Richard Knaak Video Interview

[Warlock]

<A HREF="http://www.blizzplanet.net">BlizzPlanet</a> was recently able to conduct a video interview with Richard Knaak, author of several WarCraft and Diablo novels. The interview goes into his upcoming "Night of the Dragon" novel and Burning Crusade manga series, as well as upcoming Diablo books.

You can download it here:
<A HREF="http://www.blizzplanet.com/content/interviews/knaak_istrocon_low.wmv">Low Quality</a> (62MB)
<A HREF="http://www.blizzplanet.com/content/interviews/knaak_istrocon_high.wmv">High Quality</a> (180MB)
<A HREF="http://www.blizzplanet.com/content/interviews/knaak-slovakia-audio.mp3">Audio Only</a> (19MB)

It's very interesting and in particular covers his novels' relation to recent events coming in Wrath of the Lich King, such as Malygos' war on magic and Rhonin becoming head of the Kirin Tor. It also suggests that there will likely be more WarCraft novels from Knaak after Night of the Dragon.

[Warlock]

I like Kenzuki's question/suggestion.. Scythe of Elune would make a great story, and yeah, I really wish he'd do something other than dragons. I love his writing but I am really getting tired of every single book he does being about dragons :P I guess it sounds like we have Blizzard to blame for most of that...

Also, his response to the "what characters?" question about how "you will be surprised" makes me wonder if he's going to try and cram Turalyon/Alleria in there somewhere. Metzen was certainly adament that he wanted to explain what happened to them, and this would of course be one way of doing it. Besides which, Vereesa is Alleria's sister, so it does make some sense there.

[Aldrius]

Heh.

I see he completely avoided mentioning Tyrande when asked about female characters... :p

[Kenzuki]

Heh.

I see he completely avoided mentioning Tyrande when asked about female characters... :p

Probably to keep people like you happy.

[Aldrius]

Probably to keep people like you happy.

...how would not mentioning how he's going to improve female characters in the future, by referencing one he screwed up going to make me happy?

And what the hell do you mean by 'people like me'?

[Kenzuki]

...how would not mentioning how he's going to improve female characters in the future, by referencing one he screwed up going to make me happy?

And what the hell do you mean by 'people like me'?

He didn't screw up Tyrande damn it! That's only YOUR opinion based on how she was TEN FREAKEN THOUSAND YEARS LATER./rant

[Darkwind]

He didn't screw up Tyrande damn it! That's only YOUR opinion based on how she was TEN FREAKEN THOUSAND YEARS LATER./rant

Agreed.

[Kenzuki]

War of the Ancients wasn't perfect, but I'm tired of hearing all the damn ranting about it when he's only read the first freaken book./rant

[Aldrius]

And I'm tired of you implying I should read it when it'd be a fucking waste of money if I didn't enjoy the first one.

I don't need to read the rest when I've heard enough from other people who's opinions I respect that she doesn't get much better, and I certainly don't really need to pry further because to be honest...

I'm not really surprised.

And it has nothing to do with ten thousand years, nor does it have anything to do with her personality.

It has everything to do with the way the story was changed to make her into a damsel in distress.

[Darkwind]

And it has nothing to do with ten thousand years, nor does it have anything to do with her personality.

It has everything to do with the way the story was changed to make her into a damsel in distress.

I completely disagree. Tyrande is said to have resentment for defending her lands while the druids, and her love, slept in the Dream. I think her temperament had everything to do with shouldering the responsibility of her people and her detachment from her lover. Ten thousand years is a long time to wait and plenty of time to go from a mellow Priestess to a hardened, fiery warrior.

[Aldrius]

I completely disagree. Tyrande is said to have resentment for defending her lands while the druids, and her love, slept in the Dream. I think her temperament had everything to do with shouldering the responsibility of her people and her detachment from her lover. Ten thousand years is a long time to wait and plenty of time to go from a mellow Priestess to a hardened, fiery warrior.

*Sigh*

I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking about the logic or the storyline's flow. I'm talking about the author's decision to make her into a damsel in distress.

And besides that, the fact that she's not a hardened killer or a soldier is no longer my issue with her character either.

[Darkwind]

I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking about the logic or the storyline's flow. I'm talking about the author's decision to make her into a damsel in distress.

Very well. I can understand and respect that.

[Kenzuki]

*Sigh*

I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking about the logic or the storyline's flow. I'm talking about the author's decision to make her into a damsel in distress.

And besides that, the fact that she's not a hardened killer or a soldier is no longer my issue with her character either.

Take it up with Metzen, he approved it.

[Aldrius]

And Knaak wrote it.

Lesse... WarCraft and StarCraft are chock-full of strong female characters some of which are most definitely not bad-ass warriors. (Which is actually pretty rare as far as fiction goes.) And it's true of many of the other WarCraft novels... and yet Knaak's are the only ones that seem to have this problem... what other conclusion am I supposed to come to?

[Darkwind]

And Knaak wrote it.

Lesse... WarCraft and StarCraft are chock-full of strong female characters some of which are most definitely not bad-ass warriors. (Which is actually pretty rare as far as fiction goes.) And it's true of many of the other WarCraft novels... and yet Knaak's are the only ones that seem to have this problem... what other conclusion am I supposed to come to?

He brought up Vereesa and Tyrygosa as strong females. Tyrande is one example. I also assume that "female" only applies to female Humanoids, in your case? Alexstratsza would be another example of a strong female.

[Kenzuki]

Why is the damsel in distress a bad thing?

[Darkwind]

Why is the damsel in distress a bad thing?

I think Aldrius believes that Knaak makes all of his female characters into Damsals in Distress.

[Kenzuki]

Well to be blunt, not every woman is strong and independant, infact there are more that aren't than are. I people don't like saying there are differences in genders, but there are.

[Aldrius]

I think Aldrius believes that Knaak makes all of his female characters into Damsals in Distress.

No I don't.

I think he made a character who wasn't a damsel in distress and never should have become one, into one.

Why is the damsel in distress a bad thing?

Is that a trick question?

Other than the fact that it's been done since people could write, doesn't suit Tyrande at all, encourages archaic stereotypes that women are 'weak' and must always be saved, and is pretty lazy and unimaginative?

If you think any of that is 'not bad'... then well... welcome to the new millenium?


Well to be blunt, not every woman is strong and independant, infact there are more that aren't than are. I people don't like saying there are differences in genders, but there are.

And not every man is strong and independent. In fact there are more that aren't than are.

Of course there are differences. People are just wrong about what those differences really are.

[Darkwind]

No I don't.

I think he made a character who wasn't a damsel in distress and never should have become one, into one.

My mistake then.

However, if you're going to complain about Tyrande becoming a damsel in distress, then you should be blaming Metzen, too. Because that's exactly what Tyrande was in The Frozen Throne. A feisty one, but one all the same.

[Kenzuki]

But women are weak Aldrius, they are called the fairer *** for a reason. Unless they do something about it a man is going to be physically stronger than a women is, that's just facts. There's nothing ***ist about it, some species are just that way.

I consider male and female equal when it comes to rights and stuff, but to pretend that the two are exactly the same is kinda silly.

[Aldrius]

But women are weak Aldrius, they are called the fairer *** for a reason. Unless they do something about it a man is going to be physically stronger than a women is, that's just facts. There's nothing ***ist about it, some species are just that way.

I consider male and female equal when it comes to rights and stuff, but to pretend that the two are exactly the same is kinda silly.

Strength is not always physical strength... and not all men are stronger than all women.

And that's why I've JUST said men and women AREN'T the same. But western society is wrong about the ways they're different outside of physical differences.


However, if you're going to complain about Tyrande becoming a damsel in distress, then you should be blaming Metzen, too. Because that's exactly what Tyrande was in The Frozen Throne. A feisty one, but one all the same.

Fiesty?

She fought off legions of undead with naught but a few warriors. I think that goes well beyond the line of 'fiesty'.

And she got herself into that trouble by VOLUNTEERING to protect people.

[Darkwind]

Fiesty?

She fought off legions of undead with naught but a few warriors. I think that goes well beyond the line of 'fiesty'.

And she got herself into that trouble by VOLUNTEERING to protect people.

She did that in War of the Ancients, too, you know. She led the Sisters of Elune into battle.

[Warlock]

War of the Anients was fine. The only problem I had with the trilogy is that it seems like for the first two books, Knaak is taking his sweet time (which is fine) but then by the third book, he hits an "oh shit, I need to finish this" mode and everything is crammed into too short of a space. Kind of the same problem Tides of Darkness had. Then important stuff like Illidan getting the Blades of Azzinoth are completely left out. Or Agamaggan's blood spilling out over the Barrens, etc etc. (also, wasn't he supposed to be killed by Mannoroth?)

[ARM3481]

War of the Anients was fine. The only problem I had with the trilogy is that it seems like for the first two books, Knaak is taking his sweet time (which is fine) but then by the third book, he hits an "oh shit, I need to finish this" mode and everything is crammed into too short of a space. Kind of the same problem Tides of Darkness had. Then important stuff like Illidan getting the Blades of Azzinoth are completely left out. Or Agamaggan's blood spilling out over the Barrens, etc etc. (also, wasn't he supposed to be killed by Mannoroth?)

And dang it, I wanted to see the Cenarius/Mannoroth fight!

Still it's frequently argued that all of the events in the WotA novels were a sort of "didn't actually happen that way" timeframe that got supplanted by the real one once Nozdormu was restored and we just saw the "alternate" events in the books.

I hate time travel. It trivializes everything. Soon as time travel's involved, they might as well have the Zerg and Diablo show up on Azeroth and then say later "Yeah, that changed everything, but Nozdormu fixed it all after we left!" Well, then what was the point of it all?! As far as true history is concerned, Nozdormu was knocked out of commission in the present for five minutes, then got his bearings again. The rest was just a "what if" story that he all but erased from the actual timeline.

[Darkwind]

And dang it, I wanted to see the Cenarius/Mannoroth fight!

Still it's frequently argued that all of the events in the WotA novels were a sort of "didn't actually happen that way" timeframe that got supplanted by the real one once Nozdormu was restored and we just saw the "alternate" events in the books.

I hate time travel. It trivializes everything. Soon as time travel's involved, they might as well have the Zerg and Diablo show up on Azeroth and then say later "Yeah, that changed everything, but Nozdormu fixed it all after we left!" Well, then what was the point of it all?! As far as true history is concerned, Nozdormu was knocked out of commission in the present for five minutes, then got his bearings again. The rest was just a "what if" story that he all but erased from the actual timeline.


Honestly, even though I though the WotA trilogy was decent, I would have rather seen the original version of events. I think the only reason things were changed was to introduce the Old Gods and show how powerful they were.

[ARM3481]

Honestly, even though I though the WotA trilogy was decent, I would have rather seen the original version of events. I think the only reason things were changed was to introduce the Old Gods and show how powerful they were.

I was especially struck by the whole "Lord of the Rings" aspect that the Old Gods assumed in WotA. That their whole plan would have worked, if only they could have "pulled the plug" on the madness they created in one of their old pawns. Instead the very same irrational desire they had instilled in him to possess the "item of power" caused their own failure.

Not exactly the most original idea there, but still a mildly interesting way to handle the Demon Soul plotline.

[Kerrah]

IMO it seems like he doesn't know what the Scythe of Elune is, just trying to be polite when saying: "Yes, I'd like to write more dark fantasy."

[Kenzuki]

And dang it, I wanted to see the Cenarius/Mannoroth fight!

Still it's frequently argued that all of the events in the WotA novels were a sort of "didn't actually happen that way" timeframe that got supplanted by the real one once Nozdormu was restored and we just saw the "alternate" events in the books.

I hate time travel. It trivializes everything. Soon as time travel's involved, they might as well have the Zerg and Diablo show up on Azeroth and then say later "Yeah, that changed everything, but Nozdormu fixed it all after we left!" Well, then what was the point of it all?! As far as true history is concerned, Nozdormu was knocked out of commission in the present for five minutes, then got his bearings again. The rest was just a "what if" story that he all but erased from the actual timeline.

Considering there are still giant thorns all over the Barrens, and Agamaggan's Skull is at Razorfen Downs, I'de say that all was restored to normal, save for some blue and black dragons surviving.

[Nephalim]

War of the Anients was fine.Counterpoint: It was not.

[Drirlake]

Heh.

I see he completely avoided mentioning Tyrande when asked about female characters... :p

Jeebus why are you so obsessed with Tyrande Anyway? She is just some lame wimmin in goofy elf costume.

[Aldrius]

Jeebus why are you so obsessed with Tyrande Anyway? She is just some lame wimmin in goofy elf costume.

I'm not 'obsessed' with Tyrande. I'm just pointing out how terribly she was written in WotA.

If I had read the other books I'd probably mention Vashj or Maiev.

Most likely Vashj, because it sounds like she REALLY got the short end of the stick.

[Kakwakas]

IMO it seems like he doesn't know what the Scythe of Elune is, just trying to be polite when saying: "Yes, I'd like to write more dark fantasy."

Probably not, but he might look into it now. :D

He was pretty quick to answer the question about Hakkar there... Maybe he'll be coming back.

[Kenzuki]

The thing that always got me was that Malfurion killing Hakkar in the past made Krasus freak out. Hakkar was supposed to die at Hyjal and was responsible for slaughtering many magi at Dalaran. With him dying in the past that means that those magi he killed are now alive.

[Timolas]

Yet the timeline remains intact when one of the lords of the Burning Legion dies ten thousand years too early.

[Kenzuki]

Yet the timeline remains intact when one of the lords of the Burning Legion dies ten thousand years too early.

Hakkar wasn't a lord, he was Mannoroth's lacky. He's no more important in the organization of the Legion than Mal'Ganis was.

[Lon-ami]

Perhaps it was written, and all they done in WotA was done in their timeline by "them"...

Hakkar could be revived and killed again in the 3rd war...

After the Sundering, all could get owned and Nozdormu deleted some of their mind...

Greetings.

[Timolas]

Hakkar wasn't a lord, he was Mannoroth's lacky. He's no more important in the organization of the Legion than Mal'Ganis was.

Mal'ganis was just a dreadlord. Hakkar was more important than that.
His death should have had quite a lot of impact considering ten thousand years of him being active were changed.

[Nephalim]

I would imagine the demons weren't just sitting around for ten thousand years waiting for Azeroth to open up again. If Hakkar the Houndmaster survived his ten thousand year interim, he likely effected change all over the cosmos. I'm sure most of you are acquainted with the stone in the pond analogy, that when a stone breaks the surface of the water, the ripples start out smaller but encompass more and more as time passes until pretty much the whole pond has been hit by it. The same applies to changing the timeline.

Even if Hakkar was less prominent than he was, killing him ten thousand years too early would have caused massive changes throughout the universe, not just Azeroth. The bronze dragons have offered Blizzard and company a very convenient scapegoat. Feasibly, they can just fix anything whenever they wish. However even then, they've restricted their influence to Azeroth.

[Aldrius]

Which begs the question... how is that even possible?

How can one police ALL of time in a multi-dimensional world when limiting itself to only one world, especially considering how easy it is to travel between worlds.

[Rowan Seven]

Which begs the question... how is that even possible?

How can one police ALL of time in a multi-dimensional world when limiting itself to only one world, especially considering how easy it is to travel between worlds.

Out-sourcing. Where do you think Dr. Who receives his paychecks from? ;)

[Darkwind]

Which begs the question... how is that even possible?

How can one police ALL of time in a multi-dimensional world when limiting itself to only one world, especially considering how easy it is to travel between worlds.

I always thought Nozdormu's influence only extended as far as Azeroth's timeways. Until Blizzard decides to put in some Beyond the Dark Portal battle or the War against the Draenei in the Caverns of Time. . .

[Nephalim]

I always thought Nozdormu's influence only extended as far as Azeroth's timeways.But see, if the Infinites had successfully stopped Medivh in the Black Morass, the result in Draenor would have been catastrophic. Likewise, if the bronze dragons lacked the capacity to repair damage done to another world, then they would be powerless to stop equally catastrophic damage taking place on Azeroth. All the Infinites (or some other threat) would need to do is assassinate Doomhammer in Draenor. The bronze dragons would be helpless, and Azeroth would be doomed.

The funniest part is that whenever anyone raises the multitude of time travel issues to anyone from Blizzard, the response tends to essentially be "oh it doesn't really count."

[Kerrah]

But see, if the Infinites had successfully stopped Medivh in the Black Morass, the result in Draenor would have been catastrophic. Likewise, if the bronze dragons lacked the capacity to repair damage done to another world, then they would be powerless to stop equally catastrophic damage taking place on Azeroth. All the Infinites (or some other threat) would need to do is assassinate Doomhammer in Draenor. The bronze dragons would be helpless, and Azeroth would be doomed.

But first you have to find a way to travel to the past in Draenor/Outland.

[Nephalim]

Easy: go back in time to the Black Morass and go through the Portal.

[Aldrius]

The funniest part is that whenever anyone raises the multitude of time travel issues to anyone from Blizzard, the response tends to essentially be "oh it doesn't really count."

What else can they say?

It's either that or some lame excuse that we'll all make fun of.

[Nephalim]

It's either that or some lame excuse that we'll all make fun of.But... that is a lame excuse, and I am making fun of it.

[Aldrius]

You've... given me a lot to think about.

I don't know how Blizzard should handle the CoT at this point. I mean, I liked the first instance. The durnholde one well enough... but the Black Morass was kinda boring (though I did appreciate the unique layout compared to other instances.) and Hyjal was full of silliness and didn't live up to the original mission at all. (Though that was mostly the fault of the music/acting than anything. I never actually played the mission...)

Hopefully the Stratholme one will be good, but I don't have my hopes up. We'll probably be stuck with crappy voice acting and an illogical plot structure, like the Hyjal one. (Though I think it'd be kinda cool if it started off with the cutscene from the original game... kek.)

[ARM3481]

One of he saddest things about Hyjal is that the Bronze Dragonflight still thinks there's something sinister behind it! Just talk to the NPC's in CoT; they're preplexed and cut off from accessing that timeframe, and they're convinced that some dark force is responsible. Boy will they be surprised to find out what's really going on...

Only Blizz and the players actually know it's just a larf to let our characters play around in an important historical event firsthand. Yet Blizz left in all of the clear signs that it was originally meant to actually have story-related significance. :sweatdrop

[Warlock]

I would imagine the demons weren't just sitting around for ten thousand years waiting for Azeroth to open up again. If Hakkar the Houndmaster survived his ten thousand year interim, he likely effected change all over the cosmos. I'm sure most of you are acquainted with the stone in the pond analogy, that when a stone breaks the surface of the water, the ripples start out smaller but encompass more and more as time passes until pretty much the whole pond has been hit by it. The same applies to changing the timeline.

Even if Hakkar was less prominent than he was, killing him ten thousand years too early would have caused massive changes throughout the universe, not just Azeroth. The bronze dragons have offered Blizzard and company a very convenient scapegoat. Feasibly, they can just fix anything whenever they wish. However even then, they've restricted their influence to Azeroth.

To be honest, I doubt it's as serious as that. Hakkar dies - ok, they appoint a new Houndmaster. In fact, they *did* - you can go kick his ass in Blade's Edge right now. So bad stuff still happens, it's just a different guy doing it. I dunno, there are so many demons out there that it just seems the impact probably isn't as great as, say, killing someone actually important like Archimonde or Kil'jaeden. There is still an impact mind you, but consider all the other crap Rhonin and co. did to the timeline... Hakkar is small potatoes.

[Darkwind]

One of he saddest things about Hyjal is that the Bronze Dragonflight still thinks there's something sinister behind it! Just talk to the NPC's in CoT; they're preplexed and cut off from accessing that timeframe, and they're convinced that some dark force is responsible. Boy will they be surprised to find out what's really going on...

Only Blizz and the players actually know it's just a larf to let our characters play around in an important historical event firsthand. Yet Blizz left in all of the clear signs that it was originally meant to actually have story-related significance. :sweatdrop

I still think Drysc just pulled that time pocket crap out of his ass, especially since Bornakk kind of contradicted it later on. Despite there not being anything going on there, it was a sealed instance. And the developers thought enough to actually make the Scale of the Sands seem concerned about it.

Personally, I think that it was either a diversion or something was planned to go on there, but us simply being there prevented it. I still think the whole instance was ill-conceived, but I really don't think they meant it to be some random "time pocket".

[Nephalim]

To be honest, I doubt it's as serious as that. Hakkar dies - ok, they appoint a new Houndmaster.Hakkar had his own methods, goals, intentions, vendettas, even minions. You could take the same stance with anyone. Go back in time and kill Mannoroth, and they'll just promote a new Demon King.

Besides, they don't just create a new entity out of thin air to take his place. They'll take a person out of their original timeline to fulfill his as best they can, which no one can do. Only Hakkar could play out Hakkar for ten thousand years. No one could be asked to take his place and then be expected to properly make every decision Hakkar made for ten thousand years. People will die, others will live, who wouldn't have originally. And if your promote people into his position, then others need to be promoted into theirs, etc etc. until finally you get to a point where someone is removed from a role and not replaced. Minor roles become major ones when you give them ten thousand years to ferment.

And I'm not, to be fair ignoring the rest of the changes time travel has done to the timeline, but it doesn't really change this.

[Rowan Seven]

I still think Drysc just pulled that time pocket crap out of his ass, especially since Bornakk kind of contradicted it later on.

Out of curiosity, what did Bornakk say? I've only read Drysc's post on the matter.

[Darkwind]

Out of curiosity, what did Bornakk say? I've only read Drysc's post on the matter.

"Keep in mind that not every instance of the Caverns of Time is a direct result of interference from the Infinite Dragonflight. Their plotting and scheming of future attacks on time remain a mystery to us, but the Caverns themselves are also something we mortals do not entirely understand.

While the Timeless One, Nozdormu, may know more than we do, he remains secluded at this time and is not sharing information."

While somewhat of a non-answer, it's still better than "lol time pockets".