Dragonflight 10.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Keep in mind the "game files" only going to 10.2.5 is based on info from November/December 2022. Not saying it's wrong or anything, just to take that with a grain of salt as plans can change both ways (less patches, more patches).

Well, I am speaking more specifically to the eerie coincidence of a Second Season mount being added in a x.2 patch that happened with 9.2 and now is happening again with 10.2.

[Marlamin]

Well, I am speaking more specifically to the eerie coincidence of a Second Season mount being added in a x.2 patch that happened with 9.2 and now is happening again with 10.2.

That's fair, just commenting on that specifically because some people are treating it as scripture.

[Nymrohd]

That's fair, just commenting on that specifically because some people are treating it as scripture.

I'd say at least as far as raids are concerned, my biggest indication is the Soridormi daily where you get to be a quest giver. In one of the quests you give, you send Aeonormu to effectively play an expansion which is described as having about three raids.

[Ersula]

However, it then goes on to state "right now he's supporting World of Warcraft leadership in crafting the next generation of adventures". That implies, at the very least, that he isn't hands on for retail development. He's supporting others who lead that.

So either he's heading up some unannounced project, OR, he's hands on working on Classic+.

Is there any good reason "The next generation of adventures" doesn't mean "retail's upcoming expansion" because it seems like that's the most obvious thing that statement would elude to.

Again I point to the fact about a year ago Retail WoW was actively looking for a Lead Narrative Director, despite Danuser fulfilling that role during Dragonflight. Danuser is handling a lot of the writing, but with Metzen being his boss. That points to the nature of Metzen's new title focusing on congruity between the warcraft properties and despite the wild claims people keep making about classic here, retail is the franchise's tentpole. Otherwise Metzen's title would have been "Creative Director with no reference to exactly what he was working on" People claiming Classic takes some sort of precedence over Retail have lost track of reality.

However, even Classic ties into the bigger picture. For one, you need somebody in charge to tell people what's OK or not with regards to respecting Classic and its lore. But I can't imagine his day to day job involves a lot of creative meetings around the lore of Classic (unless + is coming, of course).

If they really intend classic to progress at the same 2 year per rate per expansion, they'll probably have a big restart every 3 expansions. Season of Mastery+ with themeing like Diablo seasons: I hope they get really outlandish with it, say one time they reset, they let you play classic with the class race combinations they added in cataclysm, or legion style invasions etc.

Seasons of Mastery still don't require a dedicated executive creative director though.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I'd say at least as far as raids are concerned, my biggest indication is the Soridormi daily where you get to be a quest giver. In one of the quests you give, you send Aeonormu to effectively play an expansion which is described as having about three raids.

I have no words and I am confused, what the fuck Blizzard.

[Sondrelk]

I have no words and I am confused, what the fuck Blizzard.

I wouldnt think too hard about it. Last expansion had three raids, and I doubt the writers got orders from above to manage expectations for the future by specifying three raids only. If anything I would think it just as likely that they sat down to write and thought Three major patches with a raid = Three raids, obviously.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I wouldnt think too hard about it. Last expansion had three raids, and I doubt the writers got orders from above to manage expectations for the future by specifying three raids only. If anything I would think it just as likely that they sat down to write and thought Three major patches with a raid = Three raids, obviously.

I still doubt they will use Blizzcon stage to announce a negative Roadmap and bad business decisions. In Gamespot interview, we trust.

[Ersula]

I wouldnt think too hard about it. Last expansion had three raids, and I doubt the writers got orders from above to manage expectations for the future by specifying three raids only. If anything I would think it just as likely that they sat down to write and thought Three major patches with a raid = Three raids, obviously.

Shadowlands had three raids all with at least 10 bosses. I think that's a healthy amount. With 10.2, we haven't gotten quite as many bosses & based on how much left we have left in the standard 2 year cycle is why I think there will be a fourth. But I thought Shadowlands raids were the best part of that expansion. Am I alone in that feeling? It seems like the raids were the last thing people were complaining about Shadowlands.

Who wants to bet they alternate from this point on? Four Raids one expansion, then 3 raids & a fated season the next. That would be consistent with what happened in BFA.

[ImTheMizAwesome]

I think wow could use some 1 boss raid again to just kill some big bad, but blizzard is probably just thinking about these "world first" marathons..

[Cheezits]

I will say the recent stuff we have (Cata Classic, revampy assets, interview statements) goes against Classic+, just confused why the guy who usually knows things is banking so hard on it unless it's to bait engagement from the people who actually want it/the people on here.

[Nebron]

Danuser has completely reshaped Warcraft's cosmology to his own liking, and his new direction is appealing to a lot of people who aren't afraid of change. I bet even Metzen likes it because on twitter he never said anything negative about Danuser's new vision. Metzen even praised DF story several times.

I'm not afraid of change and yet, I'm still disappoinment with the story direction since Steven Danuser took the steering wheel.
And - since when the lack of criticism is equivalent to appreciation?

[milkmustache]

I will say the recent stuff we have (Cata Classic, revampy assets, interview statements) goes against Classic+, just confused why the guy who usually knows things is banking so hard on it unless it's to bait engagement from the people who actually want it/the people on here.

If you're referring to Towellie, it feels like a really strange hill to die on. A majority of the evidence opposes what he says, but he's very insistent. Regardless, as cool as Classic+ would be, I can't imagine splitting the playerbase more is something Blizzard would like to do right now. Hope for 11.0 revamp, expect new places whether it be islands, underground, Avaloren, or a combination of all 3. Hope for a version of Classic+, expect Cata Classic.

[Shadowferal]

A dead end that sells millions of copies per expansion, before sub fees, tokens, services and all?

Citation please.

[Ersula]

Citation please.

The Quarterly Investors' call. They haven't given DF's exact numbers but every recent expansion has sold between 3 and 4 million copies. Dragonflight definitely isn't so lower that expansions become irrelevant. Maybe if they announce the next expansion will be free it would.

If you're referring to Towellie, it feels like a really strange hill to die on. A majority of the evidence opposes what he says, but he's very insistent. Regardless, as cool as Classic+ would be, I can't imagine splitting the playerbase more is something Blizzard would like to do right now. Hope for 11.0 revamp, expect new places whether it be islands, underground, Avaloren, or a combination of all 3. Hope for a version of Classic+, expect Cata Classic.

People seem to be exaggerating what Towellie said: All he said is "This is very exciting for Classic Players" and people are acting like the metzen news means "Classic HD PLUS EXPANSION CONFIRMED"

[Shadowferal]

The Quarterly Investors' call. They haven't given DF's exact numbers...

Stop right there.
What you're saying is they had one good month or two that you know of out of the whole year. And maybe that could be expanded upon with a patch or two to maybe 5 months..6 months even. Should that paint a rosy picture here?

[Cheezits]

All he said is "This is very exciting for Classic Players" and people are acting like the metzen news means "Classic HD PLUS EXPANSION CONFIRMED"

How can this be framed in any way beyond "new content for Classic" when Classic currently is simply rereleases? Why would Classic players be excited about someone working on Retail?

You could argue he was saying "Classic players should be excited about Retail now" but that's not what he seems to be saying.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

People seem to be exaggerating what Towellie said: All he said is "This is very exciting for Classic Players" and people are acting like the metzen news means "Classic HD PLUS EXPANSION CONFIRMED"

?

I think he's just using Classic audience to bait them into thinking something is coming and then go "HAH 'GOTTEM" after Blizzcon Opening Ceremony, honestly.

It just completely contradicts the Gamespot interview.

[Nymrohd]

I have no words and I am confused, what the fuck Blizzard.

It's this fairly fun quest (A Multitude of Tasks) where Chromie asks you to do some trivial collect task and you tell her to go do it herself so you take up her spot for the day giving quests to adventurers. One of the parts of the quest is Aeonormu coming to tell you about a time disturbance and I'll quote below

We just got reports of a new time anomaly!
A time ripple has caused the Titans to not visit Azeroth! We need to send adventurers to the titans to convince them to come to Azeroth! They will likely have to work very closely with the Titans in their original battle against the old gods, and get to know them really well.
We estimate it will take roughly two years for an adventurer to complete this. as they travel across proto-Azeroth and deal with roughly three large scale enemy strongholds!

So, deal with roughly three large scale enemy strongholds. So the dev who made this considers an expansion to have roughly three raids.

[Villager720]

Danuser has completely reshaped Warcraft's cosmology to his own liking, and his new direction is appealing to a lot of people who aren't afraid of change. I bet even Metzen likes it because on twitter he never said anything negative about Danuser's new vision. Metzen even praised DF story several times.

I actually have nothing against the expansion of the "Cosmology" - it's how poorly that undertaking has been handled from both a story and lore perspective.
Shadowlands completely negated core tenets of lore and culture across all Azeroth with only the most basic effort put in to explain the "inconsistencies".
If you want to appreciate how poorly this was really dealt with, watch the Nobbel-Danuser late SL's interview/Q/A. Nobbel repeatedly hits him with glaring inconsistencies and missteps and Steve has very poor answers and grows increasingly irritable as this continues.
That is a primary issue I think a lot of folks have with the WoW lore now - it feels hastily crafted for the "now" without consideration for what came before.
Danuser didn't invent the Shadowlands or the majority of the Warcraft cosmology - he poorly implemented.

And all of the above is not even touching on just how poorly much of the story has been told of late. Inconsistent character actions and dialogues abounded across both BFA and Shadowlands with both being primarily carried narratively by "mystery box" elements with very poor payoffs.

[milkmustache]

?

My interpretation of this was that Classic+ would be more likely than a WoW 2, opposed to a direct confirmation of Classic+ and rebuttal of a retail world revamp/overhaul.