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World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria: Five Great Things About Pandaria

BillMurphyBillMurphy Former Managing EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 4,565

Blizzard Entertainment and the World of Warcraft development team are ready to unleash the hounds of information for the recently announced Mists of Pandaria expansion. In our final article in today's suite, we present what we believe are five truly great things about Pandaria. Keep reading and then add your thoughts in the comments.

I was a skeptic. I really was. At BlizzCon, while excited about all the new stuff coming to Azeroth, I too wondered if Blizzard was jumping the shark with Mists of Pandaria.  But then this past week, I was privy to more info on their latest expansion than I ever expected.  I also got to play around with the Monk and some level 85s for a good long while.  In today’s List, I’ll recount the five best things I learned and discovered about Mists of Pandaria during my trip to Blizzard HQ.

Read more of Bill Murphy's The List: Five Great Things About Pandaria.

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Comments

  • punkrockpunkrock Member Posts: 1,777
    Looks like there trying to go back to the old school ways, we shall see WOW oh we shall see.
  • GajariGajari Member Posts: 984

    They might just pull me back in again...

     

  • ShakyMoShakyMo Member CommonPosts: 7,207
    Point 5 I highly doubt, blizzard seem to have great difficulty in doing large scale pvp, hence all these "halfway" attends like wintergrasp
  • RefMinorRefMinor Member UncommonPosts: 3,452
    Will I laugh at the panda & pokemon concept, sure, I don't like themepark gear grinds but Blizzard knows what keeps people playing and paying, you have to give them credit for doing things well, you just dont see the Bioware style incompetence with Blizzards flagship. If Titan were a sandbox (it won't be) I would be confident in it being a decent attempt, I have a grudging respect for them and that's not easy to say.
  • Lord.BachusLord.Bachus Member RarePosts: 9,686

    They should have put the scenarios in the open world instead of just another type of instancing...  they could even have made some of these scenarios PvP... flagging you for PvP as soon as you accept the open world scenario.

     

    Will this be enough to keep players paying their monthly subs, if GW2  is around by the time they release this expansion?

    Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)

  • OzmodanOzmodan Member EpicPosts: 9,726

    Personally I have to agree with Bill, these all seem like major additions that will be a big help to the game.  Not sure it is enough to get me to resub though.

  • arctarusarctarus Member UncommonPosts: 2,581
    Glad that they are bring back exploration while other games is killing it, in another article, and I love farming!

    And bring in player housing blizz!!!

    RIP Orc Choppa

  • RekindleRekindle Member UncommonPosts: 1,206

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

  • AmjocoAmjoco Member UncommonPosts: 4,860

    Originally posted by Rekindle

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

    I'm not knocking you at all Rekindle. I have just been wondering for months now why Pandas have been the childish cutoff for players. The average age for WoW players is 27...or atleast it was a couple years ago. Why when there are gnomes and goblins its fine, but Pandas are so childish? I don't care if it's a lump of crap, a daffodil, or a stick figure, if the gameplay is fun who cares.

    Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.

  • CeridithCeridith Member UncommonPosts: 2,980

    Originally posted by Rekindle

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

    My feelings exactly.

    Even though the game has had some silly things here and there, there's always been a more serious undertone to the overall game.

    Adding pokemon battles and Kung-Fu Panda however... really shoves the ridiculous content in your face.

    And yes, I know, Kung-fu panadas are part of lore from WC3... but it was a very minor role that could easily be overlooked. This expansion, not so much, considering it's the entire focus point of the expansion.

  • CeridithCeridith Member UncommonPosts: 2,980

    Originally posted by Amjoco

    Originally posted by Rekindle

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

    I'm not knocking you at all Rekindle. I have just been wondering for months now why Pandas have been the childish cutoff for players. The average age for WoW players is 27...or atleast it was a couple years ago. Why when there are gnomes and goblins its fine, but Pandas are so childish? I don't care if it's a lump of crap, a daffodil, or a stick figure, if the gameplay is fun who cares.

    For me there's two main reasons.

    First is because of the Kung-fu panda movie. Every time I see or hear about Pandaren, I'm reminded of this movie. Not to say it was a bad movie... but it was a pretty immature movie in it's own right, considering it is meant for kids.

    Second is because anthromorphized pandas are by far, not a standard fantasy race. Gnomes, goblins, etc, are. Even tauren are, (minotaur), as are Draenei (Demon variant).

  • AnkurAnkur Member Posts: 334

    Originally posted by Ceridith

    Originally posted by Amjoco


    Originally posted by Rekindle

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

    I'm not knocking you at all Rekindle. I have just been wondering for months now why Pandas have been the childish cutoff for players. The average age for WoW players is 27...or atleast it was a couple years ago. Why when there are gnomes and goblins its fine, but Pandas are so childish? I don't care if it's a lump of crap, a daffodil, or a stick figure, if the gameplay is fun who cares.

    For me there's two main reasons.

    First is because of the Kung-fu panda movie. Every time I see or hear about Pandaren, I'm reminded of this movie. Not to say it was a bad movie... but it was a pretty immature movie in it's own right, considering it is meant for kids.

    Second is because anthromorphized pandas are by far, not a standard fantasy race. Gnomes, goblins, etc, are. Even tauren are, (minotaur), as are Draenei (Demon variant).

    You to have stop looking at things from western point of view. Pandas have been a big part of asian culture and have been making appearnces in movie, comics and games in atnhromorphized form. This expansions is heavily inspired from asia and that makes Panda very standard fanstasy race.

    And i think you forgot all the cries and screaming when Draenai was introduced? and now it is a fantasy standard. yeah right.

  • AmjocoAmjoco Member UncommonPosts: 4,860

    Originally posted by Ceridith

    Originally posted by Amjoco


    Originally posted by Rekindle

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

    I'm not knocking you at all Rekindle. I have just been wondering for months now why Pandas have been the childish cutoff for players. The average age for WoW players is 27...or atleast it was a couple years ago. Why when there are gnomes and goblins its fine, but Pandas are so childish? I don't care if it's a lump of crap, a daffodil, or a stick figure, if the gameplay is fun who cares.

    For me there's two main reasons.

    First is because of the Kung-fu panda movie. Every time I see or hear about Pandaren, I'm reminded of this movie. Not to say it was a bad movie... but it was a pretty immature movie in it's own right, considering it is meant for kids.

    Second is because anthromorphized pandas are by far, not a standard fantasy race. Gnomes, goblins, etc, are. Even tauren are, (minotaur), as are Draenei (Demon variant).

    Your reasons are sound and I respect them. My belief though is it is a "Fantasy GAME".  Since we are able to transform a tauren into a minotaur with our imaginations can't we change a bear into a panda? Its a silly game and we all act so professional and critical about it that we have forgotten that.

    Death is nothing to us, since when we are, Death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.

  • PuremallacePuremallace Member Posts: 1,856

    How do they do #1 without server merging? Whatever they introduce for pvp will have to be instanced. They have tried for 7 years to kill world pvp and the servers are utterly lop sided on balance.

     

    Just not a big fan of this and it looks like more promises.

  • Badgered86Badgered86 Member UncommonPosts: 175

    Pandaren have been in the lore since Warcraft III.  People have been asking for them to be included as a playable race in an expansion since Burning Crusade was first announced.  You're not going to fool anyone by pretending to be an internet tough guy and calling pandas "childish" when they're an established part of Warcraft lore and are no more ridiculous than blue space goats.

    Get over yourselves.  Those of you who are satisfied with loot treadmills and are currently subscribed to World of Warcraft will continue to play it regardless of the Pandaren.


  • elockeelocke Member UncommonPosts: 4,335

    Ooh, liking the Farm idea.  It's a step in the right direction to those of us who have been asking for housing or something like it.

  • NethermancerNethermancer Member Posts: 520

    other then point 5 all of these "great" things are negatives in my book.

    When did pointless fluff become great features being added to an MMO. o great i can play pokemon and farmville in WoW!!!

    I am getting to old for the shit.

    thank god for EVE.

    Playing: PO, EVE
    Waiting for: WoD
    Favourite MMOs: VG, EVE, FE and DDO
    Any person who expresses rage and loathing for an MMO is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae.

  • Mors.MagneMors.Magne Member UncommonPosts: 1,549

    Originally posted by Amjoco

    Originally posted by Ceridith

    Originally posted by Amjoco

    Originally posted by Rekindle

    The fact this game will have pandas will make it absoulte that I will never play again.   I always felt wow to be rather childish and cartoonish (I'd like to see the age demographics in this game).  I can put up with a little bit of childish things in this game but your Pokemon analogy does nothing for me other than want to facepalm.

     

    If WoW is the flagship MMO in the modern era then the MMO is dead to me.

    I'm not knocking you at all Rekindle. I have just been wondering for months now why Pandas have been the childish cutoff for players. The average age for WoW players is 27...or atleast it was a couple years ago. Why when there are gnomes and goblins its fine, but Pandas are so childish? I don't care if it's a lump of crap, a daffodil, or a stick figure, if the gameplay is fun who cares.

    For me there's two main reasons.

    First is because of the Kung-fu panda movie. Every time I see or hear about Pandaren, I'm reminded of this movie. Not to say it was a bad movie... but it was a pretty immature movie in it's own right, considering it is meant for kids.

    Second is because anthromorphized pandas are by far, not a standard fantasy race. Gnomes, goblins, etc, are. Even tauren are, (minotaur), as are Draenei (Demon variant).

    Your reasons are sound and I respect them. My belief though is it is a "Fantasy GAME".  Since we are able to transform a tauren into a minotaur with our imaginations can't we change a bear into a panda? Its a silly game and we all act so professional and critical about it that we have forgotten that.


     

    For me, the problem is that the panda issue is irrelevant, yet this is the main focus for Blizzard.

     

    The best part of WoW for me was Duskwood (I liked the spookiness). However, this was just a one-off.

  • NameWasTakenNameWasTaken Member Posts: 132

    I can bet you my left nut, that the name "Po" is going to be either locked out or taken by the time you log into the game. ;)

  • Mors.MagneMors.Magne Member UncommonPosts: 1,549







    Originally posted by NameWasTaken





    I can bet you my left nut, that the name "Po" is going to be either locked out or taken by the time you log into the game. ;)






















     




    When I played WoW, I was a fire mage called Cracky. However, after a few years, Blizzard banned me from using that name.





    Which is a shame, because with the right title I would have been called Salty Cracky.

     




     




     

  • itgrowlsitgrowls Member Posts: 2,951

    5. Okay love the concept by why can't they do that with many many types of creatures found on Azeroth why limit it to just one and why not make more mount dailies like they did for the poison skin raptor in Ungoro? why are they holding back?

    4. They should have added this in LK when they were requested to have it by multiple players including me after i took a break from the game to find that other games have done this to great fun and success. LOTRO anyone?

    3. spsssh, weird.

    2. Farms huh. How about having player housing, more crafted mounts especially for the engineer profession. Updating all of the engineer items to be the max level items we see in game. (where is the mortar, the flame thrower etc etc) Replacing their fail system of cosmetics with one more akin to other games with actual OUTFITS.

    1. We were told the same exact thing about Cata in the beginning too, according to the lore it was supposed to be the end of the world coming, yet the entire world was quiest (accept the quest zones) one could literally just hang out outside of any town and crickets were heard, no invasions, no raiding parties from factions, no nothing. Still haven't learned from Rift yet huh Blizz?

  • GeeTeeEffOhGeeTeeEffOh Member Posts: 731

    It looks like another Asian Grinder!

    What is Blizz trying to do?

    Oh and Blizz.......It's about Pandas.

    In the West, (You know.....where the majority of your market ALREADY is...) they are cute and cuddly...Like teddy bears....

    THey are not BAD@$$

  • gilgamesh42gilgamesh42 Member Posts: 300

    They dont know what to do so they are putting more games in their game FV, pokimon, and racing. Gonna wait until pokicraft has more work put into it before resubbing

    image
  • nyxiumnyxium Member UncommonPosts: 1,345

    5. Raised a pet raptor ingame previously, and it was tedious, but I don't mind doing that again with a dragon serpent.

    4. I see scenario's as WoW's reply to GW2's playing style, no need for healers, etc. Obviously done to tackle the competition. I am looking forward to them.

    3.  I am an old fan of Pokemon. But admittedly I like Pokemon better than WoW pet battles at this point, after learning about the system. This view might change once playing but I don't know, we'll see...

    2. I hope the farm becomes WoW's official take on player housing but with added crops. I'm suspecting a cheap 3D Farmville rip though, to be honest, but have cautious optimism about finally getting a player home instead of avatar's being forced to hang out on park benches all day and night like tramps.

    1. Garrosh is one dead Orc. Official.


  • 69Cuda69Cuda Member Posts: 251

    I thought this was a warcraft article? It looks like an advertisement from Zynga. 4 time wasters and a promise about doing world pvp well in the future. Scenarios are time wasters. Is the gear going to be even remotley decent? No= no one will do the content. Yes = everyone will complain and blizz will cave in on it. = time sink with no meaning/no gear.

    The raising the mount thing is kinda cool with the content unlocked by it, but not worth paying 60 bucks and resubbing cool. Least not for me anyway. I miss the smooth feel of the game UI and the char resposivness, but imo theres no game anymore to go with it. New expansion or not.

     

     

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