Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Hitei]

I think this refers to Zaralek Caverns. Timing wise, the Naga begin their landing in 10.0.7, and 10.1.0 we go underground. If they're in league with Iridikron, we can assume they'd know we'd be led there.

I believe this is a common misconception. The organization of the document seems to imply that the ones toiling are the "Children of the First Flesh" gathered by the Harbinger. Wherever they are is not Zaralek, particularly since Zaralek comes after Forbidden Reach.

The Naga say that they are going to go to the dragon isles while "they" are toiling, and Zaralek comes after they have already been on the Forbidden Reach.

[Dracullus]

It is interesting that the Earthen that Odyn sent to Khaz Algar started acting similar as our dwarves (i.e. the ones that are post curse of flesh).

They were also investigating "fissures" detected in the sector, and that fissure is also described as an "anomaly"

My guesses:

- This continent was domain of 5th Old God
- Xalatath is 5th Old God, she got trapped in dagger before Titans arrived first time
- now N'zoth is trapped in dagger and has his own plans
- They will pull usual soft retcon "You though N'zoth is behind curse of flesh, but actually it's this new thing!"
- Thrall, Magni, Vyranoth will
- expac will launch with Shamans for every race; Paladins and Druids will be dealt in 10.2.5 and 10.2.7.

Biggest issue I see is potential 2nd "expedition" expansion in the row, which would be awful. It needs to be "world is ending and answer to save Azeroth is in this continent" type of expac.

How are you always so desperate for a secret narrative?

This is the same as every other expansion. We knew about the Dragonflight reward mount months before the expansion was announced.

I try to be logical. Now you will see people talking only about Khaz Algar/Avaloren and whole revamp discussion will be cut - across whole community (I mean invested part that speculate about expac). Intentional or not, it WILL manage expectations for next expac and revealing Avaloren while community convinced themselves revamp is coming WOULD be disaster.

[Hitei]

Also, I wonder if this gryphon roost is a Khaz Algar gryphon roost instead of a Wildhammer one like I assumed when naming it. Hmm!

Feels pretty standard Bronzebeard/Wildhammer. Though location and lighting does wonders for something fitting in. It's not like Wildhammer Stronghold looks out of place in Shadowmoon Valley despite it just being standard vanilla asset dwarf stuff.

[pacotaco]

If the next xpac is at the back of the world, it would be nice if the world map becomes a globe you can spin.

Maybe it's a "double map". If you click on the left side of the map, it load the map of the other side.
That's why they moved Kalimdor to the center, to make room for the clickable part of the new continent.

[Cheezits]

So basically all the lore books were about the direct sequel to DF and not the far future.

The dwarfs are probably the "children of the first flesh" and are getting enslaved/manipulated by Xal, who was set up through the Iri cutscene, pointing to her being the main villain and not Azshara.

[Imotbh]

I suppose this will be our Algarian gryphon

[Nymrohd]

Also, not saying this will happen or anything but a low grade visual update with minimal other changes could happen regardless of what the expac is. heck if you tie it to some evergreen feature it could even start happening in 10.2.5 (because if it is a simple update that respects zone borders, it can absolutely be partial just like Arathi was).

[ro9ue]

So let me get this straight. The 5 books I picked up in the DF prepatch from the Uldaman runs were the blatant hint for the next expansion after? lol

[Cheezits]

Maybe the theme will be the main races are versions of Humans/Gnomes/Dwarves similar to Wrath, as they all got fleshified?

And that's the meta reason it's themed after Avalon: its partially a human kingdom.

[Sondrelk]

That's more likely than a revamp at this point.

God, that "Frontier" shit is going to be housing on Avaloren

Certainly hope not. Any player housing not in an evergreen area would need significant amounts of resources put into it to be worthwhile beyond the expansion. And will probably more likely go the way of Garrisons. Taking up too much dev time to the detriment of the remaining expansion, then abandoned completely once the expansion ends.

Player housing needs to be as close to SW and Orgrimmar as possible to work long term.

[Nymrohd]

Feels pretty standard Bronzebeard/Wildhammer. Though location and lighting does wonders for something fitting in. It's not like Wildhammer Stronghold looks out of place in Shadowmoon Valley despite it just being standard vanilla asset dwarf stuff.

It could always be an asset for an HD version of Alterac Valley and/or Twin peaks. While I still want a revamp, old BGs NEED a revamp. BGs are evergreen and thus current content and people are going daily into AV with graphics that are nearly two decades old.

[Hitei]

Also, not saying this will happen or anything but a low grade visual update with minimal other changes could happen regardless of what the expac is. heck if you tie it to some evergreen feature it could even start happening in 10.2.5 (because if it is a simple update that respects zone borders, it can absolutely be partial just like Arathi was).

Yeah but what does that actually accomplish? I feel like 'nobody' really wants a revamp just to have higher poly buildings, nicer ground textures and better trees.

Part of the group wants mass-scale story updates for what is going on in the old world, the other part wants to see the zones in modern design space, huge and intricate, another part wants most of the content to be in the base world so that they can attempt to recapture the large-world feeling of Vanilla.

[Dismayxz]

Come to think of it. With Nym mentioning the Great Rift or Great Fissure or whatever.

Anyone else getting the vibe that we'll get the XXL Version of those Iron Dwarf Fissures we had in Grizzly Hills?

[Hitei]

It could always be an asset for an HD version of Alterac Valley and/or Twin peaks. While I still want a revamp, old BGs NEED a revamp. BGs are evergreen and thus current content and people are going daily into AV with graphics that are nearly two decades old.

Yeah. I pointed out a while back that a big chunk of the assets that were in the recent few sets of asset updates are all things that Isle of Conquest makes use of. Catapults, demos, siege engines, normal stormwind ships and northrend icebreakers.

[vintage79]

WoW Avaloren / dark side of azeroth

Cinematic:
a dwarf on a griffin gives chase to an orc on a vivern - they get caught in a storm - they keep flying - they crash 'somewhere' bam - PandaLand 2.0

When the curtain fell, the audience was still in shock.

[Cheezits]

I suppose this will be our Algarian gryphon

You have to wonder what the green magic is representing. Life? Decay? Necromancy? Spirit?

[Sondrelk]

Yeah but what does that actually accomplish? I feel like 'nobody' really wants a revamp just to have higher poly buildings, nicer ground textures and better trees.

Part of the group wants mass-scale story updates for what is going on in the old world, the other part wants to see the zones in modern design space, huge and intricate, another part wants most of the content to be in the base world so that they can attempt to recapture the large-world feeling of Vanilla.

A World Revamp needs at least some actual content to be worthwhile, otherwise you are just making a nicer backdrop for players to sometimes fly past on their way to old dungeons.

[Hitei]

So basically all the lore books were about the direct sequel to DF and not the far future.

The dwarfs are probably the "children of the first flesh" and are getting enslaved/manipulated by Xal, who was set up through the Iri cutscene, pointing to her being the main villain and not Azshara.

I'm gonna laugh when the reason why the silhouette seen in Dawn of the Infinite has night elf ears is that it's not Xal'atath or Azshara, and the "Harbinger" has just been Elune's avatar this entire time.

[Nymrohd]

Yeah but what does that actually accomplish? I feel like 'nobody' really wants a revamp just to have higher poly buildings, nicer ground textures and better trees.

Part of the group wants mass-scale story updates for what is going on in the old world, the other part wants to see the zones in modern design space, huge and intricate, another part wants most of the content to be in the base world so that they can attempt to recapture the large-world feeling of Vanilla.

Could just be that they want to do a lot of side stories in the old world and feel restrained by the old graphics. So a lot of quests like the heritage ones, just placed in updated old zones.
It really is just an idea.

[Sauredfangs]

Maybe it's a "double map". If you click on the left side of the map, it load the map of the other side.
That's why they moved Kalimdor to the center, to make room for the clickable part of the new continent.

Im still waiting for them to add islands on the west of the Maelstrom. I've just always had this impression that the maelstrom is in the center of the world.