We had two dealing with near unending bleakness, misery, and suffering. One even starting off with an genocide.
Light forbid we get one expansion where everything isn’t a race to see which NPC would have the worst personal tragedy this patch.
8 Likes
The themes don’t carry much weight when the story conveying them is a dumpster fire.
In BfA, I didn’t see the Alliance as monsters, I was annoyed that Blizz hit my faction with an unwanted villain bat again despite promising narrative complexity and moral ambiguity.
In Shadowlands, I (and many others) hated Sylvanas, not because of “her actions”, but because the writers made a previously ok character into a cartoonishly evil character who both overstayed her welcome and got off relatively scott-free.
In contrast, Dragonflight is lighter in tone, but better written. Granted, I am not a fan of grimdark and depressing settings/stories, but even so, it’s clear they’re better at writing this way than they are the last two expansions, which makes everyone looking back at them longingly, wishing for the darker story to come back, look that much more bizarre to me.
9 Likes
I don´t think this is a correct assumption of the OP.
Wanting a darker theme, does not mean someone should be losing it´s head at each quest. But that there are actual evil things to fight, that there is betrayel and war, that clothes and cities look dirty and wasted.
I did like the quest line when we had to save the eggs, but it was put into cotton and it did lack the cruelty, violence, but looked more like a game of some people that want to take the spotlight over saving eggs. We did lose one of our warriors, but there was no real context after this.
She just died and we are not going for revenge, we are not mad, no life just goes on at DF, as if nothing happened.
I think a big issue with this expansion is also the new race, they just don´t fit to the franchise. It´s a race that I would expect to see at Dragon Ball games, or Pokemon, but not at WOW. I am having very bad MOP vibes here, it just doesnt work for me.
I do believe that a dragon themed expansion could have had a different approach and I do not think that players should have the option to play as a miniature dragon. Instead, ogre´s or nagas, would be an interesting approach for an expansion if new playable races should be added.
Naga could introduce an advanced class for hunters and warriors, ogre for mages and warlocks.
But in the end, all of this won´t save the game, if impotant Quality of life changes are not added soon.
We have no real pvp ranked system for solo Q, with rewards and tasks that may also involve world pvp and a visible ladder. The BG´s, are completely isolated fom the game, we gain nothing by playing them, except outdated transmog items.
We need a complete overhaul of the AH, reputation and crafting system. Mat´s from the past, are rotting away, we need to reintroduce them and reputation must be account wide.
Pet battles, Transmogs, achievement system it all needs to be brought up to 2023 and gain a purpose in this game.
A good solution would be housing, as it would solve many problems from above, but if housing or not, we need updates to the core elements of this game.
11 Likes
Now we’re getting to the real root of the problem. WoW lost its way when it stopped making Big Trouble in Little China references.
Signed,
Someone who still has a Six-Demon Bag in the bank on at least one of his characters.
1 Like
The devastation of the Niffen Village was dark to say the least.
Infact the final phase of getting the Lucid Nightmare Mount opens up access to the Upside Down Sinners and the rest of the Crypt for that matter.
4 Likes
We literally just came out of an expansion based on death and the afterlife. Light and goofy is more than welcome.
4 Likes
Yeah, WoW only ever had super serious races in the world before.
I know. So lame, right?
This new addition to the game really ruins it.
11 Likes
"Cinematic "??? Psh i usually skip those. hair flip
2 Likes
Because thats what the target audience wants. The simplest comparison you can make is MoP vs WoD @release. Thats were the main selling point is your theme.
Remember the Hellscream stare ad? And the probably best cinematic to date? And now compare that to Dragonflight. No wonder it didnt break any sales. People are into Warcraft for what it stood for in the past. WARcraft. Not Wokecraft or Disneycraft.
11 Likes
They’re writing the “morally acceptable to all genders/races/orientations type of story”.
They are terrified of offending someone… somewhere… so we get no soul stories like this.
TV and Hollywood are also guilty of this kind of “storytelling”.
Everything just feels safe, yet bland.
20 Likes
Nah. Miss me with this. Anima drought story was lit and DF still lags behind.
6 Likes
So you’re telling me i need to upgrade my friday beer and gaming plans to vodka and gaming?
I would love to see a Killing Blow animation (each spec would have it’s own unique killing blow animation). Picture a Unholy DK tossing a corpse at the boss, turning and walking away slowly, grin, and snap it’s fingers as the corpse explodes in the boss’s face.
You mean Tyrande kill stealing from the champions as we did all the heavy lifting, as usual.
I don’t think Blood and Honey is a official Disney movie. Which Disney movies are you watching?
I think I have a gif for this… let me check:
Mankrik’s wife? I think you should:
I like the nuffles… err… niffels… whatever those creatures are called… They are like smurfs and reminds me of my childhood.
It sounds like you need a hug or something…
Here:
That should help with whatever senseless acts of violence you are craving.
2 Likes
I don’t think the tone has notably changed.
There have always been some stupid parts to the story and writing.
Like that ridiculous (and ridiculously LONG) “Fiona’s Caravan” idiocy that was added to the Plaguelands in Cataclysm. Including the “Paladin Pals” /cringe
Cataclysm released in 2010. So not a new thing.
3 Likes
Me. Sorry I had too many margaritas.
I think they are just complaining… just to complain. Puking up the same nonsense trollish talking points.
5 Likes
What’s so bad about not having a single dark, edgy expansion? Because those, imo, get tiring as well.
Yes, BFA was pretty dark, but if you ask me, the Horde lead YET AGAIN by an evil Warchief is not the most original thing of the world, is repetitive. We had Legion, BFA and Shadowlands (and I guess WOD too), there doesn’t always need to be gloomy expansions.
2 Likes
I agree with this message. 
Wondering if asmon had something to do with the thought processes on this one.
2 Likes
true disney is a lot rougher on the audience. wow is leagues under. the underlying messages are questionable in a lot of old disney stuff heh
2 Likes
I hope you’re not out here saying that WoD was a better expansion than MoP.
Oh. One of those people. Carry on. 
5 Likes