Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Makorus]

https://kotaku.com/with-activisions-...ing-1831263741

https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/...y-be-changing/

https://www.ign.com/articles/special...t-a-crossroads

activision began cutting blizzard's budget years ago and SL is the result. all future expansions will likely follow the same level of 'quality' as SL.

The first link you posted literally goes against what you are trying to say lmao. And the other two are hardly relevant to the argument.

Ah yes, the expansion that adds......... fishing. And new specs for every class (which every prior xpac had together with new class or actual new game changing mechanics such as mounts from PoF). Massive indeed.

Combined with the fact that they pretty much said there won't be any new raids at launch (instead there will be strikes that will be harder versions of story fights), I am hoping there is some cool thing they are keeping a secret. I mean, there are still 3(?) mastery tracks left to reveal, so hopefully they will be interesting.

Don't get me wrong, Fishing is not the greatest, but I suppose it is something, but skiffs are just such a waste of development time and literally only exist to sell skins, I would imagine.

[Azxza]

The first link you posted literally goes against what you are trying to say lmao. And the other two are hardly relevant to the argument.

It doesn't. Read it again, slowly this time. And they are directly related.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Those articles don't explain what you think explains dude.

[Fahrad Wagner]

I would actually be interested in compiling a list of Kalimdor and EK models that still have their classic models, because it must be really small at this point. The only ones I can think of are:
Dragons
Draknoids
Wyrmkin
Gnolls
Centaurs
Cows
that one Defias mob in deadmines
Theadras(?) the earth elemental

Giraffes! Don't forget about the giraffes!

[Beloren]

No you are wrong.

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it sounds to me like you already got your world "revamp" then lol

Creature models only, and they won’t get a revamp in a world revamp.

It’s terrain updates. Feralas, Quel’thalas, silvermoon, Dire Mail/Eldre’thalas , Mulgore, Un’goro are all zones not updated since classic.

All cata zones except for Darkshore and Arathi have also not been updated since Cata.

Basically. Everything needs an update except for the few creature models and player models that got revamped recently.

[Raetary]

Giraffes! Don't forget about the giraffes!

Everyone knows giraffes aren't real.

[Makabreska]

Creature models only, and they won’t get a revamp in a world revamp.

It’s terrain updates. Feralas, Quel’thalas, silvermoon, Dire Mail/Eldre’thalas , Mulgore, Un’goro are all zones not updated since classic.

All cata zones except for Darkshore and Arathi have also not been updated since Cata.

Basically. Everything needs an update except for the few creature models and player models that got revamped recently.

Which begs the question, does Un'goro really needs it? Sure it's an eyesore, but if you aren't looking to put meaningful content there, what's the point of major update? I think WoW became just too big to justify all these huge revamps.

[Sondrelk]

Which begs the question, does Un'goro really needs it? Sure it's an eyesore, but if you aren't looking to put meaningful content there, what's the point of major update? I think WoW became just too big to justify all these huge revamps.

The size is its own reason to revamp. Even assuming every single player played Cata and completed Loremaster, that is still years and years ago. WoW is one of those games that have gained so much content over the years that entire expansions could be made just recycling stuff. However, before that can realistically happen the zones need updates to bring them up to par with current standards.
Zones like Desolace might not even be there for how little they matter in the grand scheme, and every zone that isnt being actively used is a missed opportunity. And its one thing to move on from BfA and leaving Zandalar behind, it's something else entirely when you have absolutely stunning zones like Stonetalon mountains or Vashj'ir whose only purpose was levelling zones and a place to maybe put a dungeon or two.

The worst thing Blizzard can do is in a sense just do Cataclysm again, putting all the effort into new levelling instead of evergreen content for sure, but even with that the existence of Exile's reach does feel like it is missing an equivalent 10-50 levelling experience that better captures the feel of WoW instead of just whatever expansion is the most recent, like Shadowlands.

The old zones are just sitting there, and a world revamp is the first step in actually making them somewhat useful for something. If not forever at least for a full expansion.

[EbaumsTipster]

Which begs the question, does Un'goro really needs it? Sure it's an eyesore, but if you aren't looking to put meaningful content there, what's the point of major update? I think WoW became just too big to justify all these huge revamps.

They don’t have to do every zone as equally important. Un’goro can just get new textures and maybe a new quest or two: it’s already relevant every year with the micro holiday.

They aren’t going to do Catas mistake of a dumb questline in every zone.

Right now the biggest hints for zone storylines are Turalyon doing stuff in Old Alliance zones and Calia vs the Scarlets in Lordaeron. Horde in Kalimdor has setup as a faction but not zone storylines AFAIK.

[Makabreska]

The size is its own reason to revamp. Even assuming every single player played Cata and completed Loremaster, that is still years and years ago. WoW is one of those games that have gained so much content over the years that entire expansions could be made just recycling stuff. However, before that can realistically happen the zones need updates to bring them up to par with current standards.
Zones like Desolace might not even be there for how little they matter in the grand scheme, and every zone that isnt being actively used is a missed opportunity. And its one thing to move on from BfA and leaving Zandalar behind, it's something else entirely when you have absolutely stunning zones like Stonetalon mountains or Vashj'ir whose only purpose was levelling zones and a place to maybe put a dungeon or two.

The worst thing Blizzard can do is in a sense just do Cataclysm again, putting all the effort into new levelling instead of evergreen content for sure, but even with that the existence of Exile's reach does feel like it is missing an equivalent 10-50 levelling experience that better captures the feel of WoW instead of just whatever expansion is the most recent, like Shadowlands.

The old zones are just sitting there, and a world revamp is the first step in actually making them somewhat useful for something. If not forever at least for a full expansion.

Ye, ye you have been saying same stuff every time someone brings revamp up. You believe in world revamp, that Blizz will have time, resource and willingness to make old zones relevant. That people crave it. I don't.

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They don’t have to do every zone as equally important. Un’goro can just get new textures and maybe a new quest or two: it’s already relevant every year with the micro holiday.

They aren’t going to do Catas mistake of a dumb questline in every zone.

Uh, how do you know that? Besides, Cata revamp was great. Even when Redrige quest line was a one big Rambo homage, the pacing was excellent. Quest chain took you on a trip around entire zone. You had standard quests, but also stealth missions and vehicle section. Back-and-forth was greatly reduced etc.

[NikolaiShade]

Uh, how do you know that? Besides, Cata revamp was great. Even when Redrige quest line was a one big Rambo homage, the pacing was excellent. Quest chain took you on a trip around entire zone.

One of the best questlines ever

[Sondrelk]

Ye, ye you have been saying same stuff every time someone brings revamp up. You believe in world revamp, that Blizz will have time, resource and willingness to make old zones relevant. That people crave it. I don't.

Well again, most of the work is done in the form of all the HD assets, so in that sense remaking the zones is fairly trivial when you consider how most of the old zones are fairly barren compared to newer zones.
As for why they would, it isnt a question of whether they want to, it's a question of when they will have to do it. There is a limit to how many new continents Blizzard can onjure without resorting to either entirely new areas, or recycling old ones. Even WoD was recycling Outland into a new form with Draenor.
As for plots I have similarly said before that unless they intend to tie up all narrative loose ends in random areas or non-sequitur dungeons, then going back to old zones is a given. The Botani that seemingly escaped to Feralas isnt going to seem that relevant if they end up on K'aresh, nor will the Dark Iron Dwarf plotline with the Ragnaros cultists seem fitting on the backside of Azeroth.

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The Rambo questline in Redridge was definitely one the best paced zone questlines we have had, it's just a shame it had to be so ham-fistedly a Rambo homage.
But travelling aruond the circumference of the lake before ending up in a castle fighting a dragon was pretty much exactly what I wanted out of a levelling zone if you just want a single questline.

[EbaumsTipster]

I think Redridge is the perfect example of gameplay vs non-gameplay. I guess some people like the Rambo shit but for me the zone is almost entirely worthless because of how much of it is a big joke that takes me out of Warcraft. I... guess you can give props for trying to be unique with the stealth mission?

I also don’t like the lack of side quests other than the tower food gathering and the ring in the lake quest. I get that it’s a streamlined zone but I would like the Kalimdor/EK zones to be more than a rollercoaster you do once. I really enjoy how there is a lot of stuff in the SL zones you can expand on or master optionally if you are into it: had fun doing mirror stuff in Revendreth and unlocking the Abominations in Maldraxxus. More stuff like that would be nice.

[Beloren]

Which begs the question, does Un'goro really needs it? Sure it's an eyesore, but if you aren't looking to put meaningful content there, what's the point of major update? I think WoW became just too big to justify all these huge revamps.

I would think every one would also e re quested for the new reality.

But emptier zones can alas be filled in the future. Once revamped, it would only a matter of populating it with quest assets, rather than remodelling then.


I see Warcraft future re-using many old zones to tell new stories.

I would do

1. Expansion = new continent/zones
2. Next expansion = revamped previous expansion zones with new story. Possibly even 2
3. 3rd expansion = re-questing one of the revamped continents with new story/ progression.

Expansion 1 is art heavy
Expansion 2 is where we get new races and allied races, art effort is medium
Expansion 3 is where we get new classes and class skins and is a big system revamp , but light on art. Here you can add more character customisation and model updates too (blood elf fans want our Farstrider tattoos, scars and fuller rougher beards, undead red eyes and undead faces unlocking for more than DKs to represent dark rangers and dark fallen elves etc

and I’m sure night elf fans still want their bigger Highborne customisation, arcane and Elune star effects and tattoos like Tyrande with neater hairstyles etc


Every race has something that can be improved in


You simply recycle in this new format.

[TheFirstOnes]

If we get Lifelands, it'd be nice if they could use the original ED floating trees.

Could work for a 9.2 Lifelands Zone with Elune and the WQ.

[Osmeric]

EXACTLY. Blizzard never had 800 customer support employees:

"It was just customer support!" Stop towing the line with Blizzard & saying "No developers were layed off." The 800 of the 1200 activision employees were layed off, & those 800 were all from "QA". Quality Assurance is both customer support & testing & bug feedback. I'd consider that development, but Blizzard doesn't because saying you layed off devs sounds bad.

Also, they didn't say how many "devs" were moved from dev jobs to others (such as QA jobs).

[username993720]

All of which were implied to occur after Zovaal.

Where?

/10 char

[Black Rider]

Where the new trees at so we can get rid of that horrible 2004 foliage?

Waiting for that since Cataclysm

[Kiivar86]

That leak with the Borean Thundra remake as new daily zone for 9.2 seems to be rather prominent, maybe it's the real one?

The Borean Tundra thing doesn't make a lot of sense anyway.

The Jailer goes through a portal different than anything we've seen before and is going after this "Zereth Mortis" place. If he wanted to get to Borean Tundra, he'd surely be able to leave through more ordinary means since he reached Oribos. And as we apparently have to make new sigils or whatever to open teh way to follow him, it stands to reason that its not a place we can easily go to.

[Ersula]

Nice headcanon you got there with QA being butchered. Every single article mentions only e-sport and administrative departments, cba linking more. Stop spreading bullshit thanks.

I'm so sorry you think Blizzard's press releases are truthful. Again I point to the clear contradiction that Blizzard NEVER had that many non-development employees & "esport" departments are non-salary. Don't take press releases for face value.