Battle for Azeroth Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Nyel]

The announcement of the new novel by Christie Golden is very interesting.

"Before the Storm", release date May 2018.

What does that mean? The novel will most likely cover the 8.0 lore (and I think we'll get another one dealing with 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 one year later). Illidan has been released May 2016, Legion has been released 4 months later. This pretty much puts the 8.0 (pre patch) release around June / July with an expansion release date around September. A release in May or earlier is not going to happen at all (and never was likely tbh).

Another interesting thing is the title and the little explanation text - does "Storm" refer to a faction conflict a la MoP? I mean we already talked about this. Maybe it's the "final" clash of Jaina, Genn and Sylvanas before factions need to reunite to fight Void Lords?

I'm pretty excited at the moment. It looks like we're eventually getting MoP 2.0.

[Steampunkette]

Cataclysm is what it is. The name was perfect for the expansion and described exactly what happened. Unless you put Deathwing or Aspects in the title Cataclysm has been a remarkable choice. Something like Tides of Vengeance doesn't describe anything.

"Cataclysm describes the thing that happens in Cataclysm! But Tides of Vengeance describes nothing right now so it must not describe anything that happens in 8.0"

Makes perfect sense...

[Mythabay]

@Deldramar I sent you a friend request, is that okay???

[Hitei]

Tbh they look distinct to me. Hell, they look more Night Elven to me.

Also one more thing to further drive home how this sub race idea seems implausible. Why do these four get special creation, models, and starting zones while Mag’har or Dark Iron don't? Seems like having their cake and eating it too.

Not to mention four (or three if the Broken Isles two share a zone) new zones is a lot of work. I believe back in WoD Blizzard said the starting zoned take as much, or more, work than the models.

Like I said to scarecrow a few pages back, the existence of these four doesn't stop those kind of options.

Also the Dark Iron and Mag'har are already part of their respective factions. These are also the four that wouldn't necessarily need brand new starting zones. Nightborne could use an instanced version of Suramar, Highmountain tauren the same but for Highmountain, ditto Lightforged and Argus, and Void Elves and MacAree

[Aeluron Lightsong]

The announcement of the new novel by Christie Golden is very interesting.

"Before the Storm", release date May 2018.

What does that mean? The novel will most likely cover the 8.0 lore (and I think we'll get another one dealing with 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 one year later). Illidan has been released May 2016, Legion has been released 4 months later. This pretty much puts the 8.0 (pre patch) release around June / July with an expansion release date around September. A release in May or earlier is not going to happen at all (and never was likely tbh).

Another interesting thing is the title and the little explanation text - does "Storm" refer to a faction conflict a la MoP? I mean we already talked about this. Maybe it's the "final" clash of Jaina, Genn and Sylvanas before factions need to reunite to fight Void Lords?

I'm pretty excited at the moment. It looks like we're eventually getting MoP 2.0.

It could mean something big going down, who knows at this point.

[EbaumsTipster]

Another interesting thing is the title and the little explanation text - does "Storm" refer to a faction conflict a la MoP? I mean we already talked about this. Maybe it's the "final" clash of Jaina, Genn and Sylvanas before factions need to reunite to fight Void Lords?

According to Marlamin, there was an image text line referring to "Lightning" that is being replaced by the placeholder image. I believe the storm will both refer to the faction war as well as a LITERAL storm, and the only two people we know that have weather magic now are Jaina and Azshara.

[Mythabay]

"Cataclysm describes the thing that happens in Cataclysm! But Tides of Vengeance describes nothing right now so it must not describe anything that happens in 8.0"

Makes perfect sense...

It does... Ansolutely...

[Rhlor]

I have no problem with void elves, as long as they have a constant void appearance and the blood elves can choose blue eyes

[RippedLife]

I feel like a new race is way better than subraces. subrace = new skin, but a new race means a real model with its own new animations..

[Mythabay]

There's the Hillsbrad worgen, but they would just have a different accent; still, customization is customization. Allowing non-british worgen and British humans is still more options than currently allotted to us.

That is definitely true, there is also the more feral-looking Worgen build. I think playing as one of them would be cool.

[Nyel]

"Cataclysm describes the thing that happens in Cataclysm! But Tides of Vengeance describes nothing right now so it must not describe anything that happens in 8.0"

Makes perfect sense...

It makes sense because Tides of Vengeance doesn't explain anything. It puts words together that don't have a meaning in WoW lore. Tides? Okay, nice. Vengeance? Okay, nice. Tides of Vengeance??? Absolutely meaningless. Cataclysm was the main theme of the expansion and described everything perfectly. Tides of Vengeance doesn't describe anything.

[EbaumsTipster]

By all reports we are returning back to Azeroth. So why include 2 races that come from the Broken Isles and do not thematically fit with what we think the next expansion will be?

Because we are taking in factions we "earned" in the Broken Isles and Argus through our campaign. Because we liberated the Draenei, and the Tauren, and the Nightborne, we "earn" their place in our ranks.

This fits in with the potential of us being able to play subraces early before 8.0 releases. These four were added in 7.3 after all.

[Mythabay]

I feel like a new race is way better than subraces. subrace = new skin, but a new race means a real model with its own new animations..

That is definitely true. I like the idea of new animations.

[EbaumsTipster]

I feel like a new race is way better than subraces. subrace = new skin, but a new race means a real model with its own new animations..

Oh I agree, but a subrace is lazier and easier to do so I feel like that is what Blizzard will do.

Just being honest.

[Nyel]

According to Marlamin, there was an image text line referring to "Lightning" that is being replaced by the placeholder image. I believe the storm will both refer to the faction war as well as a LITERAL storm, and the only two people we know that have weather magic now are Jaina and Azshara.

Well, if we think about Eye of Azshara and the Wrath it could be Azshara related as well.

It really brings down all the possible storylines to either faction war or Naga / Azshara which is great imho.

[EbaumsTipster]

It really brings down all the possible storylines to either faction war or Naga / Azshara which is great imho.

...or Jaina and Kul'tiras. Jaina has the Thunder King's powers in her staff and has yet to use them.

[Mythabay]

Aren't the only feral ones the ones using the older models with limited animations though?

That is true, but there is nothing stopping Blizzard from creating new animations.

[Hitei]

"Cataclysm describes the thing that happens in Cataclysm! But Tides of Vengeance describes nothing right now so it must not describe anything that happens in 8.0"

Makes perfect sense...

Cataclysm noun
1.
a large-scale and violent event in the natural world.

--

Vengeance noun
1.
punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.

Tides noun
1.
the alternate rising and falling of the sea, usually twice in each lunar day at a particular place, due to the attraction of the moon and sun.

Tides of Vengeance noun phrase
1.
a metaphorical concept referring to revenge

Not all that hard, honestly.

One is a concrete event. Even if you have zero context for "Cataclysm" you understand that it is a large-scale destructive event, because that is the meaning of the word. What is Tides of Vengeance referring to? Who knows. It's vague. It means nothing on its own. It could be an attack by Naga. It could be a space attack by Ethereals. It could be a carefully plotted scheme within Gilneas' upper class to destroy the lumberjack union. It could be the story of how an orphan goblin boy who got spit on once in gadgetzan amassed power and became a Trade Prince and crushed the cartel of the person who spit on him.

[Nyel]

...or Jaina and Kul'tiras. Jaina has the Thunder King's powers in her staff and has yet to use them.

Jaina and Kul'Tiras are the same that's why I didn't mention it. Due to the datamined set an involvement of Kul'Tiras is pretty much guaranteed.

I didn't know about her staff though, need to read about it later. Sounds interesting.

[Hitei]

Jaina and Kul'Tiras are the same that's why I didn't mention it. Due to the datamined set an involvement of Kul'Tiras is pretty much guaranteed.

I didn't know about her staff though, need to read about it later. Sounds interesting.

She absorbed the remaining power of the Thunder King into it after his defeat in Throne of Thunder. Not really much more than that, was a pretty underplayed event.