Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Aeluron Lightsong]

That is true, but there is somewhat of a problem if the vast majority of your game is trivial.
Maybe not all zones should be level scaled, or at least at the same time, but having a good reason to return to the barrens is just as important I would argue as being able to go back and feel like you are more powerful.

Zones having a max level that isn't level capped is a solution. I .E Max level for mobs in Redridge isn't 60.

[draugril]

Yup. Nothing more efficient in making your world feel smaller and less mystical than explaining and revealing everything.

And let's be real, with Bethesda, what happened to the Dwemer is going to be revealed sooner rather than later.

Yeah, Blizzard is doing their storytelling backwards. They keep everything about the main plot completely mysterious and unexplained, providing only hints and cliffhangers, then go through pains to explain the overall setting and mechanics of the universe. Most of the Shadowlands lore belongs in a design document that exists internally just to keep the mythos of the universe consistent. Instead, they keep the motivations of both our antagonists and protagonists completely secret. That's not how you tell a satisfying story.

[EbaumsTipster]

Yeah, Blizzard is doing their storytelling backwards. They keep everything about the main plot completely mysterious and unexplained, providing only hints and cliffhangers, go to through pains to explain the overall setting and mechanics of the universe. Most of the Shadowlands lore belongs in a design document that exists internally just to keep the mythos of the universe consistent. Instead, they keep the motivations of both our antagonists and protagonists completely secret. That's not how you tell a satisfying story.

Feels to me like the writers are forced to include the main character cast to compete with the "main party" in XIV and ESO but the writers really don't like or give a shit about them. Their (Thrall/Anduin/Baine/Jaina) writing is always bland and not really fun or interesting, it feels like the devs were forced to put them back in and neuter them for a "normal" audience and they (the writers) can really only get their kicks with side characters (Bwonsamdi, most of the Venthyr, the Stewards, etc) and lore.

Mass appeal is a bitch.

[Makorus]

I'm not necessarily against scaling but I think there's also something about overpowering a zone as well. Doing Barrens at level 10 and then coming back at max level and the mobs are still 'challenging' would be a problem for some.

Yeah because at that point you might as well not have levels at all.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Feels to me like the writers are forced to include the main character cast to compete with the "main party" in XIV and ESO but the writers really don't like or give a shit about them. Their (Thrall/Anduin/Baine/Jaina) writing is always bland and not really fun or interesting, it feels like the devs were forced to put them back in and neuter them for a "normal" audience and they (the writers) can really only get their kicks with side characters (Bwonsamdi, most of the Venthyr, the Stewards, etc) and lore.

Mass appeal is a bitch.

Even if they were just forced, this still means they are doing a bad job at utlizing their cast of characters. Though I will admit they never stood a chance, suddenly starting to tell a good story was never going to happen, especially not with the piss poor story quest design wow has, and the audience they've cultivated over the years.

[huth]

If the shadowlands is so unknowable why did they make it a tiny dot on the Titan's grand cosmology chart?

You just answered your own question there.

Also, most of what you say there isn't actually supported - there's no indication the Eternal Ones care about World Souls, nor that the First Ones told the Titans anything at all. Nor does Draenor have a World Soul, so the Titans weren't interrupted doing anything. Aggramar just came across it and animated some mountains on a lark. As far as we know, the Elemental Plane (singular) is unique to Azeroth, too.

You seem to be going off D&D and then try to fit the WarCraft cosmos into your preconceived similarity.

[Khaza-R]

Most mysteries are interesting solely because they are mysteries. Especially when they exist for world-building purposes rather than narrative.

There's a reason we don't know what happened to the Entwives or the Dwemer.

Couldn't agree more with this.

WoW paradoxically felt its biggest in Vanilla when nothing was fleshed out. Trying to dive into WoW's afterlife is the ultimate sin of keeping things a mystery. I am glad Ion recently said they were moving away from this.

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Even if they were just forced, this still means they are doing a bad job at utlizing their cast of characters. Though I will admit they never stood a chance, suddenly starting to tell a good story was never going to happen, especially not with the piss poor story quest design wow has, and the audience they've cultivated over the years.

I'd accept just a "fine", mediocre story at this point.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Couldn't agree more with this.

WoW paradoxically felt its biggest in Vanilla when nothing was fleshed out. Trying to dive into WoW's afterlife is the ultimate sin of keeping things a mystery. I am glad Ion recently said they were moving away from this.

Wow was smaller back then compared to now. So no there isn't a reason those things aren't known. Its worldbuilding. Like most of what Warcraft was in vanilla is Horde and Alliance


Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Oh and Northrend but wasn't fleshed out. Over time it became bigger so no, this obession with mystery is just silly and borders on nostalgia chasing.

[Ersula]

You seem to be going off D&D and then try to fit the WarCraft cosmos into your preconceived similarity.

You don't think Warcraft is extensively inspired by Dungeons & Dragons? Do you think Warcraft Moon Goddess Elune might have been inspired by D&D Moon Goddess Selune? The D&D stuff isn't even the theorycrafting, that's the stuff directly stated in Chronicles. The separating of the Emerald Dream & creation of the Elemental Planes is synonymous with The Sundering (the Toril one, not the Azeroth one)

there's no indication the Eternal Ones care about World Souls

The Winter Queen directly states the point of Ardenweald is to cycle energy back into the natural world of Azeroth & the other planets. And as far as we know only World Souls have life on them. That says to me they're pretty invested in nurturing Azeroth's World Soul.

Nor does Draenor have a World Soul, so the Titans weren't interrupted doing anything

Uh, yes they were? Did you miss the whole story of Eonar & Aggrimar cultivating Gorgrond & starting to build structures? Draenor is just younger than Azeroth & they were interrupted building up Draenor's protection when Sargeras started to attack Azeroth. That's not theory, that's right there in game lore.

[huth]

You don't think Warcraft is extensively inspired by Dungeons & Dragons? Do you think Warcraft Moon Goddess Elune might have been inspired by D&D Moon Goddess Selune? The D&D stuff isn't even the theorycrafting, that's the stuff directly stated in Chronicles. The separating of the Emerald Dream & creation of the Elemental Planes is synonymous with The Sundering (the Toril one, not the Azeroth one)

Yes, i think it's inspired. Not copied wholesale.

The Winter Queen directly states the point of Ardenweald is to cycle energy back into the natural world of Azeroth & the other planets. And as far as we know only World Souls have life on them. That says to me they're pretty invested in nurturing Azeroth's World Soul.

We know at least one planet that has life and no World Soul. Draenor. We also know from the backstory that World Souls are actually exceedingly rare - outside of Argus and Azeroth, the only other one we know of was cleft in twain by Sargeras due to Void corruption.

Uh, yes they were? Did you miss the whole story of Eonar & Aggrimar cultivating Gorgrond & starting to build structures? Draenor is just younger than Azeroth & they were interrupted building up Draenor's protection when Sargeras started to attack Azeroth. That's not theory, that's right there in game lore.

Draenor does/did not have a World Soul. You're working of incorrect premises.

[Khaza-R]

Wow was smaller back then compared to now. So no there isn't a reason those things aren't known. Its worldbuilding. Like most of what Warcraft was in vanilla is Horde and Alliance


Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Oh and Northrend but wasn't fleshed out. Over time it became bigger so no, this obession with mystery is just silly and borders on nostalgia chasing.

You're missing the point.

WoW felt big back then because it seemed there was more ahead of it than behind it. Entire areas left to explore that were still uncharted. People try to argue these cosmic storylines expand the scope of WoW and make it bigger. That may yet be the case but it doesn't help the perception of most players. Nothing about this "cosmos" is even moderately fleshed out so far. There's virtually nothing to speculate on. So the world feels like its shrinking rather than expanding.

[united]

players will need an expansion to level in that actually takes place on Azeroth, but isn’t Endgame yet. Hence revamp 10-60 and new zones like Dragon Isles for endgame leveling.

I really hope this is what they do, and I hope it's what they're working on right now.

I know it's a "0.5" patch but the fact that 9.1.5 took so long to release and basically nothing changed other than the removal of existing content, they're gonna have to do something soon.

[EbaumsTipster]

I really hope this is what they do, and I hope it's what they're working on right now.

I know it's a "0.5" patch but the fact that 9.1.5 took so long to release and basically nothing changed other than the removal of existing content, they're gonna have to do something soon.

9.1 also didn’t have too much in the way of new assets, borrowing a lot from 9.0. They have all their artists working on SOMETHING and all we’ve seen in the files is minor changes to a human house.

SL’s rapid story makes me feel like it was designed as filler between BFA and the non-Sylvanas things BFA set up: namely faction coop and the dragons.

[Vasoka]

https://i.4cdn.org/vg/1635981729625.png

It begins.

This would be p kino if it wasn't obviously fake with the "Awakenings" bullshit.

At least leak season seems to be kicking off.

[EbaumsTipster]

https://i.4cdn.org/vg/1635981729625.png

It begins.

This would be p kino if it wasn't obviously fake with the "Awakenings" bullshit.

At least leak season seems to be kicking off.

Had me until Awakenings. Damn it.

Though I would admit, flying houses would be a very clever way to both do housing and introduce tinkers. And seems like a tie in to the flying dragon isles idea...

[Val the Moofia Boss]

It begins.

This would be p kino if it wasn't obviously fake with the "Awakenings" bullshit.

At least leak season seems to be kicking off.

Doubt. Blizzconline 2022 has been cancelled. Very doubtful that 9.2 will come out in Spring 2022. Also doubt player controlled airships will work within the WoW engine.

[Lazarel]

So Awakening again...

Was this "new variant" debunked yet?
All i can notice is the contradictory features compared with past awakenings leaks

[Vasoka]

I literally don't understand why are spergs so obsessed with this "Awakenings" BS? They shilled it pre-BFA, they shilled it pre-SL, they shill it now.

[EbaumsTipster]

Doubt. Blizzconline 2022 has been cancelled. Very doubtful that 9.2 will come out in Spring 2022. Also doubt player controlled airships will work within the WoW engine.

I think in this case the airships would actually be player houses.