WoW Moviewatch: Frontline Preview
by Michael Gray 
Mar 26th 2009 at 12:00PM
Red Eye Lobine posted the preview for Frontline on YouTube. Smartersnipe of Bladefist dropped us a tip about the video, and I'm really glad he did. I'm usually a little nervous about previews and trailers, because they often don't see fruition. But after checking this out in both normal quailty and HD, I was totally convinced that I had to display it.
Okay, so the basic story of the video so far is a trope. Two badarses beat up a bunch of people, pose impressively, and generally look heavy metal awesome. But, as I've said before, some tropes are tropes because they're awesome. And you don't fix what ain't broke, right?
I loved the opening shot of an eagle soaring over the countryside. Again, granted, it's a bit of a cliche, but it's one that wonderfully sets the scene for upcoming action. After the eagle screeches, the camera zooms in on our badarse orc warriors. They proceed to lay some smackdown on people.
If you're looking for deep, meaningful, pretty prose, this might not be your video. But, if you'd like an inspirational piece to fire your blood before Wintergrasp, especially if you're Horde, Frontline's going to be your pick. I look forward to Red Eye finishing it. His graphics are amazing, and I can't wait to see what he's got up his sleeve.
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: Analysis / Opinion, Machinima, WoW Moviewatch
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
AltairAntares Mar 26th 2009 12:11PM
Wow, I think that's the first time my server has been specifically mentioned, like ever. Yay for Smartersnipe, some one from my server actually sorta did something...
Ayriana Mar 26th 2009 3:56PM
nah, we've been on here before for drama... something about someone bugging out sarth for the three drakes achievement.
Azghoul Mar 26th 2009 12:12PM
"If you're looking for deep, meaningful, pretty prose, this might not be your video."
How about a video that doesnt just end out of no where? Or one with a point? Sorry but this is a stupid video. Also, as a Warrior myself since when were we able to kill anything since WotLK?
Munitions Mar 26th 2009 12:31PM
Preview.
Whitelion Mar 26th 2009 12:25PM
This is pretty cool.
I wonder how they get these scenes done, they don't look like the normal WoW Emotes.
Keyra Mar 26th 2009 7:23PM
I'd say that it's all courtesy of WoW Model Viewer. In WMV (no, that doesn't stand for Windows Media Video) you can combine two emotes/motions. An example would be walking and /no, /kneel and /cry, etc.
Whitelion Mar 27th 2009 10:20AM
Oh, ok. Thanks for the response.
Encrypted Mar 26th 2009 12:18PM
Horde fan boys. haha.
Of course that doesn't diminish the quality of the video, which is quite good.
The music I personally do not like. It is the type of music that the average nerdy nerd listens to, which is basically people screaming hysterically.
Catiya of Feathermoon Mar 26th 2009 12:21PM
Agree with you! The music made me want to claw my eyes out >.< The actual quaity of the video was lovely, but bah, other than that nothing else about ot drew me in. I did think the bird bit was neat, but :/
Maklaca Mar 26th 2009 7:14PM
"basically people screaming hysterically"?
Are you listening to the same song as me? Actually this songs vocals are a bit on the fluffy pop side with heavy distorted guitar (Oh nooooooo, no heavy guitar!!! I better close my ears). Yea, I can't wait for the Muzak videos. I can play those while taking a bubble bath. Give me a break.
Other than that, good job on the video looks pretty good.
Keyra Mar 26th 2009 7:19PM
Personally, I liked the song...then again, I am part of the head-banging, goth-gear-wearing, anti-big-hair-band 80s generation, so...eek, yes, that shows my age now, doesn't it? Yikes.
Seriously, though, my musical tastes are wide and varied. I never cared for the "grunge" era of the 90s, never got into the whole rap/hip-hop scene (though there are a few songs that I like), and as a musician, I have seen how metal has progressed over the years from screaming your lungs out to lots of double-bass rolls and fast over-distorted guitars (read: early Metallica - before they became Soldoutica/Alternica) to true music compositions that are danceable and good for ramping your spirits up during that end-of-day rush-hour commute. In my view, this song falls into that latter category.
I listen to new age, today's metal, symphonic rock, trance/rave, even some C&W (old school C&W, such as C.W. McCall and Kenny Rogers, plus some newer stuff that transcends the boundaries of C&W and Rock like Rascal Flatts)...then again, like I said, I'm a musician. I'm attuned to the musical transitions and these things appeal to me. It's all about the fullness, harmony and blending. So, for me, this song "does it" and seems to fit well with the Horde characters.
I just wish it didn't end so abruptly. Yes, I know it's a preview, but they could have worked in a nice mix of what is to come and made it a trailer.
twh Mar 26th 2009 12:36PM
Two words;
Bor-ing!
X-Cross Mar 27th 2009 10:25AM
Then why watch it? Haters like you don't deserve to get a internt connection! >:(
Hesston Mar 26th 2009 12:40PM
Is it just me, or does every WoW-er seem to listen to crap music? Or, personal tastes aside, think that their current favorite rap/rock-band-of-the-moment's music is appropriate for the WoW atmosphere. Sorry, it just doesn't work.
That and the crappy Euro House crap on most of the other videos out there.
Choose some better music and your video would probably take on a little more "epic" appeal.
Keyra Mar 26th 2009 7:35PM
LOL! Sorry, but I just have to reiterate what Keyra (not me, but the other Keyra who made "What Have You Done?") said:
The Alliance Polka Band was booked.
Seriously, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is music in the ear of the beholder. Yes, we all hear music (or any other sound) in the exact same manner; however, it is through cultural understanding, societal conditioning and personal tastes developed over time that we interpret these sounds in ways that are unique unto ourselves. We may share this unique view with others, but this does not necessarily indicate that our interpretation is "correct" when compared to the interpretations of others. Rather, that they are "correct" for ourselves alone.
Now, Jungian psychology aside, I can understand your point. There seems to be a predominance of metal/hard rock/trance/hip-hop or whatever in WoW machinima, especially where the Horde is concerned. Yet given the nature of the characters within the Horde, these do seem to fit in lieu of any alternates that have yet to become popular listening. You certainly wouldn't see an undead priest rocking out to Garth Brooks, for example. Nor would you see (on the Alliance side) a Draenei mage casting spells to death metal. Well, maybe you would, but it wouldn't really "fit".
Let's face it: the person who creates a piece of machinima has a certain vision for the piece and coordinates it with a piece of music (if it's to be a musically-oriented or aligned video segment) that is likewise within their particular vision. This doesn't mean that it will appeal to everyone, but rather what they have envisioned as being "right" for the piece.
This particular segment, I feel, deserved a modern metal piece. It wouldn't fit with, say, Clannad, Notorious B.I.G., Kenny G, or Tiny Tim. It would only fit with metal or something equally fast-paced. That it incorporated a song I like may make my views biased, but still.
To each his own, I guess.
Pope Jamal Mar 26th 2009 12:41PM
"and generally look heavy metal awesome"
Heavy metal has NEVER been awesome. Go back to the suburbs.
eric_barbaric Mar 27th 2009 10:01PM
Really?!!! I have 3 words for you. PANTERA!!! WHITE ZOMBIE!!!
Whiplashmtb Mar 26th 2009 12:47PM
Nice video.. I actually Love the song.
Pillar is a Christian Rock group, that's been around for quite some time now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillar_(band)
Only complaint is how it just ends out of nowhere..
Maybe a "To be continued" or "coming soon" or something..
Cantor Mar 26th 2009 1:02PM
I really liked it actually. The effects are very good, some really great machinima. Might not be everyone's cup of tea, but meh, no-one's forcing you to watch it are they?
cowtipper Mar 26th 2009 1:50PM
Machinima is boring.