Azeroth Was Going to be a Scary Place

[Logan Westbrook]

Azeroth Was Going to be a Scary Place

According to Blizzard, World of Warcraft was originally going to be a much darker game than it turned out to be.

One of the most striking things about Blizzard's World of Warcraft is its exaggerated, cartoony graphics, which stand in contrast to its competitors' more photo-realistic take on MMORPGs. It might surprise you to learn then, that the original concept for the game called for a much darker take on the world of Azeroth.

"We were pushing it a few years ahead, into the future of the world, or rearranging the way that some of the characters would look," said art director Sam Didier, comparing it to how radically different Darth Vader in the original Star Wars movies was to Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace.

"At the end of the day, there was a lot of cool art churned out ... but as we stood back and looked at it, we just felt that there was a disconnect. It didn't feel like Azeroth," said story guru Chris Metzen. In the end, this disconnect was solved by a return to the art style of Warcraft III.

"It was like, why are we trying to reinvent this thing?" said Didier. "Everyone loves Warcraft ... make it Warcraft III - that's what the fans are going to love." Obviously, it's a decision that paid dividends as World of Warcraft makes millions of dollars every year, but I must admit that I'm a just a little bit curious about how it might have turned out.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/wow-was-almost-a-much-darker-game]


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[Jsnoopy]

Amazing how they figured this out about WoW but not Diablo 3 (instead of changing it into WoW style, keep the dark Gothic presentation like the other two games.)

 

[John Funk]

Amazing how they figured this out about WoW but not Diablo 3 (instead of changing it into WoW style, keep the dark Gothic presentation like the other two games.)

Oh please. Let's not beat this dead horse again. Diablo 3 looks just as dark and gothic as D2 did, at least in action.

 

[Illusio]

Hmmm that is interesting because i know many people who are turned off of WOW because its graphics appeared to cartoony. Maybe if they waited it may have been more popular, but then again maybe not.

 

[Bretty]

I think it was a good decision, think that many families brought their kids/wives/mothers into the game just because of how it looked and felt.

I dont think the other way around would have worked, look at what happened to WAR. I love the game but it was dark and people obviously didnt like it. So I dont think people really want dark?

 

[Jsnoopy]

Amazing how they figured this out about WoW but not Diablo 3 (instead of changing it into WoW style, keep the dark Gothic presentation like the other two games.)

Oh please. Let's not beat this dead horse again. Diablo 3 looks just as dark and gothic as D2 did, at least in action.

I respectfully disagree. Does this look Gothic to you?

http://www.diii.net/gallery/data/550/medium/d3rainbow.png


(LULZ!)

 

[UnravThreads]

WoW wouldn't have been Warcraft without the graphics, although WotLK does show some maturity with the graphics. Places like Icecrown and Zul'Drak are visually more "mature" zones than have been seen before, but still retain that Warcraft charm.

It'd be interesting to see how it would have been, but there's just something about Blizzard's graphics.

 

[John Funk]

Amazing how they figured this out about WoW but not Diablo 3 (instead of changing it into WoW style, keep the dark Gothic presentation like the other two games.)

Oh please. Let's not beat this dead horse again. Diablo 3 looks just as dark and gothic as D2 did, at least in action.

I respectfully disagree. Does this look Gothic to you?

http://www.diii.net/gallery/data/550/medium/d3rainbow.png


(LULZ!)

Nah, that just looks like a developer with a sense of humor

 

[ghalkhsdkssakgh]

I think I'd have found a 'darker' WOW much more interesting than the current one. I'd be curious in seeing how many people would play a darker WOW han a more cartoony one.

 

[Rhayn]

Hm, I suspect the various races would look rather different. If you look at the WotlK Collector's Edition art book, there was some very different takes on how Death Knights looked depending on their race. I would've loved that. Also, I'm thinking Night Elves and Blood Elves would've looked more... Warrior-ish in the darker version. Now however, not so much.

Honestly, I would like to see that art, because I think I'd like those much more than the current models.

 

[ZeroWarrior]

I wouldn't trade the current graphics for an update even if offered. Going into the original World of Warcraft years ago, I felt so much connection to Warcraft 3. It made me think of games like Command and Conquer: Renegade. A completely different perspective and style into a universe I already loved.

 

[oliveira8]

Amazing how they figured this out about WoW but not Diablo 3 (instead of changing it into WoW style, keep the dark Gothic presentation like the other two games.)

Oh please. Let's not beat this dead horse again. Diablo 3 looks just as dark and gothic as D2 did, at least in action.

I respectfully disagree. Does this look Gothic to you?

http://www.diii.net/gallery/data/550/medium/d3rainbow.png


(LULZ!)

That picture was made on purpose to make fun of people that complain about D3 art direction. D3 is the same thing. It just has more colours, the same exact colours that were present in D2, but could not be achieved due to the graphic engine. With a more powerfull engine it's possible to squeeze much more colour make them vibrant and alive. Just cause it's about the end of the world and demons doesn't mean you need to be in graveyard mood all the time, and have a handfull of colour spectrums.

 

[iblis666]

Amazing how they figured this out about WoW but not Diablo 3 (instead of changing it into WoW style, keep the dark Gothic presentation like the other two games.)

Oh please. Let's not beat this dead horse again. Diablo 3 looks just as dark and gothic as D2 did, at least in action.

I respectfully disagree. Does this look Gothic to you?

http://www.diii.net/gallery/data/550/medium/d3rainbow.png


(LULZ!)

no but then http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/media/screenshots.xml#84 does look fairly Gothic at least as much as diablo 2 did

 

[AliMck]

I'd quite like to see some of the original wow concept art.

And those that say they'd of liked a darker WoW. How do you know that what's to say blizz's idea of darker is the same as what you would of wanted/liked?

 

[hansari]

I think I'd have found a 'darker' WOW much more interesting than the current one. I'd be curious in seeing how many people would play a darker WOW han a more cartoony one.

Same here... I'm starting to think the decision was also based on the range of graphics cards consumers would need to play the game. Cartoony is easier than gritty/shiny...

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

That picture was made on purpose to make fun of people that complain about D3 art direction. D3 is the same thing. It just has more colours, the same exact colours that were present in D2, but could not be achieved due to the graphic engine. With a more powerfull engine it's possible to squeeze much more colour make them vibrant and alive. Just cause it's about the end of the world and demons doesn't mean you need to be in graveyard mood all the time, and have a handfull of colour spectrums.

I don't actually subscribe to the whole "Diablo 3 isn't dark enough, oh noes!" camp, but even I can see that your argument against that viewpoint has a few holes. You just said it was the same, but that it has more colors, but that those are the same exact colors present in D2, but that D2 couldn't actually use them thanks to the engine, so now D3 can squeeze in more colors that were already in D2 but not really, obviously!

So what you really mean is "Yes, it IS DIFFERENT - it's not using the same color palette, it's more colorful and vibrant, but that isn't a bad thing." You should really just say that instead.

 

[oliveira8]

That picture was made on purpose to make fun of people that complain about D3 art direction. D3 is the same thing. It just has more colours, the same exact colours that were present in D2, but could not be achieved due to the graphic engine. With a more powerfull engine it's possible to squeeze much more colour make them vibrant and alive. Just cause it's about the end of the world and demons doesn't mean you need to be in graveyard mood all the time, and have a handfull of colour spectrums.

I don't actually subscribe to the whole "Diablo 3 isn't dark enough, oh noes!" camp, but even I can see that your argument against that viewpoint has a few holes. You just said it was the same, but that it has more colors, but that those are the same exact colors present in D2, but that D2 couldn't actually use them thanks to the engine, so now D3 can squeeze in more colors that were already in D2 but not really, obviously!

So what you really mean is "Yes, it IS DIFFERENT - it's not using the same color palette, it's more colorful and vibrant, but that isn't a bad thing." You should really just say that instead.

let me explain better. Its the same colour pallete but the engine can make them more vibrant and hence making them show more. The blood, the grass, the grey walls, the trees, whatever will look more alive. It's the same but more powerfull. The games have almost 10 years of difference betewen them and the graphic detail shows alot.

 

[Woem]

So this is how we ended up with an Ogre mask.

​

 

[nick4118]

I think it's a beautiful game as it is, but I can't help but wonder what it would be like if it were darker.

 

[A Pious Cultist]

That picture was made on purpose to make fun of people that complain about D3 art direction. D3 is the same thing. It just has more colours, the same exact colours that were present in D2, but could not be achieved due to the graphic engine. With a more powerfull engine it's possible to squeeze much more colour make them vibrant and alive. Just cause it's about the end of the world and demons doesn't mean you need to be in graveyard mood all the time, and have a handfull of colour spectrums.

I've just realised the delicious hypocracy of the situation. Gamers constantly ***** about all main stream games being too gray and brown. Then D3 comes along and everyone whines "Give us more brown and gray, we hate colours!". Heh.

Its the same colour pallete but the engine can make them more vibrant

Wait... what?