Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Makabreska]

These are facts from over a decade of WoW. We get an expansion every 2 years (+-24 months) and every content patch with a raid tier lasts for about 6 months, some 5.5, some 7, in average 6. So yes, we know this, it's disingenuous to act like this is a new thing when it's been a thing for a decade now.

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Arguments? I'm talking about their usual expansion schedule which has been a thing for the last decade. And I try to fit three content patches in Shadowlands in exactly that schedule, you could do the same and tell me how it will work out in your opinion. Rules: latest release date for the next expansion is Q4/22 and every content patch (e.g. x.1, x.2, x.3) lasts for ~ 6 months. We could add that the final tier / patch lasts for an average of 9 months, but we'll ignore that now and stick to the rule of 6.

We also never had an expansion postponed before so close to release. Because there is this small thing now called PANDEMIC that throws all your 5Head reasoning and made up rules out of the window. But hey, who am I to argue with "8.3 wont happen" guy? It's not like you do this shit all the time.

[Nyel]

We also never had an expansion postponed before so close to release. Because there is this small thing now called PANDEMIC that throws all your 5Head reasoning and made up rules out of the window. But hey, who am I to argue with "8.3 wont happen" guy? It's not like you do this shit all the time.

None of these rules are made up, but keep your rude attitude and ignore the past ten years.

And yes, we have a pandemic going on, so let me ask you another thing: what do you deem more likely, a delay of the next expansion by 4-6 months to fit another content patch into the ongoing expansion or to just entirely remove one content patch and continue with the next expansion already? What do you think brings more $$$? Yes, hypothetical question that doesn't even have to consider the ongoing pandemic, it's a general question which could be asked anytime. Content patch vs. new expansion, what's more likely to generate more revenue?

[TheFirstOnes]

Not every content patch has lasted for 6 months. Quit being dishonest.

[Makabreska]

None of these rules are made up, but keep your rude attitude and ignore the past ten years.

Shame you yourself keep ignoring your failed past "am so sure" predictions. Oh well, the usual circus goes on, but this time so much earlier in the xpac. Must be social distancing boredom.

[Nyel]

Not every content patch has lasted for 6 months. Quit being dishonest.

I went back up til Cataclysm when I checked it in the wiki and you're right, Firelands only lasted for 5 months instead of 6. Besides that, every content patch that contained a raid tier has lasted for about 6 months, some 7, some 5.5, as a said. In average 6.

[TheFirstOnes]

I went back up til Cataclysm when I checked it in the wiki and you're right, Firelands only lasted for 5 months instead of 6. Besides that, every content patch that contained a raid tier has lasted for about 6 months, some 7, some 5.5, as a said. In average 6.

8.3 (8.3.5, whatever) lasted from January to October, 6.2 and its mini patch lasted for an entire year, 5.4 lasted a year, etc. 9.0 came out in November, and 9.0.5 came out last week. 9.0 to 9.1 (If 9.1 releases in May-June) would be about 6-7 patches. Using your logic, that's pretty normal, if I do say so myself. :/ It's not impossible to have 3 content patches for SL.

Have 9.1 release in June, have 9.2 release in October-November, then have 9.3 release in like March-April of 2022, with the Alpha/Beta of 10.0 releasing not long afterward.

[arandomuser]

i am kind of worried we will get draenord and if patches are delayed they will cut a tier to make their xpac goals..
i actually am interested in seeing how the story plays out and it will be a shame if the story is shifted to fill out less raid tiers like what happened in draenor

if draenor had like a few intermission patches instead of just grommash bad to grommash hero and stop archimonde with almost no progression , the story wouldnt of been nearly as bad.

[TheFirstOnes]

They can't Draenor SL. There's WAY too much story involved to Draenor this shit.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

By the time we knew about 6.2 they pretty much told us it was the last content patch and well we all know how that went. They don't seem intent on doing the shortened expansions anymore. Its unlikely they will do it and well they didn't do it in BFA so... obviously the trend isn't going to change. Draenor could of been longer but....they didn't and well if I recall they did say SL's story would be long(I don't know the exact quote, just the word long was used in it to describe the storyline).

[Dracullus]

By the time we knew about 6.2 they pretty much told us it was the last content patch and well we all know how that went. They don't seem intent on doing the shortened expansions anymore. Its unlikely they will do it and well they didn't do it in BFA so... obviously the trend isn't going to change. Draenor could of been longer but....they didn't and well if I recall they did say SL's story would be long(I don't know the exact quote, just the word long was used in it to describe the storyline).

I clearly remember rumors that WoD will become two tier expansion (+ entry raid) even before release, around time we started geting news about scraping content.

My theory is that at first WoD was planned just like regular expansion (with Farahlon, ogre continent coast, starting post in middle of Draenor, etc.) , but at some point HQ increased WoW team and devs were told to make 1 year expansion out of WoD. And then very early during Legion development it become clear you can't just speed up some things with more people.

As for SL patches, now we have very obvious ladder Denathrius->Sylvanas->Anduin->Jailer. Btw, haven't even conduits get datamined item level up to 300something back in Beta?

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I clearly remember rumors that WoD will become two tier expansion (+ entry raid) even before release, around time we started geting news about scraping content.

My theory is that at first WoD was planned just like regular expansion (with Farahlon, ogre continent coast, starting post in middle of Draenor, etc.) , but at some point HQ increased WoW team and devs were told to make 1 year expansion out of WoD. And then very early during Legion development it become clear you can't just speed up some things with more people.

As for SL patches, now we have very obvious ladder Denathrius->Sylvanas->Anduin->Jailer. Btw, haven't even conduits get datamined item level up to 300something back in Beta?

Whatever the reason yearly expansions isn't really something people asked for(Nor should they). I do remember the big team increase during WoD though.

[huth]

These are facts from over a decade of WoW. We get an expansion every 2 years (+-24 months) and every content patch with a raid tier lasts for about 6 months, some 5.5, some 7, in average 6. So yes, we know this, it's disingenuous to act like this is a new thing when it's been a thing for a decade now.

And Q4 2022 ist still well over 1.5y in the future. There's easily enough time to fit 3 patches if you don't assume completely absurd development timelines for 9.1.

By your own logic, we should expect 3 patches, not less.

[Revamp Man]

And Q4 2022 ist still well over 1.5y in the future. There's easily enough time to fit 3 patches if you don't assume completely absurd development timelines for 9.1.

By your own logic, we should expect 3 patches, not less.

anyone suggesting no 9.3 are likely the same ones that swore 8.3 wouldnt happen

i do not get how they can be so cynical because it seems extremely tiring

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By the time we knew about 6.2 they pretty much told us it was the last content patch and well we all know how that went. They don't seem intent on doing the shortened expansions anymore. Its unlikely they will do it and well they didn't do it in BFA so... obviously the trend isn't going to change. Draenor could of been longer but....they didn't and well if I recall they did say SL's story would be long(I don't know the exact quote, just the word long was used in it to describe the storyline).

source? because they didnt say anything

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None of these rules are made up, but keep your rude attitude and ignore the past ten years.

And yes, we have a pandemic going on, so let me ask you another thing: what do you deem more likely, a delay of the next expansion by 4-6 months to fit another content patch into the ongoing expansion or to just entirely remove one content patch and continue with the next expansion already? What do you think brings more $$$? Yes, hypothetical question that doesn't even have to consider the ongoing pandemic, it's a general question which could be asked anytime. Content patch vs. new expansion, what's more likely to generate more revenue?

my god thats a pretty stale outlook

dont we get people bitching about "omg new expansion rushed" every single time
we get "omg patch so rushed" every single time
now we get essentially the fix to the end expansion lull in a slightly longer 9.0 and its causing people to scream "NO 9.3 GUYS ITS OVER!!!!"
if a few more months of 9.0 means less of a content drought later....im rooting for it to be the norm

its not a case of "patch or expansion?" but a question of "patch and expansion or just expansion?" but yeah ok lets kill the newest expansion short and lose what is literally just extra sub revenue.

those lazy devs how dare you experience multiple delays due to changes in development including some that almost led to NO VOICE ACTING!! Who cares that their homes and place of employment was effected by a wild fire or that they had to transition 80% of the dev team to work from home because we have to wait a whole 7 months for our first patch THEY ABANDONED US!!!

before any mod tries to say "oh you're flaming" im using hyperbole not towards the OP but towards the idea

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Not every content patch has lasted for 6 months. Quit being dishonest.

whaaatt??

ICC totally lasted 7...wait a minute
well sunwell...oh
well i mean dragon sou...darn
SoO was defini...
not even gonna mention HFC
argus??
nyalotha tho...

extra time spread between launch and patches just means less content drought and should be the norm because subs drop at the end of an expansion because players are finished 4 months into a 10 month patch instead of 4 months into a 7 month patch

[TheFirstOnes]

I already explain them above.

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Whatever the reason yearly expansions isn't really something people asked for(Nor should they). I do remember the big team increase during WoD though.

I'd honestly argue COVID helped Blizzard's development of SL, tbh. As, normally, SL would be released in October, and would've been extra buggy and laggy. But, with COVID, Blizzard said fuck the deadlines and decided to develop the expac further.

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Maybe Bobby can be lenient aftera-

AHAHAHAHAHA! I'M SORRY! I CAN'T! AHHHHAHAHAAAAA

[Tiradon]

And Q4 2022 ist still well over 1.5y in the future. There's easily enough time to fit 3 patches if you don't assume completely absurd development timelines for 9.1.

By your own logic, we should expect 3 patches, not less.

3 patch makes sense without a doubt. But “raid tier” feels like 2 more (including 9.1) I wasn’t expecting them to rush the attack on the Maw.

Again feels like this is gonna end in Azeroth

[Edward Wu]

9.3 won't happen and not because I'm cynical but because not only does this timeline suggest no 9.3 due to how late 9.1 is coming and how it's completely differently structured compared to the usual .1 patch, but I also believe Blizzard has planned only up to 9.2 from the start and wants to transition to the next expansion faster. Oh, let's not also forget the lore. The enemies this expansion are The Jailer and Sylvanas. There's the Drust but they are a minor nuisance and the Cartel is getting their big payoff in the Megadungeon.

Jailer is being dealt with in 9.2, guys. It's time to accept reality. There's no "mid-boss" before the Jailer after Sylvanas croaks.

[Makabreska]

9.3 won't happen and not because I'm cynical but because not only does this timeline suggest no 9.3 due to how late 9.1 is coming and how it's completely differently structured compared to the usual .1 patch, but I also believe Blizzard has planned only up to 9.2 from the start and wants to transition to the next expansion faster. Oh, let's not also forget the lore. The enemies this expansion are The Jailer and Sylvanas. There's the Drust but they are a minor nuisance and the Cartel is getting their big payoff in the Megadungeon.

Jailer is being dealt with in 9.2, guys. It's time to accept reality. There's no "mid-boss" before the Jailer after Sylvanas croaks.

Opinion noted.

[Edward Wu]

Opinion noted.

We'll see how things play out but I think this is uncharted territory and there's really 0 reason why they need to continue the old patch structure just because. Blizzard is always reiterating in all aspects of the game and if a 9.2 ending makes more sense to them then so be it.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

With such convincing evidence.

[huth]

3 patch makes sense without a doubt. But “raid tier” feels like 2 more (including 9.1) I wasn’t expecting them to rush the attack on the Maw.

Again feels like this is gonna end in Azeroth

Not to me. It's pretty clear the Maw is just the initial staging area for the Jailor and his actual goals lie elsewhere in the Shadowlands. We're not going to deal any major blows to his plans in the first act.

It's time to accept reality.

What reality? That you're just making up things to fit your preconceived outcome?