How big are the new zones really?

[Nyel]

Title.

We all have heard and read that the Dragon Isles are massive, the continent has the size of Northrend and the zones are the biggest yet. But until now I haven't seen any proof for this statement. Or heard an alpha tester confirm this. Maybe I missed it and if so, I am happy to be educated on this topic, but right now I haven't ready anywhere that the zones are indeed as massive as Blizzard said they would be.

Maybe even someone here has Alpha access and can answer the questions raised, so: How big are the zones really? Maybe use Bastion as an example or Dragonblight or whatever: how much bigger are the zones compared to them? Are they bigger? Or are they just usually sized zones and Blizzard was promising something they don't keep?

[Stabhar]

twitter.com/keyboardturn/status/1549434323853463553/photo/3

[Feali]

Roughly the same size as Northrend.

[MrLachyG]

Title.

We all have heard and read that the Dragon Isles are massive, the continent has the size of Northrend and the zones are the biggest yet. But until now I haven't seen any proof for this statement. Or heard an alpha tester confirm this. Maybe I missed it and if so, I am happy to be educated on this topic, but right now I haven't ready anywhere that the zones are indeed as massive as Blizzard said they would be.

Maybe even someone here has Alpha access and can answer the questions raised, so: How big are the zones really? Maybe use Bastion as an example or Dragonblight or whatever: how much bigger are the zones compared to them? Are they bigger? Or are they just usually sized zones and Blizzard was promising something they don't keep?

ok so using Bastion as an example I set a waypoint at the top of the zone and flew to the bottom of the zone. top to bottom it is 3505 yards roughly.

the Waking Shore was a bit harder as I didn't have access to the standard TomTom waypoint so I had to use the Blizzard one. if you look on this map Waking Shores

I put a marker just behind the lower pillar of the fortress to the left. then I flew down to just past the lava with the island in the middle. so pretty close on the map yeah? that was 1100 yards away. so based on that I would estimate that zone alone to be about 6000 yards left to right. and that's a conservative estimate

I think in their initial info about Dragonflight they said that it would be around the size of Northrend. for what it's worth I teleported to old Dalaran and plopped a waypoint in Howling Fjord in the bottom left corner - 8158 yards between Dalaran and the point. then I did the same for Dalaran to Borean Tundra and that was 6800 yards. so in terms of size if Waking Shore is 6000 yards by itself that is a zone that would stretch from the left hand side of Borean Tundra to Dalaran. and I think Azure Span is bigger, not sure though

[Nyel]

Thank you all for the input. Previous expansion zones (before WoD) were not as big as newer ones (iirc), that's why I asked about Bastion.

I don't know how big the Shadowlands' zones are, but if those 4+1 amass to the size of the Dragon Isles, I have a hard time calling the Dragon Isles as massive as Blizzard does - but I cannot judge that by the information I have now, that's why I am asking for more in depth information.

[MrLachyG]

Thank you all for the input. Previous expansion zones (before WoD) were not as big as newer ones (iirc), that's why I asked about Bastion.

I don't know how big the Shadowlands' zones are, but if those 4+1 amass to the size of the Dragon Isles, I have a hard time calling the Dragon Isles as massive as Blizzard does - but I cannot judge that by the information I have now, that's why I am asking for more in depth information.

I mean they said it would be as big as, or even bigger than, Northrend. I gave you information supporting that.

[Dancaris]

Its pretty big, with size around Northrend, as devs and testers said.

[enigma77]

It's hard to say exactly, but it's HUGE.

[Nyel]

I mean they said it would be as big as, or even bigger than, Northrend. I gave you information supporting that.

True that and as I said, thank you for that.

To have a more recent comparison, I'm asking and trying to get some information about Shadowlands vs. Dragon Isles.

[MrLachyG]

True that and as I said, thank you for that.

To have a more recent comparison, I'm asking and trying to get some information about Shadowlands vs. Dragon Isles.

well Waking Shore I estimated to be just under double the size of Bastion, if that helps

sure it's an estimate but it's got some measurements behind it

[Hitei]

I mean they said it would be as big as, or even bigger than, Northrend. I gave you information supporting that.

See, the thing is: he doesn't actually care about the size, he was just begging for someone to spoonfeed him something he could use for his tired narrative:

But until now I haven't seen any proof for this statement.

right now I haven't ready anywhere that the zones are indeed as massive as Blizzard said they would be.

Or are they just usually sized zones and Blizzard was promising something they don't keep?

How big are the new zones really?

He just wants some sort of context in which he can say "Look, Blizzard lied about the zones being huge! This zone is similar in size to Bastion!"

[MrLachyG]

See, the thing is: he doesn't actually care about the size, he was just begging for someone to spoonfeed him something he could use for his tired narrative:

He just wants some sort of context in which he can say "Look, Blizzard lied about the zones being huge! This zone is similar in size to Bastion!"

and that is why I go to the extra length to prove that isn't the case.

[Tiwack]

When all the marketing and devs claim it's a bigger continent with bigger zones than ever, of course it's maybe 5% bigger at best when compared to any of the previous expansions. They're not lying but they're also not being completely transparent and upfront about things as usual.

[OokOok]

Roughly the same size as Northrend.

Really shouldn't base it off datamined maps
If you look at Northrend and then the Dragonflight map you'll notice Dragonflight's map has a lot more mountain areas. Mountain areas typically don't involve content and are just put in for world filler, these days it's what Blizzard does to make the map look fuller than it really is.

25% of the map looks to be mountains. I'm sure some of them we can go in, but most likely not as many as you may hope to assume.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Really shouldn't base it off datamined maps
If you look at Northrend and then the Dragonflight map you'll notice Dragonflight's map has a lot more mountain areas. Mountain areas typically don't involve content and are just put in for world filler, these days it's what Blizzard does to make the map look fuller than it really is.

25% of the map looks to be mountains. I'm sure some of them we can go in, but most likely not as many as you may hope to assume.

Even if 25% of the mail was mountains it would still be the size of northrend which has 25% dead space as open plains and crystal song and with them wanting to use vertical design with dragon flying it would actually be bigger if they used even half of the mountains.

[Hitei]

Really shouldn't base it off datamined maps
If you look at Northrend and then the Dragonflight map you'll notice Dragonflight's map has a lot more mountain areas. Mountain areas typically don't involve content and are just put in for world filler, these days it's what Blizzard does to make the map look fuller than it really is.

25% of the map looks to be mountains. I'm sure some of them we can go in, but most likely not as many as you may hope to assume.

What are you even talking about? Ignoring for the moment that Northrend is just as or more mountainous, has two fake zones, and big portions of half its zones are empty space, what do you even mean "world filler"?

Do you think most of Elywnn isn't content-less trees with a few animals? Or the Barrens? Or Tirisfal? Or Zangarmarsh? Or Jade Forest? Every zone is quest pockets with "world filler" in-between where there's nothing but a few animals maybe used for a wide area kill quest.

[Keristrasza]

I honestly didn't really go out of my way to compared size between zones of old and the ones in alpha, but in all honesty Azura Span felt absolutely massive compared to some of the zones I have been over the years of past expansions. I spent most of my time during that testing week using soar and dragon riding just because I had so much wiggle room, I had fun just flying around and exploring. I am still trying to figure where the "Boundaries" of The Waking Shore are, gonna spend what time I have left trying to figure that bit out before the next build. :x

[ABK Morgan]

What are you even talking about? Ignoring for the moment that Northrend is just as or more mountainous, has two fake zones, and big portions of half its zones are empty space, what do you even mean "world filler"?

Do you think most of Elywnn isn't content-less trees with a few animals? Or the Barrens? Or Tirisfal? Or Zangarmarsh? Or Jade Forest? Every zone is quest pockets with "world filler" in-between where there's nothing but a few animals maybe used for a wide area kill quest.

I think what they mean is that Blizz add mountains in as "dead space" to make zones look/feel bigger. I dont think they are talking about the "playable space" where you actually run around and do quests from A-B.

"Zone A looks a little small on the map, add in a non traversable mountain area, Zone A now looks bigger on the map in comparison" type deal.

[MrLachyG]

Even then, that's such a weird excuse, considering these mountains actually serve a purpose...

Especially some of Thaldraszus' mountains, which requires you to transverse them in order to see the new raid.

it's almost like there's some fancy new flying system which they want people to use...

[Dracullus]

[Haven't seen zones and I have no intention to do it before launch.]

Old zones were just empty. There started to packed them with stuff, so obviously more detailed zones were smaller. I doubt DF will be empty like Outlands/Northend, but things will be probably more spread out so fast Dragonriding makes sense. That's whole mystery, it's not like they suddenly put more or less work into expansions.