Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Nymrohd]

Is it possible there is an actual F&F Alpha going on that we don't know about? I think it used to be that alpha was not early beta access for streamers but an actual stability test that was not dataminable.

[Makabreska]

Woooo, 3000th page hype \o/

[micwini]

3000 pages. Can't believe it.

[therumblings]

Happy Page 3000 everyone. I like to go back a few hundred pages at every milestone. I'm looking back on the pages just before the announcement. That was such a fun and confusing time.

[AngerFork]

You mean they have to count all the money people throw at them for items that are available right now in game aswell as an expansion that will release this year, right?

Well, I hate to break it for you but accountants aren't working on the game so I think that's prolly not the reason. I guess instead of that they want just atleast one week of a buffer between that unnecessary wotlk beta and the dragonflight alpha. Although I think the overlap between people wanting to test the classic thing and the retail one isn't that big anyways, on top of .... well wotlk doesn't really need all that much testing or pr anyways.

PS: Yes, I'm still mad they released the wotlk beta before dragonflight alpha.

To a certain extent, it makes sense if you are trying to get real testing for each version of WoW to do Wrath first. If both were out around the same time, streamers would likely go to DF first as that's more likely to get viewers, new content & all, which would somewhat bury visibility of the Wrath beta. Doing it this way, there's some actual testing happening for the beta which they can see...and is still pretty needed, if not as needed as for retail. Here's a bug MrGM found to illustrate how weird things just kind of happen: https://twitter.com/MrGMYT/status/1539932825608126465

[Lady Atia]

To a certain extent, it makes sense if you are trying to get real testing for each version of WoW to do Wrath first. If both were out around the same time, streamers would likely go to DF first as that's more likely to get viewers, new content & all, which would somewhat bury visibility of the Wrath beta. Doing it this way, there's some actual testing happening for the beta which they can see...and is still pretty needed, if not as needed as for retail. Here's a bug MrGM found to illustrate how weird things just kind of happen: https://twitter.com/MrGMYT/status/1539932825608126465

That isn't a bug, it's a feature. :P

[AngerFork]

That isn't a bug, it's a feature. :P

I suppose horses sacrificing Scarlet Crusade members upstairs in a tavern could be a new direction for the plot to add in. #SomeChanges

[Hitei]

Is it possible there is an actual F&F Alpha going on that we don't know about? I think it used to be that alpha was not early beta access for streamers but an actual stability test that was not dataminable.

The test build is publicly visible already isn't it?

That was the whole thing a while back that Marlamin talked about. That we'd know when alpha-y testing starts because that would start getting frequent build updates instead of mostly just sitting there.

[Nymrohd]

The test build is publicly visible already isn't it?

That was the whole thing a while back that Marlamin talked about. That we'd know when alpha-y testing starts because that would start getting frequent build updates instead of mostly just sitting there.

Guess you are right. Probably mostly vendor builds to make sure everything is stable so far then.

That said, there is absolutely no reason for alpha to be long. Sorry but the fairly long alphas we've had in the past few expacs just felt like marketing.

[Xilurm]

That's because it actually doesn't need much testing?

Talent trees have already been broken down why they essentially require the bare minimum of testing.

Crafting system needs testing.

Reputation moving towards reknown doesn't require testing since it's using the existing reknown infrastructure over the base reputation you'd normally see. Functionally the same but visually different is all.

The biggest changes are the talent trees and crafting system and only one of those requires actual testing. Assuming Blizzard didn't lie back in April that they're ahead of schedule/further along in development compared to past expansions, 5 months of testing is plenty.

I don't think you know what testing means.

[Nymrohd]

Honestly one of the most important forms of testing that NEVER happens is how endgame reward structures feel.

[Sondrelk]

Page 3000 hype! We did it everyone, now hopefully we get an official Alpha or Beta so we can migrate over to a new general discussion thread.

[Atticon]

Honestly one of the most important forms of testing that NEVER happens is how endgame reward structures feel.

That's because they haven't cared about how they "feel" in years, only on how to apply maximum theoretic player retention metrics to them without taking into account player burnout.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

That's because they haven't cared about how they "feel" in years, only on how to apply maximum theoretic player retention metrics to them without taking into account player burnout.

This really weird argument they don't care is obnoxious. Of course they care

[Atticon]

This really weird argument they don't care is obnoxious. Of course they care

Depends on who's "they". If they they are the same people who make the decisions on what mounts are obtainable in-game and which are cash shop? You still think they care?
It's been very obvious to me that a big part of the decision making process when it comes to the game for the past few expansions has been "how do we maximize profits" rather than "how do we make the game fun?" Does that mean I think the devs actually working on the meat of the game don't care? Of course it doesn't, they probably pour their hearts and souls into it. But are "they" still the "they" who make the actual decisions at the end of the road?

[cordrann]

It does have its own set of rewards, so unless guilds are solely raid progression focused it's going to be hard to ignore the decently hefty rewards.

- - - Updated - - -



It's down to looking at one specific type of damage, primarily stemming from a set bonus, which itself is from the last raid, end of expansions further having a reputation for throwing balance out the window in the name of fun.

Some classes will always dominate in certain patches depending on damage type and unique power gains. Expecting perfect parity in all forms of content at all times is not just unrealistic, it's downright antithetical to class diversity.

There is a pretty vast ocean between "perfect parity" and being half as effective as other classes in an extremely prominent type of damage.

[Revamp Man]

It does have its own set of rewards, so unless guilds are solely raid progression focused it's going to be hard to ignore the decently hefty rewards.

- - - Updated - - -



It's down to looking at one specific type of damage, primarily stemming from a set bonus, which itself is from the last raid, end of expansions further having a reputation for throwing balance out the window in the name of fun.

Some classes will always dominate in certain patches depending on damage type and unique power gains. Expecting perfect parity in all forms of content at all times is not just unrealistic, it's downright antithetical to class diversity.

The raid reward is essentially a mount you can get by doing a raid in lfr

The new loot rewards will be interesting

[Lady Atia]

The raid reward is essentially a mount you can get by doing a raid in lfr

The new loot rewards will be interesting

Honestly, I actually like the reward structure this time. LFR/Normal gives a mount, HC a title and Mythic the portals, all time-limited from what it looks like. Everyone can get the mount and most people will be able to get the title while the Mythic reward isn't too much of a problem if you miss out on it, especially if you got the +20 ports already.

[Atticon]

I need news on when S4 actually starts, Fated raids rotate weekly so I want to be able to get my mount in a month's sub.
...which is why it probably won't start until 2-3 weeks after these preorders went up won't it?

[Lady Atia]

I need news on when S4 actually starts, Fated raids rotate weekly so I want to be able to get my mount in a month's sub.
...which is why it probably won't start until 2-3 weeks after these preorders went up won't it?

Why should it start so soon? Alliance HoF isn't even full and they already said S4 will be quite short. I expect it in late August, that would give us ~3 months for S4.