Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[KayRule]

Alot of people seem to keep echoing Shadowlands was the "first time" they felt the feature trailers had them going "that's it?" but I feel like this happened with WoD. I had no interest in subbing for WoD simply because the complete lack of features announced, in addition to a very bizarre story that contradicted much of what was established and served only to make the setting of World of Warcraft much more confusing. I checked out IMMEDIETLY after Shadowlands was announced because it was the exact same thing.

[Soulwind]

Alot of people seem to keep echoing Shadowlands was the "first time" they felt the feature trailers had them going "that's it?" but I feel like this happened with WoD. I had no interest in subbing for WoD simply because the complete lack of features announced, in addition to a very bizarre story that contradicted much of what was established and served only to make the setting of World of Warcraft much more confusing. I checked out IMMEDIETLY after Shadowlands was announced because it was the exact same thing.

People shit on WoD and with good reason, but the cinematic was dope.

Garrosh chucking an Iron Star at Mannoroth while jumping towards him was exactly the kind of over-the-top epic-metal bullshit that Warcraft is good at.

Compared to that, Bolvar failing to land an attack on Sylvanas and her breaking the helm were meh. The sky breaking was a nice effect, but that's about it.



...right, feature trailer... nevermind.

[Nymrohd]

Alot of people seem to keep echoing Shadowlands was the "first time" they felt the feature trailers had them going "that's it?" but I feel like this happened with WoD. I had no interest in subbing for WoD simply because the complete lack of features announced, in addition to a very bizarre story that contradicted much of what was established and served only to make the setting of World of Warcraft much more confusing. I checked out IMMEDIETLY after Shadowlands was announced because it was the exact same thing.

Strange, I remember WoD being incredibly well received. The Garrison looked super cool, we were getting Karabor as a capital and a Shattrath raid. None of that actually was delivered but it was there back then.

[KayRule]

People shit on WoD and with good reason, but the cinematic was dope.

Garrosh chucking an Iron Star at Mannoroth while jumping towards him was exactly the kind of over-the-top epic-metal bullshit that Warcraft is good at.

Compared to that, Bolvar failing to land an attack on Sylvanas and her breaking the helm were meh. The sky breaking was a nice effect, but that's about it.

Yeah, but also remember we didn't get the WoD cinematic till months later after the expansion reveal. The Sylvanas Bolvar cinematic trailer was lame, for sure, but it was followed by the feature reveals. By the time the WoD cinematic came out I still had no care or interest in the expansion.

[Nymrohd]

People shit on WoD and with good reason, but the cinematic was dope.

Garrosh chucking an Iron Star at Mannoroth while jumping towards him was exactly the kind of over-the-top epic-metal bullshit that Warcraft is good at.

Compared to that, Bolvar failing to land an attack on Sylvanas and her breaking the helm were meh. The sky breaking was a nice effect, but that's about it.

For us in the leak thread at least it also came after days fantasizing about how Bolvar might really mess up Sylvanas (probably because we all wanted a chance at her in BfA and were hoping to at least live a bit vicariously through him).

[Sondrelk]

Alot of people seem to keep echoing Shadowlands was the "first time" they felt the feature trailers had them going "that's it?" but I feel like this happened with WoD. I had no interest in subbing for WoD simply because the complete lack of features announced, in addition to a very bizarre story that contradicted much of what was established and served only to make the setting of World of Warcraft much more confusing. I checked out IMMEDIETLY after Shadowlands was announced because it was the exact same thing.

Personally I didn't actually see the WoD trailer, not the ones before it, so really I just have Legion and BfA to compare it to.

[Nymrohd]

Personally I didn't actually see the WoD trailer, not the ones before it, so really I just have Legion and BfA to compare it to.

The trailers don't really mean much anyway. Heck half the trailer for Cataclysm was about the Path of the Titans. My Wrath Box still promises flying mounted combat.

[Marlamin]

https://wow.tools/maps/2193/1120/6/-5.125/5.344

It's this.
The map has been in the game for the last 3 years, map got apparently an update in 9.2 but the map itself is unchanged.

There was no actual update to the map in 9.2.

[Wangming]

Alot of people seem to keep echoing Shadowlands was the "first time" they felt the feature trailers had them going "that's it?" but I feel like this happened with WoD. I had no interest in subbing for WoD simply because the complete lack of features announced, in addition to a very bizarre story that contradicted much of what was established and served only to make the setting of World of Warcraft much more confusing. I checked out IMMEDIETLY after Shadowlands was announced because it was the exact same thing.

I dunno. A lot of people, myself included, got pretty excited about the character model updates. And Garrisons sounded interesting on paper. Shadowlands was kinda meh all around. Especially since after BfA many expected another Legion. Funnily enough as bad as it ended up being, BfA had an absolute killer reveal.

- - - Updated - - -

The trailers don't really mean much anyway. Heck half the trailer for Cataclysm was about the Path of the Titans. My Wrath Box still promises flying mounted combat.

Well you can have mounted combat.....if you play GW2.

[Shadochi]

There was no actual update to the map in 9.2.

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if this map is just a way for them to troll us. Seen it pop up here and on reddit a dozen times the past 2 weeks

[draugril]

Ultimately the reader feels dissonance. If you can never predict how a story will end, you stop being invested as much. Honestly in this case it is even worse. We largely DO predict how the story will go, we simply do so not by using character intent but narrative intent. We've gone meta. Never go meta.

Yep. This is why I love that little interaction between Lor'themar and Genn. It's not meta at all - it is precisely the conversation you would expect these two to have if they ran into each other at this point in time, informed by who they are as characters rather than the demands of the narrative.

- - - Updated - - -

For us in the leak thread at least it also came after days fantasizing about how Bolvar might really mess up Sylvanas (probably because we all wanted a chance at her in BfA and were hoping to at least live a bit vicariously through him).

Indeed - if either side in a fight is too dominant, there's no dramatic risk or stakes, thus no investment.

The way the fight should have gone would be to have Bolvar utterly dominating the fight, landing blows, dodging arrows... then have Sylvanas pull off the trick with the chains. Make her work for that victory. Instead? She both overpowered and outwitted him. It should have been an example of her willpower, forcing herself to carry on after taking some heavy hits, and her guile overcoming his brute force.

[Fiercelord]

New character models was a massive feature from a WoD trailer and I'm sure people were looking forward to that. I know I did.
I like watching live crowd reactions to all trailers at Blizzcon/Gamescom and people cheered when they showed a preview of new Orc and Dwarf.

[KayRule]

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if this map is just a way for them to troll us. Seen it pop up here and on reddit a dozen times the past 2 weeks

It was intended for the Death of Chromie scenario and was accidently shipped despite being dropped early on. Sadly it has nothing to do with any expansion.

[guro-tchai]

In any case, yes, they could absolutely make Turalyon a great villain that just so happens to embody what some people look for in a modern villain. But if they just randomly turn him evil, and not-so-subtly say that it was the intended message, it'll be unnecessary and immersion-breaking, because white privilege is not a thing in Azeroth.

doubt he'll just "turn evil". he had opportunity to go full zealot and didn't - so he needs a nudge. from Yrel.
her Army of the Light is diverse, more fanatical and can actually be a threat - Stormwind (and Scarlets) won't be even remotely enough. she's a blue female spacegoat, Exarch Hellscream is (supposedly) a big brown man; they accept anyone, who wants in, and force in everyone who don't. "fascism" comes in all shapes in sizes.
btw there must be plenty of iron horde tech left on Draenor. imagine an iron star, but lightforged! don't think that'll actually happen, but would be cool.

[Wangming]

It was intended for the Death of Chromie scenario and was accidently shipped despite being dropped early on. Sadly it has nothing to do with any expansion.

People probably see it as a clue, because they really want a dragon expansion. Me? I would prefer a vampire expansion. Hmmmm: Lor'Themar and Kael'Thas meeting. Two blood elves. Sylvanas seeking judgement for all the blood she has spilled. Updates to the Scarlet Monastery questline with Dark Rangers. Blood is certainly Scarlet.
All this talk about blood surely means a vampire expansion with Denathrius!

Am I doing it right?

[Soulwind]

doubt he'll just "turn evil". he had opportunity to go full zealot and didn't - so he needs a nudge. from Yrel.
her Army of the Light is diverse, more fanatical and can actually be a threat - Stormwind (and Scarlets) won't be even remotely enough. she's a blue female spacegoat, Exarch Hellscream is (supposedly) a big brown man; they accept anyone, who wants in, and force in everyone who don't. "fascism" comes in all shapes in sizes.
btw there must be plenty of iron horde tech left on Draenor. imagine an iron star, but lightforged! don't think that'll actually happen, but would be cool.

That's kind of my point, they already avoided turning him evil even though there were reasons for it. If that is now their plan, they better make it believable and not just "well, he woke up one morning and the Light made him kill everyone". Even that interaction with Yrel would have to be really well made to justify him becoming violent.

As for Lightforged Iron Stars, idk, they would kind of lose that Blackfuse charm of something heavy and firey that's barely held together. I really liked that aesthetic, even if it was overused in WoD.

[Wangming]

That's kind of my point, they already avoided turning him evil even though there were reasons for it. If that is now their plan, they better make it believable and not just "well, he woke up one morning and the Light made him kill everyone". Even that interaction with Yrel would have to be really well made to justify him becoming violent.

As for Lightforged Iron Stars, idk, they would kind of lose that Blackfuse charm of something heavy and firey that's barely held together. I really liked that aesthetic, even if it was overused in WoD.

He found out about a threat that only the light can defend against. Sounds original, isn't it?

[Raetary]

Turalyon will welcome the Light in, conflict ensues cause it starts recruiting people but not everyone wants to join, he struggles with his faith and then we eventually get the 'big deicision' moment where he realizes that forcing people into your religion is a massive dick move.

And then the Light messes with his head the same way it does with the Lightbound and we get to smack the corruption out of as we always do.

[Soulwind]

He found out about a threat that only the light can defend against. Sounds original, isn't it?

But he'll only warn us about that threat with his vague last few words.

[Shadochi]

Ok so that makes it 5/6 confirmed Cosmic Forces wanting to take control of Azeroth (Order through Titans, Death through Zovaal, Life through Elune, Void through Old Gods, Chaos through Burning Legion).

So just left for us to see Light actually show its hand and interest in it