Warcraft Adventures is now playable

[Orcnet]

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Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans is a game cancelled by Blizzard during the early stages of the gaming industry that started 18 years ago, most of the game play videos have been sprouting across the web for time now. As much as we all wanted to taste an old spice of throwback, the full game is now downloadable!

Hidden

Scored at the forum/fan site Scrolls of Lore by Russian user Reidor, this version of the game is playable and supposedly near-complete, including all of the in-game cinematics and voice acting.

You can check out the forum site and its download content here: [LINK]

Warcraft Adventures is a forgotten relic of a time when point-and-click adventure games were booming and was developed in cooperation with Russian studio Animation Magic, the same team behind the infamous Legend of Zelda CD-I game. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be the story of Thrall uniting the orc clans and forming the Horde was nixed by Blizzard. Days before E3 in '98, Blizzard announced the cancellation after seeing the likes of Shafer's 3D Grim Fandango and worrying that Warcraft Adventures just couldn't keep pace with where the adventure genre was headed.

"I think that one of the big problems with Warcraft Adventures was that we were actually creating a traditional adventure game, and what people expected from an adventure game, and very honestly what we expected from an adventure game, changed over the course of the project," said Bill Roper, who was once vice president of Blizzard North, to GameSpot around the time of the cancellation. "And when we got to the point where we cancelled it, it was just because we looked at where we were and said, you know, this would have been great three years ago."

That wasn't much solace to the many Warcraft fans who had been anticipating exploring the Warcraft universe through Thrall's eyes rather than as a disembodied hand dolling orders to units. Thrall's story was eventually turned into a novel, Warcraft: Lord of the Clans, and Warcraft Adventures remained unreleased and largely forgotten until several videos began appearing online thanks to various Russian YouTubers in 2011. It would be appear that Animation Magic didn't exactly run a tight ship—though why it took the full game so long to finally appear is unclear.

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Credit List:
-pcgamer Article: After 18 years, the cancelled Warcraft adventure game is finally playable [source]
-Scrolls of Lore forum post: Warcraft adventures: Lord of the clans - finally out~! [source]
-images, texts, and design made in CS6

 

[A]mun]

Inconceivable!

After so many years

 

[Yours Truly]

Looks like a good game and I think I watched it sometime on YouTube. 'Love to try the game out but this error is bugging me :<

 

[deepstrasz]

Looks like a good game and I think I watched it sometime on YouTube. 'Love to try the game out but this error is bugging me :<

Try refreshing multiple times. It worked for me. Hopefully they didn't take the thread down.
If that still doesn't work, this thread has the link to the download:
Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans fan release!

 

[Deleted member 219079]

0/5 bad graphics

 

[deepstrasz]

0/5 bad graphics

What are you talking about? It's a 1998 game. Have you even played Warcraft II or Warcraft: Orcs & Humans? It looks fitting to its time.

 

[Yours Truly]

@deepstrasz : Thanks for the unbroken link. Yours work.

@jondrean : That's something you shouldn't say out loud if you're a Warcraft fan. As @deepstrasz said,it fits during its time. I mean, giving this game a 0/5 is clearly an insult,and with that "bad graphic" comment to support it. People accept good critics,not just some random bad ratings.

 

[Chaosy]

0/5 bad graphics

My opinion exactly. I cannot play old games for this reason.
Which is why I don't play warcraft 3, I mod it.

 

[Deleted member 219079]

My opinion exactly. I cannot play old games for this reason.
Which is why I don't play warcraft 3, I mod it.

Exactly!? I can see the pixels

 

[Chaosy]

our opinion, I'm not gonna argue with that.
But if graphics is all you care about, then you both are perfect specimen of today's gaming
generation - terrible story and gameplay don't matter as long as the graphics are good.
A shitty game can look as fancy as it wants, it's still a shitty game.
A good game can make one ignore its outdated graphics easier if it is really good.

Good/decent graphics do not need to rule out gameplay.
Newsflash, a game can have both.

If you don't like the graphics/style, then remain silent instead of pestering others with your
"debatable" whining about graphics being not to your liking.

Voicing one's opinion despite being negative is equally important as one praising it. You need the big picture as a developer.

Also, if you want great graphics, you could simply leave your home more often.

Gameplay is shit.

 

[Yours Truly]

Oh man,here comes the mother load of debate. Nuuuu
Why can't we at least,pretend to like the game. For the love of Blizzard,having debates won't achieve anything.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Warcraft Adventures is a forgotten relic of a time when point-and-click adventure games were booming and was developed in cooperation with Russian studio Animation Magic, the same team behind the infamous Legend of Zelda CD-I game.

According to Wikipedia Animation Magic is an American company...

Animation Magic (Russian: Магия Анимации) was an American animation company created in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a 100% owned subsidiary located in St. Petersburg, Russia.

It also used to be part of Vevendi (the people who used to own Blizzard) until it was closed in 2001. This would explain why they were involved.

Additionally the Zelda CD-I games were so bad because they were developed literally on a shoe string budget with an impossible deadline, unlike this which clearly had a slightly larger budget. To put it in perspective, the recent delay to Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild was longer than the entire development time for the Zelda CD-I games. As such it is hardly fair to blame the company for the CD-I games.

 

[Chaosy]

Oh man,here comes the mother load of debate. Nuuuu
Why can't we at least,pretend to like the game. For the love of Blizzard,having debates won't achieve anything.

I know right? It's not like companies listen.

Except when Blizzard removed Purify from arena (Hearthstone) after the entire community enraged.
And all the Overwatch nerfs/buffs.

 

[deepstrasz]

My opinion exactly. I cannot play old games for this reason.

Might as well just watch a movie instead.

Also, if you want great graphics, you could simply leave your home more often.

Hahaha! Great argument!

Newsflash, a game can have both.

Newsflash. Games were played nevertheless of "good graphics". It's your nowadays perception. It's more like an obsession really than an argument.

Gameplay is shit.

Usually when you don't know what to or can't do something with your life.

 

[Chaosy]

Might as well just watch a movie instead.

That satisfies one part, the visuals. But the ability to make choices do not exist in movies, thus not comparable.

Newsflash. Games were played nevertheless of "good graphics". It's your nowadays perception. It's more like an obsession really than an argument.

It's what you're used to, a psychological thing. When I was a kid I was using a 600x800 monitor, probably running with 30-ish fps and I was perfectly happy with it.

Now I got a 4k monitor, and if I get lower than 60 fps I cannot play. Looking at a worse screen hurts my eyes.

By your argument we should go back 1970 where all games were basically a animated notepad, writing out everything with text describing what happens.

 

[deepstrasz]

That satisfies one part, the visuals.

I'm taking that it's a shallow response on purpose.

But the ability to make choices do not exist in movies, thus not comparable.

Virtual choices? Are you serious? Do you actually put any feeling into that? To me it's just more game content.

By your argument we should go back 1970 where all games were basically a animated notepad, writing out everything with text describing what happens.

What!? Where did I write that? I was obviously implying that it's a good game regardless. For its time it's fit and it can be played even today by people who do not have accomodation issues, especially if they were quite used to those games back in the day as you hinted you were.

Also:
Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

 

[Gismo359]

Woah, that is amazing! I cant even imagine how it feels for people that were anticipating it back then, heck I probably wasnt even born when they started it.

My opinion exactly. I cannot play old games for this reason.
Which is why I don't play warcraft 3, I mod it.

What are you talking about? Wc3 looks great even by today's standarts, its just not on of those that have a buttload of shaders, and you can actually see what is going on.

 

[KOYK GR]

the file is removed....i was too slow.blizzard oh blizzard can we let this one fly free?

 

[deepstrasz]

its just not on of those that have a buttload of shaders, and you can actually see what is going on.

Yes, Diablo III always left me with eye tiredness after long hours of play. Too many colours.

 

[HappyCockroach]

0/5 bad graphics

My opinion exactly. I cannot play old games for this reason.
Which is why I don't play warcraft 3, I mod it.

Wow, really? Graphics involve resolution, amount of polygons, shaders, FPS, etc. But that's only the "How we do it". The actual graphics are rather about having sensibility to create art, atmosphere, a good visual concept and graphical language, among many other things. And that can be done in 2D, 3D, 4D, whatever. And it has been done well, and done badly, since the 90's until nowadays. I'd daresay nowadays it has been done badly more frequently than before. Now people grab some Unity kind of tool and toss a number of shaders to try to impress someone with fancy reflections, blurriness, a lens flare and whatnot.

I particularly felt interested for this game, it does have a decent graphical setting and feeling, even if it yes, it isn't perfect. Color scheme doesn't go so well in general. But if you're to judge its graphical quality, it is better doing it inside its own patterns. (If you always compare to nowadays' games, you're basically judging a fish's ability to climb a tree)

 

[chusrubi2]

the file is removed....i was too slow.blizzard oh blizzard can we let this one fly free?

Go to Thepiratebay.

 

[deepstrasz]

Go to Thepiratebay.

I don't think that's a good idea, conspicuously instigating piracy. But in this case we are talking about a cancelled game.

 

[Chaosy]

Virtual choices? Are you serious? Do you actually put any feeling into that? To me it's just more game content.

Simple choices exist in every game. Move right or left, up or down you can kill a boss in one try or ten, it all depends on choices we make.

What!? Where did I write that? I was obviously implying that it's a good game regardless. For its time it's fit and it can be played even today by people who do not have accomodation issues, especially if they were quite used to those games back in the day as you hinted you were.

Taking a sword from the middle age and pairing it against a modern rifle does not make the sword great just because it was good a while back.

A game can be good regardless - yes. But the atmosphere graphics add should not be ignored either. Good luck making a pixel horror game.
Thus why I play games that have both.

What are you talking about? Wc3 looks great even by today's standarts, its just not on of those that have a buttload of shaders, and you can actually see what is going on.

You you blind?
Zoom in on a wc3 model and tell which part looks great.
Go ahead and compare that to Count Strike 1.6 which was released 1999 but have better graphics. And then a more modern game like Crysis.

Sure from top-view in a melee map it looks good enough, but objectively speaking it's shit by today's standards (which is not weird, just point it out).

 

[deepstrasz]

Simple choices exist in every game. Move right or left, up or down

Wow...

Taking a sword from the middle age and pairing it against a modern rifle does not make the sword great just because it was good a while back.

That's obviously a bad comparison son. Let me make it clear: You're comparing:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wtdf0H22P_g/UsIlbw8Nd2I/AAAAAAAAVko/ffM0yLlf170/s1600/locopening.PNG
to
Heroes of Might and Magic 3: HD Edition - game screenshots at Riot Pixels, images
while in reality it's
Warcraft Adventures: The best Adventure Game never released? - AdventureGamers.com
to
http://restartreplay.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sam_and_Max1000.jpg
which the main difference is the 3D, basically and, well, the pixels but that's excusable. Also, do not forget the game is not completely finished, hence polished. Moreover, everything you see was drawn by hand.

Oh and you can't really shoot a rifle with your back against a person with a knife (turning point, aim etc.). They still use knives in war for close range encounters.
How can you even compare a ranged weapon with a melee one? It's just not the same category.

Good luck making a pixel horror game.

http://www.skkra.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2016-01-12_Doom2.jpg
http://i2.wp.com/www.gameranx.com/images/updates/sanitarium-24-1306934303.jpg
http://www.invisiblegamer.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/aloneinthedark1.jpg

Go ahead and compare that to Count Strike 1.6 which was released 1999 but have better graphics. And then a more modern game like Crysis.

Oh, but you forget the time the game was released in. Putting higher poly models like that of Counter Strike 1.6 would have required a powerful computer to hold in so many troops and everything else (12 players max on a map to remind you). Also, look at StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. It's mostly the dynamics, effects and other stuff that looks good, not the units themselves if we are to compare them to Crysis.

The breakdown point is, rating a game 0/5 or lowering its rating because it does not compare to the graphics of contemporary games it's plain stupid.

 

[A]mun]

Wow Activision was quick. Those buggers.

On the discussion about graphics:

If a game looks coherent and appealing, i generally deem it well done.
And that appealing point has been reached for 2D graphics long ago.
It took some more time to reach the same for 3D.
I think Unreal Tournament 99 still looks well enough. But it's a fast shooter, wherefore textures are less imporant as long as they are not disturbingly bad.

Then for older non-widescreen games, it's clearly an issue to look at stretched and oversized pixels - hence black borders (which also look bad, but i, maybe i'm in the minority with this, can get used to them).

Clearly, if a game offers something special, graphics become less important, unless the graphics are what make it so.

An example:
I have played through Deus Ex 1 after a decade of its release for the first time. It managed to draw me in, despite hideous 3D models and animations.

So for me it all depends on more.
And this Warcraft adventure? Looks fine to me, funny animations, sounds and graphics. It offers something unique as well!

 

[deepstrasz]

I have played through Deus Ex 1 after a decade of its release for the first time. It managed to draw me in, despite hideous 3D models and animations.

If that game looks hideous, then what do you say about this one?

It's a great game. If you have enough imagination you can actually get accustomed to the graphics and immerse yourself. It's almost like reading a book.

 

[A]mun]

If that game looks hideous, then what do you say about this one?

It's a great game. If you have enough imagination you can actually get accustomed to the graphics and immerse yourself. It's almost like reading a book.

It looks abysmal xD?
But sure, i could still enjoy it easily, if other parts are well done, or it at least has something interesting.
Then again Tomb Raider isn't my cup of tea...

 

[deepstrasz]

Then again Tomb Raider isn't my cup of tea...

Well, I don't know about the new ones, but the first ones are pretty much based on more thinking and solving puzzles than action. Sure, action is quite viable.

Story seems standard and quite predictable, not something unexpected tho.

Of course it's predictable. It's a cliche cartoon (and also if you already know what Lord of the Clans is about) but the story is not what makes the game special. It's the animations/drawings, dark humour and medieval fantasy-steampunk atmosphere that do. Won't write much about the music as it's pretty silent and almost makes it feel absent. However, it has great voice acting (to name a few of the voices: Clancy Brown, Tony Jay, Peter Cullen and of course Bill Roper; those are great talents by the way). It's not a great game. It's good though.

It is basically: slow interactive gameplay

The trick to not wait for walking and transition animation is to double click to zones and press ESC during animations.

 

[Yours Truly]

You know, if @jondrean didn't said "0/5 bad graphic" none of this debating bullshit will ever happen.

 

[Morris]

alright, I've downloaded this when you posted the thread and I saw videos about the game and I believe there is something wrong with it
I've extracted the file and when I run the launch file it directly takes me to the game
no main menu or anything but in the videos there is a main menu
if you were going far in the game and need to quit DON'T QUIT
the save\load thing is useless when you click exit game and return to it the next game you'll start at the beginning and no saves to load from
also I'm now at the game ending, if anyone played it I'm at the meeting room with blackmoore and lackeys
before that part you kill a guard and take his crossbow to use it in the later part
BUT surprise when I open inventory there is no crossbow and now I'm stuck and can't finish the game!
I liked it very much, reminds me of the good old days where 2D graphics were used and the game was damn insane and pure skill!
not like most games these days
amazing graphics but shitty gameplay and storyline

 

[Yours Truly]

I can't play like this.....

 

[Kyrbi0]

So what's up with this? It's cancelled, so does that mean it's free-/dump-ware or whatever?

 

[pyf]

[...] if you were going far in the game and need to quit DON'T QUIT
the save\load thing is useless when you click exit game and return to it the next game you'll start at the beginning and no saves to load from [...]

Fix:
http://www.scrollsoflore.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1512533&postcount=65

 

[A Void]

What's the point of posting that it's playable if we can't get the dammed normal working link? Life is full of mystery. I wonder WHY is that?

Thank me later.

<Links removed>

Posting a link is fine as long as the copyrighted content is not stored in Hive directly.

 

[deepstrasz]

I've extracted the file and when I run the launch file it directly takes me to the game
no main menu or anything but in the videos there is a main menu

Yes. The menu appears in a proper operating system. But I think it can be accessed by pressing the book in the left upper corner and going to the menu and then main menu. If that doesn't work: try to change compatibility in the properties of the .exe or use a virtual machine with a proper operating system as a last resort.

f you were going far in the game and need to quit DON'T QUIT
the save\load thing is useless when you click exit game and return to it the next game you'll start at the beginning and no saves to load from

Dude, you need to set the right save files folder in the .inis. Check it in the game's folder.

also I'm now at the game ending, if anyone played it I'm at the meeting room with blackmoore and lackeys
before that part you kill a guard and take his crossbow to use it in the later part
BUT surprise when I open inventory there is no crossbow and now I'm stuck and can't finish the game!

Did not happen to me. Try making multiple save files so you can load in case of stuff like that. I haven't encountered any bugs.
Also, please write in paragraphs and start sentences with capital letters. Sheesh.

I can't play like this.....

Try compatibility mode or a virtual operating system machine.

So what's up with this? It's cancelled, so does that mean it's free-/dump-ware or whatever?

Sadly, Activision took the download link down.

What's the point of posting that it's playable if we can't get the dammed normal working link? Life is full of mystery. I wonder WHY is that?

That's because, you hasty Overmind, came too late. When the thread was made, the links worked properly.

Posting a link is fine as long as the copyrighted content is not stored in Hive directly.

We're talking about a cancelled game. It doesn't hurt the company at all. They don't lose anything. They might lose fans otherwise

 

[Traggey]

I played this about 5 years ago ( don't ask me how I can't tell you! ) It's a great playthrough, solid animations with some booootifull backgrounds, it's funny, clever and has a few really neat puzzles.

I mean who doesn't love seeing deathwing smoking pot in a cave?! Give this a play if you have any self respect!

 

[deepstrasz]

I can't tell you!

Can't or won't?

neat puzzles

Doesn't really have puzzles. I mean the whole game is supposed to be a puzzle. Legend of Kyrandia Book II has puzzles, to give you an example of what I mean:

 

[Yours Truly]

Try compatibility mode or a virtual operating system machine.

How?

 

[Traggey]

Can't or won't?

Hm, that's a good question! It's a can't, but I wouldn't if I could most likely.. So uh, cwan't.

 

[pyf]

[...] We're talking about a cancelled game. It doesn't hurt the company at all. They don't lose anything. They might lose fans otherwise

Maybe yes, maybe no...

But the fact remains, this upload is unauthorized / not endorsed by Activision Blizzard afaik.

I played this about 5 years ago ( don't ask me how I can't tell you! )

Really?

Do you know MAN-biker personally?

 

[Traggey]

No not at all, it was from a completely different source.

 

[deepstrasz]

How?

Just need to use 5 mins to search through Google+YouTube.

 

[Yours Truly]

Compatiballity mode still doesn't fix it. :<

 

[pyf]

This might help:
Thread on Reddit.com

Please try the DirectDraw wrappers first.
Good luck.

 

[Kragez]

18 freakin' years...Well,that's Russian developers xD

 

[Tasyen]

Some neat trick for that graphic bug in old games is closing explore with taskmanager. And starting the game than with the option "File - new task".

Nice Game, but the Audio of video-sequences seem to be unfinished.

 

[Yours Truly]

This might help:
Thread on Reddit.com

Please try the DirectDraw wrappers first.
Good luck.

This works

 

[pyf]

Yipee!

Out of curiosity, which solution did you use, and what is your OS?

 

[Ham Ham]

Well this is somewhat disappointing. I remember getting extremely hyped when I watched the original trailer decades ago, it looked much darker and more serious, and the final product is very light-hearted. But better late than never I guess...

 

[KOYK GR]

I don't think that's a good idea, conspicuously instigating piracy. But in this case we are talking about a cancelled game.

well in "legal terms" he just said a name.