WoW Lore

[grumbachr 4]

Somehow, I've managed to level 2 toons to 90 and a couple more to +70 level (all Alliance) without really paying attention to any of the WoW lore. I get tiny bits of it here and there but nothing substantial. I'm wondering how much I've missed out on by playing what I call the "Hulk Smash" style of game play.

How important is the Lore to you? Is Lore important to game play? Is there anyway to catchup on the lore out of game? I know there are books out there but do they really relate to the game play?

[rjparker1 7]

Somehow, I've managed to level 2 toons to 90 and a couple more to +70 level (all Alliance) without really paying attention to any of the WoW lore. I get tiny bits of it here and there but nothing substantial. I'm wondering how much I've missed out on by playing what I call the "Hulk Smash" style of game play.

How important is the Lore to you? Is Lore important to game play? Is there anyway to catchup on the lore out of game? I know there are books out there but do they really relate to the game play?

I rarely if ever pay attention either, I have managed quite well for 8+ years living without it.. I don't read the books even ones made into movies, to me the background isn't going to change the gameplay, it's great if you are looking for a story line, I just want to play!

I see a cinematic start, I can't cancel it quick enough (apologies to the people that spent all that time making it so real). It's a game, the story and adventure is in the interaction with OTHER players... we make our own drama, comedy, thriller and fun.. I would rather make a movie with no preconceived script and just go with the flow than to spend months on end developing a story line only to find out that game sucks!

that has happened MANY MANY times, Baldur's gate.. great game, but have no idea what it's about. I played all of them, had lots of fun, no idea what "Baldur's Gate" is for.. :) I just played until the credits rolled and no more guys to kill... that's entertainment.

If I want background or cinematic I will watch a movie... When I play I just want to play to get rewards.. and be entertained.

[ragebarr 153]

Lore is not for everyone, I will say that. But if you just play wow to kill monsters, you're missing on something.

In my humble opinion, WoW has one of the most complete, deep and interesting lore of pretty much any game I've ever played. You don't even need to read WoW books or anything, everything in the game is more than enough to explain and show the magnificent story.

For example, do the Lorewalkers achievements in MoP, and take the time to listen to the stories Lorewalker Cho tells you, or get exalted with the klaxxi and take the time to listen to the mini storytelling after it. They're the kind of things that not only make WoW feel believable, but they also tell you why you're doing things. Most of my raid team doesn't even know why we're raiding Throne of Thunder, they don't know what they're doing in there (other than killing bosses). They have no idea why there are Troll bosses in this Pandaria raid, the same way they had no idea what Gara'Jal (a troll too) was doing in Mogu'Shan Vaults.

So no, the lore is not absolutely necessary to play this game, but I honestly think it is a big part to really enjoying the game. A game is more than HP, Damage and Loot, a good game is about the spirit, the atmosphere it shows, though more and more players seem to be forgetting it.

-Rage

[EgoReaper 9]

Lore is an interesting part of the game. To me, it is there for when I choose to see/listen to it. There are aspects of the lore that I find easy to follow, there are aspects that I am a little cloudy on. But to answer the second question "is it important to the gameplay?" No, but it is important to the game itself. Most games cannot get away with the story behind it.

I feel that I have been rewarded for watching certain cut scenes or dialogues that most people would just skip or ignore. The cut scene related to the Veteran of Wrathgate Achievement is by far one of my favorite cutscenes in the game and it gives me the chills every time I see it(which is frequently because I always go to dragonblight ) I also loved looking into the dialogue from all of the 5.1 content as well as the 5.2. When I'm sitting on vent with certain people in my guild, I love listening to them talk about the lore. It always feels so rewarding, and it is always such a powerful story.

One piece of lore that I am sure is missed by 99% of the WoW community is the lore behind the Pandaren Starting Zone. When you reach the part where you fly upstairs in the center tower of the Turtle-island, there is a midway point where someone asks if you want to take a break and listen in on a class, if you go downstairs and just sit there and read the dialogue.

IMO, you should try to go back and look into the lore a bit.

[rjparker1 7]

Lore is not for everyone, I will say that. But if you just play wow to kill monsters, you're missing on something.

For example, do the Lorewalkers achievements in MoP, and take the time to listen to the stories Lorewalker Cho tells you, or get exalted with the klaxxi and take the time to listen to the mini storytelling after it. They're the kind of things that not only make WoW feel believable, but they also tell you why you're doing things. Most of my raid team doesn't even know why we're raiding Throne of Thunder, they don't know what they're doing in there (other than killing bosses). They have no idea why there are Troll bosses in this Pandaria raid, the same way they had no idea what Gara'Jal (a troll too) was doing in Mogu'Shan Vaults.

I do that for the achievements, and get another notch on my toon I don't play games for the history or storyline. I just want to play. Street Fighter that's a game, it has many characters, Honda, Chun-Li, Ry Yu, Blanka, etc.. Is knowing their background going to make you a better player? That's my point...

The game is still just entertainment.

WoW does have a very complete lore, I will agree to that, what little I read of course. If you know nothing you can still play a Panda even when there is certain historical relevance. If you know ALL the lore you aren't a better player than someone that didn't take the time to learn it.. the mechanics of the game isn't relying on your knowledge of history.

Maybe for some people, even the majority feel their has to be depth to a game in order to play it... for me, it's just fun. The ONLY reason I started playing WoW is because I desperately needed an AD&D replacement, a role playing game. I didn't consider WoW because it had interesting Lore I chose it because it's the closest thing to a true role playing game.

It has lost most of it's AD&D rules (in my opinion) and I did quit WoW for a time because I got bored.. but I like playing the game because its so well designed, it never crashes, and their attention to detail is unrivaled by ANY game I have ever played.. Go to a far corner of WoW sometime, a remote area where no one ever visits, not even a questline is there, yet there are NPC's there, and they go about their "day" as if that part of the zone were full of toons.. They don't cut corners, that's why I enjoy playing WoW.

The content is there for people that enjoy it's meaning. For me, that meaning is good, I know it's there but I play wow for the detail, gameplay and multi player interaction.

I am sure I do things in WoW that people like yourself ignore.. as part of the lore.. like in instances I believe we should kill EVERY mob not just the ones to get the end of the dungeon.... That mean is "completing the instance" not just racing through to get JP or VP or achievements.. I like to be thorough, no one does that anymore so I give up complaining...

I like to experience ALL of WoW not just RAIDS, PvP, or Quests.. there are lots of sidelines in WoW lost on pretty much everyone I find.. like bone collecting on the isle of Giants..

So what you describe as looking at the history of the game and knowing the lore is great, but I seriously doubt if you actually ADMIRE the work Blizzard puts into the game like I do. You may know the history and ALL the characters, but I LIVE the game .. that's the difference. I kill creatures just because I have never seen them before, and to experience what its like when they die.. things like that. People think it's boring, I say its part of the game...

We have a difference of opinion, that's evident. You like the history, I prefer the action and model detail.. I admire toons close up to see how they color coordinate weapon enchants with transmog tier sets..

People do a LOT of interesting things, just as important as the game history itself.. that's what I am talking about. We both enjoy WoW for different reasons, but just because I don't know the timeline of the game of all the mobs, doesn't mean I can't "enjoy" the game for it's content.

Edited June 13, 2013 by rjparker1

[ragebarr 153]

I agree with you, mostly, but there only one thing that tickles me about your point.

Yes, WoW is by far the best game I've ever played, for reasons including the ones you've listed. I often find myself flying about just listening to the music, looking at the world around me, and killing mobs just before I can, just because I'm in a zone I've never seen before.

It's just that, without disagreeing with you on the fact that WoW is a very complete game, and that it can be completed thoroughly, I feel like you're missing half the good stuff. You talk about the attention to detail, in your post, well, the lore is part of that: You say you kill every mobs in instances, but why is there a mob, or even an instance there in the first place. These are all things that WoW's very complete lore answers.

I'm not saying you can't enjoy the game without the lore, quite the contrary, it is very possible to enjoy and play the game to its potential without ever bothering about the lore. However, the opposite is true, you could always strive for the lore only, and never care about the rest, do a raid once for the story only and then never go in it again.

I try, as much as possible, to find a balance between those two. I enjoy the game for what it is; a game. On top of that, though, I also add the information and enjoyment knowing the lore gives me to my adventures when I play the game to make what I feel is an even more awesome game.

[Damien 1,514]

I pay attention to the lore very much. There's a lot to it and wowwiki and wowpedia have tons of info. The best way to get started is to actually read the quest details :P

That said, I feel that the lore used to have a lot more importance than now for most players. Back when I started, almost everything was tied to the events from Warcraft 3, so it was like World of Warcraft was a sequel of that game I liked so much. Then, we killed Ilidan and the Lich King and that connection ceased to exist.

[grumbachr 4]

I think on the next toon I roll I'll stop to smell the roses. I've done the smash and grab style for a few toons now, I think it's slow down and enjoy. For those that do follow the lore some who has the most interesting story line. I've heard the Horde have a great back story but I've yet to play any horde. Is there a Race or Race/Class combo (horde or alliance) that has a really interesting story?

[EgoReaper 9]

As I've said earlier, try the pandaren, once you get to the bridge go down the stairs in the middle of the bridge, it is a nice break to sit and watch as they describe how the pandaren starting zone was founded. It is described from a teacher to a group of young pandaren.

[ragebarr 153]

One of my favorites zones of all time, horde-side, is Silverpine Forest, and even Hillsbrad Foothills right after. Both these zones have a lot of interesting stories in them and Hillsbrad has so many references it's hilarious.

[Demyndra 6]

I think on the next toon I roll I'll stop to smell the roses. I've done the smash and grab style for a few toons now, I think it's slow down and enjoy. For those that do follow the lore some who has the most interesting story line. I've heard the Horde have a great back story but I've yet to play any horde. Is there a Race or Race/Class combo (horde or alliance) that has a really interesting story?

From my personal perspective as an Alliance player, the Worgen have a great starting zone with a great story, however as soon as you finish the starting zone the story ends, without resolution. It's like getting to the top of the chain hill on a roller coaster and just as you are about to go over the edge, they make you get off the ride. Also, the Forsaken have a great storyline early on, that oddly enough, picks up where the worgen story leaves off.

Other than that most stories are just faction specific rather than race. Some Alliance highlights, IMO, are : Westfall (GREAT storyline here, I HIGHLY suggest), Darkshore, Swamp of Sorrows, 5.1 Landfall quest line (both sides actually), Warlock Green Fire quest is an amazing story - chain as well, and I wouldn't miss Dragonblight, I always complete the epic questline up to the wrathgate on every toon I level.

[Felbrew28 1]

Paying attention to the lore helps me connect with my race, class, and faction, thus making it more fun and feeling the aliegence to the faction or the characteristics of the race and class. I mostly read lore offline and such, since when I am in the game I am mostly making a mad scramble to grind as much rep or characters as possible, to get my money's worth mostly. But the lore actually makes the game more fun for me, without affecting the literal gameplay.

Edited June 14, 2013 by Felbrew28