The War Within 11.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[RahEndymion]

Has this already been discussed? Someone asked in Taliesin's chat if Danuser had left Blizz - https://www.twitch.tv/taliesinandevi...e=7d&sort=time

It's tough. He's not really implying anything and more so just letting his audience speculate.

Maybe he knows things, maybe he doesn't. I wouldn't read too much into it though.

[Well Done Steak]

So 2.5 announcement today?

Any speculation?

I'm voting for dracthyr classes, and shaman and paladins for all.

[Hitei]

That would be very funny if true. But why would they hide it? It's not a culture war thing for Dan to be gone.

I'm kind of shocked he's been around for as long as he has, however, considering how much hate the story has gotten while he was there.

Not much reason to let him go when the playerbase will whine about any name.

[Sondrelk]

So 2.5 announcement today?

Any speculation?

I'm voting for dracthyr classes, and shaman and paladins for all.

I am going to bet on more epilogue stuff centered around the non Emerald Dream version of Amirdrassil, and a whole bunch of small improvements, like the addition of dynamic flight to other mounts, starting with all the ones that share the current rigs.

[Well Done Steak]

I am going to bet on more epilogue stuff centered around the non Emerald Dream version of Amirdrassil, and a whole bunch of small improvements, like the addition of dynamic flight to other mounts, starting with all the ones that share the current rigs.

Oh right forgot about dynamic flight. I think that was confirmed for 2.5 in blizzcon

[Cheezits]

Dynamic flight in the old world they already announced, I guess they will also confirm the other old world racing cups.

For surprises I think there will be city quests in Amirdrassil, Druids of the Flame customization and shaman unlock for Nelves, as well as maybe additional Shaman unlocks through Vyranoth and the Primalists. I think there were "Redeemed Primalist" NPCs datamined?

Paladins are up in the air. Brawlers Guild can come at any time as it wasn't an expansion feature for TWW, but seems to be getting worked on in the files.

Tuskarr AR would be a shock but I think its definitely possible. I think it's important to note they said there are "things that players have been asking for" that would be a surprise, which makes me think Tuskarr as well as some kind of questline for Gilneas (I guess Brawlers and the class unlocks are technically things people asked for as well, but don't seem as big of a surprise).

[Ersula]

If he did, then maybe IT IS possible they are going to retcon the First Ones (fuck), but if not, then it is what it is.

I doubt Taliesin has inside info however.

Yall need to let your hatred of Steve Danuser go. He never intended to be in charge of WoW's story, and only got that role because of Afrasiabi's firing. Afrasiabi was creative director of wow during BFA & was fired because of the scandal after Shadowlands was far into production. Until that happened Danuser was has been upfront that his only role in WoW's production is essentially a lore "fact-checker."

The First Ones were Afrasiabi's brainchild, not Danuser's.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Has this already been discussed? Someone asked in Taliesin's chat if Danuser had left Blizz - https://www.twitch.tv/taliesinandevi...e=7d&sort=time

Could It be? Could Draenor really be free?

[infinitemeridian]

10.2.5 wishlist for me
-Troll heritage
-Transmog updates they mentioned at blizzcon

[Ersula]

What makes you think I hate Danuser? What makes you think the First Ones are Afrasiabis idea?

My post wasn't directed at you specifically, just the community in general.

And like I said, Afrasiabi was BFA's creative director & wow's creative directors don't usually stay for only one expansion. Afrasiabi would have also been in charge of Shadowlands until his firing. Logically we can infer Danuser assumed the role after the bulk of the lore was created.

10.2.5 wishlist for me
-Troll heritage
-Transmog updates they mentioned at blizzcon

That would make me very happy, but it seems like they're counting on those to be 11.0 features.
I'm counting on the class restriction removal for Shamans, Paladins & Druids.

[Murlocos]

Yall need to let your hatred of Steve Danuser go. He never intended to be in charge of WoW's story, and only got that role because of Afrasiabi's firing. Afrasiabi was creative director of wow during BFA & was fired because of the scandal after Shadowlands was far into production. Until that happened Danuser was has been upfront that his only role in WoW's production is essentially a lore "fact-checker."

The First Ones were Afrasiabi's brainchild, not Danuser's.

What is the source on that? Because this is how Danuser describes his own work in that time period.



Look, I understand there being a reflexive desire to defend the man from the backlash, but it's reaching a point where Danuser defenders are beginning to insist that the Narrative Director of the game doesn't actually exist and therefore cannot assume responsibility for anything. Honestly, I mostly just feel bad for Kosak as he was Danuser's actual predecessor but is completely overlooked in favor of Metzen, who talked almost entirely about Overwatch when reminiscing about his last years at Blizzard and not WoW.

[Xilurm]

If Danuser has left or ever leaves, I really don't think it would be because he was fired, but more because his job must be extremely stressful with all the backlash towards the writing.

[Ersula]

What is the source on that? Because this is how Danuser describes his own work in that time period.

"Define Story goals...Work with executive leadership...Assist...collaborate" Like I said, a fact-checker. A glorified fact-checker, in fact.

Look, I understand there being a reflexive desire to defend the man from the backlash, but it's reaching a point where Danuser defenders are beginning to insist that the Narrative Director of the game doesn't actually exist and therefore cannot assume responsibility for anything. Honestly, I mostly just feel bad for Kosak as he was Danuser's actual predecessor but is completely overlooked in favor of Metzen, who talked almost entirely about Overwatch when reminiscing about his last years at Blizzard and not WoW.

I wouldn't want to be held responsible for something your boss was in charge of. That's how corporate structure works. Your hostility is based on him being being near Afrasiabi.

[Murlocos]

"Define Story goals...Work with executive leadership...Assist...collaborate" Like I said, a fact-checker. A glorified fact-checker, in fact.

"Define settings, character arcs, and story goals for WoW expansions and content updates."

I am struggling to imagine the shape that you've twisted yourself into with your cherrypicking here. Let's take it a step further, maybe Danuser was secretly a janitor during BfA. We can only pray that someone finally shuts off Afrasiabi's connection to Blizzard's servers, we let him get away with writing DF in secret but it can't happen again with TWW.

I wouldn't want to be held responsible for something your boss was in charge of. That's how corporate structure works. Your hostility is based on him being being near Afrasiabi.

Very peculiar that DF has extremely similar narrative failings to BfA and SL despite Afrasiabi being fired before it began development and Danuser allegedly having zero input in anything until he was gone. It may take decades before God-King Afrasiabi's influence on the writing is gone.

[Cheezits]

Very peculiar that DF has extremely similar narrative failings to BfA and SL despite Afrasiabi being fired before it began development and Danuser allegedly having zero input in anything until he was gone. It may take decades before God-King Afrasiabi's influence on the writing is gone.

All three expansions have narratives that aren't liked by the playerbase, but for every different reasons.

Someone on the team (or executive(s)) is pushing for very cheesy and corny dialogue (particularly in cutscenes that most players digest as their only WoW story content) and that is probably the biggest issue across all three.

I'm not sure it will ever change as it has remained pretty constant for 6 years now (from Saurfang on to Alexstrazsa) but they have to know by now.

[flan1337]

Hey -

Do you think the dragon isles should have been placed north Kal and below Borean Tundra? If this was the case the races in the dragon Isles would have made more sense how they got there. It would have also made the tree much closer to the Night Elves homelands.

[Cheezits]

Hey -

Do you think the dragon isles should have been placed north Kal and below Borean Tundra? If this was the case the races in the dragon Isles would have made more sense how they got there. It would have also made the tree much closer to the Night Elves homelands.

It would have made a lot more sense. But the Dragon Isles were above EK in the builds so that is probably why they stuck to it (or it had something to do with Midnight/Quel'thalas)

[Xilurm]

The Dragon Isles were an island long before the sundering. They weren't connected to the main land.

[flan1337]

It would have made a lot more sense. But the Dragon Isles were above EK in the builds so that is probably why they stuck to it (or it had something to do with Midnight/Quel'thalas)

Yeah I also didn't account that the dragon isles had an alpha location so I am slightly wrong in my thought processes as they basically knew where it was for the whole time.

I think the story is actually going to bring all elves under one roof. Which I know Metzen said we will be re-uniting, but didn't think it could mean everyone living together lol

[Ersula]

Very peculiar that DF has extremely similar narrative failings to BfA and SL despite Afrasiabi being fired before it began development and Danuser allegedly having zero input in anything until he was gone. It may take decades before God-King Afrasiabi's influence on the writing is gone.

That's not accurate. The only big criticism of Dragonflight is that its underwhelming, and the ending is cheesy. Shadowlands was confusing & will-fully obtuse. Before today, the general consensus has been Dragonflight is massive upgrade to Shadowlands. You can't deny the reception of Shadowlands is closer to BFA than it was to Dragonflight.

WoW fans have always been vocally critical of the finale cinematic of every expansion....except, ironically, WoD. But I guess that's just because people were happy it was over.

- - - Updated - - -

Do you think the dragon isles should have been placed north Kal and below Borean Tundra? If this was the case the races in the dragon Isles would have made more sense how they got there. It would have also made the tree much closer to the Night Elves homelands.

The thing is the Dragon Isles were hidden away (and demonstrably Islands) before the Sundering. That doesn't exactly make sense with the supercontinent parallel with real life Pangea.

This is why I assume the way the hid the Dragon Isles is the same as all the other times titan technology created pocket dimensions: The Elemental Planes, Helheim. Thros, etc. And that before those places were hidden, the planet's geography was completely different. So the "pre-sundering map" seems to be a crafted landmass, just like the Dragon Isles.