I was reading the Print & Play Codex Extras notes (pondering getting everything in digital form out of sheer impatience waiting for the physical form), and read this little note –
Died laughing. Well I mean, yes, but it was tough. The RTS references are supersubtle
Big Game Hunters indeed. I literally spent years of my young adult life in BGH.
Black has a whole bunch of war3 stuff, too, and I saw a Firebat and a Steam Tank go by in Red. No zerg unless you count a couple things that could maybe possibly be ultralisks, but I can see how they wouldn’t fit thematically anywhere, really. Red seems to have them in spirit, I think.
Anyway. That’s all awesomeness. Just thought I’d share that I was amused and impressed.
Not an RTS reference, but Terras Q is clearly a Tarrasque from D&D, even in name. I had to have it pointed out to me, and had one of those facepalm moments when I realized that I hadn’t made the connection myself.
I know! My husband pointed that one out to me and I was like, “How did I not see that…?” I was counting that as one of the maybe sorta ultralisks? This guyreally looks like he wants to be one. Tarrasque or Ultra, either way – which is not too weird since Ultras are a reference to the Tarrasque in the first place.
It’s hard to detangle things when they’re just generic myth and legend and is referenced in multiple games, right? Like, are the water elementals and griffins from the Warcraft universe? I mean, maybe, the summon on the water elemental is kind of . . . reminiscent . . . of the wacraft games, but there’s nothing special in the art that makes me think they’re specifically that, unlike the reavers or abominations which are in “holy crap how is that even legal??” territory.
My husband also pointed out that River Montoya is (probably?) River Tam and Inigo Montoya, which makes sense to me, but I didn’t catch that one either. But which makes her awesomer.
Drakk is clearly named after me. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.
Yeah, a lot of Black units are from Undead in War 3. Abominations and Gargoyles. Crypt Crawler = Crypt Fiend. Corpse Catapult = Meat Wagon. Death and Decay was a Death Knight spell from Warcraft 2, Lich ultimate in War3. Dark Pact on the Death Knight in War3. Sacrificed a Unit for HP though.
Faerie Dragon = Faerie Dragon
Earthquake was the Far Seer’s Ultimate.
A lot of purple is Protoss as mentioned obviously.