Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Nymrohd]

I am hoping that most, if not all of the story elements are encrypted down.
I would love to go in with 0 knowledge on the major story.

I mean that's not doable. We will get to do the quests during the beta. Even when we do we still end up with quests being bugged and a bug at the wrong spot can end up stopping everyone's leveling.

[Hugnomo]

I was hoping we'd get the talent tree blog post, but seems unlikely now since they usually release that stuff around 9 AM PST.

Thank you for the reply!

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I do wonder how far they will push encryption when the alpha datamining happens. Usually the very first thing we get is all the text strings which often give a distorted view of the story

I love seeing new models and stuff. But I hope quest text/story is encrypted. I would rather we have important quest story be less tested but a surprise, than spoiled from testing.

[Valysar]

I mean that's not doable. We will get to do the quests during the beta. Even when we do we still end up with quests being bugged and a bug at the wrong spot can end up stopping everyone's leveling.

The things they can encrypt the most are the cinematics, and especially the text that goes with them.

[Raetary]

I somehow doubt they'll encrypt much outside of the stuff related to the overarching narrative.
So, cinematics, cutscenes, spoiler texts and dialogue and whatever the big campaign is going to be.

The Tuskarr lvling quests in Azure Span for example, i can't see Blizzard deeming that important/spoilery enough.

[Nightshade711]

I somehow doubt they'll encrypt much outside of the stuff related to the overarching narrative.

The Tuskarr lvling quests for example, i can't see Blizzard deeming that important/spoilery enough.

Sorry the Tuskaar are actually the main antagonists to the story.

[Hugnomo]

As someone who's obsessed with Blizzard's art style, I can't wait to see new and updated character models (as well as other new creatures, props, etc).
I want to see Alexstrasza's new model and its every detail, Kalecgos, and I'm especially curious as to who else will get a new model. We don't really know which characters will have a big role this expansion. We know Khadgar, Wrathion, Tyrande. Tyrande and Wrathion's models are pretty new still, I guess maybe Kahdgar might get a new one, they seemed to have wanted to emphasize his aging in his latest appearance in Shadowlands.

[Ersula]

Yeah 200 files is too big, we'll have one mounts, 5 cloaks, one battle pet, one hearthstone, and that's it I guess ?

That pretty much confirms an allied race as pre-order bonus: A file for each piece of heritage armor, a file for each character customization option, A file for each generic npc added to Org, etc.

[Raetary]

Sorry the Tuskaar are actually the main antagonists to the story.

Understandable, Ion did call them titan+++++ gods.

Azeroth must stand united against the Walrus threat!

[Valysar]

That pretty much confirms an allied race as pre-order bonus: A file for each piece of heritage armor, a file for each character customization option, A file for each generic npc added to Org, etc.

Ah yeah lol, completely forgot about the allied race.

[wowrefugee]

That pretty much confirms an allied race as pre-order bonus: A file for each piece of heritage armor, a file for each character customization option, A file for each generic npc added to Org, etc.

lmao

What?

Edit: sorry, I’m just incredulous that you were able to get all of that simply from the number of files encrypted.

Armor is not as simple as 1 file = 1 piece of armor.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

lmao

What?

Inbefore he rages about a not happening Allied race. I mean it could happen but its unlikely.

[Makabreska]

lmao

What?

It's Ersula. He operates on a different plane of thought. Plus DF reveal broke him a little.

[Makorus]

I mean, we dont even know if its anything preorder related. The only reason people think they are is because they are encrypted with the same key.

[Ersula]

I mean, we dont even know if its anything preorder related. The only reason people think they are is because they are encrypted with the same key.

That's exactly what that means: If they're encrypted with the same key that means they will all become unencrypted when Blizzard's servers submit that key to live servers. If there were unlocked at different points there would be different keys.

It's Ersula. He operates on a different plane of thought. Plus DF reveal broke him a little.

Armor is not as simple as 1 file = 1 piece of armor.

Do you have a better explanation for 200+ encrypted files? Still, a set of armor is about 30 files. Each racial customization option is a file, etc.

Quest chains aren't that many different files, but racial assets are.

[wowrefugee]

That's exactly what that means: If they're encrypted with the same key that means they will all become unencrypted when Blizzard's servers submit that key to live servers. If there were unlocked at different points there would be different keys.


Do you have a better explanation for 200+ encrypted files? Still, a set of armor is about 30 files. Each racial customization option is a file, etc.

Quest chains aren't that many different files, but racial assets are.

Look at how many items are encrypted with the key for the encrypted armor set.

It’s like, 400.

The sprite darter set was even more files.


If heritage armor for the allied race is in the game, it’s gonna have to be the encrypted set, and the races will have to share it

[Nightshade711]

That's exactly what that means: If they're encrypted with the same key that means they will all become unencrypted when Blizzard's servers submit that key to live servers. If there were unlocked at different points there would be different keys.


Do you have a better explanation for 200+ encrypted files? Still, a set of armor is about 30 files. Each racial customization option is a file, etc.

Quest chains aren't that many different files, but racial assets are.

From what we’ve seen in the files the cloaks have five variations.
If they give full transmog sets & the variations instead of just cloaks then that would fully explain why there’s so many files.
Like what you said 30 files per armor set, 5 armor sets.

Plus if they have any extra effects on them like the astral set on the store that would get us close to 200 if not a bit more.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I mean it makes sense to signify all Dragonflights with the Collector's Edition and it also adds an extra flair.

I mean with the confirmation on Dragonflight based Shorts, it would make a lot of sense for the marketing to go all-in on which Flight you identify with.

[Sondrelk]

From what we’ve seen in the files the cloaks have five variations.
If they give full transmog sets & the variations instead of just cloaks then that would fully explain why there’s so many files.
Like what you said 30 files per armor set, 5 armor sets.

Plus if they have any extra effects on them like the astral set on the store that would get us close to 200 if not a bit more.

Don't forget the mount, which could easily add on another 10-20 on its own, or the backpack which comes in five variants and likely counts for 3-5 each

[Nymrohd]

I mean it makes sense to signify all Dragonflights with the Collector's Edition and it also adds an extra flair.

I mean with the confirmation on Dragonflight based Shorts, it would make a lot of sense for the marketing to go all-in on which Flight you identify with.

I don't know, I'd get that narrative if they had done Dragonflight covenants but that's not the story this time. We don't really pick a flight in any way. I actually think they may focus on making it look Draconic. Not even sure there will be Aspects by the end of this; perhaps instead of one dragon being supercharged they will end up choosing to spread the power among all to avoid the danger of a rogue aspect. Plus it's likely other flights will be joining in; the Nether is the obvious pick but the elemental drakes and the storm drakes are also options.

[Sondrelk]

I don't know, I'd get that narrative if they had done Dragonflight covenants but that's not the story this time. We don't really pick a flight in any way. I actually think they may focus on making it look Draconic. Not even sure there will be Aspects by the end of this; perhaps instead of one dragon being supercharged they will end up choosing to spread the power among all to avoid the danger of a rogue aspect. Plus it's likely other flights will be joining in; the Nether is the obvious pick but the elemental drakes and the storm drakes are also options.

The wildcard in this debate are the Dracthyr though. Makes sense that much of the cosmetic stuff surrounding the expansion would keep in mind how you can choose any of the five main colors for you character. Make it just red for instance and you are clashing with the four other Dracthyr variants.

It's a similar deal to why Maghar got several variants of their heritage set despite no other AR getting the same treatment. It's to make it less likely to clash with your base appearance.