Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Sondrelk]

I'm going to find it hilarious when one big leak dropped, everyone blew their loads, and we're gonna end up waiting until April for a reveal.

I find it unlikely we are going to go further than the end of February before ew at least have a firm date on when the expect the announcement, if not have it announced already.
I would guess we are looking at a 10.0 announcement right after Mythic Zovaal is defeated.

[Nyel]

I find it unlikely we are going to go further than the end of February before ew at least have a firm date on when the expect the announcement, if not have it announced already.
I would guess we are looking at a 10.0 announcement right after Mythic Zovaal is defeated.

An announcement right at the end of February would be a good opportunity to counter Guild Wars 2‘s expansion.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

You know, I honestly think that the Jailer would have been more interesting if they really leant into the whole "predetermined universe" aspect.
Imagine if his plans for escaping the Maw were literally just waiting until everything fell into place. He knows that he will eventually escape and get to Zereth Mortis, so instead of exerting much effort he just wait patiently for minions to come to him.

Would havegiven a neat twist to his character if nothing else.

For me it really is just a problem of framing; He really has had an eternity to plan, withe the Nathrezim working for him sowing chaos. All it needed it was to be about that winning roll finally.

But nothing on his characterization suggests that, it's all framed as it was all according to keikaku. That's what's boring. Things could have happened pretty much the same way, but instead of being presented as one big convoluted plan it could have been 1000 little ones that clicked into place.

Like imagine if the Helm of Domination was a side project, the main plan being manipulate Sargeras. So maybe the plan was for Zovaal to have a way to manifest on the mortal plane and that was the reason the Helm was crafted. But it didn't work as intented, because the will of the wearer was too much interference.

But then Zovaal realized that the helm itself has created a connection between the real of the living and the death through all the magic it has channeled, so then the plan to use the Helm itself to open a gate forms.

All it needed was to not be a 5D chess game, instead of showing it as Zovaal taking the opportunities as it happened, bonus point if it is actually Denathrius the one that catches these things and Zovaal has just been delegating the whole time.

[Nyel]

I'm going to find it hilarious when one big leak dropped, everyone blew their loads, and we're gonna end up waiting until April for a reveal.

We really don’t know. It should have been 3 months ago. It can be any day now or basically just at Gamescom later this year. We simply don’t know yet.

[Kiivar86]

I'll admit I'm surprised we've gone the length of January with nothing.

I expected expansion announcement in the first week or two.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I find it unlikely we are going to go further than the end of February before ew at least have a firm date on when the expect the announcement, if not have it announced already.
I would guess we are looking at a 10.0 announcement right after Mythic Zovaal is defeated.

My stance remains 9.2 drops late Feb, 10.0 reveal probably around the turn of April.

That way they can use 9.2, the raid, world first, and 10.0 reveal all right alongside XIV's patch run-up.

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An announcement right at the end of February would be a good opportunity to counter Guild Wars 2‘s expansion.

Oh interesting, yeah I'm doubling down on 9.2 at the end of February.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I find it unlikely we are going to go further than the end of February before ew at least have a firm date on when the expect the announcement, if not have it announced already.
I would guess we are looking at a 10.0 announcement right after Mythic Zovaal is defeated.

I doubt we'll get any 10.0 info until after 9.2's release day. Could be wrong and earlier but unlikely.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I still believe in the two next Tuesdays being crucial moments.

[NikolaiShade]

I doubt we'll get any 10.0 info until after 9.2's release day. Could be wrong and earlier but unlikely.

Still of the idea SL ending is so tied to the next expansion you can't talk about the latter without spoiling the former

[Nyel]

Oh interesting, yeah I'm doubling down on 9.2 at the end of February.

Yeah, I find 9.2 at the end of February more likely than the 10.0 announcement at that time. This would make 9.2 release on February 22.

[Therougetitan]

Still of the idea SL ending is so tied to the next expansion you can't talk about the latter without spoiling the former

Antorus came out a few weeks after BfA announcement and the ending was tied too. It will be fine.

[Revamp Man]

Was it the "leak" about the (really cool) transforming worgen heritage armor?

No he had the leak for 10.0 being dragon isles and dragonsworn but in the post he had 8.2.5 and general 8.3 info it’s Razorpax leak in the 9.0 spreadsheet

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Antorus came out a few weeks after BfA announcement and the ending was tied too. It will be fine.

Especially if the triggering event is during our SL adventure and they are vague about the connection

[Hitei]

Oh come on, there's a HUGE difference between "There's a dangerous entity beyond the realm of death"

It isn't "There's a dangerous entity beyond the realm of death", it's "there are multiple, ancient, Titan-level or near-Titan-level beings in the Shadowlands specifically". In the same expansion where Sylvanas is seen making a shady deal with that same person who pointed out that those beings exist, and the same expansion where a mysterious spirit of questionable intent makes Sylvanas the warchief in setup for BfA. I don't even know how this is up for debate, we already know that they chart out the general plot points for expansions 2+ in advance, because they start the initial devleopment of the expansion after next while doing the development for the next expansion.

Tom Chilton explicitly stated prior to WoD's release that they had the next six or seven expansions already conceptualized with a planned timeline they could then adjust and play with.

It's just insane that people think they sat down making Legion, knew that the next expansion was going to be a naval war expansion where Sylvanas was a large player, and knew that Sylvanas was making deals with Helya, and opened Legion with mysterious spirits convincing Vol'jin to make Slyvanas warchief, and explicitly planted the information that there are Titan-like beings in the Shadowlands, and knew that Shadowlands was probably going to be the expansion after next.... yet sOmEHoW it's totally impossible that they planned to have a super-powerful being in the Shadowlands pulling the strings for events on Azeroth back during the development of that expansion.

than making the Jailer be responsible for pretty much everything that has happened in WoW.

He isn't though. Not sure why people keep parroting this factually incorrect nonsense. Basically all that was changed was who the Dreadlords were actually loyal to, something that has always been in question since even in both versions of the Legion's origin, they exist independently of Sargeras and have their own agenda; and the nature of the corrupting, malevolent force associated with the Helm of Domination and Frostmourne, which prior to this had just been some vague "evil".

[Fiercelord]

A lot of people are believing the "Dragon Isles" leak & it being the actual name of the expansion. They would never use that kind of title.

[NikolaiShade]

Antorus came out a few weeks after BfA announcement and the ending was tied too. It will be fine.

I was pretty sure BfA was announced after Antorus

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I was pretty sure BfA was announced after Antorus

It was, roughly 2 months ish(Not totally 3 months) later BFA was announced.

[Kiivar86]

A lot of people are believing the "Dragon Isles" leak & it being the actual name of the expansion. They would never use that kind of title.

Never say never.

I saw the very same argument against Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, and Battle for Azeroth.

I was pretty sure BfA was announced after Antorus

It was, roughly 2 months ish(Not totally 3 months) later BFA was announced.

Less than a month, actually.

BfA announced at Blizzcon on November 3rd, 2017. Antorus opened on November 28th, 2017. Though the patch came out in late August, to be fair.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

It's just insane that people think they sat down making Legion, knew that the next expansion was going to be a naval war expansion where Sylvanas was a large player, and knew that Sylvanas was making deals with Helya, and opened Legion with mysterious spirits convincing Vol'jin to make Slyvanas warchief, and explicitly planted the information that there are Titan-like beings in the Shadowlands, and knew that Shadowlands was probably going to be the expansion after next.... yet sOmEHoW it's totally impossible that they planned to have a super-powerful being in the Shadowlands pulling the strings for events on Azeroth back during the development of that expansion.

That doesn't mean details haven't changed. This refers specifically to Zovaal's involvement in the story as it presently is—keep in mind that they already made a serious change to the Shadowlands from its description in Chronicle, which came out around the same time as the comment you aforementioned.

[Revamp Man]

I'm going to find it hilarious when one big leak dropped, everyone blew their loads, and we're gonna end up waiting until April for a reveal.

If that happens they will have a 9.3

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

It isn't "There's a dangerous entity beyond the realm of death", it's "there are multiple, ancient, Titan-level or near-Titan-level beings in the Shadowlands specifically". In the same expansion where Sylvanas is seen making a shady deal with that same person who pointed out that those beings exist, and the same expansion where a mysterious spirit of questionable intent makes Sylvanas the warchief in setup for BfA. I don't even know how this is up for debate, we already know that they chart out the general plot points for expansions 2+ in advance, because they start the initial devleopment of the expansion after next while doing the development for the next expansion.

Tom Chilton explicitly stated prior to WoD's release that they had the next six or seven expansions already conceptualized with a planned timeline they could then adjust and play with.

It's just insane that people think they sat down making Legion, knew that the next expansion was going to be a naval war expansion where Sylvanas was a large player, and knew that Sylvanas was making deals with Helya, and opened Legion with mysterious spirits convincing Vol'jin to make Slyvanas warchief, and explicitly planted the information that there are Titan-like beings in the Shadowlands, and knew that Shadowlands was probably going to be the expansion after next.... yet sOmEHoW it's totally impossible that they planned to have a super-powerful being in the Shadowlands pulling the strings for events on Azeroth back during the development of that expansion.


He isn't though. Not sure why people keep parroting this factually incorrect nonsense. Basically all that was changed was who the Dreadlords were actually loyal to, something that has always been in question since even in both versions of the Legion's origin, they exist independently of Sargeras and have their own agenda; and the nature of the corrupting, malevolent force associated with the Helm of Domination and Frostmourne, which prior to this had just been some vague "evil".

Another "Oh COME ON" For real, as if making the Helm of Domination and the Lich King itself, which are core to the narrative since War3, simply part of the new retroactively introduced villain plan isn't the problem.

You keep saying "the hints are there" as if that was the issue, when the problem is how it reframes everything that happened to be connected to an until now unknown character -as in, an actual character, not a nebulous entity without actual characterization-

As if it's not clear, a lore precedent does not by itself make a coherent or even compelling narrative; one of the major issues with Zovaal as a villain is that it connects EVERYTHING to his plan, that's what being "responsible" for means.

He isn't though. Not sure why people keep parroting this factually incorrect nonsense.

It's literally factual, man; He made the Helm and the Dreadlords are on his side, he has also made the one behind Sylvanas naming of Warchief, also made a deal with her on WotLK that only now we knew off.

Saying that him being responsible for everything is "factually incorrect nonsense" is blatantly inaccurate, when it all literally ties to him. And to double down on it, while the narrative could have easily framed him as an opportunity, it chooses to go with the "Ah, it's all coming up together" 5D nonsense.