Blizzcon - World of Warcraft - Warlords of Draenor

[Tynian]

Instant 90's, new character models, new world of Draenor, new level cap (100).

Explore a Savage World: Explore the hostile world of Draenor, home of the orc and draenei races, as it once existed, and adventure in all-new zones alongside characters central to Warcraft history.
Build Your Garrison: Construct, command, and expand your own customizable stronghold on Draenor, and gather NPC followers to collect resources and embark on missions on your orders.
Instantly Upgrade to Level 90: Boost one character of your choosing to be ready to adventure on Draenor, making it easier than ever to enjoy the latest content alongside your friends.
New Player Character Art: Character models and animations for many of World of Warcraft's existing playable races are being fully revamped in keeping with the game's iconically epic style.
Adventure to Level 100: Reach new heights of power and unlock bonuses to further enhance your abilities on your way to the new level cap of 100.
?And More: Take on a wide array of Dungeons, Raids, Scenarios, Battlegrounds, Challenge Modes, and more?no matter what kind of content you enjoy, new adventures await.

Obligatory expansion cinematic:
[link]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYueIdI_2L0[/link]

Expansion website.
[link]http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/warlords-of-draenor/[/link]

Thoughts, my fellow forum friends?

I'll update this post as new news, videos and facts come in.

 

[The Madman]

Oh God, just when the story couldn't get any more convoluted and silly they went with a time travel plotline? Aug! I haven't played WOW in years and yet my head still aches at the thought as an old fan of the Warcraft storyline.

Not that there hasn't been time travel before in WOW, but an entire expansion based around the idea? That's just confusing, especially when off the top of my head I can think of two other settings for the expansion which would have worked just fine and made more sense.

But whatever, maybe I'll give it a try, probably not. It's at least more intriguing to me than the damned panda's and the music in that trailer was, as always with Blizzard, excellent.

Look forward to the inevitable CGI trailer too, that should be fun.

 

[Sixcess]

No mention of a revamp of The Burning Crusade's zones, which I was dreading since I love those areas and hated Cataclysm, so that's good... and slightly surprising given they're revisiting the space goats for the first time since TBC.

Still, I guess the instant 90 makes further 'streamlining' of the levelling experience unecessary. The word boost suggests it'll be a cash shop item, which could be interesting, and even more interesting if other games follow where WoW leads. Not that I'd personally use it.

Other than that *shrug*. Call me when you launch a pre-Cata server, Blizzard.

 

[Aeshi]

Wait, "New Continent: Draenor?"

Are we just pretending Burning Crusade doesn't exist or what?

EDIT: Wait, if it's a past version of Outland/Draenor then does that mean it actually is new then because it takes place in the past and oh dear I've gone cross-eyed.

 

[Tynian]

Wait, "New Continent: Draenor?"

Are we just pretending Burning Crusade doesn't exist or what?

EDIT: Wait, if it's a past version of Outland/Draenor then does that mean it actuall is new now because it takes place in the past and oh dear I've gone cross-eyed.

It's Draenor in the past as it was BEFORE it became Outland. Essentially, the expansion is you and the other heroes, questing to prevent Azeroth's war-torn past from being war-torn...

Across Draenor's savage jungles and battle-scarred plains, Azeroth's heroes will engage in a mythic conflict involving mystical draenei champions and mighty orc clans, and cross axes with the likes of Grommash Hellscream, Blackhand, and Ner'zhul at the height of their primal power. Players will need to scour this unwelcoming land in search of allies to help build a desperate defense against the Iron Horde?s formidable engine of conquest?or else watch their own world?s bloody, war-torn history repeat itself.

This is gonna make my head hurt too..

 

[Corven]

Well, it looks like blizzard has stopped being wishy-washy and is finally updating the base character models like people have wanted for years now.

 

[Aeshi]

It's Draenor in the past as it was BEFORE it became Outland..

I'm aware of that, I was just pointing out that, technically speaking, Draenor is already in WoW, albeit in a slightly worn form.

 

[Fireaxe]

Perhaps I'm wrong, and I hope I am.. but honestly this just reads like an excuse for a series reboot. Who knows, maybe it's just the end.

 

[Ryotknife]

so...we are going back to outlands, but the past version of outlands when the horde and draenie first fought? From what I remember, the war wasn't even a war, but a one sided slaughter as the draenie were caught completely by surprise by the Horde's sudden personality shift due to demon blood they ingested.

Not to mention, I don't remember the original horde having Gronn siege weapons.....and the heroes are going back to...stop warcraft from ever happening?

Didn't the bronze dragons (you know, the experts of time travel) say that would be a bad thing? I seem to remember them arguing that we should stop the infinite dragonflight from preventing whatshisface in the Caverns of Time from opening the Dark Portal because without the events of Warcraft 1 and 2, Azeroth would have been unable to repel the demon invasion.

This is confusing as hell.

 

[Zaydin]

so...we are going back to outlands, but the past version of outlands when the horde and draenie first fought? From what I remember, the war wasn't even a war, but a one sided slaughter as the draenie were caught completely by surprise by the Horde's sudden personality shift due to demon blood they ingested.

Not to mention, I don't remember the original horde having Gronn siege weapons.....

This is confusing as hell.

The story is evidently that before the verdict n the trial of Garrosh Hellscream, Garrosh somehow escapes and goes back in time to when he felt the 'True' Horde was at its prime, when the great Orcish heroes were at their prime, with the goal of preventing the corruption of the orcs at the hand of the Burning Legion, and he wants to create an Iron Horde to send to the present to try and destroy Azeroth for revenge. So an army of Orcs from 35 years in the past trying to come forward 35 years with tech from the present thanks to Garrosh. Chris Metzen has said Garrosh will not be the final boss, though. So it seems like it's an alternate timeline now. It's still kind of confusing to me.

 

[Ryotknife]

so...we are going back to outlands, but the past version of outlands when the horde and draenie first fought? From what I remember, the war wasn't even a war, but a one sided slaughter as the draenie were caught completely by surprise by the Horde's sudden personality shift due to demon blood they ingested.

Not to mention, I don't remember the original horde having Gronn siege weapons.....

This is confusing as hell.

The story is evidently that before the verdict n the trial of Garrosh Hellscream, Garrosh somehow escapes and goes back in time to when he felt the 'True' Horde was at its prime, when the great Orcish heroes were at their prime, with the goal of preventing the corruption of the orcs at the hand of the Burning Legion, and he wants to create an Iron Horde to send to the present to try and destroy Azeroth for revenge. Chris Metzen has said Garrosh will not be the final boss, though.

What, did the pandarans put Garrosh in a prison made out of cheese? Oh wait, I forgot, they probably put Garrosh on the honor system and had him guard himself.

sigh

I used to like WC lore.

 

[Tynian]

I'm not entirely positive I'm happy with Garrosh still being around. I've had to put up with his moaning, whining and general emotude of 'DIS IS DA TRUE HORDEZ!' for almost 1 and a half expansions now. I know they're using his escape as the story start, but if they're throwing in someone who has the power to bend time, something that hasn't occurred in WoW (outside of the Bronze Dragonflight) then they could start the story with anyone.

-le sigh-

I'm a little apprehensive about this next one.

 

[Terminal Blue]

Perhaps I'm wrong, and I hope I am.. but honestly this just reads like an excuse for a series reboot. Who knows, maybe it's just the end.

..I'm, honestly not sure how I feel about that.

On one hand, if they are planning on doing that it is the most lazy copout bullshit thing I have ever heard since Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 2.

On the other hand, if it means that, as WoW nears the end of its running cycle we can finally step back from all the terrible massacring of Warcraft's already fairly silly (but also quite endearing) lore in the service of justifying every new expansion pack or gameplay tweak, then it may actually be worth it.

As I hear it, Elder Scrolls Online is already consciously doing something very similar.

 

[Padwolf]

I am interested, I think it looks pretty good. I'm looking forward to seeing all the updated character models, I feel that that has been needed for quite a long time now, and seeing Draenor. I will definitely give it a try!

 

[Ryotknife]

You know what? F it, im calling it right now.

This is all some kind of super convoluted Old God plot.

Hero: Finally, we have defeated Garrosh's Iron Horde (seriously, how many adjectives are you going to add to the Horde?) and his Old God cyborg zerg allies. Victory is ours, and now to enjoy our feast!

(takes a bite from a sandwich and a portal opens up)

Old Gods: yyyYYYEEEESSSSS, finally our plan has come to fruitition! Sending Garrosh into the past and unleashing the zerg were merely ploys to get us to this single moment. Our spy replaced your turkey sandwich with meat containing magical bullshit reality interrupt properties as it exists in two places at the same time! Now we are Free!

Hero:....really? You guys need to get out more.

Old Gods: That's what we have been trying to do, but you jackholes keep preventing us!

 

[The Madman]

You know what? F it, im calling it right now.

This is all some kind of super convoluted Old God plot.

Nah, not this time. If this crazy time travel plot is for real and they go back to Warcraft 1 era Draenor then that means Kil'Jaeden is lurking around there somewhere, aka Kil'Jaeden the Deceiver, Lord of the Burning Legion, and arguably the second biggest 'baddie' in the Warcraft setting.

Mind you I always figured they'd probably save fighting him for when WOW is finally slowing down and a final Burning Legion themed expansion so who knows?

 

[Maxtro]

Wow, it looks so, old. WoW really needs a current gen reboot. Yeah the new Orc and Human models look better, but everything else looks dated.

The setting doesn't look interesting at all. It's almost as if everything takes place inside the Caverns of Time.

Normally I buy the new expansions and play for a month or two. But this one is getting a pass.

 

[Terminate421]

It looks cool. My Worgen Deathknight now has something to beat the shit out of more.

 

[Muspelheim]

What?

No.

My head hurts. Did... Did they just more or less flush a decade and a half of (admittadly rather hit and miss) plot development down the toilet?

Oh, I see. Time travel. Well, that isn't much better, is it? If the past of Draenor changed, those 15 odd years of lore won't happen anyway, will it? How on earth will it work? How do you...

http://bildobubbla.se/files/2012/07/bob183s30.jpg

Why..?

The new models look neat, at least. They seem to be in keeping with the original style, less risk they'll ruin my dear Tauren. Although I would not be too surprised if they get the stripper-treatment, too. But I'll live in hope.