LotV Trailer!

[Hawki]

The saddest part for me was probably Artanis. He was a really sweet guy in BW, like a lower-ranked person trying his hardest to fill a role too big for him.

Huh, I never got that impression. I've always found Artanis to be one of the most boring protoss characters around (at least in the games). In BW, his characterization can be summed up as "I want to be Tassadar," and he never changes from that point. LotV's gone to the other extreme, but being a leader does provide for some interesting plot points.

I read a review somewhere stating that Artanis comes across as a very compassionate individual, a quality lacking in both Raynor and Kerrigan. I'm hoping some of that youthful hope and naivety remains in LotV's Artanis.

It was on IGN. And again, I ask, "eh?"

Sorry, as you can gather, I'm not that fond of Artanis as a character. He's like the Fenix of BW, the character who just exists, but never actually develops as a character. The difference is, I like Fenix. Fenix is about as vanilla a character as you can get, but he worked in the setting that was presented - uncomplicated, loyal, etc., standing in contrast to Tassadar, Zeratul, and Aldaris. All with their own plans, beliefs, etc. Artanis is just, well, some guy.

I've argued over and over why I consider SC2 to be superior in story(telling) to the originals, but think about this - Raynor's story is about redemption. For himself, for Kerrigan, etc. The Raynor at the start of WoL is very different from the man at the end of it. Likewise, while HotS had problems, Kerrigan still has an arc. HotS is about vengeance, and that echoes through in the actions of Mengsk and Kerrigan. The Kerrigan at the end of HotS is different from the one at the start.

And then there's Artanis. The only direction I'd see his character going is "become a leader." That's...not that interesting, IMO. Heck, I'd rather have Selendis as the protagonist because she has an arc to follow (become more accepting of the Nerazim, could learn to work with terrans), which ties into LotV as a whole (the stated theme being "unity") and with the potential of becoming a better individual in the process. Even if Artanis becomes a leader, even if the protoss are united, that's not really a change to his character. He's never expressed prejudice to the Nerazim, and he's been a leader for the last five years. I could see it working if Artanis suffers a blow to confidence and is forced to grow as a character, and if he actually meets Tassadar the same way Zeratul did, but, even so...

[Turalyon]

^ Artanis is pretty much a blank slate as a character so they could literally do anything and make up any kind of story for him for LotV. They can invent some animosity between Artanis and the Dark Templar (they could "clarify" that he blames them for not backing him up in his failed attack against Kerrigan at the end of BW) if they wanted to since "you know, 5 years and all" seems to be a good enough reason for Raynor, so why not here?

We really can't have preconceptions/expectations of what the story is going to be about just because we don't have a proper handle on his character. We may well be surprised about possible turns (or lack of any as the case may turn out to be) in his character as they come up.

[Nissa]

I disagree with y'all's assessments of Artanis. Yes, he was a huge fanboy of Tassadar, but he was no blank slate. He's clearly some guy who has a job because more fitting Protoss are dead, judging from Aldaris' snarky comments to him and his general insecurity in making decisions on his own. Dude clearly leans too much on Zeratul and Raszagal to make decisions. He's also very sweet, in a doofus sort of way. But he didn't have enough appearances to establish his character as good as it could have been, I suppose.

[KaiserStratosTygo]

honestly Artanis can't be any worse than generic prophet of doom Zeratul.

[protoswarrior]

Huh, I never got that impression. I've always found Artanis to be one of the most boring protoss characters around (at least in the games). In BW, his characterization can be summed up as "I want to be Tassadar," and he never changes from that point. LotV's gone to the other extreme, but being a leader does provide for some interesting plot points.



It was on IGN. And again, I ask, "eh?"

Sorry, as you can gather, I'm not that fond of Artanis as a character. He's like the Fenix of BW, the character who just exists, but never actually develops as a character. The difference is, I like Fenix. Fenix is about as vanilla a character as you can get, but he worked in the setting that was presented - uncomplicated, loyal, etc., standing in contrast to Tassadar, Zeratul, and Aldaris. All with their own plans, beliefs, etc. Artanis is just, well, some guy.

I've argued over and over why I consider SC2 to be superior in story(telling) to the originals, but think about this - Raynor's story is about redemption. For himself, for Kerrigan, etc. The Raynor at the start of WoL is very different from the man at the end of it. Likewise, while HotS had problems, Kerrigan still has an arc. HotS is about vengeance, and that echoes through in the actions of Mengsk and Kerrigan. The Kerrigan at the end of HotS is different from the one at the start.

And then there's Artanis. The only direction I'd see his character going is "become a leader." That's...not that interesting, IMO. Heck, I'd rather have Selendis as the protagonist because she has an arc to follow (become more accepting of the Nerazim, could learn to work with terrans), which ties into LotV as a whole (the stated theme being "unity") and with the potential of becoming a better individual in the process. Even if Artanis becomes a leader, even if the protoss are united, that's not really a change to his character. He's never expressed prejudice to the Nerazim, and he's been a leader for the last five years. I could see it working if Artanis suffers a blow to confidence and is forced to grow as a character, and if he actually meets Tassadar the same way Zeratul did, but, even so...

I think you'd change your opinion of him once you read his role in Christie Golden's Dark Templar Trilogy, especially when Rosemary Dahl tries to get through to him and the Protoss council. She eventually bypasses him via Selendis, Artanis' pupil, High Executor of the Protoss forces, to actually get some action from the Protoss in helping Jake Ramsey and Zamara (a Protoss Preserver in the story).

Sorry... spoilers :P

[ragnarok]

^ Artanis is pretty much a blank slate as a character so they could literally do anything and make up any kind of story for him for LotV. They can invent some animosity between Artanis and the Dark Templar (they could "clarify" that he blames them for not backing him up in his failed attack against Kerrigan at the end of BW) if they wanted to since "you know, 5 years and all" seems to be a good enough reason for Raynor, so why not here?

We really can't have preconceptions/expectations of what the story is going to be about just because we don't have a proper handle on his character. We may well be surprised about possible turns (or lack of any as the case may turn out to be) in his character as they come up.

He's not COMPLETELY blank state, as he was still in the DT Saga Twilight. I wouldn't say the Dark Templar would harbor such animosity towards him in the case of the swarm, they'll still about survival and everything.

[Visions of Khas]

So I found the extended Campaign Panel with the Q&A at the end. Starts at 43 minutes.



What I think is interesting is the barely restrained humor James Waugh has when talking about Tassadar's role in LotV; It said to me, "Oh, you're going to get a kick out of this!" Tassadar = Amon confirmed lulz. (Though I think it will be more a parallel to Nordrasil in WarCraft 3.) They also address LotV's dialog's quality.

[Nissa]

Did James Waugh say "space samurai"? Did he really? *facepalms*

Bringing Tassadar back was an awful idea. Sure, we all probably considered it back around 2000, but come on, let the guy be dead. He had a good story presence, and died in a non-comeback-able way. Well, he can't be coming back without some nonsensical sci-fi bullcrap being used.

Khas, don't joke with me, man. It's getting harder to tell the difference between your jokes are and what Blizzard is doing.

[Visions of Khas]

Khas, don't joke with me, man. It's getting harder to tell the difference between your jokes are and what Blizzard is doing.

Would you believe people have the same problem with my jokes in real life, too?

It was half a joke, mixed with my own serious predictions about Blizzard's take on the story. But seriously, just look at James' face when he says that! Watch it! You know he's thinking something!

[ragnarok]

Did James Waugh say "space samurai"? Did he really? *facepalms*

Bringing Tassadar back was an awful idea. Sure, we all probably considered it back around 2000, but come on, let the guy be dead. He had a good story presence, and died in a non-comeback-able way. Well, he can't be coming back without some nonsensical sci-fi bullcrap being used.

Khas, don't joke with me, man. It's getting harder to tell the difference between your jokes are and what Blizzard is doing.

Reviving Tassadar wasn't smart. Metzen said it in an interview on SCLegacy that they did it so someone could convince Zeratul that the Overmind wasn't what he thought, and that's in. Now Blizzard damn better come up with a better reason, and a more DETAILED one, or it'll qualify as they're too damn lazy to do anything.