The Art Department is leaking...

[Nitty Scott]

Hello, I work in animation and recently came into contact with someone who is doing 3D modeling for Blizz right now. Basically when Blizzard is putting an expansion together, they sign short contracts with artists to get the bulk of the work done. The contracts are usually up before the expansion launches and most artists aren't offered permanent jobs on the actual art team. In other words I'm getting my information from the outer circle, not the inner circle.

Pre-patch event involves Azshara attempting to capture Quel'Thalas and Darnassus due to both their vulnerability and history. Naga invasions will begin on Darkshore, Azshara, Teldrassil, Eversong Woods and the Isle of Quel'Danas. These invasions are meant to feel severe to "hook" players, so there will be a lot of bloodshed and dead fodder. New recurring naga characters will be introduced, and rewards include new underwater mounts.

Undermine
The Horde's city is Steampunk themed with a dark color palette. Jokingly described as "Ironforge, but with water." Has idustrial features like Gnomeregan's flourescent lighting, elevators and alarm system. Where Gnomeregan prized innovation, Undermine revolves around money. The locals are mostly pickpockets and aspiring tycoons. Quests begin with Undermine goblins deceiving and stealing from players. Players earn their respect by becoming street-savvy and making money.

Kul Tiras
The Alliance's capital is the opposite of the Undermine. Kul Tiras's color palette is summery, with splashes of soft blues and dark greens. Players arrive at the
beginning of a bountiful harvest, and the natives are resentful about hosting them. The island nation is thriving, and residents worry the players will bring trouble like they did to Pandaria. Players earn their respect through feats of strength against the naga and Horde.

Leveling zones are disconnected like in Cataclysm, although this is meant to be "remedied" by scaling technology. When players get to choose their next zone rather than having it determined for them, they enjoy the exploration more. Players will revisit both 1K Needles and Stranglethorn Vale while leveling, although I don't know in what capacity this will be. Players will also visit many new zones, including:

Kezan - somewhere between Un'Goro Crater and the Echo Isles. You can see the beach from most anywhere in the zone, and the setting is very tropical. Huge deadly predators roam the island, and Kezan natives are reluctant to teach players how to survive here.

Plunder Isle - still under ideation, no color palette or general aesthetic locked in yet. Direction involves players fighting the Bloodsail Buccaneers and invading
Bloodsail Hold, it's undecided whether this conflict should be resolved while leveling or through max level content.

Tel'Abim - though a small zone, uses two entirely separate palettes. Tel'Abim looks like any other island, and houses one of the expansion's few friendly races (unclear who). Quests here begin with physical labor to help the locals, but players eventually discover "dark forces" infesting the island (my personal expectation is old god stuff). The situation escalates until Tel'Abim is warped and shifts into its second color palette, which is mostly dark blues, dark greens and bright purples.

The Maelstrom - a group of small islands near the storm and the frontline of the war against the naga. The assails players with jarring visual effects and debuffs, while the naga draw power from it. Grays are heavily used, from the rocky terrain to the stormy weather. Like the prepatch event, fighting the naga here feels very intense.

Out of everything here I'm most excited about the new cities. I'm also worried about the fate of Plunder Isle, hoping it doesn't go unfinished like Azjol-Nerub or The Abyssal Maw.

[Wizzi01]

With those contracts come nda's. So this post is mossy likely bs.

[Soulwind]

Yeah, that'd be lovely.

Shame it's not true, though.

[Jalham]

The fact that this post focuses on Art department stuff with no other features mentioned actually makes it more believable that other posts.

Might be fake still but more believable nonetheless.

[Noxina]

Hey, it's written on the internet, with zero sources provided - MUST BE TRUE!

[Deleted]

This is not April fools.

And EVEN assuming that Blizzard did not to gave NDA or some stuff AND indeed hires random artists, instead using ones from Blizzard Church, there still is one detail you forgot - No company would EVER need to disclose full information about the project.

If you are there to draw some Naga stuff, no need for you to know about Azjol-Nerub or any non Naga related stuff or even what they are doing.

[Kelathos]

Leveling zones are disconnected like in Cataclysm.

New continents are so much better aesthetically, thematically, and functionally, I cannot believe they'd backslide in quality so bad for no good reason.

[Pandragon]

With those contracts come nda's. So this post is mossy likely bs.

Was gonna post this. No ones gonna risk a contract to tell you stuff that they aren't supposed to.

[zlygork]

Why would a temporary artist, like you claim have info on the specifics of the game such as pre-patch events? All he needs to be told is "make a zone that looks like this' or "Need this specific kind of naga" or even "Make me a tree that spent 10k years underwater"

[Justpassing]

I think OP doesn't know what a NDA is.

[Nnyco]

totally not made up

[Heeresman]

Quality 11th post!

2013.......

Been a while my friend.

[Cosmic Janitor]

When I saw the thread I somehow read "the art department is lacking". I came here to joke about that at least they aren't leaking.

Now the jokes on me it seems.

[Deleted]

Darnassus isn't particularly vulnerable. There's only 2 ways in, through the air and through that one portal in the harbor.

[Shampro]

[Saucerian]

Yes, we all know what NDAs are. Plausible that a contracted temp may not care so much about one.

Not sure how they'd know so much about the features, but it could be possible to glean a lot from the textures and models. All the details about palettes do make it sound like an artist wrote it.

If it's a fake it's a good one. The "south seas" expansion idea has been floated for a while. (Pun not intended. Maybe.)

[Cosmic Janitor]

Was gonna post this. No ones gonna risk a contract to tell you stuff that they aren't supposed to.

Like there is any real risk that the original leaker could be found by some vague stuff like that.

[alt-ithist]

Darnassus isn't particularly vulnerable. There's only 2 ways in, through the air and through that one portal in the harbor.

/Grabs a box of matches.

[Deleted]

/Grabs a box of matches.

Would be hard to burn down everything with a few matches, plus I think the Night Elves are smart enough to invoke magic so it doesn't just burn away. :P

[Swalload]

With those contracts come nda's. So this post is mossy likely bs.

Because no one ever broke an NDA.

No one.