Gorgrond Zone Preview, June 17 Hotfixes, Blue Posts, WoD Pre-Purchase, Blizzard Art

[Awbee]

Oooooh, I really like the look of Gorgrond! From all the pictures I've previously seen, it looked like it was going to be just another rather boring bland brownish dusty zone, but this right here looks amazing. I really like the "dinosaur age" kind of look they seem to have gone for. It reminds me of if Un'Goro Crater and the Barrens had a lovechild looks fantastic. The colors are gorgeous too. I wasn't looking forward to this zone much, but now I totally am!

(And really wish I could build a home aka garrison there ;o )

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This is the first picture from WoD that looks like a significat improvement over existing WoW graphics:

I hope they will as many details everywhere.

Agree. It looks like it could come from Wildstar, graphically-wise. Which is a big compliment, considering that's a 2014 game and WoW's engine is from 2005.

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Trying SO hard not to look at art, screenies, MoP's big open beta was terribad for making the content age Fast for me :\

Heh, I'm the same way. Well, except that I avoided pictures of MoP as well. I didn't look at all the screenshots of Gorgrond for example, just a few to get an impression. And I also absolutely do not watch any gameplay / quest / zone exploring etc videos of the alpha or beta.

[Khaza-R]

Wow, Gorgrond is stunning!

[Tisane]

I'd be ashamed for some reason if the actual WoD box will have a tag saying ''+ POSTER!'' on it as well >.< Before you know it'll be something like ''+ Poster & 2 candies''. Don't go in that direction Blizzard :@

[SamuraiJakkass86]

Honestly, the landscape and environment shown in these pictures looks awesome. However, it also looks like this would be Hellfire Peninsula pre-portals. I know thats supposed to be Tanaan Jungle of course, does that mean this map itself is Tanaan Jungle?

[CasCrow]

Those of you that care, the Tol'vir and the big guys from northrend are place holder for this, shown at Blizzcon:

I think it wants a hug. Maybe someone to brush its hair.
Also I have no idea which screen the Depthroot thing is. I tried the ones that had the red outline.

[Kathranis]

Honestly, the landscape and environment shown in these pictures looks awesome. However, it also looks like this would be Hellfire Peninsula pre-portals. I know thats supposed to be Tanaan Jungle of course, does that mean this map itself is Tanaan Jungle?

No. Gorgrond is pre-portals Blade's Edge Mountains.



Gorgrond is a "glistening oasis" that gives way to a "desolate, rocky badland" where the Blackrock clan's foundries are located.

[Mellrod]

O.M.G!! all of the zones look FUCKING GORGEOUS so far! This one reminds me of Cataclysm Barrens. it's a brown desert-ish area, but with lush overgrowth and tons of jungles.

I love this, i love that the jungles here actually look wild and untamed with plants everywhere like you'd need a machete as an actual jungles should look instead of neat and clean with a nicely paved road through it all like a nice walk down a public park. I'm assuming the megabeasts are a chain of rare mobs in the zone, (possibly across the whole continent?). the graphics definitely look alot more updated, and it seems that only Blizz could make what seems like a dry, boring desert from the surface, turn out to be a beautiful landscape teeming with life and activity upon closer inspection.

Anyways, my favorite pictures so far are these two:




Just so amazing, it's a shame Blizzard gets all the unreasonable hate for the hard work they do. It's even funnier how in early screenshots of the zones, people said how bad it looked, and now people are singing a completely different tune. Gorgrond and Nagrand are probably some of the most beautiful zones in the game as of yet, and i'm super hyped for the game right now despite all the hate. Keep up the good work Blizz!

[Deleted]

Those new dummies, like for healers, are an awesome idea!!!

[iceberg265]

i might be, or probably am overthinking it... but i noticed the following

Picking up a special Standard Edition pre-purchase box ahead of the expansion’s release this Fall will .....

fall, December is winter, so that would make WoD planned to be released no later then november... Hmmmm

Winter starts on December 21st, so that would make it planned to be released no later than mid December.

[DechCJC]

Omg... I'm REALLY surprised at how good gorgrond looks, I mean - Of course the lush, sholazar basin/barrens oasis theme is gorgeous - But on top of that I think the rest of it is really nice as well! The whole zone feels very barreny (in a great way) and the lushness of it really balances the theme! One problem I have found with 'end zones' in the past is that they're usually very grim and depressing - This has really got it right, it seems to have the theme of the 'final zone' but it isn't a complete eye sore either. Really excited, have loved every zone so much to PIECES (which is more than I can say for every other xpac tbh) - I'm really really really excited to see Tanaan jungle, we've seen so little and it's the one i'm most excited about.

Honestly, i've been very 'meh' about WoW recently, I couldn't care loads about clearing hc mode (stopped just after siegecrafter hc, or very near to getting a kill anyway) as I was just bored and couldn't be bothered anymore. Now I raid very casually with friends 2 nights a week, we haven't even started hc mode yet and i only really play to raid and VERY occasionally maybe do 1 bg. But this expansion, it's just polishing up so much... I feel like that's what they've needed to do tbh - Instead of hurtling more 'meh' content at us (don't get me wrong, I loved ToT and a lot of things about MoP but it still felt.. meh), they're, for the most part, just making everything they deliver absolute top quality even if it means making us wait a while for us. I don't want to wait ages, I really don't - But it looks like it might pay off. These zones look stunning, the gear scaling down seems awesome, the new gear looks awesome, harder heroic 5 mans with LFR level gear (perfect alternative to get gear fast but with the trade off that it's difficult). The only things i'm not really happy with is the fact that we still lack a proper day/night cycle (Seriously, a RPG needs immersion - This would be a serious - SERIOUS, factor) and the dozens of difficulties. The game feels a bit weird where-as most of the content is at max level instead of the 'traditional' style of spending most of your time just leveling up in RPGs. I don't like it, but whatever - For what we have in the game, i'm impressed and excited for it. There's things i'd like to change, but from the last couple weeks of info i'm looking forward to WoD a hell of a lot more than before.

[Deleted]

I think also the new kind of trees are very nice, with those giant leaves and moss growing all other them, it is gonna be one of the most characteristic zone of the expansion

[Nymhi]

Gorgrond is such a gorgeous zone. The trees, rainbow, glowing things,... designers did a very awesome job <3

[Jokerfiend]

I don't think people are giving enough respect and attention to the delay fix.

That is something monumental. It's huge. As a brief time as a healer, with moderate and acceptable latency, I know for a fact that this happened on a weekly basis. If you count the times people wiped in any environment, cause a heal or taunt didn't go off in time. Imagine how much time and energy over the course of 10 years has been wasted, because of this fault.

This fix is huge and WILL be noticeable at the top Tiers of play.

[Stellan]

Grogrond looks like the Overgrowth area of So. Barrens with some Zangermarsh mushrooms thrown in.

[Cows For Life]

That delay can feel bad just due to the somewhat laggy responsiveness feeling, but also because the state of things can change during that time. For example: Holly the Holy Priest is healing Punky the Brewmaster. Punky spikes low, and Holly hits Guardian Spirit in a panic. The server verifies that Holly is able to cast it, and that Punky is alive (great!). The cast goes off, Guardian Spirit goes on cooldown, and a request is placed for the Guardian Spirit aura (that prevents dying) to be placed on Punky. That request will be filled next time the 400ms timer loops, which happens to be 320ms from now. 250ms later, the boss lands another hit on on Punky. Punky dies. Sadface. Another 70ms goes by, and the Guardian Spirit aura request pops up, and goes "Hey guys, I'm here!... Aww... damn, I missed the party. Sadface."

So all these years the healers yelling "The heal was through!" when someone died.... they were right?
Great change tho. I hate that "WTF I did heal / buff that guy in time yet he still died" feeling.

It's hilarious they've kept quiet about this for 10 years when players have been complaining about it for almost as long. Took them long enough to publicly admit it.

[videotape]

I've been really bummed about WoD in general seeming like a bit of a letdown from my perspective. But holy shit, these screens look amazing. Now I am excited.

[Parad0x86]

It's hilarious they've kept quiet about this for 10 years when players have been complaining about it for almost as long. Took them long enough to publicly admit it.

I know its ridiculous. I have been a Holy Paladin for 7 years and I can't tell you how many times I have had LOH go on cool down but the recipient never got it and died. I figured it was related to something like this.

[cptaylor38]

I think it wants a hug. Maybe someone to brush its hair.
Also I have no idea which screen the Depthroot thing is. I tried the ones that had the red outline.

1. Depthroot. Is that a play on deep throat? It just struck me as odd when I read it.


2. I feel like Garrosh really missed his calling as an architect judging by the new Orgrimmar and those docks.

I mean, none of this stuff existed before Garrosh took over or went back in time to Draenor, so is he the one designing all of this or is it just a random industrial revolution from a collection of no-name theoretical architects?

So much grandeur for such a simple species.

[Chickenstew]

You guys are laughing at Depthroot; I got a chuckle from "Biolante". What better than a Godzilla villain name to show up in a zone with giant monsters?

Dude I saw the mob and was like please be Biollante. Sure enough looked at the name and I shit my pants.

[Doomchicken]

Those of you that care, the Tol'vir and the big guys from northrend are place holder for this, shown at Blizzcon:

Is it me or does that look kinda like a pre-corrupted Mannaroth?