Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Cosmic Janitor]

I think time travel could work very well if it's really centered around Murozond and the Infinite Dragonflight. Time travel in WoD was just done poorly and the reason that started it all was as bad as it can get.

Doing time travel stories right is already a big undertaking at the best of times, irrespective of medium or franchise. Expecting Blizzard of all people to make a good time travel expansion seems... unrealistic; to put it nice.

[Dacia Ultan]

True. I still wish for a Emerald Dream expansion.

That and Argus were the big ones for me.

[Polybius]

So basically in the background and not front in center.

In the background then having a proper focus for a following expansion. This should've been the way to go for BFA, but I guess they were afraid of an expansion being the continuation to a story, with overlapping themes. They did this with Legion too, for Argus sadly.

[Raetary]

True. I still wish for a Emerald Dream expansion.

With the way they are setting up the cosmology, this is still a possible expansion theme.

[Paperfox]

I'm merely curious about the setting of 10.0, quests will still have us go and collect 8 bundles of wood, or kill 3 bandits.

What is foundational to me is what systems will be in it. Will it be SystemLands 2.0? Will people look at it and say that they actually made it better, or that they doubled down on systems and currencies.

[Veya30]

Well they did purposely leave her alive. Your theory is not that far off from mine(I'm not the sole owner of it). The idea was she would usurp the world soul's power essentially becoming a titan herself(Instead of Azeroth).

In the Shadow's Rising novel its implied that deities gain a lot of power from their worshippers. Bwonsamdi is greatly weakened when many of his worshippers and shrines in Zandalar are killed/destroyed. He's very weak at the start of Shadowlands due to this and is captured very easily by Mueh'zala and further implied in their dialogue as you go thru the dungeon. Mueh'zala states he doesn't need worshippers, that the jailer will give him all the power he needs; then with some mojo we're able to easily defeat Mueh'zala. Since the Jailier hadn't given him the power yet and most of his worshippers were now followers of Bwonsamdi.

Elune seems to be more powerful than any of the Eternal One's so far. She has worshippers all over reality, evidenced by the plethora of Night Warriors. I'd say Azshara would get more power by replacing Elune than Azeroth.

Switching gears a bit; while the night elf souls in Ardenweald along with Tyrande/Shandris have accepted renewal; there will be those still living in Azeroth who will not accept this at all. A good portion are very ripe to be lead away from Elune to worship some new cult type deity or place their faith in some other goddess. It would be odd if you didn't have a split in Night Elf society of those who still hold faith in Elune and those who feel abandoned and completely move on to another goddess. Some kind of side story in a Azeroth revamp could expand on this split, setting up for some thing else.

[Sondrelk]

I'm merely curious about the setting of 10.0, quests will still have us go and collect 8 bundles of wood, or kill 3 bandits.

What is foundational to me is what systems will be in it. Will it be SystemLands 2.0? Will people look at it and say that they actually made it better, or that they doubled down on systems and currencies.

Realistically, what could be changed in the next expansion that would make players feel as strongly baout this bold new direction as they did with Legion?
I guess a talent revamp, but as for extraneous systems there are not really much of any to consider in Shadowlands, especially not in 9.1.5. Soulbinds is really the only thing left that impacts gameplay in a way that things like talents do not.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Well they did purposely leave her alive. Your theory is not that far off from mine(I'm not the sole owner of it). The idea was she would usurp the world soul's power essentially becoming a titan herself(Instead of Azeroth).

They did Azshara dirty, and this would make for an actually decent plot. A Titan-empowered Azshara would be such a brilliant villain imo.

[Makabreska]

They did Azshara dirty, and this would make for an actually decent plot. A Titan-empowered Azshara would be such a brilliant villain imo.

Oh ye, we need more of her constant gloating and shit talking.

[Paperfox]

Since you asked, here are some suggestions:
A significantly revamped leveling experience. The game world is big enough to have room for those who are going after the AotC achievements and those who do the outdoor content.
Change the design focus from the 3 Pillars - raiding, M+, PVP - to 4 by adding outdoor content as the fourth Pillar.
Re-design professions so that they are useful to the majority of players rather than a few who can make a lot of gold from selling leggos.
Change their attitude toward players, we are customers who deserve to get our money's worth rather than a whale who's wallet is too fat.
Maybe they can actually try talking to players, especially listen to players - even those in the beta.

Realistically, what could be changed in the next expansion that would make players feel as strongly baout this bold new direction as they did with Legion?
I guess a talent revamp, but as for extraneous systems there are not really much of any to consider in Shadowlands, especially not in 9.1.5. Soulbinds is really the only thing left that impacts gameplay in a way that things like talents do not.

I think you're correct. The same management has probably already given them the same goals so the same team will have to produce another expansion that will be mostly the same.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I think you're correct. The same management has probably already given them the same goals so the same team will have to produce another expansion that will be mostly the same.

Thats not really likely at all. Maybe if the lawsuit didn't happen I could understand but after everything thats happened, I'm really a bit more apprehensive that this hate on systems is even needed. The .5 patch is while it has no big zone and raid or anything like that its notable if you look at what it does.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: 10.0 will likely be based off Light and Shadow and the new continent will be the Dragon Isles.

Now look I'm in that same camp but I always have to ask, "But why Dragon Isles?"

Because pairing Light, Void, and Dragons doesn't make a damn lick of sense. So why does the Light care? Why do we care? Why does the Void care? Why do the Dragons care?

[Sondrelk]

I wonder if we will see the return of Legendary questlines actually? I cannot speak for its definite impact in MoP as I did not really play that expansion, but I remember it as a definite highlight in WoD.
I know Blizzard tried to recreate it in Legion with the Balance of Power questline, but the fact that it lacked a tangible benefit at the end outside the large chunk of AP always made it feel lacking.

I suppose it might have been removed since it does afterall exemplify the usual problem of forced grind and general busywork outside raids, but I think it could still work, even if only to swing the pendulum back away from power gains being purely from raiding.

[Dracullus]

I wonder if we will see the return of Legendary questlines actually? I cannot speak for its definite impact in MoP as I did not really play that expansion, but I remember it as a definite highlight in WoD.
I know Blizzard tried to recreate it in Legion with the Balance of Power questline, but the fact that it lacked a tangible benefit at the end outside the large chunk of AP always made it feel lacking.

I suppose it might have been removed since it does afterall exemplify the usual problem of forced grind and general busywork outside raids, but I think it could still work, even if only to swing the pendulum back away from power gains being purely from raiding.

I would like some kind of merge of modern weekly campaigns and legendary questline. Something that would progress every week of patch - sometimes as questing chapter, sometimes quest to do new LFR wing or dungeon, sometimes scenario. Mandatory for player progression - but with account wide rewards (including cosmetic ones) since day 1.

[Sondrelk]

I would like some kind of merge of modern weekly campaigns and legendary questline. Something that would progress every week of patch - sometimes as questing chapter, sometimes quest to do new LFR wing or dungeon, sometimes scenario. Mandatory for player progression - but with account wide rewards (including cosmetic ones) since day 1.

I dunno, I feel Renown works when its a system for rewarding players with cosmetics and story, not player power.
Though then again, the way it currently works with player power being a separate reard from story within the Renown system does kinda work, though it might work much better if story quests stop giving Renown, or at least only give Renown as catchup.

I suppose there is no middle ground however. No matter how minor the power upgrades are, someone will find a reason to consider them mandatory for player progression. And if you make them solely catchup mechanisms then you cannot realistically make stuff like Legendary questlines like the ones in MoP and WoD.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Oh ye, we need more of her constant gloating and shit talking.

I LIVED for that haha! Nathanos being sassy was just obnoxious, but Azshara? Perfectiooooon.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Nathanos is just blunt and actually does hate you. Azshara sounds like she's enjoying herself, probably too much.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I would like some kind of merge of modern weekly campaigns and legendary questline. Something that would progress every week of patch - sometimes as questing chapter, sometimes quest to do new LFR wing or dungeon, sometimes scenario. Mandatory for player progression - but with account wide rewards (including cosmetic ones) since day 1.

Reminds me of the old WoD Ring honestly.

Which I at least found more annoying than interesting. Maybe with the idea of the weekly campaigns they could make it more interesting than "gather 100 Ogre Stones, you get one per raid boss killed each week."

[Three Faced Goddess]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: 10.0 will likely be based off Light and Shadow and the new continent will be the Dragon Isles.

I don't know about dragons having anything to do with the next expansion, but I'm pretty sure Light and Shadow will be involved. I haven't seen that much about dragons during Shadowlands or at least not as much as light and shadow, but then again I got sick to death of the way things are and quit after 9.1.

[Varodoc]

There's no way the next expansion isn't the Light and Void. The pieces are all set. Turalyon on the throne of Stormwind with Alleria by his side, Calia as a major figure of the Horde, Yrel and the Lightbound looking for ways to cleanse the "entire Cosmos", Xal'atath and Azshara lurking out there, Alleria saying that the whispers have worsened after N'Zoth's alleged """"""""defeat""""""" etc. And it's about time it happens frankly, people have been asking for it since the Chronicles dropped 5 years ago.

With how cheesy Blizzard is, I predict that the pre-expansion event will be a rehash of the TBC and WoD events, but with a yellow/white filter on the Dark Portal to symbolize the coming of the Lightbound. The Lightbound shall serve as a refreshing villainous faction, since they are affiliated with the Light. Traditionally the Light has been an ally, so turning it into the enemy instead will make things more interesting. And naturally this doesn't mean Turalyon will be a villain, he shall instead be the hero and foil to Yrel.

And at long last the cunning Ren'dorei shall receive the spotlight, this took too long

Now the only question is what style the logo will have, I guess they can make it all astral-looking, with half of it shadowy and the other half bright.