   10% 

TOTAL
277
100 %		..

The results are quite interesting, and it seems that out of those people who plan to buy Warcraft 3, about a third plans to shell out extra cash for the Collector's Edition. Non wonder then, that Warcraft 3 and it's collectors edition as the top two selling titles according to PC Data.


New Strategy: Siege Protection - Deathwing @ 19:29:58 EDT
Siege Units are hands down the best base destroyers, but the problem is keeping them alive while they do their job. 2[Xtreme]4u has written up a creative solution to this dilemma by the use of Trees as Protection. When executed correctly, this trick is truly nasty, check it out:

Want more strategies? Be sure to check out our ever growing compendium. Go cool tactics of your own? Be sure to submit them.


Owl Bear's: Forces of Nature - Deathwing @ 19:21:38 EDT
OneBadLarva has sent word that while browising through the concept art for the Collector's Edition of Warcraft 3, the concept art for the Owl Bear was listed as Force of Nature. Those who followed Warcraft 3 closely will have recalled an old Night Elf Hero, the Arch-druid, who could turn into 'Force of Nature'... I guess when they abandoned that idea, the graphics were recycled into a creep.

Comment


GameSpy Grudge - ShadowHawk @ 16:02:03 EDT
Over at GameSpy, they have posted up a poll involving what Blizzard game you would like to see next.  Between Starcraft II and a MMOG Diablo, Starcraft II has a commanding lead.  With 75% of the votes, it's obvious what the masses want more.  Blizzard should really take notice so we can have another go at the Starcraft universe.  Be sure to cast your vote here.

Back Once Again - ShadowHawk @ 11:39:50 EDT
Due to major ISP problems (aka: AT&T sucks), I have been offline for 5 days.  Now, I am able to get back to my usual duties and get some of the burden off of Deathwing.  Just wanted to let you guys know.  Back to work I go now.

NEWS FOR Friday, July 19, 2002

More Reviews - Deathwing @ 20:23:59 EDT
As if you haven't seen enough... but hey, some people may still not have bought the game. So here they are:

Everyone's impressed, and they should be.


New Strategy: Item Analysis - Deathwing @ 20:07:18 EDT
One of the most distinct features of Warcraft 3 is the inclusiong of items for your heroes. As heroes are a pivotal point in bringing you victory or defeat, the items you get could have a drastic affect on whether you win or lose.

Dislyxec has written up a nice analysis on the items available in multiplayer Warcraft 3 and how effective they are. Which ones should you look out for? You'll find the guide most interesting:

Got a strategy you wish to share? Be sute to submit them.


New WoW Preview - Deathwing @ 19:24:12 EDT
GamerzBrain has written up a new preview for World of Warcraft. This is one only three paragraphs though, and doesn't offer anything new, apart from saying it'll rule. Feel free to give it a read.

NEWS FOR Thursday, July 18, 2002

Strategist on Leave - Deathwing @ 23:09:18 EDT
Out Strategist, 2Xtreme21, is currently on vacation till the 26th, as such, I as the webmaster will be handling the publication of strategy submissions in the meantime. If you've sent a strategy to 2Xtreme21 in the last two days that have not being posted, or if you've got written up right now, be sure to send them over to me.

Human Mission 7 Walkthrough! - Deathwing @ 22:58:45 EDT
Ah... The Shores of Northrend, an interesting level witha number of objects and a new hero at your side. On hard difficulty, they attack with dozens of air units and hound your mercilessly with their heroes, so how best is it to win?

Where can I find the Orb of Frost? Whereabouts is the first gold mine? Should I wait and up my forces and strike with what I've got? Find out in our complete guide to get you through singleplayer on hard difficulty!

Got tips of your own for the level, be sure to post them.


Wirt's leg in Warcraft 3? - Deathwing @ 22:22:52 EDT
Yes folks, we've already seen hydralisks in Warcraft 3, so why not wirt's legs from Diablo II? The Two Headed Guy has discovered icons of these mysterious items in the Warcraft 3 MPQ file. While they don't icons attached to them, it could make a pretty cool unique items for someone's campaign.

Notice how there are two versions of the leg, once made out wood, the other one out of bone. What was Blizzard thinking? Could Wirt be leading the undead?

Comment


Night Elf Wallpaper - Deathwing @ 22:19:01 EDT
Blizzard has released another campaign wallpaper, this time, it's for the Night Elves, grab it here if you wish.

NEWS FOR Wednesday, July 17, 2002

War3 Makes Big Bucks - Deathwing @ 22:20:14 EDT
Judging from the sales record (noted below), we weren't surprised to see CNN Money chat with Bill Roper about Blizzard's huge success. This is definitely an interesting article, give it a read.

What's of special note is that although the product catalogue that came with Warcraft 3 said the World of Warcraft will be released during 2003, Bill Roper admits that it's highly unlikely, and suggest some time 2004. We expect it to be sometime early 2005. Kudos to Phoenix3685 for the news!


Warcraft 3 Shatters Sale Records - Deathwing @ 22:08:16 EDT
With 4.5 million preorders of Warcraft III, it looks like Blizzard has struck true gold this time (and another Guinness Record). Due to popular demand, we being back the Top 10 selling games feature. This week is June 30th to July 6th, the first week that Warcraft 3 was available:

1) Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (Electronic Arts)
2) Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition (LucasArts)
3) Neverwinter Nights (Infogrames)
4) The Sims: Vacation (Electronic Arts)
5) The Sims (Electronic Arts)
6) Grand Theft Auto III (Rockstar)
7) Medal of Honor (Electronic Arts)
8) Backyard Baseball 2003 (Infogrames)
9) Zoo Tycoon (Microsoft)
10) StarCraft Battle Chest (Infogrames)

Woa, while we're not surprised that Warcraft III took top spot, it's a real feat for the collector's edition to be a second place! Costing a gigantic $75 per copy where's the average game costs less than $50, it's a truly powerful blow to other developers....

Another worthy point of note is that along with Warcraft III, Starcraft is again selling in the Top 10! Looks like some new gamers were enticed to by every Blizzard RTS game after they tried Warcraft III. Good going, Blizzard!

Comment


Player Match-up Changes - Deathwing @ 21:05:49 EDT
Blizzard has announced on Battle.net that they've tweaked the anonymous match making system for Warcraft 3. In order to facilitate more even match-ups, there are two charges:

  • The maximum level difference has being reduced to 6 from 10
  • The game search now searches for longer to find an more even matchup

We welcome these changes.


Undead Campaign Wallpaper - Deathwing @ 20:53:56 EDT
Blizzard has released another wallpaper that's based on the background screen for one of the singleplayer campaigns. This time it's the undead. Download it here if you wish.

NEWS FOR Tuesday, July 16, 2002

Human Mission 6 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 22:28:22 EDT
Ah, the 6th mission of the human campaign is perhaps one of the most original missions in the game, and possible one of the most innovative missions for any RTS game. It involves, essentially a race, filled with tactics and strategic maneuvers that a unique to this chapter.

What is the most efficient paths to take? Where can I find the Talisman of Evasion? Should I kill the enemy hero, and if so how many times? On hard difficulty, the enemy is tougher, they attack faster, and it becomes almost impossible to defeat Mal'ganis's second hunting party... Then even assault your main base with powerful strikes... Find out the quickest and cleanest way to complete the mission on hard difficulty in our latest walkthrough:

For a complete archive of walkthroughs, check out the Walkthrough Index.


Interview with Rob Pardo - Deathwing @ 22:18:18 EDT
HomeLan has conducted an interview with Rob Pardo from Blizzard. There's some new stuff, mainly about how they feel after Warcraft 3 is launched. Feel free to give it a read.

Camelot Systems Shuts Down? - Deathwing @ 19:13:03 EDT
Those veterans of the Blizzard community would recall that a few years ago, Camelot Systems was at its prime, and prime us with some of the most useful and most powerful editing tools for Starcraft. These tools helped revolutionize the community, making it possible for a vast array of characters to be made. Now...

Merlin, the original founder of CamSys, has returned to CamSys just long enough to close it down for good.

Merlin and Gold Dragon apparently discussed and decided on the matter with the support of neither the rest of the staff nor the many CamSys fans. If you at all object to CamSys being shut down, send your comments to Merlin at buschard@uiuc.edu.
 
Justin Olbrantz(Quantam)
 
How sad! It seemed like the site lots its will to live shortly after King Arthur left.

New Strategy : Overwhelm Rush - 2Xtreme21 @ 8:19:44 EDT
Kaye- has submitted a nice template of good things to do to win with every race.  It's just an overview and it doesn't get into details, but make sure you check this one out.

Also take a look at our War 3 Strategy Archive.  We need more strats, so keep 'em comin!


NEWS FOR Monday, July 15, 2002

TCP/IP Games for Warcraft 3 - Deathwing @ 22:11:23 EDT
Yes, Blizzard did not include a TCP/IP option with Warcraft 3, but never fear. Ttol has sent over a nifty program that emulated TCP/IP connections via Lan Games. I haven't tested the program significantly, but it seems to be in working order. If you're interested, give it a try:

If you have a program you've made that's related to Warcraft 3, be sure to send it over.


USWest Connectivity - ShadowHawk @ 8:32:59 EDT
It seems Blizzard is having a little trouble with USWest.  Here's what was said:

All USWest Battle.net, Diablo II and Warcraft III services were affected by a 45 minute long network issue at an ISP datacenter. The problem began at approximately 6:55 A.M. PDT (UTC -7). During this period, all servers were inaccessible for all customers. The ISP is working to isolate the issue and prevent further outages.

-The Battle.net Team

We'll be sure to update you when this situation passes.


Been Interviewed - ShadowHawk @ 6:14:18 EDT
Over at The Stronghold, they managed to grab me during one of my non-busy times and sat me down for an interview.  The interview consists of my thoughts on Warcraft III, World of Warcraft, and my backround here at Infoceptor.  Also theres some other crazy stuff in there such as my recommendations for fast food.  Good times.  Make sure to take a look.

NEWS FOR Sunday, July 14, 2002

Human Mission 5 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 22:45:27 EDT
Today, we bring you another Warcraft 3 Walkthrough, Human Mission 5: March of the Scourge. This is perhaps the first chapter in the game that will post some difficulty on 'hard', and one that catch out people who're new to the game.

Find out how best to defend your city for 30 minutes and spare enaugh troops and learn the intricacies of base defenses. No, just turtling won't work, but along with strike troops... you've got yourself secured:

For a complete archive of walkthroughs, check out the Walkthrough Index.

More Reviews - Deathwing @ 21:44:03 EDT
Still need more people to convince you to buy Warcraft 3? Here's some:

Again, both are extremely positive.


NEWS FOR Saturday, July 13, 2002

New Strategy : Protecting Your Archers - 2Xtreme21 @ 16:34:44 EDT
Sumquintus has sent in an interesting Night Elf strat.  It involves using Ancient Protectors and Archers together along with a few other units.  Go check it out here.

Make sure you check out our growing Strategy Archive and if you have a strat, make sure you send it over.


Map of the Moment: Maze Snipers - Deathwing @ 13:59:08 EDT
With the Map Archive back on track, it's time for another map of the moment.

Maze Snipers - Third Person Shooter - V 1.0

You take command of an elite sniper (terran marine). You travel through the halls of a dungeon shooting fellow snipers as well as xenomorphs (zerglings). Theunique thing is that the camera is positioned behind the sniper, giving you a third person perspective.

Download it now (33kb)!

An ambitious project which shows of one of the many possibilities of powerful editor. This one also uses Starcraft Models, and hence would be quite refreshing for Starcraft fans. Click here for a screenshot of it in action.


Map Archive Fixed! - Deathwing @ 13:46:46 EDT
Over the last few days, a server problem has caused the map archive to be corrupted. Thanks to the efforts of 2Xtreme21 and a speedy resolution from Futurepoint Systems, the problem has now been addresses.

We've removed all the duplicate maps, and now have a clean and simple real time map archive for you to upload, download and share your maps. Check it out here!


NEWS FOR Friday, July 12, 2002

A Useful "Trick" - ShadowHawk @ 18:52:16 EDT
Blizzard has reported today a nice little secret that most of the mod community has not caught onto.  "If you want to override a data file in the game, you do NOT need to replace the main MPQ file.  You can simply pack the files into your map archive (i.e. the W3M file) under the same path they would have in the main MPQ.  Then your "mod" will take effect only when that map is running, and can be easily distributed (bandwidth willing, anyway) over Battle.net."

To find more information on this little trick and how to pull it off, be sure to head over here.


Warcraft III Reviews - ShadowHawk @ 8:57:54 EDT
Blizzard has once again posted all of the reviews that have been conducted on Warcraft III.  Once again, if you feel that you unsure about getting Warcraft III, be sure to read these reviews to justify your choice.  You can see the list right over here.

Can't Create a Game? Here's a fix: - 2Xtreme21 @ 7:47:40 EDT
Iamtooshort2001 sent word on how to fix this popular problem among Warcraft III players.  People with routers that have firewalls cannot create a game, arrange a team, etc. because the players cannot connect to them.

First of all go into your router's config (Just type in the routers ip in iternet explorer) and look around for special applications. Mine was under advanced so look around in there.
Then there should be a drop box or something saying popular applications. In there find battle.net and select it. If there is no drop box or something like that, just put in one of the text fields "trigger" and "incomming ports" 6112 and it should let you.

Go check out the thread here for more details.


Human Mission 4 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 0:04:21 EDT
Another day, and we've got a new installment to our complete Warcraft 3 walkthrough and hard difficulty. This addition features Chapter 4of the Human Campaign, where you must defeat an undead town and locate the Cult of the Damned.

Where do you find the Claws of Attack +6? Where do you find the Ring of Superiority? Will you get see Little Timmy again? We reveal everything, including level secrets, so be sure to check it out:

Expect further installments soon. If you’ve got tips to add, check out this thread.


NEWS FOR Wednesday, July 10, 2002

Train Infinite Heroes? - Deathwing @ 21:35:56 EDT
I got this e-mail in my inbox today, you may find it interesting:

I'm playing the single mission campaign for a second time and I've just found something interesting (It's a glitch). In mission 5 of the undead. made banshees to possess some peons to see what human heroes I can build (The idea to have a paladin fight in team with my death knight was cool ). I knew that they say that in multiplayer even if you have undead and possess the 3 other races, you can only control a combination of 3 bosses. Well, in this stage, I can have an amount of bosses till the food cap 90 (Each boss take 5).
 
I had a death knight , 3 archmages, one mountain king and seven paladins. The screen show only the 5 first bosses in the upper left, even if you have much more. It was fun to kill the 4 golem guardians of the stage with this army.
He has also included a screenshot. Though this bug is unconfirmed, it is most likely true. Kudos to Asgorath-x for the news.

New Strategy : Skeletal Invasion - 2Xtreme21 @ 13:31:48 EDT
Sent in by DarkScream, this Undead strategy is a very un-orthadox way to beat your enemies.  It involves using the necromancer to raise a lot of skeletons from your own ghouls.  Make sure you go and give it a read.

Check out the ever-growing Strategy Archive for more strats like this.

And if you have a strat, make sure you send it over via the guidlines.

Edit: We are experiencing technical difficulties with our strategy archive. Please be patient.


Disconnect Patch Coming - ShadowHawk @ 9:41:43 EDT
Due to a problem where a player get disconnected at the beginning of game, Blizzard has announced the making of a new patch to address this problem and probably others.  Heres what was said:

The Battle.net team is currently working on an issue that affects a small number of Warcraft III users. Sometimes as a standard game starts one of the players disconnects. That player receives a loss for the game.

Please note that this issue is caused by Warcraft III, but is aggravated by poor Internet connections.

A small patch to help address the problem is expected in the next few days.

-The Battle.net Team

If you are experiencing this problem, you should probably not play Warcraft III until the patch is release.

*UPDATE*: The patch has been released.  Go download it on Battle.net.


NEWS FOR Tuesday, July 9, 2002

More Warcraft 3 Reviews - Deathwing @ 21:27:38 EDT
Two more Warcraft 3 Reviews has hit the net today. Here they are:

Feel free to check them out.


New Strategy : Riflemen Drop - 2Xtreme21 @ 20:33:21 EDT
Sent in by ReD-ReCoN, this human strat, called Riflemen Drop, involves using the Riflemen and the Goblin Sappers collectively to beat your enemy.  This map is best played on the 4 player map, Borderlands.

If you have any Warcraft III strategies you would like to submit to Infoceptor, please send them to me via the guidelines.

Also, make sure you visit the Warcraft III Strategy Archive for more strats.


Warcraft 3 vs Neverwinter Nights - Deathwing @ 19:36:24 EDT
Gamespy has put up another of its pointless, but amusing grudges. This one features Warcraft 3, who's pitted against Neverwinter Nights. Currently, there's tilling which one is going to win, so why not go there and tip the scales.

Warcraft 3 Cheat Code Mania - Deathwing @ 1:10:24 EDT
Nozz has sent over a complete list of cheat codes of Warcraft 3! Yes, this is complete, since it has be extracted the decrypted from the data files within Warcraft 3, and there's a hell of a lot more codes than previous Blizzard games. To help you navigate the section, we've split all the cheat codes into five separate categories:

The godly cheats are the ones that are the most useful, and give you the greatest advantage. Useful cheats lists other cheats codes that can be very convenient, especially if you want to tilt scales to your favor without winning completely. There are also a large variety of resource cheats available, though you really only need to know the most general one. Time modifying cheats are less useful, unless you're a mod or map maker wanting to test whether something happens at a specific time. Finally we provide campaign related cheats, which are useful for the campaign only.

So without further delay, check them out:

Interested in disuccssing where the cheats came from? Visit this thread.


NEWS FOR Monday, July 8, 2002

Warcraft Reviews A Plenty - ShadowHawk @ 15:21:22 EDT
Over on Battle.net, Blizzard has posted up all of the places that has put up reviews of Warcraft III.  So in case you haven't bought the game and don't know what to do or if we missed a review, they are all there.  Be sure to take a look before making that final decision.

Biz Buzz - ShadowHawk @ 6:24:13 EDT
Back from my vacation!  Now for today's news.  GameSpy has written up an it's weekly article that pertains to business news impacting the game industry.  This week, they have a few paragraph's in the article on Warcraft III's success and it's developers.  It's a nice informative read so be sure to give it a read.  Read it here.

NEWS FOR Sunday, July 7, 2002

Map of the Moment - Deathwing @ 22:16:20 EDT
Every now and then, Infoceptor will select one of the cool maps from our user submitted archive and feature it on the main page. In our first addition, it is fitting to stick with something familiar. We present 'Hunters' by Dead-Eye, remodeled for Warcraft 3. If you were a Starcraft fan, you'd like this map. Download it here.

Got a map? you can upload it instantly over here.


Another War3 Review - Deathwing @ 22:06:54 EDT
If you still haven't got the game, then here's another review of Warcraft 3. This time, it's from CV-Games. It's an A+! Not bad at all...

New Strategy : Orc Grunt Rush - 2Xtreme21 @ 20:45:28 EDT
This will hopefully be the first of many new Warcraft III strategies.  It's entitled "Grunt Rush" and it involves massing grunts early to crush your enemies.

The Strategy Page will be updated very soon with many new strateies.

If you have a strategy, send it over.  Please send any Warcraft III strategies to me and I will be sure to put them up.


NEWS FOR Saturday, July 6, 2002

Human Mission 3 Walkthrough - Deathwing @ 21:55:43 EDT
As promised, we have another installment of the Warcraft 3 Walkthrough for you! In this addition, a complete set of tactics to help you blitz through the third human mission has been developed.

Where do you get the secret Bracer of Agility, the Mantle of Intelligence and all other cool items available in this level? How best do you kill Necromancers? Which way do I go? Answers are all available right now:

For previous walkthroughs, check out the walkthrough index.

Comment


Cheat Codes Updated - Deathwing @ 21:27:08 EDT
We've updated our Warcraft 3 Cheat Codes with another, thanks to the efforts of Greenskin. WarpTen is the fast build cheat for Warcraft 3, and a useful one too. Find it along with others in our archive of cheats:

If you know of a chat that has not been listed, send it in.


More Reviews - Deathwing @ 21:06:46 EDT
Another bunch of reviews for you:

Again, Warcraft 3 is ranking amongst the highest.


NEWS FOR Friday, July 5, 2002

Warcraft 3 Walkthroughs! - Deathwing @ 23:15:36 EDT
In the next few weeks, Infoceptor will be publishing a complete walkthrough of Warcraft 3, featured detailed accounts of how to defeat each level on hard difficulty. Including screenshots, and minimaps, this will be one of the most comprehensive guides to Warcraft 3 you can obtain.

Today, we feature the first two Human Missions. Find out how best to attack, where to find the attempts, and what secrets the levels hold:

Expect more walkthroughs to be added very soon! Kudos goes to Chib in providing a level secret.

Comment


PC IGN Reviews Warcraft 3 - Deathwing @ 22:53:04 EDT

César Roldán has sent word the IGN Insider has reviewed Warcfaft 3. Being an insider feature, it naturally requires to to pay to read it. Nevertheless, here's the introduction:

"So WarCraft III has apparently already pre-sold some ungodly number of copies at this point, so it seems almost beyond the realm of my capacity to have any affect on whether or not most of you will buy the game or not. Regardless, it's my job and I'm opinionated so you all get to read it  nonetheless. However, unlike any past reviews I may or may not have done regarding other Blizzard titles, this one probably won't warrant the same
amount of hate mail flooding into the office. Yes I like WarCraft III! Sorry to those of you who were just waiting for the opportunity to say mean things about my mother, but you're out of luck. Blizzard has crafted a finely tuned real time strategy game here with production values up the wazoo. There's not a whole lot you can seriously complain about with a straight face, but I'll try anyway. I'm a complainer by trade after all."

This reivew was of particular interest, as the review has a infamous bias against Blizzard games. Warcraft III, however, stole his heart, and got away with a 93%.


Gamespot War3 Hints - Deathwing @ 22:20:18 EDT
Gamespot has written up to quick hints about Warcraft 3. Nothing that an avid reader of Infoceptor wouldn't already know, but good for newcomers. Basically, there's a nice clip on Starcraft Units in the Warcraft III Engine if you defeat the final mission on hard, and that you can explode sheep by clicking on them continuously.

NEWS FOR Thursday, July 4, 2002

Reviews For You - Deathwing @ 22:10:07 EDT
archive of Warcraft 3 reviews for your enjoyment:

Not bad... not bad at all.


WorldEdit Enhancer - Deathwing @ 20:32:53 EDT
Cookie from War3Campaigns has sent over a very nifty patch for all of you scenario designers out there. This is much like the first Emerald StarEdit Patch for Starcraft, and allows you place all the special and hidden Warcraft 3 Units on your maps. These include:
  • The Hydralisk
  • Space Marines
  • Orc Marines
  • Owls
  • Jaggernauts

An avid map maker, be sure to download it. Thanks again to Cookie of War3Campaigns.


WorldEditor on OS X - The_Z @ 11:55:11 EDT
I have provided a quick screenshot of the World Editor running under Mac OS X. Blizzard did a fine job integrating it with the Aqua interface. Much nicer than its Windows counterpart, in my opinion.

NEWS FOR Wednesday, July 3, 2002

Gamespot Reviews Warcraft III - Deathwing @ 22:30:20 EDT

Gamespot, arguebly one of the most respect gaming sites out there, has written their review of Warcraft III. This one is again very positive, giving the game 93% and a superb rating.

Warcraft III isn't a revolutionary departure from the conventions of real-time strategy gaming. But it's as good of an offering in the genre as there's ever been, featuring a superb story, carefully refined gameplay, plenty of depth, the best online multiplayer mode in any real-time strategy game to date, and the excellent production values you'd expect from a Blizzard product.

Read the rest here.


Warcraft 3 Map Center - The_Z @ 5:37:15 EDT
Attention Mapmakers!
Infoceptor's Warcraft 3 Map Center is now open. Try out that new World Editor and submit your maps! To start it off, I have included a trigger map that I made with my friend Rasta. It is called R & Z Tower Defense, and it should look familiar to most beta testers.

NEWS FOR Tuesday, July 2, 2002

Another Warcraft 3 Cheat Code - Deathwing @ 22:48:12 EDT
Thanks to the experimentation for Furiya, we've got another cheat code for Warcraft 3 ready for you to try. This is the much wanted money cheat. 'greedisgood' will give you 500 gold and lumber. For an comprehensive list of all known cheat codes, check:

If you've found out a cheat code, let us know. To experiment and discover your own cheat codes, check out this discussion.