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

[Marlamin]

What do you mean? There will be even more different models than the ones currently listed? How can you tell?

No, more Ethereal creature variations using that same singular model with different parts enabled, the same parts people have already been showing off. There's only a few currently being used by 11.1 NPCs, so expect more NPCs popping up soon.

[Cheezits]

No, more Ethereal creature variations using that same singular model with different parts enabled, the same parts people have already been showing off. There's only a few currently being used by 11.1 NPCs, so expect more NPCs popping up soon.

A few? I thought there was only one, Azir.

[Ersula]

You do realize they've updated the models in WoD, right?

Irrelevant. When the devs need a character to emote for a cutscene they use completely different hd models from the ones used in game & its always npcs.

Definitely expect to see more variations of them this expansion still, but don't jump as far as equating it with character models.

I'm all for using discretion when it comes to speculation, but giving Ethereals "nude" models a big deal. They never do that for npc-only models (for the humanoids, at least.) I guess there's a chance they just want these "nude" Etherals walking around, but I doubt that. I know they aren't technically nude, but they give the impression of nudity considering how Ethereals wear clothes on top of their wrappings.

[Dracullus]

How do you "just double" a zone that needs to seamlessly connect with a different landmass just to the south? Make it make sense.

Also are minimaps all on the same scale?

No point to connect it seamlessly to 2010 version of EK. Just make whole Quel'Thalas in Midnight as separate continent, THEN use it as base to build EK (or just Lordaeron if scale will be big enough) in future expansion focused on it.

[milkmustache]

No, more Ethereal creature variations using that same singular model with different parts enabled, the same parts people have already been showing off. There's only a few currently being used by 11.1 NPCs, so expect more NPCs popping up soon.

My gut says Nightfall will feature heavy ethereal presence, but still.... etherealraid icons were there. Only one has been used.

[Sondrelk]

No point to connect it seamlessly to 2010 version of EK. Just make whole Quel'Thalas in Midnight as separate continent, THEN use it as base to build EK (or just Lordaeron if scale will be big enough) in future expansion focused on it.

If you make Quel'thalas into the size of a full expansion, and then expect the rest of EK to confirm to that size, then we would be here for decades just waiting for one of the original continents to be done.

[Golden Yak]

If you make Quel'thalas into the size of a full expansion, and then expect the rest of EK to confirm to that size, then we would be here for decades just waiting for one of the original continents to be done.

Just glom together multiple classic zones into new bigger style zones. You could turn Lordaeron into about 4 new DF-sized zones. I think it would be unfeasible to do an entire continent for one expansion, but doing 1/2 a continent per xpac would be possible.

[Marlamin]

I'm all for using discretion when it comes to speculation, but giving Ethereals "nude" models a big deal. They never do that for npc-only models (for the humanoids, at least.) I guess there's a chance they just want these "nude" Etherals walking around, but I doubt that. I know they aren't technically nude, but they give the impression of nudity considering how Ethereals wear clothes on top of their wrappings.

They do, you usually just don't see them, though.

E.g. the modular Dreadlord, Tuskarr, Kobold and new Hobgoblin models have them even though I don't think we commonly see them in that base form (or at all for some).

I will say the new Ethereal models are more complex than some of these though as it requires a bit of manual texturing, but only by a bit. Nevermind, one is just a bit broken.

A few? I thought there was only one, Azir.

There are a few different creature displays hooked up, Azir is the only one that's hooked up in the game files itself (so he's likely part of a cinematic somewhere). The other displays might be used by NPCs that haven't showed up/been indexed yet as one needs to encounter these in-game to be able to link these displays back to creatures.

[Nightshade711]

My gut says Nightfall will feature heavy ethereal presence, but still.... etherealraid icons were there. Only one has been used.

I think all of the etherealraid icons were used (maybe excluding icon recolors?)

However… the datamined PvP tabard & cloak for season 3 do look very similar to the newer Ethereal models (particularly with the gem in the center & wrappings)
Though the cloak has runes similar to what we’ve seen on Xal’atath

So far the PvP tabard/cloak season 1 were Nerubian themed. And the season 2 PvP tabard/cloak are Undermine/goblin themed. So based on that trend I expect the 11.2 raid to be the “etherealraid”

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They do, you usually just don't see them, though.

E.g. the modular Dreadlord, Tuskarr, Kobold and new Hobgoblin models have them even though I don't think we commonly see them in that base form (or at all for some).

I will say the new Ethereal models are more complex than some of these though as it requires a bit of manual texturing, but only by a bit. Nevermind, one is just a bit broken.

Slightly unrelated, and I might be alone in this…
But I think it would be really cool if blizzard eventually did a Dreadlord race & were able to play into the infiltrator fantasy somehow.

But then again I’m also a big fan of the vanilla forsaken intro where they were only using the horde to further their own goals so something similar for Dreadlords would be peak.

[Cheezits]

There are a few different creature displays hooked up, Azir is the only one that's hooked up in the game files itself (so he's likely part of a cinematic somewhere). The other displays might be used by NPCs that haven't showed up/been indexed yet as one needs to encounter these in-game to be able to link these displays back to creatures.

I can confirm there is a cinematic somewhere. Did we ever figure out what the bandages on the ground are supposed to be hooked up to?

I think Ethereals will be the main mob baddies for 11.2's raid and Nightfall, but in a twist we will have them playable in Midnight and that will be the reason they have been so developed.

[Sondrelk]

Just glom together multiple classic zones into new bigger style zones. You could turn Lordaeron into about 4 new DF-sized zones. I think it would be unfeasible to do an entire continent for one expansion, but doing 1/2 a continent per xpac would be possible.

Exactly. The bits of EK from Arathi Highlands upward all deal with roughly the same themes. Just amalgamate the into one expansion zone for Midnight and you have a strong base for an expansion. No need to faff about with Northern and remnants of the Scourge in the Ghostlands when Tirisfal and the Plaguelands are literally right there. Sure it would be nice to have Zul'aman expanded on, but if you just want a forest troll zone then we have the Hinterlands with the iconic tiered city whose name escapes me.

[Marlamin]

Did we ever figure out what the bandages on the ground are supposed to be hooked up to?

Good chance's it's just part of an animation, the model viewer tends to just show those kind of things all the time.

[Golden Yak]

Exactly. The bits of EK from Arathi Highlands upward all deal with roughly the same themes. Just amalgamate the into one expansion zone for Midnight and you have a strong base for an expansion. No need to faff about with Northern and remnants of the Scourge in the Ghostlands when Tirisfal and the Plaguelands are literally right there. Sure it would be nice to have Zul'aman expanded on, but if you just want a forest troll zone then we have the Hinterlands with the iconic tiered city whose name escapes me.

Well, you could do that. I don't think they need to though. And I kinda don't want them too. It would be burning up a lot of potential with one xpac that could be two.

I think between all the elven factions coming to Quel'thalas (nelfs, belfs, helfs, their spin-offs and the naga) along with the Void, the Arathi, and existing concepts there, you have a pretty beefy expasion that's going to delve into elf lore, a possible return of Azshara, more about the Arathi Empire, and major Light v Void stuff - now its the time we learn about naaru, their masters, and the Void Lords. I think there's a lot there, and I really want to see a full rebuild of previously released zones in a new scale, just to know how and if Blizzard is going to tackle that kind of thing. QE is the perfect place to experiment with, since it's so far removed from the main continent in terms of mechanics and location.

Rebuilding Lordaeron can come later once they know Midnight is going to work out, and you can revisit all the classic Lordaeron stuff along with expanding on Arathi Empire stuff (Lordaeron is their homeland as much as Quel'Thalas, they're going to want to stake a claim to it). The Empire trying to conquer Lordaeron could probably also serve as an entire expansion. And you wouldn't be crowding out the human/undead plotlines and history with all the elf/Light/Void stuff.

[Enteroctopus Magnificus]

It's almost February, so we should be hearing from housing soon!!!! They said they'd have more to share at the beginning of the year... Maybe a little before the official release of Undermined or during ?

What are your expectations in this regard? I think I have a mixture of fear and excitement. You never know with Blizzard.

[Cheezits]

It's almost February, so we should be hearing from housing soon!!!! They said they'd have more to share at the beginning of the year... Maybe a little before the official release of Undermined or during ?

What are your expectations in this regard? I think I have a mixture of fear and excitement. You never know with Blizzard.

Firstly I didn't know they were going to share more news before the reveal.

Secondly I think the system will be "place props where you want" as if it was just "place this in this assigned spot" there's no reason it would've taken so long to implement.

[huth]

Firstly I didn't know they were going to share more news before the reveal.

Secondly I think the system will be "place props where you want" as if it was just "place this in this assigned spot" there's no reason it would've taken so long to implement.

There's a whole lot of other things that need to be considered beyond just how exactly decorating works.

[Enteroctopus Magnificus]

There's a whole lot of other things that need to be considered beyond just how exactly decorating works.

Decoration is the basis of housing, the most important part.

Then there's the “type” of housing. According to PC Gamer's interview with Ion, they've developed lots of technologies to make housing work. In particular, he mentions the way delves get you into your own personal instance.

Based on this meagre information, I imagine that housing will work in the same way. He also said that there won't be just “Stormwind” for housing, implying that houses will be in town (outside we don't know) probably like ESO (there are houses in various locations and anyone can buy).

For customization, I don't think you can choose the architecture. If you want your own human home, go to Stormwind. If you want your wood elf hut, go to Bel'ameth. TBH I'd prefer it that way.

[Ersula]

Decoration is the basis of housing, the most important part.

Then there's the “type” of housing. According to PC Gamer's interview with Ion, they've developed lots of technologies to make housing work. In particular, he mentions the way delves get you into your own personal instance.

Based on this meagre information, I imagine that housing will work in the same way. He also said that there won't be just “Stormwind” for housing, implying that houses will be in town (outside we don't know) probably like ESO (there are houses in various locations and anyone can buy).

For customization, I don't think you can choose the architecture. If you want your own human home, go to Stormwind. If you want your wood elf hut, go to Bel'ameth. TBH I'd prefer it that way.

I'm already predicting Housing is going to be a dumpster fire. Not because they'll do it badly but because none of the people who want housing want the same thing. They're 100% not going to have individual plots like FFXIV because of how WoW layering works now that its combined with merged servers. If it's purely instanced, there won't be an exterior which is what half of players want. And if its phased, it's basically just a garrison again & people hated that most of all expansion features.

[huth]

Decoration is the basis of housing, the most important part.

Decoration is the finish, not the basis. It might be the most important part to you, but it sits on top of a whole host of other systems without which you wouldn't have anything to decorate.

When you want a house, you have to start with the foundation, not the furniture.

[Limayria]

I think all of the etherealraid icons were used (maybe excluding icon recolors?)

However… the datamined PvP tabard & cloak for season 3 do look very similar to the newer Ethereal models (particularly with the gem in the center & wrappings)
Though the cloak has runes similar to what we’ve seen on Xal’atath

So far the PvP tabard/cloak season 1 were Nerubian themed. And the season 2 PvP tabard/cloak are Undermine/goblin themed. So based on that trend I expect the 11.2 raid to be the “etherealraid”

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Slightly unrelated, and I might be alone in this…
But I think it would be really cool if blizzard eventually did a Dreadlord race & were able to play into the infiltrator fantasy somehow.

But then again I’m also a big fan of the vanilla forsaken intro where they were only using the horde to further their own goals so something similar for Dreadlords would be peak.

nvm i thought it was the same as wings of shattered sorrow but its different, it has a similar shape tho