Why does BFA still feel like a filler expansion?

[tmamass]

Can anybody pinpoint the reasons as to why BFA feels this way for me?

No, we can't tell you why you feel that way.

@OP no one knows whats happening in YOUR head so only you know WHY u FEEL the way YOU FEEL.
THAT is not something people discuss on a forum. If you wanna discuss feeling you usaly go to a shrink.

[uopayroll]

Does anybody else still feel like BFA is a filler expansion? Despite releasing patches 8.0.5, 8.1, 8.1.5, 8.2, 8.2.5, 8.3 and presumably 8.3.5, five raids, a suite of dungeons, many new races and zones, plus more, BFA still doesn't feel like a real expansion.

Clearly a lot of development resources have been devoted to this expansion, but those resources don't feel like they've been translated into a full fledged expansion.

I feel like the watered down gameplay and the perplexing story line have played a role. Class pruning makes it feel like we're playing less of a class, which gives the sense of it being filler. And the faction storyline that led to nowhere also led to that feeling of filler.

Can anybody pinpoint the reasons as to why BFA feels this way?

The main reason is you visiting forums and only seeing negative things, some of which you reused on your post.

[Destinas]

That's the problem though tbh.

All of these plot points build up over years are being hand waived into ending. There's barely any substance to it. Just bam, it's over.

I'm not sure I agree. I don't think that they're ending them well, but I don't mind that these plot points are ending, if that makes sense. For me, the faction war is boring and tired now, since for the last few expansions they've had to start it up again for little to no reason other than the "war" in "warcraft." N'Zoth and Azshara have been doing a ton behind the scenes for years, and I would just lose interest if they continued to drag it out - though it may not be entirely done for either. It does feel a bit abrupt, because the writing hasn't been great in BfA, but I also don't think that most of these plot points should be dragged on much more - people are losing interest in the expansion we face them.

Granted, it's just a matter of opinion, and you're certainly welcome to your own. For me, I wouldn't hate it if they decided to build up new bad guys, or move away from the same 3 main forces we've been fighting since the RTS days (Legion, Void, Scourge).

- - - Updated - - -

You're 100% right. This is exactly how I've felt about this expansion. The kids or whoever just dont see it or aren't intelligent enough. Everyones complaining about how terrible lore wise BFA is. They are literally wrapping up so many classic storylines in one expansion and they are doing it well.

BTW I've been browsing this websites forums since 2008 and I just created an account to send this reply to you. Its nice to see someone else who looked more in depth and saw what this really was. Is blizzards story flawed? Yes...Ill tell you one thing though the writers are still top notch as is the cinematic/art team. For them to close out this many storylines that are 10+ years old in one expansion AND the conflict war is impressive. Possibly might even see C'thuun return.

Well, thank you and welcome to posting on MMO-C!

[Aggrophobic]

No, it does not feel like a "filler".
I'm ok with it and it's a big step up from Legion.

[Beefkow]

Class design is in a bad state right now.

Blizzard has been pruning and simplifying classes since WOD.

[Seranthor]

Does anybody else still feel like BFA is a filler expansion? Despite releasing patches 8.0.5, 8.1, 8.1.5, 8.2, 8.2.5, 8.3 and presumably 8.3.5, five raids, a suite of dungeons, many new races and zones, plus more, BFA still doesn't feel like a real expansion.

Clearly a lot of development resources have been devoted to this expansion, but those resources don't feel like they've been translated into a full fledged expansion.

I feel like the watered down gameplay and the perplexing story line have played a role. Class pruning makes it feel like we're playing less of a class, which gives the sense of it being filler. And the faction storyline that led to nowhere also led to that feeling of filler.

Can anybody pinpoint the reasons as to why BFA feels this way?

Because you allow it to make you feel this way.

[Seylene]

Didnt they flat out admit it was filler for some way. Not like just cramming it in but a bridge expansion to end the faction war? And with 2 teams(storylines?) for the making of the the initial preview with the Anduin Bubble scene. I feel Metzen said something like the route of development changed but I cant find his quote.

In any event, it probably -Feels- more so like one because we knew the routine already, HvA ends with some bigger bad. And with legion gone that left an old god. So its not so much that it -IS- a filler expansion it is just one where we kind of knew the script ahead of time.

[Beefkow]

WoD was the last decent expac for class design in all fairness though. Anybody that thinks WoD is/was worse than BFA has major delusional issues. Hoping 9.0 isn't trash :/

It made sense when they pruned classes in WOD, but legion and BFA practically nailed the coffin.

[Theangryone]

For all the people who supposedly quit playing BfA, there sure are a lot of threads complaining about BfA

[TwoMana]

Can anybody pinpoint the reasons as to why BFA feels this way?

I think Dolores O'Riordan had it when she said: "It's in your head, in your head.."

[Destinas]

it probably is. in the same way WoD is. Introducing a villain that sets up the real expansion. Also odd numbered expansions are cursed with the exception of TBC. But 8.2 plus 3 raid tiers automatically makes this expansion better than WoD. WoD was cut short. BFA was just rushed.

To be completely fair, this has been the case since Mists of Pandaria, concerning a villain. Though, the story has technically been one continuous flow since WotLK.

In WotLK we were introduced to the Twilight Dragonflight in the Obsidian Sanctum, then the Ruby Sanctum again after Icecrown, which led directly into Cata.

Cata started with Deathwing disrupting the world with his Cataclysm, which disrupted Old Gods and defensive measures in places like Uldum. This leads directly into MoP, where the mists departed Pandaria due to the Cataclysm.

In MoP, Garrosh was the driving factor the entire expansion, with Old God and Wrathion plots in the background. Garrosh is put down, put on trial, and he escapes to Draenor (due to Kairoz working with Wrathion), and creates the Iron Horde. This leads into WoD.

The Iron Horde attacks Azeroth, we retaliate and go to their world. Shenanigans happen on Draenor, leading to Gul'dan and the Shadow Council gaining power, taking over Hellfire Citadel, and summoning Archimonde. Gul'dan escapes, which leads into Legion.

Gul'dan goes into the Tomb of Sargeras, opens the Felstorm, takes over the Nighthold, and the Legion fully invades Azeroth. We push them back over and over (defeating Gul'dan and Kil'jaeden along the way) until we go to Argus. We attack the base of the Burning Legion, save the Titans, stop Argus from destroying everything, the Titans imprison Sargeras. In one last act of defiance, Sargeras stabs Azeroth, causing Azerite to pop out of the world's surface. This leads to BfA.

BfA starts with the Alliance and Horde fighting over Azerite, which uncovers a huge plot by the Old Gods and Azshara in every zone. We defeat a synthetic Old God, stop Zul, try to get more Azerite, stop Azshara, and accidentally release N'Zoth. Now we're going to Ny'alotha, which could lead to a number of different places. There are a number of people who could lead us to the next expansion, from Sylvanas, to N'Zoth, to Xal'atath, etc.

It's not just the bad expansions that lead into the next ones. They just tend to do it more abruptly.

[kiramon]

I havent played WoW seriously in a very long time. I finally broke down and bought BFA a few days ago (on sale), and within an hour or two I had the same feeling. It feels like a filler expansion. Theres nothing that seems particularly noteworthy. As stated, I'm not a WoW fan any longer per say, so I'm pretty neutral about it. It just doesnt have the splendor or polish of Legion and I can see why many people found it boring.

You’re horde aren’t you? The witch zone is pretty great for ally lol

[Nefarious Tea]

Filler expansion is just another empty buzzword for something you don't like.

Anyone who's even passingly familiar with DBZ knows this... I've known that "filler" meant "I don't like this and it's wasting space" since I was eight.

[glowpipe]

Class design is in a bad state right now.

Blizzard has been pruning and simplifying classes since WOD.

i just hope they stay true to that interview thing they did with ion some time back where they said they would go back on a lot of things

[matrix123mko]

Most of the plot points concerning BfA were built up over the course of the last decade (N'Zoth, Twilight/Black Dragonflights, Azshara, Nightmare, Xal'atath, Ny'alotha, Naga/Nazjatar, Twilight's Hammer, Wrathion - even the Zandalari have had extended lore since Cataclysm). Instead of BfA simply filling time for players until the next expansion (lore-wise), this is actually the end of a few major storylines, mostly including the (known) Old Gods, Nazjatar, and even the faction war.

It feels like filler because faction war is in the spotlight while Wrathion and Azshara get only few moments. Nazjatar has storyline shorter than any Legion zone.

[Kemsa]

Because BfA its a bridge for many plotlines. Thats why.
-End of War/Factions
-Rise of Old Gods
-Inquisitorial Light
-indigenous species from other worlds/timeline
-Sylvannas and her mastery of Death
-The future of the Azeroth's Horde
-The Night Warriors
-The Alliance of Stormwind
-The new TItanforging (ranishu 8.3)
-The Dragonflight strikes back
-Dragon isles
-Shadow Lands, Thros and the plains of despair
-Muezala, Bwomsamdi and the first Troll.
-Its the Legion still out there?
-The titans and Illidan
-Hellya and her recovered power + Sylvannas bargain

And a bunch of shit thanks to the Island expeditions that already are "appearing" on 8.3, like the Amathet, the new Empress of the Mantid.

And we can add that also BfA was used to test things for the next expansions going forward. Literally the expansion was sacrificed to assure the next ones could be the ones that we should play.

But again, its subjective.

[Destinas]

It feels like filler because faction war is in the spotlight while Wrathion and Azshara get only few moments. Nazjatar has storyline shorter than any Legion zone.

The key word is "feels" here. Like I said, the writing is bad, so you're hoping for whatever comes next, so BfA feels like a filler. Wrathion and Azshara, overall, weren't used as plot points to get us to the next expansion, they were just rushed within their own story.

[matrix123mko]

The key word is "feels" here. Like I said, the writing is bad, so you're hoping for whatever comes next, so BfA feels like a filler. Wrathion and Azshara, overall, weren't used as plot points to get us to the next expansion, they were just rushed within their own story.

I was seeking as much Azshara as I could but I couldn't find much in Nazjatar. I am enjoying BfA but it is difficult for me.