Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Magistrate]

Pandaria is fondly remembered now by the ones who are still playing. Back when it was announced, it was heavily criticised for its disney tone and many left the game to never come back, that's why WoTlk whas wow's peak, which continued in early cataclysm, and it being bad + Pandaria announcement ended its popular era.

That era definitely ended during Cata, not mop. Mop absolutely did have its detractors and that really didn't change until the insurrection patch that brought us back to the mainland. In hindsight, I do appreciate the world they built a lot more though and the story themes (whole expansion taken together) are some of the best and most warcraft-aligned they ever did.

[

[DenPhoenix]

Then Metzen returned, Danuser left, and, for some reason, they decided to turn The War Within into a trilogy. Maybe they needed more time to develop the potential world revamp or other side of Azeroth. Maybe they felt that the story had suffered over the last few years and needed to give it more room to breathe.

Mmm, the following text might be a bit inaccurate, BUT - At this year’s PAX East conference, during their presentation, Blizzard mentioned that The WorldSoul Saga was originally planned as one mega-expansion for World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary.

But then Metzen came along, and he didn’t want to cram multiple settings, storylines, and themes into a single expansion. He thought they needed to dedicate more time and handle each separately.

[Magistrate]

It's not, as those are also non fan-favourites in lore, and vanilla does not have an ending.

About azshara, I checked and yeah there's a book from the begginning of dragonflict that talked about Xalatath and the Dark Heart. Either way that was written by Danuser before Metzen changed everything, and that's just a book, she's had 0 input in the main story.

What could happen though, is that after we're done with the xalatath story/expansions (WWS), we could get a new expansion about Azshara as the villain.

People in that role generally aren't writing anything you're seeing in the game. Just like any leadership role, they're big stroke people.

- - - Updated - - -

Mmm, the following text might be a bit inaccurate, BUT - At this year’s PAX East conference, during their presentation, Blizzard mentioned that The WorldSoul Saga was originally planned as one mega-expansion for World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary.

But then Metzen came along, and he didn’t want to cram multiple settings, storylines, and themes into a single expansion. He thought they needed to dedicate more time and handle each separately.

I do not remember these words. Were they truly said?

[allegrian]

People in that role generally aren't writing anything you're seeing in the game. Just like any leadership role, they're big stroke people.

- - - Updated - - -



I do not remember these words. Were they truly said?

It was said that Danuser personally wrote amirdrassil books and his self-insert short story.

[Magistrate]

It was said that Danuser personally wrote amirdrassil books and his self-insert short story.

Who said that?

[extasy]

Well, excuse me, but the only way to get the amani sets and gear non present in Midnight's launch is with a major patch. And I do prefer more troll content than a "new zone", moreso since troll content is so spare and little anything we get is practically new at some point.

They can give u that without dedicating 12.1 to a scrappy Zul'aman zone.

[DenPhoenix]

I do not remember these words. Were they truly said?

I found it - https://youtu.be/1_W9od6e_fE?si=DF9LuHeuNWil08L2&t=2379 39:39

[Garrac]

They can give u that without dedicating 12.1 to a scrappy Zul'aman zone.

No, Blizzard isn't going to give us a minimum of 4 armour sets if it isn't a major patch, mostly if the zone has confirmed dungeon entrances.

[Hearthfinder]

Mmm, the following text might be a bit inaccurate, BUT - At this year’s PAX East conference, during their presentation, Blizzard mentioned that The WorldSoul Saga was originally planned as one mega-expansion for World of Warcraft’s 20th anniversary.

But then Metzen came along, and he didn’t want to cram multiple settings, storylines, and themes into a single expansion. He thought they needed to dedicate more time and handle each separately.

I'd say it's a decision that makes a lot of sense for Chris Metzen. If I were him, I would hate to see all of my babies be butchered in the depths of Khaz Algar. The Titans deserve a proper story with Northrend in the mix.

As players though, it's a little bit more complicated. While I'm overall enjoying the Worldsoul Saga so far and will love returning to Quel'Thalas and Northrend, I also feel like the story is a bit disjointed and moving way to slowly right now. Hopefully that will be less noticeable in the second half of the saga.

[Joshuaj]

No sizes, but a bunch of new roof colors, roof styles and new towers/chimneys (for Alliance at least).

Sizes are probably phase 4 or 5 then judging by that.

- - - Updated - - -
@Marlamin

Are you able to showcase the roof colors and base styles through video rq? I'm interested.

[Magistrate]

I found it - https://youtu.be/1_W9od6e_fE?si=DF9LuHeuNWil08L2&t=2379 39:39

Thank you for actually finding that that was really kind much appreciated.

This is probably just splitting hairs, but the way she tells the story: 11.0 was originally planned to be a huge expansion, and *because* it was the 20th anniversary Metzen proposed going bigger.

I know this is weird to care about i really wanted to see the source talking about the anniversary (which they did) bc in past years lots of people have said x or y must happen because it's z anniversary and many times it never mattered or didn't appear to have actually been on their minds.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Who said that?

Don’t know about any other short story’s post taking over but he did write visage day so it seems likely that he was also writing for ingame first hand.

As far as Metzen goes he’s said in the past that novel esc writing wasn’t his thing and he mainly worked with others for it which is why he and golden got along so well, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he worked similarly for the ingame stuff.

[Murlocos]

Who said that?

It's from his PC Gamer interview.

Danuser had his hand in much of Warcraft's storyline while he was at the company. Some of the content he personally wrote includes:

• The Legion expansion's hunter order hall and the Marksman hunter artifact questline
• Some of the original allied-race quests
• The Il'gynoth and N'Zoth whispers and prophecies
• Tons of in-game books, including those found in the Forbidden Reach and Emerald Dream in Dragonflight
• Many scripts for "stay awhile" conversations and in-game cutscenes

Danuser's biggest impact on WoW may have been the story of doomed high-elf-turned-undead-queen Sylvanas Windrunner. He authored significant pieces of her tale, including her love affair with Nathanos Blightcaller. That story, and particularly its thread throughout the unpopular Shadowlands expansion, was sometimes controversial with fans.

"There had been hints of a relationship between them, but I was the one to make it canon via my 'Dark Mirror' short story," he said. "And I wrote a number of their in-game scenes, such as their banter on the dais during the demon attack at Vol'jin's funeral and many moments between them in Battle for Azeroth.

"I wrote the loyalist scene in which they said goodbye at the end of BfA, when he calls her 'my love.' And I wrote the Sylvanas message to loyalists in the Forsaken questline, in which she hints that she's going after his soul in the Maw."

[DenPhoenix]

How could the person, who created those atmospheric prophecies from Il’gynoth, write such crap as SL...

[vindicator782]

How could the person, who created those atmospheric prophecies from Il’gynoth, write such crap as SL...

Almost all prophecies turned out to be nothing burgers

It's pretty easy to write ominous ambiguities when you know which direction the story is going on

[rainhard]

I also did my take splitting the zones for the loading screen, i also added red circles where points of interest are located to differentiate the zones, i extended EPL more than others because the dk starting quest parts are seperated by mountains and it is by the sea.

Spoiler: 

I find it also very suspicious how it focuses more on gilneas than anything, and how lordaeron seems clear of plague, perhaps we are getting a northern eastern kingdoms remake in a patch?

[Xilurm]

It would be amazing if Nathanos was never mentioned again.

[Rosstafa]

It would be amazing if Nathanos was never mentioned again.

What I find incredible about Nathanos is that while Sylvanas was unpleasant because the good part of her had been cut from her soul, Nathanos was just a genuine prick. If she finds his soul in the Maw it had better stay there.

[Hearthfinder]

How could the person, who created those atmospheric prophecies from Il’gynoth, write such crap as SL...

The difference between writing Tolkien fan-fic before setting out to create your own universe. Maybe Danuser is decent at writing within constraints and guidance from peers, but bad at setting the direction for the narrative?

[Nymrohd]

because the good part of her had been cut from her soul

I don't understand where this comes from. The story made no distinction on what part of ones soul was cut by Frostmourne, just that it splits souls apart. One part of her soul was cleaved and got to observe the choices the rest of her made. Each choice, one by one, led Sylvanas to the conclusion she had with the Jailer. She never lacked the ability to choose, she simply kept making poor choices and sunk cost fallacy gets everyone. Uther wasn't evil with his soul split, he was just confused, probably mostly because he had purged his memories but the trauma was soul deep.