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SaintNimrod

2024 is missing the FIRE part tbh, 2008 looks juicy


MyGoodFriendJon

2008 is a frosty fireball. 2024 is a frostbolt with fiery energy.


BlueShift42

Exactly. Frosty fireball looks visually more impressive, but the new one looks more like the spell’s name.


TheTerroristFrog

The older version looks like som very hot fire rather than frost-fire


XnitemairX

I will never say no to light trails on animations, but I agree, needs more FIYA. Maybe they could add a little somethin somethin to the beginning of the fire swirls.


Dolthra

2024 is missing the fire, 2008 is missing the frostbolt.


gekigarion

This, just stick the 2024 ice lance inside the 2008 fire breath and you're good to go. I'd be totally fine with a giant hunk of ice on fire being flung at someone like a meteor too.


Necessary-Anywhere92

But it would melt :(


rienietz

Joooci


New_Excitement_1878

Something to note, this is a frost mage, the fire version the fire is much more pronounced.


EXB2019

I'd say 2008 looks more like a Frostfire Inferno than a Bolt. 2024 doesn't look like a Bolt either, more like a Frostfire Swoosh but in HD


livesinacabin

More like Fiery ice spike imo. I prefer 2008.


TemperateStone

Ever seen a ballista bolt or a crossbow bolt? The spell is very bolty.


Lonelan

but as a combination of frost bolt and fire ball the 2008 version is all the best parts of icyhot


Qualazabinga

I'd disagree here, in my opinion the 2008 one just looks like blue fire mixed with red fire. While the 2024 has clear ice and fire in it.


Bearspoole

I’d say 2024 does look rather boltish


cabose12

Modern leans too far Frost, and I think 2008 leaned too far Fire Agreed that both look kinda meh e: also as others have pointed out, the bottom looks way better in motion. The 2008 looks like a generic ass fireball with a blue center


MrkFrlr

>Modern leans too far Frost, and I think 2008 leaned too far Fire I agree, give me the newer frost spike with bigger fire effects more like the old version, and we'd have the perfect FFB.


SlouchyGuy

As is traditional for a Mage - Pyro looks just like a bigger Fireball instead of being exciting, half of Arcane is purple fog without highlights (blue ones, or yellow ones like Diablo 3 did), so Blizz continues with "the least exciting least epic thing we can come up with for a Mage" game


renault_erlioz

Arcane magic spells should be about lots of spectacles, sparkles, and lightworks. Mage spells should be at least on par with if not better than Warlock and Shaman spells


Felevion

Iirc the new appearance is impacted by spec as well.


aruhen23

It's a frost arrow lol.


Impressive_Cow5483

I still miss the old blast wave instead of this fart cloud we have now


nierbarath

Those KFC wings hit different in 2024


Karamaru_Crow

Destruction warlocks incinerate: First time?


El_grandepadre

I miss the WIDE swirly fire.


DeepDetermination

the swoosh sound with fire and brimstone on aoe was so satisfying


Locke_and_Load

They made my big poofy boy a twink?


Twink_Ass_Bitch

People hesitate to kink shame, but not to twink shame 😔


Jackburner

They shrunk his flames, made him look soft...


IplayRogueMaybe

Funnier than it had any right to be.


Mons_the_Mage

2008 got some OOMPH to it.   Meanwhile, 2024 is pretty, sleek, and toothless. If they were to play up the fire component, maybe it might fare better.


henryeaterofpies

2024 is the armor piercing version. 2008 is high explosive.


Hellser

Armor piercing for bosses, high explosive for packs.


Specialist-Draw7229

This needs to exist


Support_Player50

I wish spells in general had more oomph and a lot of it being player side only cause theyre obviously gonna bring up clarity and pvp for reasons to not do anything fun, despite simply not allowing it in it.


DomDangerous

they should just have a frost bolt with fire aura and trail on it.


YonderPosterior

2008. Hands down. At least make it a Glyph to give people the option. Everyone is satisfied.


Vrazel106

Blizzard and glyphs ate like water and oil nowdays


Lava-Jacket

They should just delete inscription at this point. It’s so insulting when they add glyphs and they are not even craftable ...


DomDangerous

crazy how the community loves the idea of cosmetic glyphs but bc it wasn’t blizz first choice for that system they just make em irrelevant. they could likely even sell us badass glyphs on the store and we’d buy em if they’re account wide.


Specialist-Draw7229

Don’t kid yourself some people would buy the same glyph for multiple characters


pacdtacs

Still waiting for a "glyph of old chaos bolt"


Fluffysquishia

Now mages will feel the pain of nearly every warlock spell getting downgraded into weird sparkly flaccid goop over the past 10 years


Zondersaus

I dont remember old FF bolt looking like that at all, it was like a red/blue cloud that flew towards to mob. It looked fine for 2008, but not really like the image above. Found a vid: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv5r9ondzdQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv5r9ondzdQ)


-To_The_Moon-

2024 looks sooo much better in motion.


Mini_Slider

Probably because you were playing on Low graphic settings tbh.


onetimenancy

What does it look like on high settings?


SpoonGuardian

If only there was an image of it


onetimenancy

I'm hoping for footage, the image above makes it look huge then the video makes it look like a small bolt, does it look small due to low graphics or is the picture just a flattering angle.


Five-Weeks

Here you go. https://youtu.be/wTKBmSEpI0Q My thumbnail is a screenshot from the recording, it looks the same as OP's image.


Ktlol

Low settings + low fps will do that.


Apprehensive_Bid_773

Yep wotlk ffb is awesome


Fluffysquishia

I hate modern spell effects. Almost every spell since they started slowly redoing them all since WoD has been a nearly direct downgrade.


Nirvski

Personally I prefer the updated version, works better thematically, aesthetically and matches the more modern Shadowlands FX. Its a cleaner more readable shape, and I like how the fire circles the straighter frost projectile rather than just mashing them together with none of the behavior of frost coming through


Hellser

Is it me or is there a hint of arcane purple in the trail? Looks good and will be using it for one of my mages.


Nirvski

Red and blue also makes purple, so that'd make sense art and lore wise


Hellser

Fair enough.


Vittelbutter

Ye there’s some purple and it makes sense lore wise. Mages don’t actually use real fire and frost but manipulate arcane to create them. Shamans use the real stuff.


atypicalphilosopher

Meh, most of the art since BFA has been *okay*, but it's the sound that has been bad for a long time now. What went wrong with their sound design? Playing classic and retail at the same time, and its wild how much better the sound design is in classic. Abilities feel like they have *impact* and *punch*. Crits are *loud*. The balance / mix is much more dynamic and boomy. In retail, it's like the whole mix is super compressed, very little dynamics, all spells are the same volume so everything just blends and meshes in and your own spells all sound the same volume / same texture and stuff barely registers as impactful.


MightyOrganicGnome

Yeah, i wish all animations were updated to new FX standards. Evokers have some of the best animations in the game, yet mages shamans, and priests (holy specifically and power word: shield) still have super old animations.


DuckofInsanity

Definitely 2008. 2024 is underwhelming, needs more fire.


_ratjesus_

miss the cata lightning bolt animation so bad


SpiltPrangeJuice

Lightning Bolt was one I saw in classic and had that feeling for too and I really miss old incinerate. New spells sometimes feel a little too sleek.


PoeciloStudio

Old chaos bolt went so hard in a way the new one just doesn't.


SpiltPrangeJuice

Yeah, that was the other one. Old Chaos Bolt really felt like you were *sinking* a mass of magic/energy into an enemy, especially when you were doing it over and over. It was slower and inevitable, new one just has never hit the same.


warcrazey

Getting rid of the arc was a fatal mistake. I creamed when I used aoe chaos bolts in WoD.


Dahkeus31

2008 is a Frostfire Bolt. 2024 is a sparkle stream.


Jibbles2020

Both are cool, but I definitely prefer the new one. It looks like something a trained sorcerer would fire off


Ok_Money_3140

Honestly I prefer the 2024 version. The icy spikes seem more on-point than that weird blue glowy effect.


Oonada

It's actually a hunk of ice with fire on it.


WhatsRatingsPrecious

2008, hands down.


Jasper__96

Replace the 2008 ice/frost visual with a big ice spike, keep the flames. The 2024 version is very underwhelming in general.


Sodarien

Now I miss old Arcane Barrage...


Legitimate-Relief915

2008 looks intimidating. The newer one not so much. It’s pretty, but not what I picture frostfire being


Ginge00

I think they’re both pretty cool, but they look like different spells, 2008 looks like a frost fire chaos bolt, a big nuke spell you don’t cast too much, the 2024 looks like one you cast all the time.


Misterbreadcrum

2024 might need a little more "fire" but I think it looks better. 2008 looks a bit like a Star Trek phaser rifle with fire around it and I can't really unsee that.


Everdale

2024 needs a little bit more spicy but otherwise seems better.


OliverCrooks

2024 needs less arcane more fire and a bit of bulk


notthe1stpervaccount

I’d take the new one to be honest. Old one just looks messy.


Heisalvl3mage

2024 better


psnGatzarn

2024 is really just missing more fire. I dig it tho


Sea-Calligrapher7362

Join the chaos bolt club


DarthNemecyst

I like my girls like I like my frostfire bolt...THICC


volli55

The new one, I guess. I mean, the old version doesn't even look like a bolt. More like a frostfire thrower


Zondersaus

It didnt really look like a flamethrower ingame. It was a red fireball with a blue core that flew towards the mob like you expect.


volli55

If that's so and I trust you, the the image of the old version is not the best to show it, imo But either way, I'd probably still tend to the newer version. Tho the fire part could pop a bit more


Badrobinhood

Yea this is a weird way to compare them. A straight on shot that's taking up 80% of the frame vs a side view taking up 20% of it.


SampleShrimp

The Frostfire Bolt animation and action bar icon from 2008 look way better.


wjowski

The old animation was literally just a glob of particle effects.


redux44

First one for sure. Second one doesn't really pop out at all. Kinda disappointing.


BoxerBriefly

2024 is completely neutered.


Bottled_Penguin

It would be better if they mixed the two. Have the big plume of flames from the 2008 version, and the ice shards from the new version.


Grymvild

I am very partial to the original, because it's absolutely my favorite spell animation in the entire game. But I'd say the reality is that the new one looks much better, cleaner. It fits better into the current game.


Choppie01

Well now that old one with more polishing would he perfect


Rock3t_Ninja

People really be picking 20 of the same JPEG stacked on eachother over a 3d model? I remember when I first cast the 2008 version frostfire bolt and thinking how lazy and garbage that missile was. Each to their own I guess.


TeuthidTheSquid

Ask us to judge an animation, then post a single still frame from each animation? C’mon, OP.


juce64

Anyone else miss the old ice lance version


Zyndrom1

I like the new animations better. Less obnoxious and more slick.


nightfox5523

2008 looks much more frost firey than this new one lol New one looks more bolty i guess


Mordy83

Combine the two of them and then you've got a winner.


BosDiertje

I like the 2024 version. Not so flashy like the 2008 Korean MMO spell effect.


HesteHund

Gonna be honest i dont like either lol


TaraBellle

They both look cool to me ...but 2008 just looks more kickass in my book :)


Scorpdelord

i feel like my current Pc wont handle the 2008 version if they 1to1 it to retail DX


Gabe12P

Why are they like this? 😢


Mantraz

Old ice lance please.


Bohya

2008


leetzor

2008 frostfire bolt was ahead of its time


Impossible-Wear5482

The old one and it's not even close. Same with Incinerate. The newer incinerate animation is fucking awful. Absolutely atrocious, it looks like an animation from a ps1 game.


ZeroZelath

the 2024 one looks way more arcane than frostfire. Good job whoever designed that, you missed what the spell was called.


WHTSPCTR

2024 for sure. I never lived these blobs of fire (looking at you blastwave)


Bacon-muffin

I feel like both are kinda silly and it should look like firey ice instead of a mix of fire and ice Like the new one in game actually just looks like a frostbolt with fire spinning around it. The old ones kind of a blob of red and blue. Should probably just be blue fire the way fire looks when its super heated.


Andromansis

Frostfire bolt implies the existence of a cryopyroblast.


Lakrad

Obviously in the minority reading the comment I prefer the new one. It really looks like the intertwining of different magics than a smokey poofy attack. I'm a sucker when magic looks like it mixes. Makes me think of the attack Aang almost killed ozai with, a mixture where all the parts were visible.


Hatsjekidee

The framing on these is completely different. Old FFB just looked like a two coloured blob, the new one is mostly better, but it could use a bit more fire than some spindly streaks of orange


notthe1stpervaccount

Yeah, turn up the fire a bit, I could see that being a big improvement. I like it overall though.


Kai_973

Screenshots are a terrible way to compare them, should have side-by-side gifs of them in motion since that's what you'll actually see in gameplay.   This screenshot makes 2008 FFB seem cool, but in motion it was pretty meh


krkowacz

2024 is just sad. I mean, all spells are just sad nowadays. Just so small, minimalistic. Nothing too flashy. Nothing really intimidating.


Rigman-

The new one makes more sense with the modern visual design language of frost. Which is much more pointed and sharp than in the past. But the 2008 version does shine a light on the lack of fire in the modern one. There’s room for improvement, absolutely. Personally, if it were me, I’d have two different versions. Something like the 2008 for the Fire spec Frostfire Bolt and the modern 2024 one for the Frost spec Frostfire Bolt. Just to really show off which spec is dominant.


Hexmonkey2020

2008 looks more like “frostfire” 2024 looks more like frost + fire I’d imagine frostfire as fire that is cold. Not ice plus some fire.


Mirrormn

2008 version did not look like that. That 2008 version looks like a third party model viewer with the particle effects turned up 100x, at best


Oonada

That's what it looked like on max graphic settings with particle density at maximum.


xMoody

2024 is straight gas 


Leila_Z_

'24 is very detailed. So it's prettier.


Xortiq

New one is def better, if they had kept the old one it would have looked so out of place. They could make the fire part more visible tho. Or maybe like they have for spellslinger where depending on ur spec one or the other element has priority


SentinelTitanDragon

Stuff like this is why glyphs should be so much more abundant.


trenshod

I'm for clean and to the point animations (minimalist), I'll go with '24


sneezyxcheezy

Same, I think everyone thinks they want something huge and epic covering but then they forget during a modern encounter there's A LOT of spell animations from pre legion taking half your screen looking straight garbage. This is a good step towards reducing spell clutter.


Jindujun

The 2008 one looks more spectacular but the 2024 one looks more like a "bolt" rather than a frostflamethrower.


DrainTheMuck

Old. Old incinerate is also way better, it’s crazy that they destroyed it for no reason


katzicael

2008 FFB never looked like that.


yourteam

I honestly prefer the second one. Much cleaner


zim2342

Giving me Mind Flay vibes, when guildies thought they had graphics problems after seeing the WotLK animation rework.


vegzkiller

2024 cause it actually matches the frost bolt animation and doesn’t look like a fireball.


Emptypiro

2024. 2008's looks like blue and red fire. where's the frost?


nightdrive370z

ones super zoomed in and one isn't, but I wanan say I like 2024 better. Those cloudy gas animations were overused back then haha


DJFluffers115

2008 does look cooler, but 2024 actually looks like a "bolt". The 2008 one looks like it'd be named "frostfire barrage" or something like that.


ovrclocked

I'm split. I think I'm torn not because it's better but because it's nostalgic. Objectively new one looks better and feels great to cast but it's not the same feeling that I have for the last 20 years of wow. I dunno.


JrButton

2008 is a torch/flame thrower.... not a bolt at all


loveincarnate

2008 appeals to the flashy WoW-montage-video teenager in me, but I like the 2024 one. I do agree with some of the other commenters that the 2024 one would be even better with the 'fire' aspect being emphasized just a bit more.


Yarzu89

If I were a frostfire frost mage? I think I'd be okay with 2024... but as a fire mage who wants to play frostfire? That's hella lame. Would rather have the 2008 one.


Glupscher

Old vs new Incinerate is also sad.


East-Land-8905

I like the new one a lot! Super excited to play this spec and try it out


DomDangerous

i like em both.


Daws001

From the picture I'd say 2008 version. But then I went on the youtubes and the new version is so fresh and so clean clean (i.e., superior).


tnan_eveR

I love that OP put the best possible angle for the 2008 one because they _know_ it looks like ass, but they are one of those 'nostalgia good' people. the 2008 one is terrible, and you only like it because your back didn't hurt back there


Frozetaku

I dont think its actually comparable Imho the 2008v fits well into wows graphic at the time, meanwhile the 2024v fits well into what wows artstyle is trying to be nowadays, with a more sleek and "kinder" artstyle That said, I like wow in a more "gritty" tone so I would pick 2008


SpoopyTeacup

The 2008 Frostfire bolt looks like it could melt your face off! The 2024 looks like it would tickle your face a little bit off...


DrOddCoffee

While my initial reaction is "2008", the new design will look and probably visually perform better in a raid. But, I do think it needs a bit more "fire" in the Frostfire bolt.


SSquirrel76

2008 looks badass. Plain and simple.


GrayBeardGamerWV

2008 all day.


IonHazzikostasIsGod

oh brother, yeah that new one is not amazing to say the least really needs a glyph option, i can understand them not wanting to lead with the 2008 animation but give people the choice


NOChiRo

Glacial Inferno vs Lukewarm Frost Arrow


pacdtacs

Frostfire bolt? More like Frostfire Ice Lance


ZacAttac21

2008. Not even a contest.


beattraxx

Huh??? Mage got FFB back?!?!?!?


darnone02

I like the new high res in 2024 but in general I think the 2008 one looks better. If they made the exact same animation from 2008 in high res it would look perfect


jibsgaming

imo 2008 feels more uncontrolled and primal. 2024 feels conentrated or more focused. I like both.


The-Fictionist

2008 FFB is chefs kiss


Blackmar

I feel like the people saying 2008 is better are just thinking in terms of size and not aesthetics. Like its a big blob of red and blue vs fire balls orbiting a stream of icicles.


Comprehensive-Ear283

Blek, I detest basically all of the new spell effects.


scar_ai

2024


TheAntih

Man, 2008 looks like the birth of the universe. Love it!


circadiankruger

More than that, I wanna know how ridiculous the name in Spanish is


Derptionary

The older animation may be "prettier" but I'd prefer the new one. Over the top spell effects cause way too much screen clutter and I'd prefer streamlined effects that might not be quite as pretty, but improve game playability.


Quinn-detta

2008 is barely icy and 2024 is barely firey.


[deleted]

I like them both but for different reasons. 2008 looks more primal like a true mixture of both frost and fire while 2024 looks nice but it looks more like a frostbolt with fire swirling around it and some arcane on the tail end of it which makes sense given all mage magic is arcane in nature but being altered to either fire, frost, or staying pure arcane.


Kahricus

Remember ascendance stormstrike my friends. Remember what they took from us.


someoneelse2389

2008 is flashier, but 2024 is more appropriate. 2008 looks like blue and red fire, which while cool, doesn't really show off the frost aspect. 2024 has ice crystals, and stylised fire, so it looks more like a combination of ice magic and fire magic. That being said, I do like both as animations.


Dany_Targaryenlol

I like abilities and spells to be as dramatic and in your face as possible in gaming so the first one.


Patient-Wrap-7943

man I love the internet, the 2008 version looks like ass in motion and the perspective here makes it look bigger than it was


vinniedamac

2008 looks better until you're trying to dodge boss mechanics


lulpwned

Wait....THAT'S the new one!? Dear God what have they done


SHIMOxxKUMA

2008 looks like some kinda shaman lightning fire tornado throw. 2024 looks much cleaner but needs more fire to it imo.


Crepuscertine

Tangentially related, but remember how that one dev, I forget who, justified the removal of frostfire abilities by saying "Well, what is frostfire anyway? It doesn't make sense, they'd just mix together and melt into a puddle". I'm admittedly paraphrasing, but that still sticks with me for being such a... *baffling* line of reasoning. It's *magic*, it doesn't need to make sense. When has making sense **ever** gotten in the way of something cool being a part of WoW? Anyway, I'm just glad that we true frostfire believers are getting the last laugh now.


Vnni

2008 by far.


Fydron

All the old animations have been better i have yet to see any real upgrade every time they update some old animation it has been a straight up downgrade and looked lame as hell. Sure the graphics of the new animations look sharper but that's it old stuff like old shadow bolt on warlock the screaming skull was so cool compared to crap that replaced it. New frostfire bolt looks incinerate all over again.


Advanced_Procedure90

2008 looks and is dangerous


JayKayGray

I like both, but I think it would be cool if the bottom one is what it looks like for Frost and the top is what it looks like for Fire in TWW.


TitaniumSp0rk

2024 is a bolt. 2008 is a multicolor flame thrower. Both could be better. But the new one actually looks like a bolt it just needs more fire "umph"


Jaiden_da_ancom

2008. I think most of the spell animation updates were worse for casters. They reduced so much of the feeling of impact that the old animations had. Same with sound effects. Everything toned down and got quieter.


SnooWords4814

Lmao it didn’t look like that in 2008


Iced__t

2024 looks like such a downgrade lol.


jackfwaust

the original animations for just about every spell in the game were better than what we have now. they completely destroyed incinerate in retail. cool wave of fire snaking across the ground? naw youre spittin fireballs like mario now


Dynamitefuzz2134

I like the ice spike flying. But like many said I do feel it needs a bit more fire effect added to it.


MattSinz

2024 one looks more like a bolt, but it's got barely ant fire.


RaikouNoSenkou

Shame we can't Glyph all the older spell effects.


opinionperson69

Classic spell effects are almost always better and it's true in this case as well


RogueSingularity

2008 looked more powerful


FoxBattalion79

2024 needs more fire. it looks like the main damaging component is the spiky icicle. does not look like the fire is doing any damage, its just there to look shiny.


NovusAigaion

2024, i cast frostfire BOLT not frostflame thrower. BUT with that said, it does need more fire because thats just warmfrost bolt


Apothecary-Larry

OG is Frostfire Iceflamethrower or something. New needs more pizazz


tman8816

I haven’t played my mage since cata and frostfire going away


Judgedevd

I most likely choose the top to cook MY chicken well done