Yes but a whole lot of content will go right in the toilet.

People complain now about the lack of endgame content. In fact the devs are buying time by adding those endless grinds. Now, instead of expanding, they are resetting all that work.

Who the hell will build raid of 20 or 40 players when you can zip to 70 and do the new content with the updated rewards?

It's not that the players will farm the old content. It's that the old content will be completely ignored because not worth the pain.

How many players have finished the quests in Strat, Scholo, UBRS, LBRS and so on? Noone. Because they aren't worth the pain to go there in a 5-man.

I agree that more players tend to gravitate towards Alliance than Horde but I think it has more to do with the way the two factions have always been portrayed in the Warcraft universe: The noble Alliance (good) bravely defending against a savage and barbarous Horde (evil) invasion. More players like to be good than evil.

DAOC had the same problem even though no faction was nominally good or evil: Albion was the realm of knights in shining armour and routinely got half the population on every server. Midgard seemed to attract the "evil" players with the savage Viking mythos, and then Hibernia would get the gay elf-loving dregs.*

* Full disclosure: not only were all my DAOC characters Hibs, but my main was a female elf, just as it is in WoW**.

** No, I'm not gay.

Says you. If I'm able to casually experience the content I've had to avoid because I absolutely HATE raids and groups over 5, I'll be exploring those instances quite a bit.

Will I have the uberest equipment out there? No, but it will be 10x better than what I have now.

I have no problem with them designing the game so that older content becomes available to the casuals while the new content goes for the catasses. Yes, it makes the older content more Diablo, but Diablo was/is very popular too you know. I want my shiney just like everyone else. I'm just not willing to, as you put it, put up with the pain.

I only use two criteria for playing specific content, it won't change just because there's more. Yes, some content will be skipped, especially if they add new stuff in the 20-40 range - those levels just don't require that much content to "finish" from a pure XP perspective.

Opportunity/Required - You can't very will skip Goldshire or Durotar, barring a relocation to another L6-12 alliance area. Likewise, it's logical, fun and easy to hit Westfall or Barrens immediately after.

Quest availability/Quality - If quests are plentiful in a small area and/or have specific rewards that directly impact the character I'm playing in a level-appropriate manner? I'm playing there. Deadmines & Redridge are examples of this, whereas I blitz through (or outright pass) Duskwood because it is not.

Who runs the old 'end game' content once there's been a level cap raise and all-new endgame content?
Easy - all the guilds, alliances and so on that didn't quite have the gear/knowledge/numbers to do, plus the cutting-edge guilds when gearing up new recruits, and also people looking for one specific drop.

Just like in EQ when Kunark and the successive expansions were released.

Plus the latter end game content can be gated easily by making it MUCH simpler to accomplish if you have items from the lower level (current end game content) raids. Sure you *can* do them with gear you get anywhere, but if you don't want it to be so risky and risk a wipe after hours of work, make it easier if you have items from proir raids that drop and help on the future content.

That's the easy way out, and one they are likely to take. As for Raid Bosses and the ??? level, back before the feature to display levels no matter what was removed from UI mods, Onyxia and the like displayed at level 500.

That's fake. They're all level 62-ish. The reason why increasing the cap to level 70 is that it decreases the damage the mobs do to players, how often they hit, how often the players hit and (probably most importantly) how often the players crit.

Are you actually asking or are you speculating about after the expansion?

Because if you're stating, then you're wrong. I've done all them. And they are worth it...

Heres more info that one of our members posted on our private forum. It looks pretty legitimate till you get to the 100 man raid instances and the level cap says 75 instead of 70. If its fake someone put a freaking godawful amount of work into making this look real.

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The following was deleted 30 minutes after it got up but I managed to copy it from my database. It was on the wow forums and on WoWguru, but was removed, like I said, 30 minutes later. Hard to believe, but that's what everyone says about any expansion to any MMO. Although it does seem like quite a lot.

Enjoy.

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Currently, because it is only ten or so days from the revealing of the expansion content at Blizzcon, I have decided to release what is PLANNED to be in the expansion. Enjoy. If you do not believe any of this, wait until October 29th and see most of this actually proven.

World of Warcraft - THE BURNING CRUSADE

The "Burning Crusade"

Illidan has gone insane, and already the alliance between the Draenei, Naga, and Blood Elves has began to crumble. The Naga once again wish to return to the sea, and the Blood Elves' hunger for demonic energies increases day by day... Illidan was tortured by Kil'jaeden after he failed to defeat Arthas - but finally, Kil'jaeden saw another task for Illidan. One that, if he failed, he would be sent into the twisted nether to be consumed by demons... Kil'jaeden then told him everything that had happened since his defeat.

As unexpected as it was, Illidan returned to his three allies and told them of this new plan to destroy not only the Scourge, but all other enemies that would ever oppose them.

Kael'thas and his Blood Elves were to go to the Forsaken for aid. Though they were undead, Illidan explained that their leader was a High Elf - Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, General of Quel'Thalas... or, used to be, anyways. Kael'thas saw this as a great advantage, as he had personally known her in the past. Though their hatred of the Trolls and Orcs was strong, Illidan told them of the new plague they were creating - to kill not only the Alliance, but the Horde as well.

Illidan told the Draenei of the pact with the Alliance they would have to make. He told them that this Alliance would aid in the slaying of the remaining orcs, the Draenei's most hated enemy. Reluctantly, Akama, leader of the Draenei, agreed to this, though only because they were in debt to Illidan for saving them from being destroyed by orcs years ago.

The Naga were to go into the sea of Azeroth, and cripple the Scourge of Northerend by sneaking in, killing groups of Scourge, and fleeing back to the sea before the Scourge's main forces could catch them. Eager to return to the oceans of Azeroth, Lady Vashj and the Naga agreed to this almost immediately.

Blood Elves have made an alliance with the horde by becoming Allies of Sylvanas. The Blood Elves also have claimed to the orcs to want to be rid of the demonic powers corrupting them, and that they wanted to be redeemed of the dark powers they once tried to harness. The orcs, though slowly and unsure, finally accepted the Blood Elves. In turn, the Tauren and Trolls also followed the example of the Undead and the Orcs, and accepted the Blood Elves as part of the new Horde.

Akama went to the Night Elves to plead. They told them of the demonic orcs that had forced them from their homeland, Draenor, and that they wish for an alliance against the Horde. The Alliance, though suspicious of the Draenei true intentions, has accepted the Draenei plead for an alliance.

Soon after Kael, leader of the Blood Elves, Lady Vashj, leader of the Naga, and Akama, leader of the Draenei, had left Outlands, Kil'Jaeden once again imprisoned Illidan within the Black Citadel and closed the Dark Portal to Azeroth... The Blood Elves, Naga and Draenei were meant to never return.

In the Royal Throne Room of Undercity, Sylvanas entered with many of her most powerful guards at her side. She had found out of the betrayal of Varmithras, and that the natherizim Balnazzar still lived. To her surprise, many undeads had already been slaughtered in the Throne Room... and Varmithras was nowhere to be found.

A dark Nightmare has enveloped the Emerald Dream, slowly corrupting it. Rumors have emerged that Archimonde has found his way into the Emerald Dream by using the powers of the World Tree before he died...

Max Level Increased

The max level players may now reach has been increased to 75, and many new max-level raid instances have been added to the game world.

New Races

Horde
Five races compromise the Horde, the brutal orcs, the shadowy undead, the spiritual tauren, the quick-witted trolls, and the reckless blood elves. Beset by enemies on all sides, these outcasts have forged a union tey hope will ensure their mutual survival.

Blood Elves
Serving Illidan to satiate their magical addiction, the blood elves have grown stronger than they ever imagined. But even now, with demonic magic in constant supply, many of the blood elves are hungering for even more magic.

Racial Traits:
Demonic Corruption - Due to their corrupted blood and their hunger for magic, the Blood Elves begin the game with +10 resistances to all types of magic. In Addition, all of their resistances to magical spells and effects, excluding Nature, are increased by 8%.

Available Classes: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Priest, Warlock, Spellbreaker

Alliance
The Alliance consists of five races: the noble humans, the adventurous dwarves, the enigmatic night elves, the ingenious gnomes, and the mysterious draenei. Bound by a loathing for all things demonic, they fight to restore order in this war-torn world.

Draenei
Nearly wiped out by the Orcs during the early days of the Horde and then faced with the destruction of their entire world, the Draenei have become adept at survival and avoiding danger. Even knowing that the Burning Legion is the ultimate cause for their suffering, the Draenei survivors hope that their pact with the Alliance, and Illidan, will someday grant them a new homeland and, most importantly, help them in the eradication of their most hated enemy, the Orcs.

Racial Traits:
Unseen - Once every ten minutes, the Draenei may go invisible for fifteen seconds. This effect may not be cancelled, and the Draenei cannot attack or cast any spells, and they are also considered to be "in combat" for the entire time of this effect.

Available Classes: Warrior, Rogue, Hunter, Spellbreaker

New Class: Spell Breaker

Spell Breaker - Among the Blood Elves, there are those who show such an amazing aptitude for magic that they can become almost immune to it's effects and can even twist the spells of others to benefit themselves. Called Spellbreakers, they were the elite, holding mastery over all forms of magic. Now, with demonic blood flowing through their veins, these Spellbreakers and their allies among the Naga and Draenei have begun to evolve into demons themselves, with the most powerful able to manipulate the fabric of the Twisting Nether.

Spell breakers begin the game with leather armor but are able to use mail once they reach level fourty.

Examples of Specific Abilities:

Shadow Orbs: Summons several shadowy spheres to circle the caster's body. This spell will increase the player's parry/block rate, with each parry or block causing shadow damage to the attacker. Each attack blocked/parried in this fashion will cause an orb to violently explode, causing minor arcane damage to the attacker and decreasing the number of orbs surrounding the player until all orbs are gone and the effect ends. 30 second cooldown.

Demon Fangs: Fangs are often the first demonic trait evolved by Spellbreaker characters. Using this ability will cause you to attempt to bite your enemy, causing shadow damage and causing a Damage over Time debuff on the opponent, unless resisted. 3 minute cooldown.

Fel Strike: The Spellbreaker's weapon is charged with demonic energy, causing extra shadow damage every hit. Lasts five minutes.

Dark Whispers: Has a 75% chance to temporarily lower nearby enemies' attack power by 10%, lower their hit points by 5%, or lower their mana by 5%. Has a 25% chance to buff nearby enemies' attack power by 10%, hit points by 10%, or mana by 10%. Effect is random on every target. 1 Minute Cooldown.

Fel Concentration: Has a 50% chance to either slow casting time of the target by 10%, or making it 10% faster. May be used on Party Members or enemies. Lasts 5 seconds. 15 second cooldown.

Talent Trees:

Fel Protection - Centered around defensive abilities that allow the Spellbreaker a chance to survive when up against melee classes.

Fel Combat - Talents used to improve offensive spells and abilities used by the Spellbreaker.

Spellbreaking - Talents used to attempt to increase spell the spell resistances of the Spellbreaker.

Example Talents:

Spell Alignment: The caster attempts to align his body with the next spell cast upon him. Once hit by the spell, his body 'aligns' to that spell's school, making him immune to that spell school for 20 seconds. Lasts until a hostile spell is cast on the Spellbreaker. 15 minute cooldown. LEVEL 40 TALENT - Fel Protection.

Spell Reflection: For 20 seconds, all positive and negative spells used on the Spellbreaker are reflected at the caster. 15 minute cooldown. LEVEL 40 TALENT - Fel Combat.

Spell Absorbtion: For 20 seconds, all spells used on the Spellbreaker will cause normal damage, but the mana cost of the spell is added to the Spellbreaker's mana. LEVEL 40 TALENT - Spellbreaking.

Improved Demon Fangs: Damage caused by the bite of the demon fangs does 5%/10%/15% more damage and has its cooldown reduced by 15/30/60 seconds. 3 ranks. FEL COMBAT.

Melee Specialization: Chance to cause shadow damage on hit with a melee weapon is increased by 10%/20%. 2 ranks. FEL COMBAT.Improved Shadow Orbs: Damage caused by the shadow orbs is increased by 10%/20%/30%. 3 ranks. FEL PROTECTION.

Shadow Shield: Increases your chance to block with a shield by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10%. Also gives a chance to cause shadow damage equal to the amount of damage that had been blocked to the attacker by 5%/10%/15%/20%/25%. 5 ranks. FEL PROTECTION.

Fire Resistance: Increases your resistance to fire spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

Frost Resistance: Increases your resistance to frost spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

Shadow Resistance: Increases your resistance to shadow spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

Arcane Resistance: Increases your resistance to arcane spells by 2/4/6/8/10. 5 ranks. SPELLBREAKING.

New Areas

Undermine:
The Goblins have finally accepted to allow the other civilized races of Azeroth onto their home of Undermine.

This is a level 60-65 zone, and is now the main hub of neutral transportation.

Quel'Thalas:
With the aid of the Horde and Argent Dawn, the Blood Elves drove some of the remaining Scourge out of Quel'thalas. The Blood Elves have started to rebuild their cities, and have unexpectedly found that some cities were untouched.

Gnomeregan:
After a long struggle, the Gnomeregan Exiles were finally able to retake their home, with the aid of both, Horde and Alliance adventurers. The Clean Zone is the new starting area for gnomes. Gnomeregan can take the player to about level 12 afterwhich they have to go to other areas.

The New Echo Islands:
Farther south of the Echo Islands was a large chain of many islands, which ended up also being named the "Echo Islands".

Nothing but beasts had lived on these islands when the trolls found them. It is the new starting area for Trolls. These islands can take the player to about level 12.

Northrend:
The Horde and Alliance are now able to reach the continent of Northerend, thanks to the aid of the Goblins of Undermine. A zeppelin will take the players to the town of Valgarde in Northerend, where they will begin many quests to oppose the Scourge. Northerend is a massive level 65-75 zone, and contains many new max-level instances.

The Emerald Dream:
The Emerald Dream is the primal heart of Azeroth. It is an echo of what the world would be like if intelligent beings had not altered its surface. The ethereal layer of the Emerald Dream shares the same space of the Physical layer one on top of the other - a parallel realm overlapping the physical world like an invisible and intangible layer. It is characterized by its green hue and verdant forests. The Emerald Dream, though, is like a perpetual time-frame of creation, back when the Titans reshaped the planet to bring order to chaos. Yet both realms share the same time. Time passes normally within the Emerald Dream as in the Physical world. The Emerald Dream is ruled by Ysera the Dragon Aspect of the Dream, empowered by Eonar the Titan to watch over the Emerald Dream realm. Lately, the Emerald Dream has been affected by the Nightmare. It is not a place. It is an effect that roams the Emerald Dream randomly affecting other dreamers and attacks them during their sleep. The nightmare twists and reshape the dreams corrupting the sleeping dream-form. Those trapped within the Nightmare are known as the Unwaking. Their physical form may die of starvation, not able to wake up as the affected can't escape the Emerald Dream. There are many magical and planar ways to reach the Emerald Dream. Sometimes, Ysera can't detect intruders that enter the Emerald Dream by means of magic plane-shifting. There are rumors that somehow Archimonde was able to affect the Emerald Dream through the World Tree. Since the World Tree was bound to the Emerald Dream, Archimonde might have found a way to infiltrate the Emerald Dream before dying. Only time will tell... The Emerald Dream is a level 70-75 zone which will have players attempt to cleanse the Emerald Dream of the Nightmare - and, if the rumors that are told are true, Archimonde will once again need to be defeated by mortals...

Transportation

All boats from neutral cities, such as Ratchet, and Booty Bay now connect to Undermine. New boats have been added to Steamwheedle Port, Menethil Harbor, and Theramore which will take anyone on it to Undermine. In addition, there is a new zeppelin which will take the player to Undermine. There is also a zeppelin on Undermine which will take the player to the shores of Northerend, to a town called Valgarde. All goblin-owned transportations now have atleast four level 62 Undermine Bruisers on them. Alliance-owned and Horde-owned transportation now force any members of the opposite faction on them into PVP, and are also now guarded by atleast four level 60 guards.

New High-End Instances

Naxxaramas Necropolis:
Within Stratholme, near the Slaughterhouse of Baron Rivendare, is the Naxxaramas Necropolis. Kel'Thuzad reigns the Undead Scourge from the Naxxramas Necropolis. This new 40-player, level sixty raid instance is equal in difficulty to Blackwing Lair, and will send the player to assault the Tower of Medivh.

The Tower of Medivh:
This tower was described by Medivh as an Hourglass. As the sand particles flow slowly through the hourglass clock, time flows in different places of the glass, allowing one to see the past - and future - of Azeroth. This is a 40-player max-level raid instance, much more difficult than Naxxaramas Necropolis.

Caverns of Time:
This is the lair of Nozdormu, one of the five great dragon aspects. Nozdormu, unlike most other dragons in the game, requires the aid of mortals. To repair damage done to the timeline, Nozdormu will send players on large raids into two 40-player, level sixty raid instances, and one 40-player max-level raid instance, the first two being equal in difficulty to Naxxaramas Necropolis, and the final being equal in difficulty to The Tower of Medivh.

Outlands:
The desolate place of Outland emits flashes of light and streams of energy. Outland is currently a way station. Many portals are still active within some of the floating asteroids, leading to other worlds. This new zone is for groups of five or more max level players. Among the creatures that inhabit Outland are Felboars, Phase spiders, Draeni, Fire Elementals, Fungal Horrors, Succubi, Nether Dragons(composed of nether energy, and not related to real dragons).

THE BLACK CITADEL:
Beneath the Black Citadel, there is a very large prison. Rumors have been created that heroes from past wars are still being held within this prison, and that even now the ruler of the Black Citadel tortures these heroes. Other rumors are that Kil'jaeden, the most powerful entity of the Burning Legion, dwells withing this Citadel, plotting the destruction of Azeroth. This is a large, 50-player raid instance.

GRIM BATOL:
Rumors have emerged that Alexstrasza and her dragonflight are keeping anyone from getting near Grim Batol. They are protecting something deep within its walls, a secret power. Some say they are protecting a powerful artifact or creature.

Some have gone as far as to speculate that Deathwing has been held captive and imprisoned within Grim Batol, though, others believe in the possibility that the creature that now holds the essence of the Sunwell might be under protection of the Red Dragonflight. Anyone who dares to venture into this max level 50-player raid instance will find themselves standing against the power of the Red Dragonflight, Alexstasza, herself. This is equal in difficulty to The Black Citadel.

THE LAIR OF MALYGOS:
Malygos lives in Northrend in a deep and complex cavern. He is known to gather relics of arcane power, keeping them locked away from mortals. Frozen Orcs, Nagas, Trolls and Wendigos are many of the victims of the horror of Malygos' power, and to display what happens to those who venture into the Lair of Malygos. This is a 50-player max level raid instance, equal in difficulty to Grim Batol.


ICECROWN MOUNTAIN:
Icecrown mountain is the most difficult instance to ever be in Azeroth, and will challenge anyone to stand against the power of not only the Lich King's armies, and his most trusted lieutenant, Anub'arak, but also the Immortal Lich King himself.

This is a 100-player max level raid instance, and will challenge the Horde and Alliance to work together to defeat the Immortal Lich King. To have the full 100 players, 50 players of max level on Horde and 50 players of max level on Alliance must work together, merging both groups of 50 into one large raid party. Upon Icecrown, Horde and Alliance may not attack eachother at any time, but are instead able to aid eachother. Leaders of the Argent Dawn have also worked together to teach the Alliance and Horde to understand both, Common and Orcish, so they may communicate as they work together to defeat the Immortal Lich King.

THE EYE OF YSERA:
Deep within the Emerald Dream is the Eye of Ysera. The Eye of Ysera is a large golden dome that randomly appears in the Emerald Dream, and the dome in which Ysera dwells. No one has ever been able to enter or penetrate the golden dome. That is, until the Nightmare came... And once again, if the rumors were true, this is where Archimonde will most likely be...

Fake.

Among other things,
Caverns of time and Tower of Medivh are going to be five man.
Kiljaden is stronger than the lich king.
Blizzard has said no new classes.

Yeah, we had that back on page 2 of this thread, and it wasn't any more convincing then.

They'll find a way to make things tedious.
The first grind was 1-60
The second grind was getting "basic equipment" by running the upper instances as you get a collection of blues you want
The third grind is running boring raids for "PORPALs"

I see grinding faction for content to be the focus on players grabbing loot, since it slows them a bit from consuming new content completely.

Excuse me but are you currently running 45-50 content now at 60? No.

And this is why I assume you won't run 55-60 content when you'll be at 70.

10 new levels can completely fuck the itemization.

I was wearing stuff from 45-50 content until I was nearly 60 as I was getting crap from Scholo/Strat/BRS/etc. Is suddenly everything from Maraudon so much trash?

Oh, and can someone remind me?

What was the level cap when the game was in beta, and how many times was that cap raised?

It would go up 5 levels every month or so. I think I started in beta when it was 29?

Lmao, off-topic: I love your new avatar.

When I was in beta, it went 30, 35, 39, 40, 45, 50, and then I think straight to 60.

It was limited by content, and they constantly adjusted lower level stuff based on higher level stuff. Characters had many abilities nerfed as new abilities and things made them more powerful. Does it seem weird to think a party of 35s with no talents and subpar equipment (compared with today) was able to run through SM? We were able too, because a lot of things were different...

I wouldn't be surprised to see the level 60 raid items get nerfed slightly, but still be soft reqs for the later instances. Right now getting most of the MC/BWL/ZG stuff smokes the stuff from Strath/Scholo/DM etc and even most of the stuff from UBRS. But the stuff from Mauradon/Temple/BRD etc. isn't completely made useless by stuff from the lvl 60 5-mans. Everyone expects a progression like the first, from lvl 60ish 5 mans to lvl 60ish 40 man raids. In reality, you probably should expect a progression like the one from lvl 50 5 mans to lvl 60 5 mans.

Also, MC/BWL will likely be quicker, but not farmed ad nauseum. I think the major raid people do like a bit of difficulty, in that they'd rather struggle through a raid with the rest of their server than do the same easy one over and over. MC/BWL will be easier as people will be higher levels when they try it (we used to do all of SM at 35, now people wait til around 40 to Cathedral at least) and not take 3 or 4 months to master.

It'll probably work out. If you need the best shit, ya know how to get it. It's not like you can't overcome max-equipped people in WoW just because they have the best stuff. You can get by with equip recieved through casual play and make up for it through creativity, skill and intelligence.

Yes, this is exactly what i was saying. Blood elf population will be as high, or higher since they are new, than night elfs are now which will be more than enough to balance or even tip the scales in the hordes favor.

a lot of pvp servers don't need any more tipping

If I'm helping a guildmate (or mates) gear up - yes.
Don't forget that raid gear (purples and up) are effective levels higher than blues, greens, etc.

So yeah, guilds that can farm BWL are probably going to move on and farm whatever the L70 instance ends up being (Illidan, most likely) but guilds that couldn't farm BWL, MC and so on at 60 might be able to raid there at L70 and still get useful gear. Not cutting edge gear, but still worth getting.