The Player as Hero of Azeroth
(Spoiler warning for the Lich King fight if you follow the links, but my post here is only spoilery for questing in BT, GH and Dragonblight.)
There are a ton of threads on the various WoW forums about the fall of the Lich King, many of them less than complimentary with regards to the final boss fight and its cutscene.
Part of this particular discussion revolved around the involvement of NPCs in boss fights. Some players don't like this because we're supposed to be the great big heroes now and having major lore characters help us is insulting to our egos. I disagree.
[I wrote on page 12 of the thread...]
I understand that we the players are supposed to be the great big heroes, and that's awesome, but when I get to fight alongside the major lore characters (like at the Battle for the Undercity, HoR, etc.) I don't feel slighted. I feel honored! When Jaina tells me she's glad I'm there to help her, I think, "Woohoo, I've hit the big time now! No more whapping kobolds with my staff, I'm considered worthy to fight alongside Jaina freaking Proudmoore herself!" I don't see it as a case of more powerful lore characters holding our hands because we're too weak, or doing all the hard work while we stand aside and pick our noses. I feel more engaged with the story when I'm elbow-to-elbow with the big name NPCs.
I never got to fight Illidan at level 70, something I still regret. I don't regret missing the loot; as it was, my T4/T5/Isle badge gear lasted me until almost 80 anyway. I don't regret the bragging rights; I'm not hardcore in the slightest. I regret not experiencing the lore first-hand, not being there to see events unfold beside Maiev and Akama.
That's one thing that Blizzard did quite well in Wrath, having NPCs remember us based on our past deeds. The gang from Westfall recognized me when we met up in the Grizzly Hills, and Gryan reminisced about the good old days when he rewarded me for killing Defias. Thassarian thanked me again for helping his sister in the Borean Tundra when I ran into him again on the Skybreaker. In the mausoleum beneath Wintergarde, my deeds in the Onyxia key questline were recognized when B-Bolvar Fordragon rem...rememb... *breaks down sobbing* BOLVAAAAAAAAR!!! WHHHHHHHHHHY? I miss you every time I go into Stormwind Keep and see that big-chinned grumpy puss standing there. I'll never see you spring into action to lay a smackdown on dragonkin or invading Horde again! Waaaaaaaah!!!
*ahem* Yeah, he remembered me, too.
Anyway, my point is: Yes, we are the heroes of the World of Warcraft, and that means we are recognized as such by the other heroes, who treat us (more or less) as equals. And that's very cool.
There are a ton of threads on the various WoW forums about the fall of the Lich King, many of them less than complimentary with regards to the final boss fight and its cutscene.
Part of this particular discussion revolved around the involvement of NPCs in boss fights. Some players don't like this because we're supposed to be the great big heroes now and having major lore characters help us is insulting to our egos. I disagree.
[I wrote on page 12 of the thread...]
I understand that we the players are supposed to be the great big heroes, and that's awesome, but when I get to fight alongside the major lore characters (like at the Battle for the Undercity, HoR, etc.) I don't feel slighted. I feel honored! When Jaina tells me she's glad I'm there to help her, I think, "Woohoo, I've hit the big time now! No more whapping kobolds with my staff, I'm considered worthy to fight alongside Jaina freaking Proudmoore herself!" I don't see it as a case of more powerful lore characters holding our hands because we're too weak, or doing all the hard work while we stand aside and pick our noses. I feel more engaged with the story when I'm elbow-to-elbow with the big name NPCs.
I never got to fight Illidan at level 70, something I still regret. I don't regret missing the loot; as it was, my T4/T5/Isle badge gear lasted me until almost 80 anyway. I don't regret the bragging rights; I'm not hardcore in the slightest. I regret not experiencing the lore first-hand, not being there to see events unfold beside Maiev and Akama.
That's one thing that Blizzard did quite well in Wrath, having NPCs remember us based on our past deeds. The gang from Westfall recognized me when we met up in the Grizzly Hills, and Gryan reminisced about the good old days when he rewarded me for killing Defias. Thassarian thanked me again for helping his sister in the Borean Tundra when I ran into him again on the Skybreaker. In the mausoleum beneath Wintergarde, my deeds in the Onyxia key questline were recognized when B-Bolvar Fordragon rem...rememb... *breaks down sobbing* BOLVAAAAAAAAR!!! WHHHHHHHHHHY? I miss you every time I go into Stormwind Keep and see that big-chinned grumpy puss standing there. I'll never see you spring into action to lay a smackdown on dragonkin or invading Horde again! Waaaaaaaah!!!
*ahem* Yeah, he remembered me, too.
Anyway, my point is: Yes, we are the heroes of the World of Warcraft, and that means we are recognized as such by the other heroes, who treat us (more or less) as equals. And that's very cool.