Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Stardrift]

Ashvane isn't leading it, nor is it hating on Jaina and such, its united and doesn't have an Old God worshipping cult in Stormsong. The Kul'Tirian fleet was found and whole it has been diminished it isn't just "Vanished" Zandalar has a new leader and while it has been damaged it doesn't have to deal with an abberation like G'huun(Thanks Titans) or Zul to be a schemy traitor. Azshara is free to do whatever she wants and not be chained to N'zoth. Speaking of

He got free from his prison which went as he wanted, and while he was defeated and or "dead". Xalatath isn't in the dagger anymore and she's elsewhere possibly in the Void and that dagger disappeared strangely enough. Nyalotha still happened, it just didn't merge with Azeroth creating this weird "insane" reality. Also Sylvanas is no longer the warchief of the Horde, she's kinda enemy #1 right now and we know where that leads. Oh and Saurfang is dead(Via Sylvanas). Sargeras sword is still stuck in the sword yes but it will be relevant again, something big like that isn't forgotten. If it was Blizz wouldn't of mentioned it in an early interview of SL(When it was first announced).

A lot has changed.


Edit: Forgot to add Teldrassil is burnt and well not a place to live, Nelves are kinda in this place of no home or at least a capital city/HQ to live in. Same with the Undercity and the Forsaken.

So in other words.. point A, point B, point A.

Also, your edit is unnecessary. I said "starting after what happened at UC"

[Tiradon]

I thought Ion confirmed there was gonna be more than 2 raid tiers this expo? Where is this 9.2 final patch talk coming from?

Also it seems to me this is a early July patch

[Dracullus]

I thought Ion confirmed there was gonna be more than 2 raid tiers this expo? Where is this 9.2 final patch talk coming from?

Also it seems to me this is a early July patch

Nope, his answer wasn't direct and we don't know if it means "SL will have 4 seasons so it won't be like WoD" or "SL will have 2 big patches, so it won't be like WoD".

And we don't have tiers anymore, we have seasons. In past Blizzard threw 2x bosses on launch and often spread them out in time - we called it all first tier. Since BfA only launch part is tested during Beta, rest on patches PTR (probably to avoid situation like Nighthold that was tested both in Beta and 7.1 PTR after class changes). So old 3 tiers are nows 4 seasons.

[Sondrelk]

Nope, his answer wasn't direct and we don't know if it means "SL will have 4 seasons so it won't be like WoD" or "SL will have 2 big patches, so it won't be like WoD".

And we don't have tiers anymore, we have seasons. In past Blizzard threw 2x bosses on launch and often spread them out in time - we called it all first tier. Since BfA only launch part is tested during Beta, rest on patches PTR (probably to avoid situation like Nighthold that was tested both in Beta and 7.1 PTR after class changes). So old 3 tiers are nows 4 seasons.

The implication very much seemed like he was saying that SL would not end on 9.2 or 9.2.5 like WoD did with 6.2 though.

[Nyel]

I thought Ion confirmed there was gonna be more than 2 raid tiers this expo? Where is this 9.2 final patch talk coming from?

Also it seems to me this is a early July patch

Ion very clearly said that this is not going to be another expansion with just one additional content patch like WoD (that’s how he defined WoD: just one additional content patch which is true as 6.1 wasn’t considered a content patch, only 6.2 was). And then he said 9.2 is coming. To not be another WoD, we don’t need a 9.3 patch, we just need 9.2. And that 9.2 is indeed coming was never in question.

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The implication very much seemed like he was saying that SL would not end on 9.2 or 9.2.5 like WoD did with 6.2 though.

The implication was that SL would not be like another WoD which only had one content (tier) patch added to the game.

6.1 back in 2015 would have been a 6.0.5 patch now. 6.2 back in 2015 would have been a 6.1 patch nowadays. That Shadowlands would not end with 9.2 was never implied by what Ion said.

[Dracullus]

The implication very much seemed like he was saying that SL would not end on 9.2 or 9.2.5 like WoD did with 6.2 though.

For me it sounded like that too. But it wasn't direct answer.

In general I think there will be 9.3 at least with raid/m+ affix. Imo it just saves them more time than cost, cause whatever is slowing down patch production is probably slowing down 10.0 production.

But times are chaotic and I don't have info, it's all speculation. There could be scenario as well where more resources than usual are put on 10.0 to release it in 2022 and 9.3 was scrapped even before SL launched.

[Sondrelk]

Ion very clearly said that this is not going to be another expansion with just one additional content patch like WoD (that’s how he defined WoD: just one additional content patch which is true as 6.1 wasn’t considered a content patch, only 6.2 was). And then he said 9.2 is coming. To not be another WoD, we don’t need a 9.3 patch, we just need 9.2. And that 9.2 is indeed coming was never in question.

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The implication was that SL would not be like another WoD which only had one content (tier) patch added to the game.

6.1 back in 2015 would have been a 6.0.5 patch now. 6.2 back in 2015 would have been a 6.1 patch nowadays. That Shadowlands would not end with 9.2 was never implied by what Ion said.

It's very much an argument of technicalities, for sure. 6.1 was not content patch even if we apply the current design philosophy of only adding the second raid in the X.1 patch.

However, it's still problematic if SL only goes to 9.2. Even if it is technically true what Ion said it's still not going to be taken that way, no matter how technically correct he is.

The only way I could see it happening is if Ion is planning on delaying the inevitable fallout until this year's (or next year if it's the same as last Blizzcon) where he will reveal a really ambitious 10.0. Something large enough that players are willing to let the lack of a 9.3 slide if it means they get 10.0 slightly faster.

[Nyel]

It's very much an argument of technicalities, for sure. 6.1 was not content patch even if we apply the current design philosophy of only adding the second raid in the X.1 patch.

However, it's still problematic if SL only goes to 9.2. Even if it is technically true what Ion said it's still not going to be taken that way, no matter how technically correct he is.

The only way I could see it happening is if Ion is planning on delaying the inevitable fallout until this year's (or next year if it's the same as last Blizzcon) where he will reveal a really ambitious 10.0. Something large enough that players are willing to let the lack of a 9.3 slide if it means they get 10.0 slightly faster.

The lack of 9.3 doesn’t matter at all. Who really needs a 9.3? Nobody. Who wants it? Guess a lot of people who like Shadowlands, but want isn’t need.

If they are able to hold their schedule after the long delay of 9.1, I don’t see it as problematic if 9.3 just doesn’t exist. 9.2 basically follows the same announcement-release schedule as 8.3. Announcement in September, PTR in October. 10.0 announcement on Blizzcon in November, 9.2 release in January (or maybe even December and the raid in mid January).

After that it’s quite easy though, have a relatively short drought of just 7 months and release 10.0 in August to get back to the Legion / BfA schedule or just have the drought of the average 9-10 months and aim for another October - November release.

I mean 10.0 doesn’t even have to be that ambitious if they just stick to their normal, non-delayed schedule, look at BfA or Shadowlands. Both expansions weren’t ambitious at all (Shadowlands a bit more than BfA though). Don’t get me wrong, I really really really want Cataclysm 2.0. But if they just get rid of the awful borrowed power systems and give us something good in exchange, 10.0 could be just like any other expansion that’s not Cataclysm or Legion like in scope. Heck, have a new class and people will be happy already.

[Sondrelk]

The lack of 9.3 doesn’t matter at all. Who really needs a 9.3? Nobody. Who wants it? Guess a lot of people who like Shadowlands, but want isn’t need.

If they are able to hold their schedule after the long delay of 9.1, I don’t see it as problematic if 9.3 just doesn’t exist. 9.2 basically follows the same announcement-release schedule as 8.3. Announcement in September, PTR in October. 10.0 announcement on Blizzcon in November, 9.2 release in January (or maybe even December and the raid in mid January).

After that it’s quite easy though, have a relatively short drought of just 7 months and release 10.0 in August to get back to the Legion / BfA schedule or just have the drought of the average 9-10 months and aim for another October - November release.

I mean 10.0 doesn’t even have to be that ambitious if they just stick to their normal, non-delayed schedule, look at BfA or Shadowlands. Both expansions weren’t ambitious at all (Shadowlands a bit more than BfA though). Don’t get me wrong, I really really really want Cataclysm 2.0. But if they just get rid of the awful borrowed power systems and give us something good in exchange, 10.0 could be just like any other expansion that’s not Cataclysm or Legion like in scope. Heck, have a new class and people will be happy already.

Even if absolutely everyone hated SL, which I sincerely doubt, it's still a bad look for Blizzard if they just abandoned it like that. At best it might show they are willing to abandon bad ideas, but more likely it would show they don't know how to make decent expansions at all.

[Revamp Man]

9.1 launch early July
9.2 launch January
9.3 launch July
10.0 launch January 2023

How dare we not have a 13 month drought

The only thing we can use for figuring out anything about the patches is the tier set question where ion said iirc “they won’t return in 9.2 but they will in our next adventure” or “they will in our next adventure”

[Sondrelk]

9.1 launch early July
9.2 launch January
9.3 launch July
10.0 launch January 2023

How dare we not have a 13 month drought

The only thing we can use for figuring out anything about the patches is the tier set question where ion said iirc “they won’t return in 9.2 but they will in our next adventure” or “they will in our next adventure”

Concerning the Tier Sets I belive they said they wouldnt be in 9.1, with the implication that they would be in 9.2.

[Dracullus]

Concerning the Tier Sets I belive they said they wouldnt be in 9.1, with the implication that they would be in 9.2.

From what I remember Ion straight up said tier set is coming in 9.2 raid with set bonuses, no implications.

[Revamp Man]

From what I remember Ion straight up said tier set is coming in 9.2 raid with set bonuses, no implications.

Yep

My memory is shit in the morning
I’m excited for the fun form of borrowed power

[therumblings]

Everything that has come out with the latest interview really really makes it seem like 9.2 is going to unfortunately be the end of Shadowlands. With no mini raids and no other plot being put forth or even suggested by blizzard, plus the timeline of patch releases with the massive covid delays from working at home. The Ion interview where he said SL wont be like WoD, is the only thing I can think of as to why 9.3 would still exist. But as someone who was confident in a 9.3 for a long time, I have to say 9.3 is looking more and more like fantasy at this point, I am hoping I am wrong though.

I'm predicting 9.2 will be the ascended Jailer arriving at either Azeroth or the supposed "Gardens of Life" or some place he wants to find like the Sepulcher to enact his final plan after breaking free in 9.1.

[Varodoc]

Again new avatars are put in the Battle.net client and they are all from Shadowlands characters, this means that Yrel remains the odd exception. This is so silly and stupid, it is obvious foreshadowing. I guess most players are simply unable to pick that up though.

[therumblings]

Again new avatars are put in the Battle.net client and they are all from Shadowlands characters, this means that Yrel remains the odd exception. This is so silly and stupid, it is obvious foreshadowing. I guess most players are simply unable to pick that up though.

Most people just don't want to be reminded of WoD still.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

So in other words.. point A, point B, point A.

Also, your edit is unnecessary. I said "starting after what happened at UC"

Except no, that would mean we went backwards, no the story moved forward.

[Dracullus]

Everything that has come out with the latest interview really really makes it seem like 9.2 is going to unfortunately be the end of Shadowlands. With no mini raids and no other plot being put forth or even suggested by blizzard, plus the timeline of patch releases with the massive covid delays from working at home. The Ion interview where he said SL wont be like WoD, is the only thing I can think of as to why 9.3 would still exist. But as someone who was confident in a 9.3 for a long time, I have to say 9.3 is looking more and more like fantasy at this point, I am hoping I am wrong though.

I'm predicting 9.2 will be the ascended Jailer arriving at either Azeroth or the supposed "Gardens of Life" or some place he wants to find like the Sepulcher to enact his final plan after breaking free in 9.1.

Again, I don't get what changed with that interview. What has mini raid has even to do with it? We get two 10 boss raids instead in SL and it's not like Crucible of Storm was very popular. For months we speculated late June or early July release and nothing here go against it.

Nothing in story we know suggest if there will be 1 or 2 more chapters - we still have 3 big unused cards: Anduin as boss, Arthas (most likely ally, not boss) and Jailer. From hinted places we have Sepulcher, Gardens of Life, afterlive for inventors (don't remember name, but it sounded like Mechagon 2.0 hint), more SL realms in general (doesn't Blizz straight up said we will see more? it's not that relevant anyway, since it was way before release and plans could be different, but I think it was said).

Most people just don't want to be reminded of WoD still.

It's ancient history right now.

[therumblings]

Again, I don't get what changed with that interview. What has mini raid has even to do with it? We get two 10 boss raids instead in SL and it's not like Crucible of Storm was very popular. For months we speculated late June or early July release and nothing here go against it.

Nothing in story we know suggest if there will be 1 or 2 more chapters - we still have 3 big unused cards: Anduin as boss, Arthas (most likely ally, not boss) and Jailer. From hinted places we have Sepulcher, Gardens of Life, afterlive for inventors (don't remember name, but it sounded like Mechagon 2.0 hint), more SL realms in general (doesn't Blizz straight up said we will see more? it's not that relevant anyway, since it was way before release and plans could be different, but I think it was said).



It's ancient history right now.

I'd love to see 9.2 Anduin final boss with 9.3 jailer final boss, but my faith is waning in a 9.3.

As for WoD? It's history best left forgotten, much like BFA is.

[TheFirstOnes]

9.1 launch early July
9.2 launch January
9.3 launch July
10.0 launch January 2023

How dare we not have a 13 month drought

The only thing we can use for figuring out anything about the patches is the tier set question where ion said iirc “they won’t return in 9.2 but they will in our next adventure” or “they will in our next adventure”

Do you seriously think the patch is releasing in July? Stop

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Again, I don't get what changed with that interview. What has mini raid has even to do with it? We get two 10 boss raids instead in SL and it's not like Crucible of Storm was very popular. For months we speculated late June or early July release and nothing here go against it.

Nothing in story we know suggest if there will be 1 or 2 more chapters - we still have 3 big unused cards: Anduin as boss, Arthas (most likely ally, not boss) and Jailer. From hinted places we have Sepulcher, Gardens of Life, afterlive for inventors (don't remember name, but it sounded like Mechagon 2.0 hint), more SL realms in general (doesn't Blizz straight up said we will see more? it's not that relevant anyway, since it was way before release and plans could be different, but I think it was said).



It's ancient history right now.

I mean, the Gardens and the Sepulcher are both very likely to occur.