Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Capivara]

hi everyone, i was wondering, do y'all think it's more probable we have "look a new island to explore" type of patch or since we are back home, we could have "look an updated map near" type of patch?

it would be a nice way of slowly revamping azeroth and maps like eastern and western plaguelands or tirisfall glades would be a nice way of "moving" into Wotlk theme kind of patch.

[Cheezits]

I don't think they "add" a new elf race. I'm in the boat that they just make the blood elves (and perhaps also void elves), neutral. Perhaps even giving the thalassian elves (blood elf and high elf) a new name that they will take. Dawn Elves or something like that, to coincide with the dawnwell. But from a gameplay mechanical point of view: its just blood elves. Old blood elf players will have the name "dawn elf" instead and thats it. "High elves" will also be just "dawn elf", which are just neutral blood elves from before.

And before a horde crybaby comes along: yes, a alliance race will go neutral too. Likely draenei.

Spaghetti code + repercussions of messing with an existing race makes me think nothing will be changed about any existing player Blood or Void Elves. But they can introduce a new elf that is more or less them but neutral (aka the Dawn Elf).

If they do Dawn Elves then they will probably share some customizations of both, plus some new ones, minus a few things that keep the others unique (void customizations from Velf + green eyes from Blood). Aaaaaaaaaaand this may be why they added so many blue emblems to Silvermoon and their aesthetic.

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hi everyone, i was wondering, do y'all think it's more probable we have "look a new island to explore" type of patch or since we are back home, we could have "look an updated map near" type of patch?

There is an island already off the coast of Zul'aman (Atal'utek) that has some connection to an upcoming patch (11.1- the snake god Ula'tek) leaked through datamining.

[Nymrohd]

hi everyone, i was wondering, do y'all think it's more probable we have "look a new island to explore" type of patch or since we are back home, we could have "look an updated map near" type of patch?

it would be a nice way of slowly revamping azeroth and maps like eastern and western plaguelands or tirisfall glades would be a nice way of "moving" into Wotlk theme kind of patch.

We have an island that is already on the map this time so combined with datamined raid items named after said island the expectation is that the first major patch will be there. The main discussion to be had is if we only get Atal'utek (said island right across from the Zul'aman zone) or we get that island plus something else (e.g. Stratholme)
The story itself though does NOT lead there which is what's weird. The story is going to the Worldcore.

[Cheezits]

This loading screen still hasn't been explained on beta and there were also datamined strings for Undercity/Lordaeron so we may be getting additional revamped EK areas.

https://static.icy-veins.com/wp/wp-c...e_ZulAman.webp

It's labeled Loadscreen_Zone_ZulAman but that doesn't make sense (modern Zul Aman isn't instanced) so it probably got swapped with another asset by accident. And it's not pre-Midnight EK because Atal'Utek is the giant mountain. And the Greymane Wall is repaired...

Most sensible answer IMO is a disconnected Northern EK that will become instanced from South EK due to the sheer load of assets added in a revamp.

[Capivara]

There is an island already off the coast of Zul'aman (Atal'utek) that has some connection to an upcoming patch (11.1- the snake god Ula'tek) leaked through datamining.

We have an island that is already on the map this time so combined with datamined raid items named after said island the expectation is that the first major patch will be there. The main discussion to be had is if we only get Atal'utek (said island right across from the Zul'aman zone) or we get that island plus something else (e.g. Stratholme)
The story itself though does NOT lead there which is what's weird. The story is going to the Worldcore.

oh yeah, i forgot about the datamined amani island, but i was thinking more about the 2nd or 3rd patches, as a way to slowly start to build a narrative bridge to the events in midnight to TLT, dealing more with undead or maybe some kind of void touched undeads. showing how this places were taken by twilight cultists or scarlet crusade.

can the datamined island be just a giant raid ? just like eye of azshara that the island shows in the map ?

[Cheezits]

can the datamined island be just a giant raid ? just like eye of azshara that the island shows in the map ?

I never considered that the island cluster could be a whole raid but it's definitely possible. The POIs (different islands connected by a road) seem to wrap around in a very linear fashion and each one could be a different arena for a boss fight.

[Kiivar86]

There was a datamine of soundfiles. here
https://eu.forums.blizzard.com/en/wo...-2/595213/2594

I know it is meant to have some weight to it but the bit about the crown and how it "adorned the brow of every Quel'dorei king" is meant to sound impressive but if you think about it, she's saying "the crown was worn by four different kings" which really sucks any oomph out of it. Silly quibble, I know, but just...eh.

Also, it is kind of amusing to see Aethas say that Vereesa cannot buy absolution. Aethas, who came begging back to the Council of Six with information about Felo'melorn in the hopes of getting back in their good graces.

[Cheezits]

Also, guess what the name of the area next to the Sunwell is?

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dawnstar_Village

[Enrif]

I know it is meant to have some weight to it but the bit about the crown and how it "adorned the brow of every Quel'dorei king" is meant to sound impressive but if you think about it, she's saying "the crown was worn by four different kings" which really sucks any oomph out of it. Silly quibble, I know, but just...eh.

most people know nothing about the story. Is Arator 24 or 44? Had Quel'thalas 4 kings, or 40 kings? If you ask that the average player, they wouldn't know. And for the story, it doesn't really matter either.

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Also, guess what the name of the area next to the Sunwell is?

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dawnstar_Village

funny... but i think that's just coincidence, as it was named that since TBC

[Kiivar86]

most people know nothing about the story. Is Arator 24 or 44? Had Quel'thalas 4 kings, or 40 kings? If you ask that the average player, they wouldn't know. And for the story, it doesn't really matter either.

I still find it amusing at how they're trying to grandiose it up. Its like going "this is a storied family heirloom, my father bought it four years ago."

[Enrif]

I still find it amusing at how they're trying to grandiose it up. Its like going "this is a storied family heirloom, my father bought it four years ago."

well, it is still a nearly 10k year old crown. Sure, only 4 people were adorned with it. On the other hand, only 4 people had the privilege to be king of quel'thalas.

[Sondrelk]

I never considered that the island cluster could be a whole raid but it's definitely possible. The POIs (different islands connected by a road) seem to wrap around in a very linear fashion and each one could be a different arena for a boss fight.

Wouldnt make it too different from Undermine then. A handful of big open spaces in a regular zone.

[Enrif]

Wouldnt make it too different from Undermine then. A handful of big open spaces in a regular zone.

thinking about it. Blizzard is doing that more and more. Using world stuff, as dungeons and raids, instead of the classic completely cut off instances that have no version of it in the actual world. This must save them time when they can use dungeon design as part of the world. With MID this also becomes true for delves. I wonder if this cuts down development time for raids, dungeons and delves significantly enough

[Lady Atia]

thinking about it. Blizzard is doing that more and more. Using world stuff, as dungeons and raids, instead of the classic completely cut off instances that have no version of it in the actual world. This must save them time when they can use dungeon design as part of the world. With MID this also becomes true for delves. I wonder if this cuts down development time for raids, dungeons and delves significantly enough

It's also better for the game? I never liked it when we couldn't visit dungeons or raid spaces in the overworld, or when there was space that shouldn't even be there just because you go through a raid portal. It's world of warcraft, not world of instanced things that aren't part of the world.

[Xilurm]

Most of the Classic dungeons were inside caves though, which is totally fine since you know, they are called dungeons.

[Enrif]

It's also better for the game? I never liked it when we couldn't visit dungeons or raid spaces in the overworld, or when there was space that shouldn't even be there just because you go through a raid portal. It's world of warcraft, not world of instanced things that aren't part of the world.

oh yeah, i'm all for it. Others were really pissed that delves used open world stuff though

[Cheezits]

More reused spaces = fewer unique areas in general. I prefer there being some areas unexplorable outside of an instance.

[Darkarath]

I love the areas of dungeons, delves and BGs that are in the open world.

If it were for me, even the instances in caves and the like would be explorable in the open world.

[milkmustache]

I mean, I think like all things there's a happy medium re; open world instances.

We've had some absolutely stellar fights like Dimensius that could not work outside of an instance, but there's also been plenty that should have. Certain fights deserve a big stage with set pieces, and I wouldn't mind that including a loading screen if it was necessary.

[Khaza-R]

More reused spaces = fewer unique areas in general. I prefer there being some areas unexplorable outside of an instance.

I happen to agree with you but I think its a bit of an interesting debate.

I totally get the appeal of completely explorable open world spaces. But in the same breath, I can see how having unique instance areas allows for more creativity.

Looking back at vanilla you have stuff like SFK and Karazhan where they have an open world approximation but actual instances are much more elaborate. Then you have something like ZG where its instanced but has a 1:1 open world counterpart even if you can't explore it by traditional means. The former are definitely more memorable and unique so I think there might be something to the idea that not everything has been fully represented in game.