What are the best ways to make the Alliance more popular and interesting?

[Eosia]

Nice goalpost shifting. "Leaders of playable races" to "Warchief", surely no one will see your cunning plan.

Which two leaders went off the deepend in WoW causing us to have to fight them? Garrosh and Sylvanas. What title did the have? Warchief of the Horde. So no, it's not "moving the goal posts". Look at the "For the Horde!" achievement. Who were the targets Horde players had to kill when introduced? Tyrande, Velen, Magni, and Varian. Those were the faction leaders in Wrath.

[vincink]

The appeal of the Alliance to me is my affinity toward "good" in a fantasy story. But "good" tends to be bland, as others have noted. I think the best way to make the Alliance more popular and interesting is, as the first page or two of replies has said, add internal conflict within the Alliance. Conflict that is more than just leaders pounding their fists and walking away broodily during a cutscene. I thought the Night Elf story with Tyrande could have been an interesting way to cut the Night Elves from the Alliance. In the future, making the Dwarves more nuanced instead of generic fantasy dwarves would be a great appeal. Also, dropping the bubbly, Pixar movie style dialogue from the game and (re)introducing darker tones to the game would be a great improvement.

[Arikara]

Making the alliance more interesting is a struggle in futility. Perhaps it's not impossible; the worgen were a good addition, really. Returning the night elves to their proper wc3 selves would be a worthy goal, but the incompetent writers seem utterly incapable of that.

But the easier improvement would be to delete all edgy elves and mecha gnomes. Have some paladin-type strike down that monster Alleria, perhaps. Really, just get rid of all the Windrunners while we're at it.

[cparle87]

Basically: Brutality, arrogance and division.

Imagine a paladin dragging a Forsaken bound with Light-infused chains into the Stormwind Cathedral to torture them for information, the holy ground and chains searing their rotting flesh.
A commoner speaks up in protest, only to be "disappeared" by nearby guards.
Finally, a priest begins a sermon advocating for "justice" against the Horde, using their psychic magic to affect their congregation's minds and whip them up into a frenzy.
Some aren't affected, but they go along with the mood of the crowd for the sake of their own safety.

Outside the Cathedral, a couple of Night Elves watch from the shadows as the sermon ends. Only humans are allowed inside the Cathedral these days...

The priest and sermon thing is actually a thing in Silvermoon City.

[Ielenia]

It's funny how people here want Alleria to become a villain when she is literally not evil and doesn't even have evil intentions. All she wants to do is to defeat the Void Lords, no matter the price. Illidan was cheered and praised for this philosophy yet Alleria deserves to die for it?

People like Illidan's edginess, not his 'philosophy'. And in case you forgot, as a whole, the Azerothians don't like him.

And I'm going to add that, EVEN IF ALLERIA SUCCUMBED TO THE WHISPERS, she still wouldn't be a villain.

"Also, Alleria is not evil, doesn't have evil intentions, and wouldn't be a villain". She not only literally pushed a paladin into committing war crimes with her, namely the torture of non-combatants civilians, but she didn't even flinch or show the slightest bit of remorse when Jaina confronted her about it.

And no, claiming you're doing it "for the greater good" does not suddenly erase or even make up for the fact you were torturing civilians.

[Asrialol]

Making Alliance racials quite ahead of Horde would switch the meta. Pretty easy fix.

[Ardenaso]

Making the alliance more interesting is a struggle in futility. Perhaps it's not impossible; the worgen were a good addition, really. Returning the night elves to their proper wc3 selves would be a worthy goal, but the incompetent writers seem utterly incapable of that.

they could make a "look guys, Hyjal is now 200% restored ! the night elves got their immortality back and now are as savage as they were back in WC3"

[Raisei]

It just fits honestly.

Because a Paladin going insane and becoming a bad guy is somehow new and innovative? Come on it isn't even new in the Warcraft universe, not to mention other fantasy franchises.

[Clawsout]

If you want alliance plentiful again you just give them the best racials and not nerf bosses til wf raiders switch over and all the meta slaves with them ez.

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I dont think ppl give 2 shits about the story compared to how thier characters power levels are

[VladlTutushkin]

they could make a "look guys, Hyjal is now 200% restored ! the night elves got their immortality back and now are as savage as they were back in WC3"

I mean, they basically do whatever they want with races, not a shred of care for continuity or lore accuracy - might as well do some positive changes then.

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People like Illidan's edginess, not his 'philosophy'. And in case you forgot, as a whole, the Azerothians don't like him.


"Also, Alleria is not evil, doesn't have evil intentions, and wouldn't be a villain". She not only literally pushed a paladin into committing war crimes with her, namely the torture of non-combatants civilians, but she didn't even flinch or show the slightest bit of remorse when Jaina confronted her about it.

And no, claiming you're doing it "for the greater good" does not suddenly erase or even make up for the fact you were torturing civilians.

"And no, claiming you're doing it "for the greater good" does not suddenly erase or even make up for the fact you were torturing civilians." - worked for the Horde 99% of the time.

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The appeal of the Alliance to me is my affinity toward "good" in a fantasy story. But "good" tends to be bland, as others have noted. I think the best way to make the Alliance more popular and interesting is, as the first page or two of replies has said, add internal conflict within the Alliance. Conflict that is more than just leaders pounding their fists and walking away broodily during a cutscene. I thought the Night Elf story with Tyrande could have been an interesting way to cut the Night Elves from the Alliance. In the future, making the Dwarves more nuanced instead of generic fantasy dwarves would be a great appeal. Also, dropping the bubbly, Pixar movie style dialogue from the game and (re)introducing darker tones to the game would be a great improvement.

Internal struggle is pointless since MAIN GRIPE of the faction is being externally weak, pathetic and impotent. What Alliance needs is a show of force and competence for once.

[Jackstraw]

If you want alliance plentiful again you just give them the best racials and not nerf bosses til wf raiders switch over and all the meta slaves with them ez.

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I dont think ppl give 2 shits about the story compared to how thier characters power levels are

Alliance racials are already better. The community is just more rooted on the Horde side, and at this point the only thing that can change the landscape is dissolving both factions into one.

[VladlTutushkin]

Alliance racials are already better. The community is just more rooted on the Horde side, and at this point the only thing that can change the landscape is dissolving both factions into one.

"Better"? 0.5% is not "better".

Blizz overbuffed Horde racials and gave them blood elves in BC and it basically swung community to their side, combined with Blizzcon insults towards Alliance, and etc.

[Arikara]

they could make a "look guys, Hyjal is now 200% restored ! the night elves got their immortality back and now are as savage as they were back in WC3"

That sure is a thing they could do. It'd be meaningless if they didn't do it right. They don't have the guts to do it right, as it would require putting the world itself in the centerstage and making each individual faction be actually meaningful, rather than just being a coat of paint that you can take or leave.

It doesn't really fit with the way MMOs have always gone about things

[Friedrich]

I think the golden opportunity was in Cataclysm and MOP, Varian should have taken Garrosh`s place and lead the Alliance down the dark path of vengeance against the Horde and Garrosh only managing to halt the Alliance onslaught by demonstrating proper honour on the field and swaying a part of the Alliance leaders to back away from the war.

This event would have given the Alliance the iniative in the conflict and litteraly eliminate the Mery Sue, knight in shining armour do gooder image the Alliance has.

It would have made both factions truely gray with the Alliance point at the first and second wars and the Horde pointing at this forth war.

But Blizzard had to go down the rabbit whole with Horde bad - Alliance good trope.

[Varodoc]

I mean, they basically do whatever they want with races, not a shred of care for continuity or lore accuracy - might as well do some positive changes then.

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"And no, claiming you're doing it "for the greater good" does not suddenly erase or even make up for the fact you were torturing civilians." - worked for the Horde 99% of the time.

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Internal struggle is pointless since MAIN GRIPE of the faction is being externally weak, pathetic and impotent. What Alliance needs is a show of force and competence for once.

The sheer GALL of blaming Alleria for something that the Forsaken regularly do

Actually, at least Alleria tortured those arrogant loyalists (one of which spat on her face after she was given the opportunity to talk) to find valuable intel on Sylvanas, so that they could find Sylvanas and stop her from causing further harm.

The Forsaken have been performing human experiments since forever for generic pure evil reasons.

[HansOlo]

"Better"? 0.5% is not "better".

Blizz overbuffed Horde racials and gave them blood elves in BC and it basically swung community to their side, combined with Blizzcon insults towards Alliance, and etc.

Humans got the best PvP racical for almost 2 decades(20 years).

This didn't stop people from playing horde.

And if you look at the top 3 guilds in the world - they don't necessarily roll the best race.

I think the problem is that the alliance is too boring, generic and sterilized.

[haediff]

Humans got the best PvP racical for almost 2 decades(20 years).

This didn't stop people from playing horde.

And if you look at the top 3 guilds in the world - they don't necessarily roll the best race.

I think the problem is that the alliance is too boring, generic and sterilized.

20 years?? It was added in Wrath and it 100% stopped people from playing Horde because all of the top PvPers transferred to Alliance.

[VladlTutushkin]

Humans got the best PvP racical for almost 2 decades(20 years).

This didn't stop people from playing horde.

And if you look at the top 3 guilds in the world - they don't necessarily roll the best race.

I think the problem is that the alliance is too boring, generic and sterilized.

Humans were the most popular Alliance race for that reason. And then Blizz nerfed it and just sped up the process...

[Jackstraw]

"Better"? 0.5% is not "better".

Blizz overbuffed Horde racials and gave them blood elves in BC and it basically swung community to their side, combined with Blizzcon insults towards Alliance, and etc.

The overbuff is apparent in older versions of the game, where the split was more 50/50. As far as PvP goes, no racial will ever be as strong as Every Man for Himself as it existed up until Legion.
The Alliance problem is its community, not its perception.

I think the golden opportunity was in Cataclysm and MOP, Varian should have taken Garrosh`s place and lead the Alliance down the dark path of vengeance against the Horde and Garrosh only managing to halt the Alliance onslaught by demonstrating proper honour on the field and swaying a part of the Alliance leaders to back away from the war.

This event would have given the Alliance the iniative in the conflict and litteraly eliminate the Mery Sue, knight in shining armour do gooder image the Alliance has.

It would have made both factions truely gray with the Alliance point at the first and second wars and the Horde pointing at this forth war.

But Blizzard had to go down the rabbit whole with Horde bad - Alliance good trope.

You can't do much really. The fanbase rejects any iteration of the Alliance not based on Alliance good.
Case in point: the usual Vulpera Eradication squads.

[VladlTutushkin]

The overbuff is apparent in older versions of the game, where the split was more 50/50. As far as PvP goes, no racial will ever be as strong as Every Man for Himself as it existed up until Legion.
The Alliance problem is its community, not its perception.



You can't do much really. The fanbase rejects any iteration of the Alliance not based on Alliance good.
Case in point: the usual Vulpera Eradication squads.

You mistaking oranges for apples... as horde always does.

Vulper Purge Squads were disliked for how FUCKEN DUMB it was. WHY would Alliance waste actual purge on... vulpera?

Horde just genocided an Alliance race and instead of retaliating against actual perpetrators Alliance goes to purge vulpera caravans. Its was ridiculous and clearly only there to try and make a false equivalency.

Alliance players want to hit the Horde "core" like Horde hits Alliance "core" races - night elves, humans and etc. Purge of Forsaken would have been cheered on by whole community, massacre of orcs would be widely celebrated and even giving blood elves an "Arthas flashback" would be approved of.