WotLK cinematic picks up Elan award nomination
by Mike Schramm 
Mar 13th 2009 at 1:00PM
Throw another nomination on the list for Wrath of the Lich King -- Blizzard's cinematic team has been nominated for an Elan award for the WotLK cinematic in the category of Best Animated Short Subject. And the nom is well deserved: while the trailer broke with the tradition of showing the various races and classes of Warcraft doing battle with each other, Blizzard's choice to instead recap the story of Arthas and the Lich King while he summoned Sindragosa worked well and looked amazing.
Unfortunately, Blizzard missed out in the actual game nominations -- for best PC game, the expansion was overshadowed by Fallout 3, Crysis Warhead, Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria, and Left 4 Dead. You can argue amongst yourselves whether that's justified or not. But we're sure Blizzard is happy with the animation nomination anyway -- their competition there is Turbo Dogs, so they'll probably do fine when the awards are announced on April 25th.
[via BlizzPlanet]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Contests, Wrath of the Lich King, Achievements
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Manath Mar 13th 2009 1:08PM
The nomination is well deserved; Blizzard cinematics have blown my mind since Starcraft. And they just keep getting better.
I know this cinematic was a bit unpopular at first due to the lack of WoW characters being shown, but I personally love the increased focus on the storyline.
Erogroth Mar 13th 2009 1:26PM
Ya. I love the Blizz cinematics and the Wrath one was awesome. Too bad they didn't get best PC game nomination but they had some stiff competition this year. I hope Left 4 Dead wins. That game is one of the best shooters I have ever played.
Rugus Mar 13th 2009 1:29PM
Given the *insane* amount of money Blizzard is gaining from the WoW game/franchise... I think they just do not care (at all) if they're winners or not. They're already winning every single day with the constantly increasing subscriptions. A MMORPG capable of destabilizing the Wow empire has yet to come (and you can bet it will be the next MMORPG from Blizzard, yet again).
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a "Blizzard fan" but these are just facts. Also, I can't forget the day Blizzard launched Diablo III (conference, video, website, ...). They are the best in this business, we have to admit it.
vern Mar 13th 2009 1:29PM
I am sorry, but this cinematic does not deserve the attention it is getting.
I consider it pretty much as a fail.
This is the first cinematic that does not tell a story.
Unlike previous cinematics, it does not feel related to the game, you don't see the different possible characters, you don't see the vilains of the game, you don't really see the game.
Taking the bet to focus it on the Lich king and his dragon is a big fail.
Why not tell the story of the death knight rebellion ? That would have been so awesome and relate a little more to the game the players will be playing.
I do not feel this cinematic to be related to the storyline the player will be experimenting.
That cinematic DOES NOT SELL the game very well, unlike previous WOW cinematics, sorry.
Manath Mar 13th 2009 1:35PM
I see what you are saying, but I think that to the casual WoW player who has never touched the past Warcraft games, it's a good introduction to the Lich King.
The typical player didn't really know who Arthas was before picking up this expansion, and the voice over by his father I think sets the theme/mood of corruption and loss beautifully. We get the impression that he used to be a good guy, and see how far he's fallen. I really loved the irony with the voice over, and it left me wondering if there was any shred of humanity left in him.
I do definitely see how it would have been cool to have seen the Death Knight storyline, although I think it's very beautifully experienced in the game hands-on. :)
Arrowsmith Mar 13th 2009 1:35PM
Funny that, when you consider the Vanilla cinematic had nothing to do with the main villains, the BC cinematic showed Illidan (who turned out NOT to be the BBEG) continuously shouting "YOU ARE NOT PREPARED!!" like a crazy homeless person, and that the DK rebellion is covered in the in-game lore. The cinematics are first meant to look cool and second give a preview of what to expect. The Vanilla cinematic showed the Alliance and Horde fighting each other while showcasing various class abilities. The BC cinematic expanded on this by showing the fighting to come in Outland. the WotLK Cinematic gives IMHO a very nice preview of what to expect in Icecrown. Buy hey, it's just big boat of fail, right?
Leejin Mar 13th 2009 1:53PM
"This is the first cinematic that does not tell a story.....you don't see the vilains of the game, you don't really see the game."
Vern... are you effing retarded?? Arthas isn't a villian huh? Oh, and him resurrecting Sindragosa has nothing to do with the story of the game???
Get back to your besement... who let you out anyways??
Better watchout for the sun...
Suhas Mar 13th 2009 2:06PM
@vern
Dude, have you ever the watched the previous wow cinematics? do they tell any story?
heck, i dont understand what story a dwarf hunter, night elf druid, undead warlock, some random tauren, orc warrior, human mage, draenei paladin, blood elf priest or a troll raptor rider might be telling you
well maybe they depict a war between alliance and the horde, but thats a small part of the world of warcraft story, the actual war is against the qiraji (silithids), burning legion, scourge etc.
well i dont think the wrath cinematic told any story but neither did the old ones, and well as for villains , isnt arthas a villain? heck hes the biggest bad ass in the game, i hate those other villains they introduced like the creepy bug dude yogg saron and those retarded titan constucts or whatever thats gonna come in ulduar patch
well as a matter of fact even i didnt like the new cinematic as much as the old ones, but it doesnt suck as you claim, i rather preferred illidan shouting "you are not prepared" like a crazy homeless person
but i guess you were just an ordinary troll seeking attention, at least you didnt post first!
vern Mar 13th 2009 3:06PM
@Leejin
No I don't feel retarded at all, do you ?
So if you look at the cinematic from the point of view of a new player, you might think “cool, I m going to play the lich king and rule the world with my dragon”
Is it the game, really ?
Here is the story of the cinematic:
Arthas wakes up (with very good music)
Arthas puts sword in the frozen ground and wake up the dragon. (with very good music)
Dragon flies around. (with very good music)
That's it, the 3 minutes summed up in 3 sentences. It's EMPTY !
At least in previous cinematics, you could see the different classes that you could play in the game.
Make no mistake, I usually love Blizzard cinematics because they shows a lot. That one is very disappointing and terribly empty.
vern Mar 13th 2009 3:17PM
@Suhas
Yeah maybe you could see my post as trolling if you want.
But my point is that as a storytelling cinematic, this WOTLK introduction doesn't bring anything.
I was so disappointed the first time I saw it. I was really expecting some teasing about the new stuffs coming in the game. But nooo you just see the Lich king waking up.
Maybe it deserves some awards as a superbly and technically well done cinematic, but for the storytelling and player teasing this is a terrible and disappointing fail.
Blizard took a bet at focusing exclusively on the Lich King instead of introducing the new death knight class and the new continent and this is unfortunately a fail.
Eversor Mar 14th 2009 7:27AM
@vern
"Here is the story of the cinematic:
Arthas wakes up (with very good music)
Arthas puts sword in the frozen ground and wake up the dragon. (with very good music)
Dragon flies around. (with very good music)"
So... basically you are whining because YOU didn't get anything out of it? Sure, a newcomer might not get what is going on, but he will know one thing - the dude with the sword is powerful. He isn't screwing around. He will turn you into a popsicle. Then, the newcomer is intrigued in who exactly is the man talking, and why is he talking about being good and all that jazz, when this guy with the sword basically has a giant bumper sticker saying EVIL on him. Then the newcomer either asks someone else... or JUST READS THE DAMN MANUAL!
Seriously, why am I even bothering to write a reply to a typical ADHD kiddie, who just wants OOH EKSLOSHUNZ? If you fail to understand just how the cinematic tells the story, then I am sorry, but I must question your brain capacity. First - I sincerely doubt this game needs even more people who can't even be bothered to learn the main outline of the story. When it is written... HELL, were you even there when the damn expabsion installed in your computer? Please tell me - what happened during that? And again... the bloody manual explains the sotry outline. The bloody vanilla manual explains the story outline. The TBC manual explains the story outline. If that newcomer of yours cannot even read a bloody book attacked to the game, then guess what? I don't want that lazynewcomer near me. I don't want him in my group. I don't want him in my raid. I don't want him on my server. Why? Because obviously this guy has problems with reading, and then I ask you - what is he doing in a game filled with written dialogues?
What a lengthy rant, but I hope you understand where I am coming from.
TL;DR - if you don't understand what happens in the intro after you were around the installation process and with speakers on, and looked inside the manuals coming with the game, then that is entirely your own problem.
Eversor Mar 14th 2009 7:29AM
Bah, damn typos. You should get what I am saying regardless.
Thander Mar 13th 2009 1:59PM
I still think the cinematic was just "okay". I think there should have been an extension on to it after the dragon is summoned showing some of the fighting to come. Maybe also show the Death Knights and some other areas of Northrend.
The movie didn't get me pumped up to play the game. It's great if I just want to watch a movie but it's not a very good ad for the game.
Charlie Mar 13th 2009 2:16PM
LOTR:MoM>Wrath? Really?
L4D, Fallout, and Crysis i would put over wow, but LotR? Really?
Doesn't matter in the end. Fallout is gonna win. Game is incredible.
devolutionary Mar 13th 2009 3:33PM
Remember - Wrath may be a bigger expansion, but that does not make it a better expansion. I'm far more surprised at Crysis: Warhead being placed there. That was only interesting for the purposes of it's multi-player, which isn't that much of a leap from other multi-player scenarios.
RetPallyJil Mar 13th 2009 3:33PM
The Wrath cinematic rocked my socks the first time I watched it - the impact hasn't lessened much.
GG, Blizz, for doing something different; after that 'lock fried the murlocs in TBC, there wasn't much left to accomplish in the "quick vignette" style.
RetPallyJil Mar 13th 2009 3:41PM
I'm sorry, but 99.99% of the things in this world don't explode in slow motion while women in bikinis race away from the flames.
Try reading a book without pictures sometime; it does wonders for the imagination.
ste Mar 13th 2009 9:03PM
I always prefered the Diablo cinematics to the Warcraft cinematics.
Until I saw the WOTLK cinematic.
So epic, it's the best cinematic I've ever seen, I'm sure there are some people thinking "OMG where are the fights", but that's like someone not liking The Shining because it doesn't have multiple gory deaths.
The WOTLK cinematic gives me chills almost every time I watch it, it's such an improvement over the previous (still impressive) cinematics.