Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Syegfryed]

Something just occurred to me, Ion said in an interview a few days ago that they wanted players to experience the end of the Shadowlands before they announced what's next, right? Some took it to mean we had to wait until Wing 4 of LFR, while others felt that he was talking in a general sense and not literally about the raid ring unlock schedule.

But now that we know he was talking about LFR being completely unlocked, and Zovaal being one of the bosses soon available... the outcome of the Jailer fight must be really special. I mean, seismic. To the point that Blizzard wants your average casual player like myself to see and experience this event for himself before watching the expansion announcement.

In my view, this definitely supports the theory that something big is going down. So big that you need to see it for yourself in order to gain the contextual awareness of the story required to fully appreciate the next expansion.

Well, they sure think the lore they are doing until now is amazing, so, i can totally see hey thinking the final will be "seismic".

[Triceron]

imagine wait for this long to announce something and you have shadowlands 2.0, no races and no new class at all

That's the likeliest scenario. As much as we want a new class or a new race, I have a feeling they're gonna skip them both.

That being said, it doesn't really matter when it drops.

The only difference is whether you want to be disappointed now or disappointed later.

[Hitei]

This reveal date means Xpac will only drop in 2023, i cant see a scenario where we got a 2022 Xpac without it being trash level, unless something Magical happens

Testing is usually fairly quick, typically the big gap in time is between announcement and the start of testing. For example, MoP was announced in Oct '11, but early information that Alpha was in progress was showing up in like Feb '12 and beta started in March, for a Sept release the same year.

Which is to say that the actual testing time was <7 months. There was just a large gap between announcement and testing.

Similarly, Legion was announced in August '15, but alpha didn't start until November, and beta didn't start until May the next year, for an August release.

Which is all to say that if they do an April announcement, and start alpha in May, start beta in July, a late November release (one of their favorite windows) would still be 100% completely reasonable.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Something just occurred to me, Ion said in an interview a few days ago that they wanted players to experience the end of the Shadowlands before they announced what's next, right? Some took it to mean we had to wait until Wing 4 of LFR, while others felt that he was talking in a general sense and not literally about the raid ring unlock schedule.

But now that we know he was talking about LFR being completely unlocked, and Zovaal being one of the bosses soon available... the outcome of the Jailer fight must be really special. I mean, seismic. To the point that Blizzard wants your average casual player like myself to see and experience this event for himself before watching the expansion announcement.

In my view, this definitely supports the theory that something big is going down. So big that you need to see it for yourself in order to gain the contextual awareness of the story required to fully appreciate the next expansion.

I'm increasingly convinced that the Jailer cinematic is going to end with a stinger of the World Soul is dying...again. Which, if my math is right (and not counting Cataclysm because that's never come up again since Cataclysm so I'm pretty sure it was retconned) would be her third "the world soul is dying" moment. You know, if you put stock in whispers.

[Sondrelk]

Broken isles has several islands.

Two small islnds hanging off the main continent doesnt really feel much like an archipelago like one might expect from something being called Isles.

[Makabreska]

Let's analyse the image from the announcement of the announcement

I think it's a map of Azeroth.

[Syegfryed]

That's the likeliest scenario. As much as we want a new class or a new race, I have a feeling they're gonna skip them both.

That being said, it doesn't really matter when it drops.

The only difference is whether you want to be disappointed now or disappointed later.

I can't fathom they delaying an announcement so much, after a shit expansion and not give us anything worthy, and just make another shadowlands.

[Makabreska]

Oooof, that means we have 40+ days of an absolute shit storm of leaks.

[Hitei]

Two small islnds hanging off the main continent doesnt really feel much like an archipelago like one might expect from something being called Isles.

Shrug. Broken Shore is a very large island, then you also have Isle of the Watchers, and Shield's rest. Most of the zones also have multiple satellite islands, Stormheim and Azsuna have major zone masses separated from the mainland by small channels of water. Pretty isles-y.

[Hyrja]

Guys the image is in black and white, this means that our current Azeroth will be a thing of the past and we get a whole new Azeroth come 10.0

[Shadochi]

Guys the image is in black and white, this means that our current Azeroth will be a thing of the past and we get a whole new Azeroth come 10.0

OR threads of Fate in Azeroth confirmed as the whole screen goes B&W when making the choice

[Hitei]

Oooof, that means we have 40+ days of an absolute shit storm of leaks.

It won't be really bad until April.

[micwini]

Something just occurred to me, Ion said in an interview a few days ago that they wanted players to experience the end of the Shadowlands before they announced what's next, right? Some took it to mean we had to wait until Wing 4 of LFR, while others felt that he was talking in a general sense and not literally about the raid ring unlock schedule.

But now that we know he was talking about LFR being completely unlocked, and Zovaal being one of the bosses soon available... the outcome of the Jailer fight must be really special. I mean, seismic. To the point that Blizzard wants your average casual player like myself to see and experience this event for himself before watching the expansion announcement.

In my view, this definitely supports the theory that something big is going down. So big that you need to see it for yourself in order to gain the contextual awareness of the story required to fully appreciate the next expansion.

LFR release on 20 april (EU) and the reveal is on 19 april, so it doesn't make much sense. And knowing blizzard, they probably don't expect everyone to do it on day 1 in NA either.

[Revamp Man]

Well I guess it’s not a terribly long wait
I’m assuming alpha will hit a couple weeks after

I’m truly hoping that they aren’t rushing anything or cutting much and what we got in 9.2 and the differences in what we got kinda gives me that feel. I’m talking about the announcement video where they talked about new stuff for conduits and soulbinds

- - - Updated - - -

LFR release on 20 april (EU) and the reveal is on 19 april, so it doesn't make much sense. And knowing blizzard, they probably don't expect everyone to do it on day 1 in NA either.

It would be available though which is the main thing

- - - Updated - - -

It won't be really bad until April.

Halfway done
I’m debating on what kind of screen cap leaks I should use

[Polybius]

Can't see them using Yrel as B-Plot, but more as coming to us in 10.3.5 to lead us into 11.0, just to have a known face in the next expansion. Also Exarch Hellscream isn't AU Garrosh, as he is Grom's son from a different mother.

Blegh. I hope to heck they save up cosmic Void v light and focus on worldbuilding. It’s too soon.

[Nyel]

Oooof, that means we have 40+ days of an absolute shit storm of leaks.

Can’t get any worse than in the last months because there’s nothing new to leak. We had so many Dragon Isles leaks, it will be really difficult to come up with something new.

Don’t know why people interpret so much into the Jailer fight and ending. Honestly, all of these predictions are 99% reaching / copium. Expect the most likely outcome (Jailer gets defeated without any major impact to the storyline) and that’s it. If it’s better be glad, but how often did Blizzard not disappoint in that regard in the last years?

[BaumanKing]

Haha, just imagine how salty russkies are now. A new expansion and they won't even be able to play it.

[Teriz]

That's the likeliest scenario. As much as we want a new class or a new race, I have a feeling they're gonna skip them both.

That being said, it doesn't really matter when it drops.

The only difference is whether you want to be disappointed now or disappointed later.

Why would it be the likeliest scenario? Blizzard obviously has more races and classes in the pipeline, so they have to release them at some point.

[Triceron]

I can't fathom they delaying an announcement so much, after a shit expansion and not give us anything worthy, and just make another shadowlands.

To be honest, if you already hate Shadowlands, then a new expansion isn't really gonna change much. It's gonna be the same shit in a different location.

It's possible that they've delayed on announcing since it seems they've chosen to refocus WoW, possibly to go in line with what Ion was talking about with his interview on 'fun' in the game. And the reality is it takes a lot of time to develop and design content that's fun rather than just regurgitate that last season's content and up the numbers. So it might have taken so long because they're putting more time in figuring out if systems are worth keeping or cutting, and then figuring out how to market and present that to an audience. But I kinda think they'd be wasting their time, and half-expect them cutting it all and sticking to what they do best, which is grind progression and time gates.

My two cents.

[Feitori]

Yeah all those russians responsible for the Ukrainian crisis are so upset about the wow expansion :^)

Finally. I fucking hate running mythics with Putin. Sick of that guy.