8.2.5 Discussions (Spoilers Ahoy!)

So, a few details of 8.2.5 have come out today via Wowhead and MMO Champ. Here is a quick and dirty summary:

  • New Worgen & Goblin models
  • Bee Mount
  • Firelands Timewalking
  • RaF is back
  • Party Sync – the “mentoring” system they discussed way before timewalking is finally leaking in
  • 15th anniversary event

Let’s discuss for a few thousands posts :heart_eyes:

2 Likes

UGH it posted on one of my warlocks -_-

Anyhow, I’m pretty excited for the party sync and level reduction stuff. Many report this as coming from FF but they discussed it ages ago, like in the Cata & MoP betas iirc, at which point it might have been “inspired” by an EQ feature? IDK but it’s nice.

Being able to repeat quest chains, sync with friends, etc. will be great for new and old players alike.

When players activate Party Sync, everyone in the party becomes aligned to the same quest state, including phases.

We’re also relaxing level restrictions on queueing for instanced content with your friends. This allows lower-level players to queue for content in their level range, and higher-level players can choose to join them by having their level scaled down while they’re in the instance.

Unlike Timewalking, you will lose your higher level abilities!

edit: Also, I’m one of the (few, many?) hyped for a level squish. I dig the idea of being 60 again, the way alts level changing a bit etc.

This party sync stuff might be a bit of a hint at how they’re able to scale us down in a squish.

Yes, it’s just a psychological thing – viewing “level 100” as a bunch of years away again. I believe from a UX/psych perspective it’s a much bigger deal than some might think.

5 Likes

I’m going to skip a lot of personal bias and opportunity to be snide here to state simply that the level sync feature has a whole lot of potential to start shoring up Blizzard’s clearly less than sustainable all max level all new content only endgame model.

We’ll see how the playerbase, however, adapts.

9 Likes

I want them to get the female worgen models right so much. :pray: The goblin update will be nice, of course, but please please please let the worgen models be good.

And, :honeybee: we finally get our bees, yay :honeybee:!

4 Likes

hey that special anniversary raid series sounds absolutely wild

2 Likes

Yeah, as much as I dig Timewalking as an event or system I was a bit disappointed that it was NOT the “mentoring system” discussed in some old dev Q&A. I wanted to be able to scale my level down for a bunch of reasons e.g. running old content with guildies and friends, collecting a gearset for 19, 49 and 60 pvp brackets or fixed-level duels etc.

As a collector, it represented a valid reason to secure certain items. Even now, I’m thinking “woah it’s a good time to farm that sword from Sunken Temple,” due to this.

BEE MOUNT! I can’t wait for that.

The 15th anniversary raids do sound awesome.

Throughout the duration of the event, you’ll be able to participate in three unique raids with iconic encounters from past expansions along with an old-school-inspired Alterac Valley battleground. Players who defeat all nine bosses in the raid wings will receive the Obsidian Worldbreaker, a Black Dragonflight mount inspired by Deathwing. Players who participate in Alterac Valley will receive a new anniversary event currency which can be exchanged for two new mounts: the Stormpike Battle Charger (Alliance) and the Frostwolf Snarler (Horde).

9 iconic bosses across 3 raids. A black dragonflight mount. Does this foreshadow a bit into the next expac? I sort of hope it does.

I like it all but one thing like I posted in the general forum is that I need friends to do the Party sync stuff with. When all this is implemented I will hope to have others to play with.

My Alliance main and oldest toon, Crazyprophet, is a worgen.

For that alone, I’m super keen :smiley: I wanna look more like Genn. XD

Cool. This is, what, the third time they’ve promised this? Fourth?

It’s the first time they’ve promised it.

The first was a rumor during WoD.
Second was a “we’d like to work on it”/“we’re working on it, but it’s low priority right now.”

7 Likes

Groovy, that’s a little more reassuring, then. My faith in Blizzard is just thin, these days.

2 Likes

Ya first time they actually came out and said it. I do seem to recall people expecting it earlier than this deep into the expac. Still, it’s coming. Hopefully they make cool new druid forms for Worgen, too.

A top hat or bowler hat for their heritage armor would be great as well when they do that. We do have a moggable cloth top hat in the game now, after all.

3 Likes

Oh, boy. The Firelands.

Neat.

1 Like

weenies are crying about blizz indicating that you have to play alliance to get the bee mount

id bet money that its similar to kua’fon and the child of torcali, which you have to play horde to get

lol

3 Likes

I’m kind of hoping the male worgen models will have the option to have the not-so-glowy eyes that the female models have and vice-versa for the female ones. Really liked the more ‘normal’-looking ones. :frowning:

It’s about time for the level-syncing feature though!

2 Likes

level syncing is honestly a thing i didn’t expect even when they mentioned the “mentoring” system back at blizzcon and previous

i don’t know if/don’t think they’ll make it as such a core gameplay loop mechanic like duty roulettes are for ffxiv but i can see it being useful in other instances, esp. in the “hey i need people to play with” kinda thing. mostly because there’s nothing in the preview about being able to queue up for lower-level dungeons and such as a higher-level player

and worgen/goblin model updates were promised outright and actually previewed (actual pictures!) at blizzcon for 8.2.5 during the “what’s next” panel iirc

EDIT: oh god what if the level sync bugs out and you gotta redo all your bars when you sync up, it’s 100% the most likely bug aside from things not coming back right

2 Likes

Firelands was one of my favorite raids of all time, and Ragnaros is such an amazing fight. I’m super excited to run this again and have the mechanics matter. I used to be the driver on Rhyolith, and the flier on Alys. x3

2 Likes

Yes, a lot of people seem quite hyped on that. I know that if you have the glaives and loot them in timewalking you can mog them. Is there a cosmetic version of the mace in TW Ulduar (and will there be one of the staff in Firelands)?

I guess either way it’s neat for people to go with their guilds for some nostalgia, new players to experience a raid they never have “for real” and all that.

I wish they’d do Classic timewalking dungeons though, just a few of the classic dungeons tuned for level 60 and you’re 60 in there.

I was already 60. I don’t want to regress. I hope there’s no level squish in the future. We got classic for people who want to be 60, or the ability to stop your levels and twink if you want.

Otherwise this stuff sounds good.

2 Likes

I’ve been waiting for new female worgen models since being horribly disappointed when they were released, SUPER excited to see the final result as I may actually race change to one. Gilnean lore is my absolute favourite!

All my sassy and cute goblin ladies getting an aesthetics upgrade is also a thumbs up in my books!

2 Likes