Curveballs? Yeah.

"Outland Expansion" - Most of Outland is not barren, Kael joined the Legion, and Outland is mostly solid. Well, it defined what an expansion was... so this one is a bit hard.

"Northrend Expansion" - Malygos is evil now, there is an army of rogue titan creations made of iron, and the Lich King builds everything out of an Old God's blood.

"Elemental Plane Expansion" - Takes place mostly on Azeroth, Deathwing is behind the invasion, and two of the elemental lords are good.

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...what just happened?

Outland wasn't predictable because we never knew nothing about it, only bits from W2 and W3 that weren't solid enough.

Northrend was completely expectable, and followed the "good guys turn evil" pattern we all were joking about going to happen.

Cataclysm was expectable in part. Lore-wise, it was, but gameplay-wise, a revamp "this" soon was a surprise, as well as a distancing from the 2 previous expansion models of new continent. As for the lack of capital city and use of original ones, it was expectable in part.

But yeah, I don't know of anyone that ever thought Deathwing could get this kind of relationship with the elementals, not even when it makes a lot of sense (supposing he has a relationship to the plane, in the same way Ysera has with the Emerald Dream).

I think Cataclysm will be the model for the next expansions, that's why I ask people to follow it when building theirs. As for new big lore stuff like Outland, I don't expect anything soon, not when we already have plots that use a relationship with the old world.

The future surprises will come in the form of new mechanics, imo, at least until we start to get to space. Add to that that Blizzard (seems to) wants to slightly introduce everything before making it go live (I wouldn't be surprised if we got some book around Azshara and other plotlines that have potential for expansions way before those expansions go live).

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Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

Well, if no one's going to post more ideas, then we can start voting for the next expansion theorycrafting.

I'll give a time for those that still could want to post something (looking at you, Sarahmoo ).

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Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

Well, it seems South Seas is over. Let's start a new voting:

3p: Infinite dragonflight
2p: Emerald Nightmare
1p: Pantheon

Current votes:

-Time expansion: 3+2+2+3 = 10
-Emerald Dream: 2+3+3 = 8
-South Seas: not available this round
-Pantheon: 1+1 = 2
-Burning Legion: 1+2 = 3
-Pandaria: 1 = 1

Remember, to vote choose 3, and give them points depending of which one you like more (3p for the one you like the most, 2p for the one you like too but not as much, and 1p for the one you like a bit).

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

1 - Emerald Dream/Nightmare
2 - Expansion with new zones placed in old continents a la Cataclysm
3 - Pandaria

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What do people mean by a "Pantheon Expansion"? An expansion where we fight against the Titan Pantheon?

3p: Emerald Nightmare (Fight N'zoth)
2p: The Infinite Dragonflight ( would be interesting to see how that works)
1p: The Burning Legion (Argus!)

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Expansion Ideas: War for Argus

Voting post updated: http://www.scrollsoflore.com/forums/...064#post249064

Yeah, pretty much.

Anyway, if you still feel like posting something about South Seas, you still have time, just be quick before we have enough votes to start the next one .

Both Emerald Dream and Old Gods could fill that one. Since you already voted ED, I'm giving those points to Time. Reply if you want to change it (or add a new theme to the existing list).

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Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

3p: Infinite Dragonflight/Time expansion
2p: Burning Legion expansion
1p: Pantheon/Titan expansion

Definitely not Time. Might as well put it in Old God.

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My idea for a Pantheon/Titan Expansion is the Pantheon returning to help us fight Sargeras, who would be the overriding villain of the Titan themed Expansion.

I find that to be the most viable setup from a storyline and game development perspective.



I'm fairly certain the Nozdormu/Infinite storyline is going to get wrapped up in patch 4.2 in the War of the Ancient raid or raids.

Ah, well, I consider Old Gods and Time the same expansion .

The Infinite dragonflight would be like the blue dragonflight for the Old Gods instead of the Lich King, imo.

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

That's your vision, but not my vision and not necessarily the vision of others. I don't think this collaborative process should be categorized by what a single person's vision is, do you?

__________________

Err...

Name of the new theme, Old Gods?

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

For me personally I just want rap up the old gods/titan story, the emerald dream, and south seas (maelstrem/Asarha(cp))

Bump.

Time expansion is winning, but I think we all have different concepts for it, so maybe, we should go for Emerald Dream, and I'll add another separate idea with Old Gods, leaving the possibility of working it out without the Infinite dragonflight (although I strongly believe they'll appear in the same expansion because anti-Time Old God).

So, Emerald Dream? Any objection?

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

Works for me since we will end up getting to most of these ideas eventually.

None from me. It was my number one vote after all.

__________________

Second expansion theorycrafting round goes for Emerald Dream and the Nightmare.

Feel free to start posting your ideas .

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

Well i'd like to see an Emerald Dream described like in "Shadows of the Nightmare" (Part I & Part II) on Lorecrafted.com, i liked the idea about the Druids of the Thorn and the gigantic ancient-like colissi.

The emerald nightmare starts bleeding into the waking world, so the Cenarion circle and the Green flight call for aid and move to suppress the Old God minions tainting the dream, while also using the healthy parts of the dream to try and heal parts of the world damaged by Cataclysm.

In addittion to the portals set up by the Circle, the factions also create their own portals and explore their own ends in the dream in order to make up for the damage that's been done by the nightmare to the waking world.


Alliance portals are made by Sprite dragons while the Horde uses captured Grell.

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A dead leader's often better than a live one, a dead leader's idealized, he can't do something stupid and make people hate him.

I think a Cataclysm treatment is the best way to go (make the Emerald Nightmare infest some real world zones we didn't visit before).

I had some written descriptions for each zone around, I'll post them later .

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~

Every time I think of Emerald Dream I imagine it would have light/dark world mechanics like Legend of Zelda: a Link to the past.
For example you stand in Elewyn Forest, you use an item/spell, and you end up in the pre-sundering equivalent of Elewyn Forest. Of course recreating the entire world again is not something Blizzard will do. :p Still they could use the light/dark world mechanics in instances, could be interesting.

The option I prefer the most is that the nightmare has spread out again. Everything is Nightmare, except the "core" of the Emerald Dream, the zone where we play.

As for the portals, their ED side could be still untouched, and being defended so the Nightmare doesn't trespass into Azeroth like the last time. Some of them could have fallen, and we'd see Nightmare surrounding it in both sides.

In that sense, they would act as mini-zones, special quest hubs or access to dungeons/raids.

The real deal against the Nightmare comes in the Emerald Dream and some "secluded" places where the forces of nightmare have been preparing their armies since the infiltration of the last time.

The layout would be this one:

-Z1A: Great Canyon of Khaz Modan
-Z1B: Tel Abmi
-Z2: Uldaman Conservatory
-Z3: Heart of the Dreamer
-Z4: Depths of the Nightmare
-ZC: Husk of the Lost Isles
-ZD: Kelp Abyss

Description of the main 5 zones from an older post:

Now some info on ZC and ZD (combat and daily zones):

-Husk of the Lost Isles would be the remnant of the Lost Isles, made a battleground off the coast of Kalimdor. Verticality would play a major role here, needing either flying or jumping mounts to travel around. The isle would be virtually tore to different chunks around a big water-full crater in the middle. The point of fighting for the zone would be the big abundance of minerals exposed by the isle going boom during Cataclysm.

-Kelp Abyss would be an underwater zone between Husk of the Lost Isles and Central Kalimdor. The place would be a deep abyss full of mad underwater plants and various sea monsters. The naga could have an abandoned laboratory of sorts down there, and we could fight their experiments.

Another concept I would like to see introduced are obstacles, like vegetation and darkness. You would need special items or mounts to clean your path and play normally, giving some more playability to the terrain and those items and mounts.

__________________


Metzen: They are one of the ancient races of Northrend that we haven't spoken of before... because we hadn't made them up before. (laughter)

~Main: Expansion theorycrafting, Expansions list, The Age of Nightmare, Empire of the Tides (coming soon)~
~Fan ficton: Anachronos Journey: The Timeless Heir~ ~Geography of continents series: Old Kalimdor (original), Pandaria~
~Locations as zones series: Azjol-Nerub, Barrow Deeps, Zul'Aman, Demon Hunter zone, Caverns of Time~