Battle for Azeroth Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Smokinya]

In terms of the whole light versus void conflict I personally hope we remain as Horde and Alliance. Yes it would free up player choice but I think it would take away from that Warcraft feel if masses of Orc's were trolling around Stormwind. Although I know it won't happen I really hope this whole Void vs Light thing is a slow burner rather than something that we deal with in 9.0 or 10.0. I like the fact that there's some mystery surrounding it and it would be much more satisfying to see it have a really long arc rather than jump into it right away.

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I truly hope Blizz finally gives the Horde Ogres as playable. If they go by lore, there is a clan of Ogres already in the Horde. So it won't be too far stretched that they become playable. But the question is what would the Alliance have in turn as playable? High Elves? Fish men from Pandaland? Cat men from WoD? Or another elf? It will be interesting if Blizz will be lazy & just give us one race or no race this expansion. If no new races, I hope for subraces of existing playable races are made playable. It is time for something new to happen, when it comes to races in WoW.

As much as I would love ogres I think I would prefer subraces and more customization more. WoW is severely lacking in customization at the moment.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

There are even some aspects of Light V Void I'm not a fan of but that's not here nor there. If a faction war does break out again. I would like some definied sub groups that have differing Point of Views.


An example


Anduin,Velen,Jaina(This is an iffy) want peace and obviously will fight if need be but they won't deny peace


Genn,Admiral Rogers, ???? This group would insist the Horde has done too much and better to fight them and destroy them(Not necessarily purge or genocide).


Horde

Baine,(Some Orc maybe Thrall I dunno) And whoever replaces Vol'Jin(Maybe Lor'themar should be in the list to) They will insist on just prefering to survive then try and conquer.

And much as I hate to do it.

Sylvanas, <Very racist/Anti Alliance Orc> <Resentful Blood Elf, maybe Rommath> Essentially they'll kill Alliance if its convenient for them and positive or anything to get a sucker punch.

[Blayze]

That's actually another good point. There was a time when that was true, when the titan facilities were ambiguously sci-fi and it was mysterious and our characters didn't fully understand it. At some point, however, a shift happened, and suddenly even characters who aren't Brann seem to know exactly what they're looking at and can use the titan computers like such a thing is normal to them. Some of that has even been made retroactive in a way that makes our early interactions with the titan facilities and the dwarves' fascination with them seem weird since apparently everyone already knew what they were.

It's especially a shame because I think the progression of learning about the titans has been handled fairly well, but for some reason that knowledge keeps getting retroactively applied. Originally, it was just an archaeological hobby of the dwarves looking for their creators, and no one else really cared. Then we ended up finding intact stuff in Northrend, and it changed everything. And it made sense no one had found that stuff before in recorded history, because Northrend was implied to be quite an inhospitable land even before the Lich King. Over time, we've been finding more and more intact titan stuff that tells us more and more about everyone's history, not just the dwarves. But for some reason that information starts to be treated as stuff Azeroth has always known.

I miss how games like Wizardry and Might and Magic handled it; the characters talked about advanced technology in the context of their own native worlds. Wizardry 8's intro was a good example of that; the narrator talks about how your patron "must be a very great wizard to make such a ship sail," (referring to his spaceship) and "that metal bird went straight up, making a sound like a thousand angry dragons."

[Deleted]

I been thinking about their promise to close the gap between expansion, and yet all points to a year of so of Argus.

What if 8.0. came 2 months earlier? That would be 3 months with 8.0. and then, the expansions would be released. Assuming that 8.0. contained some playable content, like new questing revamped zones or even pre-expansion events, would you be fine if Blizzard did this?

[Soulwind]

I been thinking about their promise to close the gap between expansion, and yet all points to a year of so of Argus.

What if 8.0. came 2 months earlier? That would be 3 months with 8.0. and then, the expansions would be released. Assuming that 8.0. contained some playable content, like new questing revamped zones or even pre-expansion events, would you be fine if Blizzard did this?

Well, they've learned to separate content releases from patches.

So maybe they'd sell the expansion and release the new race/class/subraces several months in advance, then the pre-expansion event, then the intro quest where we lose our artifacts and finally they patch in the new zones, allowing us to level up and access the new dungeons.

They could do that, but I'm not sure if their marketing team would like them taking features away from the expansion and implementing them in advance.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Well, they've learned to separate content releases from patches.

So maybe they'd sell the expansion and release the new race/class/subraces several months in advance, then the pre-expansion event, then the intro quest where we lose our artifacts and finally they patch in the new zones, allowing us to level up and access the new dungeons.

They could do that, but I'm not sure if their marketing team would like them taking features away from the expansion and implementing them in advance.

In terms of how Major Content Patches work yeah but Expansions should always have all of it's said features.

[Marlamin]

I been thinking about their promise to close the gap between expansion, and yet all points to a year of so of Argus.

What if 8.0. came 2 months earlier? That would be 3 months with 8.0. and then, the expansions would be released. Assuming that 8.0. contained some playable content, like new questing revamped zones or even pre-expansion events, would you be fine if Blizzard did this?

If they're primarily working on getting all the tech right before they focus on content -- then yeah, that's very much a possible thing that could happen.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

It would also fit in with their new philosophy of not releasing all possible content at once.

I'm partly fearing them getting tempted to release content piecemeal or small bits. I feel like the way content is released so far is good(Not necessarily what's in it but the model).

[Nefarious Tea]

I hope there'll be new character customization options. I'm kind of behind after taking a 6-month break so I just met Fareeya, the Crescent Glaive on Argus. And, her horns holy shit. ULTRA JALOUX.

Then I thought about Yrel because they sound similar (although Google-fu is mum on who voices Fareeya), and how she had unique horns too. Which led to thinking:

There are clearly new design spaces available for character customization, and many players have been clamoring for subraces for years for RP and flavor reasons. Why not both? Want to roll a Dark Iron dwarf? Ashen skin color added for dwarves! Want to be a mag'har orc? Brown skin color added for orcs! New horns for Draenei! New skin/eye colors for elves! Options for everyone!

[Blayze]

Then I thought about Yrel because they sound similar (although Google-fu is mum on who voices Fareeya)

Pretty sure it is Erin Fitzgerald again, doing a slight variation on her Maami voice from the conversation in WoD where she talks to herself.

[Nyel]

I'm sorry to hear that; it's doing the opposite for me... I'm overloaded on possibilities.

I don't know why. I've been pretty hyped until Gamescom and after that... don't know. Maybe too many "hints" or too many things at once that make me believe that it's just too much (South Seas stuff) to be true (=the next expansion).

Right now I just think I can only be disappointed by what's to come because I really expect either new races or a new class but in reality we most likely won't get either so... 4 weeks to go.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I don't know why. I've been pretty hyped until Gamescom and after that... don't know. Maybe too many "hints" or too many things at once that make me believe that it's just too much (South Seas stuff) to be true (=the next expansion).

Right now I just think I can only be disappointed by what's to come because I really expect either new races or a new class but in reality we most likely won't get either so... 4 weeks to go.

It will very likely not what we expect. At least a fair amount of it. Some of it will be "Oh yeah, sweet."

[Nyel]

I feel ya. If we don't get a new race, it'll disappoint me in a way which will hinder my enjoyment of the expansion as a whole regardless of how good the actual content is. I doubt they would go more than six years with no new race though.

I agree on this but I really don't know... everything just seems a bit out of place. I love all those hints pointing towards a South Seas expansion but then I doubt it because of Turalyon's and Alleria's re-introduction to the game. Which races could be part of an expansion that's about Kul'Tiras etc.? Ogres? I really doubt that. Naga? Ethereals? They don't really fit into the "Old God" flair. So what else? If we don't get a new race (which would be pretty lame) what else? Sub races? That would be so much work... more customization options? Yeah that's nice but as expansion feature? They failed with this approach in WoD when they gave us new models instead of a new race and the backlash was immense.

I really love the possible setting. I love all the South Seas stuff but I don't know why I don't feel any excitement yet. Most likely because everything is so vague and we know absolutely NOTHING about features of the expansion. What happens to artifact weapons? AP grind was awful but the overall depth of the artifact traits etc. was great - I really don't want to lose it or any of the new skills (but we will because it's Blizzard). So what could be in store for character / class progress?

We will see within weeks but that's why I am more negative than positive at the moment although the setting is my favorite setting for an upcoming expansion (I'm waiting for Azshara's return since 2010). We'll see...

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It will very likely not what we expect. At least a fair amount of it. Some of it will be "Oh yeah, sweet."

And that's what makes me a bit anxious. If we get another MoP: great (new race, new class, beautiful new content). If we get another WoD: o m g no (no new race, no new class, rehashed content).

[In Ogres We Trust]

Veil of Shadows OP confirmed it was fake. It was a very well put together leak though.

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I'm sorry to hear that; it's doing the opposite for me... I'm overloaded on possibilities.

Well... that sucks.

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I agree on this but I really don't know... everything just seems a bit out of place. I love all those hints pointing towards a South Seas expansion but then I doubt it because of Turalyon's and Alleria's re-introduction to the game. Which races could be part of an expansion that's about Kul'Tiras etc.? Ogres? I really doubt that. Naga? Ethereals? They don't really fit into the "Old God" flair. So what else? If we don't get a new race (which would be pretty lame) what else? Sub races? That would be so much work... more customization options? Yeah that's nice but as expansion feature? They failed with this approach in WoD when they gave us new models instead of a new race and the backlash was immense.

I really love the possible setting. I love all the South Seas stuff but I don't know why I don't feel any excitement yet. Most likely because everything is so vague and we know absolutely NOTHING about features of the expansion. What happens to artifact weapons? AP grind was awful but the overall depth of the artifact traits etc. was great - I really don't want to lose it or any of the new skills (but we will because it's Blizzard). So what could be in store for character / class progress?

We will see within weeks but that's why I am more negative than positive at the moment although the setting is my favorite setting for an upcoming expansion (I'm waiting for Azshara's return since 2010). We'll see...

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And that's what makes me a bit anxious. If we get another MoP: great (new race, new class, beautiful new content). If we get another WoD: o m g no (no new race, no new class, rehashed content).

Kul Tiras is a seafaring nation-state.
Ogres were a seafaring people.
Vrykul are a seafaring people.
Naga live in the sea

I'm at a loss as to why you think they wouldn't fit in an expansion about KT and the Channel Isles.

[Jokubas]

I feel ya. If we don't get a new race, it'll disappoint me in a way which will hinder my enjoyment of the expansion as a whole regardless of how good the actual content is. I doubt they would go more than six years with no new race though.

Definitely. Now, obviously, ogres being one of them is big for me. There's often a lot of "don't get your hopes up" involved in speculative discussions, but after this long waiting for ogres (I briefly campaigned for them to be a launch race before we knew them all), it doesn't matter whether I expect them or not. At this rate, whether or not I expect them, not getting them really sucks. And on a greater scale, races are a big feature for me in general. Getting no new races for the last two expansions (and only one in the expansion before that), has been really disappointing.

[Nyel]

Well... that sucks.

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Kul Tiras is a seafaring nation-state.
Ogres were a seafaring people.
Vrykul are a seafaring people.
Naga live in the sea

I'm at a loss as to why you think they wouldn't fit in an expansion about KT and the Channel Isles.

Because it's just weird. Ogre as a playable race? Who wants that? Same for Vrykul or Naga. Yes, there are players who want that, I know. But I really don't see a very unpopular race as Ogre to be a new playable race. And Vrykul? They're just extra big Humans.

The thing is the setting might be Seafaring but new races must have any connection with it. And I don't see how Ogres or Vrykul would fit into a South Seas expansion from a lore-standpoint. That Seafaring is a common denominator is nice but it doesn't justify them as new races imho. For Naga... yes, they would fit. But I really don't see them as a playable race ever. We discussed this a lot of times but there are so many issues with Naga as a playable race that I really don't see any possibility to get them.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

There are Furbolgs as a race >.> But I feel it'd go Alliance then Horde. The issue I would see with it is, they sorta have a closeness to Night Elves(Worgen sorta already got that kinda angle). I dunno...I'm out of ideas.

[Jokubas]

Ogres are seafaring and the Twilight's Hammer had a ton of ogres. Cho'gall was a very important convert to the Void and has accomplished some of the most out of any of their minions.
The naga live under the sea and are working for the old gods.
The ethereals had their homeworld destroyed by the Void and they're now strongly associated with the Void themselves.

If anything, there's an irony in a lot of the popular guesses overlapping so much with a sea-based and/or Void expansion that it doesn't help narrow things down. Also, back in the day, Chris Metzen said he'd like to see playable goblins, ogres, and naga. One of those finally happened, but the rest are still open. Even if he's retired, that means they're on Blizzard's radar.

[Ningjinq]

I think by the traditional definition of “WoW content drought”, it almost all depends on what “small patch after Antorus” means. Xpac would have to release next November or later for it to be a year long tier. That’s definitely not guaranteed.

Bigger concern is how long Argus lasts? It has lengthy content if you want to exploit it to max (extremely few would’ve finished it by now) but, it’s not something that would last anywhere near a year. Need something relatively good to release around March or so and it’s be just about perfect.

[In Ogres We Trust]

Because it's just weird. Ogre as a playable race? Who wants that? Same for Vrykul or Naga. Yes, there are players who want that, I know. But I really don't see a very unpopular race as Ogre to be a new playable race. And Vrykul? They're just extra big Humans.

The thing is the setting might be Seafaring but new races must have any connection with it. And I don't see how Ogres or Vrykul would fit into a South Seas expansion from a lore-standpoint. That Seafaring is a common denominator is nice but it doesn't justify them as new races imho. For Naga... yes, they would fit. But I really don't see them as a playable race ever. We discussed this a lot of times but there are so many issues with Naga as a playable race that I really don't see any possibility to get them.

Since it's a fan-made concept, there's no indication that we're getting a South Seas expansion; there is, however, several indicators that we're getting Kul Tiras (which would fit with the introduction of Ogres and Vyrkul). Also, who wanted Goblins, Worgen, Draenei, etc.? That's a rather silly metric to judge whether a race a should or should not be introduced. At this point, the Ogres are the only race from the RTS series that's unplayable (and they had plans to introduce them in Cata). As for the connection angle, the Horde operated several bases on the Channel Isles, and the Ogres were in charge of their naval forces. As for the Vrykul, do the Vrykul need an explanation or connection to Kul Tiras, their offspring, and heritage?