Which Installment of WoW Provided the Best Story?

[Prokne]

So Chen was a joke? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.... Jesus Christ grow up. Chen was never a joke, his travels with Rexxar have always been cannon, why do you think they even referenced him in vanilla? Even the now non-cannon rpg books had pandaren and a lot of pandaren lore, meaning that even then they were serious.

Oh and easter egg doesn't equal a joke.

Pandaren were an April fools joke before WC3 was even released. Adding 1 character to a small optional campaign to the expansion of WC3 doesnt really make it not a joke(see cow level and other bonus maps Blizzard has done). So Pandaren were introduced as a joke and then integrated into the game because the devs thought it was actually a good idea.

[Mawnix]

Pandaren were an April fools joke before WC3 was even released. Adding 1 character to a small optional campaign to the expansion of WC3 doesnt really make it not a joke(see cow level and other bonus maps Blizzard has done). So Pandaren were introduced as a joke and then integrated into the game because the devs thought it was actually a good idea.

Because of Chen, I can't consider the Pandaren non canon.

He did have an integral role in the story of Warcraft.

And the story for Mists has progressed better than most expansions, and even classic WoW.

For that reason I find there's no issue with it, but that's just my opinion.

[Venziir]

Pandaren were an April fools joke before WC3 was even released. Adding 1 character to a small optional campaign to the expansion of WC3 doesnt really make it not a joke(see cow level and other bonus maps Blizzard has done). So Pandaren were introduced as a joke and then integrated into the game because the devs thought it was actually a good idea.

Small optional? Sure, I guess you could see it that way - sure as heck doesn't make the story any less important or canon.

[celinamuna]

For me TBC > Vanilla > MoP > Cata > Wrath

[Khaza-R]

Pandaren were an April fools joke before WC3 was even released. Adding 1 character to a small optional campaign to the expansion of WC3 doesnt really make it not a joke(see cow level and other bonus maps Blizzard has done). So Pandaren were introduced as a joke and then integrated into the game because the devs thought it was actually a good idea.

I have to disagree with you. The Founding of Durotar was hardly a small campaign and probably the most relevant bridge between WC3 and WoW. And at that, if they didn't intend on Pandaren becoming canon, why add Chen to the campaign at all? Why not add something like a Goblin Tinker, or Goblin Alchemist hero instead?

Also why would they solidify that it was part of WoW's lore by adding the Chen's Empty Keg quest in the Barrens?

[Tychu]

I've come to really enjoy the storyline that they've been developing in Mists, I love that there's been focus multiple characters and not just shining the light on the adventures of Go'el.

[Prokne]

Because of Chen, I can't consider the Pandaren non canon.

He did have an integral role in the story of Warcraft.

And the story for Mists has progressed better than most expansions, and even classic WoW.

For that reason I find there's no issue with it, but that's just my opinion.

All Im saying is that you cant deny that Pandaren were ever a joke. The Blizzard April Fools used to be a big deal and nothing else has come out of them into the actual games besides more jokes. So somewhere down the line Metzen or someone else at Blizzard thought "hey I like this Pandaren idea we had as a joke why dont we actually do that?" and they started by adding 1 character to a very minor part of the game.

I like Pandaren. Much more than some other races(gnomes, worgen).

[Mawnix]

All Im saying is that you cant deny that Pandaren were ever a joke. The Blizzard April Fools used to be a big deal and nothing else has come out of them into the actual games besides more jokes. So somewhere down the line Metzen or someone else at Blizzard thought "hey I like this Pandaren idea we had as a joke why dont we actually do that?" and they started by adding 1 character to a very minor part of the game.

I like Pandaren. Much more than some other races(gnomes, worgen).

Oh no, I don't deny they were initially introduced as such, but the feedback from the players is what drove Blizzard to evolve that into an actual race, and continent, of people.

[Seegtease]

Hit the climax yes of Warcraft 3. There's more (a lot more) story to the franchise than killing a spoiled blonde brat.

Except he was a key point. For example, imagine how things would have changed if Illidan managed to defeat Arthas? Would he still be insane, or would he be an ally? It was events in Northrend that stirred up the dragonflights, and anything pertaining to the undead is directly tied to Arthas. He was a key figure and a lot of the plot was just building up to him. It just feels like it's toning down now.

Heck, the Ally vs. Horde fight at this point just feels fabricated. I don't think there's enough to justify it anymore. They had to throw nonsense in there like Garrosh just to make it somewhat believable. Ally and Horde have had to work together on so many occasions that those old racist misconceptions can really be put to rest. This is evidenced by the Saurfang scene at Icecrown from the alliance POV. The whole war is kept in place just for gameplay reasons. If it weren't for WoW (and say they continued to progress the story via RTS games instead), I reckon there would be no war anymore.

[Venziir]

Except he was a key point. For example, imagine how things would have changed if Illidan managed to defeat Arthas? Would he still be insane, or would he be an ally? It was events in Northrend that stirred up the dragonflights, and anything pertaining to the undead is directly tied to Arthas. He was a key figure and a lot of the plot was just building up to him. It just feels like it's toning down now.

Heck, the Ally vs. Horde fight at this point just feels fabricated. I don't think there's enough to justify it anymore. They had to throw nonsense in there like Garrosh just to make it somewhat believable. Ally and Horde have had to work together on so many occasions that those old racist misconceptions can really be put to rest. This is evidenced by the Saurfang scene at Icecrown from the alliance POV. The whole war is kept in place just for gameplay reasons. If it weren't for WoW (and say they continued to progress the story via RTS games instead), I reckon there would be no war anymore.

Yes, "A" keypoint - not *the* keypoint which many makes him out to be.

And the war isn't fabricated, though it's more "Everyone vs Garrosh" at this point.

[Ishayu]

Well, it's a tough contest for me. I like the MoP story most I think. I think it's a shame they decided to spoil where the story was going, because if they hadn't it would've been quite exciting now how it would all pan out. I really think that might have been the major leg up it would have had on WotLK.

The WotLK is also really good I feel.

[ringpriest]

I voted Vanilla. It had so many wonderful stories told through the quests and instances.

[Deleted]

So Chen was a joke? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.... Jesus Christ grow up. Chen was never a joke, his travels with Rexxar have always been cannon, why do you think they even referenced him in vanilla? Even the now non-cannon rpg books had pandaren and a lot of pandaren lore, meaning that even then they were serious.

Oh and easter egg doesn't equal a joke.

um, yes Chen was a joke. Big panda brewmaster is a joke. They made it into a spec, but that does not change it was a joke.
And chen in MoP is really not good, its pretty lame the quests with him its downright silly.


But why so defensive? I dont care if it was a joke. I have no really issues, I just call it as it happened.

Oh, and telling people to "grow up" is needlessly insulting and makes you post looke petulant and detracts from whatever point you are trying to make.

---------- Post added 2013-02-18 at 12:08 AM ----------

All Im saying is that you cant deny that Pandaren were ever a joke. The Blizzard April Fools used to be a big deal and nothing else has come out of them into the actual games besides more jokes. So somewhere down the line Metzen or someone else at Blizzard thought "hey I like this Pandaren idea we had as a joke why dont we actually do that?" and they started by adding 1 character to a very minor part of the game.

I like Pandaren. Much more than some other races(gnomes, worgen).

exactly, its was a joke, but then it grew. I dont see why people get to defensive about that. I dont have a problem with it, but aparantly some people get all defensive, and usually insulting, whenever someone points it out.

just because it started out as a joke does not detract from what they later did with it.

[Venziir]

um, yes Chen was a joke. Big panda brewmaster is a joke. They made it into a spec, but that does not change it was a joke.
And chen in MoP is really not good, its pretty lame the quests with him its downright silly.


But why so defensive? I dont care if it was a joke. I have no really issues, I just call it as it happened.

Oh, and telling people to "grow up" is needlessly insulting and makes you post looke petulant and detracts from whatever point you are trying to make.

---------- Post added 2013-02-18 at 12:08 AM ----------



exactly, its was a joke, but then it grew. I dont see why people get to defensive about that. I dont have a problem with it, but aparantly some people get all defensive, and usually insulting, whenever someone points it out.

just because it started out as a joke does not detract from what they later did with it.

Yeah no, Chen wasn't a joke. Chen was a serious NPC, and his story is full on canon, and his quests in MoP aren't all silly, have you even done the ones in Dread Wastes?

[SkyBlueAri]

BC easily. Wrath was a close second.
This is because BC had it all, it had demons and blood elves and evil orcs and nether creatures and elementals and mystery and it was exotic. The whole Maive Shadowsong questline was amazing. One of my favorite rep grinds, the Netherwing Drakes, was also in SMV. I must have done that grind 5 times even before mounts were linked across accounts. Terrokar forrest had a great set of quests and dungeons as well. Nagrand was just full of awesome, one of the few questing areas I was actually excited to repeat. Not to mention it had one of the best open world pvp contests ever made. HFP had another of those amazing open world PVP contests as well. It brought multitudes of fun whilst leveling and whilst at max level. Zangamarsh was one of those zones which was beautiful and mysterious all at the same time. We had to play detective to find out what was draining the great lakes only to end up in SSC battling Lady Vash. Blades edge mountain was also incredible, an amazing well set out bunch of quests and lore made this zone slightly more difficult than the others. And then there was Netherstorm. It was a bunch of broken islands that once held a lot of life. Not to mention it had TK which was an awesome bunch of instances.

BC was my favorite. Wrath was a close second because I felt the same type of immersement as I did in BC. Its lore was on par and so were pretty much all the instances and zones so I can honestly understand why its most peoples favorite.

[Erolian]

As much as I tried/wanted to care about the story etc while questing in MoP it came off flat/boring. Couldn't for the life of me care even the smallest amount about anything going on. Zones etc were exactly what I thought they were going to be wasn't really mysterious nothing really amazing pretty underwhelming all the way around for me

[Enosh]

Hmmm kinda like they weaved the original warcraft story, being the Horde vs Alliance, into MoP?

yes I love fighting the horde over places that 2 weeks ago no one even knew existed instead of you know, a place that actually matters for the alliance

the horde vs alliance thing is the best thing about the MoP story so far, but given that the rest is chasing rats off farms, brewing beer and fighting an enemy that no one gave a shit about for thousands of years or an enemy that we have pretty much already beaten twice that's not really a big feat

to answer the op:
wrath>BC>cata>vanilla>MoP imho

[Baracuda]

I really liked Howling Fjord, s'bout it.

[Deleted]

Yeah no, Chen wasn't a joke. Chen was a serious NPC, and his story is full on canon, and his quests in MoP aren't all silly, have you even done the ones in Dread Wastes?

Got loremaster, so yes.

I found questing in mop to be lacklustre at best, and immature and juvenile in many places.

Not all of it obviously but quite a lot. Particularly the hozen things in jade forest which contian far too many poop 'jokes' and the virmen bits. I found chen in valley to be quite silly for the most part.

[Mawnix]

Got loremaster, so yes.

I found questing in mop to be lacklustre at best, and immature and juvenile in many places.

Not all of it obviously but quite a lot. Particularly the hozen things in jade forest which contian far too many poop 'jokes' and the virmen bits. I found chen in valley to be quite silly for the most part.

I loved the Hozen.

I didn't like the Virmen, and thus I didn't really like Valley of the Four Winds.

The rest of the zones had a very serious tone for me, however.