Well… yeah. Magic. Humans in WoW are born out of some magical gods creating steel giants that got cursed into becoming flesh. Not sure why you are so determined to bring RL evolution into this when it has legit no basis on what occured with the -creation- (not evolution) of humans.
4 Likes
Maybe introducing several new kingdoms is just as contrived, if not more so, and the simple explanation that things were always this way (as mentioned above a few times) is a better one.
It doesn’t take anything away from the setting, and I don’t really think it’s even a lore question, just Blizzard doing the right thing and fixing a mistake they made years ago.
1 Like
While I am not an Alliance player I would say it’s a good choice. I mean how would you want this implemented? Have a kingdom of dark skinned people introduced first? That’s condescending in my opinion.
Orgrimmar is a mix of everything and I like that honestly, more variety is always more fun. If players get more skin color choices now why wouldn’t npcs get them too?
Maybe it will feel a bit odd at the beginning but I’m sure everyone will get used to it quickly.
3 Likes
Because we have precedents that show how said sort of RL standards do matter even in WoWs setting.
That’s why we have troll tribes that vary depending on climate.
That’s why we have arabic features in Tanaris, and black NPCs in Stranglethorn.
That’s why we have Taunka, Tauren and Yaungol.
And because grasping at “Magic” as some convenient jack of all trades to explain anything, doesn’t really cut it in a setting that you’ve tried to explain by using more “logical” RL standards.
Having Stormwind be so diverse culturally speaking can’t even be explained by grasping at “Magic” because it would create a series of ramifications that topple by themselves the argument itself.
If “Magic” made the Curse of Flesh randomly create Black or asian people, how is it that the Vrykul weren’t affected by it?
Why is it suddenly a fact NOW, with Stormwind only, when there is already all sorts of flags regarding how Blizzard wanted to have this sort of differentiation to follow on RL principles?
No, it simply doesn’t work.
The good story is to not have any story at all, and wave aside the fact that they are introducing a series of visual differences that with other races were used to have different cultures?
Not to be rude, but i think the title and subforum clarifies what angle was debated regarding said change.
From a story standpoint what mistake would that be?
1 Like
I legit gotta ask. Why is Stormwind having black and asian people such an issue for you?
3 Likes
See this is your problem. You see a different skintone and you immediately assume a different culture. They all have the same culture. All humans from Stormwind have the culture of Stormwind, all humans of Kul Tiras have the culture of Kul Tiras.
Why do you think is condescending?
Difference being that Orgrimmar has such because it has several races with their own background and story that converged in said city because of some thing in common.
And i think it would downright ridiculous from a story point of view, to have Darkspear guards in the Echo Isles, having a Sandfury skin simply because players also have that option.
Pushing for diversification for the sake of it, regardless of the good intentions behind said attempts, remains forced if you don’t care creating an explanation behind it.
I’m not arguing against how positive the intent behind this was (although i doubt its sincerity given the timing). But i don’t like how careless and blatant it was.
1 Like
I don’t think it effects story at all, and that’s okay.
In the same way we don’t need to discover a hidden tribe of surviving shadow trolls to use the coming purple skins, or an explanation for why night elves suddenly have lavender hair, and we don’t need to find several new kingdoms that have evaded exploration to have diverse human customization and representation.
2 Likes
Think this is a great addition to the game and it should have been done years ago. The lack of diversity was never because in our fantasy world it’s just all white dudes, it’s purely down to a lack of customization options where anything but a white guy just looked terrible on the character creation screen.
We’ve always looked like clones of each other in game and finally after what ? 15 years we finally get to make our characters look more like real life people. All i can say is about time because the lack of customization has been one of WoW’s greatest shortfalls.
2 Likes
1 Like
Aaaaaaand there we go. I guess I got my answer.
3 Likes
No, i answered above.
1 Like
It’s not pushing diversity for the sake of it, it’s finally getting the game up to date with the real world.
3 Likes
No.
I’m not assuming they have a different culture. I’m assuming that disparate ethnical groups should be given disparate background that explained how they converged into one kingdom at any given time.
Much like Blizzard created different troll tribes, and had them ultimately converge at one point or another, in the great troll empire.
I think that dumping racial features that would naturally represent different cultures into the same pot, is a mistake that trashes the possibility about having expanded world-building that feeds on Stormwind as a standalone kingdom, as well as the different human segments that converged into it.
Again, just as we have more story regarding certain human settlements across the globel, these new human races should be given said treatment too. Not just be dumped into the bucket of a kingdom that already ails from shallow lore, for the sake of signalling some condensed reflection of our RL.
1 Like
I am generally always against pushing diversity for the sake of it. I really hate tokenism and the recent trends which require for any media to follow checklist to appease the very vocal twitter minority.
However, There were always blacks and asians among human populations since Vanilla. It’s not the humans therefore that should be questioned.
But dwarves, gnomes and belves.
With belves you could explain it with overdose of Sunwell magics?
But Dwarves and Gnomes?
1 Like
And rather have a half-baked alternative such as throwing random NPCs into a single city without any real explanation to it, over an expanded reasoning of said differences like it already happens with other races?
1 Like
“Look. I can deal with interdimensional demons, world transforming titans, crystal beings made of pure light, time travel and the endless hordes of the undead. But a PERSON OF COLOR!? This is where I draw the line! Just outrageous stuff!”
4 Likes
Yes, the timing is just perfect for them to implement this. What’s wrong with them wanting to support diversity and tolerance among humans? I’m sure within their own company there’s plenty of different people from all parts of the world.
Regarding implementing this in a specific setup, it would be condescending because it would feel forced, instead of smoothly and naturally transitioning to the diversity we should have had many years ago. If you don’t make a big deal out of it it won’t be a big deal. Simple as that.
Edit: I wanted to add that there will be all humans regardless of color or features. Why add more humans for the sake of adding more features? Add a new human kingdom for every single new skin tone?
1 Like
It’s a total none issue and for almost all people this is nothing more than a long over due upgrade. It’s not a race issue it’s just a customization upgrade, one i’ll add the community has been screaming at Blizz for years to do.
They do it and it’s wayy wayy wayy forced diversity wayy wayy wayy.
No they shouldn’t. All humans are descendants of the Vrykul. They all have the same lineage and most of them have been living in the same general area (Eastern Kingdoms). All human kingdoms have the same origin story. It would make far less sense that f.ex. black humans broke off from Lordaeron to create their own kingdom just because.
The different human tribes evolved into nations/kingdoms with their own distinct cultures regardless of the colour of your skin.
No, not at all. It does not take away anything from Stormwind. Just as Kul Tiras isn’t cheapened because you can also play a black Kul Tiran.
If anything it makes these nations richer, as there is no apparent racism regarding skintones.