9.0 General Discussion

[Jamie081]

An August release was not even up for debate, neither was September imho. Who in their right mind would think Shadowlands will release in August? Like seriously. No way.

Almost everyone? Look back at Blizzcon and so many people were speculating an August 2020 release while shutting down anyone who said that they didn't even show much at Blizzcon. It's hilarious because now people are actually waking up to it. We still don't have alpha in full swing and it's March.

Shadowlands is not going to come out any earlier than October and that's being optimistic. Just because BFA is shit doesn't mean they're going to rush Shadowlands out the door. WoD was the worst (half)expansion we've had yet the last patch lasted over a year and they didn't rush Legion out. Legion's last major patch to BFA pre-patch almost a year - 29th August 2017 to 17th July 2018 (7.3.5 was an update sure but it's a minor patch).

[therumblings]

I do not disagree with you, you're right. But 8.3 is going to last for more than half a year. Don't be fooled to think they'll cut short the last patch of an expansion. Even 8.2 lasted 7 months.

I feel like the whole patch cadence of legion was perfect and BFA threw it all off. Idk, i'd rather have 14 months of 8.3 if they actually get 9.0 right and listen to feedback, especially with class design.

[Dracullus]

The point is that 8.3 dailies are not enough content for 5 months let alone 10. I think legion did pretty good with the content drought especially with an amazing 7.3.5.

8.3 feels like a shittier version of 7.3 with the only redeeming factor being horrific visions and of course the raid, but visions are gated, and ontop of that there is no 8.3.5.

How long 7.3 world quests lasted exactly? Not even Antorus or new dungeon would keep people playing for so long. Only reason that 7.3 was relevant so long, was Mage Tower. With even worse gating than visions, now I can choose when I want to progress, tower very often was up in the middle of week.

And I honestly have no idea what was so amazing in 7.3.5 for you. Slowing leveling by like 50%? 30 minutes long questline? New battleground?

[Nyel]

Almost everyone? Look back at Blizzcon and so many people were speculating an August 2020 release while shutting down anyone who said that they didn't even show much at Blizzcon. It's hilarious because now people are actually waking up to it. We still don't have alpha in full swing and it's March.

Shadowlands is not going to come out any earlier than October and that's being optimistic. Just because BFA is shit doesn't mean they're going to rush Shadowlands out the door. WoD was the worst (half)expansion we've had yet the last patch lasted over a year and they didn't rush Legion out. Legion's last major patch to BFA pre-patch almost a year - 29th August 2017 to 17th July 2018 (7.3.5 was an update sure but it's a minor patch).

If anyone back then was hoping for an August release... sorry, foolish. The deadline basically 3 months later than for Legion and BfA made clear that we're heading towards a Q4 release.

[Jamie081]

I feel like the whole patch cadence of legion was perfect and BFA threw it all off. Idk, i'd rather have 14 months of 8.3 if they actually get 9.0 right and listen to feedback, especially with class design.

People complained that Legion's content patches arrived too fast but I thought it was perfect pacing. BFA has been an absolute slog with content updates. We've waited more months for less.

If anyone back then was hoping for an August release... sorry, foolish. The deadline basically 3 months later than for Legion and BfA made clear that we're heading towards a Q4 release.

I agree completely. People really expected Shadowlands to be coming in August/September because BFA and Legion came out in the August timeframe. That's laughable.

[Nyel]

I feel like the whole patch cadence of legion was perfect and BFA threw it all off. Idk, i'd rather have 14 months of 8.3 if they actually get 9.0 right and listen to feedback, especially with class design.

9.0 has to be incredibly good to repair all the damage BfA has done to the game and the playerbase. So yes, rather a longer drought for a better 9.0. Another 8.0 debacle is absolutely not needed.

[therumblings]

How long 7.3 world quests lasted exactly? Not even Antorus or new dungeon would keep people playing for so long. Only reason that 7.3 was relevant so long, was Mage Tower. With even worse gating than visions, now I can choose when I want to progress, tower very often was up in the middle of week.

And I honestly have no idea what was so amazing in 7.3.5 for you. Slowing leveling by like 50%? 30 minutes long questline? New battleground?

You didn't have to grind for a currency to spend on another currency to get a piece of a quest done that is gated each week. I love visions but the gating should be very much so loosened. Also, entire storyline of 3 new zones, world quests, yes, actual world quests not shitty dailies. Plus a new dungeon vs no new dungeon. You are right about the weekly gating on the mage tower though, and the fact 8.3's story wasn't time gated is also a + for 8.3 too.

7.3.5. added allied races way way earlier than anticipated, plus a new battleground and leveling revamp both of which were part of the next expansion, added early.

7.3 is not perfect wow by any means, but easily better than 8.3.

[George Costanza]

About 2-3 weeks left . And about 4 weeks left til i get my invite.

[THEORACLE64]

Don't be so naive to think 6 months are enough to test

Alpha
Beta
Pre Release

Ty.

It's more than enough.

[Sondrelk]

The point is that 8.3 dailies are not enough content for 5 months let alone 10. I think legion did pretty good with the content drought especially with an amazing 7.3.5.

8.3 feels like a shittier version of 7.3 with the only redeeming factor being horrific visions and of course the raid, but visions are gated, and ontop of that there is no 8.3.5.

idk maybe it's me but 8.3 feels like the content has already been dried up all on the first month.

The only reason Legion managed to gain a reputation for having lots to do in the final patch was because of the storyline being spread out over 12 classes, as well as giving a player an "endpoint" for each class. Thet being getting the class mount and whatever mage tower challenges.

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7.3.5. added allied races way way earlier than anticipated, plus a new battleground and leveling revamp both of which were part of the next expansion, added early.

7.3 is not perfect wow by any means, but easily better than 8.3.

Surely the honest comparision here would be comparing 7.3 to 8.3 then.

[therumblings]

The only reason Legion managed to gain a reputation for having lots to do in the final patch was because of the storyline being spread out over 12 classes, as well as giving a player an "endpoint" for each class. Thet being getting the class mount and whatever mage tower challenges.

I honestly wasn't a fan of artifacts but the entire concept and execution of class halls is something I miss and wish they built on.

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Surely the honest comparision here would be comparing 7.3 to 8.3 then.

8.3.5 was cancelled or simply doesn't exist, it's another reason why legion's expansion's end was better, rather than comparing the patches themselves.

[Nyel]

It's more than enough.

To get another 8.0 where all of your systems are untested, unfinished and unliked... yes, absolutely.

[Sondrelk]

I honestly wasn't a fan of artifacts but the entire concept and execution of class halls is something I miss and wish they built on.

What part of it specifically? Some of them looked good and made you feel like you wanted to be there. Others just felt extremely drab, like the priest one.

I can agree insofar as that it was refreshing to have 12 different class specific locations ot park my alts in, but other than that there wanst much to them.

[therumblings]

To get another 8.0 where all of your systems are untested, unfinished and unliked... yes, absolutely.

I'm not sure what an ideal length for testing would be but yeah i agree, they can't afford to mess up core content like covenants the way they did Azerite.

[Sondrelk]

8.3.5 was cancelled or simply doesn't exist, it's another reason why legion's expansion's end was better, rather than comparing the patches themselves.

That still doenst explain why you attempt to compare 8.3 to 7.3.5.
If you want to say that Legion had a content patch after the final raid and that is interesting then i can respect that, but don't sit here and try to compare 8.3 to 7.3.5 and act like that somehow makes 7.3 less of a boring questing area.

[Nyel]

Surely the honest comparision here would be comparing 7.3 to 8.3 then.

Why? There is no 8.3.5 so 8.3 is the counterpart to 7.3 + 7.3.5. And 8.3 came out at the same time as 7.3.5. So the comparison is valid.

[therumblings]

What part of it specifically? Some of them looked good and made you feel like you wanted to be there. Others just felt extremely drab, like the priest one.

I can agree insofar as that it was refreshing to have 12 different class specific locations ot park my alts in, but other than that there wanst much to them.

Their storylines and return to class quests as well as having a place for your character that is similar to a racial hub but for class. As well as quests that invoke the fantasy of being your class. Artifacts could have been throwaway but they never should have abandoned class halls, they should have added more content too them throughout the years.

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That still doenst explain why you attempt to compare 8.3 to 7.3.5.
If you want to say that Legion had a content patch after the final raid and that is interesting then i can respect that, but don't sit here and try to compare 8.3 to 7.3.5 and act like that somehow makes 7.3 less of a boring questing area.

Even without 7.3.5, 7.3 is still superior to 8.3, but I think it's fair to judge each expansion's end as a whole.

[Sondrelk]

I'm not sure what an ideal length for testing would be but yeah i agree, they can't afford to mess up core content like covenants the way they did Azerite.

The problem is that some systems simply cannot be fixed. Islands and Warfronts being great examples of system that would have required a fundamental overhaul to be anywhere near what they should have been. In those cases more time will just underline how pointless the system is, and take away development time from the systems meant ot replace them.

[THEORACLE64]

To get another 8.0 where all of your systems are untested, unfinished and unliked... yes, absolutely.

Same amount of time Legion had tbh and look at the praise it gets. It's more than enough time - it's how they use that time that's the important factor. WoW expansions have never had long betas.

[therumblings]

The problem is that some systems simply cannot be fixed. Islands and Warfronts being great examples of system that would have required a fundamental overhaul to be anywhere near what they should have been. In those cases more time will just underline how pointless the system is, and take away development time from the systems meant ot replace them.

I'm mixed on warfronts, but Islands easily could have been redeemed if they removed the faction race crap and went with actual island exploration with your party, could have been like scenarios but better.