Expansion Face-Off - Emerald Dream v The Void

[Golden Yak]

Infinity Wa-no, end sentence, begin anew!

TL;DR - what expansion would you prefer, an Emerald Dream-based one or a Void-based one? Don't overthink, pick one now! Look at the pretty pictures, pick one! Green or purple! Go!

I know Emerald Dream is getting wrapped up in Legion, I don't care, this is a fun fantasy concept for fun times! If you point out that Emerald Dream is over you are a goof, and you will go on the Goof List!


The Long Bit

As Legion approaches, I feel the itch - the itch to make a fan expansion! I've had a pair of concepts kicking around since last year when I did my Reign of Azshara expansion concept, so I've decided to pit them against each other for the amusement of all. As before, I'll make WoWpedia pages to hold the written content, while posting the art in this thread. Stuff will also go up on my Warcraft Fanwork tumblr, set up specifically to hold fan expansion and other WoW related fan content.

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The Emerald Dream

Since Legion is wrapping up the Emerald Dream storyline, this storyline will be set prior to Legion as a 'What If' scenario.

An Emerald Dream expansion where Azeroth's champions must venture into a completely unexplored plane of existence and combat the insidious corruption of the Old God N'Zoth before it consumes the soul of the world.

-Playable Race - Treefolk
-The Emerald Dream - Zones and monsters born from the soul of Azeroth
-Continues storyline from Reign of Azshara - stop the Old God N'Zoth!


Emerald Dream Map Concept

Into the Void

The terrible energies of the Void have begun spilling into Azeroth, and a malevolent intelligence reaches out from the darkness to devour the world. The heroes of Azeroth must venture into the Voidlands, a realm made of the shattered remnants of other worlds devoured by the Void, to face the darkness at its source.

-Playable Race - Ethereals
-The Voidlands - Zones and monsters from many different worlds
-New storyline featuring enemies from the depths of the Void itself!


Void Map Concept

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Expansion concepts ready... Fight!

**Early Concept Arts**

I put together a couple of quick concepts for a Treefolk race, which would be the new neutral race introduced in an Emerald Dream expansion.

[DenniZ]

Wouldnt it be awesome if they'd release two expansions at once. I'd be all for that

[Nyel]

Expansions with 8 or 9 zones? There we have a proof it's only fan content *lol*

I prefer the Naga expansion.

[Therougetitan]

I picked void because void is cooler+playable ethereals

Expansions with 8 or 9 zones? There we have a proof it's only fan content *lol*

That's true

[Leih]

Void. Never ever understood the fascination with Emerald Dream. Seems like a dull expansion idea to me.

[Golden Yak]

Expansions with 8 or 9 zones? There we have a proof it's only fan content *lol*

Oh for the days when it t'weren't so. Luckily my imagination can ignore dumb reality.

Void. Never ever understood the fascination with Emerald Dream. Seems like a dull expansion idea to me.

So many people hate Dream! I think I had a pretty good idea how to make it exciting. Looks like Void is the starting favorite though - those of you who want Dream have gotta pick it up!

[Deleted]

I'm such a sucker for the space mummies, so Void all the way. Plus having another main antagonist force that isn't affiliated with Legion or Old Gods would be very refreshing, and Void imo is a good example.

[haiyken]

I think Ethereals are the future of the game. Not the race itself but the idea of different and new races beyond Azeroth and Draenor. With the Legion, it's like there is no other worlds in the universe. Everything is gone. This is why I like the idea of the Ethereals being merchants and princes, jumping on different planets to trade and take goods by force. There is so much to build around this ! But we don't need it to be sci-fi, we don't need spaceships. Portals are the way to go. When they started to talk about portal-worlds in Legion I was hoping to see planets used as gateways to travel space (a la Stargate), but the result is quite underwhelming ... With Ethereals, I can see some sort of space-port, connecting planets, a galactic hub linking Azeroth to a vast universe. These planets don't have to be futuristic. They can be as primal as Draenor, as populated as Azeroth, with knights and elves, created by the same titans, protected by birds or bears Aspects, with Alliances and Hordes, magic and war. Blizzard probably think it's too risky to go beyond Azeroth, but they need a fresh start, they need to create new races, new places, new land and leave all the bagage of Azeroth's lore behind (and pick it up later with a possible Wacraft 4).

Sorry OP, my post is not really related to your post in the end ... But I love what you're doing, and I can't wait to see your next expansion !

[Solarnova]

How about Invasion of Argus?

[Golden Yak]

I'm such a sucker for the space mummies, so Void all the way. Plus having another main antagonist force that isn't affiliated with Legion or Old Gods would be very refreshing, and Void imo is a good example.

Yep, both the Legion and the Old Gods would have a presence in the 'Voidlands', but my Void storyline would focus more on the Void itself as a distinct force separate from either one, with various intelligent manifestations of the Void acting as the main villains.

I think Ethereals are the future of the game. Not the race itself but the idea of different and new races beyond Azeroth and Draenor. With the Legion, it's like there is no other worlds in the universe. Everything is gone. This is why I like the idea of the Ethereals being merchants and princes, jumping on different planets to trade and take goods by force. There is so much to build around this ! But we don't need it to be sci-fi, we don't need spaceships. Portals are the way to go. When they started to talk about portal-worlds in Legion I was hoping to see planets used as gateways to travel space (a la Stargate), but the result is quite underwhelming ... With Ethereals, I can see some sort of space-port, connecting planets, a galactic hub linking Azeroth to a vast universe. These planets don't have to be futuristic. They can be as primal as Draenor, as populated as Azeroth, with knights and elves, created by the same titans, protected by birds or bears Aspects, with Alliances and Hordes, magic and war. Blizzard probably think it's too risky to go beyond Azeroth, but they need a fresh start, they need to create new races, new places, new land and leave all the bagage of Azeroth's lore behind (and pick it up later with a possible Wacraft 4).

Sorry OP, my post is not really related to your post in the end ... But I love what you're doing, and I can't wait to see your next expansion !

Sounds really amazing, and yeah that would be a good premise for a future Warcraft title (Worlds of Warcraft, hur hur). The ethereals would feature heavily at the forefront of the Void storyline as the race with the greatest experience in dealing with the Void, and the first major action of the storyline would be to seize the Etheral capital city located on the K'aresh Remnants, the last fragment of the Ethereal homeworld that still clings to existence within the Void. I see it as a pretty advanced place, a bit like the Naaru constructions but more tech-y.

How about Invasion of Argus?

I have to confess that I always have trouble imagining what Argus would be, other than a totally burnt-out wasteland, like Shadowmoon Valley or that new Mardum world in Legion. Lifewise, scorched, empty - a whole world like that, dotted with citadels of the Legion. It'd make an awesome zone, but I can't really see, like, a forest there or anything, so an entire expansion of a burnt-out wasteland doesn't really seem that appealing. I don't know, I'm sure someone else could come up with a cool concept for it, I've never been able to.

But hey, come on guys, Emerald Dream needs some love - that map doin' anything for anyone? Anyone wanting to know what Shimmerholt's all about, eh?

[CCRyder]

I'm going to go against the grain and vote for Emerald Dream. I believe it could be incredibly interesting with a wide variety of natural (and unnatural) locales, a wealth of new races and creatures, druidic lore and other concepts. I've been reading and rereading Golden Yak's stuff for years now (started with Spider Kingdom and followed through until now) and I believe he could make it very well.

Seeing as the Dream is a primordial Azeroth, there is no reason why it has to be all green and full of forests (although I don't mind that). I could imagine a zone looking like a series of gorgeous mesa's and plateaus like the american south-west. I've also read some of Golden Yak's notes on Wowpedia about a race of Titanic constructs who were abandoned and now hate their former creators and thought that was an interesting turn for Titan lore. There are many possibilities for the Dream.

Over the years I have also came up with a number of interesting ideas for an Emerald Dream expansion and owe a lot of inspiration to Golden Yak. Although, I'd be happy with whatever you decide to come up with!

(And yes, I did finally just create an account for the sole purpose of replying to this topic.)

[Gaidax]

To be honest - neither.

Neither Emerald Nightmare nor "Void" really deserve it's own expansion - they would be all terribly dull and once sided, IMO.

[Xilurm]

I also don't care that they are basically wrapping up the Emerald Dream in Legion, I'll always want a full expansion out of it.

[Shinrael]

I like pretty zones with green forests, fields, lots of lakes and rivers, etc so Emerald Dream is my choice. Though I'm not sure how it'd look like considering the fact it's a blueprint of Azeroth before the sundering. It'd feel kinda rehashed, but if done properly, it'd be awesome.

[Golden Yak]

I'm going to go against the grain and vote for Emerald Dream. I believe it could be incredibly interesting with a wide variety of natural (and unnatural) locales, a wealth of new races and creatures, druidic lore and other concepts.

That's how I've always seen it. It can have every climate possible on Azeroth, plus its a super-magical enchanted dream land, so it can have environments at least as spectacular and alien as Outland. Plus the Nightmare is messing things up and adding variety.

One of my all-time favorite pieces of Warcraft concept art is of the Dream:

And welcome to MMO-C!

To be honest - neither.

Neither Emerald Nightmare nor "Void" really deserve it's own expansion - they would be all terribly dull and once sided, IMO.

Challenge accepted.

I like pretty zones with green forests, fields, lots of lakes and rivers, etc so Emerald Dream is my choice. Though I'm not sure how it'd look like considering the fact it's a blueprint of Azeroth before the sundering. It'd feel kinda rehashed, but if done properly, it'd be awesome.

Its widely believe that the Dream continues to represent Azeroth pre-Sundering, so the lands in the Dream are reflections of Ancient Kalimdor before it was split apart and sunk. Pandaria and Legion both introduced new regions on Azeroth that look amazing, so the Dream has at least that much potential. Plus all the aforementioned magical dimension stuff.

[haiyken]

Sounds really amazing, and yeah that would be a good premise for a future Warcraft title (Worlds of Warcraft, hur hur). The ethereals would feature heavily at the forefront of the Void storyline as the race with the greatest experience in dealing with the Void, and the first major action of the storyline would be to seize the Etheral capital city located on the K'aresh Remnants, the last fragment of the Ethereal homeworld that still clings to existence within the Void. I see it as a pretty advanced place, a bit like the Naaru constructions but more tech-y.

I really like that you're using K'aresh as a location ! Do you plan on using Dimensius in some way (even if we destroyed him) ? Seems strange to have destroyed this so powerfull being like that. Maybe you can explain how the void found K'aresh in the first place and who is behind the coming of Dimensius ? Will we see eco-domes that protected parts of K'aresh ?

I wonder if you already tackled the idea of a zone that is an entire city ? Blizzard already did something like that with Zul'Drak in a way, and now going back to the idea with Suramar City. I always found it strange that we're questing in the wild but never in a large city. I'm saying that because of what I think of the Ethereals and your idea of a large capital city makes me think of a large techno-city with districts run by merchant princes, and maybe having quests and storyline to gain control of the districts and unravel what's going on with the different Ethereal factions like The Consortium.

Food for thought !

[Deleted]

Chose void purely as ED seems to be getting it's limelight anyway, however if reigns of azshara was in the poll, I woild of 100% voted for that instead, as loved the ideas

[Deleted]

I picked void (you said dont underthink, im good at that) but looking at the maps and the stories you thought up I think Dream will be the more interesting expansion.

[Golden Yak]

I really like that you're using K'aresh as a location ! Do you plan on using Dimensius in some way (even if we destroyed him) ? Seems strange to have destroyed this so powerfull being like that. Maybe you can explain how the void found K'aresh in the first place and who is behind the coming of Dimensius ? Will we see eco-domes that protected parts of K'aresh ?

Dimensius will definitely be back, and has bulked up a little bit following his defeat. It actually makes sense to me for Void beings to re-spawn within the depths of the Void - they are embodiments of nothingness, given shape by the presence of the universe. They'll exist in some form as long as anything besides the Void exists too.

I wonder if you already tackled the idea of a zone that is an entire city ? Blizzard already did something like that with Zul'Drak in a way, and now going back to the idea with Suramar City. I always found it strange that we're questing in the wild but never in a large city. I'm saying that because of what I think of the Ethereals and your idea of a large capital city makes me think of a large techno-city with districts run by merchant princes, and maybe having quests and storyline to gain control of the districts and unravel what's going on with the different Ethereal factions like The Consortium.

I love the idea of zone-wide cities (Zul'Drak has a special place in my heart for this reason) and my Spider Kingdom concept had several of them. The K'aresh Remnants zone would contain primary the Ethereal capital city of Or'Damaz, the crown jewel of their civilization before the Void swallowed their world. Ethereal technology held back the Void, and is primarily responsible for preserving the fragment of K'aresh that still holds Or'Damaz. The city would act as the main hub for the expansion, similar to Dalaran, and have different districts for the different Ethereal factions. The Consortium would be the big friendlies of the Ethereals and have the biggest presence in Or'Damaz, since they would also be the ones reaching out to the Alliance and the Horde to aid them against the Void. The Ethereum and the Protectorate would be represented there too.

Chose void purely as ED seems to be getting it's limelight anyway, however if reigns of azshara was in the poll, I woild of 100% voted for that instead, as loved the ideas

I've still got a few creatures I want to design for Reign of Azshara, but concept-wise it's pretty much finished. Glad you liked it.

I picked void (you said dont underthink, im good at that) but looking at the maps and the stories you thought up I think Dream will be the more interesting expansion.

I think I'll make a few posts in this thread later on about certain elements I'd have in each one - people seem more interested in the Void, but I'm personally torn either way still! I'd love people to be as interested in the Dream as I am.

[haiyken]

I think I'll make a few posts in this thread later on about certain elements I'd have in each one - people seem more interested in the Void, but I'm personally torn either way still! I'd love people to be as interested in the Dream as I am.

I like the Dream as well, but my main concern is the following : if the Dream is a blueprint, like everyone is claiming, I can't see it having creatures beside the Nightmare. Wouldn't be strange for the titans to create a blueprint of the world with already creatures and races in it. If this is the prime version of Azeroth, there shouldn't be creatures or races to mess with it. It's like a save state, it's should be the purest possible. But maybe I'm mistaken and the Dream is supposed to be this savage utopia of nature.

As for the land, it could be interesting to revisit certain landmarks around the world before elements affected the landscape or before the NE blew the world to pieces ...

I'd love to see your take on it.