Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Hitei]

A beautiful EK and Kalimdor with stuff to do in the continents would be beloved.

It wouldn't. People do not like having stuff to do, especially not spread out over two continents. They already bitch and moan about having to go all over a single continent. What passes as "beloved" is shit like Timeless Isle, where people can just stand in one spot in a group and have shit handed to them for killing things, or being able to just spam run dungeons for a similar experience while getting extra things.

[EbaumsTipster]

The way he hints at 9.2 makes it sound like it will be a 9.2 with a 9.3 compressed into it, could we perhaps get the biggest content patch yet or just a 8.3 but .2?

If we look at SL like BFA:

BFA 8.1: just a raid
BFA 8.2: Nazjatar (big zone) plus Mechagon (small zone) + megadungeon + raid
BFA 8,3: two reused zones + raid

SL 9.1: raid + Korthia (small zone)

SL 9.2 can be the big zone PLUS 8.3 sized stuff, so maybe two smaller zones? This would line up with the idea that it's two lifelands zones (Elune and An'she) and Zereth Mortis.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Good news, the interview managed to get Azeroth trending mostly for people hoping for a "Return to Azeroth" "Lowered Stakes" Expansion.

Bad news, people immediately were like "Okay but what if Warlords of Draenor 2, Human Boogaloo?"

[EbaumsTipster]

It wouldn't. People do not like having stuff to do, especially not spread out over two continents. They already bitch and moan about having to go all over a single continent. What passes as "beloved" is shit like Timeless Isle, where people can just stand in one spot in a group and have shit handed to them for killing things, or being able to just spam run dungeons for a similar experience while getting extra things.

People suck and are fucking retards, we get it homie. Doesn't matter because Blizz has yet to make a recent patch that caters to the people you are talking about. Not even Korthia is super casual.

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Good news, the interview managed to get Azeroth trending mostly for people hoping for a "Return to Azeroth" "Lowered Stakes" Expansion.

Bad news, people immediately were like "Okay but what if Warlords of Draenor 2, Human Boogaloo?"

They don't know about all the redone Nelf assets laying in the files and think next expansion is just EK.

[Ersula]

The way he hints at 9.2 makes it sound like it will be a 9.2 with a 9.3 compressed into it, could we perhaps get the biggest content patch yet or just a 8.3 but .2?

They typically plan a "filler" tier, that has already been dropped because of Covid. Like, Nazjatar could have been skipped if there was some major calamity. The only thing that feels off is that typically the story is all but wrapped up before the last raid of an expansion & all there is left is to beat the big bad: Because they usually reveal the next expansion before the last patch of the previous expansion: But for Shadowlands it seems like whatever the premise of 10.0 is, it will spoil what the end of Shadowlands will be: But they already planned for that with the next expansion being revealed at Blizzconline.... except that's been cancelled.

TL;DR They're prepared to wrap this up in 9.2: The Sepulcher (Mortisland) was always intended to be the last tier of this expansion: They just have to preview 9.2 before we get the next expansion teaser.

[EbaumsTipster]

I bet you that if any filler for Shadowlands was cancelled it was a Drust raid.

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TL;DR They're prepared to wrap this up in 9.2: The Sepulcher (Mortisland) was always intended to be the last tier of this expansion: They're just have to preview 9.2 before we get the next expansion teaser.

Just like how they did with Nzoth patch. And how they will do it for every unpopular expansion.

[rainhard]

SL 9.2 can be the big zone PLUS 8.3 sized stuff, so maybe two smaller zones? This would line up with the idea that it's two lifelands zones (Elune and An'she) and Zereth Mortis.

Could end up similar to 7.3 and argus layout but with a more obvious main zone in terms of size. Hopefully with a dungeon too serving as the raids prologue but kind of doubt that will happen even if the first ones theme remains very undiscovered.

[Sondrelk]

Lol, you think this would go over well?

I can already see the endless fucking whining posts about people being forced to fly all the way to Ashenvale or the Badlands to click on a thing for a world quest """because they are just trying to pad the metrics for shareholders""".

This is a case like flying where Blizzard just needs to out their foot down and say that the players just need to live with a really playing the game.
Blizzard is designing a game, not a lobby for players to look at while waiting for raids to reset. Or rather, they do, and it's called Oribos and the Covenant sanctums.

Blizzard cannot design the game if they want to pander to those that genuinely dislike it.

[rainhard]

I bet you that if any filler for Shadowlands was cancelled it was a Drust raid.

Dont forget the poor devourers, seemed like they could have played a bigger role in a filler dungeon or subzone.

[Sondrelk]

I bet you that if any filler for Shadowlands was cancelled it was a Drust raid.

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Just like how they did with Nzoth patch. And how they will do it for every unpopular expansion.

I figured 9.2 would be Thros honestly. It would have been a very different look and feel to the rest of Shadowlands, a d it would tie up some remaining loose ends with the Drust.
They could even have had Helya there and make it a general "Vrykul" patch if they wanted.

[Sondrelk]

Dont forget the poor devourers, seemed like they could have played a bigger role in a filler dungeon or subzone.

I am going to call it right now and say that Zereth Mortis is where the Devourers are coming from.
Makes all the sense. They are a failsafe mechanism to ensure there is always anima for the Sepulcher. As well as a last line of defense.

[Ersula]

If we look at SL like BFA:

BFA 8.1: just a raid
BFA 8.2: Nazjatar (big zone) plus Mechagon (small zone) + megadungeon + raid
BFA 8,3: two reused zones + raid

Darkshore revamp: But you should compare Shadowlands to BFA: It's clearly less content because of Covid: But releasing fewer patches is preferable to delaying an expansion. Releasing 10.0 in 2022 is more important (investors) than having a lot of patches

[EbaumsTipster]

I figured 9.2 would be Thros honestly. It would have been a very different look and feel to the rest of Shadowlands, a d it would tie up some remaining loose ends with the Drust.
They could even have had Helya there and make it a general "Vrykul" patch if they wanted.

Drust could've even been the raid in a Lifelands patch that doesn't involve ZM. The Drust magic is very likely Domination Magic (same color, does the same thing) so there would be a reveal they are Zovaal buddies and we go into Thros to kill them once and for all with Elune's help.

Dont forget the poor devourers, seemed like they could have played a bigger role in a filler dungeon or subzone.

Devourers still could be a big thing in ZM but I'm starting to think they really are just cool flora filler to represent space creatures.

[rainhard]

I am going to call it right now and say that Zereth Mortis is where the Devourers are coming from.
Makes all the sense. They are a failsafe mechanism to ensure there is always anima for the Sepulcher. As well as a last line of defense.

Thats a pretty interesting theory, and it would explain their sudden appearance due to the drought, their mysterious nature even to the inhabitants of the shadowlands and their weird rifts.

[Ersula]

I am going to call it right now and say that Zereth Mortis is where the Devourers are coming from.
Makes all the sense. They are a failsafe mechanism to ensure there is always anima for the Sepulcher. As well as a last line of defense.

Yes, but I think its more like hinting that the devourers really work for the Jailer: His raid cinematic showed his armor has Devourer aesthetic with that big hole in his chest.

[Sondrelk]

Yes, but I think its more like hinting that the devourers really work for the Jailer: His raid cinematic showed his armor has Devourer aesthetic with that big hole in his chest.

I am pretty sure that big hole is where the Primus pulled out the Arbiter core.

[Ersula]

I think/hope 9.2 sees us returning to Lordaeron. It's where all of this began, with Uther, Arthas, Jaina, Sylvanas, etc. Either that or Northrend to echo the whole Lich King deal.

Revealing the secret key to the universe called the Sepulcher is actually hidden in the zone in Silverpine Forest named The Sepulcher would be mind blowing but pretty unlikely. It's probably just going to be another floating structure like Korthia was.

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I am pretty sure that big hole is where the Primus pulled out the Arbiter core.

Which could also be how Devourers are made...

[Hitei]

I am going to call it right now and say that Zereth Mortis is where the Devourers are coming from.
Makes all the sense. They are a failsafe mechanism to ensure there is always anima for the Sepulcher. As well as a last line of defense.

My assumption was always that they are what's left of the First Ones or something. They are way too notable in every zone, threatening to tear apart the entire continent for how little everyone is paying attention to them most of the time.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

This is a case like flying where Blizzard just needs to out their foot down and say that the players just need to live with a really playing the game.
Blizzard is designing a game, not a lobby for players to look at while waiting for raids to reset. Or rather, they do, and it's called Oribos and the Covenant sanctums.

Blizzard cannot design the game if they want to pander to those that genuinely dislike it.

They did put their foot down a bit during WoD about the no flying. They got a lot of shit for it. They can't win. I'm not one to restrict players too much but flying does make things go by faster then on foot. No actuallys, its just what it is. I mean there was a whole movement behind bringing back flying and such.

I don't want to rehash that shit again, its tiring.

[Ersula]

Well, the Sepulcher could be some otherworldly zone where we go to chase after the Jailer, while the rest of the content could take place in Lordaeron. The key to our victory might be to help those old souls find peace or something. Resolve the story of Arthas once and for all, thus allowing his cleansed spirit to strike down the Jailer.

How fucking cool would it be if the end cinematic is just Arthas smiting the Jailer. Bolvar has to be there for a reason. Maybe he will be Arthas' vessel, and in the end they go: "Now, we are one."

If it's that easy to cleanse someone's soul Sylvanas should be made Warchief again.