Breakfast Topic: Has your perspective of Azeroth changed over time?
by Peter Anargirou 
May 22nd 2011 at 8:00AM
The very first time you load into Azeroth, you don't know what to expect. If you're familiar with previous Warcraft games, you might recognize some places, but many of the locations will be new to you. As a level 1 character, you can't ride a mount at all, let alone use a flying mount. The world is huge, and it's actually difficult to get across a continent.
My first character was a night elf. I remember trekking into Kalimdor and thinking that the world was dauntingly massive. It felt like I was on the frontier, and the civilized world was on the Eastern Kingdoms. I distinctly remember traveling to Stormwind and later Ironforge, which is still my favorite city, despite now playing Horde. Ironforge was huge and majestic. It gave me the same feeling that the world gave me -- that I was very small compared to my surroundings.
The perspective changes as you play the game longer. Now, I'm familiar with all the zones, and it's easy to get around. Zone progression isn't random, nor is it something I completely control. There's an order to the zones, and I know the sequence in which to visit them. While it's nice to know the game well, sometimes I miss that feeling of mystery in discovering such a huge, new world.
How did your perceptions of the world change as you played? Did you feel awe at Azeroth when you first saw it?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Mperiolat May 22nd 2011 8:10AM
In a way, yes, in a way, no.
Playing with my main, I do at times feel like I have seen it all, especially with the Explorer achievement done. I do still love the views, but life these days is running dailies building rep.
For the alts, especially for races and classes I have yet to do, every day is something new, a new perspective, a new piece of lore. In that way, the game is a consistent revelation.
So, a bit of both. I'm sure the awe will be back more with the main when 4.2 rolls out and when and if I can ever start doing more serious dungeons, then heroics, then raids.
Baba May 22nd 2011 8:18AM
I came from Runescape, so I spent the first 2 weeks of play freaking out that I could make my character jump.. it was something I'd never experienced before in an MMO :D
I explored everywhere as I leveled, I was really really slow BUT I loved every second of it, and it meant that I got the Explorer title so easily.
As I've got older, it's saddening that I'm firstly losing that sense of noobishness and simple joy of playing the game as I become more and more focussed on levelling as fast as possible, and also because the game is so much more accessible now, that it facilitiates that mindset that I've been developing
Ad134 May 22nd 2011 9:43AM
As someone who also came from Runescape, I must say that it was the scale of the world that impressed me the most. I remember completing Shadowglen and opening up the map to see Teldrassil.
Then I right clicked.
Then I right clicked again.
It was that moment when I fell in love with Azeroth.
Dril May 22nd 2011 8:21AM
Yes.
Gone is the illusion that I'm a lowly adventurer, working up to being a hero and doing things off the beaten track. Gone is the notion that I'm part of a world. What's in its place?
I feel like each zone and quest hub a film set, and there's nothing beyond it. I walk in, all the supporting cast (the questgivers and NPCs) do their stuff, I follow the script and once it's done, it's done. I walk on over to the next paper-thin set, rinse and repeat.
Amaxe May 22nd 2011 9:33AM
This is sad, but it is also true. Not only are we controlled in what we do in zone, but also in what zone we go to next.
In yesterday's queue, someone said Blizz left some zones undone because they weren't needed in the 1-60 progression.
That kind of mentality by Blizzard only reinforces the "on the rails" feeling.
Hob May 22nd 2011 10:20AM
That's definitely Cataclysm-era design. 1-60 and 80-85 have been carefully scripted.
From a design perspective, vanilla-Azeroth was far less structured. You had multiple choices for zones at any given level, with zones often being worth 10 levels (for example, Feralas at the border of Thousand Needles was definitely different than Feralas at the border of Desolace).
Although BC gives you only one entry point (Hellfire Peninsula), you can get to Zangarmarsh fairly quickly, and quest there, in Terokkar, or Nagrand in the early 60s. It's your choice.
And while Northrend gives you two starting zones, with multiple avenues to explore, Cataclysm's two starting zones have a completely artificial feel to them. They're so tightly scripted they might as well be cut-scenes.
Speaking of cutscenes... /Uldum.
EidlonImp May 22nd 2011 1:42PM
This is the best description I've heard for the new experience thus far, and I would include outland and Northrend in this. They're not quite as tightly plotted as cata content, but there certainly aren't any of those old points of uncertainty where I felt like I had to make meaningful choices about where to go or what to do, and there is just as little sense of exploration or discovery.
The new levelling experience is great, it's easy, fun, and well-written. but it's hard to deny that something has been lost.
Noyou May 22nd 2011 2:58PM
I can't disagree more. I am working on my 7th toon to 85 (currently 81) and still get the newness. I get what many have expressed that the world seems smaller and sure it does at 85. I am still finding new places on my lower lvl toons. Also playing on another server where I don't have access to the things I have on my main (lots of gold, heirlooms and maxed professions) takes me back to what life was when I first started playing WoW. I am also working on leveling my first horde toon to 85. So in summary I guess if you are happy with rolling 1 toon and playing at max level you will probably not feel the same as if you are frequently rolling a new toon. Even when I go back to certain areas on max level toons I remember the trials I experienced when I was in that zone as a young and bright eyed adventurer. Maybe I am just fortunate in that.
Ikatsu May 22nd 2011 8:22AM
That's what happens to everyone in many situations.
Think about GTA San Andreas for example, the world looks huge for a long time, then one day you can go to the airport, get on a plane and fly anywhere, the world is not that big anymore.
That's because of, one: You got familiar to the place and looked at the map for far too long. Once you know where everything is, it loses a lot of the mystery of discovery.
Two: Mounts. Once you can travel faster and ignore certain things, life seems smaller. And I say life because it happens on RL too, like when you stop to walk on the sidewalks and go to the middle of the street driving a car. Not only it is faster but you can ignore the sidewalks and you don't even notice your perspective of the world changing for good.
kaminari May 22nd 2011 10:45AM
three: air cabs it becomes a lot faster to move once you can fly there, just like in irl travel became faster and thus the world smaller, it's a good thing you don't need to discover new airports irl.
four: flying mountlike air cabs but with a lot more flexibility, I'm waiting for mine irl. it's the 21st century, make the flying cars and jet packs already!
five: portals, make travel really fast, but there are very few, we need more portals, also weeed portals irl
kaminari May 22nd 2011 10:56AM
we need*
wtb edit button
Jack Spicer May 22nd 2011 2:23PM
If I was sitting in a meeting room for WoW2, the first suggestion I would make is absolutely no flying mounts ever!!!
dodgeballer2005 May 22nd 2011 11:03PM
Gryphons are old news. Mage Portals are the fastest way to travel; let's get some of them. We don't need "scenic routes" for places we've been to over and over again and registerred with at masters. We need quick, instantaneous travel to get us from place to place. Invest in wardrobe slots instead of flying mounts.
MusedMoose May 22nd 2011 8:25AM
I think that Azeroth doesn't seem as big as it used to, but a lot of that comes from just knowing my way around and being able to travel faster at a lower level.
When I first started playing, back in vanilla, you didn't get a mount until 40. The only ways for Alliance to get from Kalimdor to the Eastern Kingdoms and back were through Booty Bay or Menethil Harbor, and both of those ways involved going through level 20+ zones, a rather daunting task if you weren't that level. I remember needing to head to the night elf areas on my human warlock, to get the items for the succubus-summoning quest, and it felt like I was making some amazing world-spanning trek. Also, back then, flight paths didn't all connect to each other, and you had to stop at some hubs, making trips across the continent seem longer.
Much has changed, though I have to say I'm grateful now to get a mount at 20 and to be able to cross the sea to Darnassus at any level. ^_^
When you think about it, though, this is kind of a case of art imitating life. A hundred years ago, commercial air travel didn't exist, and the Model T - the first car to really be available to everyone - only made its debut in 1908. Before that, travel was slower and more complicated, so the world seemed larger to most people. I think it's kind of interesting how that's worked out.
elizabeththomson20 May 22nd 2011 8:30AM
I think my perspective did.
At first; when I joined the game I was deciding whether or not to go on a RP server because I previously enjoyed RP-ing but I decided against it as I didn't know the backstory and lore. So off I went on my night elf druid, spending quite a few minutes reading quest text just to learn more about the lore. It was quite fun at first but then I got yelled at by people who I was leveling with (random people; none of my friends play WoW) so I stopped taking so long when reading, I kind of regret it now though as I find WoW lore very very interesting. Nowadays I have a forced habit of just skimming over quest text.
I also changed my perspective on a lot of other things; take raiding and dungeoneering for example, I used to think they weren't that important, doing some of the dungeons for fun occasionally and taking around 2 months getting my death knight to 80. I kind of wish I still took a slower pace doing things, I find it made things slightly more enjoyable.
I remember being in awe of flying mounts; I really wanted one, especially a netherdrake but I never got to 70 before Wrath came out and I had a break between BC and Wrath as well. I eventually got it but now it doesn't feel as great, if you know what I mean, you kind of grow out of the 'oh wow! That looks shiny!' thing after you hit the level cap.
But yeah when I first played I remember going all 'wow! Everything's so big!' and I used to spend most of my time just exploring at level 27 (getting quite a lot of deaths along the way as well), I had the blasted lands flight path by level 20 I believe, a level 70 helped get me there.
But yes; I believe my perspective has changed but I don't know if it's good or not but I definitely would like to go and level in Azeroth again as if I didn't know a single thing about it.
Tri May 22nd 2011 8:37AM
I remember my very first character. It was a gnome warlock, and the first time I dared venture into Ironforge, I was hopelessly lost in there. I don't think I had figured out to use the map to my advantage yet (I -am- a girl after all.. :) and I ended up giving up on that character ;)
Kinda silly. I can't imagine getting lost in IF anymore :)
Noyou May 22nd 2011 3:11PM
Good thing you didn't wander into the Exodar :p (I actually think the Exodar is one of the easiest cities to navigate- as long as you use your map of course)
Molly May 22nd 2011 8:59AM
It has. When I first started playing, I remember running from Dun Morogh to Loch Modan, hearing the music swell as I ran out of the snowy mountains and into the lush greenery of the Loch and thinking that the world of Azeroth was huge and beautiful. I had a similar experience the first time I entered Stormwind. The fanfare upon entering made the place seem absolutely grand.
Recently, I've just always felt as if I were playing a game. The immersion is gone, and when you know the entire world like the back of your hand there is little left to be in awe of. It's just quests, dailies, and dungeons -- game mechanics to participate in.
I still get a little excited when I enter Loch Modan on a new alt, though. Brings back the sense of wonder I had the first time.
Tirris May 22nd 2011 12:17PM
For me, it was my first venture into Ironforge. Running up the long hill to be met by many level 60s at the epic gates was amazing. The scale of that place is just so epic. Some of the other places I really loved hanging out in were Ashenvale and the Exodar for some reason. I always thought the Exodar, to which people rarely went, was designed better than Dalaran, but that's another story.
What I really miss from the old vanilla-era Azeroth was simply the sense of freedom as many others have stated here. I miss questing in Un'Goro and Silithus. I miss actually having to run to dungeons to complete them. It made dungeons like Wailing Caverns and Maraudon far more thrilling as an Alliance player.
I would say that my perspective has changed for the worse. I think they took something magical away from the game when they made leveling much faster and much more newbie-friendly. Obviously I still like the game (else I wouldn't still be here typing this), but I find myself reminiscing of days gone by a bit frequently.
Therinor May 22nd 2011 9:09AM
I sure did feel in awe when I saw Azeroth the first time, and most of that, unfortunately, is gone. Of course, that was to be expected, so I am not complaining.
I of course like the changes that came with the Shattering, as they made lvling a lot faster and smoother, and removed some outdated content, btu I miss some of that "mystical vibe"... sure, Azeroth still is full of mysteries etc., but I dont feel as immersed as I used to.
When I first saw areas like the Searing Gorge, Blackrock Mountain, the old Plaguelands (bland, yes, but the lore...), Stromgarde, and learned about the lore, it just felt...like an ancient world full of old secrets, gigantic old buildings such as, well, Stromgarde etc.
Wrath had me feel even more immersed, with the whole Ulduar-storyline, the Vyrkul, the whole amazing vibe Northrend had and still has, plus the fact the Arthas storyline was everywhere, and all that I miss in the new zones and Cata, even though there of course are amazing storylines etc.
So, to sum it up, I knew that some of the amazement would be gone at some point, and nothing will bring the feelings I felt when I first entered Azeroth and slowly discovered it, just like Cata just doesnt make me feel immersed the way WOTLK/Northrend did, but I still love the lore and certain zones and places