Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Nyel]

The banner is for the Valdrakken Accord. All 5 flights. Hence why its white (white being made up of all colours of light) and hence why you see gems of each flight on the front. Its just the banner for the unified flights. Its not some deeper thing xD

I mean... that's what it is, right? That's why I was asking. So there's nothing special about this or a "hidden message".

its not as basic as the oribos portal?

What does this have to do with the Oribos portal?

[Lady Atia]

*Spoilers* It definitely gives me the same vibes as the Vault of the Wardens portion of the DH starting experience. I haven't seen the complete Dracthyr starting zone yet, just a portion of it, but I was admittedly hoping for something a little more "epic"/lore-intensive than what they got. (Actually having flashbacks of Neltharion in order to lend emotional weight to the Dracthyr's relationship with him, maybe showing the moments that the Dracthyr were put into stasis, Neltharion flying off with the other aspects to fight the Legion, etc.) The DH experience did this well by splitting it into two parts - the Mardum portion that showed our character's epic/important role, then the Vault portion that had us waking up and realizing that we lost years of our lives, with the first story arc giving added weight to the second arc. With the Dracthyr, it seems we only have the second/"waking up" part. I guess it goes in line with the theme of the Dracthyr having fragmented memories, though.

That being said, the Dracthyr zone seems seems to be one of the most *practical* starting zones in terms of actually helping players learn/practice their racial and class abilities. It's also very pretty, and Dracthyr military culture seems cool. I'm just hoping for more Dracthyr lore/story development over the course of the expansion.

Didn't one of the guys stay back and says he wants to find out what happened during the stasis? I think when we return there in 10.1 we will prolly get the flashback stuff for everyone, just not only for our Dracthyrs.

[Nyel]

*Spoilers* It definitely gives me the same vibes as the Vault of the Wardens portion of the DH starting experience. I haven't seen the complete Dracthyr starting zone yet, just a portion of it, but I was admittedly hoping for something a little more "epic"/lore-intensive than what they got. (Actually having flashbacks of Neltharion in order to lend emotional weight to the Dracthyr's relationship with him, maybe showing the moments that the Dracthyr were put into stasis, Neltharion flying off with the other aspects to fight the Legion, etc.) The DH experience did this well by splitting it into two parts - the Mardum portion that showed our character's epic/important role, then the Vault portion that had us waking up and realizing that we lost years of our lives, with the first story arc giving added weight to the second arc. With the Dracthyr, it seems we only have the second/"waking up" part. I guess it goes in line with the theme of the Dracthyr having fragmented memories, though.

That being said, the Dracthyr zone seems seems to be one of the most *practical* starting zones in terms of actually helping players learn/practice their racial and class abilities. It's also very pretty, and Dracthyr military culture seems cool. I'm just hoping for more Dracthyr lore/story development over the course of the expansion.

There are really no flashbacks from their creation and they're just thrown into that zone with quest texts?

[Cheezits]

*Spoilers* It definitely gives me the same vibes as the Vault of the Wardens portion of the DH starting experience. I haven't seen the complete Dracthyr starting zone yet, just a portion of it, but I was admittedly hoping for something a little more "epic"/lore-intensive than what they got. (Actually having flashbacks of Neltharion in order to lend emotional weight to the Dracthyr's relationship with him, maybe showing the moments that the Dracthyr were put into stasis, Neltharion flying off with the other aspects to fight the Legion, etc.) The DH experience did this well by splitting it into two parts - the Mardum portion that showed our character's epic/important role, then the Vault portion that had us waking up and realizing that we lost years of our lives, with the first story arc giving added weight to the second arc. With the Dracthyr, it seems we only have the second/"waking up" part. I guess it goes in line with the theme of the Dracthyr having fragmented memories, though.

That being said, the Dracthyr zone seems seems to be one of the most *practical* starting zones in terms of actually helping players learn/practice their racial and class abilities. It's also very pretty, and Dracthyr military culture seems cool. I'm just hoping for more Dracthyr lore/story development over the course of the expansion.

There actually HAVE been some lines uncovered between early Neltharion and Nozdormu that take place at the moment the Dracthyr go into stasis. This could be an unrevealed first part of the starting zone but I think its more likely they are just baking that information into the overall questing experience, so everyone can learn about it.

[Lady Atia]

There actually HAVE been some lines uncovered between early Neltharion and Nozdormu that take place at the moment the Dracthyr go into stasis. This could be an unrevealed first part of the starting zone but I think its more likely they are just baking that information into the overall questing experience, so everyone can learn about it.

Mind giving a link to that? *_*

[Cheezits]

There are really no flashbacks from their creation and they're just thrown into that zone with quest texts?

The experience starts with you waking up and breaking out of stasis, and the characters trying to figure out what happened. It's done intentionally, though there may be a cinematic to begin things.

[Adoxe]

Mind giving a link to that? *_*

https://twitter.com/Portergauge/stat...47214535524352

Either there's a first half of the starting zone that takes place in the past which hasn't been implemented yet, or it's going to be part of the max level version of the zone when we go back to it later on. I believe it's the latter.

[Prenderghast]

There actually HAVE been some lines uncovered between early Neltharion and Nozdormu that take place at the moment the Dracthyr go into stasis. This could be an unrevealed first part of the starting zone but I think its more likely they are just baking that information into the overall questing experience, so everyone can learn about it.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's a portion of the Dracthyr zone that is kept secret until launch. With the Lordaeron scenario being a secret until 9.2.5 launch day, and with how many times (including in the Morgan Day interview just this morning) Blizzard says they plan to encrypt certain more stuff going forward so it's a surprise for everyone, it would make sense that there might be a hidden part of the starting experience.

But whether it's included in the starting zone, the end-game Forbidden Reach accessible to everyone, or elsewhere in the Isles, I just hope we get more info about the Dracthyr's creation and early days. Including flashbacks in the end-game Forbidden Reach rather than the starting zone could give Dracthyr an interesting story arc over the early expansion.

https://twitter.com/Portergauge/stat...47214535524352

Either there's a first half of the starting zone that takes place in the past which hasn't been implemented yet, or it's going to be part of the max level version of the zone when we go back to it later on. I believe it's the latter.

Thanks for linking!

[Raetary]

That's not Noz, it's Malygos.

[Makabreska]

Damn, Neltharus looks amazeballs. I was low key expecting a cave systems similar to Neltharion's Lair, but this stronghold we got is great.

Uldaman is average though, too much of the old excavations is there.

[Xilurm]

I wonder what kind of quality the cinematics will be in the starting zone.

In-game pre-rendendered ones, or like the 3 or like the 3 last ones we just got recently that in real time.

They really did great with those last 3 tho. I'm pretty sure they are in the same vein as that one Garrosh cinematic that everyone hated, except this time they hired people to actually animate the characters, properly.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Hey Fahrad, always nice to see familiar faces when checking back in here <3

Hey babe! I took a little time off, but I must admit DF has me pretty excited! It looks like a ton of fun, I hope it won't disappoint.

[Catastrophy349]

Hey babe! I took a little time off, but I must admit DF has me pretty excited! It looks like a ton of fun, I hope it won't disappoint.

I know you! And yes, I agree that DF is looking good (atm).

[Cheezits]

Damn, Neltharus looks amazeballs. I was low key expecting a cave systems similar to Neltharion's Lair, but this stronghold we got is great.

Uldaman is average though, too much of the old excavations is there.

Uldaman is great, it has the pace and flow of the classic dungeon with more modern bosses. Besides the dragons at the end it kind of feels like a revamped evergreen dungeon?

I'm not sure how they would do the two wings moving forward. But maybe we will see a return of winged dungeons if we go back to the continents?

[Murlocos]

I'm a little surprised they've more or less abandoned winged dungeon design. Granted, I'm not privy to how much the art pipeline holds up dungeon creation, but it seems an easy solution to speed up the process of pumping more out.

[Cheezits]

I'm a little surprised they've more or less abandoned winged dungeon design. Granted, I'm not privy to how much the art pipeline holds up dungeon creation, but it seems an easy solution to speed up the process of pumping more out.

I am going to guess it's because they want the dungeons to all be varied in art style and not bore people with repeating themes. Even if it makes sense for some areas to have two connected dungeons.

I think we'll get a return to wings in a revamp but... it's possible Scarlet Monastery would become one dungeon. Or megadungeons will take over for "multiwings".

[Lady Atia]

I am going to guess it's because they want the dungeons to all be varied in art style and not bore people with repeating themes. Even if it makes sense for some areas to have two connected dungeons.

I think we'll get a return to wings in a revamp but... it's possible Scarlet Monastery would become one dungeon. Or megadungeons will take over for "multiwings".

Yeah, Megadungeons are basically "multiwings" anyways. They always get split up into two different dungeons regarding M+.

[Khaza-R]

I'm a little surprised they've more or less abandoned winged dungeon design. Granted, I'm not privy to how much the art pipeline holds up dungeon creation, but it seems an easy solution to speed up the process of pumping more out.

I think dungeon wings work best as an area that you can slowly build on over time and perhaps revisit in a new expansion or update. I kind of hope we see more of what they are doing in DF in the future by revisiting more old locations.

The TBC design of essentially 1 megadungeon split into 3 or 4 different themes isn't something I miss at all.

[Berkilak]

I'm a little surprised they've more or less abandoned winged dungeon design. Granted, I'm not privy to how much the art pipeline holds up dungeon creation, but it seems an easy solution to speed up the process of pumping more out.

I would love a few more dungeons and/or raids in Blackrock Mountain. As well as a facelift for said mountain.

[Cheezits]

From what I can see, it looks like most if not all Night Elf/Worgen refugees have been moved from Stormwind.