Hero/General/Commander vs. Adventurer

[infinitemeridian]

Now we can all talk until the sun comes down about the numerous problems plaguing the game right now, but something that bugs me personally, and I feel is overlooked, is the ideology Blizzard has been pushing since BC of us being heros and generals, even commanders now in WoD.

Does anybody much prefer us to be adventurers thrust into the conflict of much larger forces, exploring the land, finding treasures, uncovering secrets? I don't want to be a commander, I don't want to be on the front lines, I don't want the story to revolve around me or have other main characters interact with me.

I just want to be part of the world, not dictating its direction. Adventurer connotations seem much more appropriate to MMOs and if Blizz were to focus on retrieving that ideology when designing their content, I think not only would it last longer, but have more appeal, make more sense, and be better quality.

Thoughts?

[Azalar]

I agree that being a commander is over the top. I don't like going anywhere new and be like 'oh, god, everyone is expecting me to tell them what to do'. The Horde already has a good set of leaders to do that for me! I want to explore and feel new content afresh.

[Thelxi]

I much prefer adventurer, or hero. This commander crap feels very contrived and goes against immersion. What's the point in npcs calling me a commander when I know there are thousands of other people with an identical garrison who are also being called commanders. It's just wrong.

[Kevyne-Shandris]

I just want to be part of the world, not dictating its direction. Adventurer connotations seem much more appropriate to MMOs and if Blizz were to focus on retrieving that ideology when designing their content, I think not only would it last longer, but have more appeal, make more sense, and be better quality.

Thoughts?

Commander even goes with the PvP titles in game (next upgrade from Knight-Captain that I use, is Lieutenant-Commander) so it even fits 100%.

[TheWindWalker]

The "Commander" role disappears everytime someone wants a package delivered or their grandma driven to Auchindoun for a funeral. It's one of the oddities about this expansion's wobbly direction: You are "The General of this Army!" and yet you do everything alone, save maybe a couple body guards or friends, and there's no platoon of soldiers or elite squad under your direct command. You are no different than a mercenary.

You'd think this was 5.0 and you are Nazgrim, honestly. (I'd say the Alliance version but like all good Alliance heroes he died right off the bat.)

[KaPe]

You are "The General of this Army!" and yet you do everything alone, save maybe a couple body guards or friends, and there's no platoon of soldiers or elite squad under your direct command. You are no different than a mercenary.

You do have your "elite squad" in the form of followers. 'Course, this is barely visible in the game proper, as you send them on meaningless mission and they bring you loot boxes. Now, maybe if we'd randomly see them in the world, fighting various threats together with allied soldiers, this would be somewhat more immersive.

[SirBeef]

Now we can all talk until the sun comes down about the numerous problems plaguing the game right now, but something that bugs me personally, and I feel is overlooked, is the ideology Blizzard has been pushing since BC of us being heros and generals, even commanders now in WoD.

Does anybody much prefer us to be adventurers thrust into the conflict of much larger forces, exploring the land, finding treasures, uncovering secrets? I don't want to be a commander, I don't want to be on the front lines, I don't want the story to revolve around me or have other main characters interact with me.

I just want to be part of the world, not dictating its direction. Adventurer connotations seem much more appropriate to MMOs and if Blizz were to focus on retrieving that ideology when designing their content, I think not only would it last longer, but have more appeal, make more sense, and be better quality.

Thoughts?

In all fairness, with everything you have done as a character in game you are far more than a mere adventurer. Your deeds would have been noticed by everyone across the world so it does make sense that were would have acclaim and possibly a high rank within our own faction. Yes it does seem silly to be asked to deliver a message or package, but we ceased to be mere adventurers by the time TBC came around.

[Alopex Major]

Yes, this was one of my original complaints when I first got into beta. I don't see why there can't be the option to choose how you are addressed when you build the garrison. My name, "hero", or my class would have been fine. The commander shit got old realllllly fast.

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I much prefer adventurer, or hero. This commander crap feels very contrived and goes against immersion. What's the point in npcs calling me a commander when I know there are thousands of other people with an identical garrison who are also being called commanders. It's just wrong.

Yeah, gotta love Ashran where 80 "commanders" are going head to head

[Zenny]

I like it, with the amount of quests completed, raids finished, and important figures my character has helped slayed, he is obviously more then a mere "adventurer".

[Devonitar]

I'd rather be a commander, than be called champion every second.

"Champions, you must kill that boss because I'm an important NPC and I don't give a shit."
"Champions, thank the Light you are here, champions."
"Champions, blah blah, champions. Thrall's balls, blah blah, destiny. Blah, savage, blah, champions."

Sorry, but it really annoys me, and that commander-thing is a nice break.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I think Commander or General has gotten a bad rep thanks to how bad the Garrison system was.

Until fairly recently, being a General meant you were fighting alongside your troops on the battlefield. Not holed up in a fort miles away giving orders via a computer. In Medieval times you even had Kings DIE because they were fighting alongside their troops.

I think our characters can be Commanders and Generals in that sense, where we gather followers that go out and fight WITH us. Problem is the Garrison system did a piss-poor job of giving us something to do. Which left us feeling like the General sitting in an office miles away giving orders via a telephone.

[Rosstafa]

I think it's cool we've been referred to as commanders this expansion. Makes a nice change of pace, like we're being noticed for our past efforts. However, I kinda see the players as being a bit like Rexxar. We fly the banner of the Horde/Alliance, but we're adventurers at heart. We go where the action is, and if that means supporting our kind, even better.

[Morbownz]

I never felt like I was in charge of anything other than a garrison, which is already layed out for me I just choose between A, B or C.

[Glassmage]

To be quite honest, we did kill the last general (Nazgrim) so Vol'jin saw it only fit for us to take his place. From his perspective he doesn't have anyone he can really *trust* besides us and his ring of close allies (Thrall, Baine, etc.) to help him run the show fairly. I would compare us in an operational sense like James Bond to M-I6, you can have a commander title but act outside of restrictions placed on normal ranked commanders within your faction. Sometimes forming a spy network in enemy territory requires odd jobs now and then I'd figure in order to establish relationships in the field. We do more than normal faction commanders when you think about it, charging into enemy lines via Raids and Dungeons to whittle out pockets of resistance moving along to the main stage of Hellfire Citadel within Tanann.

[logintime]

Being called 'commander' bugged the hell out of my every time. Like, I am not part of your military structure, I in no manner asked for this, and I prefer doing the solo work that all but defines leveling. Why are you shoehorning this title onto me?

[Deleted]

"hero" is the coolest one imo

[Arrashi]

Player character should always be "nameless" one in MMO. The entire commander/hero thing is stupid and will be even more stupid when at the start of next expansion we will be killing 10 murlocs/picking 10 carrots/looking for lost cow.

And there is nothing worse then various bosses calling us heroes or even worse *heroes*. Ironic shitposting is still shitposting.

[djayk85]

Player character should always be "nameless" one in MMO. The entire commander/hero thing is stupid and will be even more stupid when at the start of next expansion we will be killing 10 murlocs/picking 10 carrots/looking for lost cow.

And there is nothing worse then various bosses calling us heroes or even worse *heroes*. Ironic shitposting is still shitposting.

I endorse this message

[Mercos]

I love the change from Hero/Champion to Commander. The old way felt generic and stale. Nice change imo.

[Deleted]

For me, hero and champion got old really fast and I cringe harder every time I hear them, especially from enemies.
Commander feels somewhat better, as it's an actual rank, not just everyone randomly deciding to call you a champion, but I'd much prefer to be a simple no-name/class/soldier.

I always loved the feeling of the human areas in vanilla, when the armies were busy elsewhere and everyone complained Stormwind wouldn't send aid, so it fell to you to sort things out.