Some screenshots show that the Dark Portal has been rebuilt (after having been destroyed in Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal). Can you give us any background on why it's back or what role it'll play in the game?
The foundation of the Dark Portal was never destroyed, even though the connection between the worlds was severed. While it is no longer active, legends speak of a ritual contained within Medivh's spellbook that might one day allow powerful Warlocks to open the portal.

Will World of Warcraft mix with Warcraft III? If there are new foes, do they include the Undead Scourge or Burning Legion?
World of Warcraft will be set in lands both familiar and new to long-time players of the series. It is difficult to discuss the World of Warcraft story without giving away the plot for Warcraft III. We can say that Azeroth has experienced significant changes and is now a very different world from what Warcraft fans know today. And while there will be plenty of recognizable characters and places to explore, we think that the balance between discovering what is known and what is different is something that players will really enjoy.

As for the inclusion of the Scourge or Burning Legion, you will just have to wait and see...

What continents are in World of Warcraft? Will they be familiar to fans of the Warcraft RTS series?
Currently, players will be able to explore the lands of Azeroth, Khaz Modan, Lordaeron, and the newly discovered continent of Kalimdor. Players familiar with the Warcraft series will find that we have depicted nearly every location from the Warcraft universe in World of Warcraft.

How many continents/islands will there be? How big will the world be?
World of Warcraft will have more area to explore than any other previous Blizzard games. In World of Warcraft, players can expect to journey through the familiar lands of Azeroth, Khaz Modan, and Lordaeron, to name a few. The game will also feature several uncharted and exotic new lands. We are expanding the Warcraft universe because we believe that a critical part of the MMORPG experience is the ability to journey through robust new regions. Our goal is to create a vast new world filled with adventure and excitement, while keeping the game fully populated to support a strong sense of community.

Will there be "zones" in World of Warcraft?
World of Warcraft will not feature "zones" in the traditional sense, with loading screens between each area of gameplay. Our plan is to introduce different regions of the world for players to explore, each with their own distinct look and theme. Questing through the majority of these regions will be seamless, although certain regions may require a short load time.

Will you be able to visit the familiar locations from Warcraft, Warcraft II, and so on?
Most definitely. Players will explore the ruins of old battles, interact with legendary heroes, and visit many of the locations that have made the Warcraft series so memorable.

Will there be secret locations or Easter eggs?
There are plenty of special locations for players to discover. The level designers have gone all out.

Will there be water-based, interactive environments?
Yes.

What is the time cycle in World of Warcraft?
Currently, the game is set to run on a 24-hour time cycle, which is dependant on where each server is located.

Will there be monsters that randomly roam in packs from time to time?
Yes, and we call this dynamic gameplay. The plan is to have numerous dynamic encounters in the game that will be randomly timed and placed.

Will there be dragons in the game?
Yes.

Will there be "named" or "unique" monsters in the World of Warcraft?
Yes, there are many unique monsters in World of Warcraft. Some will appear randomly, while others will only spawn when certain conditions have been met.

In other games, problems have resulted from players being able to attack monsters without retaliation. What are the solutions to these problems in World of Warcraft?
The creatures in World of Warcraft have special AI to prevent them from being exploited. Creatures recognize when they're being exploited, and when this happens, they go into "evade" mode and return to their spawn points.

Can you give more details on the different modes of transportation in World of Warcraft?
In World of Warcraft, you will have the opportunity to use several different modes of transportation. Early on, you'll get to explore the beautiful environments on foot, but once you discover certain NPCs, you'll be able to hire flying mounts such as Gryphons and Wyverns from them for a fee. These mounts cover regular routes; utilizing them will make it easier for you to quickly travel between locations you have already explored. Along with these taxi-style transports, there are also boats and zeppelins that can be chartered for intercontinental travel.

Personal mounts, specific to each race, will also be available to characters at higher levels. For instance, Orcs will ride dire wolves, Humans will ride horses, and Dwarves will ride battle rams. Though it will be somewhat challenging to do so, characters can also learn how to ride the mounts of races other than their own. In addition, "epic" and magical forms of travel can be discovered in the game, such as ancient portals and player-based rituals, that can be used for instant travel to exotic locations.

How do mounts work in World of Warcraft?
World of Warcraft offers a variety of mounts for the different races of Azeroth (the world on which the game takes place). For example, Humans generally ride horses, and Orcs tend to favor their trusted wolf mounts. Mounts are a great way to travel the world for mid-to-high-level characters. With extensive training, riding specialists will be able to use mounts not generally available to their particular race, but this ability will be rare.

When can players get their own mount?
The level requirement is 40. Players also must learn a riding skill which requires both a good reputation toward the faction of the trainer for that specific mount, and will also cost you a fee. At level 60, you can gain access to a faster mount, which is very expensive, so prepare yourself to spare gold soon enough if you plan acquiring the faster mount.

How will players use mounts?
Mounts become available to each race at a high level, and they can be "called" when needed by the owner. We also have other specialty mounts. A high-level Warlock, for example, can summon a Felsteed.

Can players own or operate ships?
At this time, all ships are owned and operated by NPCs within the game.

Can players drive or ride vehicles/mounts?
We include several personal modes of transportation, including horses, wolves, and more. We also include many vehicles including ships, zeppelins, and Gryphons that will provide quick and easy travel throughout the world. Read the Mounts page and the Public Transportation page to learn more about this.

I was wondering if extremely high-level characters in World of Warcraft would be able to control more powerful mounts - like a dragon or a wyvern?
Since announcing the availability of mounts in the game, players have been sharing their excitement with us about all the possibilities that exist in the Warcraft universe. We do allow players to ride Gryphons, but only between set points in the world that they are trained to seek out. We have no plans to allow players to fly around the world of Azeroth without some such constraint, but we will also have much more than mere horses for players to ride. You didn't think we would have orc riders without giant wolves did you?

For what platforms is the game available?
The game is available for PCs and Macs.

Does the game require a 3D accelerator?
Yes, the game requires a 3D graphics card. We support a wide range of 3D cards that conform to the system requirement outlined above. Specific 3D card support information can be found here.

Is the game playable over a dial up?
Yes, a 56.6k modem or higher is required.

What is the camera perspective of the game?
The game supports 1st- and 3rd-person camera perspectives. Players will be able to utilize the mouse wheel to adjust the camera angle as the situation dictates and switch between cameras on the fly.