Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[therumblings]

Didn't Ion also say "Soon no tm"? This alpha cycle seems strange already.

[Nymrohd]

Didn't Ion also say "Soon no tm"? This alpha cycle seems strange already.

Proves that blizzard never really understood the word "soon".

[Sondrelk]

Didn't Ion also say "Soon no tm"? This alpha cycle seems strange already.

I think what makes it weird is that Ion got asked whether he had previously said the expansion was far along or not, to which he confirmed that the alpha would come sooner than one might think.

The whole Soon™ is a Blizzard staple, but Ion was given the explicit option to temper expectations and seemed to instead confirm that we should expect something within a regular shirt timeframe, not just a Blizzard shirt timeframe.

[Kiria]

Indeed, and now its been an entire month since the reveal the excitement from lack of promised information is drying up.

[huth]

I think what makes it weird is that Ion got asked whether he had previously said the expansion was far along or not, to which he confirmed that the alpha would come sooner than one might think.

The whole Soon™ is a Blizzard staple, but Ion was given the explicit option to temper expectations and seemed to instead confirm that we should expect something within a regular shirt timeframe, not just a Blizzard shirt timeframe.

Well, we should probably still expect a business shirt timeframe rather than a casual shirt timeframe.

[Lahis]

Well, we should probably still expect a business shirt timeframe rather than a casual shirt timeframe.

Smart Casual shirt timeframe.

Nobody knows what it actually is.

[Nymrohd]

Heck with the state Blizzard is in, something dramatic may have happened yet again and we just haven't heard about it yet.

[Sondrelk]

It's not beyond the realm of possibilities that they pull a Fallout 4 and dump a very polished alpha on us soon, with a short test cycle.

What's strange is the lack of news regarding the expansion.

They either feel like they need to shut up about it for a few weeks to let other news have some room to breathe (OW2, WotLKC, Arclight Rumble, etc.) or they've dropped the ball after starting out pretty good with improved communication this spring.

I could see a testing cycle where we jump straight into Beta at that point. Alpha testing has long lost its meaning with it essentially being what Beta testing used to be, so I don't think it's unthinkable that Alpha is a stricter internal testing bed with Beta being when people get invited.

[Cheezits]

Just go play other games if Blizzard spacing out announcements in a content-light year is driving you this crazy.

[The Stormbringer]

I hope pre-puchase goes live today, followed by a decrypted 9.2.5 PTR build and a couple of Dragonflight systems blog posts.

Pre-purchase content I'm hoping for:

• Level 60 character boost.
• Emerald Guardian drake mount.
• Dragon whelp backpacks for each of the five flights.
• Dragonsworn cosmetic transmog set.
• 30 days of game time.
• New hearthstone and weapon effects based around dragons.
• Early access (once 9.2.5 releases) to two new Allied Races. The Lightbound Undead join the Horde under Queen Menethil, while the Kaldorei Worgen join the Alliance. This completes the original Allied Race roster and plays heavily into the theme or Life and Death.

My only criticism of the races is that I'd much prefer it if Kaldorei Worgen could be Paladins, since normal Worgen can't be Paladins (currently). Gimme Worgen Paladins, dangit!

[Veluren]

Looks like a prequel novel was announced set for Nov. 22nd.

I don't know if prequel novels have had any kind of correlation or pattern with their spacing versus their paired expansions' releases though, I'm going to sleep or I'd try to do that, so I'll be lazy and let people do it for me.

[Kiria]

My only criticism of the races is that I'd much prefer it if Kaldorei Worgen could be Paladins, since normal Worgen can't be Paladins (currently). Gimme Worgen Paladins, dangit!

I cant see where people think Kaldorei worgans are going to happen? Most evidences seem to point to more variations of the undead and because it sells most likely undead elves.

[therumblings]

I cant see where people think Kaldorei worgans are going to happen? Most evidences seem to point to more variations of the undead and because it sells most likely undead elves.

There's no evidence pointing toward a new worgen race, it's just really nice to imagine there being one since they're missing their supposed "allied race slot". Darkfallen are the most likely, if there's an allied race at all, which I'm still extremely skeptical.

[Nymrohd]

The thing is, we know Arugal freed Ralaar and the original worgen. Did he summon all of them or are some still in the dream? Also did all the worgen of the original Pack get destroyed or do some survive? Belyssra is now alive and they could say she has access to the Scythe which would let them pacify the Kaldorei worgen and let them shift back. Finally they could always have Arvel be in Ardenweald and somehow come back.

[Berkilak]

Would be cool, but I think normal Worgen fit more for Paladins. The Kaldorei ones should lean more into nature-stuff, like Druidism and Shamanism. I'd like to see them be more like "original" Worgen if that makes sense. Less bulky, more magical.

On the flip side, while Gilnean Worgen are defined by their lack of control, Night Elf Worgen could be the inverse: defined by the rigid self-discipline required to use the form. With Paladins being a natural extension of that selfsame discipline.

[Cheezits]

The biggest sticking point against Darkfallen AR now is that the updated skins (Delaryn, Velonara(sp?), the other one) all seem to look similar in skin tones, which goes against the idea that it's a race with lots of options. I also DON'T think it's going to be a race with very few customization because people hugely whine about that.

Still doesn't explain the elf music and the combat sounds though. They could just be using similar skin tones because they share a similar role though (important faction-aligned dead elves).

[Nymrohd]

Yeah, true. But I think regular Night Elves would make a better choice for Paladins.

It was weird how from the limited number of companions you could get in your class hall, we got TWO Night Elves for Paladins and yet Night Elves never got Paladins themselves.

[Cheezits]

It was weird how from the limited number of companions you could get in your class hall, we got TWO Night Elves for Paladins and yet Night Elves never got Paladins themselves.

Because Nelf paladin will only happen when there is an equivalent for Horde to add at the same time, and Forsaken have not had their opportunity yet. Also likely pushed back until a bigger expansion

[Nymrohd]

Because Nelf paladin will only happen when there is an equivalent for Horde to add at the same time, and Forsaken have not had their opportunity yet. Also likely pushed back until a bigger expansion

Zandalari?

[Cheezits]

Zandalari?

Kul Tiran shaman. One of the special classes USUALLY comes with a counterpart, the exception being Vulpera Shaman.