User:Morderi/Archive/Under Development

Somewhere under wotlk - http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/3p2/isleofconquest.xml

that tag

Under Development was a section on the official World of Warcraft site. It often contained lore information and articles to go along the patch notes.

Mysteries of Maraudon
Intrepid adventurers first discovered the depths of Maraudon, a dungeon that revealed much of the mystery behind the marauding centaur clans. Denizens of Azeroth also celebrated the Feast of Winter Veil. Trading gifts, munching on cookies and eggnog, and chatting with Greatfather Winter kept both Alliance and Horde in high spirits throughout the holiday.

Ruins of Dire Maul
Built long ago by Queen Azshara's followers, the ancient, magical city of Eldre'Thalas was the center for the highborne's arcane research. Thousands of years have passed since the destruction of the Well of Eternity. and the broken city's three wings have been overrun by ghostly Highborne, satyr and ogres. Now known as the Dire Maul, only the most daring party of adventurers can enter this dungeon and face the ancient evils within.
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Dire Maul Preview

The Call to War
There was no help for it; the seasoned troops on both the Horde and Alliance were becoming beleaguered. The fierce light of battle was fading from their eyes. Leaders feared retaliation by their enemy, assured that they would strike any day. Something had to be done to rekindle that fire, to return vigor to their valiant soldiers. The cities of Azeroth now grant ranks to their fighters, and the craftsmen of both sides have been working feverishly to provide their armies with new items for use in the war effort. Fight on, brave and noble adventurers, and achieve glory!

Battlegrounds
The troops again lusting for battle, all eyes now turn to two prime spots in Azeroth. In the formerly pristine Alterac Valley. the Stormpike dwarves and the Frostwolf clan of orcs fight over the rights to the strategic piece of land. Huge armies clash upon the slopes of the snowy vale. Over in Kalimdor, the Silverwing Sentinels of Ashenvale and the Warsong orcs battle for the forest - the night elves to save their ancestral land. the orcs to chop it down for valuable war supplies. Both battles require the most stalwart of soldiers; it is time to fight for lord and land!
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Battleground Preview
 * 2) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Warsong Gulch (story)

Assault on Blackwing Lair
Lord Victor Nefarius has long taunted the defenders of the land during their adventures in Blackrock Spire - now, at last, his lair lies open, awaiting those daring enough to set foot within. Do battle against the black dragonflight and face off against Nefarian himself within the treacherous Blackwing Lair.

For those less inclined to do battle with dragons. the mysterious. mischievous Darkmoon Faire has been sighted around the areas of Elwynn Forest and the plains of Mulgore. Indulge in less-than-healthy faire food, enjoy the strange and wonderful games, get your fortune told by a gnoll, and imbibe cheap booze. Who could ask for more?
 * 1) Blackwing Lair (underdev)

A gathering of the exotic from around the world and beyond, Silas Darkmoon has brought together the Darkmoon Faire as a celebration of the wondrous and mysterious found in Azeroth. While the Faire spends most of its time in parts unknown, they do stop from time to time in Mulgore and Elwynn forest. When the faire is on its way, barkers will stop by Orgrimmar and Ironforge to announce its arrival.
 * Darkmoon Faire

Features:
 * Many exotic vendors travel with Silas Darkmoon, offering adventurers hard-to-find items from the far corners of Azeroth.
 * Players can earn tickets by gathering trade goods for Darkmoon Faire's vendors, which can then be turned in for items and special equipment.
 * Strange sets of cards have been broken up and scattered across Azeroth. Players who are lucky enough to collect a complete set of these cards can turn them in at the faire to receive epic items.
 * Cheap booze.

Rise of the Blood God
Venture into Zul'Gurub, ancient city of the Gurubashi trolls, and do battle against the minions of the Blood God Hakkar. Aid the Zandalar tribe in restoring the proper order to the world, for they will reward your efforts with both knowledge and armor to help you in your quest.

In the Arathi Highlands, a resource-rich vale lies nestled within the mountains. There, the League of Arathor fights against the undead Defilers to gather these vital supplies for their armies. Join the battle in the name of the Horde or Alliance and take control over the Basin!
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Zul'Gurub (underdev)
 * 2) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Arathi Basin Preview
 * 3) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza Preview

Dragons of Nightmare
The Great Trees of the world have been shaken to their roots; a new menace has come from the portals to the Emerald Dream. Four green dragons, once proud lieutenants of Ysera now corrupted by the Emerald Nightmare, have appeared in Azeroth to destroy the life they once dearly protected. Adventurers must ride forth and defend the land from this new threat. ..

Meanwhile in Silithus. the Cenarion Circle gathers at its Hold to research the strange goings-on both above and underneath the shifting sands. Something dangerous is stirring beyond the Scarab Wall. The Twilight's Hammer are extremely active in the area, working to uncover some unnamed evil. Can you uncover the mysteries therein?
 * 1) Game Guide/Dragons of Nightmare
 * 2) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Silithus Preview

The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj
The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj will house two massive, unique dungeons - the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj, a 20 -man raid dungeon, and the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, a 40-man raid dungeon. As players delve deeper into the mysteries of Ahn'Qiraj, they will discover revelations of the Silithid infestation and their shadowy masters, the Qiraji, Players will have to complete a world event of massive proportions before they can open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj on their realm.

The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj will house two massive, unique dungeons - the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj, a 20-man raid dungeon, and the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj, a 40-man raid dungeon. As players delve deeper into the mysteries of Ahn'Qiraj, they will discover revelations of the Silithid infestation and their shadowy masters, the Qiraji. Players will have to complete a world event of massive proportions before they can open the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj on their realm.
 * Ahn'Qiraj

Read The War of the Shifting Sands and learn about the history of Silithus and Ahn'Qiraj.

Storms of Azeroth
Weather has at last arrived across the continents of the land. Priests' abilities have been further tuned, and many high-level raid instances have undergone significant changes, with adjustments to difficulty, rewards, and the number of players allowed to venture together into the depths of the darkest, most dangerous places of Azeroth. Prepare yourselves for the coming storm!

Shadow of the Necropolis
Floating above the Plaguelands, the necropolis known as Naxxramas serves as the seat of one of the Lich King's most powerful officers, the dreaded lich Kel'Thuzad. Horrors of the past and new terrors yet to be unleashed are gathering inside the necropolis as the Lich King's servants prepare their assault. The Scourge marches again... Naxxramas is the new 40-man raid dungeon that will present even the most experienced and powerful players with an epic challenge.

New High Level Dungeon: Naxxramas


 * Short Story: Road to Damnation

Once, Kel'Thuzad was not very different from the other magi of Dalaran. Ambitious, maybe, perhaps more radical in his convictions, but certainly not more powerful than his peers. Yet it was Kel'Thuzad the Lich King made into a key figure of the Scourge's remorseless assault on the lands of the living. Now, the man named Kel'Thuzad is gone, and all that remains is Kel'Thuzad the lich, right hand of the Lich King and ruler of the necropolis Naxxramas. What evil was it that led him down this path? Learn more about the events that darkened the fate of Kel'Thuzad, and ultimately of all Azeroth, in Road to Damnation, a short story preview of the upcoming content patch for World of Warcraft.

Click here to see the Naxxramas gameplay trailer!

Drums of War
For the first time in the history of World of Warcraft, you can take on players from other realms in the battlegrounds. Replenish your mana, sharpen your blades, and get ready for some brand-new challengers! Also, this patch introduces world PvP objectives to Silithus and the Eastern Plaguelands. The stage is set for intense, objective-based land battles as Horde and Alliance vie for control over important strategic positions and resources around Azeroth.
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/World PvP - Azeroth
 * 2) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/World PvP - Outland (under PVp)

Before the Storm
The biggest storms are often preceded by a sudden calm, as if the whole world stands still for a moment while the winds gather all their strength. This patch includes many important changes and improvements leading up to the release of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, including the new PvP Honor and Arena systems. Prove your worth on the Battlegrounds and earn new, powerful PvP Honor rewards, or take the ultimate test of your team PvP skills in the new Arena System. Also, you can already learn the new class talents that will help you brave the many challenges awaiting you in Outland and beyond.

There are many new, groundbreaking features to be found in this patch, but always remember - this is nothing but the calm... before the storm.

The Black Temple
The Temple of Karabor was the center of draenei worship until its priests were slaughtered by demonically corrupted orcs. In the massacre's aftermath the warlocks of the Shadow Council seized the structure and gave it a new name: The Black Temple.

When the Alliance invaded Draenor after the Second War, the orc shaman Ner'zhul hastily opened several dimensional portals in order to escape. The resulting magical backlash ripped the world apart. Drawn by these portals, the pit lord Magtheridon arrived in what had come to be known as Outland and took the temple as his seat of power.

His dominion over Outland remained unchallenged until the arrival of Illidan the Betrayer. The pit lord proved no match for the wielder of the Twin Blades of Azzinoth. Today Illidan occupies the temple, awaiting any and all who would challenge his rule.
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Black Temple
 * Magtheridon's Lair

Voice Chat
Azeroth is alive with the sound of voices. For the first time, players are able to talk to each other in game with the use of the new Voice Chat feature. Also in this patch, aspiring moviemakers can now use their Mac to capture all the in-game action and share it with their friends.

The Gods of Zul'Aman
The stronghold of Zul'Aman has stood for millennia as the Amani trolls' seat of power and bastion of the fearless, cunning warlord Zul'jin.

Zul'jin has spent several years plotting behind Zul'Aman's walls. Furious at the Horde for allowing his hated enemies, the blood elves, to join its ranks, he eagerly embraced a scheme that the witch doctor Malacrass recently proposed: to seal the power of the animal gods within the bodies of the Amani's strongest warriors.

Now Zul'Aman's army grows more powerful by the day, hungry to exact vengeance in the name of its fearless leader, Zul'jin.
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/The Gods of Zul'Aman

Fury of the Sunwell
You have traveled through the Dark Portal and braved the perils of Outland; you faced off against the might of the Burning Legion itself, and you prevailed. Now the journey that began with the arrival of the draenei on Azeroth and the blood elves' inclusion into the Horde is about to come full circle as a mighty army gathers to purge evil from one of Azeroth's most important loci of power: the ancient, magical Sunwell.
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Fury of the Sunwell

Echoes of Doom
You've mastered the challenges of Outland, but are you ready for what's yet to come? From the frozen north come tidings of a dormant evil awakening, filling the hearts and minds of Azeroth's citizens with unease. Heroes across the land are preparing for the harsh journey ahead with a sense of anticipation and purpose.

Echoes of Doom, the last major content patch for World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, lays the groundwork for the upcoming Wrath of the Lich King expansion. It adds a wealth of improvements and entirely new gameplay features to World of Warcraft

Secrets of Ulduar
For millennia, Ulduar has remained undisturbed by mortals, far away from their concerns and their struggles. Yet since its recent discovery, many have wondered what the structure's original purpose may have been. Some thought it a city built to herald the glory of its makers; some thought it a vault containing innumerable treasures, perhaps even relics of the mighty Titans themselves. Such speculations were wrong....

Ulduar's gates have swung open, allowing heroes of the Horde and the Alliance to venture into the titan Pantheon's ancient halls. In addition to an all-new raid dungeon, this content patch will introduce the dual-talent specialization system, new quest lines, and the epic tier-8 armor sets.

For millennia, Ulduar has remained undisturbed by mortals, far away from their concerns and their struggles. Yet since its recent discovery, many have wondered what the structure's original purpose may have been. Some thought it a city built to herald the glory of its makers; some thought it a vault containing innumerable treasures, perhaps even relics of the mighty titans themselves. Such speculations were wrong.
 * EU version

Beyond Ulduar's gates lies no city, no treasure vault, no final answer to the titan's mysteries. All that awaits those who dare set foot in Ulduar is a horror even the titans could not, would not destroy -- an evil they merely... contained.

Beneath ancient Ulduar, the Old God of death lies, whispering.... Tread carefully, or its prison will become your tomb.


 * Ulduar preview#Official Blizzard description or
 * Ulduar Bosstiary

Call of the Crusade
Since the opening of the Argent Tournament in northeastern Icecrown, adventurers have journeyed from across Azeroth and beyond to prove their worth in the heart of the Lich King's domain. Under thundering skies the tournament's participants hone the arts of war and face off in bone-shattering jousting matches to earn the right to be called champions. Yet these heroes have yet to face the greatest challenge of all: the Crusaders' Coliseum. Formidable Horde and Alliance champions, ferocious beasts, and Scourge lieutenants are just some of the opponents awaiting adventurers in this gladiatorial arena. Few will survive the coliseum's perils, but the Argent Crusade is confident that the worthy heroes who do emerge victorious will be ready to join the offensive against Icecrown Citadel and end the Lich King's reign of terror.
 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/The Argent Tournament

Fall of the Lich King
At last. In the Fall of the Lich King content update (3.3), the great doors of Icecrown Citadel will be forced open. The mightiest heroes of the Horde and Alliance will confront and finally defeat Arthas, the Lich King -- but the lord of the Scourge will not easily part with his sword, his life, or his frozen kingdom.

This update includes an all-new raid and winged five-player dungeon; numerous interface improvements, including detailed quest tracking and instant cross-realm dungeons; scores of new quests and achievements; the epic tier-10 armor sets, and numerous class and system updates. You can find specific info, patch notes, and extensive details on all of the additions below.


 * 1) User:Mordecay/Archive/Under Development/Icecrown Citadel: The Frozen Halls
 * 2) Icecrown Raid
 * 3) Major Characters in Icecrown Citadel
 * 4) Quel'Delar: The Sister Blade

why did I put these here? (check top bar or links in texts)
 * Shadowmourne
 * Icecrown Bosstiary http://web.archive.org/web/20101107221717/http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/3p3/dungeon-bosstiary.html
 * Interview http://www.fremen.it/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-17505.html

Source

 * Under dev