Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Sondrelk]

Ooo I like the rebuilding idea. What if we finally have a "living world" where we can change the landscape and towns around us? Like for real this time, not those crap towers things they tried to do on the broken shore.

Sadly that might be a bit too ambitious for an MMO. The game has tried to make it work so many times before, and if it hasnt worked before then I fail to see how it would be different this time.
Unless you awnt to phase the world massively andmake the living world something personal to the player then we are almost definitely always going to get something similar to the Broken Shore where it's not so much a living world of building and rebuilding, but rather a constant wait for the bar to fill.

[Xboxxer]

I am going to go straight for the "devs are apologizing" angle and say the next expansion will have lots of focus on rebuilding Azeroth. Initially with helping the aspects, but also with stuff like rebuilding outposts and generally just lots of focus on how we are back on Azeroth doing Azeroth related things.

An Azeroth rebuilding expansion isn’t a “dev apology”, it is the logical followup to all stories and themes in BFA EXCEPT for Sylvanas.

The only thing the devs have to apologize for is trying to stall for time on that rebuilding expansion with a filler expansion that they failed to deliver out at a good pace during telework. A “back to the old world“ expansion wasn’t hurriedly cobbled together because people are asshurt.

[Revamp Man]

Joking? Nobody in this thread has ever made any jokes, good sir or madam. Never! Especially not about the Broken Isles, or about login screens for a fake Azshara expansion.

This is the only joke posted in this thread

--- snip ---

You may now laugh

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I want to hold on a bit before this Emerald Dream era hype takes off, I don't see much evidence for it. I dunno, just don't want to jump onto a bandwagon JUST yet.

[Makabreska]

Ok, these Microsoft memes are getting better and better.

[Jokubas]

This just caught my eye on 4chan, appears to be a slightly redisigned warcraft logo with the next expansion title.

Oh, I missed this while I slept.

I could actually see this happening. Redesigning the logo that is.

This example might look lazier or it might seem silly to change something iconic, but this is exactly in line with a lot of modern logo redesigns. If anything it isn't simplified enough.

It's not even entirely unprecedented for World of Warcraft. WoW's patch logos used to be so nice that they were basically full game logos, but they've been replaced in recent years with just the name in the same font and the "W" in the back with minor theming.

Also, if the next expansion is a new start for World of Warcraft (whether due to a world revamp or just because they've finished the story they claimed they've been building up to), it would be symbolic timing. Even more, rumors mentioned before that they might make a console version of the game (which could easily be tied into the new Microsoft acquisition) would be another milestone reason to "reinvent" the logo.

I wouldn't be a fan of this, but I'm rarely a fan of branding changes.

Also great news today, I actually feel optimistic about Blizzard's future for the first time in like 5 years.

If this happened even just a couple of years ago I would have been paranoid. After all the internal issues have been coming out about Blizzard and so many key pieces of talent have left, I'm more just curious now.

[ExiHext]

Totally unrelated, but Bobby's out.
https://www.wowhead.com/news/bobby-k...crosoft-325646

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I am going to go straight for the "devs are apologizing" angle and say the next expansion will have lots of focus on rebuilding Azeroth. Initially with helping the aspects, but also with stuff like rebuilding outposts and generally just lots of focus on how we are back on Azeroth doing Azeroth related things.

I think they're going to break it first, then task us with rebuilding it.

No chance the Jailer isn't trying to kill the World Soul and that not having repurcussions.

- - - Updated - - -

Totally unrelated, but Bobby's out.
https://www.wowhead.com/news/bobby-k...crosoft-325646

Well out next year, but at least the end is in stone.

Shame he's getting a golden parachute on the way out, though. The guy should have been out on his ass last year.

[Sondrelk]

An Azeroth rebuilding expansion isn’t a “dev apology”, it is the logical followup to all stories and themes in BFA EXCEPT for Sylvanas.

The only thing the devs have to apologize for is trying to stall for time on that rebuilding expansion with a filler expansion that they failed to deliver out at a good pace during telework. A “back to the old world“ expansion wasn’t hurriedly cobbled together because people are asshurt.

Yes I know, I was making a joke at the expense of the overly critical fanbase who see everything as confirmation that the game sucks.

Any expansion barring completely out there cosmic warfare expansions will be seen by many players as confirmation that Blizzard is or was struggling and that they are desperate to regain their footing.

- - - Updated - - -

Totally unrelated, but Bobby's out.
https://www.wowhead.com/news/bobby-k...crosoft-325646

Hopefully this gives Blizzard a big morale boost. Knowing that one of the key characters in the scandal is gone would be a huge relief for employees on the fence. I know I feel better about playing WoW knowing Kotick is out. Though it is a shame he will likely still profit from it.

[Grimbold21]

We had the leaks craze, now we'll have the "Microsoft will revolutionize WoW" craze, when realistically this would take years to even be felt.

[Sondrelk]

We had the leaks craze, now we'll have the "Microsoft will revolutionize WoW" craze, when realistically this would take years to even be felt.

Large scale stuff would probably take years, but I would argue that the biggest benefit here is the morale boost the employees might feel.
Whether truly deserved or not much of the stigma from the scandal will be removed with Bobby leaving, which should make players more positive towards it, leading to greater sales, and the developers should be more positive, leading to better games.
With some luck this could end up a positive feedback loop where the game improves, if nothing else in public perception because of this initial positive dorward momentum.

[Makabreska]

Well out next year, but at least the end is in stone.

Shame he's getting a golden parachute on the way out, though. The guy should have been out on his ass last year.

It was always bound to happen like this. With the money he amassed, his shareholder buddies protection and his other ventures, the only thing that would be gained from his departure were his wounded pride and players satisfaction. Well ok, and the possibility of brighter future. And I would not be surprised if he was quickly picked up by some other gaming company.

- - - Updated - - -

We had the leaks craze, now we'll have the "Microsoft will revolutionize WoW" craze, when realistically this would take years to even be felt.

And not even "revolutionize". It will be a hands free approach, like they have with Ubisoft. Which may be a good thing actually, less breathing down the necks of devs to grab that every penny from players.

[Xboxxer]

I wonder if we’ll see a return of the many devs that went on an exodus from WoW in the past few months. Considering a Lore (lol her sucks) implied Mike told none of the employees about this, maybe some of the ones that left are kicking themselves for running away?

[Shadochi]

Hopefully this gives Blizzard a big morale boost. Knowing that one of the key characters in the scandal is gone would be a huge relief for employees on the fence. I know I feel better about playing WoW knowing Kotick is out. Though it is a shame he will likely still profit from it.

I imagine this might cause a needed exodus of the ones left related to the scandal. I don't know how many are left one either way.

[Jokubas]

All the others yeah just seem like look at this wacky idea haha how wacky these leaks are.

Yeah, as the popular observation goes, unintentionally bad can be funny, but intentionally bad is usually just sad. I can enjoy some ridiculous ones, but if they're acting self aware it just sort of ruins the joke for me.

[The Stormbringer]

I swear, every week that passes without an announcement, we just get more and more crazed. Ugh... Blizzard please.

[Shadochi]

That first 10.0 Leak about the Dragon Isles with an awakened Azeroth got instabanned and the only one thats sounded plausible so far. All the others yeah just seem like look at this wacky idea haha how wacky these leaks are.

To be fair MMO-C mods have stated multiple times every leak season that they will not ban an expansion leak, the mods probably dont have this info so how would they know if real or not. (and just deleting the thread would be better if they had actual insider info).

The ban was probably an automated process to counter people making fake accounts for the 1-post-andy leaks. Have previous leaks been from users with 1 post or more? I believe Legion was from a older user, but BfA might've been from a new account.

[Valysar]

Apparently Blizzard must announce 3 things at the end of January. Someone on my discord said it. Any sources ?

(10.0, 9.2 release date, Wotlk classic ?)

[Shadochi]

Apparently Blizzard must announce 3 things at the end of January. Someone on my discord said it. Any sources ?

(10.0, 9.2 release date, Wotlk classic ?)

I feel like it is too early for WotLK classic announcement.

Maybe like they usually do on Blizzcon, the Whats Next announcement has info for expac (10.0) and the next patch (if we were to get 9.2.5)

[Revamp Man]

To be fair MMO-C mods have stated multiple times every leak season that they will not ban an expansion leak, the mods probably dont have this info so how would they know if real or not. (and just deleting the thread would be better if they had actual insider info).

The ban was probably an automated process to counter people making fake accounts for the 1-post-andy leaks. Have previous leaks been from users with 1 post or more? I believe Legion was from a older user, but BfA might've been from a new account.

They check to see if it’s an alt then ban it and in serious cases ban the main for like a month

- - - Updated - - -

I feel like it is too early for WotLK classic announcement.

Maybe like they usually do on Blizzcon, the Whats Next announcement has info for expac (10.0) and the next patch (if we were to get 9.2.5)

The HS team I think has an announcement coming but idk if they are just doing it via Twitter