Battle for Azeroth Developer Interviews

[chaud]

Battle for Azeroth Release Date - August 14, 2018
The Battle for Azeroth release date was announced today!

Battle for Azeroth Collector's Edition
The Battle for Azeroth collector's edition contents were announced today!

Invenglobal Battle for Azeroth Dev Interview
Invenglobal sat down with the WoW developers for a quick interview. Here are the highlights:

• All content is scaling down at the same ratio for the stat squish so soloing old content should not be affected.
• Azerite Power will be acquired in much the same way as Artifact Power.
• The art team was super excited to design the Horde and Alliance sets for Warfronts.
• The team wants to have a bunch of different raid encounter designs so that classes that excel at certain things have a chance to shine, but they also don’t want to have people excluded from raids.
• The team likes WoW to be available to those who have low end computers, but there comes a time when they have to up minimum specs purely to keep the game going.
• Changing old zones is a double edged sword as they don’t want to mess with player nostalgia.
• New classes are added when it makes sense for the story of the expansion.
• The team does not want racials to stop them from creating new races nor do they want people to play a race that they don’t want to just because it has the best racials.
• There is nothing to announce on whether or not Vulpera and Tortollans will be Allied Races.
• Lore-wise, G’huun is much less powerful than a real Old God, but the fight is going to be challenging.
• Warfronts have UI elements to help with resource gathering. They are not RTS, but very much World of Warcraft with RTS inspiration.
• The team wants to tell a story where it isn’t black and white who started the conflict.

Hazelnuttygames Battle for Azeroth Dev Interview
Hazelnuttygames sat down with the WoW developers for a quick interview. Here are the highlights:

• The advanced AI in Island Expeditions all have different tactics and actions. They are difficult to predict and were actually too difficult when first implemented and had to be adjusted.
• Each AI team has a theme appropriate to what kind of team they are. For instance, Worgens are a lot more aggressive while Tauren will prefer to not engage you and try to outplay you.
• There are no plans for leaderboards or competitive eSports Island Expeditions as of now.
• Instead of getting new abilities or talents while leveling, the bonuses from getting new gear for Azerite slots will fill this void.
• Paragon reputation caches are going to continue, but mount rewards with low drop rates are being pulled back.
• New pet battle world quests will feature in BfA. There will be new quirky things like rescuing pets, chicken hair styles and new abilities. There is also a new type of pet charms with different rewards. As the expansion progresses more pet battle dungeons will be added.
• The Uuna questline introduced new technology that allows character actions to change the appearance of your battle pets such as adding a backpack.

Tradechat's Battle for Azeroth Dev Interview
Tradechat's Panser sat down with the WoW developers for a quick interview. Here are the highlights:

• Island Expeditions are tuned for three players. There are not solo versions. The AI on easier modes will take longer to show up on the island.
• There are no plans for another Mage Tower challenge in Battle for Azeroth, but the team realizes that many different types of people play WoW and are working on new ideas for solo play and content like the Brawler's Guild.
• Solo players should have very short ques for Island Expeditions.
• There are no plans as of now to have Mythic + modifiers in raids.
• The aim of Communities is to bring back connections between players outside of your guild or server.
• You will still be able to fly in Eastern Kingdom and Kalimdor BfA content.
• The transmog system is still in its infancy and the team is always looking for feedback on what to improve.
• There are no plans to loosen transmog restrictions as of now.
• The cleansing of the Sunwell is what caused golden eyes options for the Blood Elves.
• When the focus on Allied Races dies down a bit the team will take a look at adding more customization for current races.
• The decision to remove First Aid happened because as the game evolved, bandaging became less and less common because of self heals and damage reduction cooldowns.
• Increased collection achievements for mounts and pets will be added in BfA.
• Ferrets are a new pet in BfA.
• The latest Alpha build added the new weather 2.0 system. Changes include weather coming from a distance, affecting the camera, etc.

Wowhead's Battle for Azeroth Dev Interview
Wowhead sat down with the WoW developers for a quick interview. Here are the highlights:

• Allied races are tied to story lines that feed into Battle for Azeroth and Death Knights are very much tied to the Lich King story.
• Island Expeditions will be unlocked via the War campaign and will unlock account wide. This means your alts can do them as they level.
• Upright Undead is up to Sylvanas!
• Is Wrathion really the last black dragon or could we find more during our Island Expeditions?
• The team doesn't have more information on the visual elements of the Heart of Azeroth neck piece.
• Hakkar is unrelated to G'huun.
• The team wants to do more to improve the visibility of dungeon quests.
• Siege of Boralus involves the Horde attacking the city and the Alliance defending it.

[Sorshen]

"You will still be able to fly in Eastern Kingdom and Kalimdor BfA content."
Amazing, so generous.

[Zigrifid]

pppffff no pilav interviews! we need his opinion in this shit

[Omedon]

"Island Expeditions will be unlocked via the War campaign and will unlock account wide. This means your alts can do them as they level."

GASP!

I can... I can level as a healer... without healing dungeons... I could weep for joy! My Druid is so very resto concept, but I just don't like where dungeon healing has gone! I can dust her off and level her in concept through islands!

[Queen of Hamsters]

"Changing old zones is a double edged sword as they don’t want to mess with player nostalgia."

HAHAHAHAH! No, fuck nostalgia! Progressing and keeping the world alive and up-to-date, is beneficial!

[Kamilynne]

The decision to remove First Aid happened because as the game evolved, bandaging became less and less common because of self heals and damage reduction cooldowns.

Yeah, like Arms Warriors have any self heals....oh wait...Victory Rush but that's it. Bandages are quicker than eating non-stat food between fights.

[Drin]

I am so excited for this expansion. Ready to be part of Horde vs Alliance again!!

[Airwaves]

Azerite Power will be acquired in much the same way as Artifact Power.

No. FUCKING NO. Looks like I am not playing BFA. Fuck that. I am not dealing with AP again. Do they not understand how hated that shit was?

[Dan Delion]

"Paragon reputation caches are going to continue, but mount rewards with low drop rates are being pulled back."

So that means what exactly?

[MakeMeLaugh]

Is Wrathion really the last black dragon or could we find more during our Island Expeditions?

What the hell? They just showed another black dragon this expansion(A highmountain tauren), so what's up?

[Redzonetode]

No. FUCKING NO. Looks like I am not playing BFA. Fuck that. I am not dealing with AP again. Do they not understand how hated that shit was?

Only hated by forum goers who are constantly negative anyway.

[Kazjin]

"Instead of getting new abilities or talents while leveling, the bonuses from getting new gear for Azerite slots will fill this void."

Gimme a break... BFA no new talents or abilities confirmed...but well get 2% more damage to stormstrike!!! What a joke.

[Luncor]

Allied races are tied to story lines that feed into Battle for Azeroth and Death Knights are very much tied to the Lich King story.

So if you are playing death knight, you can't play any new races, today and ever? Why did u hating so much death knights? i really don't care anymore this allied races. if allied races more important thing in bfa for devteam, then bfa is huge disappointment for me.

[TristanTaylor]

"Paragon reputation caches are going to continue, but mount rewards with low drop rates are being pulled back."

So that means what exactly?

I'm wondering this one as well, and hoping there's a clear response at some point soonish.

[Gahk]

Not that I'm disagreeing with the removal of First Aid but now I'm scratching my head. If bandages are so useless now that all classes are pretty much self sufficient, why even put it on tailoring? And if they are still useful to certain classes, why remove the profession at all?

[rogoth]

Yeah, like Arms Warriors have any self heals....oh wait...Victory Rush but that's it. Bandages are quicker than eating non-stat food between fights.

at least you have an ability that can heal, mages have never had any self heal spells, and after legion goes, will go back to having nothing to self heal with
but that's ok cos worst dps class in game is a glass cannon amirite? fucking ridiculous.

[Sabrescene]

The transmog system is still in its infancy and the team is always looking for feedback on what to improve.

Looking for feedback...

There are no plans to loosen transmog restrictions as of now.

But still not listening to it...

[SinR]

let me transmog Fist weapons onto 1h sword/mace/dagger/axe.

You can transmog any 2h weapon onto any other 2h weapon, so why not similar restrictions lifted with 1h weapons?

with regard to Paragon Caches they'll still be there but mounts wont be in them anymore. I mean how hard is it to grasp that? seems clear to me.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh. and Wrathion isn't the last Black Dragon. Its implied that Ebonhorn and Wrathion meet sometime because Ebonhorn says he has "Family Matters to attend to".

[Galathir]

The team wants to tell a story where it isn’t black and white who started the conflict.

BfA looks pretty black and white to me so far.

Increased collection achievements for mounts and pets will be added in BfA.

Finally! Long overdue.

[Samin]

The transmog system is still in its infancy and the team is always looking for feedback on what to improve.

There are no plans to loosen transmog restrictions as of now.

Looks like a clear case of child neglect right there, take 'em away, boys.