Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[pacotaco]

I still stand by my theory that reality is the seventh force, as represented by Azeroth. Something to which the six cosmic forces are both a part of, and opposed to simultaneously. Something which grew organically from the framework of the six forces, and which doesn't seem to have been made according to any First Ones plan.

It has light affiliated zealots, necromancers, adherents of the void, druids, warlocks and mages. Every cosmic force capable of being combined into one to oppose any other cosmic force. And which is vast enough to contain anything.

It would fit pretty much perfectly to Firim talking about how the seventh force was both created and not. Both a seventh force alongside the others, and simultaneously one opposite the six others combined.

I don't think so. The way they hint the 7th Force is like something outside of the 6, outside of "The Plan". But the Maw Walkers are part of "The Plan" to fix a future problem in it.

[Skildar]

Shadowlands art designs already being cooked up at end of 2018, i.e very early into BFA and only a handful of months after Chronicle Vol. 3 is interesting. I'd kill for Blizzard to actually give insight into their development rather than coughing up more lies that everything at all times is going to plan because I'd love to see how much their idea of Shadowlands changed over time. These designs are more alien than what we got and I am glad to see confirmation of what I suspected regarding Maldraxxus's Scourge rip-off elements being a later addition, with the 'society built on top of a continent-wide undead corpse' being the baseline.

I always like when game developers dive into how their design and work evolved when shaping and crafting a story. But you rarely get these as they often are used against them or hold information and designs that will potentially be used in future content.

I wish things were simpler and with a more thoughtful community

[Makorus]

That is a completely different shade, but okay.

Not every brown is shit-coloured.

[Nyel]

So if we follow the speculations of a dragon themed xpac, can we expect new zones and updated zones in EK/K? In my head that sounds really cool. I'd like a 10.0 that is based on azeroth with familiar asthetics + updated zones in the old world.

No. It's wishful thinking. Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? Nobody knows. There's not much that's indicating a revamp.

[crusadernero]

No. It's wishful thinking. Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? Nobody knows. There's not much that's indicating a revamp.

Well, im not really talking about a total revamp of EK/K. Though that would be nice, its just to big of a undertaking.

What I ment was new zones + a couple of old zones getting updated that are relevant to the xpac. Meaning the overall thematic of the xpac will feel close to home(azeroth).

[Nyel]

Well, im not really talking about a total revamp of EK/K. Though that would be nice, its just to big of a undertaking.

What I ment was new zones + a couple of old zones getting updated that are relevant to the xpac. Meaning the overall thematic of the xpac will feel close to home(azeroth).

This only makes sense when it's a specific part of the world, let's say Lordaeron and Quelthalas. Working as its own little continent then. I don't see them revamping e.g. Ungoro, Westfall and Burning Steppes while giving us another three zones or so on the Dragon Isles. Would cause the same problems as Cataclysm.

[Vakir]

Azmodan was a cartoon character that reminded me of crash bandicoot 3 cortex popping up before a loading screen.

Just Azmodan's face flying into the camera, give us an 8 second rundown of his exact military plan, flooping back, followed by a a Looney Tunes style iris out.

[crusadernero]

This only makes sense when it's a specific part of the world, let's say Lordaeron and Quelthalas. Working as its own little continent then. I don't see them revamping e.g. Ungoro, Westfall and Burning Steppes while giving us another three zones or so on the Dragon Isles. Would cause the same problems as Cataclysm.

yeah the cata revamp was a huge undertaking. All im saying is that i'd like an xpac that are astetically and thematically somewhat close to EK/K were one maybe could update a couple of relevant zones.

Instead of Blizzard updating EVERY zone in EK/K in one go, they could do it gradually and over time. Where and when it makes sense.

[Baedril]

yeah the cata revamp was a huge undertaking. All im saying is that i'd like an xpac that are astetically and thematically somewhat close to EK/K were one maybe could update a couple of relevant zones.

Instead of Blizzard updating EVERY zone in EK/K in one go, they could do it gradually and over time. Where and when it makes sense.

I mean they already did this a little bit in BFA, with Darkshore and Arathi - granted, they're not really questing zones but they are absolutely revamped. The precedent of them updating more zones if we have an Azeroth based xpac again is absolutely there.

[looney troons]

That is a completely different shade, but okay.

Not every brown is shit-coloured.

Shit comes in many shades of brown.

[huth]

Literal quotes:


My take? They were the thing that kept "fences" around each Cosmic Force, but somehow they stopped working correctly, like an and they started stomping on everything, allowing all the Forces attack each other instead, like a band starting to go out of sync.
They're not the 7th Force, but they are neither one of the 6. They're like the automa in the sense that they are out of the cycle, and just mere tools of the First Ones.

That was in reference to the broken Devourers that gorged on cosmic power. Keep context in mind.

[Sondrelk]

Shadowlands art designs already being cooked up at end of 2018, i.e very early into BFA and only a handful of months after Chronicle Vol. 3 is interesting. I'd kill for Blizzard to actually give insight into their development rather than coughing up more lies that everything at all times is going to plan because I'd love to see how much their idea of Shadowlands changed over time. These designs are more alien than what we got and I am glad to see confirmation of what I suspected regarding Maldraxxus's Scourge rip-off elements being a later addition, with the 'society built on top of a continent-wide undead corpse' being the baseline.

They look more alien in the concept art, but in thinking about it I wonder whether making something alien in WoW is an uphill struggle because of the art style and limitations of having to be a game, in addition to us already being used to the zones in Shadowlands already.

The creature design is one thing, but things like the trees and general landscape does seem like it just doesn't fully translate to WoWs artstyle.

- - - Updated - - -

I always like when game developers dive into how their design and work evolved when shaping and crafting a story. But you rarely get these as they often are used against them or hold information and designs that will potentially be used in future content.

I wish things were simpler and with a more thoughtful community

For confirmation this happens i would point to the infinite library zone we got told about in Korthia that was supposedly filled with various catalogued creatures, which I remember was immediately latched on as the developers scrapping an obviously superior zone concept instead of Maldraxxus or Bastion or what have you.

Things we don't have will almost always have a more positive reaction since we don't have to experien e potential pitfalls, abd can additionally imagine our ideal version.

If I told someone who had never played SL about Maldraxxus, and how it's a war themed zone, designed to look like an RTS map, with a giant arena in the middle where you get daily quests to compete, I imagine that person would imagine something absolutely amazing with the concept, rather than what we got.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think so. The way they hint the 7th Force is like something outside of the 6, outside of "The Plan". But the Maw Walkers are part of "The Plan" to fix a future problem in it.

The Maw Walkers are not part of a plan so much as they just happen to be able to open the portals though, which could be more to do with Azeroth than anything else.

Not to say I couldn't be wrong. But I think the lore very much builds on the idea that reality is somehow more important than we realize. Before it was kinda just there as a happy medium between all six cosmic forces, but Firim does mention that there is something to reality that he cannot quite understand, for instance why souls have to be there at all.

Also, a bit of a semantic argument, but if I pour a mold colony into a bucket along with food, then I could be said to have both created it, and still have it be out of my control depending on how you look at it.

[pacotaco]

The Maw Walkers are not part of a plan so much as they just happen to be able to open the portals though, which could be more to do with Azeroth than anything else.

Not to say I couldn't be wrong. But I think the lore very much builds on the idea that reality is somehow more important than we realize. Before it was kinda just there as a happy medium between all six cosmic forces, but Firim does mention that there is something to reality that he cannot quite understand, for instance why souls have to be there at all.

Also, a bit of a semantic argument, but if I pour a mold colony into a bucket along with food, then I could be said to have both created it, and still have it be out of my control depending on how you look at it.

Korthian prophecies foretell the arrival of a Maw Walker who can save us from disaster.

Perhaps this is that day. But perhaps not. I must test your anima to verify your claim.
If you speak the truth, then I have a solemn duty to empower your anima before we proceed.

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Who_is_the_Maw_Walker

The prophecies told us that one day this dormant waystone would be needed by a Maw Walker. That it would prove crucial to the fate of the Shadowlands.

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Opening_to_Oribos

Knowing that the Attendands are some kind of pseudo-automas, to me that points the First Ones already knew shit would happen and their Plan would need some fixing.

[Wangming]

It is not even always brown, let me tell ya.

Also, high guys. I know I have been absent for like two years. But between SL being what it was and the Scandal, I kinda lost interest in Blizzard. But with Kotick's days numbered and the new Hearthstone expansion reveal i started to get curious if the WoW team will let a free to play cardgame beat them.

Funny thing is, we likely had the correct leak by now. I mean that's usually the case, isn't it? We are a month from reveal so one of them was already correct.

[Raetary]

, we likely had the correct leak by now. I mean that's usually the case, isn't it? We are a month from reveal so one of them was already correct.

Not really.

The 'true leaks' usually happen right before the announcement.

And all the credible looking leaks we had got recently debunked.

[Wangming]

Not really.

The 'true leaks' usually happen right before the announcement.

And all the credible looking leaks we had got recently debunked.

Hmmmm. Any not too terrible leaks that don't include dragons? I feel like after the end of the raid, we can't just have a simple dragon expac.

[Civciv]

Hmmmm. Any not too terrible leaks that don't include dragons? I feel like after the end of the raid, we can't just have a simple dragon expac.

We killed simple pirates after our invasion on Argus

[huth]

Hmmmm. Any not too terrible leaks that don't include dragons? I feel like after the end of the raid, we can't just have a simple dragon expac.

Just finding any without dragons is hard enough.

[Kiivar86]

Hmmmm. Any not too terrible leaks that don't include dragons? I feel like after the end of the raid, we can't just have a simple dragon expac.

One way or another there's got to be a de-escalation at some point. You can't keep upping shit, or else you end up with "Jailer is Titan+ level threat" or whatever it was they said.

[Sondrelk]

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Who_is_the_Maw_Walker


https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Opening_to_Oribos

Knowing that the Attendands are some kind of pseudo-automas, to me that points the First Ones already knew shit would happen and their Plan would need some fixing.

There is still the case on whether the First Ones have control, or whether they just knew "someone" from reality would help out in the Shadowlands.

And of course whether the whole Zereth/Azeroth, cornerstone/keystone question is in effect for this.