Nexus, a fanmade expansion idea. Discussion thread

[Azalar]

I really liked the concept of Ethereals when they first made them.

I think K'aresh has a lot of potential not just in exploring some Void lore and some new planet, but an entirely new culture.

There isn't a lot of middle-eastern culture exploration in WoW, and I think this is a great way to introduce other cultural mythologies the way Pandaria added Chinese culture to the world. The Ethereals are very Arabian themed, but K'aresh could be something a lot grander than that, introducing Persian and Indian mythologies too. Ethereals are just one of the races we're introduced to, much like Orcs and Ogres were just a tip of the iceberg for exploring Draenor. I'd really like to see K'aresh's culture defined before any of the void elements seep into their formation.

I'm putting much effort into trying to give Ethereals a whole new culture of their own that's different to everything we know yet.

For example, they've got Death Knights but they're not enforcers of an evil agent. Even though, both approaches are tied to the lore of Val. Priests and Paladins follow a totally different view of the Light that's much more neutral and non zealous, based on another set of principles and tenets. They can be monks, but experiment a new wave of philosophy based on a more positively regarded view of the void.

Regarding mythologies, I am not a fan of basing fantasy cultures on real life ones. If anything, I aim to give them some sort of metaculture they develop on their own.

[Shakana]

This is absolutely gorgeous

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I honestly just don't like the soundtracks, don't remind me of WoW to me

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Even tho i like that concept i prefer this one more: https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept
I wish this was what blizzard would go with, before BfA got announced

[Azalar]

This is absolutely gorgeous

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I honestly just don't like the soundtracks, don't remind me of WoW to me

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Even tho i like that concept i prefer this one more: https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept
I wish this was what blizzard would go with, before BfA got announced

I'm happy you like it

Soundtracks aren't really meant to be wowlike, they're just more like inspiration :P

Yak's is marvelous too!

[Eleccybubb]

Says a lot when a fan can put more effort into an expansion idea than Blizzard.

Overall great concepts, great ideas and I'd give it a solid 8/10. Impressive work indeed and as I said a damnsight better than this current expansion that Blizzard have thrown at us.

[Azalar]

Says a lot when a fan can put more effort into an expansion idea than Blizzard.

Overall great concepts, great ideas and I'd give it a solid 8/10. Impressive work indeed and as I said a damnsight better than this current expansion that Blizzard have thrown at us.

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words <3

I'd be interested in what would be required for it to be a 10/10 for you. I want to hear it out!

[Eleccybubb]

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words <3

I'd be interested in what would be required for it to be a 10/10 for you. I want to hear it out!

Don't worry I'm just very very picky with scoring.

There are very few games in existence that I give a perfect 10. For me a 7 basically means it was good and I played through the game. 8 or 9 means it's pretty awesome.

For me it takes a lot for a game to be a 10/10 basically.

Tbh my only small complaint is that your fanmade stuff is riding a hella lot on the Tinker train. While that's not a bad thing I just don't think Tinker would be a good fit in an expansion like this as classes usually fit the theme. And Tinker doesn't really scream a "twofold light" theme. However it's quite hard to find a new Light themed class I guess.

DK was introduced in the Undead/Wrath setting.
Monk basically Pandaria setting.
Demon Hunter Legion setting.

[Azalar]

Tbh my only small complaint is that your fanmade stuff is riding a hella lot on the Tinker train. While that's not a bad thing I just don't think Tinker would be a good fit in an expansion like this as classes usually fit the theme. And Tinker doesn't really scream a "twofold light" theme. However it's quite hard to find a new Light themed class I guess.

DK was introduced in the Undead/Wrath setting.
Monk basically Pandaria setting.
Demon Hunter Legion setting.

Oh it's okay, I just like to know every downside xD

Tinkers aren't really bound to the theme per se, they're just more like the result of many things. They make sense to appear now because tech is needed now more than ever. The Horde needs a technological revolution to keep up with the Alliance, who are speeding up in the race and go faster than the Goblins alone can sustain.

Moreover, Ethereals are tightly related to cutting edge tech, which also makes them a perfect race to launch alongside Tinkers.

Going over fitting stuff into the theme, I now think I've kinda done that with cyphers. Not only do they bind a single class with the whole concept, but all of them.

Ironically, we're not seeing any Void vs Light fighting in the expansion now that I think of it, but we're going deeper into their Eternal Conflict. The title may pick into the opposed dualities theme, but is definitely much more related to the exploration of the consequences of such a war.

[matrix123mko]

Tbh my only small complaint is that your fanmade stuff is riding a hella lot on the Tinker train. While that's not a bad thing I just don't think Tinker would be a good fit in an expansion like this as classes usually fit the theme. And Tinker doesn't really scream a "twofold light" theme. However it's quite hard to find a new Light themed class I guess.

I think BfA is a build-up for tinker. As for Light-themed class, I'd prefer a proper Void-based class.

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As I didn't submit any concept art for some time, now I can present you multiple abominations.

First of all, firstborn customisation options:


Then, as we got an updated Halphas backstory, I can show you Halphas concepts:


For the end, as I think that Halphas should be shown with his friends: Kamiel and Xoraxis:

[matrix123mko]

Azalar said that Kamiel should be more happy, so I drew her a portrait. Enjoy this vomit-worthy sweetness.



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I honestly just don't like the soundtracks, don't remind me of WoW to me

Me too. I listen to some old WoW soundtracks that match the story when I read this.

Even tho i like that concept i prefer this one more: https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept
I wish this was what blizzard would go with, before BfA got announced

Why do you prefer this one. I am interested and open to feedback about aesthetics.

[Shakana]

Why do you prefer this one. I am interested and open to feedback about aesthetics.

Both are amazing, i preferred the https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept one more for the simple reason that i loved the art for it and the maps more, the name "Into the Void" the name says everything, while "Twofold Light" it's not explicit as the other one is.

Into the Void name, takes me into a journey adventure feeling just by seeing the name, then looking at the maps and the variety of every zone brings so much life to me even in the void. I think it's a great addition, i know by the map zone names what will be the population + the color of it and brings a fresh air. It won't just be darkness everywhere and will still have the void touch all over.

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I wanted this expansion as well to be called "Rise/Reign of Azshara" as Expansion name and not "Battle for Azeroth" and that all this faction wars would be avoided, brings me a bit confusion, while if it was "Rise of Azshara", they could expand the maps and not just have a single "Nazjatar" map.

Here's the concept i saw that i think it should make the expansion @matrix123mko :
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept

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Even has Kul'tiras and Zandalar, i would have preferred this a "new dalaran" in "Zin-Azshari" where both factions could be with each other still after Legion.

[matrix123mko]

Both are amazing, i preferred the https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept one more for the simple reason that i loved the art for it and the maps more, the name "Into the Void" the name says everything, while "Twofold Light" it's not explicit as the other one is.

Oh, you don't like my artwork. Any feedback? What should I improve. As for maps, Azalar makes them beautiful.

Into the Void name, takes me into a journey adventure feeling just by seeing the name, then looking at the maps and the variety of every zone brings so much life to me even in the void. I think it's a great addition, i know by the map zone names what will be the population + the color of it and brings a fresh air. It won't just be darkness everywhere and will still have the void touch all over.

Twofold Light is indeed mysterious. Azalar wanted mystery to be leitmotif of this expansion. As for variety of zones, here we have it too. Maybe Velath'nul is a bit similar to Vale of Naughts, but one of them has a jungle and ruins of bigger city while second has also icy part. The Twofold Light is a symphony of gold and purple. I agree that it loses to Into the Void in this matter but it's still more varied than BfA.

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I wanted this expansion as well to be called "Rise/Reign of Azshara" as Expansion name and not "Battle for Azeroth" and that all this faction wars would be avoided, brings me a bit confusion, while if it was "Rise of Azshara", they could expand the maps and not just have a single "Nazjatar" map.

Here's the concept i saw that i think it should make the expansion @matrix123mko :
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...ansion-Concept

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Even has Kul'tiras and Zandalar, i would have preferred this a "new dalaran" in "Zin-Azshari" where both factions could be with each other still after Legion.

Yes, this is what I anticipated and expected. Alas, it is lost cause now. I wonder what will Blizzard screw up with K'aresh expansion.

[Shakana]

Oh, you don't like my artwork. Any feedback? What should I improve. As for maps, Azalar makes them beautiful.


Twofold Light is indeed mysterious. Azalar wanted mystery to be leitmotif of this expansion. As for variety of zones, here we have it too. Maybe Velath'nul is a bit similar to Vale of Naughts, but one of them has a jungle and ruins of bigger city while second has also icy part. The Twofold Light is a symphony of gold and purple. I agree that it loses to Into the Void in this matter but it's still more varied than BfA.

No i love it. I just have a preference, that's all. Don't think i don't like it, it's not how i truly feel, so don't take it that way. Just simply and pure preference. Both amazing great artworks! On the map for example says "K'aresh remaints", so instead of having only this void purple everywhere:
"This fragment of K'aresh contains the ethereal capitol city of Or'Damaz. It's gleaming spires are surrounded by forested lands whose beauty yet endures the Void's ravages." And it's not just purple and dark, so i quite appreciate that. Otherwise zones would feel the same.

With a good story, every zone would have a dynamic on the entire continent, nothing would feel the same and that is super important to me as a player, i get too tired of seeing same color in one expansion, same happened with Legion, when broken shore and argus appeared i had to go see a bit nature in Highmountain.

[Azalar]

I love how @matrix123mko has defined the areas as a symphony of gold and purple.

To be honest, I kinda preferred zones to be more like a gradient rather than having each zone have a particular pattern that's super recognizable on the main map. For example, K'areshi Wastes has an area that's all ruins, but then the fractal desert in the middle that's all crystal and iridescent. Or Dunes of Na'karat, where the dominant golden/light colors are invaded by the Bloom with vibrant green and white plants. It's all a matter of contrasts within a cohesioned general color palette :P

[matrix123mko]

I love how @matrix123mko has defined the areas as a symphony of gold and purple.

To be honest, I kinda preferred zones to be more like a gradient rather than having each zone have a particular pattern that's super recognizable on the main map. For example, K'areshi Wastes has an area that's all ruins, but then the fractal desert in the middle that's all crystal and iridescent. Or Dunes of Na'karat, where the dominant golden/light colors are invaded by the Bloom with vibrant green and white plants. It's all a matter of contrasts within a cohesioned general color palette :P

I like this kind of zones. In BC we just had monochromatic zones but in WotLK we got Borean Tundra which was full of different flavours: naga, vrykul, magnataur, blue dragons, Horde, some oil spills, taunka...

[Azalar]

I like this kind of zones. In BC we just had monochromatic zones but in WotLK we got Borean Tundra which was full of different flavours: naga, vrykul, magnataur, blue dragons, Horde, some oil spills, taunka...

In the past I've read many complaints about this. People didn't seem to like "theme park" zones. While I personally do like theme park zones, I believe some color transitions in between zones don't hurt either. Frontiers deserve some love too!

Also whoa 70k visits <3

[matrix123mko]

Also whoa 70k visits <3

Congratulations. Pity they don't comment so much. New posts would make us feel more succesful.

It is 300th reply here.

[matrix123mko]

To celebrate this, I think I can post some concept that has not yet been approved by Azalar. Behold, the frost mage cypher concept:



As you can see, I tried to do some fractal designs but in halfway I got tired of it and went much easier WoW arcane magic stylisation. Maybe star symbolism isn't really visible but at least it's shiny. Why shouldn't frost mage possess soul of Argus the Unmaker.

1. Cypher itself, zoomed. It is shaped like star and has fractal tentacles. If you look closer, you can see some crystaline shapes. At the center there is Vyr'aat rune. Overall it looks like a rimed galaxy that really wanted to look like flower.

2. Kamiel with the cypher and icicles. Icicles have more simplicistic shapes, but same effect.

3. Icicles in movement. For Glacial Shard talent I would recommend just bigger icicle. For cypher abillity you throw the cypher on parabolic route.

4. Effect after enemy gets hit. Explosion happens somewhere on his head. Can be reused for AoE abillities.

Hope you like it. I am open for feedback.

Fun fact: Doing it was literally painful to me. The light is too bright for my delicate eyes.

[Khaza-R]

I thought making up a hi res zone map collage was a good idea, so I made this.

https://imgur.com/s8wnFLL

Such an amazing map. Really nice job!

[matrix123mko]

Such an amazing map. Really nice job!

Indeed amazing. Maps is the one thing that shows Azalar's superiority over @GoldenYak. I love how it is colorful, well composed and looks 3D even from far away.

[Cobman]

Thats a really great job on concept map. I kinda miss big zones like we had in wotlk and sticking them in one continent which is nice, so you can from any point fly to another without using boats lol. Other thing is since its not our world not every zone should have our physics. I would really love to see zone where gravity is not stable, like we have that bg where once in a while everyone gets knocked up in the air.