Let’s see… cynical alert
Trying to learn from narrative stumbling blocks of BFA.
One example to do better - have less ambiguous moments at the end of patches, they know some people were disappointed with BFA. They want people to feel like at the end of a patch, they are at a cool place and have enough ideas to do cool speculation–in a healthy way, vs a “lost and uncertain” way. They want to give players more ideas and hints.
Funny they mention some people disappointed. Well I’m glad that Blizz learned it now. Because… BFA was the first expansion?
Anyway, I’m glad. At least they recognized what the problem was.
It’s been fun to throw all the “bad guy eggs” into the Jailer, after BFA was ambiguous where the villainy was more spread out.
Why did they throw all the “bad guy egges” into the Jailer? Don’t we have another villain that we have to deal with? The one that has all the villainy. Hope you did throw the bad guy egges to HER, too.
The expansion will be driven by the Jailer and how we stop him and what he’s after. There’s more to him that first appears.
I start to think that they confuses Jailer with Sylvanas. I literally have zero interest about what he’s after. Of course I’m willing to learn about who the Jailer is, but tell me what Sylvanas’s after and how to stop her.
As you learn things in Shadowlands, you should look at stuff you experienced before through a slightly different lens, like how Chronicle is written from a POV of the Titans (not written specifically by the Titans though). You’ll have a better understanding of the big picture in Shadowlands.
Chronicle introduced a good framework, and in Shadowlands the devs can put “meat on bones.”
One of my concerns has become reality. So Blizz will give us their own interpretation about Chronicle now.
Ah… yeah… okay…
Her (=Tyrande) story is a thread from BFA that couldn’t just be wrapped up neatly by the end of the expansion.
The loss of the Night Elves is a huge story and the team wants to give it the proper reverence.
“proper reverence.” They don’t use word “revenge,” but this is an interview.
So… I’ll wait and see. I hope it’s revenge.
Tyrande is also grappling with the huge influx of power tied to the Night Warrior.
There may be some cool cinematics that tug at the heartstrings!
It reminds me of someone. One of my favorite characters who had some cool cinematics that tug at the heartstrings in BFA… wut?!
Q. Will the Forsaken be explored a bit more in Shadowlands?
A. It will be a part of the story, it is a story that will not be rushed though. When a kingdom undergoes as much turmoil and change as the Forsaken in BFA, it takes some time for those things to play out.
No Lightforged Undead in SL. Got it. /relief
What about Calia leading the Forsaken? well… that’s kinda undead players’ business though. Do you guys like it?
Bolvar is very key to the storyline, interview hinted that he could play a Magni and Khadgar -esque role in this expansion.
I liked Khadgar. I don’t think Bolvar would be funny like him, but fair enough.
Ah doesn’t mean I don’t like Magni. Just… I figured out that Magni is very workaholic.
Bolvar’s past will also be explored as well - we know that Taelia is his daughter, and she doesn’t know who her father is.
Something already expected and… something should be dealt with well.
We’ll see.
It’s kinda surprising that Blizz let Lich King get up from his throne and walk around the ground. Hope he’s character won’t be mocked in any way.
Oh wait, wasn’t he…?
The choices made are for deliberate reasons. There are lots of stories left to be told. The ones pulled into Shadowlands help illuminate the story experience and the jailer’s plot.
Steve is overall satisfied with what characters are returning.
Soooooooo you are satisfied with SMURF Uther.
This ‘charater returns’ was the one that I really expected. Shadowlands is literally NEW zone with NEW world-class villain, so I thought ‘returning heroes’ can establish some connections with Warcraft lore I knew.
But it seems they already severed the connections… when it comes to Uther.
How about other heroes?
Expansion philosophy now doesn’t limit a story to one expansion.
Expansion philosophy… wut? You just said that you learned something from BFA storytelling. Didn’t that mean that you learned that it’d better to limit a story to one expansion? At least, important story, right?
Don’t tell me you are willing to leave players in darkness at the end of the expansion again. Without the conclusion, there’s no difference btw ‘cool’ speculation and ‘lost and uncertain’ speculation. They are just speculation.
TL;DR This 9.0 lore interview is really not tempting.
I’m not going to see Sylvanas or relevent story until 9.2 or so, I think.
They had a huge loose-end and won’t deal with it until… idk, 2022?
I’ll check the story then. again.
Good luck to all the players who will enjoy Jailer’s story and covenant.
