China =/= the only Asian influence.

[Eggoman]

I can not totally agree with the title since the music seems exclusively Chinese in nature.

[StationaryHawk]

I can not totally agree with the title since the music seems exclusively Chinese in nature.

Except for the fact that MoP is not a soundtrack. It's an expansion. Therefore, what the small portion of the soundtrack we've heard is based off of isn't important.

[Eggoman]

Except for the fact that MoP is not a soundtrack. It's an expansion. Therefore, what the small portion of the soundtrack we've heard is based off of isn't important.

What does not fit in your preconceived notion must be an outlier! Throw it out!

...k

[Deleted]

There's a difference though...they didn't WANT to re-do the entire art until the Chinese government told them to do so. And they had to do it several times, in order to get that game out there. That took a LOT of manpower and hours that could've been put to better use instead of wasting valuable resources. Just because they did it doesn't mean they WANTED to do it! :P

Ever hear the expression "Once bitten, twice shy"? Chances are they're NOT going to go through that dbackle again and will simply eliminate the problem right at the start of it.

EDIT: They're already playing a massive game of chicken with the Chinese government via featuring Pandaren and Chinese themes... they're going to want to minimize ANYTHING the Chinese government could possibly nitpick them for right at the start of the game.

There's only one problem with your post.
Well, Blizzard wanted to give the Chinese the Wrath expansion, otherwise Vanilla and BC wouldn't be there xD! And, the Chinese government didn't actually tell Blizzard to re-make the game due to the taboo, it was actually The9, the guy that technically represents the interest, population, ideals of the country, etc and the gamers in the Far Eastern/Asian waters. I guess in fear of the government but as long as it's not a mockery I don't see the government complaining, and to be upset that Japanese culture is in it... Well that's just a bad political move. Anyway, they went through the months of preparing and work, I doubt, armour would be so much of a problem to the gamer community. Just the workers inside lol.

But all in all, they actually lost money releasing the expansion, they encountered pay per hour scheme in order to combat such things though eventually the gamers went progression mad and made a lot of money back.

You'll find regardless of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, so on, they will appear because they can make it ambigious and maybe even discuss boundaries to not upset such parties. Though in fairness, from the Mists pre-hype in Blizzcon and stuff now, not a single f**k was and has been given by any eastern culture (meaning no uproar) that it had panda's and kung-fu. You'd have heard about it by now. As for the April's fool thing, I think it's more the fact it was a joke rather then the content. They aren't ignorant to western culture :P and no-one likes their country to be a butt of a joke, unless it is a fellow countrymen or neighbour ^^.

[PetersenIII]

Kun-Lai Summit seems awfully Tibetan to me.

I guess you missed the memo. Tibet is China. ONE CHINA!!!


...excuse me, I have to go vomit now.

[GennGreymane]

agreed

it seems like asia in general.

not bad

[Transmigration]

Not to mention the music in Darnassus as well as the older music from WC3 has a Middle Eastern/Indian sound to it.

The music from the 5mans in Terrokar is arabic and sounds exactly like the Harem from Diablo 2. Probably because the same guy (Mr. Uelmen) did the music

[Eggoman]

The Shado-pan seem awfully Japanese to me.
Kun-Lai Summit seems awfully Tibetan to me.
Townlong Steppes seems awfully Mongolian/Middle Eastern to me.
The lower half of the Valley of the Four Winds sounds awfully Vietnamese/Southeast Asian to me.
The upper half of the Valley of the Four Winds indeed seems Chinese to me.
The Vale of Eternal Blossoms seems awfully Japanese to me as well.
The Jade Forest seems like a blend of Southeast Asian jungles and bambus Chinese forests to me.

Mists of Pandaria is pan-Asian.

Vale of Eternal Blossoms looks is actually Chinese... Well at least like Nagrand with a Great Wall of China in the background.
Shado-pan are based off Ninja so I can see the Japanese influence.

I'm still totally not sold on the whole pan-asian theme just because some landscapes look like other countries. China is huge and it has all the same landscapes as Mongolia, Vietnam, etc.

I would really start to believe it if they also included pan-asian lore and names in the expansion. For example there is a new common enemy called the "Sha" which is Chinese for "Evil Spirit". They did something similar for the Arabic theme in Uldumn by giving a lot of things Arabic names. The bosses in Throne of the Four Winds were "djinni" which is a mix of the word "Genie" and the Arabic word for genie "jinn/djinn".

So far I don't see anything like that so MoP = Chinese.

[Hyde]

Nope, it's Mayo.






Vashj is more based upon Medusa than anything which is Greek. The Shivan linked earlier could definitely pass as Hindu-inspired.
re.

Please google Naga, and I think he meant the Naga race as a whole.

Vashj however had a japanese look in wc3.

[TheEaterofSouls]

There's a difference though...they didn't WANT to re-do the entire art until the Chinese government told them to do so. And they had to do it several times, in order to get that game out there. That took a LOT of manpower and hours that could've been put to better use instead of wasting valuable resources. Just because they did it doesn't mean they WANTED to do it! :P

Ever hear the expression "Once bitten, twice shy"? Chances are they're NOT going to go through that dbackle again and will simply eliminate the problem right at the start of it.

EDIT: They're already playing a massive game of chicken with the Chinese government via featuring Pandaren and Chinese themes... they're going to want to minimize ANYTHING the Chinese government could possibly nitpick them for right at the start of the game.

And why exactly would it be a problem for blizzard to implant this stuff in the other countries where it isn't a problem? Is there something im missing? Wouldn't the chinese just say make it chinese or no game? What makes a few other asian influences such a problem for all of us outside of china?
I'd love to see the Japanese samurai armor from WC3 make a comeback as a tier set myself. Maybe for warriors.

[Eggoman]

And why exactly would it be a problem for blizzard to implant this stuff in the other countries where it isn't a problem? Is there something im missing? Wouldn't the chinese just say make it chinese or no game? What makes a few other asian influences such a problem for all of us outside of china?
I'd love to see the Japanese samurai armor from WC3 make a comeback as a tier set myself. Maybe for warriors.

I doubt Samurai armor will be for any class but the DeathKnight, at least tier armor since the Chinese did not like having the Pandarean's wear Samurai armor in the first place. Chinese are as sensitive to Japanese stuff like African Americans are sensitive to anything related to slavery. I think the main thing about getting the release in China is probably because WoW is really big there now so I can see Blizz catering to what they want instead of other countries.

Blizz didn't want to change the art the Chinese government made them. Doubt American/Eurpoean government would do the same because they want Samurai armor on the Warrior classes. Since there is no pressure that way Blizz probably won't do anything about it.

[mvaliz]

And why exactly would it be a problem for blizzard to implant this stuff in the other countries where it isn't a problem? Is there something im missing? Wouldn't the chinese just say make it chinese or no game? What makes a few other asian influences such a problem for all of us outside of china?
I'd love to see the Japanese samurai armor from WC3 make a comeback as a tier set myself. Maybe for warriors.

I'm going to put this as simple as possible...

You have two ways of dealing with a potential problem:

1) risk it, but also create a backup plan just in case.
2) Ask yourself "is it REALLY worth the risk?" and instead just make it so there's no problem to begin with.

So, is having dual Japanese armor in WoW and taking time to create WHOLE NEW SETS of armor really worth their time and work just for China, or is it smarter for them to just go with one set that's primarily Chinese? is it really WORTH their time to make Samurai outfits and a whole other set of probably-equeally-just-as-cool armor?

...before you answer - keep in mind these are the guys who brought us Dragon Soul, Hour of Twilight and End Time - the dungeons and raids that uses 90% previously-generated recycled graphics...

China is THE biggest market outside of the US for Blizzard games. They took a serious financial hit during Wrath when it kept getting rejected by China's government. They're NOT going to risk that again...

---------- Post added 2012-02-29 at 07:47 AM ----------

I doubt Samurai armor will be for any class but the DeathKnight...

Hrmmm... hadn't thought about DKs... since Pandaren can't be Deathknights.

Again though, I ask, is it REALLY worth the risk? it really wouldn't surprise me that after WCIII and Wrath, that the Chinese government would really be picky enough have a problem with Japanese armor simply being obtainable within a Chinese-based structure.

[ImpTaimer]

FYI folks the only reason Pandaren have a "Chinese" style instead of the old samurai style is because China got butthurt.

Not that this bothers me, but I'm really hoping this doesn't mean they won't add Japanese-themed armor/weapons for MoP.

EDIT: It seems this has been info has been covered already. Carry on. /okayface

[Skabbo]

I think most people recognise that is Pan-Asian. (I hope)

My problem with it is the Pandaren themselves really. The Asian theme is BRILLIANT! But they could've chosen a much better animal to represent the Asian theme. I mean come on, Pandas? Could've chosen the Chinese giant Salamander, Komodo Dragons (technically an Asian animal), the Asian Elephant (Although I suppose Elleks are Elephant enough for WoW xD), Moon Bears (A much better idea than Pandas, people look at a Bear as more ferocious, it doesn't seem as *bizarre* as a Panda due to its marking.), Tarsiers (Just kidding, although personally Tarsiers freak me out more than Pandas. Its the eyes.) Bengal Tigers, etc. The list goes on, THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER ANIMALS which would be a better concept than Pandaren.

But no, for some reason people like the Pandaren, something I'll never understand. Like Bronies.

[Kenasan]

Vashj is more based upon Medusa than anything which is Greek. The Shivan linked earlier could definitely pass as Hindu-inspired.

While Medusa was definitely part of the inspiration for Vashj, the entire naga race is based off of the Hindu/Buddhist legends of the naga.

[Tankercow]

People actually thought it was strictly Chinese?

[Tezmata]

There's not a single legitimate source that points towards China ever being upset about Pandaren inclusion in Warcraft lore, samurai armor or not. It's just a silly rumor that gets spread from time to time, like the "pandas are sacred and so can't be killed" rumor. The real reason we've never seen Pandaren in samurai armor after some early sketches is likely more due to a realization on Samwise's part that samurai are Japanese, whereas he wanted Pandaren to have a strictly Chinese influence. It's still unclear as to whether the lack of samurai armor on Pandaren for some time is even a retcon, as there hasn't been an official statement about it and the amount of lore we've had on Pandaren over the years is abysmal at best. I still don't think there's anything I've seen personally about MoP that suggests it is a pan-Asian theme as opposed to a strictly Chinese one (although bear in mind that China has a very rich and diverse culture itself. It's a very large and very old country).

And for those of you who will invariably link to WoWWiki as a "source," please remember that its content is user-generated and anyone can edit it. Many articles are full of misinformation that go completely unsourced.

[Dacia Ultan]

They're even called Shivan.

Although they're thematically more reminiscent of Kali/Durga (an incredible oversimplification thereof, mind you, but even so).