"Nothing but snow for kilometers either way, and I already can’t feel my toes. Whose idea was it to come here again?" --Andronikos Revel, upon reaching Hoth
On a day like today, where we got about 6 in/15 cm of snow and the winds are gusting over 30 mph/50 kph, it certainly does feel like Hoth outside.* You shovel the driveway, and less than three hours later the winds have covered the concrete again in the powdery white stuff.
In that respect, the artists' job of rendering Hoth was spot on. The equipment is usually kinked to one side courtesy of the winds, and the "roads" are barely there at all. Hoth has that beaten down, worn out look to it.
Compare Hoth to Ilum, and Ilum has the brilliant stars in the sky as well as a dearth of story incorporating the icy surroundings. Ilum is beautiful, not beaten down.
Turning to WoW, there's Winterspring. It's more an idyllic winter scene --complete with monsters, naturally-- but the hot springs and the snow formations make for an inviting journey in the snow. Hitch up the team to the cart and head on to Everlook, but just keep an eye out for the wolvar.
Storm Peaks is akin to Ilum, starkly beautiful, while Icecrown Glacier suffers under the yoke of the Lich King. Nowhere else is Arthas so reflected in the scenery than in Icecrown.
The Cimmerian winter areas of Age of Conan, such as Conall's Valley and Eiglophian Mountains, skew toward the Winterspring end in terms of scenery, but the weather is second banana to the foes found there, such as the Vanir and Ymir. The AoC regions don't have the omnipresent nature of a Lich King, but the sheer volume of enemy encampments dominate the landscape.
But only in Hoth do you see winter rein supreme as the central figure in the zone.
*I can hear the laughter from my Canadian friends all the way down here.
On a day like today, where we got about 6 in/15 cm of snow and the winds are gusting over 30 mph/50 kph, it certainly does feel like Hoth outside.* You shovel the driveway, and less than three hours later the winds have covered the concrete again in the powdery white stuff.
In that respect, the artists' job of rendering Hoth was spot on. The equipment is usually kinked to one side courtesy of the winds, and the "roads" are barely there at all. Hoth has that beaten down, worn out look to it.
Compare Hoth to Ilum, and Ilum has the brilliant stars in the sky as well as a dearth of story incorporating the icy surroundings. Ilum is beautiful, not beaten down.
Turning to WoW, there's Winterspring. It's more an idyllic winter scene --complete with monsters, naturally-- but the hot springs and the snow formations make for an inviting journey in the snow. Hitch up the team to the cart and head on to Everlook, but just keep an eye out for the wolvar.
Storm Peaks is akin to Ilum, starkly beautiful, while Icecrown Glacier suffers under the yoke of the Lich King. Nowhere else is Arthas so reflected in the scenery than in Icecrown.
The Cimmerian winter areas of Age of Conan, such as Conall's Valley and Eiglophian Mountains, skew toward the Winterspring end in terms of scenery, but the weather is second banana to the foes found there, such as the Vanir and Ymir. The AoC regions don't have the omnipresent nature of a Lich King, but the sheer volume of enemy encampments dominate the landscape.
But only in Hoth do you see winter rein supreme as the central figure in the zone.
*I can hear the laughter from my Canadian friends all the way down here.
I'd gladly trade Winterspring for here right now. Even my dog had enough, last time we went out to walk he kept holding up alternate paws with a pathetic look on his face. 15 degrees! We can't do 15 degrees! I am a cold sissy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to argue that. Of course, when we reached 15 degrees on Wednesday, it felt like a heat wave.
DeleteAnd, naturally, we're supposed to have another series of low temps this coming Thursday/Friday...