Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
Mystery of the Unborn Val'kyr
The latest patch 5.3 news
All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Which Warcraft moment would make a great cutscene?
by Matt Low 
Dec 26th 2009 at 8:00AM
Earlier this month, an interview was conducted with Jeff Kaplan by Phil Kollar of Game Informer where they talked shop about World of Warcraft. One of the items that piqued my interest was that a new cutscene was being included in patch 3.3. I'm sure we can guess that it has something to do with Icecrown Citadel (and Arthas).
I know the Wrathgate cinematic itself was a big hit. Blizzard is certainly no stranger to creating movies. There's the Ulduar trailer, the Call of the Crusade trailer, and the Fall of the Lich king trailer.
Remember the Sunwell Plateau? That one is my favorite out of them all.
I'm sure there will be new cinematics to come. But if you could pick a moment in the game, what would you like to see in cinematic form?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
Paul Dec 26th 2009 12:39PM
Some of the grander events that would make great cinematics (the opening of Ahn'Qiraj, the Opening of the Dark Portal, the Charges to Northrend) would actually be much better as phased and/or instances gameplay.
Cinematics need to be saved for things that happen beyond player control. The Wrath Gate is an ok example of this, but for me, cinematics need to be kept short.
Being in Auberdine and seeing the Exodar fall out of the sky, for example, would be a good cinematic.
The ability to talk to a loremaster, or scryer, and be able to see past events that are relevant to a particular zone, but are not current to the story (like seeing the Horde vacate Grim Batol, seeing the humans from Gilneas seal the greymane wall, watching the riot in Stormwind, seeing the fall of Stormwind, the destruction of Dalaran, etc etc)
The 2.4, 3.1 and 3.3 cinematics would be great if they were placed as an in-game cinematic to promote the new content, instead of having to go to the website.
MalevolentSparkle Dec 26th 2009 5:07PM
There already is a cutscene of the destruction of Dalaran: it's in WCIII: the frozen throne and it is epic, you really get a feel for just how powerful Archimonde was. and then you kill him!
Sargenus Dec 26th 2009 6:58PM
@MalevolentSparkle
Actually, we don't kill him. It's the millions of wisps Malfurion released, exploding as they made contact with him.
Paul Dec 27th 2009 10:51AM
Mal, I know they exist, but having to buy another game, but a book, go to youtube should not be valid reasonings behind not adding it to the game people already play.
It causes detachment, and from the way people believe the retcon of the origins of the Burning Legion began with WoW:TBC is caused by the lore not being fully available to the entire playerbase in a single location, or in an entertaining way.
The original the the Burning Legion statement, btw, is because from playing WCIII:TFT clearly states that Sargeras founded the Burning Legion. However, the original lore was that the Eredar corrupted Sargeras into joining their Burning Legion. (fyi, it wasn't a proper retcon, the lore has been contradicting itself for a long time, it's just that it got messed up before TBC, but people fail to realise this BECAUSE everyone doesn't remember every line of dialogue).
To look at my suggestion in a different way, imagine that the books that exist in the game activated cutscenes instead of just being something you read. Significantly more people will experience the stories within these tomes instead of saying "there is no Lore in Vanilla wow".
Kharay1977 Dec 26th 2009 12:46PM
Even though chronologically we have already passed this moment... one particular scene comes to mind, as something that would look absolutely awesome as a cutscene/machinima/render - the actual BIRTH of the Lich King. As in, Ner'zhul's soul being transformed by Kil'jaeden into the original Lich King.
Methuus Dec 26th 2009 12:48PM
I would have liked to have had something more impressive at the end of the Nexus War.
The battle with Malygos was impressive (if somewhat annoying vehicle phase). But still, we killed the dragon aspect of magic! Shouldn't that have had more fallout in Azaroth?
Some kind of cutscene showing magic using people around the world feeling the effect would have been nice. Waves of raw arcane energy released from Malygos' corpse race around the ley lines encircling Azaroth. Rhonin falls to the floor of the Violet Citadel in pain as the feedback from Malygos' death throws washes over him. Jaina in her tower in Theramore weeping. etc, etc.
The whole Nexus War always felt like it got short changed to me.
Reuben Dec 26th 2009 12:48PM
I certainly think that entering any capital city for the first time deserves a cutscene.
Also, perhaps the Death Knight initiation chain in which you have to kill a loved one.
random Cow Dec 26th 2009 1:12PM
Moving Dalaran would probably make an interesting cut scene. Its a bit late now, since WotLK is nearing its end, but had the potential for awesome.
taeles Dec 26th 2009 1:41PM
I wish we could of seen a cutscene for dalaran's rise from the earth and arrival in northrend.
TiM Dec 26th 2009 1:46PM
We all know what needs its own cinematic, the gnomes getting punted out of gnomeregan by the trogs. That would be the most epic of all cinematics
david_maurice Dec 26th 2009 2:50PM
Killing Zalazane.
I just freed the Troll's home, and all I get is 1050 experience?
At least explain that the Trolls don't want their home anymore because of "bad memories" or something, just so we trolls aren't being kept at bay by a level 10 none-elite. D:
joe Dec 26th 2009 3:11PM
Too Be honest I think there should be a cut-Scene for every instance, listing lore, rumor's etc for the first time any toon goes in. It would be just one more reason for players new to the game to fall in XD
Wulfkin Dec 26th 2009 7:48PM
This would be awesome. Just a little overview, kind of like the intro when you first start up a character.
Arthur Edwards Dec 28th 2009 12:47AM
Yeah that would be awesome.. cinematic for those who enter the instance in a first time.
Stormscape Dec 26th 2009 3:55PM
The Sunwell.
I mean, the whole thing is this HUGE lore deal, and at the end Avenna's along with several other big plotlines come to a close. THAT should have been a massive cinematic.
rkaliski Dec 26th 2009 5:13PM
I would like to see a cutscene when the new Deathknight enters Stormwind. Right now you walk through the city and some of the guards make remarks then you end up before the king and all is forgiven.
You should be met at the gates by a contingent of the guards who are itching to kill you on the spot. Just before you get slaughtered, the captain rides up and tells the men that only the king can condem you.
The new deathknight is dragged through the city in magical shackles with the whole population throwing insults and rotten food, rocks at you. The guard which wanted to kill you on the spot are forced to actually protect you, which as you imagine thrills them to no end. One of the guards "accidentally" wacks you in the head and you pass out.
You wake before the king and have to talk him into not putting you to death on the spot. It should be a tense moment where you don't know if you are A) going to be killed, b) Banished forever by his mages and warlocks, condemmed to eternity to a non -being, or can you talk your way into the king giving you a second chance.
rkaliski Dec 26th 2009 5:19PM
Another cutscene that would be great is when you have a night elf mage come to town. Think about it. Arcane magic destroyed most of their landmass, almost killed the night elf race and enslaved Azeroth. They would be thrilled to death to see you walk into town thumbing your nose at elf tradition.
I would love to see Fandral Staghelm just about blow a gasket when he realizes that ....gasp...nighelf mages...are loose again.
Hiwa Dec 26th 2009 8:37PM
That moment when you fall throgh the opening in the cathedral down down to where the little boy is standing. There is a heart in the water and you pick it up and the little boy says words to the effect of 'he doesn't need it anymore. He says it just got in his way" or something similar. Showing Arthas willfully dismissing his humanity like that would make a great cutscene.
Soroks Dec 27th 2009 12:55AM
Mages raising Dalaran
AlexW573 Dec 27th 2009 3:12AM
Arthas-Illidan WC3 duel in true cinematic form, not low-poly in game rendered form.