I think I get what you’re saying on both points. On the former, I am probably not the best person to talk about Dwarven attachments to Aerie Peak to the extent that a Dwarf fan could. I could agree with you and be completely throwing Dwarf players under the proverbial bus, and I don’t want to be the person to do that. So I will table that discussion.
Regarding Feralas, I’m not terribly comfortable with dispensing with all connections to Eldre’thalas, especially given that the Highborne are within the playable race now. Elluriah’s point on the hippogryphs is salient, and I think there’s something to maintaining a naval presence in the south.
The post on the Thousand Needles side doesn’t make sense to maintain - that I will agree with - or perhaps there we could see a moment of cooperation between the Tauren and the Night Elves - but I can’t say I’m on board with abandoning that stronghold - even if it probably doesn’t need to be so well staffed.
Aerie Peak is an amazing capital, but its always been a weird one. Especially when it was revealed that a significant population of the Wildhammer still remain within the Highlands. Its very strange that their capital is half a continent away and isolated as it is. That being said, in any such hypothetical where they gave up that city … I would expect Grim Batol to be rebuilt into a Wildhammer haven. As well as both the Highlands and Wetlands rebuilt for them alone. Those are their ancestral lands.
As for Feathermoon Stronghold. If its left there largely as a means to continue cultivation of Hippogryphs and watching out for Eldre’thalas to make sure something else screwy doesn’t happen there. OK. Its just super weird to have such a well fortified garrison (and probably the single most bulwarked NE fortification representation in game) being in a place with … no real enemies to fight?
I think the Aerie Peak discussion might be something better left to its own thread. I’m sorry for kind of backing away from that point, but I always get irked when people who aren’t Night Elf fans begin to propose that things should happen involving Night Elf things that I think are detrimental or unfair to the playable race, and that people with strong investments in it would likely balk at. Given that, I don’t want to put myself in a position of being that person towards another playable race, and I don’t feel that I know enough about what Dwarf fans want to speak on their behalf on that subject.
Regarding Feathermoon Stronghold - it always has been strange, and I do say this as someone who has critiqued it before, especially when they expanded it in Cataclysm while everything in Ashenvale was going on. Feralas as a biome is also really weird given its neighbors, but I suppose it is what it is.
I think that might be an argument for more strongholds in places like Ashenvale though - something to counterbalance it.
Strange note. Is the “World of Warcraft: The Comic” still canon regarding the region of Feralas? Within that comic it was described as if the Forests of the area were actually naturally on their way out. And that, given time, they would naturally transition into more of a Mulgore style grasslands biome. Who knows how long that will take, but it is interesting to consider when looking at the other zones in that part of the world (or at least what Desolace was b4 the incident).
EDIT: And yes, I want a sizable fortification in Eastern Ashenvale. For the NEs own defense, and because I want to make sure Blizz has as many deterrents as possible to them forcing the Horde to invade that place again. It doesn’t mean it will stop them if they really want to, but deterrents are not a bad thing.
Take another look at Stormwind sometime. The hole that Deathwing left has been replaced with Lion’s Rest. and all of his other damage has been repaired.
This is true. But, they had a story reason to eventually do it. Regardless, it would be nice for them to show that love a lot of other old world places.
You’re asking them to do development which has nothing to do with ongoing game content. Not going to happen. No one does that… every bit of work costs limited development time and money.
Subscriptions cost me money - I could choose to allocate it to other things if the content doesn’t satisfy me. So the question becomes one of where the resources are best spent, not of whether the endeavor simply requires resources.
I think that comment precludes the idea that you can make old world zones fresh, interesting, and replayable - and I don’t see why you would so readily dismiss that idea.
I also think that you’re discounting the existing investment, and the possibilities with old world content. Overall, you’re not making the case to me that content outside of those zones is the better investment destination for existing resources.
Blizzard can’t settle on who’s supposed to be the edgy, savage, violent race in the Alliance. First it was going to be Night Elves, then worgen, then Void Elves, but I think now it’s Dark Irons? And they’re looking positively civilized these days too…
Yeah, Blizzard has an issue with this. They want to entice more players to the Alliance with an “edgy” theme, but they can’t bear to part with their good versus evil narrative.
… and that sacred cow needs to die. The Alliance as a whole needs to feel just as threatening as the Horde, and they absolutely should not have a monopoly on morality.
Late to the reply on this part, but tricked implies a level of incompetence in of itself. Cause you lacked the competence to read a person and their intent.
They do have allot to choose from, and light forged Draenei look like they can be pretty spicy to, considering AU Draenor and all. Yet they seem to not allow these races to act in an antagonistic fashion, or in a more violent fashion.