I want to preface this editorial by saying this is not a threat, this is merely my opinion. I am not saying I will quit World of Warcraft or boycott Cataclysm or anything of this nature. I am more than a little concerned that by the end of my tirade most of you will be waiting for the inevitable pointless threats that tend to accompany any disgruntled writings on a game of this nature and I want to ensure this article is not grouped with those. This article is meant to be a collection of my thoughts and concerns on the direction Blizzard has chosen for this new expansion and hopefully help me clear my own head.
What denotes content? At its core this will cover my concerns. I have a friend with whom I debate the merits of Burning Crusade versus Wrath of the Lich King. He prefers the former for its new races, profession, and the like. I, by far, prefer the latter due to the new class. The argument, having seen more than a few bouts, now quickly boils down to races vs classes. I tend to feel that a new race is not new content. Oh there’s new starting zones with their new quests and mobs (which generally take the same format as other starting zone quests and mobs) and their new look and racial abilities. But at the core I can’t play a Blood Elf Mage and feel like I’m getting a brand new experience from my Troll Mage. On the other hand playing anything Death Knight feels new and fresh. A new collection of experiences as I put together a unique build and find out how the skills work in a new and exciting fashion. While I realize this is purely opinion I can’t help but feel that a single new class (and a hero class at that) feels like far more content than a new race per faction.
How important is story? I have a bad habit of reading rumor sites. I know I should stop but I’ve already given up smoking this year and feel like I can keep this bad habit a while longer. The rumor mill is, of course, operating at peak efficiency with a new expansion on the horizon. While they can back up (at least to a small degree) their mechanical arguments with blurred screenshots performed with a cell phone, they cannot do anything to confirm or deny the story directions they are speculating about. As a general rule I tend to put no trust in a rumor till I’ve seen it on at least 3 separate sources of speculation. They are all hinting at the end of Cairne Bloodhoof, the disappearance of Thrall, and the institution of the reign of Garrosh Hellscream as leader of the Horde. This is very disconcerting to me as a Horde player as it continues the terrible tradition of painting the Horde in an evil light. Garrosh is not a nice character. I like the leaders of the Horde generally. I have great respect for Cairne, Sylvanis and Thrall and they have become heroes of the realm. But since leaving the main lands of Azeroth after Vanilla WoW the leaders of the Horde away from our capitals have become destabilized. Garrosh is not the kind of leader one can respect in my opinion, and his gaining in power is not something I’ve enjoyed in the expansions. And if these rumors are true I will be very disappointed, not only with losing Thrall and Cairne, but with the Horde once again being painted as “evil.”
So what am I paying for anyhow? Blizzard is by no means an “evil” corporation. They do not force their players to upgrade to the latest expansion to continue playing nor do they segregate the realms for players with or without an expansion. I bring this up because one of my biggest concerns is what is my $40ish going towards with the new expansion? If I don’t buy it I will miss out on 5 levels, 2 races (discussed above), and a secondary profession. Really? That’s what they want the money for?! I realize that I would also be paying for the development that went into completely reworking Azeroth from the ground up but I don’t actually have to pay for that. I will be paying for the developer’s time to create and balance the new talent trees and guild talents but again, technically, I would receive this content with no more money than my usual monthly fees. So how does one justify spending an approximate (because list price is as-yet, unannounced) $40US on 5 levels, 2 races and a secondary profession? At this time I would like to point you back to my introduction where I state quite clearly I will be buying the expansion. I want the 5 levels and secondary profession and I have an innate need to keep-up-with-the-guildies (remember I quit smoking, I can keep this one.)
To summarize why I was unsure that writing this article would be a good idea, I have no suggestions. I hate pointing out any problem I have no solution for, I find this quality highly irritating in others. I don’t want to be the one to shoot down Blizzard’s ideas without any clue how I might improve. Sure any idiot can say “Sell Cataclysm for half price!” or “Give it away for free!!” Having no intimate knowledge of Blizzards budget it would be foolhardy of me (or anyone for that matter) to suggest their pricing structure. I do have several concerns about the price and content for that price in regards to the new expansion. I also have some concerns about the story they will be telling. It is truly out of love that I pick on World of Warcraft as it has given and will continue to give me a great value in entertainment. It is with this in mind I offer my opinion and criticism in the hopes others, including the development team, will think on these things.
See you in the world,
Kleedrac
