11.0 - Reshaping of the World

[elderu]

If not 11.0 then 12.0 will surely be a revamp expansion!!1

I know you're probably joking at the expense of those who have wanted a revamp many expacks in a row now, but really it's more like:

If not 11.0, then it's simply not happening. Been saying for years just as OP highlights, 2024 is the 20th Anniversary and 10th Expansion.

The iron won't be hotter for a while, so they'll have to strike while they can.

[Koollan]

I know you're probably joking at the expense of those who have wanted a revamp many expacks in a row now, but really it's more like:

If not 11.0, then it's simply not happening. Been saying for years just as OP highlights, 2024 is the 20th Anniversary and 10th Expansion.

The iron won't be hotter for a while, so they'll have to strike while they can.

This, I sadly agree with. There's no time better to do it than now. If it's not after Dragonflight, then it's not happening at all.

[Hallowseve17]

Over the years I've tried my best to keep up with the story. I thought during BfA, an expansion mostly dedicated to the faction war, that we'd revisit the old world and see a glimpse of how it was affecting the land. The warfronts were a cool way of doing that. However, it still didn't give us the whole picture. Judging by various flavor text, the Exploring Azeroth books, and a few questlines through the last few expansions and Dragonflight, it's the perfect time to revamp Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.

I fully support the mega zone idea. With zones that large, the world could actually feel alive and there would be plenty of room to add extra detail. Especially with the addition of random activities, world content, and holiday revamps. Hopefully after Dragonflight, which has done a good job emphasizing adventuring and exploring, they'll tackle the old world. They could even do it in small parts if needed. The old world means a lot to us. It's where our journeys began.

[Gurahk]

If they ever pull a revamp, the current content has to be inside of EK and Kalimdor, also the zones can't be as detailed as let's say the Dragon Isles as that'd take a huge amount of work.

[czarek]

The first question to ask in that kind of subject is : would the old zones still be available ? Because if not, it means removing content, and removing content is never a good idea (cata proved that).

The 20th year, 10th expansion and trilogy or trilogy all makes sens tho

Im not sure ppl are still attachted to old world and world zones at all like they were back in the days :P On levelng you choose time line and skip 95% of content till you hit 60lvl. Imo they could erase some old stuff or just rebuild it to make it fresh. Phaseing zones could solve some problems with time line etc.

[Worldshaper]

Im not sure ppl are still attachted to old world and world zones at all like they were back in the days :P On levelng you choose time line and skip 95% of content till you hit 60lvl. Imo they could erase some old stuff or just rebuild it to make it fresh. Phaseing zones could solve some problems with time line etc.

Personally, I've always found the occasional trip to zones like Feralas or Grizzly Hills to be very pleasant. Immersive, sentimental, whatever might be the underlying cause.

But in the last couple of years, sadly, that magic has started to vanish for me. Not sure if it's my own age showing, the age of these zones, or something else. But I miss feeling the magic there.

However, I am fairly confident that a complete revamp of KA+EK would rejuvenate my interest. I doubt I'll ever be back to 2005-levels of enchantment over travelling The Barrens or Westfall again, because it's almost impossible to recreate that magic.

But I know what I like about these old zones, I think. It's the way they felt sort of natural (although in hindsight the way biomes bordered each other obviously wasn't). They were just there to be part of a large world. Sometimes you have strange, empty stretches of land that might seem rather dull or pointless. Sometimes it's just a dense forest full of trees, with the occasional rope bridge or a little camp. That made it feel like a world you could explore.

As long as they can re-design Azeroth with those things in mind, I think the end result will be great.

Obviously they will place world quests everywhere, but that's OK.

[Lolites]

If not 11.0 then 12.0 will surely be a revamp expansion!!

and if not 12.0 then surely 13.0 and if not that 14.0 and if not that...
same way tinker is surely to be in next expansion since vanila
world revamp on a scale of cata is very unlikely to happen any time soon

[Worldshaper]

and if not 12.0 then surely 13.0 and if not that 14.0 and if not that...
same way tinker is surely to be in next expansion since vanila
world revamp on a scale of cata is very unlikely to happen any time soon

The thing is, if there's a revamp coming then it may be the case that they did much of the hard work in previous expansions. Every expansion since Cata has introduced updated Vanilla assets which could be used in a revamp of KA and EK. That's a HUGE part of the work already finished.

In addition to this, they've refreshed the foundational features of the game which still needed some work. Ui, talents, proffs, travel, etc.

They've also built a ton or systems like Renown and World Quests, which can provide evergreen content with less work required.

The "only" thing they would have to do is put that huge dev team to work by building the actual landmasses. Turning a bunch of old and outdated zones into fewer but bigger ones.

Essentially, EK and KA would be like two separate Dragon Isles. Distinct continents filled with their own unique biomes, a few story campaigns and Renown reps, World Quests etc.

What better way to welcome players into the next era of WoW in 2024?

[Lolites]

snip

wouldnt say its huge part, but yes they did some work, they also reworked few zones and said (i think Ion but im not sure if it was him) that they plan to redo few zones when it makes sense but they dont plan cata-size revamp, that was said during SL, so even IF they start to think about it now, which is possible, we wont see it until 12.0 EARLIEST...

be as it may until they say they at least consider it its nothing but wishful thinking...

[Pheraz]

I think if they ever pull a revamp it would be visually only with for example "automated" high-ressing / up-scaling of all assets, textures and models. They want players to be in a concentrated area so their game design makes sense. imagine rares to loot around the whole planet...

[Worldshaper]

wouldnt say its huge part, but yes they did some work, they also reworked few zones and said (i think Ion but im not sure if it was him) that they plan to redo few zones when it makes sense but they dont plan cata-size revamp, that was said during SL, so even IF they start to think about it now, which is possible, we wont see it until 12.0 EARLIEST...

be as it may until they say they at least consider it its nothing but wishful thinking...

It doesn't have to be a cata-sized revamp, tbh. The only important thing is that it can't be like 3-4 zones every 2-3 expansions like they did with BfA and Shadowlands, because then it would take decades to redo KA and EK. By the time they finish them all, many of them would already be ancient.

What they could do, and isn't really disproven by Ion's statement, is perhaps do sections of EK and KA at a time.

So for example, if northern Kalimdor (Night Elves) and Lordaeron (Undead) are relevant in the next expansion, they might do those. Or even just one of them. As long as it takes at most 3-4 expansions to do KA and EK in full, I think it's within acceptible time frames.

But let's not forget they also said Classic would never happen.

- - - Updated - - -

I think if they ever pull a revamp it would be visually only with for example "automated" high-ressing / up-scaling of all assets, textures and models. They want players to be in a concentrated area so their game design makes sense. imagine rares to loot around the whole planet...

I think they can still funnel players into specific areas even if KA and EK come into play.

World quests, updated city hubs, etc.

Think about Dragonflight. You hardly ever see anyone, or even the world, unless you specifically land with your dragon to do some form of content. That same formula could be applied to KA and EK.

Some areas might become inhospitable endgame areas too, full of enemies. That would further reduce the amount of unused space.

[MailinCaser]

Do you think they will still make an update?

[Nyel]

It's not happening, there won't be another world revamp. Players need to get this out of their heads.

[Koollan]

It's not happening, there won't be another world revamp. Players need to get this out of their heads.

You work at Blizzard, I assume? Is this an official statement?

[Stricks]

I think they would be more likely to release a few more expansions while working on the next iteration of WoW built from the ground up.

[arkanon]

I think they would be more likely to release a few more expansions while working on the next iteration of WoW built from the ground up.

Do you REALLY believe there will be a Wow 2.0? What would they gain from it? How does the risk weigh up to the rewards? Why not just make the EXACT same changes in current wow?

[Cynical Asshole]

Whoa! Blizzard actually spending money?! Especially at a time where they don't even report box sales because they don't want their stockprice to drop after exposing that disaster?!

Bro! Odds are 11.0 will be the expansion when WoW goes on maintenance mode rather than see a rebirth of any kind.

Blizzard needs to put the old' granny in the Home and start working at something new to replace WoW, like World of Starcraft or something. I'd play a sci-fi MMO, god knows we got none on the market.

[Shadowferal]

Do you REALLY believe there will be a Wow 2.0? What would they gain from it? How does the risk weigh up to the rewards? Why not just make the EXACT same changes in current wow?

Because the lore would be rewritten. And major ingame characters and events would change or won't exist. The underlying structure of the game would be altered. You'd go back to the basics and explore a new Azeroth.

Bro! Odds are 11.0 will be the expansion when WoW goes on maintenance mode rather than see a rebirth of any kind.

Sadly, I agree. If for no other reason it's cheap.

[saixilein]

Just revamping some old zones would be silly. Would be pretty bad to fly from new top tier designed lordaeron to new top tier elwynn forest and all zones between them are as ugly/empty and simple designed.

Its like you have an old blanket, cut out some pieces and fill them with parts of a new blanket.

I dont want that. Whole world revamp or noone.

I would be fine if they revamp some zones completely (designe, Quests, layout, events, worldquests etc) that are the focus of the expac and other old zones just get visual updates and more details.

[arkanon]

Because the lore would be rewritten. And major ingame characters and events would change or won't exist. The underlying structure of the game would be altered. You'd go back to the basics and explore a new Azeroth. Sadly, I agree. If for no other reason it's cheap.

Says who? That implies the writing team and devs would change. I ask again - what can they do with WoW 2.0 that they cant do with an expansion? You failed horribly to answer that question.