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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe problem of Outland in Cataclysm
by Mike Schramm 
Sep 15th 2009 at 4:00PM
Bornakk's reply hints that Blizzard will probably just gloss over it as best they can -- they're not going to build a whole new 1-85 experience involving Deathwing. When you constantly update a five-year-old persistent world game like this with new stories and content, something's got to give somewhere. My guess is that Blizzard, being the perfectionists they are, will probably come up with a quest or two that gives a lore reason to go out there ("Hmm, you're too green to face the power of Deathwing, but our companions in Outland need help holding what's left of the Burning Legion at bay!"), and leave it at that. They may increase the XP and get you out of there even quicker, but going to Outland at 58 is still a gameplay necessity (Northrend shares the problem at 70, but of course we don't actually know what's going to happen with the Lich King quite yet). It's likely the lore will just have to deal.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgen to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Instances, Expansions, The Burning Crusade, Leveling, Alts, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 6)
shockologist Sep 15th 2009 5:09PM
My hope for this lies in the 4th Xpac
I would like to see a new continent/area that can house levels 58-72 and 85-90 but
uses the same badges and some of the same factions as the outlands.
What this would do after the first run of people storm the new area is breathe some life back into the outland dungeons since they would be giving similar rewards as the new content thereby not needing a linear leveling path from 60-70
V Magius Sep 15th 2009 5:17PM
Up until Cataclysm, it could easily be a time line issue as shown in the DK starter quests. When you reach 58, Outlands is the current problem and Northrend is where Arthas is just an ice sculpture. Hit 68, and Arthas has woken up.
The trouble hits that Cataclysm will happen before any of that according to character time line.
A possible option and unique quest, would be to make two sets of quests. Go face a Hero in a duel. You fail (just needed to fight him to establish you aren't strong enough). Go to Outland for some extreme training. Now, you have received all the training you can here. There is another trainer in Northrend. Go for some more abusive training. Get some good XP for a quest that you have to wait 10 levels to complete. Maybe even make both masters only really beatable at the appropriate level. Depending on when you solo the 68 master, it'll give you enough XP to just hit 69. Maybe drop it a level. So, if you solo it at 67, you get 68. solo at 59, get 68.
Probably not going to happen, but would force you to earn that drastic jump in levels.
Draelan Sep 15th 2009 6:35PM
"Up until Cataclysm, it could easily be a time line issue as shown in the DK starter quests. When you reach 58, Outlands is the current problem and Northrend is where Arthas is just an ice sculpture. Hit 68, and Arthas has woken up."
Except for the teensy little problem where Arthas kinda gives you quests in the DK starter area. Unless you're proposing that this is merely his previously unknown twin brother, Marthis?
I kind of like the idea of Outland sort of being a testing ground for DKs. You've just returned to your faction, and now need to prove your abilities/loyalties, earning the trust and respect of your fellow soldiers. (As the soldiers in Unit S with Thasaurian in Borean Tundra pretty much point out, if it wasn't for the fact that they've fought beside him, they certainly wouldn't trust his intentions, despite DKs being welcomed back into the Alliance.)
I also kind of like the idea of there being multiple fronts. It makes things a bit less wonky, time-wise.
Levels 1-58 post Cataclysm. You're essentially new, and thus, not ready for the front lines against Deathwing. So, you're relegated to disaster relief and fighting against the Horde/Alliance in this new war.
Levels 58-68 post Cataclysm. You've proven yourself capable, and ready to take on more dangerous enemies. The Burning Legion still has a presence in Outland, and it would be dangerous and downright STUPID, to let them continue unchecked. (Nothing like losing the broken world to the ones we fought so hard to keep it away from.) The demons of the Burning Legion are still very dangerous foes, so only seasoned adventurers are sent to ensure Outland isn't lost to the Legion's remaining forces.
Levels 68-78 post Cataclysm. As is stated, the campaign against the Lich King is still in full-swing when the Cataclysm hits. Having served in Outland and further proved your worth, it's decided to send you to this yet unfinished front. This could be seen as a bit weirder, time-wise, as the thought of the fight against Arthas being in full-swing when you're level 1, and still continuing once you reach 68 can seem a bit weird game-wise. However, we've got to keep in mind that there's no definitive way to measure time in WoW. It could take you only a few months game-time to make your way through Azeroth, perhaps a year when you tack-on Outland. Or, perhaps it's longer. Wars can take many years to resolve, so it's not entirely beyond reason to think that, after several years going through Azeroth/Outland, you reach the shores of Northrend to a continuing war.
Levels 78-58 post Cataclysm. The threat of the Lich King is either dealt with or in capable enough hands that you are called away to face the latest threat to Azeroth, Deathwing. You have proven yourself to be the best of the best at this point, and will be part of the core of elite soldiers sent to deal with the worst threats caused by Deathwing's cataclysm.
Something like that would be a fairly logical explanation for levels 1-85. Given, it still doesn't really help with individual story-events, such as the Wrath Gate, (Which, technically, happens before the declaration of war between Alliance and Horde) but so it goes, I suppose.
Draelan Sep 15th 2009 6:39PM
Ack. Ignore the first paragraph in my post. I completely misread what you said. *fails at reading comprehension*
Mark Sep 15th 2009 5:42PM
What they need to do is add some more places to level from 58-68 in Azeroth, and give players the option of doing whichever they prefer. Personally I have always hated Outland, and now even more so that I've been through it several times. It just doesn't feel like it belongs in this game at all. Make a new zone in either Kalimdor or Eastern Kingdoms for level 60-65 and then redo the starting quests in Northrend to begin at level 66. Having choices is always a good thing.
maybesew Sep 15th 2009 5:52PM
I almost wrote about this same subject for my blog. Oh well you snooze you lose. The only point I would bring up is that even at current XP rates, a DK can level to 68 (enough to get to northrend and start questing) by completing Hellfire Peninsula, Zangarmarsh, and some of Terrokar Forest and Nagrand. If they accelerate the XP any more, you'll basically be leveling through all of "outland" just by doing hellfire and zangar.
I've always liked the idea of expanding EPL and Silithus a bit more into the 60+ area. Silithus was an area designed around level 60 being the cap. It could easily be adjusted to be up to 62 or so. Who knows what Silithus will be like in the expansion. Will AQ even be there? It would be cool if they took some of the AQ bosses and turned them into world bosses or something.
Vespene Sep 15th 2009 5:51PM
Yo Deathwing, you're awesome and I'mma let you finish, but Arthas had one of the best expansions of all time! OF ALL TIME!
Mr. Joe Sep 15th 2009 8:49PM
Months later Deathwing will rise from Deepholm yelling, "Kanye West was just a setback"!
jbodar Sep 15th 2009 8:49PM
As Zaboo would say, "Heh, Kanye'd."
Owen Sep 15th 2009 6:00PM
The question is, would they get more brand-new players and subscriptions requiring only purchase of cataclyms then they would if they required a new player to buy the main game plus 3 expansions just to start? I think not.
Haden Sep 16th 2009 6:11PM
The Dark Portal should get cracked by a azerothquake during the Cataclysm. Cut off Outlands from Azeroth and make some new zones for lvling 58-68. then bring back outlands in the next Expansion pack to find it over run by the burning legion. same zones just pimped out more and some new zones. the other parts of outlands coming back to reform Draenor.
lidstrom Sep 15th 2009 6:08PM
i have no problem with keeping outland status quo for leveling... new quests there would be fun for those of us who've played the game for years.
but if blizzard wants to rationalize why characters need to go to outland, they can simply direct people there to "help keep the legion at bay while more powerful players direct their attention to New Big Baddie" ... or just to keep training away from harm. whatever works.
i liked most of outland my first time through... the sixth time, not so much. but for new players who are just starting the game, it would be a shame to completely revamp outland and have them miss out on the story and content.
plus, we need new players. i hear those elwynn kobalds are STILL refusing to give up their candles. this must be dealt with.
donz Sep 15th 2009 7:07PM
Outland is very much a stand-alone storyline - it doesn't tie into Wrath pretty much at all, and likely won't in Cataclysm. So don't look at Outland like it's all said and done. Look at it as a storyline that is happening alongside Northrend and alongside the Cataclysm. The only major questlines I can think of that need a revamp would be the ones involving the Mag'har. Obviously if a Mag'har is the Warchief of the Horde, you're not going to go to Outland and "discover" them.
donz Sep 15th 2009 7:10PM
people also really need to stop looking at it from a level perspective. yeah, their content may have been level 70, but Illidan and the Burning Legion are just as big a threat as the Scourge and Deathwing
Adamanthis Sep 15th 2009 10:56PM
That's definitely a prime candidate for phasing. If Thrall were Warchief holding court at Orgrimmar until a Horde character hit 80, then Garrosh took over. That's something it would have been nice for them to do with Onyxia - keep her in the throne room with Bolvar and Anduin for characters 60 and below, then have Varian return.
seanthehorde Sep 15th 2009 7:34PM
They should make it so you can level 1-70 in Azeroth really think that Outland should be an optional way of leveling 58-68.
At 58 your class trainer gives you a quest which has you talk to your faction leader who says something about needing help in Outland. If you accept this quest then all quests in the Azeroth 58-68 areas will have no quests available to you until you have fulfilled your duties in Outland.
That would be cool I think, I dunno if others agree.
seanthehorde Sep 15th 2009 7:37PM
Wow I should really learn to proofread.
WTB edit button
Ashrum Sep 15th 2009 7:35PM
Every soldier has to do their time in the trenches of Outland and Northrend. Crap rolls downhill so its up to the "new recruits" to hold back the Legion and the Scourge while the big kids save the world.
seanthehorde Sep 15th 2009 7:39PM
That's actually a good way of looking at it.
Kai Monture Sep 15th 2009 7:41PM
The introduction in the WotLK game manual states that the events in Northrend are starting immediately after the events in Outland. I think that was also supported in-game, during the Scourge world events, with Garrosh Hellscream's presence as a commander during the attack on Orgimmar, and his position as overlord of the Warsong Offensive. Like others have stated, the timeline is relative to your character, but the Cataclysm technically occurs after the events of Outland, and during the events of Northrend. For 80s it's no issue, just new characters or the ones lower than 60 when the new xpac hits.