A technology-themed expansion could have worked

[ResentfulUK]

Tinkers featured in this year's April fools patch notes. I think you can take that as a hint they're not coming, at least anytime soon.

[Nymrohd]

Well we did have a technology themed expansion. Zereth Mortis is literally a cosmic-scale 3D Printer and Shadowlands was about the machinations of a rogue AI.

[Telda]

Steampunk is a part of Warcraft since at least Warcraft 2 and is a very prominent part of WoW since its release. And i am sorely missing it from SL (and i understand why it isn't part of it). I really hope they will one day really dive into it. I started a new Goblin 2 weeks ago and man, their starting zones are incredible. My army of Mechagnomes hopes for at least some more heritage armor tints (which are already in game) to match the other limb colors. I am a little disappointed from the DF announcement. But this disappointment comes from my own wishes, not from what it might deliver. There is room for at least some steampunk in DF since we are back on Azeroth and the Horde and Alliance try to set foot on the isle. And Engineering will get its own share of transmogs like the other professions.

[Unlimited Power]

I’m sure I’m neuroticly optimistic BUT I’ve got a good feeling about the app announcement tomorrow. If thematically/narratively related to Tinkers/Undermine, could be a really cool flashy surprise reveal to release two classes in 10.0.

The only mobile game that would really work as a tie in to WoW is something pet battle related. How in the world would a mobile game set in the Warcraft setting in any way set the stage for a WoW Tinker announcement? You need to touch grass.

[Lochton]

It is quite plausible to be done. We still have content in need of management in the form of Gnomeregan and Undermine, two high technological locations. One a little more crude than the other, of course. At the current, Gnomeregan is secured but nothing more there, so space for development. As for Undermine, a vast underground city known to have tunnels across Azeroth, high industrial and technological, yet, we have never been permitted to go there, we know cartels can be excluded but that is about it.

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I’m sure I’m neuroticly optimistic BUT I’ve got a good feeling about the app announcement tomorrow. If thematically/narratively related to Tinkers/Undermine, could be a really cool flashy surprise reveal to release two classes in 10.0.

I'm sorry but I doubt the app has anything to do with WoW theme development.

[Accendor]

Dragonflight's goal is "a return to Azeroth," bringing more grounded themes and getting us away from the endless existential nightmares. I think a tech-themed expansion could serve the purpose just as well as Dragonflight. This also has the potential to introduce some sort of Tinker (engineer, machinist) class to the game, which I believe a better fit for the ranged only, mail-wearing class design intention. Also, the Undermine and possible underworld of Azeroth, in both a metaphorical and literal sense. Criminals and caves, technologies and trade, Titan facilities, Old Gods, Azerite, Nerubians, Drog'bar, the Black Dragonflight for all you dragon nerds, Earth elementals and let's not forget: Goblins and Gnomes and all the zaniness those two races bring with them.

Anyone with me here?

If they had come with a technical expansion right after SL, I would have quit once more and never looked back.

[Uncia Amethice]

The only mobile game that would really work as a tie in to WoW is something pet battle related. How in the world would a mobile game set in the Warcraft setting in any way set the stage for a WoW Tinker announcement? You need to touch grass.

All signs and rumours points to a Clash of Clans type game... so that sounds like lots and lots of aggressive monetization.

[arkanon]

Tinkers featured in this year's April fools patch notes. I think you can take that as a hint they're not coming, at least anytime soon.

Out of interest, did they ever do any april fools jokes about "classic"?

[Lochton]

If they had come with a technical expansion right after SL, I would have quit once more and never looked back.

A underground, or general technological expansion theme after Shadowlands wouldn't fit, no. The current theme and setting of renewal fits after multiple expansions of destruction.

[arkanon]

All signs and rumours points to a Clash of Clans type game... so that sounds like lots and lots of aggressive monetization.

To be fair, ALL games on mobile scream "aggressive monetization" - nothing to do with CoC style games. Sports games, racing games, fighting games, strategy, card, mmo, rpg, you get the idea. Its a platform thing, not a genre thing.

[Lochton]

Out of interest, did they ever do any april fools jokes about "classic"?

The whole existence of the classic idea was made a joke, and then it launched, and people didn't want it to be THAT classic, and thus more of a joke.

[arkanon]

If they had come with a technical expansion right after SL, I would have quit once more and never looked back.

How do you quit something you already quit?

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The whole existence of the classic idea was made a joke, and then it launched, and people didn't want it to be THAT classic, and thus more of a joke.

Yeah i get all that, im simply asking if they ever did a vanilla/classic april fools before classic was announced?

[Lochton]

Yeah i get all that, im simply asking if they ever did a vanilla/classic april fools before classic was announced?

Unsure, honestly. I doubt it. It would've triggered people a lot back then, with the whole mass hunt of PS shits to shut down.

[MoanaLisa]

No, not really with you on this one. Bringing up tinkers is only going to bring down a rain of shit on your idea so there's that. I prefer WoW as fantasy. The whole spaceship thing mixed with bad steampunk has never really done anything for me. Just an opinion.

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The whole existence of the classic idea was made a joke, and then it launched, and people didn't want it to be THAT classic, and thus more of a joke.

It's worth remembering that Classic still would never have happened if someone hadn't thought of a clever, i.e. inexpensive relatively, idea for converting vanilla data into the current schema so that it would all work in the current client.

[Lochton]

It's worth remembering that Classic still would never have happened if someone hadn't thought of a clever, i.e. inexpensive relatively, idea for converting vanilla data into the current schema so that it would all work in the current client.

Oh, I'm not talking about that part, it was clever indeed. I was more mentioning, "You think you do, but you don't" and "We want classic WoW - but with modern changes!" statements as being a bit of a joke.

[MoanaLisa]

Oh, I'm not talking about that part, it was clever indeed. I was more mentioning, "You think you do, but you don't" and "We want classic WoW - but with modern changes!" statements as being a bit of a joke.

All during that debate in the run-up to Classic I was steadfast about releasing as close as possible to the original and then let's come back after a year and talk. The time frames are different but that's essentially where we are now. Time has past and doing it with no changes is pretty much a memory. Now they're openly saying that players will have a lot of input into Wrath. I doubt if that will end well (because player design is usually terrible and should be left to the pros) because some input is never enough. I'm looking forward to Wrath which was my best time in the game by a long way.

Anyway, this belongs in another thread so I'll stop.

[datguy81]

This entire thread is just the weekly tinker thread. Thinly veiled is something else just talk about that class idea

[sighy]

Yeah, Tinkers aint happening, because of the Engineering profession. Everything they could bring has been brought by Engineering at one point or another. From guns to pets, to explosives, to utilities.

[Sagenod]

Says the guy who didn't give us anything to work with, no possible "big threat" or BBEG.


... In other words, connected to the theme of the expansion itself.


"Faction war" was not the theme of BfA. And we had 'old god' stuff from the very beginning of the expansion, on both sides.


They do, though.


I will, when I want to emphasize something.

The theme of MOP was not initially Old God related and it was indirectly related to the Old Gods at the best, since the Sha were manifestations of Y'shaarj's heart, not parts or forces of the Old God himself. So no, that wasn't the theme especially not initially. Faction War very much was the initial theme of BFA however why would you even try to argue that? Regardless of how the war turned out, it started with faction war and turned into Old Gods.

So all in all you've proven nothing. Both of those expansions and how they started off narratively were not directly related to the final villain. Think about it chronologically, not retrospectively.

And if you want a BBEG, here's a throwaway idea:

Trade Prince Gallywix and/or the other Trade Princes use stockpiled Azerite to power a crazy Goblin tech military out of Undermine. Brokers and Ethereals join him and together they become a multi-dimensional threat beginning an invasion on the core of Azeroth where they hope to unlock more Zereths, or something. Gallywix is the big bad, he ends up making a Gurren Laggan sized mech using technology influenced by the Devourers and, having gone insane, attempts to bust open the entire cosmic war by opening up ALL the Zereths. Obviously half-baked but the point is there is a lot of content to work with so I think anyone with half a brain could do even better.


Ah, so I suppose you wanted to emphasize how condescending you were being in your reply? Because you didn't emphasize anything relating to a productive discussion. Kindly take your emphasis elsewhere, thank you! It makes sense how often I see you and Teriz arguing back and forth, derailing conversations. You both come across as arrogant and unwilling to engage in a discussion of ideas. Instead, it's about telling people they're wrong. How sad, because you both are obviously creative people given the class concepts you've both designed, something I quite admire. But I would have thought you'd be open-minded, darn.

[Al Gorefiend]

Yeah, Tinkers aint happening, because of the Engineering profession. Everything they could bring has been brought by Engineering at one point or another. From guns to pets, to explosives, to utilities.

they'll bring in what the people want. Tinker fans aren't getting any quieter before each new expac announcement. It'll die down for the next 2 years then rear up again.