Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Skildar]

The clockwork 11 week patch cycle of Legion is probably the goal right? I could see it growing by a week or two but beyond that you start to feel the burnout.

To me this would be a healthy goal even if it is stretched to 13 weeks.

I would say though that most likely the first 0.5 patch would probably not need to be big and with new zones as we're still discovering a new landmass. Some follow up quests chains like they did in patch 9.1 is fine, they could accompany this with a couple of extra raid bosses like they did with ToV and CotS as well. A nice addition like the horde-alliance assault or on smaller scale naga assault, a couple new reputations and hardcore challenges and we're cooking with gas.

[huth]

If you now have a blizzard dev stating that "6-8 months is the ideal duration", then that's a pretty bad and sad statement - it's practically not supported by any data, wether it's past raid duration or actual clear rates.

You're confusing "ideal" with "what we used in the past".

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Well, none of us are mind readers. So it is unclear what context he was talking about. Either way, the product needs a better cycle from what we experienced in this expansion.

[Khaza-R]

Later this summer definitely suggests August or Sept imo.

That being said, Blizzard's release schedules for retail and classic are kind of bizarre lately so who knows. Seems like something got shifted they are having to abruptly shuffle things around.

[Dracullus]

You're confusing "ideal" with "what we used in the past".

Well 7 or 8 month long season is far from ideal. It sounds like dev said 6-8 are intended because they screw it twice in SL with 7 months Nathria and 8 months Sanctum.

5.5 month from Legion were perfect, especially since we had big patch -> 11 weeks -> season -> 11 weeks -> big patch schedule. Now they have two awesome ideas that would make 'Legion' schedule even better - bonus "drought" season and completely changing M+ rotation from season to season.

[Luck4]

Later this summer definitely suggests August or Sept imo.

That being said, Blizzard's release schedules for retail and classic are kind of bizarre lately so who knows. Seems like something got shifted they are having to abruptly shuffle things around.

I think Season 4 starts in September and runs until Dragonflight is ready to launch. I don't think they'll hold back the Dragonflight launch because Season 4 has been out for only 3-4 months, and if something bad happens Season 4 could last for the usual 7-8 months with Dragonflight releasing on Q2 2023.

One thing feels certain, Blizzard is preparing everything to release Dragonflight in 2023, not 2022.

No signs of pre-order, alpha or beta yet, is another hint.

[Revamp Man]

If they are encrypting a lot of things now then the story/leveling won't need public testing. Without complex systems, the "borrowed power" there isn't that much that needs testing. Testing talents and the things that need to be tested could happen relatively quickly if Blizzard wants. Relatively is the key word though since they've dragged their heels on 9.2.5 even though it was not feature heavy.

Season 4 can end any time and Season 3 is likely ending in a few a weeks.

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I forget what expansion it was but I remember them still actively testing on beta while releasing the prepatch as an "earlier build".

it was SL actually lol

[wowrefugee]

Big day is tomorrow. Can't wait to go back to just being a player and not browsing forums. General Discussion on the official forums is absolutely garbage.

I'm still holding out for surprise Darkfallen AR with the texture in my profile pic being part of their heritage armor.

[Kiria]

Big day is tomorrow. Can't wait to go back to just being a player and not browsing forums. General Discussion on the official forums is absolutely garbage.

I'm still holding out for surprise Darkfallen AR with the texture in my profile pic being part of their heritage armor.

If you're EU I've met some amazing people on that forum!

[Valysar]

What are the chances of having pre-orders today?

[Dracullus]

What are the chances of having pre-orders today?

Hard to tell. Sounds obvious to start it today, but implementing patch and dealing with wave of preorders could be too scary for them. During BfA preorder was 2 weeks after 7.3.5 if I remember correctly (but patch week was BIG mess).

[Nyel]

Not even then. S3 started on March 1st. Even a 6 month S3 would already put us at the beginning of September, which wouldn't even give us 3 months for S4.

People just keep getting their dates wrong and deluding themself that a 2022 release is even remotely possible.

Yeah that's exactly my point. There are 0 indicators or arguments for a 2022 release. Basically everything is hinting at a release in Q1/23 (heck even Q2/23 isn't out of question). At no point was a 2022 release something likely, it was mostly based on a lot of copium. 6 weeks of nothing after the announcement, I think the schedule is clear.

[Blayze]

FWIW it seems like some WoW devs are being a bit cryptic and teasing on Twitter about today's patch.

Don't they always do that? "You'll never guess what I've been working on," "I'm excited for you to learn about this thing specifically," etc, and it turns out to be another battle pet or something.

[Nymrohd]

Yeah that's exactly my point. There are 0 indicators or arguments for a 2022 release. Basically everything is hinting at a release in Q1/23 (heck even Q2/23 isn't out of question). At no point was a 2022 release something likely, it was mostly based on a lot of copium. 6 weeks of nothing after the announcement, I think the schedule is clear.

If anything S4 allows them to delay if they have to.

[Nyel]

If anything S4 allows them to delay if they have to.

Yep, they can prolong or shorten the season as they need. And if it's shorter than the shortest Shadowlands season (aka just 6 months) their statement is still true.

[Hugnomo]

We're in the endgame now
Almost time.

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Well people teasing it include Terran Gregory, Christie Golden and some content devs.

I'd say that probably just means cinematics, since it's the content Christie Golden, Terran Gregory work on. Whether it's pre rendered, in game, or whatever type of cinematic, we'll see. We know we'll see some in game ones at least.

[AngerFork]

We're in the endgame now
Almost time.

I'd say that probably just means cinematics, since it's the content Christie Golden, Terran Gregory work on. Whether it's pre rendered, in game, or whatever type of cinematic, we'll see. We know we'll see some in game ones at least.

That makes it even better IMO. Nothing we’ve seen thus far to my knowledge unencrypted would itself involve a cinematic which points to us at least getting some form of new non-PTR content today rather than having it delayed until later.

That doesn’t necessarily mean pre-order bonuses, but it does mean there’s something to be excited about today specifically IMO.

[Hugnomo]

That makes it even better IMO. Nothing we’ve seen thus far to my knowledge unencrypted would itself involve a cinematic which points to us at least getting some form of new non-PTR content today rather than having it delayed until later.

That doesn’t necessarily mean pre-order bonuses, but it does mean there’s something to be excited about today specifically IMO.

Well, maybe i didn't articulate myself properly, my bad. I meant to say that there is evidence of in game cinematics in the ptr. One relating to Tyrande and the Winter Queen's gift/seed. Another to Sylvanas/Anduin, i think.
Since these in game cinematics are now more developed animations wise, they may just be hyping these ones.

[Khaza-R]

I think Season 4 starts in September and runs until Dragonflight is ready to launch. I don't think they'll hold back the Dragonflight launch because Season 4 has been out for only 3-4 months, and if something bad happens Season 4 could last for the usual 7-8 months with Dragonflight releasing on Q2 2023.

One thing feels certain, Blizzard is preparing everything to release Dragonflight in 2023, not 2022.

No signs of pre-order, alpha or beta yet, is another hint.

I would agree. We were also already told that S3 will be the length of a regular season so anything before late August - Sept seems implausible.

Complete speculation on my part but I have a feeling they are delaying pre-orders to maybe pad Q3. If that is the case then I am guessing we will seem them pop up any day now.

[Nymrohd]

I would agree. We were also already told that S3 will be the length of a regular season so anything before late August - Sept seems implausible.

Complete speculation on my part but I have a feeling they are delaying pre-orders to maybe pad Q3. If that is the case then I am guessing we will seem them pop up any day now.

I think we also established though that the average season has not, as Blizzard said, lasted for 6-8 months. The average season lasts just over 5 months. It only lasts longer if they fuck up or if it is the final season (which is what S4 is trying to save).