Luke’s Note: I’m handing the reins over tonight to Patrick Wyatt, a games development legend and former Blizzard executive who has played a big role in the success of games like StarCraft, Diablo and Guild Wars.

This is the first part of his insider’s story of the making of Warcraft, which he knows a thing or two about, since he was both Producer and Lead Programmer on the game. If you’re a fan of Warcraft, its universe, Blizzard or just video game history in general, it’s a great read.