Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Cheezits]

I really, really, REALLY doubt we are ever going offplanet again for an entire expansion again after Shadowlands and the reception to it being too alien and disconnected from Azeroth.

The only thing we have connecting us to K'aresh is Ethereals we met in TBC, Xal who may be working for Dimensius, and Void Elves being transformed by the Shadowguard. That's it. I doubt it could be varied enough for a whole expansion, and even if they got creative they would run the risk of alienating people who like being on Azeroth.

[Merryck]

What if Ka'resh is like the Demon Hunter starting experience but for Ethereals? Or Dracthyr. And we end up revisiting it in a future patch.

[Aucald]

What if Ka'resh is like the Demon Hunter starting experience but for Ethereals?

Demon Hunters have their start on the ruined remains of the planet Mardum, yes. Mardum was shattered by Sargeras to release those demons he had previously held captive when he worked as the Pantheon's guardian. If they were to introduce playable Ethereals, I'd expect the remnants of K'aresh would make an ideal starting scenario for them.

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Reason I'm thinking Midnight is due to the whole Dimensius connection, and also isn't it supposed to involve like portals for the Void/Shadow to invade? Feels kinda like Legion basically.

Feels a bit odd to involve a world that's tied that much to a void lord to the expansion after we deal with the void/shadow.

I don't think we know if Dimensius specifically is involved with the plot of Midnight, but if so it would give us good reason to at least see K'aresh to some degree, sure. It'll kind of come down to which of the Void Lords is writing Xal'atath's checks, so to speak; it could be Dimensius but it could just easily be one of their others, or even none of them if Xal'atath is scheming on her own.

[Joshuaj]

I really, really, REALLY doubt we are ever going offplanet again for an entire expansion again after Shadowlands and the reception to it being too alien and disconnected from Azeroth.

The only thing we have connecting us to K'aresh is Ethereals we met in TBC, Xal who may be working for Dimensius, and Void Elves being transformed by the Shadowguard. That's it. I doubt it could be varied enough for a whole expansion, and even if they got creative they would run the risk of alienating people who like being on Azeroth.

Shadowlands failed cause it wasn't built up, and people weren't accustomed to the afterlife setting, especially as an expansion.

Argus, the Dream, etc work cause we know those locations, and going there for a patch doesn't automatically alienate the fanbase.

Seriously, it's been over 20 years now. Why is going off world suddenly a problem here?

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The Void is invading, and Ethereals are everywhere. Lemme see K'aresh.

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Demon Hunters have their start on the ruined remains of the planet Mardum, yes. Mardum was shattered by Sargeras to release those demons he had previously held captive when he worked as the Pantheon's guardian. If they were to introduce playable Ethereals, I'd expect the remnants of K'aresh would make an ideal starting scenario for them.

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I don't think we know if Dimensius specifically is involved with the plot of Midnight, but if so it would give us good reason to at least see K'aresh to some degree, sure. It'll kind of come down to which of the Void Lords is writing Xal'atath's checks, so to speak; it could be Dimensius but it could just easily be one of their others, or even none of them if Xal'atath is scheming on her own.

Locus Walker hinted at Dimensius back in the prepatch for TWW. I think we're gonna see the Void Lord next expac.

God, I really want to see a Void Lord. Idc if we'll never see a First One. A Void Lord or a Light Lord is what I wanna see. Lemme punch non-existence in the face!

[KOUNTERPARTS]

I mean, in a Void based expac where we might end up facing Dimensius in some way, why not utilize K'aresh? Shit, we've been to Argus, the Dream, Ny'alotha, Zereth Mortis, etc. K'aresh makes sense.

It has nothing to do with "making sense" and I didn't even say it didn't make sense. My reasoning has nothing to do to the places we've been before, not to mention how Blizzard botched some of those locations like Argus and Ny'alotha. We very well may end up facing any void lord, sure.

I'd still prefer it if we kept it on Azeroth the way it was described to us by Metzen when it was announced even though we probably will go to K'aresh or some other location.

Seriously, it's been over 20 years now. Why is going off world suddenly a problem here?

I have no clue how you are equivalating people preferring not wanting to go to another planet with having a problem with going to other worlds.

I really, really, REALLY doubt we are ever going offplanet again for an entire expansion again after Shadowlands and the reception to it being too alien and disconnected from Azeroth.

Not being on Azeroth had nothing to do with Shadowlands' reception.

[huth]

Demon Hunters have their start on the ruined remains of the planet Mardum, yes. Mardum was shattered by Sargeras to release those demons he had previously held captive when he worked as the Pantheon's guardian. If they were to introduce playable Ethereals, I'd expect the remnants of K'aresh would make an ideal starting scenario for them.

They could even have it happen shortly after the destruction with your character having to come to grips with what happened, then do a time skip like the DHs.

Maybe you got stuck in a void pocket for a thousand years or needed to go into stasis for a while. Shouldn't be too difficult to come up with something that makes sense in context.

[Joshuaj]

It has nothing to do with "making sense" and I didn't even say it didn't make sense. My reasoning has nothing to do to the places we've been before, not to mention how Blizzard botched some of those locations like Argus and Ny'alotha. We very well may end up facing any void lord, sure.

I'd still prefer it if we kept it on Azeroth the way it was described to us by Metzen when it was announced even though we probably will go to K'aresh or some other location.



I have no clue how you are equivalating people preferring not wanting to go to another planet with having a problem with going to other worlds.



Not being on Azeroth had nothing to do with Shadowlands' reception.

Setting wise, a lot of people hated not being on Azeroth for a whole expansion. That only added onto SL's bad reception. Also, Metzen said we'd return to the old world in the Worldsoul Saga. He never said we'd stay on Azeroth throughout all of Midnight. Heck, his statement on us uniting with the forces of the Light to banish the Shadow forever holds massive cosmic implications.

Also, not preferring to go off world and disliking going to other worlds can be synonymous in the right context. This is arguably one of those contexts.

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In more relevant topics

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Seeing K'aresh as a sprawling Arabian type of society, lush and beautiful, before it eventually crumbles and you have to undergo the whole Ethereal bandaging thing, would be cool as hell. Really, really cool.

Not sure they'd be able to turn them into a playable race though. What would you even customise, the colours of your arcane form and bandages?

I would actually love this. Imagine a K'aresh raid in Midnight, and it's basically a mixture of dark Arabian architecture, and dark Void temples with lots of purple and whatnot.

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I was thinking something like this, but with Arabic architecture, and maybe a lil less sci-fi elements. All the sci-fi magitech stuff can be saved for the Titans, the Eredar, and the Legion (That is, unless Blizzard pulls a Beast Machines and gives us an Organic Vs Technological conflict in a potential Life Realm expac).

[Cheezits]

Seeing K'aresh as a sprawling Arabian type of society, lush and beautiful, before it eventually crumbles and you have to undergo the whole Ethereal bandaging thing, would be cool as hell. Really, really cool.

Not sure they'd be able to turn them into a playable race though. What would you even customise, the colours of your arcane form and bandages?

https://bsky.app/profile/keyboardtur.../3ldplwmig2c2v

This thread on Bluesky details the "variations" on the new ethereal models. Two body types, wrapping styles for different body parts, wrapping color, color of body energy are the current variations.

Also the fact they have six skin colors is TELLING.

https://bsky.app/profile/keyboardtur.../3ldpmlo5tws2v

[Khaza-R]

Not sure they'd be able to turn them into a playable race though. What would you even customise, the colours of your arcane form and bandages?

They could easily give them masks for people who a face to customize.

[Golden Yak]

They could easily give them masks for people who a face to customize.

Yeah, I want funerary mask-like faces, with mostly static but some mobile elements. Like Transformers faces.

[Limayria]

It's so weird seeing people wanting to stay on azeroth forever, Warcraft 2 and three involved another planet, wow first expansion was to another planet, over half of the playable races are aliens or descdents of alien intervention

Shadowlands failed because it was a total ass pull but an expansion taking us into space could be really incredible, imagine our player hub being the azeorthian space fleet of TK the exodar, the vindicar, the fel hammer and potentially ulduar assuming it is a big ass ship city like some people are theorizing

[Cheezits]

It's so weird seeing people wanting to stay on azeroth forever, Warcraft 2 and three involved another planet, wow first expansion was to another planet, over half of the playable races are aliens or descdents of alien intervention

Shadowlands failed because it was a total ass pull but an expansion taking us into space could be really incredible, imagine our player hub being the azeorthian space fleet of TK the exodar, the vindicar, the fel hammer and potentially ulduar assuming it is a big ass ship city like some people are theorizing

What's the difference between Shadowlands and a WoW expansion taking place in the Plopsnart galaxy featuring new alien races like the Fleeblefloop, Porpporps and Ganglegoos?

I admit that there is room to elaborate on the various demon races, but I think a space expansion with entirely new worlds would flop hard regardless of what characters we go with. People want to be on Azeroth. One fourth of TBC was Azeroth featuring a very important Azeroth race (Blood Elves). Of the three most disliked expansions, 2 of them never have you step foot in Azeroth during the MSQ.

[Ersula]

People want to be on Azeroth.

Honestly I'm sick of azeroth. Half of the Warcraft games take place on Draernor, so it's never been a one world franchise. I'm firm that people didn't hate Shadowlands for the worldbuilding, they hated it for everything else. So I don't think the lack of Azeroth representation is what held Shadowlands back, considering almost all of Shadowlands characters were from Azeroth.

My actual controversial opinion is that the setting should just combine with Starcraft. They aren't doing anything with that franchise & the Warcraft characters suddenly having to interact with a technological civilization, without magic, would be really interesting. The Xel'naga & Old Gods are fundamentally the same things anyway.

[Joshuaj]

What's the difference between Shadowlands and a WoW expansion taking place in the Plopsnart galaxy featuring new alien races like the Fleeblefloop, Porpporps and Ganglegoos?

I admit that there is room to elaborate on the various demon races, but I think a space expansion with entirely new worlds would flop hard regardless of what characters we go with. People want to be on Azeroth. One fourth of TBC was Azeroth featuring a very important Azeroth race (Blood Elves). Of the three most disliked expansions, 2 of them never have you step foot in Azeroth during the MSQ.

Ngl, WoW shouldn't be relegated to Azeroth. I wanna go off world.

[Limayria]

What's the difference between Shadowlands and a WoW expansion taking place in the Plopsnart galaxy featuring new alien races like the Fleeblefloop, Porpporps and Ganglegoos?

I admit that there is room to elaborate on the various demon races, but I think a space expansion with entirely new worlds would flop hard regardless of what characters we go with. People want to be on Azeroth. One fourth of TBC was Azeroth featuring a very important Azeroth race (Blood Elves). Of the three most disliked expansions, 2 of them never have you step foot in Azeroth during the MSQ.

And two of those dislike expansions had completely separate massive issues, like WoD being abandoned half way and shadowlands being made during the height of the abuse scandal and covid, along with being choke full of terrible design choices

[Seasz]

Midnight and TLL should both have 3 patches like BFA and Legion

[Mecheon]

https://bsky.app/profile/keyboardtur.../3ldplwmig2c2v

This thread on Bluesky details the "variations" on the new ethereal models. Two body types, wrapping styles for different body parts, wrapping color, color of body energy are the current variations.

Also the fact they have six skin colors is TELLING.

Skin cdolours isn't really telling. The nerubians have a bunch of skin colours but they're not playable, and the haranir only have two skin colours but they look like they're going to end up being playable

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Yeah, I want funerary mask-like faces, with mostly static but some mobile elements. Like Transformers faces.

I disagree; I think there's way to give them variety in their customization without needing facemasks that don't really mesh with their appearance as it currently is. I think different arrangements of bandages on the face would be one thing, and the most obvious and visible differences would come from coloration, the arrangement of bandages on the body, and different ways the loose ones are handled (e.g. flying freely in different formations, tied up in a knot by the head, etc.). These ought to provide a good deal of room to immediately distinguish different ethereals from one another, especially if the options are sufficiently numerous. Different kinds of Arabic or Egyptian jewelry and adornments could also be used now that jewelry options are on the table.

I've also seen the point come up before that the lack of face might make them less easy to connect with, but I don't think that should be an issue; if the body language is endearing and distinctive enough, there should be enough identity in the characters even without faces. It'd take longer to develop that connection, but it could still be fostered without a visible face or face supplement.

[Ersula]

Skin cdolours isn't really telling. The nerubians have a bunch of skin colours but they're not playable, and the haranir only have two skin colours but they look like they're going to end up being playable

Indeed. I was pointing this out with Earthen. Drakthyr, Earthen, Mechagnomes, etc have over 250+ possible customization combinations, per body type. All playable races have over 150. Nerubians, Venthyr, Gnolls, Harronir, have well under 100. Ethereal have under that. If we see them get more over the next few patches, its playable race time.

Personally I'm predicting & hoping they're the playable Midnight race, but they're adding them now because they'll be a pre-order bonus.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Ngl, WoW shouldn't be relegated to Azeroth. I wanna go off world.

Heroically, we delve into the Realm of Life, conveniently dominated by the same number of realms as the Shadowlands because that makes for the best leveling experience. There we will meet all of the personality-deprived homunculi that rule their respective slices of the realm, entirely dependent on us adventurers to rescue them from their own stupidity, and the evil traitor among their ranks who wants to open the thingamajig so he can ravage our poor innocent world-soul for his own nebulous ends. In the end, the close-minded stupid ancient cosmic ancestral beings are humbled by the righteous path of Anduinism and learn that mortal judgments really can matter after all

Repeat for four more expansions.