Why three?

Also, I personally think the next expansion will be about the South Seas, and Goblins, Pandaren, Naga, or an unknown island race will become playable, one new for each side.

My money is on no new races but 2-3 new classes.

On another note I'd like to see the Arrakoa's true form and not the disfigured creatures they've become.

Whoops, forgot to clarify that three races thing. At least three new intelligent races to the already cluttered pantheon of races, not three new races added to each faction.

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Rationalizing the irrational since 2005.

I seriously think that if they add any more races....

# <---------------------- &
^Window is here..............^Here's Lore being thrown out.




Whats the freaking idea in adding races since they are just a cosmetic diffrence anyways? They're not even real content.

Hero classes, pleaseee.

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Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting.

New races are a staple of new content, even if it is just some really weird looking fish or bird. I'm not advocating that there always be a new intelligent race to contend or ally with, but you have to realize that Earth alone has the potential for millions of species to exist. A place where magic can affect evolution just as much as normal environmental/social processes (not to mention access to other worlds) probably triples the number of creatures we could possibly see.

Hell, I made a race myself back before tBC had even been announced. An aquatic species formed after the Well of Eternity exploded due to unstable magics in the ocean currents. Jelly fish like tendrils for "hair" (really just sensory tentacles), gills, shells over portions of their body, large black eyes that dominate the head, etc. They worshiped literal light, as in the energy wave, believing it to be gifts from their gods. Their temples and buildings were made to trap, enhance, and distribute light across large areas in unique and multihued variations. At war with the Naga, neutral to the Makrura...I can't quite remember it all, but it was an enormous joy to make. It's been a long time since I wrote it, but it was pretty unique compared to some of the other races floating around at that time *cough* vampires *cough*.

I wish I'd written that one down, but you get the point. Things aren't always a complete rehash with new skins (though I'll have to rethink that whole worshipping light thing now that Draenei are in-game). You just have to sit down and ponder a bit until you can get a good idea of something new to the series.

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Rationalizing the irrational since 2005.

I understand that point of view, but you can't just introduce a COMPLETELY NEW race into the lore and say: "Now these guys are joining one of the existing factions."

You could introduce a new faction along with a new continent, but allowing them to visit all the same places as members of The Horde and The Alliance would be a pain for the designers.

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Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting.

[quote=Kerrah]I understand that point of view, but you can't just introduce a COMPLETELY NEW race into the lore and say: "Now these guys are joining one of the existing factions."
QUOTE]

I completely disagree. It's entirely possible and sometimes the best way to introduce a new race through the creation of a brand new species. All it takes is a nicely woven story, no lore-breaking (like the draenai), and an imagination. I myself have just created another race that ties perfectly within the world, is allied with the Alliance, and is entirely new.

Of course it's possible, but this isn't Everquest. Because of the faction system, a new playable race needs some background and now that we have played these existing races, it would be fairly weak to just retroactively add a pertinent history and pretend they've been there the whole time. They would largely be considered a second-string race. And for a new species to be given that status cold turkey would be a bad plan, PR wise. There would be no possible anticipation, and they would seem (and would be) jerry-rigged into the story. It's much more reasonable to phase a race in, exposing their history as you do so. The ethereals are a good example. They have minimal representation in the earlier levels, but through these small outposts you get an idea of who they are and what they're after. By the time you get to the Stormspire, it seems much more natural. To give them playable status right off the bat would have been a bad idea.

But that aside, there's dozens of existing races who would be fine choices for playable races. To forgo them for some guys no one's ever seen before? Not a good idea.

That's understandable. But you must remember that there are 7 other portals in Outland and each of them leads to a new and fertile world. The possbilities are endless and all that is needed is either a book or a short piece of lore, and yes, some previous exposure would be handy, but that can be done simply with a mention of their name.

Fertile, possibly. In all likelihood the Legion has reduced that world to a smoking, floating sphere.

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Please, the Legion is just SITTING around doing nothing on Outland. The most they've managed to do is NOT take back the Dark Portal despite having vastly superior numbers.

Oh and instead of being out there leading his armies, "Lord" Kazzak seems content on sitting at the Throne of Kil'jaeden rping like he's someone important "You will burn in the flames of my bile. Such is the will of Kazzak"

Taking into consideration that the Scourge is sitting on its rear end doing nothing in Northrend I wouldn't say the Legion is doing a lousy job... though it kind of is on Outland.

Since WoW is static you can't expect to see anything happening really... and there can't be huge armies because the game engine and game mechanics don't support that.

The Legion isn't taking the Dark Portal because that would spell the end of the Warcraft franchise.. at least until a sequel with a progressive story.
Also, their demonic portals that send through reinforcements are destroyed via bombing in the quests, so you could say that it is only an initial surge of demons.

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I remember something about the Legion's forces being halved (reduced to a mere half) after their third failed invasion of Azeroth. Now that's a major blow. They lost a good many leaders, their science experiment went horribly wrong (the Lich King), and their ground forces have been dealt extremely heavy casulties. The Legion can't afford to make major surges at this point in time. They need to recoup, rebuild, and assimliate more troops.

This brings into question just how large and how many races comprise the Legion and how powerful it really is. They say that they are unstoppable, but the Naaru have seemed to stop them quite a bit. Or atleast helped to turn the tide. How many worlds have the Draenai visited and escaped from? How many people have they damned?

And I think Shattrah would have been a great place for the Blizz people to show case an array of races without homeworld or fugitives of the Legion. It's an "inter-planetary" sanctuary.

Their standing forces that were invading, not the entire Legion's numbers.
The Naaru haven't done much - the Draenei have been running like little girls for thousands of years, but with the help of the Alliance and Horde they are making a stand on Outland.

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We've got at least 5 major patches in Outland that could introduce elements of a new race, not to mention RPG books, novels, other games, etc. Absolutely new races aren't all that implausible, but they're still not as likely as races we've come to have a deep understanding with.

Some current races that won't/still don't make the cut: Goblins and Ethereals (Both follow markets instead of factions, despite their penchant for a few good deeds), Makrura (too little is known about them), Naga.

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Rationalizing the irrational since 2005.

What the hell's wrong with Naga?

They gave them friggin armour options in the expac for the models.

They could easily set up shop in Silvermoon as a Horde race. >_>

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My father was killed by a coward's poison and the wrath of Hellscream...! WHAT CHANCE HAVE YOU!!?

Ethereals don't follow the market; the Consortium does, which is a faction composed of Ethereals. You could easily introduce a more diplomatic group to ally with either the Alliance or the Horde while keeping the Consortium completely seperate. Whether they would or not is a different thing all together, but considering their home world is a pretty screwed up place to live right now, who knows.

I would be very surprised if Furbolgs aren't made a part of the Alliance at some point. There are some that are friendly with Night Elves and have been forever, and now with the Stillpine introduced, theres a clan that gets along with the Drenai too. They would be the next logically choice; where they would come from I have no idea, but they could theoreotically have some sort of extensive cave system somewhere that is their home base. Would add a different flair to the other opening zones.

It's not the models (hell I don't think they'll ever be a true problem), it's the fact that the Naga are very much a product of their hunger for power and their pact for survival with the Old God's. To date, I've seen only one "friendly" naga in-game, and I'm pretty sure it's simply there for a quest to kill him at some point (not sure though.)

Most other races have at least a small number of friendly groups in the world, but the Naga are an exception.

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Rationalizing the irrational since 2005.

Blood Elves? =x

They could very easily ally themselves with Silvermoon I think.

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My father was killed by a coward's poison and the wrath of Hellscream...! WHAT CHANCE HAVE YOU!!?

The Naga are still the same Highborne who were closest to Azshara herself. They probably wouldn't willingly join any alliance as equal members. The Blood Elves are currently striking out on a mission to reestablisht themselves as their own force in the world, while the Naga are still eternally hung up on their old status as rulers of Azeroth. Part of their behavior thus far stems from their belief that it's time for them to rise up and conquer the surface world. The sort of contempt they've shown thus far for other "lesser" races would probably prevent them from allying with anyone else without it becoming quickly obvious that they plan on killing all of their allies too. None of the other races have an "Illidan" to awe the naga into accepting his leadership as the ones on Outland did.

Plus, they're working with the Twilight's Hammer. That's a big strike against their odds of getting on the Horde's or Alliance's good sides. Acknowledged allies and servants of the Old Gods aren't the sort of people anyone sane invites into the fold.

No, no new races!!
There is no race in game now who would fit"lorewise" to join the Horde/Alliance except:
1)Ogres
2)Half Elfs
3)Pandas
4)???????
Blizzard will just keep pulling aliens out of there ass and say "Those noble race have come to azeroth to join the Horde/Alliance"
I want to see new classes, and new capitals
Kul'tirus anyone?

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What was I thinking?
Pick-up sticks?
Maybe we could settle down together? Hmmm.
At least I stopped short of proposing.
Shani deserves someone normal.
Someone who will care for her, not wander the world risking his neck for a handful of coin.
I have no right to put her and Alvin in that position.
I'm a Witcher.
And sometimes I miss them... her. ~Geralt Of Rivia, White wolf.

Who said they don't have twise as much armies burning those other worlds down ATM?

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Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting.

The legion stopped its world burning crusade the moment they where defeated on azeroth long time ago.

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What was I thinking?
Pick-up sticks?
Maybe we could settle down together? Hmmm.
At least I stopped short of proposing.
Shani deserves someone normal.
Someone who will care for her, not wander the world risking his neck for a handful of coin.
I have no right to put her and Alvin in that position.
I'm a Witcher.
And sometimes I miss them... her. ~Geralt Of Rivia, White wolf.

Source?

__________________

Co-creator of UFS, a joint urban fantasy setting.