Favorite Zone ever?

[Vim]

I'm a WoW scenery fan. I love, absolutely love a lot of the zones ingame.

In no particular order:

Stormwind City (not all of it), The Tram, Ironforge, Elwynn Forest, Duskwood, Westfall and The Deadmines.

Reason I put all these together is because they're all connected. They all provide for a good backdrop for the game, especially when you're leveling through these. If they only had these zones for alliance, it'd work out pretty well, in my opinion.

Stormwind: I don't like all of Stormwind because they really skimped on some parts of it, and you can easily tell. For example the Stone used in the city is too white (you must be saying WTF?). The Castle Tower and The Cathedral exteriors were also skimped on. Most of the towers and high walls in the city we're made lower as they got higher, looks like they put a brick ontop of the city to compress it... :|

I do like, The Park in Stormwind, The Mage Quarter (inside and out) and the Pig and Whistle Tavern. Most of the interiors in Stormwind are pretty cool, in my view.

The Tram: Always thought it was a fun experience to take the Tram, looks cool visually too, reminds me of Gnomer, which had a horrible layout, but cool design.

Ironforge: Great city, always though it felt quite homey, aside from the Lava part in the middle.

Elwynn Forest: One of my favorite starting zones, second to Tirisfal Glades. The thing I love the most was the tree canopy, even though it's unrealistic, it looked pretty cool and provided for a nice environment. Found it extremely cheery and happy (lol).

Duskwood: Not only is it a great quest zone, I think they put a lot of detail into the zone. The atmosphere is really "spooky and gloomy" but at the same time likeable. I enjoyed the role Darkshire played within the zone. Typical town in the middle of a "haunted atmosphere" trying to fight off the ghouls, skellies and so on... The tree canopy, like Elwynn makes it even more fun for me. :P
The ultimate contrast, Elwynn and Duskwood. Love it.

Westfall: Reason I like this place is because The Deadmines is in it! Before a Deadmines group, I always got excited (:P) and had to pass through there, so I have good memories of that.

The Deadmines: I still believe it's one of the funnest instances out there. Great design, theme and layout. We need more places like this!

Stranglethorn Vale: Not only because of the great gankage that went on and still goes on... But the jungle/beach/booty bay/pirates theme just worked. Booty Bay in itself is pretty fun.


Tirisfal Glades, Undercity, Shadowfang Keep, Scarlet Monastery: Like someone else mentioned, this was the first zone I started in WoW in beta, so I guess that contributes to me liking it so much. The whole eeriness of the place was just $. Not only that but it has some other subzones in it like Undercity, Shadowfang Keep and Scarlet Monastery, which hands down are some of the coolest instances/cities in the game.

Feralas; Dire Maul, Ashenvale, Un'goro Crater: Love these places for the lushness they have, like somebody previously mentioned. Feralas and Ashenvale more than Un'goro, but I particularly liked the music in Feralas and Ashenvale and how it provided a nice atmosphere for playing in em.

Winterspring: For the cold enviroment. So much snow reminds me of skiing!

Random places: Theramore Isle, Beaches in Tanaris, Feathermoon, Darnassus, Menethil Harbor...

Not many places I like in Outlands. I'd agree with some in saying that Nagrand is pretty neat. So is Zangarmarsh and Terrokar, the tree part.

As far as instances go, Ahn'Qiraj was pretty awesome, design wise. Naxx had more ambiance going for it than design. I always liked the Razorfen instances, even though most people think they suck. Gnomeregan was cool, but something made it suck, dont remember what. Scarlet Monastery and Shadowfang Keep are awesome, always will be. Maraudon was pretty neat, especially the 2nd half of the blueside. Always enjoyed Stratholme and Scholomance design wise (lol). More recently I've taken a liking to Kara and Magister's Terrace.

P.S. Brill4lyfe

[Iadien]

EQ1 - Crystal Caverns, Seb, Guk, Velk's Lab, City of Mist. Basically every zone from original EQ through Velious.

[Wolfen]

Originally Posted by Grizzlebeard

The point I'm trying to make is the core reason many people have such amazing memories of EQ is simply because there was no instancing.

People who agree with this are rare as hens teeth. I happen to be one of them. In my super-unpopular opinion on this subject, I think instancing is the worst thing to ever happen to MMO's. For good or bad, no instancing made the EQ community what is was. If early EQ had instancing, I have no doubt that I would have missed out on a great many new friends.

[jayrebb]

Originally Posted by Iadien

EQ1 - Crystal Caverns, Seb, Guk, Velk's Lab, City of Mist. Basically every zone from original EQ through Velious.

Pretty much.

EQ1 zone design was outstanding. Even though the industry was new and experimental, they were able to create some amazing atmosphere and geometrics.

What originally drew interest to Vanguard was the hiring of some original EQ1 zone designers, but unfortunately they could not deliver due to whatever circumstances. Perhaps the world size, seamless, inconsistent art direction, and lack of itemization stunted whatever they had in mind creatively.

It is a shame that zone design is a thing of the past, with all these seamless world schemes and "caves". And its not like you can return to EQ1 and play the latest content and achieve the same experience, because the zone design has been shithouse for the last 5 years.

Overall, a gross case of misused talent.

Its really a shame smed insisted on rushing out EQ2. And god what horrible engine changes were made in early beta. Learn how to scrap a project Smed, instead of ruining a franchise. Get some advice from NCsoft. How long has vanilla EQ2 needed a zone overhaul? What a mess.

[DRocleric]

Originally Posted by Wolfen

People who agree with this are rare as hens teeth. I happen to be one of them. In my super-unpopular opinion on this subject, I think instancing is the worst thing to ever happen to MMO's. For good or bad, no instancing made the EQ community what is was. If early EQ had instancing, I have no doubt that I would have missed out on a great many new friends.

Qft

You knew everybody in Sebilis, Velks, Solb, Guk, wherever you were grinding.

The only thing instancing would've helped with was late in Velious when you literally couldn't find anything to raid for days on end. (Umm Venril Sathir is up!) Releasing Luclin helped a lot, but I don't remember anything more frustrating than being locked out of Vex Thal for a month at a time.

[Kindnugs]

Just looking at this title makes me think.... yah uo or eq is never coming back, get over it. Shut the fuck up already with these reminiscent threads.

[Salshun]

Originally Posted by Dice Rex

Holy shit, dude, what a blast from the past. I can remember doing this exact same thing. I lol'd at the "folks would hear this dog yelping" - I can still hear that high pitch yelp.

I remember hearing a long drawn out howl in Butcherblock and thinking "WTF!?" then a zone wide message "The Butcherblock werewolf has found Salshun's smell" followed by the werewolf zone yelling "Prepare yourself, Salshun". I'm thinking "did they patch a new mob in?". I zone shouted back "I'm the boat, bring it" and bam, I see it running DOWN the mountains. No way this is a player and got up there. Gets up next to me and we go back forth for a minute, fighting and talking smack and I realize this isn't a mob. Just a GM got bored, logged in and had fun with random character. Pretty awesome and something I haven't seen anything like in a MMO since.

He ends up giving me 50 gold and takes off.

[ismaris]

Originally Posted by Kindnugs

Just looking at this title makes me think.... yah uo or eq is never coming back, get over it. Shut the fuck up already with these reminiscent threads.

You sir, are a god damn '07er, and as an '05er, I am telling you to shut the fuck up.

[Laven]

Originally Posted by Kindnugs

Just looking at this title makes me think.... yah uo or eq is never coming back, get over it. Shut the fuck up already with these reminiscent threads.

never coming back eh? last I checked both games still had people playing, SS is below you cunt 07er

[EmiliaEQ]

Originally Posted by Wolfen

People who agree with this are rare as hens teeth. I happen to be one of them. In my super-unpopular opinion on this subject, I think instancing is the worst thing to ever happen to MMO's.

Agreed, however it fixed the biggest problem "cockblocking & nothing to do".
Still if designers took the time to create "big dungeons with bosses" :
Akheva / Velketor / DN / Sebilis / The Deep / Chardok + Random Respawn Timers
that include a lot of trash (with loots) and some travel time, you could not have 2 guilds cockblocking an entire server.

But its a lot simpler/faster/easier to do "Boss, 3 trash, Boss, 3 Trash, Boss, 3 Trash, Boss" and instance it.
And well .. thats what WoW does ! So thats what we must do too.

[jayrebb]

Originally Posted by EmiliaEQ

Still if designers took the time to create "big dungeons with bosses" :
Akheva / Velketor / DN / Sebilis / The Deep / Chardok + Random Respawn Timers
that include a lot of trash (with loots) and some travel time, you could not have 2 guilds cockblocking an entire server.

Vanguard tried this. It didn't work, even with some of the original architects from EQ1. The talent, tools, or creativity just wasn't there. No inspiration in the geometry or atmosphere.

They looked cool from the outside, once inside, it was just cut and paste textures with some of the worst architecture the genre has ever seen.

Instances have little to do with the outcome you are looking for.

[Neric]

I think that has something to do with their 3D-design-tools. Too much software involved makes everything look and feel generic.

[EmiliaEQ]

VG's best zone was Atchalan Lair (just below/outside Leth Nurae).

filled with spiders, hard mobs, insanely fast repop, tunnels with 0 geometry, roaming named, random see inviz.

It felt "epic" at lvl13-15.

[Tancred]

Originally Posted by Wolfen

People who agree with this are rare as hens teeth. I happen to be one of them. In my super-unpopular opinion on this subject, I think instancing is the worst thing to ever happen to MMO's. For good or bad, no instancing made the EQ community what is was. If early EQ had instancing, I have no doubt that I would have missed out on a great many new friends.

Noninstanced dungeons were great for community and shit for gameplay. Sitting on your arse in one room trying to defend your pulls against whatever dickholes come past, waiting for that rare pop and that rare drop. It was tedious fucking bullshit which is why talking crap in OOC was so popular.

Give me a proper dungeon crawl any day. Most of "the community" are cunts anyway.

[EmiliaEQ]

Originally Posted by Tancred

Various

Agreed, but its mostly due to the Risk/Reward & Itemisation.

Why go to Chardok/City of Mist/Howling Stones/The Hole when you can get easier & safer xp and better loot in Sebilis ?

At least thats one of the things WoW did correctly...
Dispatching armor sets all over the World (Strat/Scholo/BRD/UBRS/Dire Maul etc etc).