Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[milkmustache]

While I'm not going to get into the weeds of it, as what I'm saying may be misconstrued to be hateful, it definitely feels like post-11.0 is a move away from Warcraft feeling too much like the current idealized form of America and moreso its own fantasy realm with elements bizarre and ridiculous.

I'm not expecting Ethereal labor unions, let's say.

Totally. For what it's worth, I don't think that it's a conversation that loses merit because it can rile up some vitrolic takes.

I get what you mean re; Ethereals. It's all about usage though. If I'm to run with this hypothetical, an Ethereal Labor Union would be a great side quest or delve theming, as long as it's not Ethereals literally calling themselves a labor union. That was a big deal on why a lot of that era came off so strange... there was no allegory, no allusion.

[Wangming]

Tbf, there was a poll a while back on people's most wanted races. Ethereal was #1. #2 was Ogre, followed by Vykrul and Naga. So might not be as unpopular as people think.

But that said, I don't see Ogres becoming playable during the saga. Unless there's some very random return to Draenor patch in Midnight.

I was referring to Dracthyr and Earthen.

[ImTheMizAwesome]

I don't think we would have to visit Draenor in some patch to get ogres, we have stonemaul clan and rexxar with mok'nathals migrated from outland to azeroth and are on good terms with the horde and other orc clans after heritage questline.

Rexxar could become Stonemaul clan chieftain again, since he was never defeated for the position, he just gave it away.

[Khaza-R]

I don't think we would have to visit Draenor in some patch to get ogres, we have stonemaul clan and rexxar with mok'nathals migrated from outland to azeroth and are on good terms with the horde and other orc clans after heritage questline.

Rexxar could become Stonemaul clan chieftain again, since he was never defeated for the position, he just gave it away.

The issue isn't a lore justification for them. They're already part of the Horde, it just isn't represented in game. Same goes for the Revantusk. Or Furbolgs for the Alliance.

The issue is more Blizzard is unlikely to give them a new model unless its story relevant. And I just can't see them being relevant in Midnight or TLT.

[Cheezits]

I don't think we would have to visit Draenor in some patch to get ogres, we have stonemaul clan and rexxar with mok'nathals migrated from outland to azeroth and are on good terms with the horde and other orc clans after heritage questline.

Rexxar could become Stonemaul clan chieftain again, since he was never defeated for the position, he just gave it away.

A chunk of Outland would be a very cool patch for Midnight, but I would really be tired of TBC if we got an Outland expansion.

Maybe an Ogre, Areakoa and Maghar themed chunk of Outland where we go to rescue them from a black hole or something?

[ImTheMizAwesome]

The issue isn't a lore justification for them. They're already part of the Horde, it just isn't represented in game. Same goes for the Revantusk. Or Furbolgs for the Alliance.

The issue is more Blizzard is unlikely to give them a new model unless its story relevant. And I just can't see them being relevant in Midnight or TLT.

Yeah, i don't think they will ever add ogres, if they would announce them for TWW my jaw would drop but that won't happen.

If anything ogre related and playable has a chance to be added, it's Mok'nathal clan, because blizzard has work already half done for them.

A chunk of Outland would be a very cool patch for Midnight, but I would really be tired of TBC if we got an Outland expansion.

i wouldn't want full outland expansion aswell, but i hope it will have at least some connection to storyline in TWW or TLT.

[Cheezits]

Another interesting twist could be that the playable Ethereals are existing in or around Outland.

[Nibelheimy]

Although I doubt it would happen, Id love it if Blizzard released the races who have long been part of the factions in for TLT. One last hurrah for the end of the saga, it will be our most high stakes expansion yet. (they're all pretty high stakes however.)

Moving forward into a new saga, and some expansions possibly set in new lands. There will be less option for races like Ogre and Furlbog to be added. Less chances for the troll tribes, dwarven clans, tauren tribes, and others as allied races or subraces. Less chances at relevancy, and some of these peoples have been with us in the factions for most of the story.

It's a crying shame we've still no ogres, I'd love to see it finally. A guy can dream.

[Alanar]

Naga are elves too. Just using the same shapechange as worgen. Naga form is the default form, and out of combat they can turn into snake elves!

Hard nope on this. We dont need temu Naga.

[Capivara]

I don't think we would have to visit Draenor in some patch to get ogres, we have stonemaul clan and rexxar with mok'nathals migrated from outland to azeroth and are on good terms with the horde and other orc clans after heritage questline.

Rexxar could become Stonemaul clan chieftain again, since he was never defeated for the position, he just gave it away.

A Simple "quel'thalas is being invaded we need reinforcements" and they go running to help, would do in this case. the same for any counterpart for the alliance

[Alanar]

why not? and let's be realistic: The snake lowerbody will always be an issue, because of mounts. That could solve it.

Already thinking of excuses. No, If Naga happen, full focus on animations should be prio and work with everything.
Meaning full.on slithering, side sadle, underwater breathing monsters. They arent shaprshifters, the point of naga is that they are monsters. They arent humanoids.

Idk whats up with people here.. cat ethereals, temu naga with legs. Both original race design and lore are iconic, why ruin it?

[rainhard]

Hey, check this out:



Listen to the motif at 7:50, and then go to 5:11 on the unknown music.

It's a K'aresh motif.

The start gives off slight alleria theme vibes.

[Enrif]

Already thinking of excuses. No, If Naga happen, full focus on animations should be prio and work with everything.
Meaning full.on slithering, side sadle, underwater breathing monsters. They arent shaprshifters, the point of naga is that they are monsters. They arent humanoids.

Idk whats up with people here.. cat ethereals, temu naga with legs. Both original race design and lore are iconic, why ruin it?

because, it is more important to me to make it viable on a technical level, than fulfil some wishful dreams. If i would be a dev tasked with bringing Nagas into WoW as a player race i would have to solve the following issues: snake tails, multiple arms for females, fin sizes. All of that, can be solved with a further mutation of naga, that keeps most of it in place. A combat and base form that has a serpent tail, but uses only two arms for females, somewhat smaller fin sizes, and either a form change to allow them to mount, or mutation to have legs like the naga brutes.

Is it the wet dream some have of naga? No, but it is something that is achievable and can be made playable.

[Alanar]

because, it is more important to me to make it viable on a technical level, than fulfil some wishful dreams. If i would be a dev tasked with bringing Nagas into WoW as a player race i would have to solve the following issues: snake tails, multiple arms for females, fin sizes. All of that, can be solved with a further mutation of naga, that keeps most of it in place. A combat and base form that has a serpent tail, but uses only two arms for females, somewhat smaller fin sizes, and either a form change to allow them to mount, or mutation to have legs like the naga brutes.

Is it the wet dream some have of naga? No, but it is something that is achievable and can be made playable.

You dont need to think for blizzard what they can or cant do.
This is thinking in excuses. Why the hell, would you even care for the technical level. That not your problem to begin with. If they want to introduce Naga and make it psrt of their dev plan, they should simply calculate thr animation work and put some effort into it. Naga have a very clear destinct look and the people who want naga, want them for what they are and not based on some wack highbornr/naga mix, that now suddenly is able to shapeshift. It makes no sense.

If we need to advocate for Naga, we want the real thing or forget about it. Its that simple.

[Frook513]

7:09 onwards absolutely sounds like a post raid cinematic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX9iYTmRBC4

[Enrif]

This is thinking in excuses. Why the hell, would you even care for the technical level.

simply because i'm a realist. My speculation is based on things that are likely to be achievable on a technical level. That's why i don't see that seamless attachment of Quel'thalas to the rest of the EK. And being a realist means i see things in a different way, than just spouting wishful ignorant ideas, like northern EK revamp for Midnight. And for Naga that means, changing what is in the way of technical viability.

Naga have a very clear destinct look and the people who want naga, want them for what they are and not based on some wack highbornr/naga mix, that now suddenly is able to shapeshift. It makes no sense.

this is now not part of technical limitations, but narrative ones. And here, you not seeing sense, i simply point at all the mutation that is part of the void. Look at the Azhara Warbringer short, where a lot of elves quite quickly got transmutated into naga. A instantaneous change. We have since then also seen vastly different types of Naga, not only the serpent tailed ones. We have the brutes that have legs, we have the three tailed ones, we have "centaur" ones that have the lower body that is a crustecean, and then there is also Azhara herself who has a squids lower body. Naga are not just "snakes". They are sea-themed mutants. So, giving them further mutations via the void is thematic and fits the lore we see. So, it makes sense. You just don't want to see it.

[Khaza-R]

this is now not part of technical limitations, but narrative ones. And here, you not seeing sense, i simply point at all the mutation that is part of the void. Look at the Azhara Warbringer short, where a lot of elves quite quickly got transmutated into naga. A instantaneous change. We have since then also seen vastly different types of Naga, not only the serpent tailed ones. We hdy. Naga are not just "snakes". They are sea-themed mutants. So, giving them further mutations via the void is thematic and fits the lore we see. So, it makes sense. You just don't want to see it.

I mean, those are very clearly not the kind of naga people want to play as. I am fairly certain they didn't exist prior to BfA. Its sort of the Dracthyr problem all over again. There several different kinds of dragonkin that are humanoids. We got the one that no one asked for.

[Wangming]

Honestly the tail thing can be circumvented if Naga just ride mounts the way women ride horses.
Everything else isn't really a limitation now that we have seen the non-visage form of Dracthyr. If they can release a race with only one playable class that can't really show off gear, there aren't any excuses left.

[Enrif]

I mean, those are very clearly not the kind of naga people want to play as. I am fairly certain they didn't exist prior to BfA. Its sort of the Dracthyr problem all over again. There several different kinds of dragonkin that are humanoids. We got the one that no one asked for.

the brutes existed at least since legion, but the others are more recent. And i never said we would not have serpent tailed ones. But said, that due to mounts they needs something to solve that issues. The most simple solution would be to mimic the worgen system. A base combat form that is on most of the time, and a form that allows mounting. And since naga were elves, it makes sense for their bipedal form to be elves. Also, Worgen are among the few races that don't have a allied race yet, and naga could fit in that slot. Not so much being similar on species (like dark iron and standard dwarves), but being similar in rigs and shape (like goblins and vulpera).

[Hitei]

because, it is more important to me to make it viable on a technical level, than fulfil some wishful dreams. If i would be a dev tasked with bringing Nagas into WoW as a player race i would have to solve the following issues: snake tails, multiple arms for females, fin sizes.

Four arms and fins aren't issues. The snake tail is only an "issue" in that it requires one animation be slightly more unique than most races.