A World of Wonders: The World of Warcraft Theme

The fantasy genre, whether in books, movies or video games, have always been credited with creating some of the largest, most complex worlds. Any book written relies on the author’s conception of complete universes, and complete systems of life. These systems of life contain their own rules, and their own exceptions: their own races, their own classes, their own forms of government and their own acceptance of magic. A lot of work goes into the writing of one book, the development of one movie or game script.

World of Warcraft is no different. The World of Warcraft theme is deep, moving and ever-changing; it is complex enough to pull players in and never let them go. It is the opposite of shallow, and if it was not, far few players would ever connect to a World of Warcraft server. Still, the World of Warcraft theme functions on premises rather universal in the fantasy genre. However, these universes premises are what make the game so addicting in the first place.

Playing for Keeps

The World of Warcraft theme is often described as lore by gamers. Lore is the body of knowledge and traditions that accompanies the World of Warcraft game. This extensive background, created for the game and developed through the release of various expansion packs, is what makes the game unique, separating it from other fantasy games and realms. While the premise and game play may be similar to other online multi-player games—role playing with a character, exploring detailed environments, battling enemies and interacting with other players—the specific history of the world of World of Warcraft is something players study like they would a subject in school, and it is extensive enough to be rewritten, rebuked and debated by World of Warcraft theme scholars.

The World of Warcraft theme is based in the world of Azeroth. While other worlds do exist, Azeroth is the location of the majority of the game; it is the birthplace of many races, classes, armies and factions. There are over thirteen major continents and island in the world, and players can explore most, although some are more friendly than others.

Aside from geography, the World of Warcraft theme is also dependent on creatures, magic, factions and classes. These four themes are inter-connected, and while the geography is unique to World of Warcraft, much of this lore is shared with the majority of fantasy canon. Dragons, ogres, humans, gnomes, dwarves and goblins stalk the countryside, and even harpies and minotaurs, borrowed from Greek mythology, make appearances. The World of Warcraft theme recognizes, for the most part, two main factions: the Horde and the Alliance. This good versus evil dynamic fuels much of the game play; players can essentially choose good or evil characters, and this polar divide will decide much of their actions.

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