Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Blizzard is having their cake and eating it, too, with the portals. They exist in the lore to justify the players traveling back and forth, but the narrative doesn't utilize them in the slightest. They exist for the players, essentially, and no one else.

I took the portals as non-canon. Not only is it stupid how easily they made them, but does continue to poke holes in the story. Although portals in general cause major plot holes in how they would be utilized in war.

[Nagawithlegs]

I took the portals as non-canon. Not only is it stupid how easily they made them, but does continue to poke holes in the story. Although portals in general cause major plot holes in how they would be utilized in war.

BFA would’ve ended if someone portaled a piano onto Sylvanases head in Orgs throne room.

Might as well whine about who pumps the Batmobiles tires. Bolvars spiel about “you may never return” was exclusively about the Maw which you then escape from.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Blizzard is having their cake and eating it, too, with the portals. They exist in the lore to justify the players traveling back and forth, but the narrative doesn't utilize them in the slightest. They exist for the players, essentially, and no one else.

It's even worse, they actually are used by some NPCs, namely Calia and Taelia. They are 100% canon this time around.

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

It's even worse, they actually are used by some NPCs, namely Calia and Taelia. They are 100% canon this time around.

Remember the Dark Portal? Remember how much effort it took for a portal across a long distance? Now we're just casually dropping portals to the afterlife.

[Nathanyel]

BFA would’ve ended if someone portaled a piano onto Sylvanases head in Orgs throne room.

Portals have been addressed in the books, and it was mentioned they can be "scrambled". Permanent portals require constant upkeep (as evidenced by the NPCs in the portal rooms)

[Makabreska]

Remember the Dark Portal? Remember how much effort it took for a portal across a long distance? Now we're just casually dropping portals to the afterlife.

Power creeps are a common thing in long lasting franchises.

[Nathanyel]

Remember the Dark Portal? Remember how much effort it took for a portal across a long distance? Now we're just casually dropping portals to the afterlife.

I mean, it's a thousand times larger than a 'regular' portal, intended to bring an entire army across quickly, and apparently does not require upkeep, of course that was "expensive" to build.

[Makabreska]

I mean, it's a thousand times larger than a 'regular' portal, intended to bring an entire army across quickly, and apparently does not require upkeep, of course that was "expensive" to build.

Well, actually WoD portal was maintained by Team Gul'dan.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Well, actually WoD portal was maintained by Team Gul'dan.

That one also has to bridge time and space though and needed to overwrite the original DP link to outland as well.

[Nathanyel]

Well, actually WoD portal was maintained by Team Gul'dan.

Yep, because the Iron Horde didn't fuel thousands of Draenei souls into it to create a quasi-constant tear in the fabric of reality, like happened with the MU Dark Portal, and consequently shut down when we *checks notes* freed Gul'dan and two other powerful warlocks... hmm, I guess the Iron Horde's assault was a greater threat at the time.

(Obviously, I was talking about the original Dark Portal)

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Well, actually WoD portal was maintained by Team Gul'dan.

Gul’Dan and co were just there as a focus they were still feeding souls into the Wod portal.

[UndedoKoleda]

Did anyone notice this btw?

It's not fan-made. It's officially in blizzard files. Is it just for "nothing better to do", or is it part of "something bigger"?

It's... pretty cool. My guess is that they were(are) meant for some sort of a scenario. Iirc, the starting leveling experience for Worgens had many assets(Gilneas, resembling Victorian England), that weren't used anywhere else in the game. Might be wrong, tho.

Them being somehow connected in any way to a future "player housing" feature seems unlikely.

Maybe they do want to update the old zones, but if that's the case, imo, they'll do it similar to the old races character customization- a bit by bit upgrades span across numerous expansions, not strictly as a main selling feature of the next one.

Are they already in the game? Like, can I find one of these on the live servers, right now?

[Fahrad Wagner]

It's... pretty cool. My guess is that they were(are) meant for some sort of a scenario. Iirc, the starting leveling experience for Worgens had many assets(Gilneas, resembling Victorian England), that weren't used anywhere else in the game. Might be wrong, tho.

Them being somehow connected in any way to a future "player housing" feature seems unlikely.

Maybe they do want to update the old zones, but if that's the case, imo, they'll do it similar to the old races character customization- a bit by bit upgrades span across numerous expansions, not strictly as a main selling feature of the next one.

Are they already in the game? Like, can I find one of these on the live servers, right now?

You won't find any of them live indeed, because even though the buildings were datamined in patches 9.0.1 and 9.1, they have not been used yet, which is leading some of us players speculating as to why. Same goes for all the extra night elf buildings from Darkshore, the Hearthstone tavern, the Silver Hand / Lordaeron shield models, etc.

[Dracullus]

Looks like this is week when they dump all bad or drama inducing info.

At least end of the year will be filled with more positive events than most of 2021 (9.1.5 with catch ups, anniversary with new stuff and maybe some nice alt leveling, Legion timewalking with M+/Mage Tower, likely 9.2 reveal). Hard to screw up any of these, right? Right?

[Black Rider]

Looks like this is week when they dump all bad or drama inducing info.

At least end of the year will be filled with more positive events than most of 2021 (9.1.5 with catch ups, anniversary with new stuff and maybe some nice alt leveling, Legion timewalking with M+/Mage Tower, likely 9.2 reveal). Hard to screw up any of these, right? Right?

This week for 9.2? I don't think so

[Nagawithlegs]

Looks like this is week when they dump all bad or drama inducing info.

At least end of the year will be filled with more positive events than most of 2021 (9.1.5 with catch ups, anniversary with new stuff and maybe some nice alt leveling, Legion timewalking with M+/Mage Tower, likely 9.2 reveal). Hard to screw up any of these, right? Right?

Unless you're a white guy and looking for a job at Blizzard, or your a current secret sex pest at Blizzard, hard to see how the Kotick thing is meant to be bad or drama-inciting.

[Fahrad Wagner]

This week for 9.2? I don't think so

I agree, I think they'll let 9.1.5 breathe a little before announcing anything or pushing anything to the PTR. Imo, I wouldn't expect 9.2 news before the 12th of November at the earliest.

[Dracullus]

This week for 9.2? I don't think so

Who said this week will be 9.2? Kinda obvious all things I mentioned are spread across next two months.

Unless you're a white guy and looking for a job at Blizzard, or your a current secret sex pest at Blizzard, hard to see how the Kotick thing is meant to be bad or drama-inciting.

Doesn't matter if it's good or bad message or they meant it or not, this will keep up drama going and they know it. They probably also think it had to be said for whatever reason, so picked relatively quiet week that couldn't potentially undermine some release.

And since people on internet forget stuff pretty quick, it's better to stack this kind of info than spread it.

[Nagawithlegs]

9.2 will probably be unveiled this year, whether or not it's on PTR is another thing entirely.

10.0 announcement could be this year or February considering they didn't say when the planned Blizzconline announcements will be. Depends on whether or not they want to just ignore Jailer patch entirely like how they did with Nzoth (announcing it in small video shortly before Blizzcon announcement).

I'd say its somewhat likely even though the fanbase assrage was worse during BFA. And they are not hiding Zovaal like they did Nzoth.

[draugril]

It's even worse, they actually are used by some NPCs, namely Calia and Taelia. They are 100% canon this time around.

And Griftah! So for inconsequential conveniences, they exist. But for any actual narratives of consequences, their lack of utilization is a gaping plot hole.