Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Nyel]

i know you Are just trying to troll,, and that is fine
but it's not a " reskin" or whatever that is supposed to mean....it is a brand new game from the ground up
just watching Game play would tell any1 that.....well, anybody not looking to just troll all the time
'
unless you are trying to Imply development of diablo Immortal is somehow hindering WoW development ?

It's still a mobile game that was developed for an audience which basically got removed almost entirely due to the Chinese government. Now it's a mobile game with barely an audience anymore.

And which mobile game needs 3-4 years of development?

Not saying that Diablo Immortal is bad or anything, I'm just pretty certain that Blizzard regrets the development in hindsight.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Their Mobile Game Unit/Incubator Unit has not provided any results in 5 years of its existence.

[Makabreska]

It's still a mobile game that was developed for an audience which basically got removed almost entirely due to the Chinese government. Now it's a mobile game with barely an audience anymore.

And which mobile game needs 3-4 years of development?

Not saying that Diablo Immortal is bad or anything, I'm just pretty certain that Blizzard regrets the development in hindsight.

That "barely and audience" got debunked ages ago. USA alone spends more money (or maybe slightly less recently) than China on mobile gaming. And then you got EU and rest of the world. All there Diablo franchise is popular. And y'all still keep talking like DI wont make huge cash. The only thing Blizz regrets regarding it was botched reveal.

[Makorus]

With the way WoW works, I just don't see the reset happening in 9.2 at all anyway.

Would be weird if the ending cutscene was "Oh man, Zovaal reset our world and it's all different now, oh no!" and then we leave the raid and nothing is actually gonna happen for 6+ months.

It was jarring enough with the Sanctum cinematic ending on such a big cliffhanger with it not being resolved at all.

If there is a revamp, it's gonna be connected with the Prepatch, not 9.2

[Makabreska]

With the way WoW works, I just don't see the reset happening in 9.2 at all anyway.

Would be weird if the ending cutscene was "Oh man, Zovaal reset our world and it's all different now, oh no!" and then we leave the raid and nothing is actually gonna happen for 6+ months.

It was jarring enough with the Sanctum cinematic ending on such a big cliffhanger with it not being resolved at all.

Ummmm, but there is no other way around it. We had Sarg sword sticking out cliffhanger, Gul'dan being beamed onto Azeroth cliffhanger etc. This reason means nothing. And if it's such an issue, then make w/e "spell" Zovaal will do slow in nature, so the change will trigger later.

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Ummmm, but there is no other way around it. We had Sarg sword sticking out cliffhanger, Gul'dan being beamed onto Azeroth cliffhanger etc. This reason means nothing. And if it's such an issue, then make w/e "spell" Zovaal will do slow in nature, so the change will trigger later.

To be fair on the Gul'dan one, the cinematic didn't make it known what happened to him. He's yeeted into the portal Archimonde came from while looking very afraid. Not much of a cliffhanger. Easily comes across as him being punished.

[Varodoc]

i know you Are just trying to troll,, and that is fine
but it's not a " reskin" or whatever that is supposed to mean....it is a brand new game from the ground up
just watching Game play would tell any1 that.....well, anybody not looking to just troll all the time
'
unless you are trying to Imply development of diablo Immortal is somehow hindering WoW development ?

Huh, No, it looks like a Diablo 3 reskin.

[huth]

With the way WoW works, I just don't see the reset happening in 9.2 at all anyway.

Would be weird if the ending cutscene was "Oh man, Zovaal reset our world and it's all different now, oh no!" and then we leave the raid and nothing is actually gonna happen for 6+ months.

It was jarring enough with the Sanctum cinematic ending on such a big cliffhanger with it not being resolved at all.

If there is a revamp, it's gonna be connected with the Prepatch, not 9.2

That's a limitation the nature of the game puts on the storytelling, not a limitation to the story itself, though. Yes, it's a bit odd, but not any odder than, say, Sargeras being imprisoned and the Legion continuing unabated for several months until we just suddenly all run off to Kul Tiras/Zandalar.

[Lady Atia]

That's a limitation the nature of the game puts on the storytelling, not a limitation to the story itself, though. Yes, it's a bit odd, but not any odder than, say, Sargeras being imprisoned and the Legion continuing unabated for several months until we just suddenly all run off to Kul Tiras/Zandalar.

Yeah but the sword wasn't that much of a change compared to a reality reset and iirc you could visit the new Silithus as soon as you killed Argus and we dealt with it during the end of Legion already when we de-powered our artifact weapons.

[Makabreska]

Yeah but the sword wasn't that much of a change compared to a reality reset and iirc you could visit the new Silithus as soon as you killed Argus and we dealt with it during the end of Legion already when we de-powered our artifact weapons.

He meant that after we defeated Argus and got Sarg imprisoned, the Legion continued Azeroth invasion like nothing happened till the next xpac arrived (and they actually continue to this day with zone invasions in Broken Isles). That's just how games work, and this kind of issue is the least of the worries for the devs when it comes to world revamp.

And if people are bothered by it, ez story solution: Zovaal changed reality, but effects takes time to kick in/need a trigger/are a slow process over time. The last one could be actually made into sort of a game, where Blizz does a set of several small reality changes between 9.2 and next expac release for players to discover, similar to quakes we had past ICC and before Cata. Story is really flexible.

[Lady Atia]

He meant that after we defeated Argus and got Sarg imprisoned, the Legion continued Azeroth invasion like nothing happened till the next xpac arrived (and they actually continue to this day with zone invasions in Broken Isles). That's just how games work, and this kind of issue is the least of the worries for the devs when it comes to world revamp.

And if people are bothered by it, ez story solution: Zovaal changed reality, but effects takes time to kick in/need a trigger/are a slow process over time. The last one could be actually made into sort of a game, where Blizz does a set of several small reality changes between 9.2 and next expac release for players to discover, similar to quakes we had past ICC and before Cata. Story is really flexible.

The thing is, we don't need a reality change to get a world revamp. Enough time went by between Cataclysm and 10.0 to warrant an update to Kalimdor and EK.

[huth]

The thing is, we don't need a reality change to get a world revamp. Enough time went by between Cataclysm and 10.0 to warrant an update to Kalimdor and EK.

Which is completely besides the point. Due to how the game (and video games in general) work, the story can't continue until Blizzard actually patches it into the game, and they necessarily have to do that in discrete steps.

Whether or not they will do a world revamp is irrelevant to that, though i still don't really see that happening. The leveling changes eliminate any need for it.

[Chickat]

Is there any semi current estimate of how many ppl work on WoW? Some ppl (art/music) will be shared amongst other Blizz games at least some of the time, but the rest? Is it <100 or more like 300+? This year especially it felt like there are just 10 devs left in a basement doing what they do...

Edit: Next expansion at least will be back on Azeroth. They said "more down to earth/good old WoW" content.

I think they said 300 around WoD time and they have recruited more since then. So maybe 400?

- - - Updated - - -

I don't really think we should be bothered by opinions of fans from other games. But I personally wouldn't want some weird moon trips, it would be another instance of creating entire new lore on the fly plus retconning existing. Also, the thought of moons having actual ecosystems teeming with less and more sentient life (with settlements and such) is just weird. Not to mention this is quite far from grounded Azeroth expac devs been hinting at.

I mean most of MoP was made up and I think it worked well.

[taheen74]

Which is completely besides the point. Due to how the game (and video games in general) work, the story can't continue until Blizzard actually patches it into the game, and they necessarily have to do that in discrete steps.

Whether or not they will do a world revamp is irrelevant to that, though i still don't really see that happening. The leveling changes eliminate any need for it.

On this last part, I feel you're wrong.

I'm currently leveling an Alliance character (something I haven't done since probably Vanilla). now, I've been through all the story lines in this game Horde side, however with the way Bliz changed the way leveling is, it really would make sense if they did some form of revamp: at least some of the Cata stuff, but mostly things like the werewolf place, Silvermoon, the Ghostlands, etc for end game. I get what they are doing, but it is kind of overwhelming when you can pick almost everything.

I saw Varian get blow up like 4 days ago, yesterday I finally picked up the portal to Pandaland and the cutscene has Varian alive.

[shoc]

How do we know that Zovaal wants to make radical changes to the fabric of the universe. What if he just wants to make everyone's underwear disappear. He has not really been clear about his intentions. He could just want his baldness cured.

[Luck4]

Whether or not they will do a world revamp is irrelevant to that, though i still don't really see that happening. The leveling changes eliminate any need for it.

Why does the World Revamp need to be done for leveling? I mean, in Mists of Pandaria we were fighting rabbits and monkeys, so why can't we go back to fight kobolds and Troggs after Shadowlands?

Sure, I think some zones could be used for leveling, but the main focus should be on making it relevant for max-level characters, like in Vanilla, and some of these zones need to be changed dramatically, both to make it fresh and to push the lore forward. Cataclysm Revamp never did that, the World Revamp was made purely for leveling, and Blizzard spent a huge amount of resources on 1-60 questing, while 80-85 characters were sent to new zones, and that's why Cataclysm failed.

Back in Cataclysm, Blizzard tried to revamp the 1-60 leveling zones while delivering a new expansion. This time it needs to be different. The World Revamp should be the expansion and not one of its features.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Which is completely besides the point. Due to how the game (and video games in general) work, the story can't continue until Blizzard actually patches it into the game, and they necessarily have to do that in discrete steps.

Whether or not they will do a world revamp is irrelevant to that, though i still don't really see that happening. The leveling changes eliminate any need for it.

I think the leveling changes are why you have to make the revamp a thing.

WoW is the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. When people talk about "grounded" and "Azeroth" they mean those two continents. Having a leveling process where you never touch those continents isn't WoW, and at this point the only way those continents can at all stand up to BFA and SL is if you revamp them to use the tech of BFA and SL.

[huth]

Why does the World Revamp need to be done for leveling? I mean, in Mists of Pandaria we were fighting rabbits and monkeys, so why can't we go back to fight kobolds and Troggs after Shadowlands?

Because without that, there is no good reason to do one in the first place. It's easier to create new zones for end-level content.

I think the leveling changes are why you have to make the revamp a thing.

WoW is the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. When people talk about "grounded" and "Azeroth" they mean those two continents. Having a leveling process where you never touch those continents isn't WoW, and at this point the only way those continents can at all stand up to BFA and SL is if you revamp them to use the tech of BFA and SL.

When you talk, you do. When Blizzard does, they don't necessarily mean that. I think you're letting your wants get ahead of you and form your expectations to unrealistic degrees.

[Nyel]

How do we know that Zovaal wants to make radical changes to the fabric of the universe. What if he just wants to make everyone's underwear disappear. He has not really been clear about his intentions. He could just want his baldness cured.

Yeah I mean we still don't know

a) what he wants to do
b) why he wants to do that
c) how he will achieve it.

One year into this dreadful expansion and the main villain still lacks any proper build up, backstory or motives.

[Varodoc]

Huh, No, we know exactly what Bob the Janitor wants. Unsurprisingly, he wants world domination (to create "a new reality" where "everyone serves him", which is why Psycho Suevanas turned on him when she realized that... you know... the dude whose entire gimmick is Domination magic wants to dominate people), because that is what Scooby Doo villains want. He wants world domination because he's an evil monster, duh. That's what evil monsters do.