Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Tiradon]

People, please, it's a basic smell test. They didn't announce a Shadowlands Season 4 with reused content that still has no release date and then said in an interview that seasons last 6 to 8 months because the expansion was going to come out in November.

Yeah I'm expecting between December 2022 - March 2023 the least... Especially with season 4 and classic wotlk coming.

[Wangming]

About six months. I literally said it in my post that if regular Blizzcons were still a thing we possibly would've gotten the announcement last November, albeit far earlier in development.

I'm not saying that is the case or that I strongly believe in a November release, but if it turns out to be true then this would be my explanation for the speedy turnaround.

Between covid and the walkouts and the layoffs I would sooner believe they are behind, but let us entertain your idea for a bit. So they are six months ahead.
The time between reveals and releases ranged from 9 months to 16. So with the bonus 6 months, the release is between 3 to 10 months from now. The average of that does seem to be around november, that is true. Granted we can probably rule out the 3 months one, cause the average length of beta tests has been 5.8 months so far.
If they are done with alpha tests, it is possible to do november, but I highly doubt that. More stuff definitely would have leaked if that were the case.

[Khaza-R]

In other words, it's a class thematically linked to a specific race or races, possibly extremely limited in available races, likely with its own unique 1-10 or whatever questing experience.

Not sure how credible they are but I sincerely hope the whole Dark Ranger / DH parallels don't mean its another elf-only class. Because /puke if thats the case.

[Skildar]

While that was a valid strategy a few years ago, that doesn't work in this day and age. Spoilers get articles written about them that are recommended to people by algorithms, said articles get turned into videos which are also recommended by algorithms and any of these things can be seen by people who will gladly talk about the specifics in in-game trade chat, just to spoil people.

especially when wowhead which not just a fan website but the first database resource solution plays automatically ad videos mixed with latest wow videos (official and uploaded datamined ones). But we all know that wowhead are the worst...

[Nyel]

Unless they are secretly way farther ahead than we thought, which I doubt.

I think it's pretty safe to assume that the schedule shifted towards this:

Q4/22: WotLK Classic launch
Q1/23: Dragonflight

Although I'd even say that DF will launch in late Q1, so end of March.

[Tiradon]

I think it's pretty safe to assume that the schedule shifted towards this:

Q4/22: WotLK Classic launch
Q1/23: Dragonflight

Although I'd even say that DF will launch in late Q1, so end of March.

Yep and before Q4 we get Season 4 and 9.2.5.

Seems pretty realistic...

[TomatoBisque]

God, I hate this pretentious as fuck argument wherever it comes up. "You didn't like the story? Well obviously you are not smart enough". It surely can't be subjective opinion or some shit. People are flat-out wrong. Yep.

When even Taliesin, the largest WoW shill on youtube says that the Jailer was so bad, undeveloped and uninteresting as a villain that it ruined the story, it is getting harder and harder to argue that SL is some underappreciated masterpiece.

I'm glad you stopped reading there because at no point did I defend the jailer, and in fact explicitly called him out as a major weak point in the story

[Nymrohd]

I think it's pretty safe to assume that the schedule shifted towards this:

Q4/22: WotLK Classic launch
Q1/23: Dragonflight

Although I'd even say that DF will launch in late Q1, so end of March.

If seasons are supposed to last 6-8 months then S4 starts late Q3/22 and Dragonflight is up at best in late Q1/23. The match checks out and they basically spelled it for us. I would not even be surprised if the tentative release is in Q2/23

[Vakir]

People, please, it's a basic smell test. They didn't announce a Shadowlands Season 4 with reused content that still has no release date and then said in an interview that seasons last 6 to 8 months because the expansion was going to come out in November.

People are legitimately so addicted that they're looking outside of objective reality.

I'm reminded of how every single announcement cycle, there is always one person without fail who says, genuinely, "Wouldn't it be cool if they announced it and said 'hey when you guys get home you can get straight into Alpha testing which begins this week! IDK it could happen XD" and you can just imagine the scratch marks and virtual abscesses on their arms.

[Nymrohd]

I'm glad you stopped reading there because at no point did I defend the jailer, and in fact explicitly called him out as a major weak point in the story

The main issue ofc is that I did not even talk about the story itself but rather about how the narrative is delivered. But hey, you do you.

- - - Updated - - -

People are legitimately so addicted that they're looking outside of objective reality.

I'm reminded of how every single announcement cycle, there is always one person without fail who says, genuinely, "Wouldn't it be cool if they announced it and said 'hey when you guys get home you can get straight into Alpha testing which begins this week! IDK it could happen XD" and you can just imagine the scratch marks and virtual abscesses on their arms.

Happened a few pages back. We might get Alpha in the tail end of Q2.

[TomatoBisque]

The main issue ofc is that I did not even talk about the story itself but rather about how the narrative is delivered. But hey, you do you.

which again is just as bad as it has ever been

for something to be worse than it was before things have to actually have been better before and not exactly the same

[Nymrohd]

which again is just as bad as it has ever been

for something to be worse than it was before things have to actually have been better before and not exactly the same

It is not though. We usually had some basic things available like character motivations. Zovaal can't even do a proper villain monologue about his plans.

[Scaleface]

especially when wowhead which not just a fan website but the first database resource solution plays automatically ad videos mixed with latest wow videos (official and uploaded datamined ones). But we all know that wowhead are the worst...

This is something that stopping me about writing more. Back in the time before legion announcement noone believes me too.
I think that the information about race and class that will be closely related to each other (as well as dh + faction selection) is enough to stimulate the imagination for the next few days.

Yes, its close af - and yes, im (as a player) shocked too. Specially that BFA/SL feels like not so very polished products..

This information is available since yesterday, there aren't many details, but let's say few "key" ones. You can treat them however you like.
Anyway - on April 19, everyone will be able to preorder right after the presentation and expect the premiere in autumn 2022.

Also "feniela" have 100% right in what he wroted above and on previous 2-3 pages.

[SunspotAnims]

Between covid and the walkouts and the layoffs I would sooner believe they are behind, but let us entertain your idea for a bit. So they are six months ahead.
The time between reveals and releases ranged from 9 months to 16. So with the bonus 6 months, the release is between 3 to 10 months from now. The average of that does seem to be around november, that is true. Granted we can probably rule out the 3 months one, cause the average length of beta tests has been 5.8 months so far.
If they are done with alpha tests, it is possible to do november, but I highly doubt that. More stuff definitely would have leaked if that were the case.

I want to stress that my point is not that they are ahead nor behind, just that the announcement is occurring much later in development than usual (April 2022 rather than November 2021). And I'm not going to die on this hill, it was just my way of explaining how a November release could be possible if it announced as such.

[Wangming]

I'm glad you stopped reading there because at no point did I defend the jailer, and in fact explicitly called him out as a major weak point in the story

Well with all due respect that blog post of yours was a bit too long to read in the middle of work. Didn't want to imply you defended the Jailer so sorry if it came out as such. All I'm saying is that it's kinda hard to defend a story when the main villain is the worst one yet. I take you are familiar with the eight deadly words.

[Nyel]

I want to stress that my point is not that they are ahead nor behind, just that the announcement is occurring much later in development than usual (April 2022 rather than November 2021). And I'm not going to die on this hill, it was just my way of explaining how a November release could be possible if it announced as such.

If we ignore all the signs, yes. But not with WotLK Classic being prepped already AND WotLKs 14th anniversary taking place in November.

[The Stormbringer]

I would rather talk about that than have grown-ass men whine about how they need to go to deviantart if they want to see some dragon midriffs.

You know, I'm not really upset about the change in theory, but in practice, it bothers me. Not because we can no longer see her as the confident, sexy dragon-lady like usual, oh no. That's certainly unfortunate, but there's a MUCH worse issue going on here...

THE OUTFIT DOESN'T MATCH! It looks like she put on a completely different body-suit and then slapped her usual bikini armor over top of it. That's HORRIBLE! Absolutely atrocious! If you're going to cover her up, you need to completely redesign her look from the ground up, just like you did with Jaina! This half-assed "oh Sylvanas' armor now has extra bits" nonsense is stupid! Ugh! /endrant

[Wangming]

I want to stress that my point is not that they are ahead nor behind, just that the announcement is occurring much later in development than usual (April 2022 rather than November 2021). And I'm not going to die on this hill, it was just my way of explaining how a November release could be possible if it announced as such.

Oh I completely understand. That is indeed the only way to get a November release. I'm just saying it is still very unlikely to be true.

- - - Updated - - -

You know, I'm not really upset about the change in theory, but in practice, it bothers me. Not because we can no longer see her as the confident, sexy dragon-lady like usual, oh no. That's certainly unfortunate, but there's a MUCH worse issue going on here...

THE OUTFIT DOESN'T MATCH! It looks like she put on a completely different body-suit and then slapped her usual bikini armor over top of it. That's HORRIBLE! Absolutely atrocious! If you're going to cover her up, you need to completely redesign her look from the ground up, just like you did with Jaina! This half-assed "oh Sylvanas' armor now has extra bits" nonsense is stupid! Ugh! /endrant

Now THAT is a valid concern. Honestly the Jaina redesign is great.

[micwini]

I don't get the arguing. We will all know in 1 week. The more you post now, the higher the chance you will be quoted, laughed at and ridiculed in the future.

[huth]

God, I hate this pretentious as fuck argument wherever it comes up. "You didn't like the story? Well obviously you are not smart enough". It surely can't be subjective opinion or some shit. People are flat-out wrong. Yep.

When even Taliesin, the largest WoW shill on youtube says that the Jailer was so bad, undeveloped and uninteresting as a villain that it ruined the story, it is getting harder and harder to argue that SL is some underappreciated masterpiece.

At least hate the argument actually being made, which isn't that they are to stupid, but that they are ignorant.

Which is true. The vast majority of complaints comes from people that can't even get the basic story right.