Legion Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[schwarzkopf]

Just like you always say "it's an fact that <x>" and then your opinion comes out?

Fact: Beta has been running for weeks if not months, Blizzard is calling the beta 'Alpha'.
Opinion: It makes good business sense to have the pre-patch out before the movie release.

I use facts to base my opinion on

[Cooper]

Oh yeah, the glyph changes haven't even been sniffed in the Balpha yet. Transmog I don't think would need to be in the pre-patch, but glyphs and talents would be part of the class changes. PvP changes could probably go either way, but probably wouldn't be enabled anyway.

Broken Shore obviously, but I have little doubt Blizzard is working on that internally, separate from Balpha.

[nazrakin]

Fact: Beta has been running for weeks if not months, Blizzard is calling the beta 'Alpha'.
Opinion: It makes good business sense to have the pre-patch out before the movie release.

I use facts to base my opinion on

I agree with that opinion. From both a business and a gameplay perspective it makes a lot more sense to introduce returning and new players to 7.0 with all the new systems and prepatch events are in place.

[Coffeh]

Fact: Beta has been running for weeks if not months, Blizzard is calling the beta 'Alpha'.
Opinion: It makes good business sense to have the pre-patch out before the movie release.

I use facts to base my opinion on

Nah, you state an opinion as fact, and then base an opinion on that opinion. Blizzard calls what is currently going on alpha. So, it's alpha.

[Phunkle]

Oh yeah, the glyph changes haven't even been sniffed in the Balpha yet. Transmog I don't think would need to be in the pre-patch, but glyphs and talents would be part of the class changes. PvP changes could probably go either way, but probably wouldn't be enabled anyway.

Broken Shore obviously, but I have little doubt Blizzard is working on that internally, separate from Balpha.

System changes are always included in the pre-patch. So transmog will be coming with the pre-patch.

The Pre-Patch is the point where you people actually install Legion with all its features. The launch day is just some switch to turn on the Broken Isles and the XP Bar.

[schwarzkopf]

Nah, you state an opinion as fac

No, I stated the fact as fact, and the opinion as opinion... I was very clear. Please re-read.

[thilicen]

Fact: Beta has been running for weeks if not months, Blizzard is calling the beta 'Alpha'.
Opinion: It makes good business sense to have the pre-patch out before the movie release.

I use facts to base my opinion on

It says "Beta" in the client, that's put there by the devs themselves. I go by that.

[schwarzkopf]

The Pre-Patch is the point where you people actually install Legion with all its features. The launch day is just some switch to turn on the Broken Isles and the XP Bar.

They do have until launch day to finish all the content for the expansion though. That's some extra room.

- - - Updated - - -

It says "Beta" in the client, that's put there by the devs themselves. I go by that.

I go by the definition of beta, and the fact that it currently meets all the requirements of beta, names are just names - but in language we need to call things by what they are to have any sensible conversation, irrespective of what they are currently called.

[stormgust]

I agree with that opinion. From both a business and a gameplay perspective it makes a lot more sense to introduce returning and new players to 7.0 with all the new systems and prepatch events are in place.

From a business point it only makes sense, if the movie actually manages to attract new players, which are willing to pay. And honestly, it's a game movie, that alone has it running at a relatively high risk to fail, add in occasionally odd CGI (more or less the entire human cast does not seem to blend in with anything), bad acting ("are you sure about that?" using a "yo man, what's up" intonation) and questionable actors (someone should have realizez that medivh looks like some comedic relief).

That, and then there's this entire problem, that less than two months doesn't seem a reasonable duration to test the preevent, it's supposed to be the biggest to this date. Also, all classes would have to be in their 7.0 state about right now, given how they freeze code at minimum a month prior to prepatch release (WoD codefreeze should've been in august when they switched to 6.0.2, which was shortly before they brought up the PTR for prepatch).

[Deleted]

I don't get why Anduin is High King. Like, at all. Sure, he is King because is father was king. Put him in charge of Stormwind, he did that already.
But putting him in charge of the military might of the alliance? While we have people like Magni or Genn around? Nope. Makes no sense to me.

While I like Anduin as a character, I don't get this descision, either. I would rather see a NE in charge of the Alliance, since they already have experience in dealing with and fighting back the Legion. Anduin is a great mascot, though. :3

[Orwell7]

Well, if they want 7.0 pre-patch with the movie... How long did the 6.0 PTR last? They need that time as the bare minimum. So if we get the PTR up near the end of April, then yeah, 7.0 prepatch will come with the movie.

[Mahmeya]

Yes, WotLK had most zones, BUT:
Crystalsong, is there even any real content? Not sure, I think most time I spent there was after Cata with archeology. And what was used for max-level content were small pockets mostly.

Legion plans to use full 4 zones for both levelling and max-level content because of the scaling + one purely max-level zone.
Not to count 20-ish scenarios for artifacts and possibly more later.

WotLK system changes:
Improved flame graphics (I believe)
Achievements
Phasing technology (I believe)
Pet and Mount collection v1.0
Inscription and glyph system
Calendar, barber shop (quite small features)

Legion systems:
Transmogrification v2.0
Artifact weapons
Zone scaling
Honor system v3.0 + PvP changes (PvP talents, gear scaled down etc.)
One of the biggest class and spec revamps ever
"Social improvements" whatever they might be (I don't think there was much info about this yet)
Various "small but nice" stuff like greater visible range (and other graphical options)

***
Edit: About pre-patch, as US-based company I would think that if they time it for the movie, they will for the US date. Which means - two months to go.

[nazrakin]

From a business point it only makes sense, if the movie actually manages to attract new players, which are willing to pay. And honestly, it's a game movie, that alone has it running at a relatively high risk to fail, add in occasionally odd CGI (more or less the entire human cast does not seem to blend in with anything), bad acting ("are you sure about that?" using a "yo man, what's up" intonation) and questionable actors (someone should have realizez that medivh looks like some comedic relief).

No, it makes business sense regardless. You don't launch a worldwide blockbuster movie and not have tie in marketing to the source property that your still trying to sell. Whether it works or not is irrelevant since Blizzard has to operate under the assumption that it would, especially if they really end up giving away the game to all movie goers.

That, and then there's this entire problem, that less than two months doesn't seem a reasonable duration to test the preevent, it's supposed to be the biggest to this date. Also, all classes would have to be in their 7.0 state about right now, given how they freeze code at minimum a month prior to prepatch release (WoD codefreeze should've been in august when they switched to 6.0.2, which was shortly before they brought up the PTR for prepatch).

I think 2 months should be more than enough time. 6.1 took 6 weeks and 6.2 took 10 weeks, I dont know exactly whats in the pre-event but I cant imagine it takes as long as a full raid to test.

[huth]

That, and then there's this entire problem, that less than two months doesn't seem a reasonable duration to test the preevent, it's supposed to be the biggest to this date. Also, all classes would have to be in their 7.0 state about right now, given how they freeze code at minimum a month prior to prepatch release (WoD codefreeze should've been in august when they switched to 6.0.2, which was shortly before they brought up the PTR for prepatch).

Less than two months doesn't seem reasonable? That's at least as much time, if not more, than any previous pre-patch had. And all classes are already in that state. They specificially left Destrolocks for last because they're seeing relatively little change.

[Bohannon]

No, it makes business sense regardless. You don't launch a worldwide blockbuster movie and not have tie in marketing to the source property that your still trying to sell. Whether it works or not is irrelevant since Blizzard has to operate under the assumption that it would, especially if they really end up giving away the game to all movie goers.



I think 2 months should be more than enough time. 6.1 took 6 weeks and 6.2 took 10 weeks, I dont know exactly whats in the pre-event but I cant imagine it takes as long as a full raid to test.

Well, by the end of May, I'm sure Blizzard will have firm dates set and more information to release so they can tie them together. There is nothing stating they have to release at the same time, in fact, Blizzard has gone on record stating the opposite, in that their release dates are not going to be tied together.

[schwarzkopf]

YEdit: About pre-patch, as US-based company I would think that if they time it for the movie, they will for the US date. Which means - two months to go.

If they want it out pre-movie, they will want it out for all their customers, not just half of them.

[Tartys]

Fact: Beta has been running for weeks if not months, Blizzard is calling the beta 'Alpha'.
Opinion: It makes good business sense to have the pre-patch out before the movie release.

I use facts to base my opinion on

or they call the Alpha Family & Friends: Alpha.

[Ilir]

Imo we will stay in alpha until the release of the game.

[Tartys]

Imo we will stay in alpha until the release of the game.

no, at one point Blizzard will move it into Beta status.

[nazrakin]

Well, by the end of May, I'm sure Blizzard will have firm dates set and more information to release so they can tie them together. There is nothing stating they have to release at the same time, in fact, Blizzard has gone on record stating the opposite, in that their release dates are not going to be tied together.

Sure they've said that, they kinda have to. That doesn't mean they still arent aiming to have it out by then. If you're lead dev would you want those potential customers to jump into a version of the game that is almost universally reviled by the existing audience? Is Tanaan Jungle and WoD Garrisons going to convince those people to stick around for the next expansion? And if it does, is it wise to bring those people into the game, have them learn its existing systems and classes, and then completely pull the rug out from under them a month later?

Now Im not saying that they will have it out be then. Im just saying that it makes more sense to have it out by then.