Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: Is Azeroth's technology too advanced?
by Marc Hobbs 
Oct 15th 2011 at 8:00AM
The party agrees to meet just outside the dragon's lair at sunset for a surprise attack.
First to arrive is the Night Elf Allara; the huntress silently tests her bowstring, as the nightsaber at her feet opens its mouth for a huge yawn. Next is Grizz, the mighty Dwarf; he adjusts his plate armor carefully, tightening the straps. Then Doria, a Worgen rogue; she slips in amidst the pair unnoticed and greets them with a huff from her canine nostrils. Fourth is Elden, an aged Human priest; he moves with serene grace, his simple robes making a gentle hiss in the cool evening air.
And lastly ... "Hey guys! Sorry I'm late!" roars Nitpik the Gnome as he gallops in atop a clanking Mechanostrider. His mace -- a rotating gear -- creaks loudly as he hops to the ground, landing with a crunch in his jet boots. The tiny technophile adjusts his goggles and pats the mechanical chicken at his side. "What'd I miss?"
Azeroth has a lot of advanced machinery. From the Gnomish Death Ray to the Goblin Rocket Launcher, from biplanes to zeppelins, from logging robots to entire mechanized defense systems, the World of Warcraft is an odd blend of fantasy and science fiction. In Cataclysm, the emphasis shifted away from robots and ancient machines -- the elemental planes have a distinctly organic feel, and the other zones are all rooted in the natural world -- yet we also saw the addition of playable Goblins, a race that's arguably brought more new technology to the landscape than almost any other.
Do these technologies belong in a swords-and-sorcery fantasy setting? Do you think there should be a cap on how advanced technology can get in such a world, or should it be allowed to run wild? Does seeing a sword-wielding Orc alongside a Goblin with a shotgun ever strike you as odd, or do you find it perfectly acceptable?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 5)
Mugutu Oct 15th 2011 8:29AM
We're playing a game where dress-wearing magic trolls team up with cow people priests to fight time dragons that want to stop an orc from escaping a prison camp, and they do it because other time dragons we like say that there's bad time dragons, so they need to throw fireballs from our hands at it until the bad time dragons dies in the past, where they were teleported to by time dragons in a desert where some goblins set up a trading post and arena for their entertainment.
And you're worried about helicopters fitting into the story?
Docseuzz Oct 15th 2011 10:14AM
Full of win.
Ylspeth Oct 15th 2011 12:23PM
So true!
taokore Oct 15th 2011 6:32PM
It's not about how elaborate or far fetched things might be. It's about fitting into the lore. That said, I actually do think it fits fine. But only because of how developed the lore is for Gnomes and Goblins. They make it believable.
yagamimoon Oct 15th 2011 8:36AM
I have no problems with any of that. Most of the newest technology and tinkering is easily explainable as reverse-engineering from the titan tecnology either gnomes or goblins got from Northrend, from exploiting and exploring all that was left. Adventurers in Azeroth are full aware of that, its kind of hard to miss those obviously advanced buildings, revenants, mecha-gnomes, etc etc etc all around the frozen continent :3
Glaras Oct 15th 2011 8:45AM
Sword-culture and more advanced technologies existed side-by-side, mingling freely in our own actual history for centuries before the developing tech made the sword obsolete as a personal sidearm. The first cannons, for example, can be found in medieval illustrations as far back as 1327. The sword, however, remained a standard component of most military forces until the early 1900's (the US deployed its last saber-equipped cavalry to the field in 1914, but the trenches and the machine gun meant they never saw mounted combat).
The point here is that developing tech will always have a relatively long period of coexistence with more mature technology, until the new becomes so effective, cheap and ubiquitous that it no longer makes sense to keep the old. Essentially, the "new" becomes mature, and will eventually become superseded by something else.
I don't find the presence of "advanced" tech in WoW to be a problem. Its presentation is that of a crude still-developing trend, and its periodic (sometimes fatal) failures is consistent with something still not ready for wholesale adoption by the masses. Much of the "techy" stuff is still limited to engineers, or to those who gain exalted status with the gnomes. In terms of game flavor, that makes sense; such people are likely to be accepting of early adoption of gadgets, and might think that the risks are acceptable.
I recognize some folks have a different threshold than I do, however. Some wouldn't mind if guns and mechano-whatevers were removed. Others wouldn't have any trouble with, say, a raid being set in the recently-discovered remains of an ancient alien spacecraft cash, where the loot would include Terran Marine powered armor. That would be a step too far for me.
Suzaku Oct 15th 2011 3:10PM
Excellent post.
To help illustrate the dichotomy seen in the early 1900s, here's a photograph of a German uhlan from WWI.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l064oh29RY1qbswoco1_500.jpg
Glaras Oct 16th 2011 1:28AM
Wow, fantastic pic! Thanks!
Vdiamantepower Oct 15th 2011 8:49AM
I love the technology in the game, it adds a very unique flavor. We play in a fantasy set up, but the technology is woven beautifully with the game play, every mechanical item in the game is related some how to nature, elements and character ingenuity... I trully love all the tecnology in the game... Plus most things are really cute and funny
Bellajtok Oct 15th 2011 8:50AM
I can't hear you! What are you doing up there? Here, I'll just reverse gravity for a second to get up to you. Whoops, too far! Parachute cloak time. Hmm.... This door's kinda small. Mind if I enlarge the world for a few minutes. There we go.
Now, what were you saying?
marcuswauson Oct 15th 2011 8:54AM
Personally...? I think there is to much technology, and when I first was getting introduced to WoW I teased about how I thought all the technology was dumb. I think though that, that comes from being raised reading Ivanhoe, and Lord of the Rings, and other "knights age-ish" romanticized fantasy novels, from which created this desire for a pure "knights age-ish" realm. From that perspective it really wouldn't bother me if it were removed, in fact I think I might enjoy WoW slightly more.
However, it has been introduced already and integrated into the story-lines already, so I do not think that it would feel right for most players to suddenly do away with it. In fact I feel that for about 1%-5% of the WoW population, especially those without a romanticized view of swords and junk, that all the "tech" is what makes them feel at home and connect's them with the game. It is a large part of what makes it fun for them, and I think if you remove it you lose that 1%-5%.
Omacron Oct 15th 2011 9:13AM
The only people who think Warcraft is a "Sword and Sorcery" setting are those who didn't play WCII. We had SUBMARINES in that game, for crying out loud.
What's incongruous is not that a a goblin rides a motorcycle and packs a shotgun, it's that everyone else still rides horses and uses swords despite there being far better technology available.
Boobah Oct 15th 2011 10:00AM
You'll have to explain how a bike that can't go any faster than a horse, or a gun that doesn't do any more damage (or fire more rapidly) than a crossbow is "far better."
Shadowsoul Oct 15th 2011 10:06AM
If you had the choice (irl) between a motorcycle or a freaking tame velociraptor, or between a plane and a bird made of fire, which would you choose?
Azerothians travel in style.
Nyold Oct 15th 2011 11:11AM
Yeah they travel in horses because they give the same amount of speed than motorcycles. How is that possible? Because if they force the motorcycles to go any faster it would break. Yep apparently it's not that advanced yet.
brain314 Oct 15th 2011 3:46PM
I want a motorcycle with velociraptors for wheels. UNTAMED velociraptors.
And all of it on fire.
Krz Oct 15th 2011 9:13AM
Schizo Tech... that is all
thinkuknowme Oct 15th 2011 9:13AM
I rather like the "steam punk"-ish, advancing technology in WoW. Running around with swords and chainmail is fun enough, but sometimes a good round of blossoming technology helps push the story into the future. (Then again, I am a big fan of D&D's Iron Kingdoms setting so your mileage may vary.)
vegetto375 Oct 15th 2011 9:24AM
Aeroth is and evolving world. As of now magic and the sword rule technology is still in its infant stage, while it may be taken a diferent route than ours is still kind of crude and not overly developed. Most ( if not all) Tech in WoW has that "Steampunk" feel to it that somehow blends it well wth the setting so I like it. By WoW's end maybe the Goblins and Gnomes have developed their engeniring skills even further but not enough for us to be like "With all this cool mech gear why am I still carrying a sword and shield?"
mshosking63 Oct 15th 2011 9:33AM
want a pushbike