Warcraft Classic: The dead eyes opened
2019-08-27It’s as good as I hoped - and may even be better.
The Oceanic servers filled up pretty quick, or at least the PVP ones did. By the time I was home from work the main server (Arugal) was full with a 10,000 person queue and 260 minute wait. Blizzard had opened up a second PVP server called Yojamba (which sounds more like a FFXIV server than WoW, but apparently it’s an abandoned Troll isle in Northern Stranglethorn) in the middle of the day, but that too was full and queued.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/arugal-queue-day-1.png)
The most common screenshot on the internet today
As I pondered taking it easy on the medium-busy PVE server Remulos, another new PVP server appeared, and with an awesome name too: Felstriker. That’s a much better PVP name. So I hopped on, recreated Stroeb the Undead Rogue, and logged into a world of wonder.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/stroeb-creation.jpg)
During the voice over intro there were streams of Undead emerging from the starting crypt, most with single-barrel names (thanks to the server only just popping), and all moving with purpose toward the first quest hub.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/stroeb-undead-intro-day-1.jpg)
The intro movie is very different to the current one, much more sinister and full of forboding, telling us that the Undead don’t give a damn about “the primitive races of the Horde” (let alone the Alliance), and will slaughter those that would hunt them as monsters:
They will go to any lengths to ensure their dark plans come to fruition. As one of the Forsaken, you must massacre any who pose a threat to the new order: Human, Undead, or otherwise…
One thing I noticed far more was the sound design. Along with the fantastically spooky music and muffled screams of the the intro, the entire zone pulses with a super low heartbeat which you don’t notice until you stop and listen for a few moments. The subtle tension that adds is terrific.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/stroeb-starter-1.jpg)
Instead of taking the first quest, I just wandered through the starter area, poking around the edges of the map and seeing what was out there. I soon found Caretaker Caice, who wandered about restlessly with a lantern in front of a crypt, occasionally philosophising about the Undead state. Purely flavour, and purely great.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/stroeb-caretaker-caice.jpg)
I started attacking the many Duskbats that roam the zone, and was quickly equipped with top quality Grey gear - I even got Grey upgrades to my existing Grey gear. And, somewhat amazingly, a 6 slot Small Brown Pouch. Who said bag space would be a problem?!
The bat hunting was so fun I ended up levelling all the way to 3 without moving beyond the graveyards and surrounding hills. During this I was entertained by all manner of memory jolts, from weapon and defence skill upgrades to the beginnings of the skill tree adventure.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/stroeb-starter-2.jpg)
Before logging off I tried one of the rites of passage of Vanilla by successfully kiting a Dusk Bat down into the spawning crypt.
![](/2019/08/27/warcraft-classic-the-dead-eyes-opened/stroeb-starter-kite.jpg)
It all sounds so simple, but there’s something undefinably magic about it. I’m sure a lot of words will be written trying to capture exactly what that is, but for now I’m just thrilled we’re playing.
#Blaugust27
Comments:
Shrift - Aug 28, 2019
Woohoo!
stroeb - Aug 28, 2019
Yeeee-haa!
Bhagpuss - Aug 28, 2019
Good call on the sound design. I noticed a lot of sounds I’m not used to hearing on Live and the sound in general seemed fuller and deeper, somehow. If I have time I’ll do a test of the same area on Classic and Live becuase sound isn’t the only thing that seems richer on Classic.
stroeb - Aug 28, 2019
I have the music turned off which helps, but I’m sure it’s different as it’s turned off on Live too. Either that or everything happens so fast on Live that I never slow down and just listen.