Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Teriz]

I know Blizzard is hinting at future expansion.

Why didn't you say that from the beginning?

My issue lies with your selective acceptance of hints though. You either take everything as a hint, or nothing. You accept the Dragon Pack or the Steamscale Incinerator as a hint, but not the Cat Pack, and things like that.

Because the Cat Pack is one item, and doesn't really work as an expansion hint for a variety of reasons. The Dragon Pack and the Steamscale Incinerator works because we have a major lore figure in Wrathion who is not only a plot driver but also happens to be a dragon. He has lore tied to both the Dragon Pack and the Steamscale, and we also have a landmass from old Warcraft lore that just happens to be called the Dragon Isles. Hence why those items are more likely clues for the next expansion instead of the cat pack.

[jzhbee]

Why didn't you say that from the beginning?



Because the Cat Pack is one item, and doesn't really work as an expansion hint for a variety of reasons. The Dragon Pack and the Steamscale Incinerator works because we have a major lore figure in Wrathion who is not only a plot driver but also happens to be a dragon. He has lore tied to both the Dragon Pack and the Steamscale, and we also have a landmass from old Warcraft lore that just happens to be called the Dragon Isles. Hence why those items are more likely clues for the next expansion instead of the cat pack.

I have fault with the "Old Dragon Lore" terminology you're using. We know that Blizzard had at one time anticipated including a landmass called the Dragon Isles. Not that they had fleshed out lore for the Dragon Isles, but that they were a possible inclusion, at one time, to the Vanilla WoW map. They ended up cut. For a game that was in development nearly 19 years ago. Very little (if any (edit: I forgot about one instance in BFA)) lore directly or indirectly references this one piece of cut content from vanilla WoW. You (and others) somehow believe, FIRMLY, that any "hint" that references DRAGONS, at all, must directly be referencing cut content, that has not been utilized in game, for 19 years. That's almost as much of a stretch of having a cat themed expansion because of a cat pack.

[Valysar]

Dragon Isle was teased in the Island Expeditions, lots of dragons, along old ennemies, maybe.

[Teriz]

I have fault with the "Old Dragon Lore" terminology you're using. We know that Blizzard had at one time anticipated including a landmass called the Dragon Isles. Not that they had fleshed out lore for the Dragon Isles, but that they were a possible inclusion, at one time, to the Vanilla WoW map. They ended up cut. For a game that was in development nearly 19 years ago. Very little (if any (edit: I forgot about one instance in BFA)) lore directly or indirectly references this one piece of cut content from vanilla WoW. You (and others) somehow believe, FIRMLY, that any "hint" that references DRAGONS, at all, must directly be referencing cut content, that has not been utilized in game, for 19 years. That's almost as much of a stretch of having a cat themed expansion because of a cat pack.

Northrend and Outland were cut from vanilla WoW as well. They eventually entered the game through expansions. Given that history, Dragon Isles has a rather good chance of implementation, especially when you have a plot driver that is also a dragon.

BTW, that history of cut content also gives Undermine a good chance of implementation. Fun Fact; On the globe in the Vanilla WoW cinematic, both Undermine and Northrend are shown;

https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comment...wow_cinematic/

[jzhbee]

Dragon Isle was teased in the Island Expeditions, lots of dragons, along old ennemies, maybe.

Island expeditions set up a LOT of threats. Ones that most people would assume were dealt with. Vrykul, Fire Elementals, Mogu, Mantid, Dragons, just to name a few.
That doesn't mean each one will receive an expansion for them.

[dev'olution]

For what it's worth, I just hope the next expansion isn't a "OMG WORLD ENDING THREAT, MUST KILL IT WITH OUR SWORDS AND SPELLS!".

Why was the Nighthold tier so good? Because you had a non-world ending threat in Gul'dan who was still dangerous but had also been built up to be so.

In that mind, I think they missed the boat with the Jailer, but hopefully could maybe do something that ties Denathrius in this xpac?

[Raetary]

Dragon Isle was teased in the Island Expeditions, lots of dragons, along old ennemies, maybe.

And by the Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor book.

[Civciv]

Imagine Denathrius teaming up with Azshara. Two big, badass villains.

[Lady Atia]

Imagine Denathrius teaming up with Azshara. Two big, badass villains.

That's a fanfic I wanna see play out ingame. What's their shipping name, Denaszshara?

[jzhbee]

Northrend and Outland were cut from vanilla WoW as well. They eventually entered the game through expansions. Given that history, Dragon Isles has a rather good chance of implementation, especially when you have a plot driver that is also a dragon.

BTW, that history of cut content also gives Undermine a good chance of implementation. Fun Fact; On the globe in the Vanilla WoW cinematic, both Undermine and Northrend are shown;

https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comment...wow_cinematic/

Northrend and The Outland are well established in Warcraft (pre WoW) lore. It's not equivalent. Dragon Isles was also originally planned to not be an entire continent, but a single raid instance. The Undermine/Kezan IS established in WoW lore, and due to that, in my opinion, more reasonable than Dragon Isles.

[Holdodlig]

You guys realize that new quests in the Ghostlands completely DESTROYS an EK revamp right? They wouldn't add new quests to these zones if they were just going to replace them a patch later.

Unless the old world stays accessible through the Cavern of time. They've learned that removing content sucks back in Cataclysm and have slowly been readding most of the removed items.

There's a lot of direction Blizzard might take and I think that's the first time we're not 100% sure where Blizzard is heading.

[Revamp Man]

From June 6, 2016. BFA was announced on November 3, 2017.


Thread where it's discussed;
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comment...as_isles_hint/


One of many examples.

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Blizzard wouldn't outright say the next expansion is dragons, they would drop subtle hints towards it. Like the example of the Zandalari and Kul Tiran captives above. That picture was taken during Legion, LONG before BFA was announced.



No, the clues dropped from Blizzard points towards a dragon expansion. The Dragon Mount and Pet are just one of many clues.

Ok legion clues pointed towards BfA

So tell me what clues in SL points towards dragons because the store mount and pet mean literally nothing

[draugril]

I’m with Teri’s on this one. Foreshadowing exists in any medium that tells a story. And yes, by definition, you only know what was foreshadowing with the benefit of hindsight. But that doesn’t void the existence of that foreshadowing, nor does it mean that speculation is pointless.

[huth]

Ok legion clues pointed towards BfA

So tell me what clues in SL points towards dragons because the store mount and pet mean literally nothing

It's still the same fallacy anyhow. Teriz is using hindsight to find clues, while completely ignoring that the vast majority of stuff and oddities weren't clues and concludes from that that the specific things he favours are clues.

For that matter, that scene might not even be a clue. Zandalari and Kul'tirans are obvious choices for shipwrecked troops, regardless of what the next expansion would be.

[MCMLXXXII]

Northrend and Outland were cut from vanilla WoW as well. They eventually entered the game through expansions. Given that history, Dragon Isles has a rather good chance of implementation, especially when you have a plot driver that is also a dragon.

BTW, that history of cut content also gives Undermine a good chance of implementation. Fun Fact; On the globe in the Vanilla WoW cinematic, both Undermine and Northrend are shown;

https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comment...wow_cinematic/

Outland and Northrend were added in the 2 expansions following vanilla. With all the dragon stuff we've got in Cata, they could've easily added the Dragon Isles back then in stead of those disconnected zones.

Wouldn't mind Dragon Isles at all but looking for a pattern where there isn't one smells like confirmation bias.

[Raetary]

Legion had a ton of dragon content, from Ysera to the Blues to the introduction of a whole new dragon brood.
We also learnt that the Twillights are revitalized.
In BfA the dragons became relevant again, the dragon isles got mentioned by name for the first time and we learnt that Wrathion is searching for them.
In Exploring Azeroth:Kalimdor the isles got referenced once more.
Ysera had her whole death arc in Shadowlands.
Furthermore we have an encrypted green dragon mount datamined, which sparked the whole hyperfixation on dragons in the first place, and at this point is absolutely the next deluxe edition mount.

Dragons are a theme that's being set up left and right.
You'd have to be completely blind not to see it.

[Revamp Man]

Island expeditions set up a LOT of threats. Ones that most people would assume were dealt with. Vrykul, Fire Elementals, Mogu, Mantid, Dragons, just to name a few.
That doesn't mean each one will receive an expansion for them.

True but keep in mind these
Mantid
Mogu
Old gods
Naga
Trolls
Twilight dragons
Were threats that became a thing in BfA

The remaining ones
Dragons
Elementals
Honestly I forgot lol I think dragons were like 3 different flights and threats

[therumblings]

we learnt that Wrathion is searching for them.

And in classic Wrathion style, his hint would be the expansion after the next, like how Legion was after WoD.

[namlessman]

World of Warcraft: Soul of the Gods

not dragon isles, instead a series of islands on the other side of azeroth
these new islands are supposed to rival kalimdor + ek in size, biggest "continent" since launch
new player levelling will start here too (idk how this part works)
story is a soft reboot or something
player housing introduced in rebuilt stratholme (horde) and dire maul (ally)
>evel cap staying at 60, players squished to 50 again
small overhaul of talent tree, now there's small incremental talents in between the abilities at 15, 30, 45 etc

[Teriz]

Northrend and The Outland are well established in Warcraft (pre WoW) lore. It's not equivalent. Dragon Isles was also originally planned to not be an entire continent, but a single raid instance. The Undermine/Kezan IS established in WoW lore, and due to that, in my opinion, more reasonable than Dragon Isles.

Agreed which is why (as my signature suggests) I believe we’re looking at an Undermine/Dragon Isles expansion.

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Ok legion clues pointed towards BfA

So tell me what clues in SL points towards dragons because the store mount and pet mean literally nothing

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Ravnyr
https://www.wowhead.com/item=186556/...cal-dragonling
https://www.wowhead.com/npc=175546/timecapn-hooktail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6KnbbQK4h4
https://www.wowhead.com/news/the-dra...nd-pets-325358
https://latestgamestories.com/2022/0...-dragon-addon/

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And in classic Wrathion style, his hint would be the expansion after the next, like how Legion was after WoD.

Which is another reason I weigh Wrathion's presence so heavily. Blizzard uses him as a plot driver for whatever reason. If they're tying the Dragon Isles to him, you have to take it into heavy consideration for expansion inclusion.

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I’m with Teri’s on this one. Foreshadowing exists in any medium that tells a story. And yes, by definition, you only know what was foreshadowing with the benefit of hindsight. But that doesn’t void the existence of that foreshadowing, nor does it mean that speculation is pointless.

Exactly right.

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Outland and Northrend were added in the 2 expansions following vanilla. With all the dragon stuff we've got in Cata, they could've easily added the Dragon Isles back then in stead of those disconnected zones.

They could have also brought in Demon Hunters during TBC, but instead they decided to wait until Legion. Blizzard's mind works in mysterious ways.

Also as a developer, if you have a long plan in mind for your game, you're not going to dump all the goods at once. You save some content for future expansions, like what they did with Northrend, Mt. Hyjal, Outland, Undermine, and other locations in Vanilla.

Wouldn't mind Dragon Isles at all but looking for a pattern where there isn't one smells like confirmation bias.

I don't know what "pattern" you're suggesting here.