A Zhevra by any other name...
by Robin Torres 
Jul 19th 2007 at 11:31AM
Irelance asks on the forums "Is "Zebra" trademarked?". He and other players want to know why Elekk, Zhevra and Crocolisk had their names changed (and limbs added), but not others like lions.The obvious answer is Azeroth is not Earth. But CM Drysc went into a bit more detail, giving some insight into world creation along the way:
There are many names in World of Warcraft that are derived from something they're intended to resemble, either literally or satirically. You could argue that it helps with recognition of what it's intended to represent, especially in literary fantasy. While Azeroth isn't Earth, it's obviously a fantasy based on Earth, humanity, struggles within societies, etc. and in some cases familiar animals may be adapted to the world... of Warcraft. There's something to be said about influence of our world on our attempts to create fantasy or that which we haven't seen, but that's really another discussion entirely.
They could have been called Stripes, or Chazzwuzzers, but would that change what they're intended to represent? There's definitely a need to ground players in a world with things they can relate to, particularly in games that are intended to represent a living world. Many games use a human or at least bipedal protagonist that you control, and that's by no accident. It becomes easier and easier to be drawn into a world, to experience and enjoy something when you aren't constantly working to justify what you're seeing.
I, for one, like the Africa but not Africa feel of The Barrens. Incorporating familar images into my fantasy gaming experience does make it easier for me to immerse myself into the world. And there are plenty of dragons and dinosaurs around to keep the world fantasy enough for me. But, for some, it seems that the similarities are pulling them too much out of their fantasy realm and into our own.
Do the similar creatures but different names help or hinder your immersion into Azeroth? Do Zhevras/Zebras look better with or without horns? Who would trademark an animal name, anyway?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Genius Jones Jul 19th 2007 11:48AM
What happened to WoW Insider? I used to read every article, now it's 60% spam, including this banal piece of non-news.
Beep Jul 19th 2007 11:57AM
@1: It's sad how they sit and force you to read all the articles. /hug
Corrodias Jul 19th 2007 11:57AM
@ 1
Are you expecting five newsworthy events to occur in WoW every day? Maybe you should go out and do something newsworthy instead of bitching about the lack of news. Does WoW just INSPIRE people to bitch?
Poddo Jul 19th 2007 11:58AM
This isn't a WoW News site. Its a Blog. Where one or many people come together to write articles on a common loved subject. These articles can be to announce news, spark discussion, or just rant about something that happened. Many articles here are not news, but either discussion topics or little lessons about different aspects of the game. If you want strictly WoW-News, go to mmo-champion.
I for one love everything that you guy are doing here. The addition of all the new class columns is great. Keep it up!
mattyt17 Jul 19th 2007 12:03PM
That explanation is so deep, i'm calling bullshit.
Corrodias Jul 19th 2007 12:01PM
Well, here's the most news i have lately:
Last night on our Prince attempt, we got like 6 tries at him that all had horribly unlucky infernal drop locations. Hell, the last attempt had them trapping us in a corner and then falling directly on top of us right as an enfeeble came.
Last night, i completed the Shartuul event successfully for the first time. I got the forgettable Depleted Staff out of it.
Gungolf Jul 19th 2007 12:15PM
Some animals might have been called different names in different times. As an axample google for "corcodrillus".
Mordrod Jul 19th 2007 12:27PM
Apparently, some people would prefer to remain lost in the funhouse, rather than spend any time thinking about the creative processes which made it possible, or why certain decisions were made. Personally, I find WOW Insider's decision not to make every single article a strategy guide refreshing. And yes, I think the familiarity in the fantasy world is a good and necessary thing, making it more rather than less immersive, and also making satire possible.
lunada Jul 19th 2007 12:30PM
I agree with Drysc in that one need a certain connection with a game to enjoy it whether it be familiar landscapes or trying to create a character that best represents themselves. But one would also need quite a bit originality in their fantasy games.
rummy Jul 19th 2007 3:19PM
Have you seen these stripy beasts walk, I called my SO over to have a laugh the first time I saw them! They walk like two humans in a pantomime costume. Definitely not Zebras.
Bart Jul 19th 2007 12:43PM
Well this is one thing that bugs me. Lothar is called the Lion of stormwind, and they guards there have lions on their shileds. But there is no lions in Azeroth? Sure there mountain lions here and there, but no actual lions with a mane. Explain that
Paul Jul 19th 2007 12:48PM
Cool points to drysc for using the word Chazzwuzzer
Cerebus Jul 19th 2007 12:56PM
@10 There are a couple of lions with manes in the game. the white lion, the black lion, and the rare spawn in northern mulgore come to mind.
RogueJedi86 Jul 19th 2007 1:15PM
But aren't those 3 Maned Lions in Kalimdor? Humans never went to Kalimdor before Warcraft 3.
And yeah, they do like to be a little original, hence Zhevras and Crocolisks. But why do we still have Lions, and Vultures, and Giraffes? Leonans, Vuras, and Graffis maybe?
Matthew Rossi Jul 19th 2007 1:47PM
Well, there are several places in Old Azeroth where there could once have been lions... the Blasted Lands, the Burning Steppes, Searing Gorge all come to mind as having been ripped apart by elementals or demons sufficiently to have wiped out all manner of flora and fauna.
Honestly, Azeroth has whatever beasties the designers thought would be cool, and that's cool by me.
Ninkasi Jul 19th 2007 2:07PM
I remember the first time i saw a crockolisk, i was like "WTF it's got six legs!"
el ranchero Jul 19th 2007 2:29PM
Actually, this one's easy: none of those animals are quite the same creature as their earthly analogues. Elekks and Zhevra have horns, and the crocolisk has 6 legs.
The Stormwind lion question is an interesting one, though.
Urthona Jul 19th 2007 3:52PM
I think the 6-legged Crocolisk/Basilisk is a clever nod to the evolution of dragons in Azeroth.
Reptiles that aren't snakes or turtles - lizards, crocs, etc have base 7 anatomies. Humanoids, for contrast are base 5 = one head, 4 extremeties.
Aquatic reptiles having one head and 6 legs means there exists the evolutionary potential to transform 1 set of legs into wings, becoming dragons, or allow the torso to segment to retain a draconic bottom half and humanoid upper half, becoming dragonspawn. Bipedal drakonids are probably a dragonspawn mutation, or magical forced evolution.
I agree that Azeroth probably used to have lions in Arathi, Badlands, and Burning Steppes.