9.X Patches & 10.0 Speculation Thread

[Kiivar86]

Yeah, I hovered over it real quick and it specifically said pre-patch with the little speil they always include about being ready to play faster at release day.

I seem to recall seeing that blurb too, as I remember going "...why is this out now? I hadn't heard of a release build yet"

[Marlamin]

Pre-loads have been active for all PTR data for like 2 full PTR cycles now, they just didn't disable it after last time so every new PTR build also gets preloaded for retail (with very small amounts of data though).

- - - Updated - - -

This is still on my mind every now and then and was again reminded of it while reading that "leak", I believe these animations still haven't been used in 9.2 so far but are still there which might indicate them being for whatever comes next. There's also likely an encrypted emerald drake mount in the files, which might or might not have a connection to future content as well. Hmm!

Bit of an update on these animations...

Context for those not reading the thread all the time:

So 1.14.1 hit Classic PTR and it has some new animation names:

"LivingWorldProximityEnter",
"FlyLivingWorldProximityEnter",
"LivingWorldProximityLoop",
"FlyLivingWorldProximityLoop",
"LivingWorldProximityLeave",
"FlyLivingWorldProximityLeave",

I usually wouldn't call these out but separate animations for entering, being in and leaving the "Living World" while both flying/non-flying... hmmm...

Very unusual animation names. Usually they're more generic. They also added a lot of "future patch" placeholder animations (not unusual) the previous few patches.

Full list of new anims (including some placeholder ones) here. Full list of anims to see these somewhat stand out here.

More LivingWorld animations were added in 9.2.0.41257:

LivingWorldTimeOfDayEnter
LivingWorldTimeOfDayLeave
LivingWorldTimeOfDayLoop
FlyLivingWorldTimeOfDayEnter
FlyLivingWorldTimeOfDayLeave
FlyLivingWorldTimeOfDayLoop

There's a small blurb about these on the frontpage as well now since it was interesting enough: https://www.mmo-champion.com/content...ed-PTR-DLC-804

[hipolnalrt]

snip

If you had to make a wild assumption based on your experience, what would you say this is?

[Marlamin]

If you had to make a wild assumption based on your experience, what would you say this is?

The "No other animations have both an "Enter" and a "Leave" state which might mean they play when a model enters, stays in and leaves a certain area." part on the forntpage is my educated guess.

Super wild speculation based on the first "Proximity" animations was that there might be some sort of rift like the Torghast rift to go through, with the context of the new "time of day" anims, one might speculate they have an animation of Azeroth behind the rift that has a very quick "time of day" animation to show that time goes faster on Azeroth compared to the Shadowlands, but that is extreme speculation that I pulled out of thin air.

[Ersula]

WoW: Azeroth

World of Warcraft: Landswalker

[hipolnalrt]

The "No other animations have both an "Enter" and a "Leave" state which might mean they play when a model enters, stays in and leaves a certain area." part on the forntpage is my educated guess.

Super wild speculation based on the first "Proximity" animations was that there might be some sort of rift like the Torghast rift to go through, with the context of the new "time of day" anims, one might speculate they have an animation of Azeroth behind the rift that has a very quick "time of day" animation to show that time goes faster on Azeroth compared to the Shadowlands, but that is extreme speculation that I pulled out of thin air.

Well this is some super fun stuff, and probably the biggest bit of legit info we've had for some time.

[Marlamin]

Well this is some super fun stuff, and probably the biggest bit of legit info we've had for some time.

Yeah, these animations are the first thing in a while that I went "this might be interesting" to, but we'll see if it pans out being something actually noteworthy.

[CopyX1982]

Serious question about that 'dragon isles' leak, why did the OP get banned? Is it bannable to post fake leaks or anything construed as a leak?

[Alanar]

Wow: Heroes of Azeroth.

[Khaza-R]

I wonder how related this could be to GW2's living world concept of episodic storytelling. Essentially something updated that isn't accessible to all players. Only players who have unlocked or purchased it.

If so, could have big implications for what is to come.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Serious question about that 'dragon isles' leak, why did the OP get banned? Is it bannable to post fake leaks or anything construed as a leak?

No infractions on the post. Might've been hit with some automatic detection, it is now unbanned.

[Edlarel]

I make no claim to this, just adding it here for brevity. It has since been edited/removed.

Some parts of the "leak" that are correct -- 10.0 is dragon isles, the cap is 70, and tyrande has to make a hard choice regarding sylvanas, but not with what is described here. Her choice involves a new world tree. Cross-faction play is planned. Other things they mention are completely wrong.

- there is no tinker class, and there is not one being planned for any expansions being worked on
- there is no old-world revamp
- there is a new class, and it's dragon-related (last i heard was two DPS specs and a healer, no tank)
- there is a new race, and again it is dragon-related
- the expansion also has to do with tyr, tirisfal, and ulduar
- player housing is coming, but not until 11.0 or later
- ive been informed that while 10.0 is going to be really cool, 11.0 will "make me crap my pants" as far as the concept goes

edit: forgot this tidbit
- new heirloom gear sets for remaining races are being worked on
- humans look very stormwindy (surprise)
- night elves look similar to the OG cinematic night elf armor
- draenei look like their rugged BC concept art

[Shadowlands-is-fake]

It feels strange to consider that within maybe 2-8 weeks we might know what the next expansion is. There's so little fanfare around WoW right now, if this were the old BlizzCon days we'd all be looking for trademarks and stuff.

I really hope they announce a reveal event within a couple of weeks, even if we need to wait a month for it.

Hopefully this time they bring the goods, unlike when they announced 9.1 and 9.2. God, it's like they forgot how to put on a show.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

10.0 sounding more and more dull by the second with these leaks. A "Waiting Room for 11.0" does not sound enticing. But if that is what is necessary to get this game on the right side again, it is whatever it is.'

None of this add up to the Living World stuff either, so it just feels like people have lost their imagination.

My worry is that these theories are likely based on the broken production pipeline and just the current state of the company and its turmoil which does add credence as to why all of these "leaks" are so dull sounding and also lacking Blizzard's favorite thing "Systems".

[Sondrelk]

10.0 sounding more and more dull by the second with these leaks. A "Waiting Room for 11.0" does not sound enticing. But if that is what is necessary to get this game on the right side again, it is whatever it is.'

None of this add up to the Living World stuff either, so it just feels like people have lost their imagination.

My worry is that these theories are likely based on the broken production pipeline and just the current state of the company and its turmoil which does add credence as to why all of these "leaks" are so dull sounding and also lacking Blizzard's favorite thing "Systems".

If we assume waiting room to mean low effort filler then sure, but waiting room could also mean that little will happen narratively except build up to 11.0, but as a result the expansion instead gets used to be crammed full of fun minigames and smaller disconnected stories.

[Hitei]

"I hate all this dumb universe-at-stake stuff! Why can't we go back to just being simple adventurers helping out with regular problems and grounded stories!"
"I hate all these regular problems and grounded stories, stop with this dumb filler and get to the universe-at-stake stuff already!"

Every time.

[Khaza-R]

"I hate all this dumb universe-at-stake stuff! Why can't we go back to just being simple adventurers helping out with regular problems and grounded stories!"
"I hate all these regular problems and grounded stories, stop with this dumb filler and get to the universe-at-stake stuff already!"

Every time.

You do realize these aren't the same people saying both of these things, right?

[Makabreska]

You do realize these aren't the same people saying both of these things, right?

Sometimes they are.

[Hitei]

You do realize these aren't the same people saying both of these things, right?

I mean I hope we get a "Back to Basic" and simple premise with Azeroth as the main selling point with content being the focus of the expansion rather than the game systems. I do not think the audience would enjoy Back to Azeroth but with a Cosmic Twist or being stuck on a Island Continent for 2 years on Azeroth. Yrel and her Armada is also heavily confusing for everyone beyond those in the know and Turalyon going Genocidal when we return is going to put 10.0 in a tailspin for the entire audience and especially if Yrel is introduced afterwards.

/10 characters.

[Hitei]

Why do people here have such a hard time with reading comprehension. Just read again. Does the current leaks have anything to do with Azeroth Revamp? No? Well, then it isn't tied to what I wrote in the past. Crazy stuff!

None of this fit the criteria that I put out for what I hoped and wanted. Instead we get a directionless 5 zone Island with no plot and that's it? Come on, at least if you're doing the directionless nonsense do it properly on Azeroth cause that is what everyone wanted with 10.0 in the first place.

The Dragon Isles aren't on Azeroth?