Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Menolikeu]

My speculation:

9.1: Raid that takes place in the realm where the machine of Death is located. Kel'Thuzad will be defeated in that raid, and the machine of Death will be fixed.
9.2: Raid that takes place in the revamped Maw (akin to revamped Tanaan Jungle and Broken Shore), as all the covenants take the fight to the weakened forces of the Jailer (who no longer has a constant influx of souls). Sylvanas is the final boss, she gives her sob monologue, then the Jailer backstabs the crazy psycho and she's gone.
9.3: Raid that takes place in the mysterious Sepulcher mentioned by the Primus, somehow the Jailer finds a way into that realm. The Arbiter will re-awaken and take us there, the final boss is obviously the Jailer. At the end the Jailer is destroyed/sealed again and the rift between Azeroth and the Shadowlands is fixed.
A small raid, either in patch 9.1.5 or 9.2.5, will involve the Light/Void messing with the Shadowlands and build-up 10.0.

10.0: It will be an expansion about Light and Void, as Blizzard already said at last Blizzcon that they find this concept very interesting. Alleria, Turalyon, Calia, and Yrel will obviously be main characters of this expansion. I am also 99.9% sure that Alleria will be the poster girl of this expansion, simply because Windrunner girls sell videogames (the 0.1% has Calia or Yrel as poster girls instead). That's as far as my main theorycrafting for 10.0 goes.

You were so spot on dude! Going back reading this, the 10.0 was wrong yeah, but the raids...you called it. Nice

[Lahis]

What about that one spell that defaults to visage form right after combat ends? Did they remove that or something?

It still exists and I have toggled it on, but most people don't know of its existence much less use it, nor the manual form change.

[huth]

You were so spot on dude! Going back reading this, the 10.0 was wrong yeah, but the raids...you called it. Nice

Well, he got the story beats, but the pacing is completely off. So not exactly spot on, though better than just complete random guessing.

[Menolikeu]

Well, he got the story beats, but the pacing is completely off. So not exactly spot on, though better than just complete random guessing.

Yeah the Patch numbers were off as well, I meant just the raids in general he was spot on with. Minus the KT one. That was included in the SoD part.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

This rugpull is going to be immaculate.

[The Stormbringer]

Question for self-identifying casuals out there, particularly those who can only play on the weekends or maybe an hour or two a day: Do you think Dragonflight will be worth the box price and sub cost?

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to come back or not, after skipping SL. I've been playing Classic a lot more than Retail, so I might be paying for the sub cost anyway, though my time did just expire last week.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I have to be completely honest. If you don't like doing boring things in the game world in a excessively streamlined reputation system through the Renown System presentation. (Activities are also presented the same way they've been since Legion meaning it will feel samey to anyone engaging with what has essentially been so drilled into our brains as meaningless activities from Legion, BFA, Shadowlands.)

No, you won't really have fun.

The game just does not have good progression systems outside of the three pillars and unfortunately integration of players into the three pillars is just not something Blizzard has recognized as a serious detriment to keep engagement high.

They removed all soul from Reputation systems of the past and the world just feels super artificial now since everything is such a crafted experience instead of just being something in the world akin to the old days.

The status of Classic is up in the air and may either be shutdown or a new Season of Classic may start with greater changes. Either way, I just don't think Casual players have a place in WoW atm. This is going to take serious work from the Team and said work is not going to happen when budgeting is as limited and the time constraints are this much.

Ion essentially confirms that getting ilvl is important but since the ilvl will be used to do activities beyond casual players aka doing three pillar content. It just falls apart as a strategy beyond at least reducing the power gap between casuals and M+.

Retail WoW is for hardcore players, first and foremost. People who are able to complete the Seasonal checklist of +15s/1800 Rating/Heroic Raiding are usually the starting point for enjoyment of the current Retail experience. Blizzard even agrees with that as they point out the Seasonal goals every Season now as activities that you should be focused on.

[Nyel]

Question for self-identifying casuals out there, particularly those who can only play on the weekends or maybe an hour or two a day: Do you think Dragonflight will be worth the box price and sub cost?

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to come back or not, after skipping SL. I've been playing Classic a lot more than Retail, so I might be paying for the sub cost anyway, though my time did just expire last week.

Every expansion is worth the box price because you easily get 50 hours played time out of it just by leveling and doing the dungeons at max level. Longevity is another thing and this time there's no bs borrowed power system that needs 4 patches to be eventually "ok".

Dragonflight is the most "non-eventful" expansion due to that. If you like the base game, you'll like DF. If you liked all the additional systems and features, DF might be not that much for you.

I'm solely playing this expansion because of Evoker - without a new class I wouldn't even bother because the game has become very stale. But the new class offers a new way to play for me.

_______

Mhm, Inscription or Jewelcrafting for my Evoker, I can't make up my mind lol. I know the decision might not matter much, but I can't get my head around it.

[boyzma]

Question for self-identifying casuals out there, particularly those who can only play on the weekends or maybe an hour or two a day: Do you think Dragonflight will be worth the box price and sub cost?

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to come back or not, after skipping SL. I've been playing Classic a lot more than Retail, so I might be paying for the sub cost anyway, though my time did just expire last week.

I for one, am totally casual. I don't raid...don't care about being better than anyone else. I play for my own enjoyment....which a lot of people here and on other threads think is a waste of time...but I don't give a shit what they think. I tested beta for a short time and was totally engrossed with the massive amounts of things I found to do and just had a blast. Was there plenty of bugs to report? Of course, it was beta...but despite that I enjoyed it. It's each to their own...I will probably be one of the last in all of Azeroth everywhere to experience it all...but I don't care. It's a game

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Maybe the box price of the past, but this box price is a bit too much. This base product is their shallowest yet and honestly I only bought in because I may have some belief in their post launch plans even if they've been completely shut and secretive about it up till now.

[The Stormbringer]

Maybe the box price of the past, but this box price is a bit too much. This base product is their shallowest yet and honestly I only bought in because I may have some belief in their post launch plans even if they've been completely shut and secretive about it up till now.

Yeah, I don't know yet. I might wait until it comes out on sale (will probably be a while) and try it then. Or if Classic becomes boring enough maybe I'll consider swapping over.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Yeah, I don't know yet. I might wait until it comes out on sale (will probably be a while) and try it then. Or if Classic becomes boring enough maybe I'll consider swapping over.

I'd genuinely wait and see their post launch plans and potential roadmaps. So far, they've been really shady staying completely silent about just the basic expectations of this 2 year cycle.

If nothing else, at least there's Classic stuff going on.

[ngc2440]

Question for self-identifying casuals out there, particularly those who can only play on the weekends or maybe an hour or two a day: Do you think Dragonflight will be worth the box price and sub cost?

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to come back or not, after skipping SL. I've been playing Classic a lot more than Retail, so I might be paying for the sub cost anyway, though my time did just expire last week.

If you are on the fence wait till more information comes to light on patch cadence and quality.

[Makabreska]

I'd genuinely wait and see their post launch plans and potential roadmaps. So far, they've been really shady staying completely silent about just the basic expectations of this 2 year cycle.

If nothing else, at least there's Classic stuff going on.

Back to the usual dooming and glooming, becasue Blizz did not lay out entire expansion plan from the start?

[Worldshaper]

Here we go, only ~5 hours to go! I can't wait to explore the Dragon Isles and for once get to feel like doing world content is worthwhile and rewarded.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Back to the usual dooming and glooming, becasue Blizz did not lay out entire expansion plan from the start?

Yeah, I don't like the vibe.

[THEORACLE64]

I for one, am totally casual. I don't raid...don't care about being better than anyone else. I play for my own enjoyment....which a lot of people here and on other threads think is a waste of time...but I don't give a shit what they think. I tested beta for a short time and was totally engrossed with the massive amounts of things I found to do and just had a blast. Was there plenty of bugs to report? Of course, it was beta...but despite that I enjoyed it. It's each to their own...I will probably be one of the last in all of Azeroth everywhere to experience it all...but I don't care. It's a game

Same here! I’ve played since EU launch in 2005, played every expansion launch, I’ve raided, been heavily involved with guilds, done the lot! But it’s stuff that hasn’t interested me for years now, to the point where it’s been probably since Legion where I’ve been completely guildless and I love it! I enjoy people with others from time to time, and if I want to see raid content I’ll pug it or LFR, maybe do a few M+s but that’s it. Working in healthcare I just prefer to have a nice, easy, drama-free life when I get home, and playing casually does the trick for me

- - - Updated - - -

Back to the usual dooming and glooming, becasue Blizz did not lay out entire expansion plan from the start?

I kinda understand it though. It’s safe to say that WoD and Shadowlands have been the negatively received expansions, and both of which were heavily changed story wise beginning-mid expansion.

In comparison to Wrath and Legion which were their most positive and well received, both of which were very clearly planned and executed from start to finish.

[Makabreska]

I kinda understand it though. It’s safe to say that WoD and Shadowlands have been the negatively received expansions, and both of which were heavily changed story wise beginning-mid expansion.

In comparison to Wrath and Legion which were their most positive and well received, both of which were very clearly planned and executed from start to finish.

Would agree, if not for the post history of the guy I was responding to.

[Dracullus]

In comparison to Wrath and Legion which were their most positive and well received, both of which were very clearly planned and executed from start to finish.

Sure, these expacs used story build ups from WIII very well to end Scourge and Burning Legion with a bang. But from gameplay perspective both would be shreded by todays community. Wrath for rehashing old raid instead making new one that was clearable week 1, Legion for making game not only alt unfriendly, but SPEC unfriendly.

Also 'clearly planned'? With Legion I agree (only major hiccup was lack of story during 7.2), but Wrath had raid structure revamp every patch, weird parts like Trial and 12 month drought.

(And I ignore fact that we expect more and more content in every expac, amount of stuff to do outside raids in Wrath, or amount of world casual content in 7.0 Legion would not pass today.)

[THEORACLE64]

Would agree, if not for the post history of the guy I was responding to.

Whatever that is supposed to mean…