"World of Warcraft" for Non-Players Quiz

Answer: Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

The first three games set in or around the world of Azeroth were real-time strategy games, meaning that players maneuver against each other or against a computer-generated challenge in real time, not in an artificial structure involving taking turns. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games are differentiated from single-player games or small multi-player games both by the number of players ("World of Warcraft" had over 11.5 million subscribers in 2008) and by the fact that the virtual world in which the game is set continues to evolve even while an individual player is away from the game. You don't pick up where you left off, you return to a new situation that has developed in your absence.

Answer: Role-Play Player versus Environment

Player versus Player uses a third-person perspective in which the player controls the avatar 'from outside' in combat against the avatars of other players. Player versus Environment uses a third-person perspective to control the avatar as it concentrates on the tasks set by the environment while you attempt to complete missions.

The role-play version of each of these has the player acting in a first-person perspective - they see things as if they are actually an inhabitant of the world. (All realms involve struggles against both opponents and environmental challenges, but the emphasis and rules of engagement differ between realms.)

Answer: Avatar

The term 'avatar' was first used to describe a player's on-screen representation by Chip Morningstar and Joseph Romero in their design for the online role-playing game "Habitat". Role-playing games have specific guidelines which must be followed in setting up an avatar.

Answer: Alliance or Horde

In the original "Warcraft" game, the Alliance of Lordaeron consisted of seven human kingdoms and the Church of the Holy Light, united to fight the invasion of the Orcish Horde who had invaded Azeroth from Draenor through a dark portal. Over the games, the world of Azeroth expanded to include many more races, and the relationship between the Alliance and the Horde evolved. By the time of "World of Warcraft", the two groups are not engaged in warfare against each other, but there are still tensions and occasional skirmishes. Players can only work cooperatively with other members of their own faction.

Empire and Foundation were opponents in Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation and Empire' series; Jedi and Sith come from the 'Star Wars' universe; the Federation and Klingons had confrontations in 'Star Trek'.

Answer: Tribbles

Tribbles are small rodent-like balls of fur from the "Star Trek" episode "The Trouble with Tribbles".

Races in the Alliance faction include humans, dwarves, draenei, gnomes, night elves, worgen and high elves. The Horde consists of orcs, forsakes, tauren, trolls, blood elves, goblins and ogres. (Not all of these races are playable characters, although some are in certain expansion packs; in the future, who knows?)

Answer: Death Knight

To create a Death Knight, the player must have reached Level 55 (out of the current maximum of 80). It therefore starts with a large range of skills and tools at its disposal. The neophyte must select a lower-rated avatar, developing its abilities and acquiring weapons and armor in the course of play. Hunters perform crowd control, redirect threats, and can also track, tame and train wild animals to fight at their sides. Priests are in charge of healing and preservation (although they can inflict terrible damage on an enemy in battle using the powers of the Holy Light). Rogues are good at hand-to-hand combat, and on sneaking up on their enemy.

Other classes currently include Druids, mages, paladins, shaman, warlock and warrior. Not all classes are available for every race.

Answer: No

Players of any class can train in any profession, but certain races have natural talents that predispose them to success in specific professions. As well as learning two main professions chosen from a list of ten (including mining, herb gathering, blacksmithing and enchanting), characters may learn secondary professions such as cooking and first aid.

Answer: Questing

A quest is a task, typically including a number of smaller included tasks, which must be completed to gain a reward. The reward may be in terms of experience points, earning money, or gaining useful items. Tasks may involve killing a certain number of beasts or characters (or a specific one), collecting one or more items, delivering an item to a stated destination, or a combination of these. Successful completion of a quest triggers the start of the next one. Gaining enough experience points can lead to advancement to a higher level of play.

Answer: Guild

A guild is a formal group of players who have shared communications, and access to each other's resources. Other less formal groupings can also be made by players who wish to cooperate in order to complete a specific task. Some tasks cannot be completed without the assistance of others, especially those located in dungeons.

Answer: It becomes a ghost at a nearby graveyard.

A character who dies becomes a ghost, and can resurrect itself by moving the ghost from the graveyard to the site of its death. Resurrection can also be done by another character who possesses the necessary skill, or, all else failing, by a spirit healer. The resurrected character is weaker for some time, and suffers loss or deterioration of its skills and equipment.