Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Hearthfinder]

Oh man they definitely have a chance to reveal Lions in the Arathi area, that would be great.

Imagine if there are lions on Avaloren, and the symbol somehow made its way through the legends of the past. Maybe some people returned from across the sea during Stormwind's founding or something.

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That brings up a good point- they did it with Arathi. So I think we may get dual faction stories in the zones. Consider:

Eversong: Quel/Rendorei and Sindorei
Ghostlands: Forsaken and Human (or Night Elf)
Amani: Troll and Dwarf (if Wildhammer)

Separate stories, but cooperation, and the same zone instead of being split like BFA.

Would love that outcome for sure.

[milkmustache]

That brings up a good point- they did it with Arathi. So I think we may get dual faction stories in the zones. Consider:

Eversong: Quel/Rendorei and Sindorei
Ghostlands: Forsaken and Human (or Night Elf)
Amani: Troll and Dwarf (if Wildhammer)

Separate stories, but cooperation, and the same zone instead of being split like BFA.

A huge part of me fears those days are behind us (even though Legacy of Arathor was split), but one can hope.

A potential Eastern Plaguelands zone could also be Forsaken/Human, maybe they dedicate 2 zones to Quel/Ren and Sin'dorei. Quel'danas could be the same quests for both factions.

[Makorus]

The phoenix isn't just of Kael'thas, it's the poster animal of the Sunstrider dynasty and the official eblem of Quel'thalas.
It is also the most iconic spell that blood mages are known for, which is why Kael'thas uses them in the first place.

Phoenix iconography is plastered everywhere where Blood elves settle around.
You can't walk 10 yards around silvermoon without seeing it, even their architecture, those wings on their towers are phoenix wings, same on winged window decorations.

The Sunfury Spire is literally modeled after their eblem.

Yeah, I get that, but that doesn't mean that the phoenix is the go-to mount for a Silvermoon expansion. The iconography for Stormwind are lions and there is exactly two Lions in the game. If they made a Stormwind-themed expansion, I would expect horses, not Lions.

Silvermoon has always been mostly dragonhawks. Outside of symbolisms, phoenixes weren't really a thing until Kael'thas.

It's just weird to say "phoenixes are a missed opportunity" when it was always going to be hawkstriders/dragonhawks (depending on if there was a new ground mount system).

[Cheezits]

Forsaken and Night Elf would have so much potential, and also seething from traditionalists, so I am looking forward to that if it's true. They already teed it up with Voss and Shandris being friends.

However if Darkhan truly is the villain there then Rendorei would be a better alliance fit.

[Hearthfinder]

How will they even approach the soundtrack? So much iconic music. Do you think they will just re-record a lot of it, or will it feel new and contain small fragments of the old music for nostalgia? I can't wait till we get to hear it during datamining, around the new year.

[Cheezits]

How will they even approach the soundtrack? So much iconic music. Do you think they will just re-record a lot of it, or will it feel new and contain small fragments of the old music for nostalgia? I can't wait till we get to hear it during datamining, around the new year.

Probably new renditions of the classic tracks, with more instrumentals vs synths, and then some extra tracks.

[G2IG]

The Midnight Expansion date should be released around August 25. That being said, the launch might not be as soon.

[Makorus]

They are either going to reveal the release date a few months later, or immediately, they aren't going to wait until a week after reveal.

[milkmustache]

They are either going to reveal the release date a few months later, or immediately, they aren't going to wait until a week after reveal.

Yea, completely agree here. We'll get the release date either towards 11.2.5/7 territory, or at Gamescom. As for the launch? I'm still expecting late February/early March.

[Hearthfinder]

Probably new renditions of the classic tracks, with more instrumentals vs synths, and then some extra tracks.

Yeah, that's probably it.

The Midnight Expansion date should be released around August 25. That being said, the launch might not be as soon.

They are either going to reveal the release date a few months later, or immediately, they aren't going to wait until a week after reveal.

I think they'll have to drop the alpha around September or October at the latest, surely?

Add about 5 months on top of that and we're in the Feb-March territory. I think that makes sense!

[Ersula]

The Midnight Expansion date should be released around August 25. That being said, the launch might not be as soon.

We don't normally know the actual release date until the Beta. Even Dragonflight, which was revealed super late & had the shortest duration between announcement & release didn't know the release date until well into the Beta.

[Cheezits]

We don't normally know the actual release date until the Beta. Even Dragonflight, which was revealed super late & had the shortest duration between announcement & release didn't know the release date until well into the Beta.

Except we are now following the saga model with concurrent development and accelerated patches, so you can expect it to be two months or so after 11.2.7 which is right before Winter.

I think the reveal will show that Midnight is WAY in development due to the saga model and we may even get beta access in 11.2.5/11.2.7 with a certain purchase tier. Although it didn't mention that in the datamine.

[Makorus]

I wouldn't be surprised if we do get the release date at Gamescom. We did know that the DF Release date window from leaks before the reveal, and I doubt that was an educated guess because literally everyone was doubting that date.

Plus, with DF/TWW we did get an accelerated Testing phase, so I wouldn't be surprised at a late January release

[Ersula]

Except we are now following the saga model with concurrent development and accelerated patches, so you can expect it to be two months or so after 11.2.7 which is right before Winter.

I think the reveal will show that Midnight is WAY in development due to the saga model and we may even get beta access in 11.2.5/11.2.7 with a certain purchase tier. Although it didn't mention that in the datamine.

The same was true for Legion but that didn't effect the alpha or beta. You're suggesting the alpha has already secretly started which is not true. They won't know an actual release date until the Beta.

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I wouldn't be surprised if we do get the release date at Gamescom. We did know that the DF Release date window from leaks before the reveal, and I doubt that was an educated guess because literally everyone was doubting that date.

Plus, with DF/TWW we did get an accelerated Testing phase, so I wouldn't be surprised at a late January release

That might be possible but every time they did that....they also had to change the release date later.

So if they do give us a specific release date with the reveal.... they might as well say "Definitely not coming out xx.xx.xx"

[Wangming]

Yeah i don't think full blown sliders will ever happen 100%.

Height size slider would be fun tho, they could use the "Elixir of Giant Growth" as a measure to how tall your character can get.

Body types would nice too, like orcs getting option to be as buff as garrosh model was, kultirans getting thintirans etc.

Not to bring up THAT game again, but in FFXIV you have a height slider, ear length slider, when applicable a tail length slider and for female characters a breast slider.
I'll admit that Wow likely has more skeletons to work with, but sliders are possible with an engine that was made when Cataclysm was the current wow expansion.
As a rush job. That was also design to work with the limits of the PS3.

So yes, sliders are possible.

But if we could get emaciated think Kul Tirans I wouldn't use anything else for Warlocks. Maybe even Monks just cause it would look silly.

Or wait, even better. Thin humans as a base human model for worgen.

Skinny boy.
Opens its eyes, they are glowing blue
Oh shit, skinny boy is a death knight
He transforms. Oh shit skinny boy is more than human.

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Probably new renditions of the classic tracks, with more instrumentals vs synths, and then some extra tracks.

Yeah, likely this.

I expect lament of th highborne to come up loads of times as a leitmotif.

[Hearthfinder]

Yeah, likely this.

I expect lament of th highborne to come up loads of times as a leitmotif.

It would be interesting to see some distancing from this, actually (although I know it'll never happen given its popularity).

I think this is an opportunity to present the High/Blood/Void Elves as a people marching forward to a bright new future rather than dwelling in the past. Replacing sorrow, mourning, and all the doom and gloom with optimism, renewal, and joy. (See: phoenixes. We have risen from the ashes.)

[milkmustache]

Except we are now following the saga model with concurrent development and accelerated patches, so you can expect it to be two months or so after 11.2.7 which is right before Winter.

I think the reveal will show that Midnight is WAY in development due to the saga model and we may even get beta access in 11.2.5/11.2.7 with a certain purchase tier. Although it didn't mention that in the datamine.

Huh, I keep forgetting we're completely skipping a S4. I don't imagine they'll extend S3 anymore than it needs to be, maybe at most a month and consider Legion Remix an extension. Maybe it really will be earlier than we think.

[Cheezits]

Huh, I keep forgetting we're completely skipping a S4. I don't imagine they'll extend S3 anymore than it needs to be, maybe at most a month and consider Legion Remix an extension. Maybe it really will be earlier than we think.

If it's another 5-6 months season then late Jan/early Feb is on the table.

[Ersula]

Huh, I keep forgetting we're completely skipping a S4. I don't imagine they'll extend S3 anymore than it needs to be, maybe at most a month and consider Legion Remix an extension. Maybe it really will be earlier than we think.

People shouldn't act like its confirmed they're skipping TWW season 4. It hasn't been confirmed. I guess they could have an extended S3 but at this point the S4 raid remixes require so little effort I don't see why they wouldn't do it. They have to offer something in retail for the people who don't like their little alternate game modes.

One Night Werewolf will be six weeks based on Plunderstorm's duration, and Legion Remix will be 3 months because Mop Remix was 3 months. In all likelyhood this corresponds with the minor patch releases, likely October & December, so 12.0 isn't coming until March at the soonest. That would be an extremely long TWW season 3.

If it's another 5-6 months season then late Jan/early Feb is on the table.

I don't see how the two new game modes won't correspond to the 2 scheduled minor patches. So taking these facts into consideration:

• The One Night Werewolf game is the next patch
• 11.2.5 isn't coming out till October - Maybe late September
• The two game modes won't run at the same time
• It's extremely unlikely Legion remix will be active at the same time as the Midnight Pre-patch

So, 12.0 is March at the earliest.

Based on Dragonflight's development, the time between alpha & pre-patch was 10 weeks; alpha and expansion release was 14 weeks.

[-Midnight-]

Seasons last 5-6 months. Season 3 would end in February, where would Season 4 be plus Remix thrown in?

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, 12.0 is March at the earliest.

How can housing release around pre-patch in 2025 if Midnight is in March?