Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Alanar]

I am actually so happy to see void tendrils return, that was such a nice thing to have back in MoP. Amazing.

And to see FdcL and mindspike return wod shadowmage, so much fun that was. This got me hyped.

With all the fuz and excitement, I cant help but miss one super cool abillity fron that same era. Spectral guise.. I miss this one so much.

#bringbackspectralguise

[Highlord Hanibuhl]

Is something like climate zones in a fantasy game really that important?

If anything, it limits what you can do. There is literally no benefit and is a big slippery slope when you start introducing real world science into the game, because let me tell you, there is a lot of technology that wouldn't work.

Well let's put it this way; if you believe in the world more - it feels more alive and like a world

[Nymrohd]

I have to ask, would getting back Divine Intervention be a problem? I know it can be used for trolling but so can e.g. Leap of Faith (and definitely the new Dracthyr fly-along spell). I want DI back dammit! Even if people have wiped my raid with it in the past.

[Nyel]

They're still not sending out mails informing you about a beta invitation, are they? So it's always "check launcher" to see if you've been selected?

[Dracullus]

They're still not sending out mails informing you about a beta invitation, are they? So it's always "check launcher" to see if you've been selected?

Best way is to check your account page. I had nothing on launcher despite refreshing/relaunching, but had second PTR account there.

[Makabreska]

I am actually so happy to see void tendrils return, that was such a nice thing to have back in MoP. Amazing.

And to see FdcL and mindspike return wod shadowmage, so much fun that was. This got me hyped.

With all the fuz and excitement, I cant help but miss one super cool abillity fron that same era. Spectral guise.. I miss this one so much.

#bringbackspectralguise

There is a problem atm. Shadow has literally too many buttons from the talents. I think some trimming would be required.

[huth]

Well the south end of the map would line up nicely for tropics if the map was only the northern hemisphere. But right now they present the map as the whole world so it makes no sense.

Well, it's hardly a natural world anyway, and Titan tech has very clearly shown it can mess with climates (just remember Sholazar).

But that would change nothing at all other than some stupid explanation for something that doesn't matter. It's not earth. It doesn't need to have biomes like earth. There is no need to point it out because it's nothing special. We don't need a scientific explanation why the Barrens is encircled by three forests. We don't need an explanation why the Dragon Isles are lush even though it's next to Northrend.

We would need an explanation if it was set on Earth, but it's not.

Actually, since physics still mostly work like for us, it would have to. I'm mostly giving it a pass because it saw heavy Titan editing, so we can just say there's stuff like Sholazar everywhere.

You have an explanation.

It's called suspension of disbelief.

That's not an explanation. That's why you can't get to unrealistic without providing one, as it would break suspension of disbelief.

SoD is the willingness of the audience to put up with your nonsense. Not the authors fiat to completely ignore any reason.

[melzas]

They're still not sending out mails informing you about a beta invitation, are they? So it's always "check launcher" to see if you've been selected?

I did get an email today. Didn't sign up for beta but for invited anyway.

[loras]

Oh definitely
As soon as I'm able to get to my pc lol

Neat, post the results.

[AngerFork]

I'm still not sure where the tropics and the equator are supposed to be.

Given that the planet seems to be hosting a Titan World Soul that bled throughout the planet once it was stabbed with Sargeras' sword, I'm not entirely sure that Azeroth would have a traditional tropics/equator setup like we have here on Earth. I could absolutely see a case where pending how the World Soul was set up, Azeroth had various hot/cold spots for proper soul maintenance. Pending the initial design, these might well have been better covered up before the Sundering occurred.

[loras]

Given that the planet seems to be hosting a Titan World Soul that bled throughout the planet once it was stabbed with Sargeras' sword, I'm not entirely sure that Azeroth would have a traditional tropics/equator setup like we have here on Earth. I could absolutely see a case where pending how the World Soul was set up, Azeroth had various hot/cold spots for proper soul maintenance. Pending the initial design, these might well have been better covered up before the Sundering occurred.

Still, some explanation is in order.
I mean when other laws of physics suddenly stop working like i.e. gravity, well it's either very poor immersion or my client is spacing out due to connection issue or something.

I mean it could easily be explained by earthlike climate systems if they give the slightest hint, i mean all of Europe is more northern than mainland US yet it is significantly warmer / more temperate in Europe due to the gulf streams (obviously comparing the temperate zones here). Hell the southernmost tip of Great Britain has a mediterranean climate due to the warm waters.

I'm not saying "Hey Blizzard tell us the exact climatological model your world uses!" mind you, but maybe more than "It's magic i don't have to think of an explanation.".

[gcsmith]

I mean, the dragon isles were just isolated for over 10,000 years... it's possible they're in a magical climate.

[Alanar]

There is a problem atm. Shadow has literally too many buttons from the talents. I think some trimming would be required.

How so? I assume you dont get everything. Idk hardly something i am worrying about atm. Just nice to see some past abillities return.

[Lady Atia]

There is a bug going on with the beta not showing up on your launcher - the solution is to simply reset your password on bnet and re-log - just got beta on my launcher this way (for some weird reason I never get blizzard emails lol).

[AngerFork]

Still, some explanation is in order.
I mean when other laws of physics suddenly stop working like i.e. gravity, well it's either very poor immersion or my client is spacing out due to connection issue or something.

I mean it could easily be explained by earthlike climate systems if they give the slightest hint, i mean all of Europe is more northern than mainland US yet it is significantly warmer / more temperate in Europe due to the gulf streams (obviously comparing the temperate zones here). Hell the southernmost tip of Great Britain has a mediterranean climate due to the warm waters.

I'm not saying "Hey Blizzard tell us the exact climatological model your world uses!" mind you, but maybe more than "It's magic i don't have to think of an explanation.".

Really, is there a proper middle ground here? If Blizz were to talk about a gulf stream or two coming from certain areas, it sort of forces a bit of a closure of their map. If that stream is coming from Pandaria for instance, that narrows down the amount of space between Pandaria & the Dragon Isles. If we get some sort of a hint that certain fronts are traveling to Kalimdor while going through the Eastern Kingdoms first, that narrows the range that a future "Other Side of Azeroth" expansion could have without causing a climate retcon, which would almost certainly be brought up at a future Q&A.

IMO, it's simpler to just give the proper pieces of lore for the story being told so long as they don't adversely affect other bits of lore already being told.

[gcsmith]

There is a bug going on with the beta not showing up on your launcher - the solution is to simply reset your password on bnet and re-log - just got beta on my launcher this way (for some weird reason I never get blizzard emails lol).

You can also check your battle.net account online, if it's there, you'll have beta.

[unbrained]

And as always No beta invite for me.....

[loras]

Really, is there a proper middle ground here? If Blizz were to talk about a gulf stream or two coming from certain areas, it sort of forces a bit of a closure of their map. If that stream is coming from Pandaria for instance, that narrows down the amount of space between Pandaria & the Dragon Isles. If we get some sort of a hint that certain fronts are traveling to Kalimdor while going through the Eastern Kingdoms first, that narrows the range that a future "Other Side of Azeroth" expansion could have without causing a climate retcon, which would almost certainly be brought up at a future Q&A.

IMO, it's simpler to just give the proper pieces of lore for the story being told so long as they don't adversely affect other bits of lore already being told.

Well yes, i do think there is a proper middle ground between random varied island with no explanation and a complete climatological model (which you accurately identify as potentially limiting future options).

I would go for just mentioning warm water flowing to the isles, making it make sense "locally"; one side is cold because the island splits the stream of warm water.
You can let it in the dark where that stream comes from; maybe there is an ancient fire-water battlegrlund nearby, maybe N'zoth's disembodied asshole's farts warm up the water, maybe the pandarian gulfstream warms it up.
In-universe it's likely only neptulon might know, so you can just keep it to local observations which might imply any number of things.
But anything is better than leaving such an oddity unexplained, it's like with the black humans and elves; no foul in wanting the option, but maybe mention where they might suddenly come from? Descendants of Kul Tiran sailors that took home some exotic lovers? Blood elves themselves are mutants, perhaps it's an adaptation to being away from the sunwell too long, or from being near it too long?

Etcetera; Those things that stand out need explanations, they needn't be overcomplex or outstanding, but leaving such things unexplained is like if Anduin suddenly rode around on a flying rat from the in-game store and people are like "Yo Anduin what's that?" and he's like "A smoothie.".

[CalamityHeart]

I feel like hyperfocusing on stuff like climate is one of those things that people do to willfully ruin the setting for themselves when they've decided they hate it or want to hate it, especially when they prove themselves more than capable of rationalizing their own solutions to their own petty trifles in their own heads in the same breath they're critiquing the setting for not doing it for them where it's necessary, which is allegedly always. I agree with the notion that fictional fantasy settings need to explain themselves when they branch off from our understanding of the real, where it's relevant to the story being told. I don't think it's necessary or well-advised for the fantasy setting to explain itself any more than it must.

[Makabreska]

Really, is there a proper middle ground here? If Blizz were to talk about a gulf stream or two coming from certain areas, it sort of forces a bit of a closure of their map. If that stream is coming from Pandaria for instance, that narrows down the amount of space between Pandaria & the Dragon Isles. If we get some sort of a hint that certain fronts are traveling to Kalimdor while going through the Eastern Kingdoms first, that narrows the range that a future "Other Side of Azeroth" expansion could have without causing a climate retcon, which would almost certainly be brought up at a future Q&A.

IMO, it's simpler to just give the proper pieces of lore for the story being told so long as they don't adversely affect other bits of lore already being told.

Fk sake! I only stated my surprise that DI is at the same latitude as Northrend. I didn't mean to start all of this!