The Queue: My heat still isn't fixed

questions about the World of Warcraft. Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo) will be your host for today.
I may start to combust internally to fuel my warmth, as opposed to waiting for my landlord to fix the heat. It is uncomfortably cold here. Send heat.
kyle asked:
I love the Asian theme in MoP. What real world cultures or mythologies un-used in WoW would you like to see?
Back before Cataclysm was announced and revealed, I had desperately hoped that Blizzard would eventually do an Egyptian-themed world or expansion because of how much I loved Egypt-related stuff as a kid. All boys at some point in their lives want to be an Egyptologist, astronaut, or some kind of dinosaur expert. I think I wanted to be all three at the same time ...
The next cultural theme that I hope Blizzard does is something more along the lines of an ancient Roman empire with supporting titan worship -- or even make the draenei civilizations that remained on Argus reminiscent of the early Roman Empire. Very mystical while being extremely martial could work for a WoW race, I would think. It would be cool, at least. Imagine the shields.
Also, whoever said Wild West in the comments gets an extra point. I want World of Warcraft: Deadwood, please. Next expansion confirmed.
[Editor's note: Adam gets to be Ian McShane.]
antieuclid asked:
Q4tQ: Why are there no gaming trackballs? Trackballs are so much better than mice that need a flat surface to move around on, but I've never found one with all the handy extra buttons of a gaming mouse.
I disagree. My thumb doesn't have the same range of movement that my wrist does for specific actions. For a while, I jokingly tried to use a trackball when playing WoW, and even after a week of trying, I still couldn't get my thumb to make the necessary smooth motions to get from one place on the screen to another pinpoint spot. It just wasn't working out for me.
As for gaming trackballs with extra buttons and stuff, I do believe Logitech makes the best trackballs in the business that do come with some extra buttons, but definitely not anything Razer Naga-esque in terms of a full complement of buttons. Not enough people use them for it to be a gaming thing, I guess.
durandal asked:
Not sure if this was explained somewhere, but what happened to the Dragon Soul after Thrall used it? Was it an on-use trinket with only one charge, or does it still have some powers? Is anyone keeping it, has it been sharded, or is it going to be delivered back in time, back to the Well of Eternity?
The Dragon Soul mysteriously and magically has reverted to its rightful place in time. All is well in Azeroth. The end. Roll credits. If you stay until afterwards, you can hear Darth Vader breathe.
Zaet asked:
werent we all told there would be a big bad in MoP just it would not be on the box?
Pretty much. Putting the big bad guy on the box makes instances and storytelling experiences like Ulduar or Firelands make little to no sense to the average player or outsider. By removing the big bad guy from the spotlight, Blizzard is now free and not locked into any specific path for the expansion. We don't need (and didn't get) a year of fighting Deathwing. Instead, now we have a more varied story that doesn't have every major character in the universe pointed at destroying one of the greatest evils Azeroth has ever known. Instead, now we have smaller, personal conflicts that drive a war and an expansion that is attempting to rely on exploration and variety to return WoW to a sense of former stature. I think it can, and will, work.
Filed under: The Queue






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
Draaka Jan 6th 2012 11:04AM
5g says the big bad turns out to be a 40ft tall titan version of fu manchu.
robsmith77 Jan 6th 2012 11:11AM
I hope not, it would be rather predictable and disappointing.
Halvan Jan 6th 2012 11:18AM
My Draenei Fu-Shamanchu would be happy to see this.
chaosdefined Jan 6th 2012 11:32AM
My money is on the villain being Sylvanas. Cataclysm saw her on the path to becoming truly evil and even Garrosh stated what difference is there between her and the Lich King now? I can bet they're setting her up to be the big bad.
Plus it's about time the Horde had a major character turn bad.
Jere Hunter Jan 6th 2012 11:44AM
Q4tQ
I have been writing for months about the Blizzcon SCII portrait on the loot card. Somebody finally answered me an so I started looking for this 'Panda in armour' portrait and suddenly there it was on the top row (where it had not been before). Did it take a while for Blizz to let this out or was it a problem on my end?
wow Jan 6th 2012 11:48AM
@chaosdefined:
I don't know. Sylvannas is still pretty concentrated in the Northern sections of Eastern Kingdoms. I think the Big Bad for MoP will be Aszhara (Sorry bad spelling I know). In many areas of Cata, the Naga have been causing trouble, enslaving cute baby murlocs, etc.
Though I don't see any reason why both of them can be the badies of the next Xpac. As far as I know, like the Worgen, the Naga are immune to being raised as Forsaken, so Aszhara could join forces with Sylvannas. The Naga control the oceans, Sylvannas could control the land.
We really don't have a lot of information yet on who the Big Bad will be, Blizzard is holding that info very close to the chest just now. hehe. Though, I don't mind, I love to be surprised. :)
Though, whomever the Big Bad will be, we will just kick their ass and move on.
Shinanji
ZodiacDragons Jan 6th 2012 12:13PM
@Jere Please don't hijack a post to ask a question that has nothing to do with what everyone is taking about.
@Chaos While I hope we see more development with Sylvanas, I hope she doesn't become a boss. She's one of my favorite chars :P. Personally I'm hoping Garrosh becomes a boss and we team up with Sylvanas, Vol'jin, Baine and maybe Lor'themar (if he ever decided to leave Silvermoon) to usurp the mantle of Warchief from Hellscream's grasp and let rise the true leader of the Horde: Abesik Kampfire!
Mike Jan 6th 2012 12:13PM
@wow
Augh! Sylvanas, Sylvanas, SYLVANAS. I'm not the type to typically get hung up on things like this (the function of language is to convey ideas, so if the idea is conveyed, then I say it did its job), but MAN am I sick of seeing "Sylvannas." A guildmate of mine just did that last night, and he's as much of a lore bug as I am.
Nina Katarina Jan 6th 2012 12:15PM
If they made Sylvanas the Big Bad, they would have to rewrite the questlines in 4 (5) old world zones. Zones where they just finished extensively rewriting the questlines.
Sylvanas is staying right where she is.
Mike Jan 6th 2012 12:16PM
@ZodiacDragons:
I like your idea, but I say flop it. I'd like to see a raid on the opposing capital! If they want to showcase the faction war, that sounds like a good way to do it. It could be so much more than just the "For the [X]" achievements. Give it a story, almost let us kill the faction leader, make some memorable impact...and the whole thing's instanced, obviously, so it doesn't ruin any PLAYER'S day.
Puntable Jan 6th 2012 12:34PM
I assume we are defining the "big bad" as the last boss in the last tier of the MoP expansion? I don't think it will be something that we already know about. It will probably a Sha or a Mantid or one of the other new races of creature.
durandal Jan 6th 2012 12:46PM
I think the Big Bad of Mop will be a jealous snow leoprad. That, or an evil peacock.
ZodiacDragons Jan 6th 2012 12:51PM
@Mike That would be crazy awesome. Brings the Battle for the Undercity to mind. We would actually be the Big Bad of the next expansion! Lol maybe have a lot of non elite characters that look like actual players milling around commonly populated areas like the bank and auction house too lol. You can have it so the cities citizen population was evacuated so you wouldn't have to worry with the deaths of certain named figures. The only thing I see going wrong is the ending. How do you defeat the leader of the faction without the aggressors taking the city and the player feeling cheated? If Blizz can get around that, I think it is a great idea for what they are trying to bring with MoP.
Craig Knighton Jan 6th 2012 12:50PM
The villain in Mists of Pandaria will be Dick van Dyke.
Elmo Jan 6th 2012 1:12PM
I actually don't hope for a single final dungeon.
spread the bosses around dungeons again like they did in BC.
T4 Kara, Gruul, Magtheridon
T5 Tempest Keep, Serpentshrine
T6 Black Temple, Hyjal past
(T6,5 Sunwell)
Drad Jan 6th 2012 1:43PM
Old God behind the Sha. Sayin' it now.
Also look at the TFH edition of KYL that talks about it, it makes just too much sense!
MikeMachine Jan 6th 2012 2:06PM
Sylvannas could work as a big bad, but you'd have to fracture the final bosses. Yes bosses, plural. They could do a, sylvannas and garrosh boss for alliance and varian and 3 hammers boss for horde. Problem is unless the boss fights were, this is only a setback style, there would be a lot to rewrite afterwards. Also alliance faction leaders aren't polarizing like horde faction leaders. Who wouldn't want a shot at garrosh or sylvannas, but after varian who is really left for horde to care to fight? I was stretching with the 3 hammers, but mekknororque? Maybe orchestra players would like a to go toe to toe with velen for old times sake.
toddless Jan 6th 2012 3:56PM
Ill put my comment here again from a couple months ago: my bet is that alliance and horde use the tensions between them to invade instanced versions of orgrimar and stormwind at the same time. The boy king becomes reality and we finally get rid of one of the more annoying horde characters: gorrosh.
Resident Horrible Jan 6th 2012 4:12PM
You have to look at the story from the perspective of the writer. Who is developing, what would be shocking, ect. I think Sylvanas is going to prove to be a great leader. Somewhere down the road, they'll recognize those qualities. Honestly, if she led the 'Horde' like she leads the Forsaken, then Alliance would be stomped out. Unfortunately, she is dead and void of compassion. Garrosh is an angrier less intelligent version of Sylvanas. He can get the job done and in some instances can learn humiliation, and I see him getting himself killed. In the end, it'll be in the name of the Horde, but I see him being killed by someone from the Alliance.
I'm actually hoping that Garrosh and Varian end up killing each other. The Horde decide to lead as a council of leaders (after inner-conflict of course), and the Alliance are led by by Anduin. Look at his story. They're making him ready to be this peace-seeking Ruler, but after witnessing the death of his Father, maybe that'll all change.
Will this all happen in MoP? I don't think so. They'll wait until after Warcraft 4, if it ever happens at all. I suspect that MoP will lead up to it.
kmarcy1729 Jan 6th 2012 4:36PM
I vote David Lo Pan for MoP Big Bad. Jack Burton > Chuck Norris :)