Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Nymrohd]

since midnight is one week away we can pretty much assume that those 3+ shorts before an expansion are a thing of the past. this is the second expansion in a row where we only get one.

should have released more of those instead of making 10 ads for housing+ 1 cinematic

If the housing ads gets them subscriptions, then they are the right choice. I'm not sure I wanted an Arator short . . .

[Civciv]

since midnight is one week away we can pretty much assume that those 3+ shorts before an expansion are a thing of the past. this is the second expansion in a row where we only get one.

should have released more of those instead of making 10 ads for housing+ 1 cinematic

To be fair we did get 3, it's just not in the same format. We got Umbric first, Xal second and then Zul'jarra.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

We got two Short Stories which was additive, we got one Animated Short and people still clamor to there being some sort of Arator short. But again, this expansions' base seems to actually be better than The War Within. Of course, the problem is the follow up into the Live Service as per usual.

[Nymrohd]

So what will the Midnight abbreviation be? Will it be Mid?

[milkmustache]

I'm not totally surprised about the change in approach to the shorts (because I think the Umbric & Zul'jarra stories count), but I am surprised we didn't get a second cinematic with pre-patch. We should probably get one with launch or EA. I wish we could see the Amani in cinematic form.

[Nymrohd]

We got two Short Stories which was additive, we got one Animated Short and people still clamor to there being some sort of Arator short. But again, this expansions' base seems to actually be better than The War Within. Of course, the problem is the follow up into the Live Service as per usual.

I want something on the production level of Warbringers

[Hitei]

I want something on the production level of Warbringers

Jaina is really the only standout warbringer short (because of the song). The others aren't particularly different from the Xal or Ansurek shorts.

[Civciv]

Jaina is really the only standout warbringer short (because of the song). The others aren't particularly different from the Xal or Ansurek shorts.

They'll never be able to top that I fear, it's too good.

[Cheezits]

There should be an Arator short either this week or next, as it was mentioned in beta during the intro questline.

[Reive]

the guy who made warbringers: jaina left 2 years ago

[Hearthfinder]

Laurel D. Austin was responsible for the art style of the animated shorts from Shaohao, Warbringers, etc. until just a few years ago, when she left for Moonshot Studios. Now they're outsourced.

No disrespect to the studio behind the newer ones but they've really lost that magic.

[Nymrohd]

Jaina is really the only standout warbringer short (because of the song). The others aren't particularly different from the Xal or Ansurek shorts.

All three had emotional and narrative impact. Heck, I'd be ok with something on the level of the Ardenweald short.

[Merryck]

So what will the Midnight abbreviation be? Will it be Mid?

It doesn't need to be abbreviated. Like Legion.

[Super Dickmann]

If the housing ads gets them subscriptions, then they are the right choice. I'm not sure I wanted an Arator short . . .

The dialogue suggests we'll get one. Anduin Arator will sneak up on us next week or the one after. This was revealed to me personally by Metzen while I desperately cried out from my cage, telling him not to rename the game to Friendcraft.

[Alanar]

Jaina is really the only standout warbringer short (because of the song). The others aren't particularly different from the Xal or Ansurek shorts.

I liked the Azshara one more tbh, but thats me not liking Jaina.

[Hitei]

All three had emotional and narrative impact. Heck, I'd be ok with something on the level of the Ardenweald short.

N'zoth and Ny'alotha's involvement and Sylvanas burning down a major zone had emotional and narrative impact. I like both of those shorts, but Sylvanas' is... good--just good--beyond the inflammatory event. It's of similar quality to the rest of the shorts. Azshara's is actually probably the lowest of the three in terms of production quality, and coasts entirely on just being a depiction of very famous and well known things even though it is my personal favorite of those three.


This is really just old good, new bad.


Shaohao's production quality is, uncontestably, the weakest. It came first and it shows. It is much more static, the motion involved simple panning or zooming and often aimless, the sound production is bare bones, the narration is singular because it's just Cummings as Cho telling a story. The fundamentals like lighting and contrast, composition and cinematic framing, color, etc. are all much weaker (I'm guessing because they had no idea how it was going to land and didn't want to commit more of her time to the project than necessary). As a what was likely just an experimental one-off, it is slapdash. People praise it because it was the first and new and exciting, but it is really the bottom baseline.

Lords of War is largely remembered for Kargath, because it was the standout. Durotan, Kilrogg, and Maraad's are all forgetable but still noticeably higher production quality and effort than Shaohao. Gromm's is interesting, more for the drama of its plot than the production quality which is about the same.

Gul'dan is the only Harbinger short worth talking about. Illidan and Khadgar's shorts are both fine. Though I think the production quality remains about consistent with the Lords of War, maybe slightly higher, there are occasionally much more rendered shots.

Warbringers are a step up in production quality over the previous three series. The art is notable higher, polished quality than a lot of the non-major shots of the previous series. As above, Jaina is the standout.

Afterlives maintains the same quality. It is well put together, the art and sound solid. I do not think it reaches the level of Jaina, but they are easily on par with Sylvanas and Azshara, if lacking the specific emotional spectacle of burning down Teldrassil and "N'ZOTH IS HERE FINALLY!!!!! NY'ALOTHA!"

Legacies is lower quality than the previous two. about the same level as Lords of War and Harbingers. It retains the much higher production quality in terms of animation and sound design that began to edge in to those two.

Threads of Destiny's (and Supremacy's) production quality is very comfortably on par with Warbringers and Afterlives. Full art pieces rather than the sketchier incomplete look that Shaohao was entirely made of, and Lords of War and Harbingers stilll had outside of very specific shots. Actual voice acting instead of narration, higher sound production quality, significantly more motion and animation.

Spoiler: 

[KOUNTERPARTS]

So what will the Midnight abbreviation be? Will it be Mid?

It doesn't need to be abbreviated. Like Legion.

Probably just "MN" but also interchangeably with "Midnight" when it comes to the icons used.

[Lady Atia]

All three had emotional and narrative impact. Heck, I'd be ok with something on the level of the Ardenweald short.

No. The ardenweald one was the biggest bullshit they ever released.

#justiceforthebear

[Joshuaj]

So what will the Midnight abbreviation be? Will it be Mid?

OG
TBC
WoTLK
CC
MoP
WoD
LG
BFA
SL
DF
TWW
MN
TLT

- - - Updated - - -

OG is for original WoW btw.

[Lady Atia]

OG
TBC
WoTLK
CC
MoP
WoD
LG
BFA
SL
DF
TWW
MN
TLT

- - - Updated - - -

OG is for original WoW btw.

Cataclysm was Cata, Legion was just called Legion.