Mists of Pandaria Asian Chinese style expansion

[Deleted]

Well stated. Although being very much not fond of the Jinyu I cringe at the thought of them being the Buddhists. I just could never get over that godawful voice filter.

For me it was the reused nelf male skeleton. Really was it so hard for them to make unique model for jinuy?

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 01:51 PM ----------

Right, and Stormwind is so original. Never seen a city like it in every single fantasy story that ever existed.

Why it even has to be original? Stormwind is perfect as it is.

[Deleted]

Couldn't this thread have just been a poll? I mean, it's just boiled down to a) ''I don't like the asian theme waaah.'' , b) ''Asian theme is wicked awesome'' or c) ''LOL ASIAN STEREOTYPE JOKE IN POOR TASTE'', being repeated by several posters for over two dozen pages.

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 11:56 AM ----------

For me it was the reused nelf male skeleton. Really was it so hard for them to make unique model for jinuy?

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 01:51 PM ----------

Why it even has to be original? Stormwind is perfect as it is.

The model was entirely unique (New shapes, body, very high resolution). The movement set used was not. Let's try not to cross wires.

You may as well complain that dire trolls and undead wights (see Putricide final phase) don't have ''unique models'' either.

[Deleted]

You may as well complain that dire trolls and undead wights (see Putricide final phase) don't have ''unique models'' either.

Fuck that. Those were still more "fitting" than the jinujuy.

[Teriz]

The amount of hate Pandaria gets for no real reason is pretty depressing. I understand that some people are really into the demonic stuff, but we don't need that sort of thing in EVERY expansion. MoP was a nice change of pace after WotLK and Cataclysm, and I personally love the Asian theme.

Besides, its not like WoW is ending here. We're going to be getting the announcement for the next expansion in 8 months. So just relax.

[Deleted]

After looking through the entire thing including the links, I still did not see any look like dreadwaste or the mantid in game or even influence.
I sure they show what Hell look like, but it is nothing like dreadwaste.
You explain the symbol of mantis, but do that have to do with mantid in game?
I seriously doubt Dreadwaste and Manid in game is inspire by the thing you just post, the link is just too weak. Many story across different culture they never met have similar themes. Consider how weak of the link between your explanation and the in game stuff, I seriously doubt it.
By the way, the original Manid art showed in Blizzcon outfit is heavy Chinese influence. Just something related and interesting.

Also how old are you? How come you understand Tawainese and not Mandarin Chinese? If that is true you are probably at least in your 60s...
By the way can you speak Japanese?

I'm 23 lol. And I can't speak chinese, but have someone who does know it and asked him to translate.

I forgat about the original art at Blizzcon, indeed. In fact, I remember some of the raids have mantids dressed in those typical korean women clothing, can't remember the name.

Actually, the sha are based very loosely on a concept from feng shui (Chinese geomancy).

In feng shui, sha is a negative form of chi that flows through leylines in the ground and can cause negative emotions, misfortune, and even illness. It moves in rigid, straight lines and is attracted to manmade structures.

Blizzard confirmed this during their art panel at Blizzcon 2011.

"The sha was influenced by their studies about feng shui, so they ended up going with it. The sha could possess pandas, they could become bosses--it grew as they researched."
- http://www.wowhead.com/news=196626/b...-wow-art-panel

Visually, I think the sha are simply based on the concept of yin and yang. Just about anything sha-touched, including the sha themselves, are covered in swirls of white and black.



Although the mantis has some Chinese symbolism, there really isn't very much. The mantid are moreso an extension of the existing aqir mythology in Warcraft. The mantid are related to the qiraji and nerubians and similarily worship an Old God.

Ok, thank you for clarification. You could be right on mantids, not sure, but I think what got me to think they're chinese related is those artworks and pictures from raids with statues of lady mantids in asian growns. I can't fight it right now, but I'm sure I saw it since at the time it reminded me of the asian level in Alice: Madness Returns.

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 03:27 PM ----------

The theme is fine. The lack of creative elements being applied to the theme is what is lacking. Anybody can recreate an Asian theme in a video game. It takes true talent to spin that theme into something great. MoP is pretty barren.

Exactly! This is my view and problem with this expansion too.

[nightfalls]

Couldn't this thread have just been a poll? I mean, it's just boiled down to a) ''I don't like the asian theme waaah.'' , b) ''Asian theme is wicked awesome'' or c) ''LOL ASIAN STEREOTYPE JOKE IN POOR TASTE'', being repeated by several posters for over two dozen pages.

I don't really get why people (either way) are up in arms over it personally, I just play the game.

[killidan]

Is uldum ALL of cataclysm? No, it's not. And yeah you're right I'm pissed off, ever since I heard that pathetic speech by Metzen at blizzcon when they unveiled pandas I just facepalm at the retardation. A freaking easter egg, the side project of a lone employee only playable by doing a hidden SHEEP quest in WC3 TFT became a race in WoW. And not enough, they had to base the ENTIRE expansion on this shitty race and their treehugging ridiculous philosophy, advocating peace and casually throwing shitty comic relief all over the game like pixie dust.

Oh snap!

I was growing tired of the same re-heated panda defense "oh but there is Uldum, isn't that like I mean like egypt?"

Egypt = 1 zone
China = The entire continent/expansion

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 02:42 PM ----------

It's just as much a chinese expansion as wrath was a nordic expansion. Which to say is not very much.

It was discussed several pages ago. Not going over this a third or fourth time. You're late to the party. Feel free to go back couple pages and take a look.

[killidan]

Grizzly Hills was basically Canada though. And honestly, I can't be arsed to argue with you or any of the other.... Insert censored word... People in this thread, life is too short.

---------- Post added 2013-02-23 at 11:31 PM ----------



*Uses the WARcraft argument - argument is rendered totally invalid*

Ridiculous claims as usual. Grizzly Hills was NOT basically Canada. Not even recognizable.

There is more peace in Pandaria than there was in Wrath or BC ot Cata. No villain, alliance-horde rivalry turned out to be nothing more than it was in any previous expansion. There is green lush meadows and a bunch of pandas, rats, rabbits, etc. It is, however, only the beginning of the expansion, Blizzard has a chance to turn up the heat on WAR. I expect them to squander their chance to salvage MOP and keep running WoW into the ground.

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 02:50 PM ----------

I persoanlly can't stand it, it just doesn't fit a western mmo and it certainly doesn't fit in the world of Azeroth. I was open to it before I played it mind, but after actually playing the game it just didn't click with me at all. I look forward to the next expansion and putting the memories of it all behind me, a burning legion expansion next please.

I am looking forward to the next expansion too. I am a little bummed Blizzcon is so late in the year, in November. I would love to learn about the next expansion being about something epic and not about another "ToysRUs" and/or "real world culture" piece.

[Deleted]

This thread reminds ne to the very same complains that appeared when BC was released and "a lot" of people complained about it because there were "other planets", Spaceships, aliens (refering to Naaru and Draenei) and "laserz!". Was funny to read those threads, and more funny when, years later, you saw those very same complainers saying that BC was cool :/

As always, people will complain for anything

[Aspect of Death]

I'm not sure about it. I'm neutral.
I loved "Viking theme", and i would love to see "Greek mythology" or Ancient Rome fit into wow. But what i really want, is Burning Legion/Emerald Dream(Nightmare) expansion. Im a sucker for "evil themes" i guess.

Doesnt mean i dislike MoP, but its alittle too shiny and "funny". (As in happy panda + beer to make it funny) So neutral

[killidan]

Nothing he could possibly say will ever change your mind. I guess he realized that and is just having fun.

The goal in a public forum is rarely to change minds, but to share and contrast different perspectives. He ran out of steam, one cannot simply type all day long on a game forum. He is being silly with his posts though, I think he may be rather angry than having fun lol

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 02:56 PM ----------

But they are not downright copies. Warcraft has always been full of original designs, although much less so in recent years, peaking at the chinese duplicate that is MoP.

I used to complain about rehashes and copy-pastes like Naxx 2.0. Never thought they would copy paste China and call it an expansion. What a sad state for such an epic franchise.

[AbalDarkwind]

Yeah, right. Cata was not about DW, but it was about old gods. right...

There are always some higher up pulling the strings from far away. We do not say TBC was not about the legion because so and so sent it.

Demons and undead were not brand new to WoW and they did not bring a copy of a real world culture.

You don't pay attention to the story at all, do you? Deathwing has been a puppet of the Old Gods since the War of the Ancients. The Dragon Soul (Also known as the Demon Soul) was specifically created to help free the Old Gods from their prisons. The Elemental Lords were all servants of the Old Gods. The Naga, and Queen Azshara, were transformed into their current state by the Old Gods, and presumably up until now, served them. We saw several Forgotten Ones throughout the expansion. Iso'rath in Twilight Highlands and then Shu'ma and Go'rath in the Dragon Soul raid, and they are chief servants of the Old Gods. Hell, we had two Faceless generals in the Dragon Soul raid. Not to mention that Cho'gall was possessed by C'thun, an Old God.

Yes, the villain of Cataclysm was Deathwing. If you had paid attention to the story at all, however, you would know who the real villains were. The subtext wasn't exactly deep in Cataclysm, either.

As for TBC not being about whoever sent the Burning Legion...did you not play through Sunwell Plateau? Because the guy who sent the Burning Legion is the final boss of it, and by extension, the entire expansion. His name's Kil'Jaeden, I suggest you go read up on him: http://www.wowpedia.org/Kil%27Jaeden

As for demons and undead not being "new" to WoW, neither were the Pandaren if we include The Frozen Throne. Even if we don't, Chen's Empty Keg is a real quest from the vanilla version of The Barrens: http://www.wowpedia.org/Chen%27s_Empty_Keg. Even after that, we had the Pandaren Monk pet that was revealed in Wrath of the Lich King.

Finally, stop saying they copied a real world culture. Not only have several of posters already brought up the Vykrul, but several posters have attempted to explain to you that "Asia" isn't a culture. Neither is "Southeast Asia". Until you actually understand that, I will continue to bring it up.

[nightfalls]

I used to complain about rehashes and copy-pastes like Naxx 2.0. Never thought they would copy paste China and call it an expansion. What a sad state for such an epic franchise.

It's pretty ignorant of you to think that Pandaria is a "copy paste" of China...

[SodiumChloride]

modern china (Pandaren).

Heh. Never been (or have anyone you know go) to modern china have you? If real life mainland chinese are as nice as the Pandaren, the world would be a much better place.

And then there are the Hozen who are...

Probably these guys, Japanese macaque. You even have a bunch occasionally at the open air bathe at the back of the Tavern of the Mists.

Standing around in the Shrines... just listening to the music, admiring the murals on the walls... this is without a doubt the richest and most detailed continent in the game.

Every new expansion continent is the "richest and most detailed continent in the game". >.>

[Shiny212]

It's pretty ignorant of you to think that Pandaria is a "copy paste" of China...

No it's not, it's the only sensible observation to make. Not seeing it would be burying your head in the sand.

[killidan]

Let's see if we understand what you're saying... You're saying that in Classic World of Warcraft the zones were original, yes? Let me see...

Forest/Jungle: Western Plaguelands, Silverpine Forest, Elwynn Forest, Stranglethorn Vale, Hinterlands
Mountains: Dun Morogh, Searing Gorge, Burning Steppes, Redridge Mountains, Deadwind Pass, Blasted Lands
Swamp/Marshland: Wetlands, Swamp of Sorrows
Plains: Westfall, Arathi Highlands

You did not understand the discussion at all. Please go back to page 1 and read.

MOP copies a real world culture too closely. Nobody cares about forest vs mountains vs swamp vs plains. The focus in this thread has been on Chinese culture dominating MOP thoroughly.

[SodiumChloride]

I have to second the OP and agree it's over-done.

The rest of the darn expansion will be in this style too ... /sigh

[killidan]

And yet you like to make claims about how he isn't involved. Lets all ride along on that train called hypocrisy.

I never claimed I know it. Do not put words in my mouth. I speculate, guess, infer, deduce, but do not claim to know what went on inside the company. Hell, I am the one telling we DON'T know what went on inside the company in the decision making on lore/theme of MOP.

[ragnarokvr1]

Nothing about crapdaria promotes Warcraft naturally, everything feels forced and out of sync with the rest of the game.

I wouldn't mind crapdaria being its own game, crapdarens are cute and cuddly, but mixed with Warcraft is like listening to a song that stops at the 4th minute then resumes 3 minutes later (next expansion).

I wish Samwise would've kept his trap shut, not everything he does is golden.

[killidan]

I don't know how many ways I can say this...

Ther were no elves, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, or ogres before Warcraft II. In the original Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the only two races on Azeroth were orcs and humans.

There were no night elves, tauren, naga, murlocs, satyr, tuskarr, Kalimdor, Northrend, Burning Legion, etc. before Warcraft III. They simply did not exist in the Warcraft universe until Warcraft III was released.

My post clearly says they share a universe BEFORE WC. I will leave you alone to go explore and google the meaning of the word "BEFORE".

You may want to also check out Tolkien, D&D, and other stuff that has elves, dwarves and such BEFORE Blizzard created WC.

---------- Post added 2013-02-24 at 03:07 PM ----------

I'm not asian. I like the theme.

Why is the asian theme any worse than the european theme of stormwind or the native american theme of thunderbluff?

Asian theme is not worse.

It is too much of a copy paste than inspired and it is too dominating the continent and expansion unlike any other world culture did in earlier expansions.