Do you like the "expansion theme" of Shadowlands?

[LionSinMaikeru]

Ehh, I'm torn on it.

On the one hand, it's unique and has the potential to be really interesting / good. But equally, it has the potential to be bad.

I'm honestly tired of them inventing new places to go besides the ocean. Just let us see the other half of the planet, darn it.

[Seylene]

I like the aesthetics and the idea behind exploring the afterlife. But in the path of BfA no, I really don't much "Like" the prospect of the Shadowlands I really want solid endings and settlements of the grudges and closure to the stories of the world so that we can move forward.

So while I like the aesthetics of the expansion it seems slapped together and lazy in a way to handwave everything and make it all less meaningful. It reeks of a flashy "look over here." Instead of any hold of its own. Very WOD ish style disconnect from the game world so its hard to be excited and looking forward to it.

[Moor Shadows]

34% no - knock a few percentage points off because of MMO-Cs reputation for dissenting players/former players who aren't going to like a thing Blizzard does.

[huth]

34% no - knock a few percentage points off because of MMO-Cs reputation for dissenting players/former players who aren't going to like a thing Blizzard does.

I'd say two thirds in favour isn't to bad either way.

[Terongor]

I personally don’t like the theme of Shadowlands. An afterlife theme feels like something nonexistent or non physical to me. It does sound nonsense, as we are talking about a fantasy world, but it still is unacceptable for me. Talk about Firelands or Deepholm, as both of then are on another plain. but it’s the physical plain at least, whilst Shadowlands does feel like something ethereal. Or does it? I don’t know.
I would prefer a journey to another world. Draenor was intriguing, Argus even more.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20160313175241

There a piece lore from WoD which places shadowlands opposite to emerald dream as such it isn't far fetched in anyways as long as you accept emerald dream and nightmare.

[Vargrik]

While I think the theme is an attempt on delaying the depletion of all plausible threats out there, I still think it is way better than alternate realities like in WoD.

[PedroloGeo]

Lol. The op came here just to realize he/she is MINORITY!

[Ihsan997]

While I think the theme is an attempt on delaying the depletion of all plausible threats out there, I still think it is way better than alternate realities like in WoD.

That seems logical. There’s only so many xpacs in which they can just milk old content, so this is probably a step in the right direction.

[Dystemper]

It has the potential to be good, Too bad Blizzard no longer has the ability or talent to make a good game any more

[JacobusRex]

No because I wanted to fight the hordes of twisted creatures and cultists of N'zoth that they've been building up to for over a decade... Shadowlands is totally left field and Visions of N'zoth is an awful cop out. I was hoping for <Return of the Black Empire> not <Randomlands>.

[Florena]

The problem with features is that Blizzard doesnt build them into the game as each expansion progresses. Once the expansion is over "okay order hall is done. Never go back there again". Look how PoE builds the systems on each other and keeps them relevant and part of the game. There is so much total ontent in the game, but blizzard refuses to utilize it and funnel us into 5% of it every 5-6 months. I'm tired if blizzard designing all these features and wasting their time when they end up just dumping them after expansion is over.

I can see where you're coming from but I also like that they can experiment with things without having to commit to bringing that system back and updating EVERY expansion going forward. We may well not have gotten class halls or artifacts or garrisons if blizzard had to commit to keeping them around and relevant every expansion.

[JacobusRex]

We may well not have gotten class halls or artifacts or garrisons if blizzard had to commit to keeping them around and relevant every expansion.

God, I wish we didn't. 3 horrible systems that should never have been spawned from satan's cunt.

[Darillyn]

I think I do. There is a ton of misfit afterlife lore in wow (ancients, valkyr, scourge, the light, etc) and I am hoping this expansion really clears it up. And as others have said, it is certainly better than the faction war, so I'm open to try it.

EDIT: Although I will agree with the poster above me that using N'zoth as its own xpac would have been amazing. Despite being in most of the patches, Azshara and N'zoth felt like B-plot villains in BFA bc of the shit faction war. Hugely disappointing, but at least Azshara lives.

[Ludvig]

No, because "Jumping the Shark" refers to a moment so great, everything afterwards will pale in comparison. WoD is generally not considered that.

Jumping the shark refers to almost the opposite. It actually comes from an episode from the TV-show called "Happy Days" where someone actually jumps over a shark with a jetski if I remember correctly, it was really stupid. From Wikipedia:

The idiom "jumping the shark" describes a point in a series where it resorts to outlandish or preposterous plot devices to maintain or regain good ratings. Specifically, the term arose from the season five episode "Hollywood (Part 3)" that first aired on September 20, 1977, in which a water-skiing Fonzie (clad in swim trunks and signature leather jacket) jumps over a confined shark. Despite the term, Happy Days continued to be popular in the ratings for several years, only seeing a real downturn in its final season (1983–84).

An example of the term, if you've watched "The Simpsons", is the episode where Principal Skinner is revealed to be a fraud. This episode was very poorly received and even the series creator regards the episode as non-canon. The episode aired when the series was starting to lose viewers, which only accelerated the decline.

- - - Updated - - -

I can see where you're coming from but I also like that they can experiment with things without having to commit to bringing that system back and updating EVERY expansion going forward. We may well not have gotten class halls or artifacts or garrisons if blizzard had to commit to keeping them around and relevant every expansion.

Class halls was ok I guess (mainly because I really liked the aesthetics of the shaman one) but screwed up the inflation (as in WoD with garrisons) by pumping in gold with mission tables. If Garrisons and Class halls were never introduced, then perhaps mission tables wouldn't have existed and wouldn't have totally f-ed up the economy. Garrisons were not well received either way. As for artifacts, I wouldn't hesitate a second to throw them away for the class design we had previous to Legion.

[Aliven]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20160313175241

There a piece lore from WoD which places shadowlands opposite to emerald dream as such it isn't far fetched in anyways as long as you accept emerald dream and nightmare.

But we now learn that green dream guys like cenarius dont go to emerald dream but to some fae forest in shadowlands... Sooo?

[Absintheminded]

What theme? It's like the Broken Isles afterlife but you pick one faction to really like you.

[Terongor]

But we now learn that green dream guys like cenarius dont go to emerald dream but to some fae forest in shadowlands... Sooo?

Its the opposite and but we didn't know how it was opposite to emerald dream not like heaven or hell kinda way but on universal scale as death is opposite to life.

[huth]

Its the opposite and but we didn't know how it was opposite to emerald dream not like heaven or hell kinda way but on universal scale as death is opposite to life.

Less opposite, more "other half", i'd say.

[Army Dreamer]

Personally I think that the theme of Shadowlands is disconnected from the rest of Warcraft universe.
I think even Argus and the Draenei made a better job to fit into the universe.

It feels like a theme transplantation. Especially visually from looking at those covenant transmog sets.

BFA story is not really loved for sure but at least the theme fitted very well into the existing universe.

What could you expect from the outsourced lore...

[Terongor]

Less opposite, more "other half", i'd say.

Well it kinda depends on their overall connection but its possible but as we have nothing in emerald dream which might refer to arbiter still.