Mists of Pandaria Asian Chinese style expansion

[shadowmouse]

Now we have Asian theme that permeates thoroughly MOP and Pandaria. It is overwhelming, very dominant. It is not sufficiently diluted with other stuff as it used to be in previous expansions.

That's probably the whole point of Pandaria. It *isn't* the World of Warcraft that we're used to and that is the stage for a return to Alliance vs Horde.

From a design standpoint, it was a huge risk. It could have triggered a worse mess than WotLK in terms of getting it released in China, and another mess like that would have caused subscriptions to bleed like an artery had been slashed. It could have flopped with Asian gamers -- those Asian themes you're talking about put them going head to head with popular, local games. It also opened up the various less than congenial relations between different parts of Asia as something that might cause a player backlash. That's just on the Asian side, and there are ample threads here to show the various reactions to MoP outside of Asia.

MoP put the conflict and characters into a different setting that allows Blizz to address things in relative isolation from existing lore, with at least some explanation for why they've done so. That's probably a good thing. As an artificial solution, I find it easier to swallow than the now obligatory ritual of "and once again you won't be able to fly until level cap" where they've stopped even trying to offer any justification other than game design. Over the course of MoP, we can expect to see them move along on Varian, Garrosh, and even Wrathion, the graphics are just window dressing.

[Redmage]

I agree with OP, the Chinese theme just isn't fitting for me.

[Waniou]

Except it totally is.

I see at least four or so different styles of buildings there.

Also, I loved the two different shots of the Serpent's Spine (Which is definitely not based on any form of Great Wall or anything, and certainly doesn't have a huge amount of in-lore justification for its existence about trying to keep the crazed Mantid away from everything else or anything like that) and trying to act like they're different things that are being overused. Which is like taking a screenshot of Dalaran from Icecrown, then another from Crystalsong Forest and using that to try claim that Icecrown and Crystalsong Forest are too similar. And I love that one of those shots of the Spine is from Dread Wastes, because that's basically the only Asian themed area in the zone (Except for the small base right to the south). Which is a bit like taking a screenshot of Dalaran from Icecrown and trying to claim there's too much mage architecture in Icecrown.

[BatteredRose]

Are you a fan of Asian style expansion? To me atleast the chines style very irritating. Dont really like to play in Pandaria. Only playing alts and some lvl 90 pvp. The chines are just so not fitting to wow.

Considering the large amount of cultural diversity in the rest of the game (some of which don't fit each other or the "WoW theme" as you put it)... are you Asia-phobic (<-technical term) or something?

That being said, that's like saying the Chinese aren't fitting to Earth. Azeroth is a large diverse planet, several different cultures spread over it. It's the epitome of ignorance to think that everyone on the planet would be the same culture/etc.

[Justignoreme]

I don't believe you ever asked about the diversity, but I'll still answer your question.

You mentioned diversity, not me, so ya, explain it.

Outland had Zangamarsh, while little NE architecture is used in that zone, some buildings and places utilize the massive mushrooms in the zone.

Teldredor was a Draenei building in a mushroom.

Blade's Edge, which has a completely diverse situation, with very little architecture other than the Gnomes', and also had interesting and new Ogre architecture.

Ogre architecture is just really big Orc architecture...

Netherstorm was completely unique, with the utilization of the Ethereals and their mysterious architecture.

Ethereals didn't have any architecture beyond the Stormspire which wasn't much different from Draenei buildings hold more glowing accents.

With the examples you given, there's already more unique stuff in Pandaria.

Jinyu architecture is unique and looks more like naga buildings than anything else. Hozen live in simple dwellings. Yaungol have their own unique looking camps complete with oil pumps and windmills. Mantids are unique. Mogu/Pandaren buildings are the most prominent, but not the only thing.

[nightfalls]

Too Asian? What should Blizzard have done, turn down the Asian-o-meter? Added knights in shining armour everywhere? Hell, some of the pandaren farmers speak like Americans. If they'd made everything too different you'd all be complaining about how the clash of cultures is just weird. If you think it's all the same, granted they do all look pretty similar, but I could draw distinctions between them quite quickly and appreciate that.

But people are willing to overlook all that because they think it's too Asian. Pretty silly, really.

If you want a dose of "too Asian," go watch some 14-year-old anime.

Granted I mainly raid more than I listen to lore, but the game doesn't feel overly Asian to me. It would be overdone if WoW stayed like this forever, but there's always next expansion which will probably not be Asian themed.

[Waniou]

Ethereals didn't have any architecture beyond the Stormspire which wasn't much different from Draenei buildings hold more glowing accents.

Not to mention there being Draenei ruins in more than a few places in Netherstorm.

[Deleted]

The Asian theme isn't my favorite but I really don't have a problem with it. If the entire game was done in the archetypal medievel Europe high-fantasy style it would have gotten old a lot sooner than it did.

Really? If u look at fps shooters those have been about same style games last 10 years, just graphical updates and they're still popular. Counter-strike is good example. I dont think it really is about changing styles, it's creating environment what players really like.

[Razorice]

I'm indifferent.

[Deleted]

That being said, that's like saying the Chinese aren't fitting to Earth.

Wow.. what a stupid deduction. What someone doesnt like in video game doesnt necessarily resonate to what they think of Asian culture IRL. For example for me I just dont like it in wow setting. Simple as that.

[Zoma]

I've never understood why people expect a fantasy world to have less themes/cultures than the real world.

[thoruga]

I don't know much about chinese culture and mythologies. My only previous experience was Jade Empire and I liked it back then. With WoW, it feels a bit out of place imo, but not irritating or disturbing.

[Uennie]

Well that's maybe because u are an asian?

This is amazingly racist hahaha.

[Drithien]

Well that's maybe because u are an asian?

Have you thought of the possibility that a lot of people play videogames to experience activities that are not part of their daily lives? Why does someone have to be asian to enjoy Mists? Are you from the 12th century or something? Because by your logic that's the only way you would enjoy a medieval fantasy-themed game such as World of WarCraft. And do you like, hm, elves? Are you an elf in case you do?

In general, lots of people play videogames, watch movies, read books, etc to have new experiences. Not do more of the same that they do in everyday life. And so with Mists, the asian theme is enjoyable by more than just asian people. In fact, I think a lot of asians may not care much for it, because, you know, they have already seen tons of such stuff already.

[Deleted]

Have you thought of the possibility that a lot of people play videogames to experience activities that are not part of their daily lives.

The "maybe u are asian?" thing was just a joke, I dont even know the guy.

[poogle]

I quite like it because it is refreshingly different to previous WoW settings. I especially like the style of elementals & sha.

[Uennie]

The "maybe u are asian?" thing was just a joke, I dont even know the guy.

Discrediting a person's opinion by "jokingly" saying that the only way they could like something is if they're of the race it's from.

Right.

[LilSaihah]

I've never understood why people expect a fantasy world to have less themes/cultures than the real world.

That's not quite the problem, though to try to have as many themes/cultures in the real world raises the question of why you're not just going into the real world. The problem is of a number of visual elements that are diverse enough to remain interesting, without expanding the range so much that you don't know what's going on.

In Outland you have a very wide range of architectural aesthetics to look at, between the Fel Horde, the Burning Legion, Arrakoa, the Blood Elves and the Draenei, these are all distinct aesthetic series, and the zones themselves include aesthetics already in the game. I think the only major set of aesthetics that gets left out is Undead of both flavours.

In Northrend, the scope tightened a teensy bit, but you still had a good bit of range. You have Scourge, Titan, Vrykul, Taunka, Blue Flight, and new palettes for the Forsaken, Alliance, Horde and Trolls.

In Cataclysm it went too far in the other direction! Just about the only consistent aesthetic element between zones were the various bits of swirly metal that the Twilight Cult had.

Now we have Mogu, Pandaren, Termites and Yaungol, and that's more or less it. The aesthetic focus was overtightened from Cataclysm; the players have been pulled from no constant visual elements at all except swirly metal, to having those Mogu and Pandaren art elements shoved in your face in just about every zone. You're simultaneously divorced from the familiar setting's visuals and smothered with the new setting's.

[Ettan]

I dont hate asian themes per say. I really liked shogun I/II total war.
But it does not mix well with wow for me. For it to work for me it would have to have a much larger sense of realism to it. Pandaria filled with actual humans, samurai (mail/lamennar warriors) & sohei (polearm/bow/leather class, hunter-rogue mashup). It would also have to have alot more of actual mythology to it (dragons/emperors/massive battles) and just cut the whole sha thing.

[Drithien]

The "maybe u are asian?" thing was just a joke, I dont even know the guy.

I was not implying that you were offensive to him. And neither was I trying to be offensive towards you. Sorry if it seemed that way. But that idea that somehow asian themes in games are only for asians is bewildering to me and I wanted to adress it.