A lack of Alliance pride

Now, it could just be specific to this outlet -- perhaps Horde players spend more time online, or have more free time in general, and thus have the knowhow and chance to submit their pictures. But this issue has come up before (on our podcast as well): while many Horde players are ready to jump in and shout "For the Horde!" at a moment's notice, not so many Alliance players are as open about their allegiances. As Larisa asks: where's the faction pride?
I suppose I'm probably suspect number one: I've played my Horde characters for longer, so even though I've been playing Alliance toons for over a year now, I still consider myself a Hordie. And you could argue that being Alliance means you're more default and less aggressive by nature -- everyone knows Horde are the folks who pick a fight.
But certainly, even though Blizzard has done their best to engender some Alliance pride (and I'm sure they'll keep trying in the future), it just doesn't seem there. Why aren't we seeing more Alliance stepping up for their faction?
Filed under: Horde, Alliance, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, PvP
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Reader Comments (Page 17 of 18)
MightyBurebista Dec 10th 2009 12:52AM
"Now if Varian were to show an act of extreme mercy, I'd have something to be proud of..."
Go look for the Patch 3.3 sound clips that were datamined. A whole bunch of anti-Varian pantywaists rethought their position of him after listening to them.
...but the whole "Varian is a douche because he's not working for peace and cohabitation" shtick gets on my tits in a major way. Y'all drop your issues of "The Guardian" and brush up on some college-level International Relations, if your peace-and-love upbringing has led you to believe that a conciliatory leader is suitable for dealing with bellicose leaders! Jeez Louise, what you need is some Azerothian incarnation of Chamberlaine with "peace in our time"! >:0
Whew. Chill bro, have some Silverleaf...
Mhacdebhandia Dec 10th 2009 1:04AM
The Horde has a cooler symbol. Who wants to flaunt some cut-rate Disney logo? I say this as a guy who's still playing the same human mage he started in January 2005 as his main.
Aleksander Dec 10th 2009 1:13AM
I personally like to say "FOR THE KING"
Colerejuste Dec 10th 2009 1:15AM
:D Thanks for the comments.
I think I'll wait for the sound bites in-game or as lore articles get published. I like a little context.
Now, I didnt exactly say he was a douche because he doesnt work toward peace and cohabitation. I just said he was a douche AND that he doesnt work toward peace and cohabitation. If Varian ever did work towards those goals, I suspect he'd still be a douche. His conflict with the Orcs is very personal, and IMHO, clouds his judgment when it comes to dealing with Thrall. I'm not saying that Varian should invite Thrall over to dinner, but quit trying to slide a sharpie in his eye socket everytime you see him.
Sorry Varian. You're damaged goods, but you keep fighting the good fight. I'm not going to stand in your way, nor stab you in the back.
I didn't get alot of peace and love from my adoptive country when I moved here many moons ago. And I've little interest in politics (which is probably why I come off as naive).
Guess I might have a reason to be proud of the Alliance and its leadership as the Fall of the Lich King story line progresses.
MightyBurebista Dec 10th 2009 2:05AM
And thanks to you for actually responding. :)
Here is my logic: Varian is not a douche. Varian is:
a) a badass. Because somewhere along the line, Blizzard noticed that the Alliance were stereotypically perceived as goody-two-shoes, so they needed a tough leader with an angry streak. The Alliance are seen by the Horde as Spider-Men, very saturday-morning-cartoon all-around perfect good guys; Varian is more akin to Batman or The Punisher, he fights for justice but is an ornery SOB who shoves right back if he's shoved. And that's what the Alliance needed so the Horde would no longer be entitled to declaring that they have the monopoly on badasses.
b) a dick. A dick sometimes acts recklessly and antagonistically. But he's necessary in the grand scheme of things. Allow me to impart the wisdom of Team America World Police (NSFW):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcAaertdaQk&feature=related
Varian is the dick who needs to f*** the assholes like Garrosh, the Forsaken, the Scourge, the Legion, before they s**t all over Azeroth. The anti-Varian liberals are, well, pussies. Who criticize Varian for his perceived reckless and emotion-driven bellicose policy towards the Horde. Varian needs people like Jaina and Rhonin to calm down his righteous fury and appeal to his rationality as leader of a major power. But if Varian wouldn't have the drive and ability to f*** the assholes represented by the expansionist wing of the Horde, said Horde assholes would you-know-what all over the Alliance. The Alliance needs dicks like Varian to keep the assholes of the Horde in check, or the Alliance will be forever branded as pussies by the Horde assholes. I apologize for the very crude language, but that's the message I had to get across with the help of Team America. :D
Sports72Xtrm Dec 10th 2009 3:53AM
@ MightyBurebista
Starts slow clapping...
MightyBurebista Dec 10th 2009 4:05AM
@ Sports72xtrm
The Alliance, f**k yeah! Coming again to save the motherf**king day, yeah!
Colerejuste Dec 10th 2009 9:03AM
LOL. You had me at b) at dick.
Touche, and I concede.
I know which tune I'll be whistling at work tomorrow :)
Dreyja Dec 11th 2009 4:29AM
While I LOLed VERY hard during that scene from Team America, I utterly regect the premise as a working one.
Thrall is a counterpoint to that and I shall always respect him more as a person than most of the other leaders on both sides. Our king doesn't have to be a dick they are just making more dickish leaders to prop up a conflict that makes no sense at it's core. IMHO ;)
Gothia Dec 10th 2009 3:59AM
I don't understand this faction pride thing either. I have 80's on both sides of my server and I conduct myself with a level of maturity that you will not find me screaming in trade, podcast, or guild for the Alliance or Horde. I do like the designs of the emblems though and would have no problem wearing them on a shirt, but I will not tattoo them on my body. So there are limits in everything and you will not see me in the grocery stores Milk isle shouting "Got Milk", but hey I love Milk too.
KronosIII Dec 10th 2009 4:37AM
I think mot of you are missing the point I was trying to put across
The article ask why there is more horde pride then alliance pride.
And I'm simply going into a deeper reasoning behind it.
And for what reasons cheering for the horde is better then cheering for the Alliance
But I degrees, regardless of the reasoning a person puts behind the pride, Alliance fan boys will always down rate
And the other way around. I'm just putting my opinion for rolling alliance for 1 and a half years and horde for the rest.
And yes most of you will not understand the whole psych. part of my comment. (If you did not know the same parts of your brain that help you explain who you are also activate when ppl explain there character on WOW)
There is a much bigger scope to the game then most will think.
Sihylm Dec 10th 2009 5:23AM
From my experience of playing Horde, the horde seems to be filled with idiots who think they're total badasses for representing the "Under dog faction".
And only idiots are vocal.
aleandaxes Dec 10th 2009 6:40AM
Screw the Horde, screw the Alliance
My allegiance is to one people, MY people!
FOR KHAZ MODAN!!
MightyBurebista Dec 10th 2009 6:39PM
Hmmm, a Dwarf nationalist, interesting. Come Cata, you should roll a Dwarf Shaman and roleplay him as a Wildhammer.
Dreyja Dec 11th 2009 4:30AM
Dwarves will be all who are left in the end. ;) /here's to yeh brother!
I do wish Wildhammers were a playable race. I spent as much time as possible in the highlands just to hang with them. :D They are pretty awesome in the lore as well.
Chris Dec 10th 2009 10:24AM
I believe it's due to a number of factors:
1) Many people come into this game and start with the familiar. They play a Human, they play a "good guy", they play the cute gnome. Once established (esp if guilded or playing with friends) it's easier to stick with the same faction than to start over.
2) Many people, honestly, just play the game. They don't read wow.com, or worldofwarcraft.com, etc..., etc... Of course you'll say, statically it should be an even % of people on each side who don't, but I disagree. And this is pure speculation. I believe that those people are the same people who roll a "good guy" and then never bother to expand their horizons.
3) "Who gives a s**t?" :D For the most part, it's a game. It's a game with a rich story. It's a game with a rich story, that most players ignore. Those of us who comment here, who post to the battle mosiac, who blog about wow, who are interested in the lore, etc... are the vocal minority. The majority of players log on, kill some boars with their friends, and log off.
4) Again, referencing #1. I think *everyone* has an Alliance toon. I don't believe that everyone has a Horde toon. This skews the numbers.
So that's my 2 cents. I think, as a percentage of the player base, there are more Horde players who are active in the community, who are interested in the story and get immersed in the game, and there-by are more apt to show their "Horde Pride".
For me? I don't give a crap about the mosaic. I'm a lore nut, I love the story, I love participating in a part of that story. But I am not my character and I feel no "pride" for a faction just because I happen to play a character (or 10) who's a member of it.
jslim419 Dec 10th 2009 10:50AM
you guys do know that a lot of the photo's in that mosaic get used more than once right? there were quite a few "horde" pics in the mosaic that were used 5 to 6 times or more. and it makes sense because they are trying to re-create a piece of game art with all of the pics. they are not trying to run a faction popularity contest.
Dreyja Dec 10th 2009 1:50PM
Krono - I absolutely understood the psycological aspect of your comment but I still COMPLETELY disagree with your premise. If you are appealing to the primative-inner self (hind brain perhaps?) then you're insulting the horde more than the alliance.
I'm a dwarf to my toes. I made that desicion after much consideration of ALL of the races and their relationships to eachother, not to mention how she culturally, behaviorally and morally fit me.
You're statement is pretty pedantic that everyone but yourself made their choices on something shallow while YOU'VE obviously grown into the truth the rest of us are missing.
I did not down rate your statement. I only do that to peaple that are being insulting or ignorant. While I vehemently disagree with you, you at least made your statement intelligently and your insult was veiled.
What I DO agree with is that the race/faction choices we make DO reflect who we are. On this we agree 100%.
Valence Dec 10th 2009 3:16PM
At Blizzcon last year I had "Horde Tease, Alliance Please" written on my car - sorta lame, but just for fun. Got my car spit on. ROFL.
Mystur Dec 13th 2009 5:02PM
@DeathwishXIII
I couldn't have said it better myself, lad. Cheers!