Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Nathanyel]

In my opinion it wasn’t well balanced. I prefer a cinematic that balances out emotion, epic moments, actions. I also prefer showing instead of telling. For example, i like both the Frostfire Ridge and Shadowmoon Valley ingame cinematics from WoD a lot. They had everything in it a good cinematic needs. Emotional scenes, epic scenes, action, great music in the right moment.

So because Anduin and Thrall were talking, it was only Tell, not Show? Because it showed a lot, mostly about Anduin's state, but also about the visions and what they might mean.
Also, you're comparing it to zone finale cutscenes, of course those are action-packed, they're bookends of that zone's story, not teasers of upcoming content.

To simplify it, this is due to a different approach to the core threat: it doesn't arrive screaming like the Iron Horde or the Legion, but will be revealed as the 11.0 story develops, and it begins with the people of Azeroth investigating these visions and where they lead them.

I’m not logging into WoW to experience depressed characters left and right and their therapy sessions

Forsaken are tormented by their lingering emotions, Blood Elves were addicts when introduced. Gnomes and Darkspear are basically refugees, forced to abandon their home a few years prior to the start of WoW.
But yeah, if you haven't played Shadowlands (watching reaction videos to the cinematics doesn't count) of course you don't get why Anduin might feel this way.

Companion:
I don’t like this iteration. I’m played a Maghar Orc Blackrock warrior, Blood Elf warlock, Zandalari shaman and Orc shaman as my mains. I would have preferred a character from the Reliquary to accompany me instead of Brann Bronzebeard.

Well, it's only Brann in 11.0, they stated that later seasons would have other companions. Brann is just the Explorer of the Warcraft universe, so he's obviously the first choice.
Ideally, a Reliquary/Horde character would be used in 11.1

[Raetary]

I also prefer showing instead of telling.

The cinematic was almost entirely Show, don't Tell.

[Nymrohd]

The cinematic was almost entirely Show, don't Tell.

I'd say it's neither. It doesn't show or tell much.

[Raetary]

I'd say it's neither. It doesn't show or tell much.

It showed Anduins current physical and mental state, it showed the World Soul and its growing ability to communicate, it showed Thralls connection to the planet and his relationship to Anduin, it showed the Sword and sets up its relevance.
It showed plenty, it just didn't show much that we weren't already aware of to some extent

[Vakir]

I'd say it's neither. It doesn't show or tell much.

It'd show a decent amount...if it wasn't stuff we already knew.

Anduin is traumatized, Varian is a spirit connected to him maybe?

HydaelAzeroth is a world soul that can chat with people not-Magni now, there's a big honkin' sword dug in that everyone remembers now.

It's about 95% stuff we're aware of. Some are valid reminders but some are just straight up answered mysteries. If not for Chronicle and...like all of BFA, Azeroth speaking and the nature of the Titans would be a megaton bomb to unveil, but...

[Nathanyel]

It's about 95% stuff we're aware of. Some are valid reminders but some are just straight up answered mysteries. If not for Chronicle and...like all of BFA, Azeroth speaking and the nature of the Titans would be a megaton bomb to unveil, but...

About that, I'd say at first, there'll be hints that the voice might not actually be Azeroth, explaining Thrall's hesitant statement, but eventually it's revealed that those hints are false flags by Xal'atath et al. to sow doubts or co-opt the as-yet cryptic messages.

[Nymrohd]

It showed Anduins current physical and mental state, it showed the World Soul and its growing ability to communicate, it showed Thralls connection to the planet and his relationship to Anduin, it showed the Sword and sets up its relevance.
It showed plenty, it just didn't show much that we weren't already aware of to some extent

That's not really the story of the world though. It's yet again more of the soap opera.

[doledippers]

That's not really the story of the world though. It's yet again more of the soap opera.

the entire premise of the worldsoul saga is that the world soul of azeroth is awakening, it quite literally is the story of the world

[Raetary]

That's not really the story of the world though. It's yet again more of the soap opera.

Yes, the cinematic was character driven rather than focused on worldbuilding.
That still doesn't change that it showed all of its contents rather than telling us.

[Nymrohd]

the entire premise of the worldsoul saga is that the world soul of azeroth is awakening, it quite literally is the story of the world

And that is a very minor part of the cinematic, most of which is about Anduin's trauma which for some reason he talks about with Thrall instead of any character he actually has a relation with or at least a character of his own age or one that went through something similar.

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It'd show a decent amount...if it wasn't stuff we already knew.

Anduin is traumatized, Varian is a spirit connected to him maybe?

HydaelAzeroth is a world soul that can chat with people not-Magni now, there's a big honkin' sword dug in that everyone remembers now.

It's about 95% stuff we're aware of. Some are valid reminders but some are just straight up answered mysteries. If not for Chronicle and...like all of BFA, Azeroth speaking and the nature of the Titans would be a megaton bomb to unveil, but...

I mean we quest with Magni talking with Argus and then Eonar throughout the Argus campaign. In the audio short story we see Argus talking to Alleria and how she realizes how World Souls are formed and that Azeroth is one.

The part were Anduin and Thrall wonder who that is was just genuinely head scratch moment.

[Sondrelk]

And that is a very minor part of the cinematic, most of which is about Anduin's trauma which for some reason he talks about with Thrall instead of any character he actually has a relation with or at least a character of his own age or one that went through something similar.

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I mean we quest with Magni talking with Argus and then Eonar throughout the Argus campaign. In the audio short story we see Argus talking to Alleria and how she realizes how World Souls are formed and that Azeroth is one.

The part were Anduin and Thrall wonder who that is was just genuinely head scratch moment.

Thrall does say he isn't sure though, not that he has no clue. This is presumably why they are even in Silithus to begin with, to talk to Magni about confirming whether it's Azeroth or not.

[Murlocos]

I think it'd be more accurate to say that this is more about the debate of action scenes vs. characters talking to each other rather than show vs. tell (not that this isn't another major issue). Even then, I'd critique that it's not just an abundance of cutscenes of characters talking, but that the scenes are often shot in a way that there's little else going on besides the characters talking. The improved facial animations and lip sync are undoubtedly a positive, but there's often nothing else to look at but character's faces.

I'm not sure how much of it is intentional and how much not, but the way I'd describe a lot of recent cinematics is that they lack a certain grandiosity and energy that cutscenes from WoD or Legion had. 'Subdued introspection' is such a dominant presence that the few bits of action we get typically feel weightless and forgettable. I'd describe it as feeling smaller than life, like we should be getting some striking shots and serious character presence, but instead they're just slowly pacing around a room speaking equally as slowly with inside voices.

The Anduin questline cutscene from 7.2 is a perfect example of a cutscene where you can dumb it down to characters just talking, but the execution makes it an exciting moment of triumph by the end.

[Vakir]

About that, I'd say at first, there'll be hints that the voice might not actually be Azeroth, explaining Thrall's hesitant statement, but eventually it's revealed that those hints are false flags by Xal'atath et al. to sow doubts or co-opt the as-yet cryptic messages.

I'm hoping there's more to it, but unless Magni buys the farm SO fast we can't communicate with him for a second, it feels like it would be easy for him to confirm or deny it.

WoW's plot, for all the bad decisions, usually follows the simplest and most predictable path in the least interesting way.

Thrall and Anduin's trepidation just reads as someone strangely in the dark on it.

[Kiria]

*Sigh* Why do I get the feeling High end Raiders are going to try and ruin content for Solo/small group players again, Just saw a video of Tali moaning he will feel "Obligated" to do Delves just because they reward gear and he "Needs" to fill out his Vault weekly, I mean fuck you Tali we solo small players are not just Trash we have other things going on in life like kids and jobs and your fucking job is playing WoW, I really hope these elitist assholes don't ruin something potentially good again.

I'm not linking his video because I don't wish to support him but this is the sort of mindset most High End Raiders hold because they fucking live in WoW, no ones asking for their things to be taken away and the small glimmer of a solo gearing path for people is promising but these guys are asking for it to be removed.

It's ironic the minority are the loudest as I read only 7% of the playerbase actually got AOTC from Sarthek (whatever his name is) and trhis was recorded back in Nov just before 1.2 dropped.

[Nymrohd]

*Sigh* Why do I get the feeling High end Raiders are going to try and ruin content for Solo/small group players again, Just saw a video of Tali moaning he will feel "Obligated" to do Delves just because they reward gear and he "Needs" to fill out his Vault weekly, I mean fuck you Tali we solo small players are not just Trash we have other things going on in life like kids and jobs and your fucking job is playing WoW, I really hope these elitist assholes don't ruin something potentially good again.

Yeah I think if they do with Delves what they did with Torghast, we shouldn't call out the devs, we should straight up clog the streamers' channels.

[Kiria]

Yeah I think if they do with Delves what they did with Torghast, we shouldn't call out the devs, we should straight up clog the streamers' channels.

Torghast had promise, and it was nerfed into the ground to become a massive chore, these so called "influencers" are a plague.

[Makabreska]

Torghast had promise, and it was nerfed into the ground to become a massive chore, these so called "influencers" are a plague.

Dunno. Original Torghast build of quickly getting OP and one-shotting everything with one million Ice Lance also seemed dull.

[Kiria]

Dunno. Original Torghast build of quickly getting OP and one-shotting everything with one million Ice Lance also seemed dull.

Oh yeah it probably needed toning down and balancing but it was outright nerfed into oblivion and went from something potentially fun into a hated weekly chore that was mandatory.

[Lady Atia]

*Sigh* Why do I get the feeling High end Raiders are going to try and ruin content for Solo/small group players again, Just saw a video of Tali moaning he will feel "Obligated" to do Delves just because they reward gear and he "Needs" to fill out his Vault weekly, I mean fuck you Tali we solo small players are not just Trash we have other things going on in life like kids and jobs and your fucking job is playing WoW, I really hope these elitist assholes don't ruin something potentially good again.

I'm not linking his video because I don't wish to support him but this is the sort of mindset most High End Raiders hold because they fucking live in WoW, no ones asking for their things to be taken away and the small glimmer of a solo gearing path for people is promising but these guys are asking for it to be removed.

It's ironic the minority are the loudest as I read only 7% of the playerbase actually got AOTC from Sarthek (whatever his name is) and trhis was recorded back in Nov just before 1.2 dropped.

Wait, do you really think Tali is a high end raider? He barely manages to get his KSM mounts each season and I think he only does HC raid.

Also, 18% of current active players got AotC Sarkareth. Cutting Edge was 2%.

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Torghast had promise, and it was nerfed into the ground to become a massive chore, these so called "influencers" are a plague.

Also, influencers loved Torghast, it's no ones fault but Blizzards with what happened to Torghast lol.

[Kiria]

Wait, do you really think Tali is a high end raider? He barely manages to get his KSM mounts each season and I think he only does HC raid.

Also, 18% of current active players got AotC Sarkareth. Cutting Edge was 2%.

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Also, influencers loved Torghast, it's no ones fault but Blizzards with what happened to Torghast lol.

Oh I agree, but Tali currently is giving off that complete Elitist asshole attitude and I used to think he was alright but i definitely dont agree with his stance on this.

Blizz detected fun with all the races and competitions streamers were having with Torghast and nerfed it accordingly, Bobby decreed "No fun allowed".