Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Well, Character Drama in a Product Model that features 2 Major Patches/6 Unconnected Minor Patches in a Expansion structure where we frontload the entire Expansion concept into the Base product only to then do a Start Stop immediately for our audiences to stop caring about whats' going on because the only place they can put their "We want to do whatever we want to do that also generates KPI" in the X.1 patch and then restart the Main A Plot in the Last Major Patch while the minor patches are just weird catchup mechanic with very little if any connection to anything beyond current setting that is already fairly irrelevant due to the structuring of the Base expansion. Too little time, too much fucking stuff going on in a model that is Gameplay suited and not Story suited.

Honestly all I can hold out for is Animated Shorts and Marketing budget covering up until we get to Classic+/14.0 and whether they then double down on another Saga or they go back to singular expansion reveals.

Personally, they desperately need to hold a meeting with IP leadership, Warcraft Team leadership, Narrative Team and Quest Designers to get on the same page and actually project something better than this because this is abhorrently broken at this point. Putting bandaids on when called out that you don't care about doing proper work regarding Story by doing Lorewalking every update isn't enough to fix the mortal wound inflicted at this point.

Biggest problem is that WoW's dev team is democratized and there is no unifying directive or vision. Everyone has their own ideas and is doing their own stuff which is why the Worldsoul Saga has been so discombobulated as usual. Versus FF14 which is run as a dictatorship. "This is what we are doing, there will be no discussion about this". Unless WoW turns into a dictatorship then there is no hope for the story to be unified as well.

- - - Updated - - -

Besides Lordaeron, I still don't see what would be a better Midnight patch than Super Mega Chungus Troll Patch. Now, if it's JUST Amani, that's a horrible idea, but if it's the Troll Patch to End All Troll Patches with all the playable allied tribes reuniting to beat some old Warcraft RPG troll villain then I think it's a very good idea for patch content.

And we're probably getting Worldcore as the second patch anyway (over Lordaeron ) so there's the story connection.

Trolls are one of the most overexposed races in WoW and I do not want to see them hog the spotlight even more. We only have 6 to 8 more zones until the end of The Worldsoul Saga and I would prefer it to be spent on impactful content like a province of the Arathi empire, Iridikron's underground fortress zone, the heart of azeroth, the soulforges, etc, rather than stuff like a mundane island off the coast of Quel'thelas.

- - - Updated - - -

I'd like it if TLT has a nice new gameplay feature beyond a new class., but with Delves from TWW, it may just be one every three expansions or so now (that aren't minigames like racing).

Racing would be fun if Blizzard actually bothered to implement a matchmaking system so that you could actually race against other players. It's not fun waiting at a racing flag with a group in LFG that never fills, hoping other people come and race.

- - - Updated - - -

That much is clear just looking at everything they are doing with Midnight with them trying to overhaul new player progression again that literally gives you the option to skip it and go straight to housing instead and the combat and addon changes trying to make getting into the game as smooth and painless as possible for a new player. Even the tagline for the expansion is "Adventure welcomes you home" compared to TWW's "Get back in the fight". Not to mention stuff like Arator's story being a giant rehash of info about characters and the Light the player should already know. Everything revolves around housing and they are clearly hoping for a big influx of new players so the question is what do they do when it likely doesn't happen

There will be no new influx of players because Blizzard is incompetent at appealing to people who don't already play WoW. They need to take a cue from their Asian competitors.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I don't mind the Troll raid thing if it happens, I honestly am kind of excited for the Armor and Weapon assets from it. But, yeah I just.. Is it really worth removing those 6 months just to have the pivot patch in X.1 and then starting the A Plot again and ending the A Plot in X.2 after Base ends the concept of the expansion?

So far this just has been really strangely structured and it doesn't really function if they care about the story.

[DenPhoenix]

TWW final-cinematic

https://youtu.be/82GOAm_HjuU?si=575eAiwknv8vuvcJ


"For a hundred thousand years, I have planned for this moment" - Zovaal vibe)

[justwatching]

Housing vendor in remix is up. So I guess pretty safe to assume that P5 will have some new rewards outside of that vendor.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

TWW final-cinematic

https://youtu.be/82GOAm_HjuU?si=575eAiwknv8vuvcJ


"For a hundred thousand years, I have planned for this moment" - Zovaal vibe)

Honestly this would still work very well had they just not written the Beledar confrontation to access Undermine so poorly.
(Honestly it would've fit very well if Xal'atath wanted to absorb both Void and Light at the same time using the Beledar and that is what caused the crack in the Dark Heart which would still have led us to Undermine, but its too late now.)

Like again I don't mind but yeah Zovaal vibes are the biggest concern since again we know jack about them beyond the "lol mortal" reveal. At least they do be slurping.

[Cheezits]

TWW final-cinematic

https://youtu.be/82GOAm_HjuU?si=575eAiwknv8vuvcJ


"For a hundred thousand years, I have planned for this moment" - Zovaal vibe)

Xal wrangling the magic was a really good looking animation. Also she again implies Azeroth belongs to her.

- - - Updated - - -

Honestly this would still work very well had they just not written the Beledar confrontation to access Undermine so poorly.
(Honestly it would've fit very well if Xal'atath wanted to absorb both Void and Light at the same time using the Beledar and that is what caused the crack in the Dark Heart which would still have led us to Undermine, but its too late now.)

Like again I don't mind but yeah Zovaal vibes are the biggest concern since again we know jack about them beyond the "lol mortal" reveal. At least they do be slurping.

Well we have been spoiled that she wants the Worldsoul, or at least wants to destroy it, as she is going underground.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Well we have been spoiled that she wants the Worldsoul, or at least wants to destroy it, as she is going underground.

While yes, but I just feel like Zovaals goal with the World Soul was at least metal. Xal'ataths is just .. Pretty "Yay, I guess we stop her" because we lack the critical information around their character.

Like the World Soul is a magnet for all of cosmology so that doesn't really do much.

[Cheezits]

While yes, but I just feel like Zovaals goal with the World Soul was at least metal. Xal'ataths is just .. Pretty "Yay, I guess we stop her" because we lack the critical information around their character.

Like the World Soul is a magnet for all of cosmology so that doesn't really do much.

True. But I guess the longer we go on without knowing WHY she wants the Worldsoul, the more of a chance there's actually some big reveal about it- and it's not just because "I was traumatized as a mortal so I want to kill everything weh" (please don't do that Blizz).

[Sondrelk]

I don't mind the Troll raid thing if it happens, I honestly am kind of excited for the Armor and Weapon assets from it. But, yeah I just.. Is it really worth removing those 6 months just to have the pivot patch in X.1 and then starting the A Plot again and ending the A Plot in X.2 after Base ends the concept of the expansion?

So far this just has been really strangely structured and it doesn't really function if they care about the story.

It's really weird, yeah. Though as I have said before. I am going to give the writers the benefit of the doubt here. On the assumption that the story is weirdly structured because they tried to make "TWW, underground shenanigans" into "TWW, part 1 of 3".

If 12.1 is just Isle of Fangs and nothing else, then it would definitely be a massive letdown narratively. But I am going to withold judgment until I see whether it's a Zaralek Caverns situation. Where Isle of Fangs is "just" the new zone. While the actual main plot continues elsewhere.

- - - Updated - - -

Housing vendor in remix is up. So I guess pretty safe to assume that P5 will have some new rewards outside of that vendor.

I am going to assume it's just the housing vendor mistakenly stated to become active during the last phase.

Would be nice to be wrong though. Not sure what new items could be added. But I guess maybe another variant of the Sargerei Commander set. Or the Mage Tower appearances for those that didn't get them back during Legion.

[justwatching]

I am going to assume it's just the housing vendor mistakenly stated to become active during the last phase.

Would be nice to be wrong though. Not sure what new items could be added. But I guess maybe another variant of the Sargerei Commander set. Or the Mage Tower appearances for those that didn't get them back during Legion.

I think given that it contains some "custom content" there will be some rewards. MT stuff is unlikely though.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I certainly can throw them some slack for the fact they had to make one expansion into three expansions, but it still doesn't make the "We cut a Major Patch and cut 6 month of the schedule, please enjoy Narrative Team" a good decision from the Leadership and even those above that ladder.

I don't know I definitely cannot make sense of this at all and probably never will unless we start melting down again and the blame game begins and loose lips start talking again.

True. But I guess the longer we go on without knowing WHY she wants the Worldsoul, the more of a chance there's actually some big reveal about it- and it's not just because "I was traumatized as a mortal so I want to kill everything weh" (please don't do that Blizz).

Yeah, but again I think theres' a twist if they go in this direction because there's no way they will play this that way completely. Obviously this could get even worse writing wise though so maybe they just avoid this whole concept of "Trauma means I shall end reality and everyone that exists in it because my trauma is that bad lol".

[Cheezits]

I think given that it contains some "custom content" there will be some rewards. MT stuff is unlikely though.

I think most likely is new tints for the MT skins.

- - - Updated - - -

I certainly can throw them some slack for the fact they had to make one expansion into three expansions, but it still doesn't make the "We cut a Major Patch and cut 6 month of the schedule, please enjoy Narrative Team" a good decision from the Leadership and even those above that ladder.

BFA really killed things, I think they put so much money into the narrative there and people despised everything about it (despite the cinematics being good in a vacuum) they were basically banned from putting serious time into the narrative ever again.

Though I would say TWW by itself, storywise, is above most WoW expansions (low bar). Things happen that matter (so no WOD, SL) and the setting isn't harmed (so no Cata, SL, BFA)

[DenPhoenix]

Idk, most likely they’ll just boil it down to Xal’atath’s goal being to devour Azeroth and become an even more powerful cosmic entity — even though, technically, she already is one, as the devs told us.

Honestly, it fits the whole Void theme/motivation — the strong always wins/devour the weak. But I still wanted a proper backstory for her, so it wouldn't end up the same way it did with Zovaal.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Sure, I could see them just playing them completely straight with no actual deeper meaning but they still have to satisfyingly get rid of them and erase the World Soul as a element.

[Skildar]

The fact that the dark heart/void soul artefact is dropped like that makes it feel like Dragonflight is becoming more of an expansion that should be skipped (could be I'm only seeing what I want to see in my denial regarding that expac).

But everything in that cinematic is cliché and over the top... Alleria has a clear shot and good window to take a shot before Xal'Atath turns around, the random ethereal being absorbed is apparently the last piece to act upon having devoured Dimensius, the villain has been waiting for 100 000 years as everything they need but always lower their guards... Even with the Aspects they didn't go that far in terms of time stretching (And yet even if it has always been pretty ridiculous this could the first in the franchise that such span of time make sense considering how long it took for earth to bread developed animal lifeforms), villain making a plan around random elements happening without preparations to handle them (Ethereals stealing the heart/Dimensius using the heart to emerge), villain being purposefully obscure about the objective/prize of such planning while cackling.

At least Tyrande didn't wait in order to check out Sylvanas buttocks before jumping on her and trying her best to snap her neck.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Oh no, I just realized they did that. (I didn't see the depowered Dark Heart laying dormant after the Voidspire started rising, my bad)

Okay so how does the Sword work now that the Dark Heart power was used to create the Voidspire? What is the purpose of the Sword is it just to be picked up by Sargeras again then?

Also why did they even include the Dark Heart in the Collector's Edition?

Why does this all feel like they think they're so clever when in reality they are not?

Okay, so I guess we can scratch that the Fan Theory comment was more of a snark response from them. Interesting. I mean they are showcasing a very strange form of confidence that all us naysayers will be wrong for some reason, I just don't believe it.

So I guess we truly are just going straight to the Worldcore then? Interesting.

[Gurahk]

A simple "I have waited a hundred thousand years for this opportunity" would've made a lot more sense, we're now back with the master plan on top of a master plan.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Well, at least 12.2 has narrowed drastically at this point.

[Kereberus]

Well, at least 12.2 has narrowed drastically at this point.

is this from leaks I missed?

[Ersula]

Isn't the new elf lorewalking questline supposed to be in today? I only see a "TWW recap" that just lets you redo the into questline....which you could do at any point anyway so it feels very pointless.