BfA Patch Speculation thread (8.3 and later).

[AngerFork]

Came back up with 8.2.5.31769, looks like another build is on the way. Hopefully this one is getting released.

Given the RAF reward announcements, I’ll personally be very interested in how much of the encrypted stuff is now unencrypted and displayed, if any.

[Dracullus]

1) There's no reason RAF launch needs to be with 8.2.5.
2) You can still just make a new battle.net account and pay for it.
3) People who unsubscribed a year ago, or are playing Classic right now aren't being recruited. The point of the program is old former players and brand new players

Sorry, but this makes 0 sense.

1. 8.2.5 is already small. No point to wait with this system, especially since party synch is coming.

2. I already have inactive 2nd account. I should make 3rd just for backpack, because Blizzard make some really strange rules?

3. "The point of the program is old former players and brand new players" Why them exclusively? Especially right now when lot of people with even 5+ years inactive accounts returned?

[Rae888]

2. I already have inactive 2nd account. I should make 3rd just for backpack, because Blizzard make some really strange rules?

Well, this change actually gets rid of the issue of people having to make a ton of accounts to get all the RAF rewards. It just requires one extra instead of the 8+ you needed before.

[bleak19]

Which VT had recolor of a WoD pet?

Nevermind, it is a placeholder for a murloc.

[Hitei]

Sorry, but this makes 0 sense.

1. 8.2.5 is already small. No point to wait with this system, especially since party synch is coming.

2. I already have inactive 2nd account. I should make 3rd just for backpack, because Blizzard make some really strange rules?

3. "The point of the program is old former players and brand new players" Why them exclusively? Especially right now when lot of people with even 5+ years inactive accounts returned?

8.2.5 is a fairly normal sized .5 patch. RAF is an account level system, not a game feature. It isn't designed to be content for people who are actively playing the game so there is no reason to batch it with patch content instead of whenever they want to release it, like leading up to Blizzcon or after 9.0 has been announced.

Yes, if you want to game the system to use a second account, you should make a 3rd account. "OH NO, I HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A MILD INCONVENIENCE TO USE THIS SYSTEM THE WAY IT WASN'T INTENDED TO BE USED!"

Because that is who is being recruited? The lot of people who have returned have already returned. They don't need to be recruited. RaF isn't about retaining players, it is a about incentivizing players to bring in friends who haven't tried the game or who haven't played it lately.

[Sondrelk]

The Shadowlands leak automatically gets debunked once you realize that the final boss of BFA is probably N'zoth. And knowing Blizzard's writing, they'd of course waste the chance to bring back the Black Empire as well as the Shadowlands and put them directly together in 1 expansion.

And to think, I was actually starting to like the name "World of Warcraft: Shadow".

The final boss of BfA is not necessarily N'zoth though. As i have been saying for a while now, N'zoth a a final boss isnt really a concept that gels terribly well with the faction war storyline that is at the core of the expansion.

Sylvanas is the central antagonist the entire expansion revolves around, and if N'zoth is to be the final boss, then Sylvanas has to essentially declare him the final boss, that is. She has to come out as a N'zoth cultist/partner in crime, and declare that all her evil acts were done because of N'zoth in some form.


Just try to think about it for a second, imagine if the final boss of Legion was Azshara, because of all the naga in Azsuna, the Nightborne storyline that tied onto Azshara and the Naga in Tomb of Sargeras. It would have been foreshadowed, but it wouldnt really gel with the main conceit of the expansion, that of defeating the Legion.
Similarly, N'zoth has been heavily foreshadowed, and we have had bosses and storylines that deal with the void and old gods, but it wasnt until 8.2 that any of the main quests even considered the Old gods an immediate threat. All the quests have been about the Faction war/Sylvanas.

There is also the question of narrative causuality and how heavily the narrative leans into Sylvanas being the final boss, which would be a bit of an odd choiuce to simply ignore for the sake of making N'zoth the final boss. Sylvanas being one of the inciting players of the expansion, several large questlines revolving around her, specifically the Horde rebellion storyline, and lastly the thematic importance of each warbringer being the final boss of a raid, and the similarities between them in those fights, that of both Jaina and Azshara surviving.



And beyond that, it would be a waste to defeat N'zoth in an expansion where he would show up so suddenly and do almost nothing except be defeated in the final patch.

Hopefully 8.2.5 will have some nice juicy hints as to the raid in 8.3 though, i would be shocked if Sylvanas simply exits stage left and leaves N'zoth as the surprise final boss.

[Dracullus]

Well, this change actually gets rid of the issue of people having to make a ton of accounts to get all the RAF rewards. It just requires one extra instead of the 8+ you needed before.

Yep, but you have to create new one first time. Why put this pointless limit?

Also, there is problem with old rewards. They never said it will be gone when RAF was going for hiatus.

8.2.5 is a fairly normal sized .5 patch. RAF is an account level system, not a game feature. It isn't designed to be content for people who are actively playing the game so there is no reason to batch it with patch content instead of whenever they want to release it, like leading up to Blizzcon or after 9.0 has been announced.

Yes, if you want to game the system to use a second account, you should make a 3rd account. "OH NO, I HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A MILD INCONVENIENCE TO USE THIS SYSTEM THE WAY IT WASN'T INTENDED TO BE USED!"

Because that is who is being recruited? The lot of people who have returned have already returned. They don't need to be recruited. RaF isn't about retaining players, it is a about incentivizing players to bring in friends who haven't tried the game or who haven't played it lately.

It's not mild convinience for me, it's big deal actually, since I have BfA license on 2nd account and could have some fun from duo Legion raids. But don't get me wrong, it's not about me, I believe there will be ton of people like this. Puting this pointless limit is middle finger to them for no reason at all.

Same with people that returned for Classic just to test it. You gave code to returning random, because you saw RAF rewards? Come here friend, grab that game time. You convinced old buddy to come back for Classic and he get interested with Blizzard games again? *middle finger*

And again, it's for no reason at all.

[Marlamin]

Given the RAF reward announcements, I’ll personally be very interested in how much of the encrypted stuff is now unencrypted and displayed, if any.

Don't get your hopes up.

[Sondrelk]

8.2.5 is a fairly normal sized .5 patch. RAF is an account level system, not a game feature. It isn't designed to be content for people who are actively playing the game so there is no reason to batch it with patch content instead of whenever they want to release it, like leading up to Blizzcon or after 9.0 has been announced.

Yes, if you want to game the system to use a second account, you should make a 3rd account. "OH NO, I HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A MILD INCONVENIENCE TO USE THIS SYSTEM THE WAY IT WASN'T INTENDED TO BE USED!"

Because that is who is being recruited? The lot of people who have returned have already returned. They don't need to be recruited. RaF isn't about retaining players, it is a about incentivizing players to bring in friends who haven't tried the game or who haven't played it lately.

This RAF comes across as a bit more insidious though, considering that it releases a almost unique addition of a non-cloak cosmetic back item with the Backpack. If 8.3 or the next expansion reveals a whole lot more backpacks, totems and other similar back slot items, then i will retroactively accept what is happening here, but until then it comes across as a bit shady of Blizz to reveal something like this tied to RAF.

For comparision, imagine if WoD released an RAF transmog set with the overlayed armor parts we started seeing in Legion, it would come across as insane that Blizz added such a highly requested feature as a non-ingame item.

[Hitei]

Don't get your hopes up.

Yeah but is Sylvanas now flagged as <Champion of the Black Empire>?

This RAF comes across as a bit more insidious though, considering that it releases a almost unique addition of a non-cloak cosmetic back item with the Backpack. If 8.3 or the next expansion reveals a whole lot more backpacks, totems and other similar back slot items, then i will retroactively accept what is happening here, but until then it comes across as a bit shady of Blizz to reveal something like this tied to RAF.

For comparision, imagine if WoD released an RAF transmog set with the overlayed armor parts we started seeing in Legion, it would come across as insane that Blizz added such a highly requested feature as a non-ingame item.

This might be a valid complaint if, you know, the old RAF hadn't introduced an at the time completely unique multi-person flying mount.

[FlubberPuddy]

Also, going by your logic - if there is a squish, you're assuming that they will cut the overall time needed to hit max level? Like, if we get squished from 120 to 60, the time needed to go to 120 will be about 50% of what it takes now?

I'm not the one assuming that. You are. I was stating what they did is still include 10 lvls worth of exp into 5 levels when they did Cata and MoP. And they stated this and said it felt bad and is why they went back to increments of 10.

Because if having 5 levels that are 10 levels worth of experience was bad, I imagine having 60 levels that are 120 levels worth of experience would be far worse, i.e. if they want to avoid that, they would have to considerably speed up the leveling process.

Somehow, I doubt they'll do that, but then again... I'm usually a pessimist.

It would be, and that's why they're being very careful if and when they do a squish. You seem to assume they're just going to make it faster to get to post-squish 60 than pre-squish 120, why? If the logic of a squish is just to reduce "number bloat" and a 120 now is supposed to be an equivalent to a lv 60 post-squish then what makes you assume it'll be faster?

This is why if they ever do a level squish it will not just cut down levels, but they're more than likely to also revamp the whole leveling up experience (as in what is gained per level and etc). Think leveling rewards comparable to other games like ESO/GW2. Something more than just a new ability gained per lvl, maybe some goodies/gear, and certain perks at certain level milestones.

At the end of the day they're still trying to keep their game time metrics up, which was also the whole point of making leveling slower pre-7.3.5.

[Marlamin]

Yeah but is Sylvanas now flagged as <Champion of the Black Empire>?

Sure, why not.

[Hitei]

Sure, why not.

I'm going to hold you to this, now.

"Marlamin said Sylvanas joins the Black Empire".

[Revamp Man]

Well, we'll see - I'll bet on +5 levels due to the reasons I've provided earlier and if there's a squish, we'll see who was right

Also, going by your logic - if there is a squish, you're assuming that they will cut the overall time needed to hit max level? Like, if we get squished from 120 to 60, the time needed to go to 120 will be about 50% of what it takes now?

Because if having 5 levels that are 10 levels worth of experience was bad, I imagine having 60 levels that are 120 levels worth of experience would be far worse, i.e. if they want to avoid that, they would have to considerably speed up the leveling process.

Somehow, I doubt they'll do that, but then again... I'm usually a pessimist.

Make it like WoD

New stuff every level

Gives meaning to each level

[MrExcelion]

So Party Sync was added in 8.2.5 to pair with the RAF revamp

Makes sense, so with the timing of this blog in mind 8.2.5 looks set for September 24th, or maybe the 1st, wouldn't be any longer than that.

[FlubberPuddy]

I will laugh myself hoarse if they say "you saw Azshara in that cinematic, didn't you?"

You should laugh yourself hoarse because anyone believing in no 8.3 is truly cringe and worth laughing over.

[Dracullus]

You should laugh yourself hoarse because anyone believing in no 8.3 is truly cringe and worth laughing over.

What's the point, by the time we'll see 8.3 PTR, 8.3 deniers will be busy making bullshit on different topic.

[Marlamin]

Encrypted vendor build is out, now to wait and see if we get a regular one tonight or if its going to be tomorrow or later.

[Hitei]

You should laugh yourself hoarse because anyone believing in no 8.3 is truly cringe and worth laughing over.

There will obviously be an 8.3. That said:

They already said we'd see the boss for the final raid in the eternal palace cinematic, so this isn't so much an unpopular opinion as a silly one that doesn't take into account what's been known for a while.

Please don't spread misinformation like this.

[Sondrelk]

What's the point, by the time we'll see 8.3 PTR, 8.3 deniers will be busy making bullshit on different topic.

I can see it already:

"8.3.5, won't happen, we will be in content drought until 9.0 release in late November."

"We will skip Pre-patch, all the sigsn point ot Blizzard not wanting to do them anymore."

"9.0 will be delayed until 2021, Blizzard could not possible release it before fall is over."

"9.0 will only go to 9.2, <New feature> and <Other new feature> clearly show Blizzard is on maintenance mode and is going to cut this expansion short."

And so the cycle continues.