Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Sondrelk]

If it is timegated that strictly, it's already a failure imo.

I dunno, it's Renown, so you know that the grind is just for thso who want it quickly, and later it will be made easier.
You will need stuff to do at endgame afterall.

[Chickat]

Greens have been druids since day one as well. They pretty much created druidism.

Sure druids too, but it would feel weird to have a dragon turning into a bear etc. But sure why not.

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I don't see why you wouldn't be able to take your dragon out of the isles? All they said was that you would use it for flying 2.0 in the Dragon Isles, not that it was somehow tied to that continent specifically.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that if you summon your dragon outside the Dragon Isles then it will just function like a normal mount, similar to how Pocopoc can be gained as a battle pet that keeps all your customizations outside ZM.

Oh yeah, I'm sure it will work as a mount outside of the new zones, but it wont function like it does in DI.

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Nah. As soon as alpha servers are up they will be datamined to hell and back. We will be able to talk about the sweet new models. Like unironically the new Gnolls look cool. If I knew how to do that I would create a Classis server with all the visual updates. Like Brill looks new but has the old quests. The character models are the post WoD or even post SL models. The Greymane wall design is from Cataclysm and so on.

Oh something else no one mentioned is that there are new furbolg models too. They didn't show them, but they said they are part of the creatures of the isles. One can assume they will get a new model too. What does that leave unupdated in the old world at this point?

[Sondrelk]

The one raid at launch feels a bit meh too.

I know that's all we've gotten lately but I was hoping for a return to the MoP model - especially as we have no main threat for the expansion.

I am pretty sure every expansion after TBC has only had one raid at launch. They just stopped designing the second one during the Alpha/Beta, and instead made it part of the X.1 PTR instead.

[Chickat]

I guess it all depends on how long until Alpha begins. Could be in the next few weeks, could be sometime in the summer.

I feel a 6 month Alpha/Beta cycle is about correct, so if it starts very soon we might see Dragonflight before the next year.
Not exactly the most likely option given how little we have seen though, but this was a very different reveal to begin with.

Eh, I think 8-9 months is better considering the are revamping talents and a lot of other core systems. At LEAST 7 months.

My guess is Alpha in June after 9.2.5 is on live servers.
Beta in September.
Prepatch in Feb 2023.
Launch in March 2023.

[ercarp]

I feel like at the bare minimum this expansion needs Allied Races

They added an Allied Race, it's called Dracthyr. Certainly doesn't feel like a whole new race with all the reused assets...

[Shadochi]

First of all, how is Dragonriding a borrowed power? What power are we actually getting? And its borrowed power because it only works on 1 continent? But previous Borrowed Powers worked everywhere in their time.

Dragonriding is more of a limited availability system. I suspect they are doing this limited to Dragon Isles to see if they can rework (finally) how mounts work and if it goes good later on DF or a later expac they would expand the animation suite to everything. (Probably not the whole thing about upgrading your mount stats and customization)

I just hope that because we are getting dragon riding that doesn't mean we will have less cool regular dragon mounts

[Santandame]

I am pretty sure every expansion after TBC has only had one raid at launch. They just stopped designing the second one during the Alpha/Beta, and instead made it part of the X.1 PTR instead.

MoP had 3 spread over 2-3 months.

Cata had 3 too i believe.

Same with Wrath.

WoD broke the cycle.

[Sondrelk]

Not sure it is sadly. I agree that just 4 new dungeons for 6+ months is crap. BUt I really think they should just fit 2 M+ seasons for each raid tier, perhaps divided at the .x.5 patch. THey could rotate at that point.

What in the world makes you think this is the case? It sounded much more like we get teh usual 8 dungeons, but only 4 will be available in the initial M+ phase, which are then rotated with the other 4 for the second. The remaining 4 for each season being an older dungeon from BfA, Legion, and probably WoD for variety.

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MoP had 3 spread over 2-3 months.

Cata had 3 too i believe.

Same with Wrath.

WoD broke the cycle.

Yeah, but MoP also crammed the entire expansion into 10 months, so comparatively I feel it's valid to claim that you can almost double those numbers to compare to later expansions. And in that regard waiting 3-4 months for the second raid is perfectly fine.

[Shadochi]

They added an Allied Race, it's called Dracthyr. Certainly doesn't feel like a whole new race with all the reused assets...

What are all the reused assets? I mean I at most I see a reused rig/skeleton base with new animations and everything else new.

[Sondrelk]

First of all, how is Dragonriding a borrowed power? What power are we actually getting? And its borrowed power because it only works on 1 continent? But previous Borrowed Powers worked everywhere in their time.

Dragonriding is more of a limited availability system. I suspect they are doing this limited to Dragon Isles to see if they can rework (finally) how mounts work and if it goes good later on DF or a later expac they would expand the animation suite to everything. (Probably not the whole thing about upgrading your mount stats and customization)

I just hope that because we are getting dragon riding that doesn't mean we will have less cool regular dragon mounts

It's a borrowed power because the doomsayers didnt really get the intended reaction by moaning that there was no borrowed power in Dragonflight, so they latched onto Dragonriding to have something to complain about instead.

[ercarp]

What are all the reused assets? I mean I at most I see a reused rig/skeleton base with new animations and everything else new.

- Blood Elf Male
- Human Female
- Dragon form looks to be based on an existing rig, but I can't quite place it on a specific one. It could be Incubus, Female DH Meta, Worgen, or something else. Either way, it certainly doesn't look fresh.

[horizon nowhere]

They added an Allied Race, it's called Dracthyr. Certainly doesn't feel like a whole new race with all the reused assets...

This is pure copium but maybe just maybe pre order bonus is darkfallen and more class/race combos..

[Chickat]

Don't have the source at hand (it's on wowhead) but they did say that for now dragonriding is only in the dragon isle. Tho I don't see how hard it would be to implement it afterwards to the rest of the world.

I'm still hyped that many hours after the reveal. I love the new class/race so much. The dragonriding customisation is really impressive and the website does say "millions of possibilities" so having my very own unique dragon is something really cool.

Now they need to bring "chocobo races" with that system and it would be so so fun.

I like the new zones, gives me that vanilla-cataclysm-LK vibe and I'm here for it.

I am absolutely disappointed by the lack of pre-order tho.

I think there's a lot of potential for different types of mount systems in the future.


Underground zone or expansion with content on the walls and ceiling. Spider or bug mounts that can crawl up the zone and get to normally inaccessible content and areas.

Underwater Dolphin and Seal mount with cool movement abilities.

Maybe a zone where the gravity makes it too hard to fly, but you can train a new frog mount that can jump vast expanses. The frogs live in the zone so they have strong legs that allow them to jump vast distances.

Maybe we get a large zone that's flat and has little hills or mountains. Train a horse or Zebra that can run super fast. 300-400% mount speed.


Im sure there's more concepts like that. Super cool idea for future systems.

[MiiiMiii]

This dragon race. It looks wierd. I get it, it's too big for dungeons etc. but at least make them have an ability to turn into their dragon form as a racial flying mount, else it's not much of a feeling of being a dragon.

[Shadochi]

- Blood Elf Male
- Human Female
- Dragon form looks to be based on an existing rig, but I can't quite place it on a specific one. It could be Incubus, Female DH Meta, Worgen, or something else. Either way, it certainly doesn't look fresh.

Yeah forgot about humanoid forms. To me the rig looks like its DH meta with mods. But should they be spending time reinventing the wheel if they already have a base? Im hoping more muscular variants of Dracthyr (like that Reddit edit) come as well, but I am not opposed to them reusing especially rigs if the model is new and also has new animations.

IMO the door is still open in the future to have Dracthyr be other races once they are assimilated to rest of Azeroth, otherwise they are running the issue of having it be another in-lore race/class limited in numbers

[Nymrohd]

Oh something else no one mentioned is that there are new furbolg models too. They didn't show them, but they said they are part of the creatures of the isles. One can assume they will get a new model too. What does that leave unupdated in the old world at this point?

Only the other dragon related creatures (Draconids, Dragonspawn, Drakes, Whelps) so chances are we will have everything.
The biggest issue will forever be the terrain though, not the creatures. Heck if they just could fix the trees in zones that have a canopy they'd have improved the old world by a massive amount

[Shadochi]

This is pure copium but maybe just maybe pre order bonus is darkfallen and more class/race combos..

Well its already been confirmed that Dracthyr will be in prepatch.

For darkfallen IMO they seem more like possible customization options

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Also have we had an audio description for a cinematic before? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1rRyEY_gjE

Now Illidan can enjoy the trailers.

[Chickat]

I feel like the expansion announcement was that bare bones that there's nothing really to discuss?

I actually think some systems are a good idea. Just not brand new ones. Give us back Essences from BfA at the very least? Essences were a decent addition during BfA.

There's so many easy wins Blizz could have gone for here, i don't understand why they didn't go for some.

Expanded character customisation

Timewalking as a permanent and expanded feature

Allied Races - we have so many options we could have easily!

The Jailer's gauntlet version of Torghast themed around Bronze Dragons with iconic bosses from WoW's history.

Return of Essences from BfA, which despite the negative feelings towards BfA, Essences were a great addition.

Only four zones? Feels very underwhelming. Hopefully they're bigger than Shadowlands, BfA, Legion zones with a lot of world content.

And what on earth is this Mythic+ season idea with only 4 current Dragonflight expansions for that season? That is terrible. Just give us all of them with permanent Timewalking on a 2 week rotation with those dungeons added to the mythic+ pool.

We want MORE choice, not less. Variety is the spice of life.

I hope all of this is reported to Blizzard on mass and they listen.

This expansion has so much potential but if it stays on course like this it'll sink faster than Shadowlands.

What even is there to do at max level aside from raids, mythic+, pvp and the new dragon riding? This feels like a return to WoD's raid or die.

1. I agree that a new big feature is sorely missed, but we shall see.
2. We don't know that there wont be more char customization. Thats not something you talk about in a 60 min announcement video.
3. See 2.
4. We may get 1 or more if Scaleface is right on all accounts. Too early to say. Im hopeful.
5. That sounds cool too. Sad something like that isn't in.
6. Eh I never liked Essences.
7. They stated that the Dragon Isles is one of the biggest continents they have ever made. The 3 biggest are Northrend, Draenor and Outland. All the rest are close to Pandaria/Broken Isles size. We don't know for sure, but surely with that statement the zone is in the top 4. Draenor was the smallest of the top 3 and 14k pixels. Broken Isles and Pandaria were 9-10k pixels. I think its likely the 4 zones will be 11-13k pixels. If you don't know what I mean by pixels, there's an old continent size comparison map around somewhere, and they used pixels as the standard form of measurement.
8. I agree its kind of weird. I think the first season should at least be all 8 dungeons first. Then they can do their plan for future seasons. I have a feeling timewalking will be expanded in the expansion due to the bronze dragon and infinite dragonflight both having significant presence, but its too soon. I remain hopeful.

[Nymrohd]

What in the world makes you think this is the case? It sounded much more like we get teh usual 8 dungeons, but only 4 will be available in the initial M+ phase, which are then rotated with the other 4 for the second. The remaining 4 for each season being an older dungeon from BfA, Legion, and probably WoD for variety.

Well they still are older content. That's limiting. Could be great if they pull them from older expansions ofc but if they are just from Legion and BfA they just will not fill new just because of a new affix. Now if they start pulling more heavily out of WoD and MoP (anything older needs a graphic update to work) then it would work well I guess.

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Maybe a zone where the gravity makes it too hard to fly, but you can train a new frog mount that can jump vast expanses. The frogs live in the zone so they have strong legs that allow them to jump vast distances.

Maybe giant grasshoppers!

[DevilDare]

Ignoring archaeology in an expansion about dragons and ancient watchers/titans/beings etc. is downright criminal.