Originally Posted by
Cel
tl:dr, There is no excuse for being toxic, but be careful of white-knighting a conversation because that addition is just about as bad. Its ok to have an opinion and share it. Don't be an ass when you do, and don't be an ass in response.
I get the impression that your view point is just about as 'toxic', limited in view, and about as pointless as the people you are referring to.
I wont deny that there are a handful of oddball people that get so invested that when the story doesn't go 'their' way, they blow up and throw a tantrum. I dont deny that population exists or may even be a greater number then I would expect.
But as the internet has a habit of doing (and you are reflecting in your post) it turns topics like these into witch hunts and no 'actual' discussion takes place because people haven't grown up from flinging insults, challenges and threats, rather then actually discuss what they do or don't like about a product. People with actual criticism get gunned down and throw into the same group of morons that are actually only just harassing others. Post like yours that do just that are just as toxic and negative to conversations as those fanning the flames of other's anger.
Personally, I am on the side of not liking how the story played out. I am perfectly valid in my opinion (and would love to actually have someone change my mind if they could, rather then just spout the consistent retort of 'why don't you go do better' or 'you're just mad it didn't go your way' because those are senseless arguments that don't apply, not to mention I am not trying to argue, but discuss a point of view). It is good to think about the things we consume. Even more so in art. The stories, movies, games that get the gears turning in your brain are the best, or at least I believe.
But this story didn't do that for me. It was just came across as eye candy. I have been playing WoW since day one and I have learned to suspend my belief pretty far. But I feel Blizzard is testing that limit with blunt, linear story telling that doesn't engage me like it has before. Why a flying ship? To get out of harms way? have a dominating presence on the battle field? Ok, I can make up excuses in my head even if some of them are reaching. Why arcane canons to fire a spell she could do without the arcane canons? Its just purely visual fluff at that point. And while this is a mundane example, but its one of countless.
I can still enjoy the game outside of the storyline, so please don't come at with with 'why don't you quit then', but as a story line I have been invested in for years, its unfair to call someone a fanatic for being disheartened at what I view as a lessening in quality of story telling (and no you don't have to be a professional in the same field to be a critique, no one made that rule. If you have an opinion, you by definition, probably have criticisms about most things in your life).
The funny thing for me, its not the direction of the story that got me. Im not a alliance vs. horde player. I have enjoyed both sides of the battle. Its purely how its being portrayed. Shallow characters with predictable actions because they are so linear. Spur of the moment drama created obviously just to drive content vs. a story that drives content. Walking the knife edge of too much visual fluff. Some of these are personal gripes, some maybe limitations of telling a story through a mmo, but IMO, some of it was just lazy imagination.
The story could have gone in countless directions, but just to illustrate what I am talking about, I think my friend's suggestion hit me as the one I would have enjoyed the most, and the amusing part, it hardly even changed the story, but it did so much for it.
All the events could have been almost the same, but I think what would have given us so much more depth, actual in-game controversy (rather then arguing about the quality of the game) was at the end of 'Before the Storm' when Sylvanas was killing 'defectors'/civilians. Genn could still have had his opinion change of the Forsaken and their interaction with the living, but at that point divert for what was presented to us and pursue convincing Anduin of Sylvanas's pure evil and regardless of the horde had to remove Sylvanas from power. Anduin struggles with the decision but in the end chooses to attack Undercity first. The burning of Teldrassil came after in response.
This does a number of things:
Genn still has his revelation, but now understands his hatred lies with purely Sylvanas and not against the forsaken.
Anduin grows as a character as he actually takes the initiative. Chooses a path sightly questionable in his character of lawfully/good in that he is the instigator, but is still entirely in character as its for the good of many (even those outside of his own faction).
Sylvanas would have an excuse for all her behavior. Rather then looking like another rogue Horde faction leader with a personal agenda, it would have solidified the Horde in back Sylvanas, but there could have been question and concern about her use of the blight and lack of care in blighting even her own horde.
All the same events would have still taken place, just a slight reordering and I personally believe it would have given the story and characters far more depth and us players much more interesting concepts to think about.
That said, I don't know how the rest of BFA plays out. Maybe due to later decisions in the story it simply 'has' to be the the way it went and until that gap is filled, whats done is done and I just have to hope for a resolution.
But so far I haven't seen a single person really provide the reasons for why my belief the story-line has become shallow and it actually is engaging and what I am missing. Rather, both sides of the argument rather hurl insults at each other and call each other toxic nerds, uncultured idiots and the like. Either side of the argument has regressed to childish behavior.
Its the internet, guess I am not surprised, but still, I can't stop myself for wishing for better.
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I should have paraphrased this quote. Blehmeh, you hit it spot on.