You’re confusing gnomes and goblins. Gnomes have been playable since launch, but previously did not have their own starting area (they shared it with dwarves). Goblins are a newly playable in cataclysm.
You probably confuse “Gnomes” (small Humans) with “Goblins” (small green things).
All existing races can use their new / revamped starting zones already.
You can also roll the new race/class combinations (like troll druid).
December 7th will then unlock “Worgen” and “Goblins” (given you bought and installed Catacylsm).
Oh and Goblins is Horde whereas Gnomes are Alliance.
Ran around for a few hours last night and I’m really liking the new changes. Plus each zone has more flight paths which will really speed up getting around on toons which are leveling up.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the new quests flow from area to area.
The horde is really falling apart. If you go down to the echo isles, there is a low level troll quest that results in Voljin showing a vision of a conversation he had with Garrosh. The two of them are just waiting for an opportunity to stick a sword through the other.
Oh, yes. That’s what I did, thanks. stupid G words.
I’m looking forward to my goblins and worgen though. That’s when I’ll probably start new characters. But knowing that the gnomes have their own start has me tempted.
Also, I just flew over Desolace. LOVE the change.
HRose
2845
So. I’m level 22 horde side.
Where do I go to see the best of the New Experience? Because I think I’m still in the BC zone and absolutely nothing changed here.
sinnick
2846
There is a massive, Niagara-Falls style waterfall in southern Stranglethorn Vale now. Awesome.
JM1
2847
Do you mean the Silvermoon area? I wouldn’t expect that to have changed much.
The content in the Draenei and Blood Elf areas was left unchanged. Since they were created in the BC era Blizzard felt like they were up to par.
ducker
2849
if you start a new tauren they go a bit in to what happened between the Tauren and the Orcs.
Andrew
2850
I think the most changed zones are STV and the Barrens. Maybe one of those zones is in your range?
JM1
2851
Thousand Needles…
Actually, that’s a good point - I don’t know what level everything is now.
HRose
2852
I almost finished all quests in Ghostlands (and btw, these quests are rather awful, where’s the improvement?), I’d like to know where’s the best experience.
On the graph there are basically 2 paths, one in each continent. I’ve played a lot my alliance character in Eastern Kingdoms so I’m asking which way I should go.
JM1
2853
Ghostlands awful? Stop playing.
The Deadmines redesign is pretty fun. The loot seems to be mostly the same, but I got 2 levels in one run, so it’s worth it. All the encounters are different, with a little bit of a bump in difficulty, and no running around gathering dungeon quests…they pop up for you in the dungeon! Oh, progress!
On to Shadowfang!
JM1
2855
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=174523/cataclysm-old-world-zone-changes should help you decide, HRose. Though I somehow think you’ll manage to not enjoy yourself anyway.
The Tuarens and orcs have problems? I may have to start one, yes. I have no idea about the lore behind all of this, as I try to avoid spoilers. I hope some of it is explained in game. I only know “a dragon came out of the ground and ruined it all” because the opening video dramatically illustrated that.
Athryn
2857
I posted a map with all the new zone levels a few posts back. I would relink it, but I’m on my phone :)
Here:
ducker
2858
you’re in the same boat as I am. I don’t read the books, or study websites to stay up on all the lore. But it is interesting.
There’s a new achievement: Surveying the Damage which offers a to-do list of areas greatly affected by The Shattering. The achievement popped for me immediately upon logging in, probably because I visited those areas pre-Shattering, but it’s still useful for sight-seeing purposes.
Also note that there are some new flight path points which people will have to pick up manually. Ones in the same location seem to have been retained, like the Sepulcher in Silverpine, but there was a new one at a camp to the south.
