New continent, old friends
by Alex Ziebart 
Nov 19th 2008 at 5:00PM
I've been having a lot of fun bumping into 'old' NPCs and quest givers that I've helping out on my journey from 10 to 60, or 61 to 70. They add a real sense of progression and continuity to the world. I solved their problems years ago, and that's allowed them to move on in life, for better or for worse. It's also strangely heartwarming to see people I did quests for so long ago, like a little slice of nostalgia.
I've heard a few people hating on how many old world NPCs you run into in Northrend, complaining that Blizzard is just recycling old content. I quite seriously disagree in this case. Seeing NPCs progress in the world alongside us gives a much greater feeling of the world being a story, and as we go up in level, the world moves forward. I like it a lot, and I hope it continues into the next expansion, too.
We have an old gallery sitting around of some of the returning faces you'll see in Northrend, so you can check it out if you want. Be warned, there are some minor spoilers inside.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Expansions, NPCs, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Milkgas Nov 19th 2008 5:06PM
Dejavu. Haven't I seen this article before?
Alex Ziebart Nov 19th 2008 5:21PM
Most likely you've seen one similar to it, but now that people can actually see it themselves it's worth talking about again. : )
Xtyle Nov 19th 2008 8:51PM
You haven't seen this story before. It's just that you read the old story, and by doing so, you've allowed for the story to continue. This is just the writer's new adventures with a familiar feel. It's a good thing. :)
In all honesty, though.. I agree... I know I can't come up with a better way of moving the story forward without "erasing" the historical quests that new players will hopefully enjoy as much as we did. That said, I'm all for moving the NPC's forward with us.
Milkgas Nov 19th 2008 6:38PM
I'm sure this articles been posted before, the photos are even dated June 8th.
Ametrine Nov 19th 2008 5:12PM
Wait... there's Nesingwary quests in Azeroth and Outland... and both Hemet and Hemet Jr. are leading those... so who's doing the Northrend chain?
Cow Nov 19th 2008 5:33PM
Just like Hemet Jr. took over from Hemet in Azeroth, someone else has taken over for Hemet in Outland, who has since gone to Northrend.
RogueJedi86 Nov 19th 2008 6:55PM
@cow
I just checked Nagrand last night, Hemet Nesingwary Sr. was still there. So who's in STV?
pinkybumbum Nov 19th 2008 5:29PM
the best thing about returning people in my opinion is Gryan Stoutmantle, who got promoted to Captain Gryan Stoutmantle for his efforts in westfall, and he thanks you for your help at that point i just wanna hug him ;_; no-one ever thanked me!
Flint Nov 20th 2008 3:15AM
I agree, I love how he even comments about the quest rewards from the old days.
Luke Nov 20th 2008 1:21PM
I was kind of hoping to see Sergeant Bly and his crew of adventurers in Northrend. They were pretty much the NPC equivalent of a 5-man player party.
RogueJedi86 Nov 19th 2008 6:53PM
Except that we kinda killed them in ZF and took shinies off their bodies. I think Magister's Terrace had a 5-man enemy group that played like a 5-man arena team though. Maybe just more party-style enemies?
Luke Nov 20th 2008 1:21PM
Since when has being killed stopped NPCs from showing up again later?
Clord Nov 19th 2008 5:47PM
Many NPC guys show their thanks all over Azeroth nearly when you complete quests for them.
Vorust Nov 19th 2008 5:54PM
I am all for this as well, definitely. I didn't take much notice of most of the NPC's in outland purely for this factor.
To be honest, I'm enjoying Northrend a lot more than Outland from an overall perpective.
Aloja Nov 19th 2008 6:03PM
Most people are. The quests make you feel more involved also. The progression is great, hopefully in the future, D.E.H.T.A. Returns, as they would make an interesting comeback in a place, for example, like the Emerald Dream.
On topic though, the reminiscing of times from when Vanilla WoW was the only WoW through the questgivers and NPCs in general is great, in my opinion.
AJM1971 Nov 19th 2008 6:01PM
I was thrilled to see Chromie at Wyrmrest Temple, no matter if the person I was playing with couldn't remember her.
Baluki Nov 19th 2008 10:07PM
Not to mention Itharius, though most people probably won't remember him. He's the guy from the cave where the green dragon whelps are in the Southwest corner of the Swamp of Sorrows. He helped out with the Eranikus quests (they're brothers).
Also, Harold Lane is a target in Borean Tundra.
And, of course, the whole Death Knight questline is chock full of people you encounter later in Naxx and other places.
kenney Nov 19th 2008 6:05PM
I cheered when I saw chromie again. And when I went into the past of Ungoro crater, I was really, really, hoping to get more on the Linken story.
I don't think it's recycling old content- I think it's continuity and story; things I can't get enough of.
Sibe Nov 19th 2008 6:52PM
Haven't seen Hemet yet myself (since I am leveling a DK) but by the sounds of things in Borena he's leading a crusade to kill all animals, did Blizzard really make him that evil? And the NPCs in Borena seem to want to hunt animals for profit. Anyway, find it strange that they have made him into an evil character now.
Lemons Nov 19th 2008 7:31PM
I was thinking the same thing. I mean he's always been a hunter, but there's nothing really evil about that. I haven't seen him yet either, but I hope they don't make him as crazy as his minions.
I think he's the same old dude just looking for a thrilling hunt and it's just the trappers and people he employs that are taking it a little too far.