We have begun the alpha testing phase and want to provide all of you with some details on how we have been planning for this phase of testing to roll out before we move to the beta.
This time around we plan to do some focused zone testing early on so we can get as much feedback as possible from each phase of updates. To do this, specific zones will be available and then disabled to keep alpha testers in the active areas. While the zones are expected to weave in and out of existence during the initial stages of the alpha, the majority of other content and features will continue to persist week over week following their introduction into the alpha.
Our goal is to roll out a new phase every week. As a reminder, testing phases can be very fluid so depending on implementation, feedback, or issues, the schedule could change at a moment’s notice. Alpha testers should keep an eye on the alpha forum for updates on what is available in each update.
Here is a breakdown for what players can initially expect to see in the first phase of Dragonflight alpha:
Phase 1 Zone Experience: The Azure Span
New Race and Class: Dracthyr Evoker
Dragonriding
New Interface HUD Revamp
Talent Revamps for Death Knight, Druid, Hunter, Priest, and Rogue
Professions: Alchemy and Blacksmithing
Full details on the following phases will be shared as we get closer to them, but here are the current plans for the zones:
Phase 2 Zone Experience: The Forbidden Reach
Phase 3 Zone Experiences: The Forbidden Reach and Waking Shores
Phase 4 Zone Experiences: The Forbidden Reach and Thaldraszus
Phase 5 Zone Experiences: The Forbidden Reach and Ohn’ahran Plain
Phase 6+ All zones are expected to be playable
Please read the patch note thread for full details of each phase as they become available.
Thanks for your interest and see you in the Dragon Isles.
It’s great to see somewhat of a roadmap for testing phases. Looking forward to seeing more filled out as time goes, e.g. when Monk talents will be brought in and other professions progress.
Just watched the first DF Alpha videos from T&E and Belluar, granted its obviously VERY early and of course Alpha just release so weigh that against this, but BOTH of them were very positive with what they see so far. In particular they are blown away by Dragon Riding – especially Tali (of T&E) he was going pretty insane over how awesome it is “Best wow feature in 20 years” is what was in his video…lol.
The zone looks great…so anyway – I’m gonna keep update with both of those guys.
Huh? How long did you listen to him – I’ve heard him rip into the game on plenty of occasions to some extent I’m thinking “dude calm down its a game” because he kept launching a flurry of F bombs.
Btw, This is just my honest take not meant to defend him…I’m not one of those people. I don’t use my time and energy to try to pull people to like a content creator (that would be stupid because they make money and its not like they’d pay me to bring them players to expand their audience). But If sometimes I sound like I’m defending one its just because I honestly just try to be real what I think is right or wrong and I just call that out according to my view on whatever issue.
I looked at Hogger updated model and I found a few problems:
Hogger fur originally is meant to be darker yet the new model is way TOO light, is even completelly inaccurate to ANY other matherial since vanilla up to now
Hogger is missing the FULL chest that cover MOST of the body if not all AND shoulders with a BIG metal part, he meant to have a armor-ish as part of they identity and as been depicted like that since vanilla
Hogger eyes are green in vanilla and most material, yet the “updated” model have brown eyes
Hogger have a distinctive grim and angry face and so far what i looked he even look happy and careless
Missing the Big pawcufts with many metalics nails-thingies, he have now generic Handcuff that don’t look like the official art
I hope is just an instance and not what is gonna be used because on how it look it can even taken as two different charactes and that will cause brand issues with poor Hogger and a whole Heartstone expansion too, two game issues with one update
[I can’t link images here so i can’t give Official Art, In Game and Alfa DF comparisons]
Blizzard LISTEN TO FEEDBACK??? you have a better chance of GRRM finishing GOT books than blizzard considering ANY player feedback, which will of course be the downfall of the expansion