World of Warcraft: Current Year

Merrith

Golden Baronet of the Realm
18,151
6,954
Praise for this expansion is the usual from the same old mayflies that buzz in to every MMO release, then never stay around past their first month's subscription. Take it with a grain of salt.

Thankfully, I'm here to inform you of Wokelands' great campaign, where you get to witness scenario after scenario of powerful women saving the day while men are bumbling idiots that need to be rescued, or *gasp* massive traitors. Don't forget the ones that are faggots, too. And of course nearly every bad guy who is voiced by the same dude that does Nathanos, but with just a slightly different pitch.

The art department did a badass job, though.

I feel like this would all make more sense if Sylvanas wasn't the biggest traitor of them all and a woman? All the badass Death Knights are male. Granted, I'm only partway into Ardenweald currently but seems like the head females of Bastion and Ardenweald were clueless as fuck that shit was going down, while the male head of Maldraxxus had the contingency in place to make sure all the idiots knew what was up.

Maybe the Women Power stuff comes in more deeper in the story?
 

TJT

Mr. Poopybutthole
<Gold Donor>
41,079
103,165
Ah yes, the problems cause by the Jailer are really just the afterlife's manifestation of The Patriarchy.
 
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Borzak

Bronze Baron of the Realm
24,704
32,098
Haven't played in years, decade and more. If you buy the expansion you get everything to bring you up to date?
 
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BigDirty

Security Director of Crisis and Weather Management
<Bronze Donator>
342
139
Haven't played in years, decade and more. If you buy the expansion you get everything to bring you up to date?
Yes, no previous content matters and you can do 10-50 in like 10-15 hours, or buy the version with a boost and jump right into SL, I would recommend that
 
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Zindan

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
6,645
4,429
Any Lore junkies in here? Questions:
What are the current theories on the soul that caused the Arbiter to shutdown? I may have misunderstood the dialogue when it was being described, but I came away thinking that event took place a -long- time ago, as in prior to anything we've experienced in WoW expansions. Or was it maybe Ysera's soul which was to tormented/corrupted? Also, any idea who the "Sister" is that Winter Queen referenced when awakening Ysera (referred to Ysera as her Sisters pet). I'm guessing Elune?
 

Chris

Potato del Grande
18,332
-262
Any Lore junkies in here? Questions:
What are the current theories on the soul that caused the Arbiter to shutdown? I may have misunderstood the dialogue when it was being described, but I came away thinking that event took place a -long- time ago, as in prior to anything we've experienced in WoW expansions. Or was it maybe Ysera's soul which was to tormented/corrupted? Also, any idea who the "Sister" is that Winter Queen referenced when awakening Ysera (referred to Ysera as her Sisters pet). I'm guessing Elune?
It happened at some point during Legion or BFA, since the bear druid spirit died in Legion and is in Ardenweald.

I think the main theory is that it's Argus going there by mistake.
 
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McFly

<Aristocrat╭ರ_•́>
1,316
879
i definitely agree with the voice work being super recycled this expac. i swear matt mercer and yuri lowenthal are half the voices. don't get me wrong they are great at their job but the variety in actors is felt. possibly due to covid stuff? get a limited amount of actors in the studio and just crank out a ton of lines instead of getting a bunch of actors to do only a few.

They really utilized Crispin Freeman a TON this time around. (Which isn't a bad thing because he's awesome)

They're locked into using SAG-AFTRA union voice actors. I know I'm a bit biased about voice actors, but Blizzard should up their game next expansion and re-evaluate their talent coordinator. I know it's expensive, but OF ALL the companies that should NOT have a problem with affording talented voice actors, Activision-Blizzard ISN'T one of them.

/2cp
 

j00t

Silver Baronet of the Realm
7,380
7,473
They really utilized Crispin Freeman a TON this time around. (Which isn't a bad thing because he's awesome)

They're locked into using SAG-AFTRA union voice actors. I know I'm a bit biased about voice actors, but Blizzard should up their game next expansion and re-evaluate their talent coordinator. I know it's expensive, but OF ALL the companies that should NOT have a problem with affording talented voice actors, Activision-Blizzard ISN'T one of them.

/2cp
are you saying they should NOT be using SAG-AFTRA voice actors? as far as i'm aware that's the only game in town unless you're using in-house like they used to (chris metzen voicing half the orcs, for example)
 
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Zindan

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
6,645
4,429
They really utilized Crispin Freeman a TON this time around. (Which isn't a bad thing because he's awesome)

They're locked into using SAG-AFTRA union voice actors. I know I'm a bit biased about voice actors, but Blizzard should up their game next expansion and re-evaluate their talent coordinator. I know it's expensive, but OF ALL the companies that should NOT have a problem with affording talented voice actors, Activision-Blizzard ISN'T one of them.

/2cp
I think the voice director(?) is more of an issue than the actors. Many of the VO's are just overdo the slow, noble voice-types.
 
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Zindan

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
6,645
4,429
I feel like this would all make more sense if Sylvanas wasn't the biggest traitor of them all and a woman? All the badass Death Knights are male. Granted, I'm only partway into Ardenweald currently but seems like the head females of Bastion and Ardenweald were clueless as fuck that shit was going down, while the male head of Maldraxxus had the contingency in place to make sure all the idiots knew what was up.

Maybe the Women Power stuff comes in more deeper in the story?
Dunno, its more of a representation thing. Almost all the Story npc's in each zone are female. Bastion has a female leader, with mostly females leading you through the Story there. Maldraxus has a dead male leader, replaced by an apparently weaker male margrave, who is replaced by a stronk! female orc. Ardenweald has the Queen, and again mostly female story leads, except for 1 guy (who has a good cinematic, imo). Then Revendreth has an evil male leader opposed by a female rebel leader, aptly named the Accuser (lol). Its not awful, but it looks very much by design, and considering they made a point of trying to be "inclusive and diverse"... its just tiresome.
 
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Qhue

Tranny Chaser
7,488
4,438
The voice acting issue very noticeable. Its cool to hear a voice actor you recognize (Scott Menville AKA Teen Titans Robin as most gnomes and nearly all small cute quirky things), but it gets distracting when the same person voices several main characters. Yeah they have to use SAG/AFTRA but there are a metric fuckton of people in SAG so this is not a valid excuse.
 
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McFly

<Aristocrat╭ರ_•́>
1,316
879
are you saying they should NOT be using SAG-AFTRA voice actors? as far as i'm aware that's the only game in town unless you're using in-house like they used to (chris metzen voicing half the orcs, for example)
Chris Metzen had to join SAG-AFTRA in order to continue voice work for them after he left the company.

And as far as using union voice talent; I'm simply saying that triple A game companies have in many ways been strong-armed into only using union workers. It's not a bad thing, it's just something I see as a noose on creativity. But again, I'm somewhat biased.

I think the voice director(?) is more of an issue than the actors. Many of the VO's are just overdo the slow, noble voice-types.
There's an outside agent that coordinates with Blizzard to provide voice talent for certain projects. The sound department for Blizzard does an amazing job (especially music). Whomever directs the talent also does an amazing job. The actors are solid and are doing their best when trying to come up with a dozen distinct voices for a game (even with post processing).

Don't misinterpret my comments as a negative on this aspect of the game. I wanted to just give my opinion on this aspect of game development that I'm personally invested in. 👊
 
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Fadaar

That guy
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11,451
Just as worthless as collecting mounts and transmog gear. Which people go crazy over.

At least battle pets have a gameplay purpose!

still waiting for the day I can get mythic raiding gear via pets with my 1200+ collection
 
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j00t

Silver Baronet of the Realm
7,380
7,473
Chris Metzen had to join SAG-AFTRA in order to continue voice work for them after he left the company.

with metzen, i was referring more to wc3 days when all the VA was in house.
There's an outside agent that coordinates with Blizzard to provide voice talent for certain projects. The sound department for Blizzard does an amazing job (especially music). Whomever directs the talent also does an amazing job.

i don't remember where i saw it, some critical role thing years ago, but someone asked taliesin jaffe (darion mograine) who his favorite character to voice was and he did the typical "they are all my favorite" kind of answer, but he did mention that working for blizzard was a blast because you get to do these big, bombastic lines. you read a line and the directors are like, "no, BIGGER!"
The actors are solid and are doing their best when trying to come up with a dozen distinct voices for a game (even with post processing).

honestly, watching critical role with matt mercer DM'ing is the only thing that made me recognize 3/4's of his voices in wow. he's always doing a ton of variations when he DM's but there's some subtle giveaways he has that i've just gotten used to hearing.
 
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Chris

Potato del Grande
18,332
-262
How is the existence of a union causing repritive and poor quality voice acring?

Despite me shitting all over this I'm tempted to play lol, luckily I have no time.
 
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Cinge

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
7,023
2,101
How is the existence of a union causing repritive and poor quality voice acring?

Despite me shitting all over this I'm tempted to play lol, luckily I have no time.

Those 20 minutes of chess a day are brutal I know.
 

Kaige

ReRefugee
<WoW Guild Officer>
5,440
12,309
I feel like this would all make more sense if Sylvanas wasn't the biggest traitor of them all and a woman? All the badass Death Knights are male. Granted, I'm only partway into Ardenweald currently but seems like the head females of Bastion and Ardenweald were clueless as fuck that shit was going down, while the male head of Maldraxxus had the contingency in place to make sure all the idiots knew what was up.

Maybe the Women Power stuff comes in more deeper in the story?

Sylvanas is doing it to "save us", the Jailer and other male collaborators are doing it for "control". Their dialogue emphasizes that.

Death Knights - Bolvar is dragged in like a sack of potatoes after getting punked by Super Saiyan Sylvanas. He later refuses to look into the Maw, but changes his mind after his daughter (who loves him very very very much) guilt trips him. The two Mograines have to be saved. Alexandros gets to have his revenge, but before you can finish the fight, Draka interrupts to steal it from the both of you.

All the paragons in Bastion are female except one - Humility, who is on his knees. All the men in Bastion are struggling, while the women prevail or find strength in eeeeevvviiiillll. Uther is being played like a pawn by evil women. The one badass sub-paragon that helps you gets turned into a traitor.

The Primus is believed to be the Runecarver in Targhast - who is still in chains and will serve as a smithing bitch to millions of WoW players.

They destroy Ursoc's soul on a whim in the story cinematic trailer for Ardenweald. Ara'lon - who is the main character of that trailer - is killed off on a whim too. Lorkron the Hunter is a traitor and serves the Drust.

The list goes on, but there's also subtleties like male npcs in Bastion who are being destroyed by Forsworn can turn female before disappearing.
 
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