9.0 General Discussion

[Edward Wu]

I wonder what kind of gameplay systems they have planned for Shadowlands content patches?

M+ almost begs to be expanded, as well as Torghast.

[Jastall]

I wonder what kind of gameplay systems they have planned for Shadowlands content patches?

M+ almost begs to be expanded, as well as Torghast.

Hope we get a new dungeon per patch, that was one of the best parts of Legion.

Also hopefully they spruce up the Maw a lot in 9.1, and/or add an endgame zone as good as Suramar was. Not holding my breath for the latter but the Maw seems criminally in need of just more stuff period.

[Nagawithlegs]

Very unlikely that Turalyon is going to get "corrupted" by Alleria. If anyone it'll be Lothraxion who is hinted at being a sleeper agent for the Nathrezim even after his conversion.

I have a feeling Turalyon won't be a simple villain though, more likely he will just refuse to give up the seat to Anduin when (if) he comes back.

Also, the "cunning ones" are 99% the Nathrezim as per the recent book in Revendreth and the "Vassal of Life" likely does not refer to Malfurion, but a Thornspeaker who has a high position within the Night Queen's court (who has green eyes).

[Blayze]

I wonder what kind of gameplay systems they have planned for Shadowlands content patches?

M+ almost begs to be expanded, as well as Torghast.

I'm assuming we'll get to see some of those infinite alternate afterlives, for at least a few minutes as we GO GO GO through them for gear.

[huth]

You asked me what my take on that line was, don't ask me what that means to me if you're just going to dismiss it as "a bunch of assumptions".

I didn't dismiss your claim of what the line was about. I dismissed your claim that said opinion is straightforward. It isn't, because your claim requires extra assumptions to be made compared to mine. An assumption in this context is any additional pre-requisite that is necessary for the outcome, not random guessing.

The interviews are completely irrelevant, as whether the Old Gods may at some point in the future return wasn't actually in contention. All that means is that your assumptions are possible, not that they aren't assumptions.

[Nagawithlegs]

I'm assuming we'll get to see some of those infinite alternate afterlives, for at least a few minutes as we GO GO GO through them for gear.

There is an engineer themed afterlife confirmed by name, but it seems too much like Mechagon to happen. It's the only afterlife we have the confirmed name for besides the playable ones though.

I would expect the Broker/Devourer (has to be the same place) world to be a zone though.

[maxje98]

Okey so over the last three days we have received a video for every zone. Tomorrow we will get the one for Revendreth. Maybe a cinematic of zone vid coming this tuesday for the Maw?
Just some random thought. Cuz it kinda looks weird that they started on a Friday with these kind of vids. Or is it just my mind hoping for a CGI cinematic

[Revamp Man]

Okey so over the last three days we have received a video for every zone. Tomorrow we will get the one for Revendreth. Maybe a cinematic of zone vid coming this tuesday for the Maw?
Just some random thought. Cuz it kinda looks weird that they started on a Friday with these kind of vids. Or is it just my mind hoping for a CGI cinematic

i think it was set for the anniversary event weekend

[Toybox]

Three weeks to go Actually getting excited again now I know the release date is coming up. The only question is how many characters am I going to bother playing...

[Lahis]

Okey so over the last three days we have received a video for every zone. Tomorrow we will get the one for Revendreth. Maybe a cinematic of zone vid coming this tuesday for the Maw?
Just some random thought. Cuz it kinda looks weird that they started on a Friday with these kind of vids. Or is it just my mind hoping for a CGI cinematic

Maw would be fitting zone to promote on election day.

[huth]

Maw would be fitting zone to promote on election day.

In off-topic, i'd say something about that. Then again, i'd have to go to off-topic for that. Brr.

[Nyel]

I wonder what kind of gameplay systems they have planned for Shadowlands content patches?

M+ almost begs to be expanded, as well as Torghast.

You just have to think about making Covenants / Soulbinds / Conduits more complex to reduce the fallout of their complexity (this sounds like an oxymoron but that's exactly what .1 and .2 systems do since Legion, they add complexity to a complex system to reduce the negative impact of said complex system).

Undoubtly we'll get more Conduits and Torghast floors in content patches. Most likely each content patch will add at least one new Soulbind per Covenant as well. Besides that? I still hope they have something planned for the class specific Covenant skills, because many of them still suck.

Maybe not in 9.1, but in 9.2 we can ally with two Covenants at the same time?

[Alanar]

Yeah he's your average Saturday Morning Cartoon Villian, him and Mueh'zala

PITIFUL MORTALS DIE!

-Zovaal the Jailer

Give this guy some motivations and some story jesus christ.. hes already going in the books as the worst generic villain.. expansion hasnt even started yet.

- - - Updated - - -

Okey so over the last three days we have received a video for every zone. Tomorrow we will get the one for Revendreth. Maybe a cinematic of zone vid coming this tuesday for the Maw?
Just some random thought. Cuz it kinda looks weird that they started on a Friday with these kind of vids. Or is it just my mind hoping for a CGI cinematic

Solid 30 fps fly over vids arent exactly helping me to get any motivations...

Come on blizzard.

[Sondrelk]

PITIFUL MORTALS DIE!

-Zovaal the Jailer

Give this guy some motivations and some story jesus christ.. hes already going in the books as the worst generic villain.. expansion hasnt even started yet.

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Solid 30 fps fly over vids arent exactly helping me to get any motivations...

Come on blizzard.

I would prefer if Zovaal is just your run of the mill saturday morning villain. Should give Sylvanas more spotlight as the unquestioned bad guy of Shadowlands.
Basically just have the Jailer as the powerhouse while Sylvanas is the emotional core that we feel good about defeating.

[Varodoc]

I would prefer if Zovaal is just your run of the mill saturday morning villain. Should give Sylvanas more spotlight as the unquestioned bad guy of Shadowlands.
Basically just have the Jailer as the powerhouse while Sylvanas is the emotional core that we feel good about defeating.

Danuser/Ion (one of the two) specifically mentioned that they have major plans for the Jailer, as they will explain his motivations and backstory throughout the expansion.

Never forget this: The Jailer, and not Sylvanas, is the MAIN VILLAIN and CENTRAL DRIVING FORCE of Shadowlands. If you think Sylvanas will remain a major villain for ALL of Shadowlands, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Conversely, by the end of Shadowlands, when all has been revealed, you will most likely see the Jailer in a different light.

[Alanar]

Danuser/Ion (one of the two) specifically mentioned that they have major plans for the Jailer, as they will explain his motivations and backstory throughout the expansion.

Never forget this: The Jailer, and not Sylvanas, is the MAIN VILLAIN and CENTRAL DRIVING FORCE of Shadowlands. If you think Sylvanas will remain a major villain for ALL of Shadowlands, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Conversely, by the end of Shadowlands, when all has been revealed, you will most likely see the Jailer in a different light.

They always say they have big plans..

Doesnt take away the fact Zovaal is uninteresting.. looks/motovation as of now tho.

[Pury]

by the end of Shadowlands, when all has been revealed, you will most likely see the Jailer in a different light.

We have already had our totally-not-Garrosh 2.0
Now it is time to meet the Jailer!
He will be our "Sylvanas is a morally grey, well-written character." 2.0
OMEGALUL

[Varodoc]

We have already had our totally-not-Garrosh 2.0
Now it is time to meet the Jailer!
He will be our "Sylvanas is a morally grey, well-written character." 2.0
OMEGALUL

Define "morally grey". If a villain is "morally grey" because they are evil but are driven by good intentions, then Yes, Sylvanas will be what you would call a "morally grey villain".

These people are villains, of course they will commit evil acts. Every villain from every story will have done something evil, that's why they're villains. However, since Blizzard is clearly writing Sylvanas as an extremist who genuinely has good intentions but is completely delusional, then Yes, she is morally grey. Just like Sargeras was morally grey, because even if he tried to commit omnicide, he was fundamentally terrified of the Void Lords (as he should be).

So even if these people are evil, which they obviously are (since Sylvanas committed genocide), they would still be morally grey by virtue of the fact that they don't want to do evil stuff for fun, like Gul'dan or Archimonde.

There's also the fact that the Jailer can be a complex villain while having evil intentions. You don't need to be morally grey to be a good villain. If these people do their job and actually come up with a convincing/compelling motivation that ties neatly into his backstory, then he will be a decent villain.

[Sondrelk]

Danuser/Ion (one of the two) specifically mentioned that they have major plans for the Jailer, as they will explain his motivations and backstory throughout the expansion.

Never forget this: The Jailer, and not Sylvanas, is the MAIN VILLAIN and CENTRAL DRIVING FORCE of Shadowlands. If you think Sylvanas will remain a major villain for ALL of Shadowlands, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Conversely, by the end of Shadowlands, when all has been revealed, you will most likely see the Jailer in a different light.

In that case I am setting myself up for disappointment either way.
I made the argument a while back that Sylvanas will likely stay alive to at least the final patch simply because the Jailer is not capable of summoning the contempt from the audience that a proven hateable character like Sylvanas is.
The Jailer can get all the backstory he wants, but unless that backstory is him being a different character we already know then defeating Sylvanas will still be the emotional climax of the expansion. That doesnt mean we cannot ride the high from having defeated her for a while, but I doubt that effect would last much longer than a single patch, meaning that if the writers want Shadowlands to have the climactic and cathartic feeling at the end fo the expansion and not the middle then Sylvanas will stay alive.

The Jailer could of course ressurect Arthas or some other important lore figure to carry the emotional heft fo the expansion into the final patch, but I feel keeping Sylvanas there is an infinitely better choice.

[huth]

They always say they have big plans..

Doesnt take away the fact Zovaal is uninteresting.. looks/motovation as of now tho.

Well of course. He's new, we haven't had any chance to learn about him yet. Grading him on that makes little sense.

Though personally i'd have prefered the BlizzCon concept over giant human.