Breakfast Topic: Speculation on the Cataclysm cinematic
by Anne Stickney 
May 18th 2010 at 8:00AM
Everyone seems to be pretty excited about Cataclysm -- whether it's playing one of the two new races, exploring all the new zones or just being able to finally fly around in Azeroth. But one of the things I'm most looking forward to is getting to see what Blizzard has put together for the Cataclysm cinematic. I have to admit that while I enjoyed the Wrath cinematic and thought it was wholly appropriate for an expansion surrounding the Lich King, I found myself missing the flavor of the first two cinematics.
You know what I'm talking about -- the orc and night elf duking it out, the warlock with the gigantic infernal, the dwarf hunter and his bear; the characters that were simply unnamed players like us. The first cinematic gave us a small introduction to these guys; the Burning Crusade cinematic fleshed them out even further, but they disappeared entirely with the Wrath cinematic. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing bad about Blizzard's choice with the cinematic for the second expansion, I just found myself wistfully wondering what happened to the tauren after the mage sheeped it. Where did the draenei go after smashing in the heads of his enemies? And most importantly -- we got the teeniest glimpse of a troll in the Burning Crusade cinematic; how about we see more of him? Or how about a gnome or two for a change?
What would you guys like to see in the Cataclysm cinematic? Deathwing bursting out of the ground and setting Azeroth ablaze? Sweeping landscapes? Goblins and worgen, of course, but what other races or classes would you like to see?
You know what I'm talking about -- the orc and night elf duking it out, the warlock with the gigantic infernal, the dwarf hunter and his bear; the characters that were simply unnamed players like us. The first cinematic gave us a small introduction to these guys; the Burning Crusade cinematic fleshed them out even further, but they disappeared entirely with the Wrath cinematic. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing bad about Blizzard's choice with the cinematic for the second expansion, I just found myself wistfully wondering what happened to the tauren after the mage sheeped it. Where did the draenei go after smashing in the heads of his enemies? And most importantly -- we got the teeniest glimpse of a troll in the Burning Crusade cinematic; how about we see more of him? Or how about a gnome or two for a change?
What would you guys like to see in the Cataclysm cinematic? Deathwing bursting out of the ground and setting Azeroth ablaze? Sweeping landscapes? Goblins and worgen, of course, but what other races or classes would you like to see?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Pheras May 18th 2010 8:05AM
Gotta have Deathwing. I want a patented Blizzard cinematic with a real dragon in it.
Tomatketchup May 18th 2010 9:59AM
Varian: Nice of Jaina to invite us for a picnic, eh Magnir?
Magnir: I hope she made LOTSA SPAGHETTI!
Varian: Magnir, look! *picks up note* It's from Deathwing!
"Dear pesky Alliance, the black dragonflight and I have taken over Azeroth! Jaina Proudmoore is now a permanent guest at one of my seven black dragonflight hotels! I dare you to find her if you can!"
Varian: We gotta find Jaina!
Magnir: And you gotta help us!
Varian: If you need instructions on how to get through the hotels, check out the enclosed instruction book.
Deathwing: ...or else you will DIE
Josin May 18th 2010 8:46AM
Who's Magnir?
Jamie May 18th 2010 8:46AM
Magni: Mama mia! Vaaaarian we gotta save here!!
Varian: Calm down-a Magni we gonna save her...
*3 levels and 1 min castle later*
Captured gnome in bag: Thank you for saving me Magni... but the Proudmoore is in another Hotel!!
Magni: ...
Magni: ...
Magni: I hope she made LOTSA SPAGHETTI!
Varian: /facepalm
Anathemys May 18th 2010 8:47AM
Here's my bet:
(If we don't see it actually in-game at some point) The cinematic will show the Cataclysm itself, Deathwing bursting from the ground, people being tossed about, volcanoes, earthquakes, the whole nine yards.
It'll also probably show the worgen and goblin's reactions to it, along with (I'm guessing) some other characters, including (most likely) Trolls in the Echo Islands, and gnomes in Gnomergan (since trolls and gnomes have had the least cinematic exposure).
So, yes, there will be dragons. :)
Chips May 18th 2010 9:07AM
I want a full movie, like Avatar with trolls, gnomes, taurens and the rest. I don't care if they all beat the poor draco or it will eat all those mofos and say "see ya in sequel". As long as it won't be a 30 sec cinematic but a 30 sec times, say, 200...
Tomatketchup May 18th 2010 9:59AM
Dammit, I always keep forgetting he is called MAGNI.
Magnir is one of my in-game buds.
*facepalm*
Sargenus May 18th 2010 10:10AM
Well, actually, I doubt we could see the Cataclysm in the Cinematic, since IIRC, during the Worgen starting area, you're in the Cataclysm itself. Same with Goblins.
Anyway. I'm hoping for a scene with a Goblin and Gnome fighting, the Gnome beats the Goblin back, but the Goblin either A: Presses a button and sets off an explosion, sending the Gnome flying. Or B: Hits a button, and a giant boot swings from a tree and punts the Gnome.
Michelle Madison May 18th 2010 10:31AM
I totally agree with you Anne, the Lich King cine didn't do it for me. Bring back the old school class/race displays.
Galestrom May 18th 2010 10:43AM
I'm kinda hoping that it contains an epic motion capture of Dalaran falling into Crystalsong forest, reduced to a pile of rubble. Kinda makes sense to me that the powers keeping the city afloat might be distracted during the cataclysm itself.
Of course, this is just my personal sentence over the often egregious lag. Go Gravity Go! =)
Michelle May 18th 2010 11:03AM
They totally blew the Patch 3.3.3 Arthas end game cinematic. I'm *still* bummed about how abruptly it ended and how unepic it was.
McRaider May 18th 2010 11:15AM
@Michelle
IMHO it was the most epic wow cinematic so far.
... but that's just me...
Rubitard May 18th 2010 12:06PM
Here's the scene: Horde and Alliance forces are gathered and poised to duke it out in Warsong when... everybody's suddenly distracted by a chinchilla. This goes on for about 5 minutes. Staring.... watching the chinchilla eat a delicious raisin.
Marolas May 18th 2010 2:52PM
*A woman's voice, the same one from the Vanilla:
"With the Lich King's demise in the frozen continent of Northrend, the mortal races of Azeroth have returned to their old hatreds, fueled by new conflicts." *
*The Blizzard Logo appears on the screen, and fades*
*A male scream is heard, flash to a Human being chased through a Gilnean building by something (we hear the sounds of undead)*
*The camera pursues the human, not showing what is following it until the camera rounds a corner and finds the human facing the camera, at a dead end.*
*The camera then switches to two Forsaken (one of which is the Warlock from the Vanilla and BC trailers, the other is a Rogue with malice in its eyes... If it had any) closing in slowly on the human*
*The human grins, and as light from a nearby window bathes over him for added emphasis on the werewolf overtones, transforms himself into his Worgen form, howls and pounces at the two Forsaken. The camera flashes to the next scene before he lands.*
*A gnome (finally!) inventor looks intently at something on the ground, the camera is too zoomed on the gnome's face to see what he sees.*
*The gnome picks up the toy emblem, in the shape of a miniature mechanical sheep, and examines it closely, putting it close to his ear.*
*A ticking noise is heard. The gnome's eyes widen.*
*Cut to a far away shot of the gnome as the Goblin Sapper Charge hidden inside the toy goes off in an almost comical mushroom fireball, camera pans over to a nearby Goblin female cackling behind some nearby rocks, detonator in hand.*
*Fade to black*
*Woman:
"But their blindness, they have overlooked even older hatreds, ones that will bathe the world in flame and ash..."
*A single, flaming eye of Deathwing opens.*
*Scenes of what will eventually be the Deathwing Scar being torn asunder as Deathwing bursts forth from the Elemental Planes (which ought to be even more awesome than seeing Sindragosa explode out of the ice in the Wrath trailer)*
*Two or three-second scenes of each of the nameless heroes from the Vanilla and BC trailers, including the Worgen and Goblin heroes battling elementals, dodging tidal waves or falling rocks/lava, etc.*
*Fade to black.*
*Flash to the Park in Stormwind City, obliterated as Deathwing rises over the building and roars, delivering a 3D version of the badass poster that we all sized the Aspect up on, thinking, "Holy SHIT that's going to be a big dragon... I'm going to need a bigger sword."*
*WORLD OF WARCRAFT: CATACLYSM*
Lov3 May 19th 2010 3:08PM
@McRaider: Totally agree. Raising the frost wyrm out of the lake, how epic was that? But somehow, it was the voiceover by his father Terenas that just sent shivers down my spine. That's some serious story telling right there.
Terrafros May 18th 2010 8:09AM
I'd love it if they'd include Deathwing razing down on Stormwind, picking up his daughter's severed head, to then completely destroy the park, as an explanation to the claw marks in Stormwind.
Josin May 18th 2010 8:35AM
Or his son's head, too. Maybe a juggling act?
Jamie May 18th 2010 8:42AM
I say we kill another of his family just so he has to grab three heads whilst he's destroying our Stormwind!
Undra May 18th 2010 11:43AM
Lorewise, Alliance (specifically Varian) took down Onyxia, and Horde slew Nefarion. Which amusingly means that both factions went to a different continent to slay a dragon that bordered enemy territory.
Josin May 18th 2010 8:09AM
I'm just hoping we can finally see a gnome in the cinematic, especially since Gnomeregan's back (sort of) in the expansion. Its time to show some love. There's yet to be a single one of the little guys in any cinematic.