Thursday 21 March 1998 ZAGE Campus USA.
Now it's already March, and Zaboru has completed his initial period of guiding and mentoring the Korea Dynasty team at the ZAGE Hub in Korea. The team has reached a point where they can operate independently, thanks to the strong foundation built under his leadership. Supervision is now being handled by Park Woojin, who has stepped into a more active leadership role. The month spent with Zaboru clearly helped the team grow exceptionally — not just in skill, but also in confidence and direction. While Zaboru will no longer be based there full-time, he still plans to check in on their progress occasionally, especially during his visits to Japan, ensuring the momentum continues.
But now, Zaboru is back at the ZAGE Campus in the USA because one of ZAGE's top teams — Team Tempest — has officially completed their assigned project: the development of Elder Scrolls IV: Morrowind. The team started working on the game back in August of last year, meaning the development cycle spanned just over eight months. Considering the scale, scope, and depth of the game, this speed of completion is nothing short of remarkable. It speaks volumes about the efficiency, discipline, and skill level of Team Tempest. They're now considered one of the most capable development teams within the entire ZAGE organization.
The team not only completed the game in record time but also maintained a very high standard of quality throughout. This kind of performance wouldn't have been possible without the tools they had at their disposal — most notably, the advanced version of the ZAGE Unreal Engine. This proprietary engine has undergone consistent and significant improvements over the past year, with new modules, optimization pipelines, and enhanced rendering capabilities. These upgrades are the result of not just the core ZAGE tech team's ongoing efforts, but also collaborations with skilled third-party developers who've contributed using Unreal Engine and give ZAGE their data.
Thanks to this growing ecosystem, ZAGE's in-house engine has become a true powerhouse, capable of supporting large, open-world RPGs like Morrowind while keeping development timelines tight.
As for Team Tempest, they now have two major tasks remaining on their current roadmap: Battle Realms, which is scheduled for release in May, and Baldur's Gate, set to launch in August. Both titles are already deep into development, with key systems and features in place. Despite the workload, Zaboru remains confident in the team's ability to manage more. In fact, he's fully aware that Team Tempest is capable of handling up to three full-scale projects simultaneously, thanks to their proven efficiency, collaborative workflow, and strong leadership.
And now, after a full two months without any official game releases for either ZEPS 3 or PC, ZAGE is finally set to launch a new title this March. The game is none other than Elder Scrolls IV: Morrowind, developed by Team Tempest. As for ZEPS 3, fans will have to wait a bit longer — another major console games release is already scheduled for next month.
Now Zaboru was already on the usual meeting floor of the ZAGE Campus, where Team Tempest's senior members and key figures had gathered. Among them are John Carmack, Peter Wayne, and Samuel Nelson, joined by Gabe Newell, ZAGE USA's CTO. Everyone was ready and waiting to hear directly from Zaboru about their next assignment.
"Okay, first of all — congratulations to Team Tempest for completing Elder Scrolls IV: Morrowind in just eight months," Zaboru announced with a proud grin. A wave of applause filled the room, the energy unmistakably celebratory. Team Tempest had pulled off something remarkable, and everyone there knew it.
"But we all know we're not done yet. I've already planned our next game — and it's right here," Zaboru said with his usual confidence. As expected, he had prepared a set of folders for the team, neatly stacked and ready to be handed out. The label on the front read: Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos.
Zaboru grinned, clearly excited, and began explaining. "Yes, we're developing the sequel to Warcraft 2, and it's officially titled Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. This game will pick up where Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness left off, continuing the epic story and expanding the world even further. It's going to be bigger, deeper, and filled with new systems that will push the RTS genre forward."
Zaboru smiled and said, "We're going to improve many aspects of gameplay, and one of the biggest additions we're planning is the introduction of the 'Hero' unit. These heroes will be powerful, unique units — unlike anything we've implemented before. They'll be capable of leveling up multiple times, learning new abilities as they grow, and ultimately becoming the centerpiece of your entire army. In Warcraft 3, the army will revolve around these heroes, as they are not just strong combatants, but also strategic assets. Their positioning, timing, and survival will be absolutely vital in each match."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Some of you might already be familiar with this concept from your current work on Battle Realms, which also features hero units — but in Warcraft 3, we're pushing it even further. While Battle Realms features heroes with a single unique ability, in Warcraft 3, heroes will have multiple skills, each tied to different level milestones. Players will be able to choose where to allocate their skill points, allowing for a variety of builds and strategic approaches. Each hero will also have a powerful 'Ultimate Skill' that becomes available at higher levels, creating a rewarding power curve that mirrors RPG progression within an RTS framework."
He glanced around the room, noting the enthusiastic nods of the developers, clearly intrigued by the depth this would bring. "So, unlike in Battle Realms, where the heroes are cool but relatively fixed, here in Warcraft 3, you'll have dynamic, evolving heroes that truly change the course of the battle. And that's only the beginning of how we plan to push this genre forward."
"Next up — items. Yes, we're going to introduce a full item system to help make heroes even stronger. Items can be found in various ways — purchased from shops, looted from enemies, or discovered in hidden parts of the map. Each item will offer different effects or stat boosts, giving players the freedom to tailor their heroes to their preferred playstyle. Some items will provide passive bonuses, others will offer active abilities, and certain rare ones will even change how a hero functions in combat. On top of that, multiple items can be combined to craft more powerful gear, creating a layer of strategic depth for players who want to maximize efficiency and impact. The item system will encourage exploration, experimentation, and clever planning throughout every match."
Zaboru chuckled and said, "Next, we're adding Neutral Monsters. These are units that are hostile to both sides and aren't aligned with any faction. You'll find them scattered across the map, usually guarding valuable resources like gold mines or rare items. Engaging with these Neutral Monsters offers risk and reward — they're tough, but defeating them grants your heroes and units experience points, as well as potential loot. It's a great way to give players more options for early-game progression and map control. These encounters will also add more depth to the game's pacing and strategic decisions."
"Next, we have the introduction of two entirely new factions: the Undead and the Night Elves. Both of these races will be fully playable, each with unique mechanics, units, and strategic options. We'll also be adjusting their capabilities to reflect their lore and gameplay style," Zaboru explained. "One of the core mechanics we're adding is the Day and Night cycle. During the nighttime, Night Elves will gain significant advantages — they'll move more stealthily, gain regeneration, and some of their units will unlock special abilities. On the other hand, the Undead will be designed to play very differently from traditional factions. Their playstyle will focus on relentless swarming, dark magic, and map control through corruption — somewhat similar to how the Zerg play in StarCraft, with their own unique spin tailored to the Warcraft universe."
He continued, "Each faction will come with a rich selection of heroes, each with their own distinct skill sets and lore-driven roles in the story. Players will be able to explore these heroes in campaign and multiplayer modes alike, experimenting with combinations and discovering new synergies. Our goal is to create a fresh yet familiar experience — something that gives players the freedom to develop their own tactics while still staying true to the core identity of the Warcraft series."
Everyone in the room nodded, visibly excited at the possibilities. The idea of exploring a new generation of heroes and factions sparked conversations and speculative ideas almost immediately. It was clear the team was eager to bring this vision to life.
But then Zaboru said, "Now, one of the most important aspects of the game — beyond the core gameplay and story — is Mod support and Multiplayer. These features will define the long-term life of the game. Warcraft 3 will absolutely support Multiplayer, and we'll continue using our trusted Battle.net infrastructure to provide players with seamless connectivity, matchmaking, and dedicated servers."
He continued, "But more than that, I want Warcraft 3 to be a game with outstanding modding capabilities — far beyond what we've offered in our previous PC titles. I've planned from the start to make this game extremely mod-friendly, so mod creators — both casual and advanced — can easily build new content. We'll include a powerful, user-friendly modding toolkit directly with the game, complete with scripting access, map editing tools, asset import options, and documentation to help the community grow."
Zaboru chuckled and added, "Of course, we'll include some of our own custom mods too — things like entirely new gameplay modes, unique heroes, and maybe even spin-off campaigns. But more importantly, we want to empower the community." Because if there's one thing Zaboru know from experience, it's that Warcraft 3 becomes truly legendary because of mods. Let's not forget — it was the modding community that gave birth to entirely new genres. MOBA, for instance, came out of a custom map in his previous life.
His words lit up the room, especially among the developers who had once been modders themselves. The vision was clear: Warcraft 3 wouldn't just be a great RTS — it would be a platform for creativity.
Everyone nodded, and then finally, the Q&A session began. One by one, questions were asked — covering everything from gameplay mechanics to storyline choices, engine optimization, faction balance, and future expansion possibilities. Zaboru, ever patient and clear, answered each one thoughtfully, often adding insight into why certain decisions were made and what kind of flexibility the team would have moving forward. The atmosphere was lively, with a healthy mix of curiosity and admiration for the ambitious vision being laid out.
Eventually, someone asked the most anticipated question: "When do we expect the game to be finished?" Zaboru smiled and responded confidently, "We're targeting a December release this year." That answer brought a renewed sense of urgency and excitement to the room. It was an aggressive but achievable timeline, and one that showed Zaboru's faith in the team.
And So the Development of Warcraft 3 Reign of Chaos Officially Started.
To be continue
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