Classic WoW’s Secret to Saving Warlords of Draenor’s Lost Glory

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In the realm of World of Warcraft expansions, Warlords of Draenor holds a unique position, being both warmly reminisced and critically panned. While opinions differ widely, most agree that while the content was engaging, there simply wasn’t enough of it. However, this could potentially change within the coming years.

In simpler terms, “World of Warcraft Classic” has been systematically progressing through the game’s history, managing to preserve the original essence while offering a new and thrilling journey. The upcoming expansion is “Mists of Pandaria,” which will be succeeded by “Warlords of Draenor.” Instead of simply reproducing the flaws of this expansion, Classic “WoW” presents an intriguing chance for a refreshed take on it.

Areas That Never Got the Chance to Shine in World of Warcraft

Warlords of Draenor was intentionally crafted as a revisitation of the game’s initial expansion, The Burning Crusade. Long-awaited, players were given the chance to witness Draenor in its original beauty before it was tainted and devastated by the Legion. Among the wonders to experience was Karabor, the same temple that later became desecrated by demons and eventually occupied by Illidan Stormrage himself.

The Pristine Cathedral of Draenic Beauty

Karabor, nestled within Shadowmoom Valley, showcases an untouched charm that’s hard to find elsewhere. However, aside from a few quests exclusive to Alliance players, there’s little incentive for anyone to pay it a visit. The place is inaccessible and devoid of NPC presence. In the Burning Crusade expansion, Akama the Broken shares his tragic tale of witnessing the transformation of his cherished temple into a twisted lair for demonic amusement, but players are never granted that experience. Originally intended to serve as the Alliance’s capital city on Draenor, Karabor would have received the attention it deserved, but those aspirations remained unfulfilled.

The Zangar Sea, a Zone Unlike Anything Players Have Seen

In the realm of Outland, the swampy expanse of Zangarmarsh is truly a marvel to see, yet imagining it in its original state, untouched by the sea, would be awe-inspiring beyond words. The Zangar Sea, now rather unremarkable in Warlords of Draenor, was once intended to be far more grandiose. Its history stretches back for ages, as when the gigantic, diseased Sporemound known as Zang was defeated, its corpse morphed into a fungal ecosystem submerged under the ocean’s surface. Creatures that have evolved to thrive in this distinctive environment would offer sights never before seen by players, such as a colossal fungal whale world boss.

The Missing Ogre Continent

The rich history of the ogre species has been largely hidden and mysterious, with World of Draenor only offering a partial exploration of their background. Despite being arch-rivals with the orcs, ogres turned to arcane magic instead of shamanic practices. An ogre continent remains unnamed off the coast of Draenor, yet it has never been fully developed. This unexplored land could be the source of ogre power beyond Highmaul, a place where there are no orcs to curb their raw strength and rule.

The Land That Became Outland’s Netherstorm

Comparing a map of Draenor with one of Outland, it’s clear they share many similarities. However, one area stands out as being conspicuously absent in the World of Warcraft (WoD) version – Netherstorm. This zone is electrifying with raw arcane power and, interestingly enough, was once known as Farahlon, a beautiful island that players would have had the chance to explore. Sadly, it’s nowhere to be found on the map of Draenor. This isn’t due to a plot inconsistency, but rather a consequence of content being removed or “cut” from the game.

Even More Neglected Zone Content

  • Shattrath City, a truly iconic location, was intended to be an entire raid, but was replaced by a dismal dungeon instead.
  • Bladespire Citadel was going to be the Horde capital city, but was relegated to a single questline.
  • Garrisons were supposed to be fully customizable and more akin to player housing.
  • The Grimrail, a fast-travel option involving a functional railway between zones, was scrapped.

Why Warlords of Draenor Had Such a Disjointed Story

In another significant aspect, World of Warcraft (WoW) struggled profoundly with its narrative. The tale was a dismal blend of high expectations and unsatisfying conclusions. The characters players yearned to see fully developed were mere shadows of their true personalities, thrust into plot inconsistencies to mask the absent story arcs. The sense of letdown was tangible, as the Warlords of Draenor’s cinematic trailer hinted at a realm of unyielding conquerors who never yielded to compromise. Herein lies an overview of the various storytelling shortcomings encountered.

  • Characters like Yrel and Maraad, as well as antagonists like Orgrim, Kargath and Grommash, were supposed to be fully fleshed out and motivated. Instead, they were killed off too early or made decisions antithetical to their values.
  • Grommash Hellscream was promised to be the final boss of the expansion, but was replaced with Archimonde, leading to significant story inconsistencies.
  • Because of this, Gorehowl as a legendary weapon was never implemented.
  • A more in-depth explanation for exactly how Garrosh went back in time was planned, including where he arrived, but this was not shown or even explained in-game.
  • Lorewise, players were supposed to use the magic of the Bronze Dragonflight to go back in time, but the dragons were absent from the story.
  • Due to cuts in story development, there wasn’t much clarity as to how events in WoD led to the demons invading Azeroth in the present time for WoW: Legion.

In the case of World of Warcraft’s expansion, Warlords of Draenor, a significant missed chance was the unrealized potential. Whether it was due to time pressures, financial limitations, or creative disagreements, approximately one-third of the intended concepts for this expansion never materialized within the game. From missing raids and absent capital cities, incomplete zones, and deleted world bosses, it’s evident that a substantial amount of effort went into creating assets that ultimately remained unseen. In contrast, Classic World of Warcraft could utilize this content, thus presenting the true vision for Warlords of Draenor as originally intended.

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2025-05-03 01:07