I want in-game moments of tenderness. Not just to state they’re together, not just to say they’re in love, but to show it. Like…okay let’s take two straight couples, for simplicity’s sake. Mia and Genn, and Tyrande and Malfurion.
Wouldn’t it be nice to just see them talking to each other sometimes? How does Mia feel about Genn’s constant lust for vengeance? Has she been her people’s voice of hope while their king is off fighting wars on the front lines? Does she worry about him, and are there moments where Genn puts aside his vengeance for his family? How does Mia feel about tess putting herself in danger’s way, especially after Liam? And do they and the Crowleys still talk?
With Malf and Tyrande, where are…any of their relationship dynamics? We saw their wedding, and that god-awful section of Val’sharah…my goodness that was bad. Where is the bitterness Tyrande felt in WCIII about Malf being gone for literally ten thousand years? Did she ever doubt him? Did she ever think of taking another lover? How has governing and leading her people scarred her, and how is Malfurion different? How does he handle this difference in experience? Does he ignore it, to Tyrande’s chagrin? Or does he try to make up for this absence, to try and support her as much as he’s able to? Is he conflicted with her recent actions, torn between wanting revenge and worrying about her path?
Blizz, flesh out your relationships! They give us a good, human view into your story and the wars you’re fighting!
I think the biggest problem for Blizz is the issue of how to convey that through the medium of an MMORPG. Since the player is constantly thrown from pivotal plot point to pivotal plot point, these relationship dynamics are often only ever shown in front of the backdrop of sheer chaos. Even Thalyssra and Lor’themar had virtually their entire relationship defined by moments of chaos like the void assault on the sunwell and the Nazjatar campaign. That’s because the game needs to give the player something to do and some purpose for them to be there. The quieter, subtler moments of their relationship had to be explored through a complementary short story that isn’t even found in-game.
It certainly seems like the only way for players to explore the NPC to NPC conversations you’re looking for would be to have them follow around main characters like stalkers which, depending on how it’s implemented, might either come across as creepy or would otherwise not be well-received by players who just want something interesting to do.
I’m kind of torn on what the solution should be, since I want to see more character development on the whole as well, but I also see why that’s a complicated problem that Blizz hasn’t really figured out how to address just yet.
Please no. Look, if I want a game full of relationships, I play Bioware games. WoW has neither the technology or the in-game storytelling capacity to make something even remotely interesting or at the very least not forced.
I’d LOVE this idea. Just NPCs, walking around, discretely meeting up (give it a 1-day interval) and you follow them around, and they meet up at a certain place. Maybe a bench, maybe a temple or ruins, or castle. And they just exchange some small dialogue. Not a lot, but SOMETHING. Maybe an emote. Even just two named NPCs giggling would be enough for me. But at least that small gesture identifies the dynamic between the relationships.
It would be so easy. Do it, Blizz! Have a donut!
Here is the problem. Nothing is fun or cute in WoW anymore. Anything like that is always added with an agenda now. It’s always a social commentary now.
FF14 handles relationship stuff, both players and NPCs, so much better than WoW does.
Because the game isn’t here to please your cuteness needs, but rather to bring Combat rpg elements to the table, such as raiding, pvp, equipments? Lore is a big part of wow, that’s why we have books and stuff.
I mean, all in all it’s not a bad idea to be able to get married inside wow/see more of that part of the lore, i’m just giving you a reason why.
