Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[milkmustache]

My gut says this is real.

However, we never got any confirmation that Avaloren and Khaz Algar are in the same area. Avaloren is allegedly full of heretics, who have yet to be described as dwarves. Along with this, the "former earthen" like creatures described in the Khaz Algar field report book from Uldaman are said to have fallen under the influence of the flesh to at least some degree, where these look fully earthen to most extents.

I'm sure this will just be "unreliable narrator", though.

[ercarp]

Its all real, the only added part is avaloren text, and it's just screens from a revamped Eastern Kingdoms.

Aerie Peak, Hillebrand, badlands, and STV.

The bottom two screenshots could unironically be from revamped Durotar/Stonetalon Mountains and Un'Goro Crater.

[Selorian]

BFA was the most hype performance. If this leak is real, then the reaction will be like “Is that all KEK?"

If their whole presentation is just 4 images I too would be disappointed

[Paula Deen]

The amount of people crying that this one is fake are nuts. This is more definitive than Scale faces customization pics for Dracthyr.

If this is fake it is the single most convincing fake I have ever seen here. Ever. Like this is more definitive to me than the Shadowlands Picture of Bolvar.

[ercarp]

(Still surprised we don't have a Mok'nathal Allied Race based off this, btw.)

"Oh, you want Mok'nathal? Here, have an Agg'orand!"

[Lorca]

Might be draenei, but it reminds me more of rexxar model as base which uses kul'tiran like you mentioned

Every time I see this model I wonder how is it possible that it isn’t playable already.

[ImTheMizAwesome]

That's basically what I thought.

(Still surprised we don't have a Mok'nathal Allied Race based off this, btw.)

me too, mok'nathal and broken both would be a best AR fit after the race/heritage questlines in DF for both factions.

Then they can add ogres with nagas(with 2 forms) etc. as main races

But now there's a chance that we might just get tall dwarves with broken tusks on head, ogres goliaths from wish.

[locketto]

Its all real, the only added part is avaloren text, and it's just screens from a revamped Eastern Kingdoms.

Aerie Peak, Hillebrand, badlands, and STV.

What if rewamp world is classic+?

impossible?

[Ferlion]

"Oh, you want Mok'nathal? Here, have an Agg'orand!"

The name is another odd thing.

Aggorand is A) really kind of clunky for Blizzard, and B) I'm pretty sure the only time they've named a city/zone after a race has been Gnomes?.

Like Agg'ora as a race even. It just doesn't work.

It's like naming Gilneas Worgensville.

[bruxx]

I wonder if making zones less distinct is an inevitable side effect of higher resolution textures. Every zone in vanilla WoW had a distinct color palette and use of models.

BfA tried to go back to basics in some ways with its zones, and the zone design between it and Dragonflight is less iconic. Shadowlands was designed as alien.

That the zones in the "leak" are so reminiscent yet plausible is a sign of this.

To me the biggest thing since legion has been the lack of (forgive my lack of artistic vocabulary) contrast? It feels like every biome and sub-biome is aggressively one toned, and with colors that tend to either be not very vibrant to the point of forgetfulness (i.e: most of kul tiras, highmountain, revendreth) or aggressively vibrantly overwhelmingly one tone (ie: Ardenweald, Suramar). I can't quite articulate what it is exactly that changed, but in WoD and pandaria, each zone felt properly well defined - I could tell where I was from the color palette alone, and that stopped come legion (with the exception of Suramar and Ardenweald, which I couldn`t stomach after a point from the overwhelming blueness)

Maybe it's all in my head

[Murlocos]

I wonder if making zones less distinct is an inevitable side effect of higher resolution textures. Every zone in vanilla WoW had a distinct color palette and use of models.

BfA tried to go back to basics in some ways with its zones, and the zone design between it and Dragonflight is less iconic. Shadowlands was designed as alien.

That the zones in the "leak" are so reminiscent yet plausible is a sign of this.

Yeah, I think that's part of it as well. There seems to be a focus on higher resolution over stylization, and it leads to stuff like the new dryad and Keeper of the Grove models looking so detailed they feel out of place (aside from the more pressing issue of using the new centaur rigs). On the flip side, you have cases like the new drakes where their textures are so flat that it looks like they're covered in leather instead of scales unless you get very close to them.

I think Proletariat brought a large number of artists with them. I wonder how much keeping the art style intact has been a challenge as of late.

[ercarp]

Aggorand is A) really kind of clunky for Blizzard, and B) I'm pretty sure the only time they've named a city/zone after a race has been Gnomes?.

So is Avaloren.

I think it would sound so much better if it was just Avalore.

[Sondrelk]

The amount of people crying that this one is fake are nuts. This is more definitive than Scale faces customization pics for Dracthyr.

If this is fake it is the single most convincing fake I have ever seen here. Ever. Like this is more definitive to me than the Shadowlands Picture of Bolvar.

Nothing in any of those four pictures strike me as something Blizzard would be excited to show off. Which makes me question why we have these four images rather than one of the presumably exciting images of iconic locations, like the entrance to Khaz Algar, or the rift.
The fourth image maybe, but that is pretty weak compared to other filler images from stuff luke the DF announcement.

[Woggmer]

Isn't Alakir currently missing according to the Lore?

No, Al'akir is dead. Like...dead-dead.

His son Prince Thunderaan is the new wind lord. Though there is also a chance that Prince Sarsarun might be fighting for the position since the Conclave of Winds deemed him to be the worthy successor over Thunderaan until the shaman player "convinces" them otherwise.

[Ferlion]

So is Avaloren.

I think it would sound so much better if it was just Avalore.

There is a Disney show named Elena of Avalore.

Don't think Blizzard wants the smoke.

[milkmustache]

If we're looking at the design factor, Blizzard has been using centered text for the Dragonflight feature overviews. These overviews did not do any zone highlights (which were instead a part of the strange roundtable), but more of a general overview.



They did use this bottom justified text for the Shadowlands feature overviews, which highlighted the zones/afterlives. That being said, it's interesting they chose to specify "Avaloren" over each individual zone, which I suppose makes sense with it being a brand new continent reveal, but it would imply that there are other key features they'd want to highlight.

[Ashapls]

I wonder if making zones less distinct is an inevitable side effect of higher resolution textures. Every zone in vanilla WoW had a distinct color palette and use of models.

BfA tried to go back to basics in some ways with its zones, and the zone design between it and Dragonflight is less iconic. Shadowlands was designed as alien.

That the zones in the "leak" are so reminiscent yet plausible is a sign of this.

The environment artists have a tendency to make things more realistic, and they can lose that fantasy element that classic, wrath, and even mists had.

I think with Dragonflight it’s also a symptom of the gigantic zones. I personally like it a lot more, but imagine expanding west fall 10times its size. You’re going to have to diversify it from a barren field zone at a certain point since Tanaris is already in the game.

[Paula Deen]

Nothing in any of those four pictures strike me as something Blizzard would be excited to show off. Which makes me question why we have these four images rather than one of the presumably exciting images of iconic locations, like the entrance to Khaz Algar, or the rift.
The fourth image maybe, but that is pretty weak compared to other filler images from stuff luke the DF announcement.

Most shots from the teaser trailers they've produced, Kultiras, Broken Isles, are just boring shots of stuff. This isn't fake because subjectively you disagree it is mundane.

[Well Done Steak]

Its definitely is real.

That direhorn is an adult version of the pet from time incursions, from the titan vendor I think.

[Ashapls]

If we're looking at the design factor, Blizzard has been using centered text for the Dragonflight feature overviews. These overviews did not do any zone highlights (which were instead a part of the strange roundtable), but more of a general overview.



They did use this bottom justified text for the Shadowlands feature overviews, which highlighted the zones/afterlives. That being said, it's interesting they chose to specify "Avaloren" over each individual zone, which I suppose makes sense with it being a brand new continent reveal, but it would imply that there are other key features they'd want to highlight.

Avaloren leak can be from a rough draft. I wouldn’t have the lettering play a huge part in denying or affirming anything.