WoW Moviewatch: Ring of Valor 2
by Moo Money 
Jun 25th 2008 at 12:00PM
Kung let us know that he's back with the sequel to his popular Ring of Valor series. The previous movie focused on tigers, decaying scourge, and arena matches. This time he mixes it up a bit by showing the health bars, but eliminating the flashy effects. In addition, he included sound. For more information on the event, check out the Warcraftmovies page, and the writeup by Crocolisk.
[Thanks, Kung!]
If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.
Previously on Moviewatch ...
Filed under: Machinima, WoW Moviewatch
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Johndoe Jun 25th 2008 12:38PM
I wonder what faction this creator prefers. Rather hard to spot..
Good looking video. -1 for the exaggerated pro faction mood.
Blackhorn Jun 25th 2008 12:42PM
Hot Diggity. Very nice. Quite a production.
Madmartiigan Jun 25th 2008 12:45PM
Wow, For a pvp Machinima, it was really good.
Well worth the watch.
Aaron Jun 25th 2008 1:09PM
good video, enjoyed the first one also, but man...some of these guys just really suck at pvp.
Chris Jun 25th 2008 2:22PM
The players aren't bad at all, it was just some last minute setups and matches that weren't planned.
Also, another issue was lag. The horde duelists had to deal with 10+ mind visions at one time as well as the 200+ players in that small space. Also, if you're wondering why Leviathas destroyed Accierro, thank some well timed counter-spells :)
Matt Jun 25th 2008 1:29PM
Reading the writeup on Crocolisk, I can't believe some people got upset when the winner of the beauty contest was beaten up, stripped down, and promised as spoils to the victor of the final match. What clods.
Seriously though, that vignette wrecked the movie for me. It was stomach-turning, and cast a misogynist pall over the rest of the production. Yvanka's shameful defense on the Crocolisk blog of, "It wasn't rape! Don't take it so seriously." is almost worse. It doesn't matter that Adelah says she was comfortable with the event (and the attention!). The only time women show up in the movie, and it's to be degraded, defeated, and shown as literal sex objects.
I find it hard to believe that I'm the only one who was put off by this.
Heilig Jun 25th 2008 2:55PM
Should I email the girl you're trying to get to sleep with you so she can read your comment and see how cultured and sensitive you are? It might help you out, cause girls don't usually go for men who can't distinguish 2008 in America from a freaking video game.
Moo Money Jun 25th 2008 3:14PM
lol @ whiteknighting. Females will let you know when they feel objectified. You just piss us off with your sensitive act while you think you're championing womens rights.
Matt Jun 25th 2008 4:21PM
Huh. I didn't think it was cultured, sensitive, white knighty, or championing women's rights to find a scene of sexual slavery distasteful. I thought it was human.
Thanks for correcting me, Internet!
uncaringbear Jun 25th 2008 7:19PM
@Moo Money
I've had someone very, very close to me be a victim of rape. Does my speaking out against misogyny and the needless portrayal of violence against women an example of "white knighting"? Does it also mean women should not voice an opinion against violence towards males?
Dightkuz Jun 25th 2008 2:05PM
Very well made machinima, worth watching!
...And LOL @ Matt's comment.
Brian Jun 25th 2008 2:47PM
This was such a fun event, even if Kung did keep us waiting for weeks on the video. There was even a picture from the stands as the Screenshot of the Day, but it was taken down when Blizz realized it takes an exploit to get to the Arena floor.
ErsatzPotato Jun 26th 2008 1:30PM
Extremely well done, if entirely too long even given strong plotting. The generic deep-growly announcer's voice was the only bit that bugged me, though it fit well with WoW's baddies. "You are not prepared. I have a voice filter! I'm scary! Really!"
Misogynist? Sure, I suppose so. Worked in context however. Having the defeated guy rezzed and being "the prize" would've been cleverer by far.
Yvanka Jun 26th 2008 5:17PM
Voice filter? That sexy voice was pure Malvagio, baby. ;)
ErsatzPotato Jun 27th 2008 1:22PM
Realized after I clicked post that'd be misread. :)
Meant it was a generic Big Meany Voice (often done with voice filters in WoW itself). Wasn't bad, just sick of them. I do a good one myself if you ever need it. Scares children.
I thoroughly enjoy the piece. Great stuff. Watched it beginning to end where I normally manage twenty seconds on the music video filter and light effects garbage.
Don't care how much skill goes into those--and it's a lot, obviously--they're dead dull. Oooh, orc drumming with blue and black filters and quick cuts! Ooh, they're in Feralas but there's a car from another game for no reason! Those are demo reels of technical chops and why anyone who isn't considering hiring the creators is interested is beyond me.
Yvanka Jun 25th 2008 5:43PM
Great to see this on WoW Insider, and thanks for taking the time to link to my write-up, too. It's wonderful that this project has gotten so much attention, especially since Malvagio, Kung, and Toxicant worked hard on organizing the event.
Kung made a fantastic video of this. We're very proud of his efforts.
As for Matt, well, some of the humor in my writing may have been lost on you since I'm assuming you're neither from Maelstrom, nor a regular of our Maelstrom forums. My comment about "rape" was directed at another individual's mini-tirade whenever he, too, misunderstood Adelah's purpose in the ring. I'm sorry you view the whole thing as being terribly misogynistic. As a female participant, I can tell you I didn't mind being both a sexy semi-naked dancer and a sexy rat-equipped gnome. I was even the female Stormwind Guard that tried to take Malvagio down. Plenty of women helped out behind the scenes, and Adelah was even a victorious duelist in the first Ring of Valor. Our contributions were important. I hope that helps to change your mind a little bit. We (the ladies) had SO much fun with everything. Try to enjoy the video and event for what it is.
uncaringbear Jun 25th 2008 7:15PM
I would love to see a write up on the making of this video. I know why Blizz doesn't want to make the Ring of Valor an openly-accesible environment, but doing so would certainly create fantastic opportunities for player-organized PVP and RP events.
@Matt
I'm a bit disappointed that he was the only commenter to have a view on the final scene. I agree with him that it was totally unnecessary and disturbing. Those of you who countered with the age-old "It's just a game" or "men can't speak against misogyny", please come back with some real and meaningful arguments.
Kaljin Jun 25th 2008 8:02PM
Great job Kung, you make us Maelstromites proud.
Malvagio Jun 26th 2008 7:24AM
To Matt@
Malvagio here (the ringmaster) - The use of Adelah as a trophy wench was actually inspired by concept art by blizzard. See link:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3474/tothevictorgi1.jpg
I thank you all for your compliments, and for leaving comments in general, about the show/video. For those who had trouble with the one-sided faction elements and the trophy event (in that order:)
The Ring of Valor is the only place an event like this could really be done, with the center being shielded off from the viewing stands. Being located in Orgrimmar, the capital city of the Horde, it's sort of difficult to make a fitting "faction neutral" show. It's a Horde arena in a Horde city put on by the Horde.
Off that, the nature of the show is Hordish. That is to say, brutal, savage and prejudice. If you don't believe that a human trophy is not beffiting of a Genghis khan-like barbarian bloodmatch, then I'm sorry. We don't think it's right, but it is fitting of the nature. Again, the idea was inspired by Blizzard.
Adam R Jun 26th 2008 11:00AM
Excellent explanation!