WoW Expansion Rumor Control [Archive]

bapenguin

10-31-2005, 11:25 AM

GamingSteve (http://www.gamingsteve.com) has put together a bit of rumor control (http://www.gamingsteve.com/archives/2005/10/rumor_control_w_1.php) on the recently announced World of Warcraft expansion pack.

Questions/answers that are covered include:

. Why is the Horde getting the Blood Elves?
. But weren't the Blood Elves/High Elves on the side of the Alliance?
. So what is the new Alliance race going to be?
. Why NOT the Pandaren? Why are so many other sites reporting the Pandaren as the new Alliance race?
. Why raise the level cap to 70?
. When is expansion coming out?
. So what about those rumors about Starcraft 2 or Diablo 3 being revealed at Blizzcon?

Ajezz

10-31-2005, 11:44 AM

What I want to know is what is this "politically charged" situation regarding the panderans? Is it really that China was pissed?

Achilles

10-31-2005, 11:47 AM

What I want to know is what is this "politically charged" situation regarding the panderans? Is it really that China was pissed?Judging from the fact that they said the Padaran NPCs would be invincible I'd say it's probably because it's illegal to kill a panda bear in China. Just one of the hurdles of international game making. For example I believe you cannot use the word Pope in any game shipped in Italy, even in a fantasy context.

Klade

10-31-2005, 11:51 AM

Likewise I had heard that the chinese were throwing a fit about being able to kill pandas.

Most of this article has already been out there or can be figured out through deducation. But I am interested in the release date of Christmas 2006. I want to know where they got that from or if they are just making it up.

ÜberJumper

10-31-2005, 11:55 AM

Starcraft 2!

Ajezz

10-31-2005, 11:56 AM

Kefkataran

10-31-2005, 11:56 AM

Interesting read, but a lot of it seems to be pretty uncertain info spoken with certainty, such as the Christmas 2006 release date. Grain of salt, taken.

Voodoo

10-31-2005, 12:04 PM

LOL!!! Here to hoping that instead of Pandas that the smelly Alliance gets those ugly Draeni! Ha! Funny stuff. I can't wait to see the first one looking at me with their goofy gaping mouth. Ha!

daedal

10-31-2005, 12:14 PM

Still a year to go.. I'll probably have quit WoW by then.

Klade

10-31-2005, 12:18 PM

If that's the case, I would have thought there's a simple workaround - I mean they're not pandas they're panderans... Who's to say they're all panda coloured (black and white fur pattern), after all the only guy who's been seen so far is the one in WC3.

Just don't make the panda colour scheme available - I mean it isn't as if there wasn't going to be any variation in "skin" colour anyway...

It's just so bizarre... I mean it's a fantasy RPG with lots of animal people in it, it's not quite a Deer Hunter 37: Bamboo Massacre

Heh its a govt, they are not total idiots. Saying they aren't Panda's they are "panderans" isn't going to fly. And having Blue and White bears spotted just like a panda and also called a "panderan" isn't going to fool them either. Especially given the history blizzard has with pandas. Plus the chinese market is too big and worth too much for them to screw around with it.

Ajezz

10-31-2005, 12:19 PM

Still a year to go.. I'll probably have quit WoW by then.

I may be taking my first tentative steps into MC by then

MadHiro

10-31-2005, 12:20 PM

It's just so bizarre... I mean it's a fantasy RPG with lots of animal people in it, it's not quite a Deer Hunter 37: Bamboo Massacre

I want this game so bad. Me, a shotgun, a panda call and ten square miles of bamboo jungle. Can't get better than that.

Heretic Machine

10-31-2005, 12:24 PM

Well great, China kills any chance I had of ever having a renewed interest in WoW. Good job you communist bastards.

PixelSamurai

10-31-2005, 12:29 PM

Sure glad I don't live in China. Can anyone explain to me how killing a pandaren has anything to do with real pandas in China? Do they think people will pick up some kind of panda "bloodlust" and assassinate the last few pandas who refuse to have sex? They should just make a version of the expansion for China, where anything targeting a pandaren fires out bubbles and candy canes, and instead of a death animation he hugs you...Or make it take 3 hours to kill a pandaren.

Ajezz

10-31-2005, 12:41 PM

Heh its a govt, they are not total idiots. Saying they aren't Panda's they are "panderans" isn't going to fly. And having Blue and White bears spotted just like a panda and also called a "panderan" isn't going to fool them either. Especially given the history blizzard has with pandas. Plus the chinese market is too big and worth too much for them to screw around with it.

Did they run into the same panda troubles with the chinese release of WC3?

I can't say I care much whether or not the panderans are in the game or not I just find the whole situation funny, I visualize the boardroom meeting with whoever would veto/censor this type of thing going something like this:

Blizzard: We want to release an expansion to our game in your country
China's Representative: Hmmmm, maybe... Is it a violent game?
B: Very
CR: Excellent. Can you kill people?
B: Lots
CR: Very nice. With what means, guns or melee weapons?
B: Both
CR: Very good, ok can you do violence to children?
B: Not exactly, but you can kill midgets...
CR: Is there any sex in the game?
B: No but all the elf chicks dance like strippers
CR: Hmmmm, Is there any democracy references in the game?
B: No
CR: That's great, can you kill animals too?
B: Oh yeah, lots of different types
CR (Raises Eyebrow): Oh really, can you kill bears?
B: Yes lots
CR(Frowns): Brown bears?
B: Yes
CR: Black Bears?
B: Yes
CR: Diseased Bears?
B: Yes
CR: Bear people?
B: Yes
CR: Panda Bears?
B: No
CR: Whew, I don't think we'll have a problem, hopefully we will have a great business relationship
B: Thank you (Gets up to leave)
CR:One second Mr. Blizzard I forgot to ask one last question on my list...
B: Yes
CR: Does your game have a playable race of panda bear-like samurai warriors?
B: We were thinking about it...
CR: I am sorry we cannot allow our children to be exposed to such filth, your game cannot be released in China without major revisions

ezra

10-31-2005, 12:45 PM

Ajezz, you win the thread.

UnderHero5

10-31-2005, 12:57 PM

The fact that they killed Pandas (or panda like beings) can't really be why... can it?

Does China seriouosly have a problem killing virtual panda's because it's ILLEGAL??

Last I checked a LOT of things one does in a videogame are illegal (killing people? stealing? etc).

Freaking China!!!

Oh, and I don't play WoW, but just had to comment.

Citizen Philip

10-31-2005, 12:59 PM

So.. we have the US goverment that allows movies with people choping off limbs and performing all sorts of violent acts as being totally acceptable.. but HOLY SHIT you show a single breast or ass and your games start getting pulled off the shelves, because finding TITS & ASS is so hard on the internet these days.

Some of you're complaining that a country that has the only native, and endangered Panda species not wanting a video game to portray anthropomorphised Pandas being killed -an illegal act in China, as being unreasonable?

It sucks, sure. But quite frankly the Alliance need the Draeni, not something ELSE to further tip the population the wrong way.

Goronmon

10-31-2005, 01:15 PM

What I find amusing is that, assuming the reason for the Blood Elves is to balance population, then they must be purposely making an Alliance race that people won't want to play...

Citizen Philip

10-31-2005, 01:22 PM

What I find amusing is that, assuming the reason for the Blood Elves is to balance population, then they must be purposely making an Alliance race that people won't want to play...

Kind of like.. having a game with one side being all pretty and one side all ugly - with 1/4 of the number of character customization options, wasn't a recipe for unbalanced servers?

I mean hell.. half the Horde can't equip their helmets or cloaks without their weapons/shield/chin/horns breaking through the graphic!

Have you ever seen a male Troll wear pants? They look like LEOTARDS.

http://shop.rowbust.com/store/item.inetstore?id=127

I prefer the Chianti.

Zeal

10-31-2005, 01:39 PM

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. His 'facts' are vague and he's unable to back anything up with a source. Bullshit, all of it.

Ajezz

10-31-2005, 01:41 PM

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. His 'facts' or vague and he's unable to back anything up with a source. Bullshit, all of it.

but he's been playing WoW for four years! He must know what he's talking about...

Buddha Lotus

10-31-2005, 02:26 PM

This is BS..

Its the Pandarens..

Voodoo

10-31-2005, 02:43 PM

I know its the Pandarens, duh! First look at the flag for the alliance race with a smiling Panda head on it was enough for me. No stupid gaping maw on that shield creast (as in Draeni). Looks like a Pandaren smiling really big with a blue background.

Then again... Since the background is blue... That seems to me that it is something from underwater.

Look for your damn self... http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/burningcrusade/townhall/index.html

Spooky

10-31-2005, 02:49 PM

GrinR

10-31-2005, 02:57 PM

interest, interest, inter - CHRISTMAS 2006?

Interest: Deactivated.

Lint of Death

10-31-2005, 02:58 PM

I think there's substantial evidence to suggest that the Quilboars will be the new Alliance race. I mean, seriously. The Horde have effectively issued a genocide on their kind and they're being pushed out. Surely they will turn to the Alliance for help. I guarantee that they will be the new Alliance race because everyone wants to play the Quilboars, too. Trust me, I've asked around.

Voodoo

10-31-2005, 02:59 PM

Interesting observation Voodoo and while I cannot dispute your assumption I must say that it looks like the new Alliance races icon couold just as easily be the original Lion crest of Lorderon, that or its something antlers.
I digress.

Original Lion crest of Lorderon? I have never seen one of those, I've only ever see the big L crest/signage.

I agree that it looks like something with antlers too.

Sensei-X

10-31-2005, 03:04 PM

So if it turns out to be the Pandarens all those gold farmers would quit WoW? Hmm...

Murmillo

10-31-2005, 03:11 PM

ooo.. Quilboars would be a good subsitute for the Pandarens. Could even make up a "black and white" Quilboar only available for the US..

atomic_burrito

10-31-2005, 03:24 PM

Christmas 2006!? Man, that kind of kills any hype that resulted from the announcment.

Murmillo

10-31-2005, 03:27 PM

I doubt that it will be Christmas of 2006. Thats 2 years after launch. I bet its either Christmas of 2005 or early 2006

Sensei-X

10-31-2005, 04:11 PM

Well considering they haven't even made a decision as to what the Alliance race will be, and have next to nothing to show of the new content I think Christmas 2006 sounds about right. Even if Blizzard announced all the content was done tomorrow I wouldn't expect a release any time soon due to all the testing a game of this scope requires.

kurr

10-31-2005, 04:43 PM

Ugh. That whole alliance crest thing needs to die. It's the Lion Crest. It's an alliance symbol. Just like that funky rune on the horde side is the Horde symbol. We stamp it on our crates, tents, weapons, and old people who aren't swift enough. Sniff around a horde installation, and you'll see it stamped there.

Harshmage

10-31-2005, 05:56 PM

I doubt that it will be Christmas of 2006. Thats 2 years after launch. I bet its either Christmas of 2005 or early 2006

I'm almost with you on this. Not Christmas, cause I can see (SEE!) the bugs in the Blood Elf starting zone (I was there, I played it). They've got a lot more work to do just on that. However, I do believe if they work diligently, we'll see a Spring '06 release.

And I can see why Blizz isn't going to go with the Pandarens. They're not exactly a complete race yet (Hey, let me ask, where are the Pandarens from? All we've got are two continents for this world! There's no more room to claim as the Pandaren homeland!). We've had the standard Alliance and Horde races for a while, just the High/Blood Elves haven't had representation yet. The only other races I can think of as an Alliance race is the Furbolgs or Naga (only because they're there, and can claim the waters as their homeland).

Oh, and as one more prediction, the expansion AFTER this is going to be the opening of Northrend. PREDICTION ONLY! Burning Crusade probably will NOT have the ice cap. They've got too much right now to deal with anyway.

Shifteh

10-31-2005, 07:38 PM

"So if it turns out to be the Pandarens all those gold farmers would quit WoW? Hmm..."

Nice to see racial stereotyping is still going strong.

Come on guys, you don't think Blizzard'll release an expansion two years after the first game. Come on. How long does it take Blizzard to do anything?

Spigot

10-31-2005, 07:51 PM

I'm interested in this but I can wait until next Christmas. Hopefully I'll have hit level 60 by then :P

Kefkataran

10-31-2005, 08:01 PM

Come on guys, you don't think Blizzard'll release an expansion two years after the first game. Come on. How long does it take Blizzard to do anything?

I think in general, MMO expansions come faster than expansions for most other gametypes. That said, you're right. It is Blizzard. Hell.

I'm interested in this but I can wait until next Christmas. Hopefully I'll have hit level 60 by then :P

Do you play more than five minutes a week? Then you probably will have.

reimomo

10-31-2005, 08:25 PM

What I find amusing is that, assuming the reason for the Blood Elves is to balance population, then they must be purposely making an Alliance race that people won't want to play...

I think that "statistically speaking" Horde needs more breast. Sad, but true. Case in point, when my wife made her first character in WoW, and I told her I played on the horde side, she said "I have to play one of the ugly ones?" Don't suggest to your wife she play a tauren female...

Xmass 2006 is what some Blizzard executive said was about the time the expansion would come out if memory serves.

Spigot

10-31-2005, 09:30 PM

Do you play more than five minutes a week? Then you probably will have.

I do, but half the time I'm either doing instances that net me no XP aside from the quests or I'm just running around exploring.

That said, I'm probably the slowest person in a MMO. I've been playing since February and am only mid 49. Sigh. It's what I get for running around and seeing where I end up :)

Royal Fool

10-31-2005, 09:58 PM

http://www.geymslan.net/puppies/pandaren_small.jpg

What do we have here? :)

Savok

10-31-2005, 10:06 PM

http://www.battle.net/war3/pandaren/

Granted it was a joke, but that's some good stuff to work with there.

The rumor thing was a good read, but this

Remember, Blizzard owns and controls the Warcraft universe and can manipulate it however they wish.
is what killed the Star Wars prequels. When your arrogance surpasses mine, you have a serious problem.

And RF where the hell did you get that screenshot/photoshop/model thingy/whatever? It's awesome.

Savok

10-31-2005, 10:08 PM

Oh yes, if you're 60 and bored, here's an idea: make another fucking character, you can have 8 a server for a reason. Not to mention the whole other faction waiting to be played.

Kefkataran

11-01-2005, 12:33 AM

That said, I'm probably the slowest person in a MMO. I've been playing since February and am only mid 49. Sigh. It's what I get for running around and seeing where I end up

Hey, no hard feelings, I levelled up real slow in WoW myself compared to most of my friends. When my main hit 60 most my friends and guildies were hitting late 40s with alts. :p

But, yeah, I'm pretty sure you'll have NO problem being 60 with at least your main by expansion release time. Probably worked up an alt some way by then too. What server/side/class you play on?

Oh yes, if you're 60 and bored, here's an idea: make another fucking character, you can have 8 a server for a reason. Not to mention the whole other faction waiting to be played.

Yeah, for whatever reason WoW is one of those few games (especially few in the MMO market) where starting an alt and working the alt up to the cap is actually appealing to me. Probably just because playstyles are so different with different characters and I play with cool people.

Harshmage

11-01-2005, 12:44 AM

That said, I'm probably the slowest person in a MMO. I've been playing since February and am only mid 49. Sigh. It's what I get for running around and seeing where I end up :)

You think that's slow? I've been playing since January, and I'm only level 41 with my main. I like to take my time.

BigJonno

11-01-2005, 02:58 AM

Now I've never been too hot when it comes to real/fake screenshot analysis, but that looks pretty genuine to me. Where the hell did it come from?

Don't suggest to your wife she play a tauren female...

My other half loves tauren, they're the only Horde race she likes. She thinks they're "pretty."

Anyway, if Perigon and I both think that pandaren should be a playable race in WoW, it's got to be true. We don't agree on ANYTHING.

Savok

11-01-2005, 03:16 AM

When people agree with Perigon the world has gone mad.

I know, I've done it in the past.

Royal Fool

11-01-2005, 11:18 AM

I found that screenshot on WoW Guru I think, someone posted the link in a thread.. can't remember where though.

It does look genuine, yes. I'm guessing this is what they looked like in the early expansion versions... before they were (supposedly) removed. I guess we'll have to find out, but at the very least I hope these guys get to feature as simple NPCs somewhere...

atomic_burrito

11-01-2005, 03:31 PM

Wow, that screenshot looks cool. But I'm thinking just some fanboy with a graphic art degree.

Voodoo

11-13-2005, 08:13 PM

After lots of research into the history of the Warcraft games (Mainly 2 and part of 3) and the map of the WoW world... I would say that the Worgan are the new Alliance race and they will be starting in Gilneas.

The major hints that Blizzard has given for the new race has been...
"Think leaves..."
"You will say Huh and then say Wow..."

As you may remember, instead of fighting the Scourge in WC3, the humans in Gilneas decided to wall themselves in. Well, I bet that the curse of the Worgan has found them, but the insanity hasn't or they found freedom in much the same way as the Forsaken.... This the really the only logical race I can think of for the new Alliance addition.

Savok

11-13-2005, 08:22 PM

Worgans use their claws and teeth don't they?

bobbler

11-13-2005, 08:24 PM

I didn't see anyone mention this, so I will:

I thought in Warcraft lore there was only one Pandaran in existance... I can't imagine an entire race just appearing out of thin air in contradiction (I think) to previously lore? (I don't know about this for sure, a friend mentioned it -- I didn't really play much WC3)

I have my doubts about it being Pandaran. That'd be too easy, and too cool.

Voodoo

11-14-2005, 05:50 AM

Insane worgans use their teeth and claws. I fully believe that a Worgan player race is possible. The reason that I feel this is possible is due to the Tauren and Forsaken. But the Worgan that the players would play are those from Gilneas. Now the real question is, how does the shape shifting come into play? Would a Worgan player have control over their shapeshifting ability being able to switch between a human and a "werewolf"? Since part of the current Worgan is the inability to control their shapeshifting, perhaps the sane Worgans out of Gilneas can.