Tag Archives: Warcraft

Not a Lot Going On (Except Blizzard Messing with Us)

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Not a Lot Going On in Sci-fi and Fantasy:

I spent a good 20 minutes today, plus a lot of time yesterday, wracking my brain for something to put on my blog, and it occurred to me that I just don’t have much to say.

Now, if you’re someone who knows me well, you’ll know that this is not an affliction I often suffer from. The problem is that this blog is intended to be devoted to all things science fiction and fantasy, and there just doesn’t seem to be much going on in those genres lately.

Sci-fi TV shows are getting cancelled left, right, and center. Sci-fi’s never really been known for providing break-out hits on TV, but lately, it seems to be suffering worse than ever. Of the shows I watch, only Sanctuary remains.

Even the great franchises of science fiction seem to be decaying. Star Trek has crashed and burned (creatively, if not financially) under JJ Abrams, Robert Orci, and Alex Kurtzman. Battlestar Galactica is slowly fading into twilight, with all its hopes pinned on the prequel Blood and Chrome. Yes, another prequel, right after the last prequel (Caprica) that had a much more creative concept and still only managed to last a season. Even the mighty Stargate franchise has crumbled following the cancellation of the woefully underestimated Stargate: Universe.

There are still good sci-fi and fantasy movies being made, but honestly, I can’t remember the last time one truly blew me away–probably The Dark Knight, and that was more psychological horror than sci-fi.

Even books don’t seem to offer much these days, though that may just be bad luck on my part. Still, whatever the reason, it’s been a very long time since I picked up a new book by an unfamiliar author and was impressed. It’s at the point now where I have a lot of trouble even finding the motivation to try new books.

Interestingly, the one medium where speculative fiction seems to be thriving both creatively and fiscally seems to video games. A lack of disposable income and my obsession with WoW mean I haven’t been able to experience all games have to offer, but I keep up with current events to know that sci-fi and fantasy games are thriving.

What do you think? Am I just closed-minded or missing out on the good speculative fiction that is out there? Or are we really in a drought?

Speaking of video games…

Blizzard Messes with Our Minds:

There is one little piece of news I do have to share. Blizzard has quite dramatically released a Warcraft screen shot. And that’s it. Just a screenshot.As you can see, we have three Ethereals in a shop in what looks like Stormwind. One is an arcane reforger, a service which already exists in WoW. But the others’ titles are more confusing.

Of course, this has sparked a completely absurd level of speculation from the fans. Some have even started making anagrams out of the NPCs’ names to prove their own pet conspiracy ideas. However, two theories have come to the forefront:

1: Ethereals are going to be a playable race. This is possible, though it is somewhat unlikely they’d be leaking info about the next expansion so soon, and they’re never going to add new races in a patch.

2: This is an indication that Blizzard with finally be adding some version of the “appearance tab” idea to World of Warcraft, a way to customize the appearance of one’s gear.

I’m inclined to believe option two, myself. It’s something that could be added in the next patch, and everyone’s been begging for it forever.

Plus, there’s a certain logic to the grouping of NPCs. Void storage = a place to store out of date gear. Transmogrifier = a way to give your new gear the models of your old gear in void storage. Arcane reforger = we already know is a way to customize the stats on your gear. Together, they make a full battery of gear customization options.

If nothing else, we have learned several interesting things from reading the thread on their official forums. 1: It takes nothing at all to set off a typhoon of rampant, tinfoil-wearing speculation. 2: A shockingly high number of people don’t know that an arcane reforger is something that’s been in the game for nearly a year. 3: Transmogrify is actually a real word. Who knew?  4: Blizzard takes way too much pleasure in screwing with us like this.

The “Problem” with Cataclysm

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The “Problem” with Cataclysm:

I’ve heard a lot of Warcraft players complaining about Cataclysm–that it’s a bad expansion, a let-down, that Blizzard was lazy and cut corners with it.

Official logo for World of Warcraft

Personally, I think it’s all greatly overblown, but I will admit that even I, hardcore fanboy that I am, sometimes feel a bit disappointed with the measly five zones and handful of dungeons we received with this expansion–though that feeling has been lessened by the awesomeness that is the Molten Front.

Lately, I think I’ve figured out what the problem is with Cataclysm–and depending on your perspective, it’s not really a problem at all.

Every other WoW expansion has focused almost exclusively on adding high level and end game content and has largely ignored that which came before it. Cataclysm is not like that. It completely revamped two of the game’s four continents.

The trouble is the playerbase is largely focused on the end game. I’m not a progression raider, and I enjoy leveling just as much as the end game; I made it a goal to experience as much of the world changes as possible. But even I become distracted by the promise of those pretty purples. However, lately, I’ve gotten back to exploring what Cataclysm has to offer, and I’m reminded of how much awesomeness is now available pre-60.

While some zones are little changed, the vast majority of zones have been vastly improved by Cataclysm. Take the Southern Barrens, for instance. Once a bland grind of killing quillboars and kodos, it is now the scene of an epic struggle between the Horde and the Alliance. It’s a zone packed with action and emotion no matter faction you play as, but as Horde, I think it can stand with the Storm Peaks and Dragonblight as one of the best zones in the game.

I honestly got a little choked up as my shaman went among the ruins of Camp Taurajo–a place he also quested in before the Cataclysm–and performed the funeral rites for the NPCs who once taught me skinning, offered me quests, and sent me on my flights back to Orgimmar. And rarely have I felt such a surge of pleasure as when I and my Orcish brethren brought bloody retribution against the Butcher of Taurajo.

It’s a zone that shows us the full savage fury of Hellscream’s new Horde, but unlike most other new zones, it doesn’t just paint them as a bunch of ruthless war criminals. It was, in fact, the only time since the Wrathgate I’ve taken pride in being a member of the Horde.

“You yield? WHAT PART OF ‘VICTORY OR DEATH’ DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?”

But it’s not as if Southern Barrens is the only zone changed for the better. Bring an Alliance character through Darkshore and Ashenvale and revel in unleashing nature’s righteous vengeance against the Horde invaders. Level a Horde toon through Silverpine and watch a grave new threat to Azeroth come to life. See the flowers in the Plaguelands and realize that us adventurers really have made a difference after all. Pay a visit to the Speedbarge in flooded Thousand Needles and be prepared to laugh your face off. Aid the Red Dragonflight in the Badlands and watch one tiny seed of hope take root in world of corruption and violence.

People can say that Cataclysm offered little content, but the fact is it includes hundreds more new quests than its predecessor, Wrath of the Lich King. In fact, when you think about it, it’s actually a massive expansion and has at least as much to offer in terms of sheer volume of content as the previous expansions. And that content is high quality, with beautiful scenery, interesting storylines, and lovely soundtrack.

Of course, what this all means is that if you’re only playing the end game, you’re missing out on most of what Cataclysm has to offer. I suppose this does suck for those who are only interested in the end game, but I can’t help but wonder if they’re just not being closed minded. Perhaps their bad view of leveling comes from the fact that tried it back in classic and Burning Crusade, where it was so much less interesting. Or perhaps they just don’t enjoy it because they see it as a chore between them and the end game.

Still, I shouldn’t judge too harshly. But if you haven’t spent much time exploring what Cataclysm has to offer below level 80, I urge you to do so. This is a good expansion; it’s just not all about the end game for once.

If you somehow haven’t acquired Cataclysm yet, please remember it can be found on my Amazon Affiliate.

One Other Thing…

I’ve been finally having better luck with Cataclysm raids. I’ve now even cleared Bastion of Twilight. I still suck, but I suck less.The funny thing is this, and a recent Blackwing Descent raid that got up to Nefarian, wasn’t on my uber-geared, 20K DPS-pulling rogue, nor my “I can’t remember the last time I went OOM” holy pally. It was with my PvP and blue gear-wearing, “I struggle to pull 12K and live on a server where no one plays Horde” mage. Most confusing.