While most of the conversations online about Classic+ seem to revolve around the potential new content and mechanical changes, I've lately been feeling nostalgic for the kind of Warcraft we lost somewhere along the countless updates and expansions. And I'm not the only one. I've been seeing an increasing number of long-time community members and content creators look back to how WoW, and Warcraft, used to be, and then comparing it to what it is now.
I'll attach a couple of videos covering these topics as an example.
One of them is mainly dedicated to comparing how the Night Elves were introduced in Warcraft 3, with how they are now. And that comparison is far from favorable. This is a topic I could rant about for a very long time, but unless someone wants some walls of text, I'll restrain myself. Suffice it to say, the current interpretation of Night Elves is far from my favorit.
And then the other video is dedicated to trying to figure out why modern WoW doesn't land and lacks any sort of lasting impact or emotional punch in the stotry department. It's a great analysis, though one without a clear solution. After all, it's on Blizzard and not the community to solve these issues.
Which brings me to this topic. Do we think there's any chance that for Classic+ Blizzard, free from the baggage of expansion content, can rein in the game's tone to be more in line with how people remember Warcraft of old? It should be all about heavy metal, exagerrated pauldrons, and stories inspired by the pulp fiction of old. My hope for that is slim, but if there ever was a moment for this to happen, now would be it.
What gives me what little hope I have is that a decent chunk of the new content in SoD, was actually competently made and engaging. Without going into SoD's current state where you get overpowered fast, those early runes, the spirit of discovery, new quests - they were all among the best fun I've had with the game, ever. So they can make fun new content. The question is how much effort are they willing to put into it.
Warcraft desperately needs to get back to its roots in terms of lore and setting. They've been tacking on new races and classes and stories for years and leaving so much good stuff on the shelf. When they burned down Darnassus, I thought they were doing it so they could finally overhaul the city. I'd love to see a new version of Darnassus in Classic+.
SoD showed how much interest there is in class identity, and I think they could apply a similar approach to the original races too.
Yep. "Bring the player not the spec" is up there with the worst things to ever happen to WoW alongside flying mounts and the Jailer.
SoD's Rogue rune quests got me to actually play a Rogue for once.
I would love to see more class/spec-related content that involves lore. For me, SoD showcased how much potential we're missing regarding the small adventures that actually make you feel like you're playing the class you rolled. Compared to the traditional fast-forward leveling experience, having more class-related interactions with the world would make a huge difference.
I am aware it can be quite difficult to fully integrate class-related interactions in the open world without the quest format, but it would be so interesting to have a random NPC come to you and ask for a buff or a consumable that only your class could provide.
That's a dope idea. Sure, WoW will never become anything like Star Wars Galaxies where it's all player economy, fights for resources, and the world is the main character, pretty much. But a little move in that direction can be very welcome.
I guess SoD got the closest to it with the wandering swordsman. You had people calling him out when they spotted it in zones. It added a lot of life to the usual grind. Even if you didn't need the guy, it was nice to let those who do know.
They tried to 'put the war back in warcraft' in BFA. That didn't really work, as it was still retail, comic book over the top writing, instead of the original heavy metal image of warcraft.
So I'm not sure if them trying to shake things up in a major way for Classic+ will be any more successful.
I would still like them to dial things back to where the big bad is - Evil Orc, or Bad King. Not some Glorimus the Devouring Executor of the Void.
Legion was basically all about unique class content and I think it's one of the reasons people love that expansion. It makes it a lot more enjoyable to level your alts instead of just grinding the same quests over and over.Nevermore wrote: ↑1 month agoI would love to see more class/spec-related content that involves lore. For me, SoD showcased how much potential we're missing regarding the small adventures that actually make you feel like you're playing the class you rolled. Compared to the traditional fast-forward leveling experience, having more class-related interactions with the world would make a huge difference.
I am aware it can be quite difficult to fully integrate class-related interactions in the open world without the quest format, but it would be so interesting to have a random NPC come to you and ask for a buff or a consumable that only your class could provide.
Exactly. It was so good, people even excused what was essentially Garrisons 2.0 to get that unique content. If that's not an indicator players want class fantasy, I don't know what is.
Honestly, I think the story, the characters, the setting are all the main players for what makes Classic as engaging as it is. While I'm sure some people will be the "skip everything in the name of efficiency" type, I think Classic+ should be focused on the journey and the story. There's also a huge glut of unexplored story potential coming from WC1 and 2 that would be so cool to see in 3d.
I'll always be up for more of that.Shadostruct wrote: ↑1 month agostory potential coming from WC1 and 2 that would be so cool to see in 3d.
I also wouldn't mind an even slower leveling process. No xp bonuses, more grinding, more time to get lost in the world.
Yes, provided Classic+ runs with the idea of "what if TDP never opened again" then we can keep things local and down to Azeroth. That can be fun.
The easter eggs were so fun! And having the community band together to try and find all the secrets and runes and such was a blast.Nevermore wrote: ↑1 month agoI would love to see more class/spec-related content that involves lore. For me, SoD showcased how much potential we're missing regarding the small adventures that actually make you feel like you're playing the class you rolled. Compared to the traditional fast-forward leveling experience, having more class-related interactions with the world would make a huge difference.
I am aware it can be quite difficult to fully integrate class-related interactions in the open world without the quest format, but it would be so interesting to have a random NPC come to you and ask for a buff or a consumable that only your class could provide.
There are class quests, true, and it'd be cool to expand upon that and give more meaningful class progression through that as well.
Well, the latest popular buzz about Classic+ is that it's going to be its own game and a prequel to WoW or something along those lines.
On the one hand it sounds like nonsense. On the other, leave it to Blizzard to work on something for years and then abandon it to retool in into something completely different (Project Titan into Overwatch anyone?).
I wouldn't be totally opposed to it if it means quality storytelling and interesting mechanics. I'm just not sure I trust them to restrain themselves and make a new WoW-adjacent project where the villains are along the lines of - Bad Orc, or Corrupt King. And you're just dealing with at most kingdom-level threats.
I'm skeptical of this. That said, I think fans have already begun to make something in the spirit of this idea themselves quite recently with the Azerothcore project. It's actually super cool, I've seen it modded in such a way that WoW is turned into a fully SP experience where you quest and level up through the areas and even seamlessly move through the expansions once you reach the appropriate level / quest threshold. It really drills down and cuts out all the chaff of the MP components to just focus on the questing and storylines.Unc_of_Reincarnation wrote: ↑3 weeks agoWell, the latest popular buzz about Classic+ is that it's going to be its own game and a prequel to WoW or something along those lines.
I even saw one person making their own custom brew where you wouldn't train spells but would have to find them or be awarded them and by using them you would learn the higher ranks of said spell. Felt similar to an Elder Scrolls approach to RPGs.
Same. Haven't seen a leak yet that looked at all credible.
My perpetual worry with fan projects is that they'll scum it up like the recent batch of private servers and their audacity to actually ask real money for their stealing of blizzard's content/property. If it remains an enthusiast project, I'm all for it. The moment they ask for cash, Bobby Kotick should send goons after them.Shadostruct wrote: ↑3 weeks agofans have already begun to make something in the spirit of this idea themselves
There's always the potential for something like that, but as it stands right now Azerothcore is an open-source project hosted on github so chances are good it's not gonna go down any shady routes. If it does I imagine there will be forks made to preserve the project as it is truly a really cool concept.Unc_of_Reincarnation wrote: ↑3 weeks agoMy perpetual worry with fan projects is that they'll scum it up like the recent batch of private servers and their audacity to actually ask real money for their stealing of blizzard's content/property. If it remains an enthusiast project, I'm all for it. The moment they ask for cash, Bobby Kotick should send goons after them.
