For example, he points out that Ironforge has an impressive entrance and heroic theme-music, while Undercity is a broken, sad place. What do you guys think? Does the lore behind each major city justify the design, or should some of the cities have been given a little more development love?
Personally, Undercity is my favorite city in the entire game, and I find parts of the Alliance capitols to be a bit overly patriotic and proud. How do you feel about the major cities, and what would you change if you could? Where do you feel most at home, and why (the racial capitol of your main or first character, etc)?
Subscribe
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
4-02-2008 @ 8:06AM
sniped43 said...
I originate from Orgrimmar but have recently moved in with my aunt in Shattrath. But gosh I miss the family back in Org ;( Such history in that city.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 10:10AM
Adi said...
Like, five years of history at best? Orgrimmar is fairly new you know.
4-02-2008 @ 8:07AM
bfgirl said...
The city I know best has to be Stormwind, my main is human so I have had to run around the place many times. I like the feel of all the horde cities but the layout doesn't always seem to be as well thought out, it takes ages to get anywhere and the map can be confusing. Took me a while to figure out how to get to all the areas in Orgrimmar for example.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 8:11AM
Ambril said...
Can't say I agree at all. The Horde cities have always struck me as more impressive overall than the Alliance counterparts. Orgrimmar just feels immense and imposing, Thunderbluff is breath-taking, Undercity is just plain cool.
Let's not even get into comparing Silvermoon to the Exodar. Silvermoon is stunning.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 2:54PM
SaintStryfe said...
Gee, crashed spaceship versus 1000 year old civilization. Real fair comparison....
4-02-2008 @ 8:14AM
Danarca said...
Aye, Silvermoon used to be part of the Alliance, and then add some magic-abusing... Just plain wow...
My jaw hang down the first time I entered, damn!
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 8:21AM
AndyF said...
Undercity has that sweet 'hub' feel about it, that you can get to any NPC pretty quickly from any other part of UC.
You can also do the AH - mailbox - bank route without being dismounted :)
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 8:56AM
Erika said...
I like the hub feel also but Undercity needs more mailboxes.
4-02-2008 @ 10:43AM
Clasifyd said...
I completely agree about the mailbox... That's a huge city for only one mailbox. I hate how the arena/BG masters are ALL the way down into the imperial quarters, too. Other than that, everything is very well layed out, I'd say.
4-02-2008 @ 8:25AM
ScytheNoire said...
I think each of the cities fits their respective races fairly well. Iron Forge is probably the easiest to navigate, simply because of it's circular design that is all on one level. Undercity gets annoying simply because there are multiple levels in the middle and some outside areas. Ogrimmar is probably the most impressive when you first enter it. Stormwind, while well done, needs to be finished. Silvermoon is very impressive at the entrances. Darnassus... can't we just burn the place down already?
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 1:47PM
Charlie said...
Mmm, artistically i think Darnassus is one of the best, right behind Silvermoon. But dear god is it a pain in the ass to navigate, everything is so spread and and, its just bleh. Worst city to be in if you actually need to DO something. On the same token, I've personally always loved IF just because its so easy to navigate.
Anyways, in terms of those that needed a bit more developmental love, id rank darnassus and exodar at the top of my list. I understand what they were trying to do with the Exodar but its just to.... purple.
And in response to the Olsen and the OP, the lore definatley "justifies the design". I mean, would you really want the UC to be like stormwind or IF? It woulnd't fit the race at all.
Anyways, heres to hoping that Dalaran tops them all!
4-02-2008 @ 8:29AM
Lanth said...
I find something awesome about Orgrimmar's entrance. Once you go through the little mini-passage into the city, just the way it drops down and then rises up with all the buildings, lets you see the whole front, instead of just seeing the first buildings.
Also, Shattrath's entrance is well designed. You come down from Zangarmarsh, come over a small ridge and see the entire Shat, not just a small section of it. Shows how it's the major central hub of Outland.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 8:54AM
Dreadbeard said...
Hate Darn...hate SW...hate Exodar...all three are the worst laid out freakin' cities in the game. I love Iron Forge for no other reason than how simple it seems, the central hub layout being its biggest asset. On the Horde side, I have to say that UC, for all the gloom and weirdness, is tops. Yeah, it's not the best design, but you almost feel like you may bump into Vincent Price at any moment. All that's missing is a bunch of dead guys dancing to Thriller in the courtyard...
4-02-2008 @ 8:32AM
Mats said...
Before, when you could not ride in Undercity, the whole place was broken. Took forever to get anywhere.
But after they fixed that, Undercity turned into a smooth running place. I place all my bank-alts there, and its the place I always port back to when I need AH/Respecing done. Orgrimmar is just to long, takes forever to get from one side to the other.
Thunderbluff, well, it's ok, but is spread out to much.
Silvermoon, looks nice, but again, not efficient.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 8:33AM
souvlaki said...
Horde "got the short end of the stick"??
I don't know why you can teleport from Silvermoon to Undercity but you cannot do the same from Exodar to Darnassus... Travelling to and from Exodar is a PITA. That's why my jewerly nelf has had it hearth at Shat at very low level.
I think the city i like the best is Silvermoon, i mean, 2 banks, you can buy cloth from a vendor, you can teleport. Although it's not as well layed-out as IF (the best alliance main city IMO), there are loads of shortcuts which make travelling though it less painful.
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 12:20PM
Mats said...
Could it have something to do with the only way out of Bloodelf land is Eastern Plaguelands?
4-02-2008 @ 12:33PM
souvlaki said...
I'm all for the teleport in silvermoon, but i think it's a very useful and envying (sp?) feature only to be in hands of Horde. A feature which i missed every time i had to travel to Exodar.
I mean, if they wanted things to be equal both sides, they could have put a the teleport feature in Exodar or you could have an underway train as in SWIF or a zeppelin which would go over EP.
4-02-2008 @ 8:35AM
slapyou said...
well the horde cities are dull to show the darkness of them and havent you ever noticed in everything you can see in order to compare it to that the evil side never has more patriotic stuff mainly because of the belief that the a mercinaries and alliance are the patriots we fight for "people and gods" ... and if you want to talk about short changing things check alliance before burning crusade what side had a shaman what side didnt. what side has the cooler weapon? horde. only thing we can be proud of is our cities
Reply
4-02-2008 @ 10:28AM
Chris Anthony said...
Good God, man, periods and commas are cheap. Invest in a couple.
4-02-2008 @ 6:19PM
Amanda Miller said...
Most of Orgrimmar, and all of Thunder Bluff and Silvermoon are bright actually, not dull.
Before BC, Horde had the only Shaman, but Alliance had the only Paladin.
Most of the weaponry can be used by either faction, especially as you progress through the game.