Pre-Cataclysm Release 3.9 patch... larger stables? Maybe.

[Epicfail]

It may be that the patch leading up to the devastation, there will be so much strife - enough to cause people to make that shift to new race/class combos. I'll admit, thats a stretch, but it depends how they play it.

I completely called the pre-release event last time around. I'm thinking "elemental" upheaval this time around. Think the un'goro/winterspring "elemental invasion" event but MUCH bigger/centralized around areas that will be changed the most... As for key areas, Org and SW are getting majorly remodeled, so I'm guessing its going to happen in the cities too...

There will also probably be something similar to the "dark portal" event where, since this expansion is based around a pretty serious event. Doesn't deathwing bust out in the badlands? There might be a serious earth/fire elemental thing going on there the day leading up to release. Raggy might even make an appearence, since he's moving to Kalimdor and all.

[Kalliope]

Don't forget, we still have the gnome/troll homeland reclaimings to account for. That stuff changing pre-Cata actually does make sense.

[Sarayana]

This is what I think we'll see in patch 3.9:

- the new troll and gnome starting areas (3.8 will launch the retake, it makes sense that 3.9 has them available to play)
- new talent trees, pet family skills, skill leveling, profession stuff (up to 450), and so on
- initial zone changes; we won't see the complete, massive changes to the zones but, like the pre-wrath scourge event, we'll see the signs of what's to come

It's possible that we'll see the new class/race combos excluding the worgen and goblin, but I've also read that they were thinking of only making those available to people with the Cata expac, so I don't know...

[Kayb]

buuuuut if we have a changed azeroth before cata is released... won't that be a fricken JUMBO sized patch? seriously, this won't be a few megs, or a hundred megs, the massive changes like that would be a hell of a lot bigger. A hell of a lot. You're essentially downloading a whole new planet. In a patch? Really? Would be easier to install from disc

And another thing, Not sure that I like the notion of the new class options being opened prior to the destruction. I mean, what would be the point of rolling a Tauren Pally for example... when 2 weeks later after you've levelled it up significantly by then, that mulgore changes in the Cata and its full of new content. what, you're go back there and do what would now be lowie quests for you? just seems kinda silly...


*shrug* i dunno. i just wanna hurry up and retake the echo isles already it's been like 6months since we learned about that, i wanna flippin do it already!

[Bulletdance]

A lot of the game mechanics have changed in cat. They'll want to let us try some of that before they release the content. They don't want us questing, dungeoning, and raiding when we don't really know how to play all the new stuff. They did this in pre-BC. But I'm skeptical as to the whole world changing before the launch thing unless it would have something to do with gnomergon and the troll islands which it doesn't seem to.

[Sarayana]

It would be easier to install from a disc, Kayb, but don't forget that players without the Cata discs will also see the changes. Also, pre-expac patches are always large. Finally, notice that I said pre-launch event. I'm not saying every piece of change is going to be in 3.9, I'm saying that a world event much like the scourge event pre-wrath will be in the patch. What that'll be, we don't know, but it'll herald the final changes we're going to see once Cata launches. NPCs, for sure, talking about rumours and things they've seen. Perhaps more earthquakes? *shrug* I'll refrain from guessing. Whatever I can come up with, I guarantee that Blizz's planned pre-launch event will blow it out of the water.

I agree about the class/race combo changes, and it's one reason I'm doubtful we'll see that in 3.9.

[Pent]

.... And another thing, Not sure that I like the notion of the new class options being opened prior to the destruction. I mean, what would be the point of rolling a Tauren Pally for example... when 2 weeks later after you've levelled it up significantly by then, that mulgore changes in the Cata and its full of new content. what, you're go back there and do what would now be lowie quests for you? just seems kinda silly...

If you watched the video, Tom Chilton said the new race/class combos for old races won't happen til after the devastation (but before the actual expansion hits store shelves) takes place... so you would be playing a new character through all of the new stuff instead of having to wait til Cataclysm was released.

Which brings up another point... there are actual lower level (pre-L.20) quests in certain areas that actually refer to things in areas (Gilneas among them) that have happened since the cataclysm... but since you won't be able to play in those areas til you buy the expansion you will be seeing "spoilers" for what happens when you do play a new Worgen/Goblin character...

Also note that the Worgen and Goblin starting areas will have not gone through "the event" when you start there... it happens during quest chains in those areas... and the areas are phased. So you'll actually be starting the Worgen/Goblin in the Cataclysm expansion at about the same timeline as 3.9 hits live servers a few weeks before... if that makes sense...

[Adam-Savage]

I wonder if old world flying will come before or after the expansion. I'm guessing it will part of you need to buy the expansion to be able to do thing.

[rubybeam]

I really do hope we get stable's before cata I would love to get some pets before cata hits I still miss my rino milky dearly I hated having to get rid of him, but now i'm bonded with all the pets in my stable also

[Makoes]

Since everyone will be experiencing the new post cataclysm world with or without the expansion, we will be getting that before the expansion is released. Though certain areas and such will be off limits to those with out the expansion...probably to the effect of BC or WoTLK when you tried to take the boat to the new areas and were ported to the nearest graveyard instead (if you didnt have the right expansion). New class combos and such will probably be introduced before the expansion, but the new races (worgen and goblin) will not, much like Dreanei/bloodelves and Deathknights were/are. Stable slots implimented before the expansion is nice. Maybe even the new pets will be introduced then as well
The actual expansion disc will most likely contain the new areas, and races, and such. We will probably find much phasing and area portals in the near future.
Dont forget that the new telant tree's will take effect and many people will be re-learning how to play thier classes, and of course min/maxers will be building the best builds/rotations and such.
Flying will most likely be learned with the actual disc, most likely from one of the new zones.

[Adam-Savage]

I can't wait to try out some of them new hunter talents in pvp.

[Protego]

I'm going with the November 14th release date. It's close enough to its actual release in November. Anyways I'd love it if we got the upgraded Stable thing before Cataclysm comes out. And I wonder what kinda pre-Cataclysm event they're gonna have. I think it's gonna kinda be like the Zombie Invasion-thing.

[Catslock]

>.> i think it would be a good thing for them to unleash a patch with the new class combinations and area changes so players can find new bugs that were missed in the beta before cata comes out even though it will mean alot of patches in small time frames(prolly)