Flying in WoD

[Bheleu]

Here is what I would like to see: Flying in any and all zones of WoD, BUT:

Release Patch: Lots of AA towers in all the zones. Firing hooks like in the Twlight Highlands quest Drag'em Down. Goblin Towers that shoot tar balls, and so on. Use imagination, I'm sure there is a zone appropriate device to knock flyers down based on race/zone/faction. Once dismounted loose X% of life (50%?) and get a no flying debuff for Y minutes (5 minutes?). Have a nice pack of Lvl 100 elites to greet you once you are pulled to the tower. If you choose not to fly, just avoid the AA towers on the ground, don't get too close. Result - might be able to fly short distances, but with a really good chance of getting knocked down and dying.

Patch .1: Must be lvl 100 & learn "evasive maneuvers" from flying trainer. Reduces chance to be hit by AA towers by Z% (50%?). Result - Flying is still dangerous, but doable. At lvl 100 might survive the greeting party on the ground if well geared/skillful.

Patch .2: Weekly World event to destroy AA towers in the zone. Make it take a good effort by a lot of players to destroy a tower. They get rebuilt (Usually on a Tuesday!). Result - Once destroyed free flying in the zone.

Patch .3: One last world event to destroy the AA towers permanently. Make it suitably challenging and fit it into the story line. Free Flying for the rest of the expansion.

O.K. - so it won't happen - but it is what I would like to see! What do you think?

Bheleu

[Danielfboone]

Here is what I would like to see: Flying in any and all zones of WoD, BUT:

Release Patch: Lots of AA towers in all the zones. Firing hooks like in the Twlight Highlands quest Drag'em Down. Goblin Towers that shoot tar balls, and so on. Use imagination, I'm sure there is a zone appropriate device to knock flyers down based on race/zone/faction. Once dismounted loose X% of life (50%?) and get a no flying debuff for Y minutes (5 minutes?). Have a nice pack of Lvl 100 elites to greet you once you are pulled to the tower. If you choose not to fly, just avoid the AA towers on the ground, don't get too close. Result - might be able to fly short distances, but with a really good chance of getting knocked down and dying.

Patch .1: Must be lvl 100 & learn "evasive maneuvers" from flying trainer. Reduces chance to be hit by AA towers by Z% (50%?). Result - Flying is still dangerous, but doable. At lvl 100 might survive the greeting party on the ground if well geared/skillful.

Patch .2: Weekly World event to destroy AA towers in the zone. Make it take a good effort by a lot of players to destroy a tower. They get rebuilt (Usually on a Tuesday!). Result - Once destroyed free flying in the zone.

Patch .3: One last world event to destroy the AA towers permanently. Make it suitably challenging and fit it into the story line. Free Flying for the rest of the expansion.

O.K. - so it won't happen - but it is what I would like to see! What do you think?

Bheleu

I really like that idea. It would be fun and would put sense into why we couldn't fly in the beginning of the xpac. Not just have it be "no, you can't fly" with no real explanation.

[Slickrock]

The whole point about no-flying is that Blizz wants to add Timeless Isle type content (chests, rares, etc) all through the new content. Flying trivializes much of that type of content. That's why I don't think we'll see flying at all.

As long as there are rares that can be farmed (hello warbringers) flying will create an issue with the content they have planned.

[Tahlian]

*shrugs* I really don't care much for jumping puzzles, and I got bored with the Timeless Isle very quickly. I'm going to give them a chance and level someone to 100. But if I don't see flight unlocked at some point, I'm walking away. Blizzard may think no flight is great fun...but I don't. I'm sure I can find some other game to put that subscription money towards if I leave WoW.

[Xota]

...
It would be fun and would put sense into why we couldn't fly in the beginning of the xpac. Not just have it be "no, you can't fly" with no real explanation.

How about "An Arakkoa wizard did it"? After we kill him in 6.blah, there could be areas with residual grounding magic, so they don't have to put all the patch content on magical islands (which I think is the reason they said they wanted to ground the whole continent).

[Slickrock]

*shrugs* I really don't care much for jumping puzzles, and I got bored with the Timeless Isle very quickly. I'm going to give them a chance and level someone to 100. But if I don't see flight unlocked at some point, I'm walking away. Blizzard may think no flight is great fun...but I don't. I'm sure I can find some other game to put that subscription money towards if I leave WoW.

What about flight is so important that you would quit the game over it? Just faster travel? Annoyance with bad flightpaths?

[Tahlian]

It's quite simple. Ease of travel, to go where I want when I want and not have to basically go afk on a flight path - and I worked hard for and paid for the flying skills on all my toons save my boosted hunter...and in a way, I paid for his flying too. And let's be frank...flying mounts, especially the Dread Raven they gave us for ordering the Digital Deluxe of WoD, look really, really stupid when confined to the ground.

Basically, it comes down to that fact that I enjoy it, and especially if I've already slogged through to level 100 with leaden boots strapped to my character keeping him on the ground, I don't want to have to mess with it again after I've reached level cap just to get somewhere on my own terms.

I don't like what they say they're going to do, and I'm giving them a period of time to change their minds on that point and instate flying on old Draenor. If they choose not to...then I can choose not to give them money anymore. Simple as that, because what they're trying to sell me at that point isn't worth what they want me to pay for it.

[Sukurachi]

It's quite simple. Ease of travel, to go where I want when I want and not have to basically go afk on a flight path - and I worked hard for and paid for the flying skills on all my toons save my boosted hunter...and in a way, I paid for his flying too. And let's be frank...flying mounts, especially the Dread Raven they gave us for ordering the Digital Deluxe of WoD, look really, really stupid when confined to the ground.

Basically, it comes down to that fact that I enjoy it, and especially if I've already slogged through to level 100 with leaden boots strapped to my character keeping him on the ground, I don't want to have to mess with it again after I've reached level cap just to get somewhere on my own terms.

I don't like what they say they're going to do, and I'm giving them a period of time to change their minds on that point and instate flying on old Draenor. If they choose not to...then I can choose not to give them money anymore. Simple as that, because what they're trying to sell me at that point isn't worth what they want me to pay for it.

+1

Most of my favourite mounts are flying mounts.
And I paid good real-life dollars for a bunch of them.

[Lisaara]

You have valid points as I, myself, enjoy flying and use it for the same reasons anyone else does. However, there is something everyone should to keep in mind.

Most MMO's do not have or allow flying. I actually can't think of any that I've played that do or any that might have but have the same quality as World of Warcraft. If anyone knows any that live up to those standards, feel free to mention them.

Also your post makes me feel this needs to be emphasized due to how general the blanket was: They're mot removing flying completely. Only Draenor(for now). No where else. This isn't a rumor. This is confirmed information that's been on MMOChampion a dozen times over.

I, personally, will not leave for one zone not having flying. We've already had two zones that lacked flying and no one complained then. I think it's a bit silly for people to get up in arms when we've already had this before. If they were removing flying completely from the game, then I'd understand the need to fight. However, that's not the case at all, thus it seems a little....superfluous to get bent out of shape at the moment when it's not even beta, let alone live yet.

I also have noticed the reason they're testing it out cause PVPers for eons have complained that flying ruined WPvP. I think they're finally taking it into account and want to see if flying made a difference or not.

All I advise is for people to lay down their torches and weaponry until we know where they're going with Draenor's flying issues.

[Danielfboone]

It still isn't certain that flying will not be allowed in the entire expansion or not. There has been a large and very vocal resistance to the idea on every forum and social site I have seen. I'm still holding out hope that they will come to their senses and allow it through a quest line after people reach max level or even after the first patch. This was the original plan and I hope they stick with it.

[Tahlian]

That's the thing. If I could be sure it was only a temporary removal, I wouldn't mind a jot - not at all. My concern is the fact that they are considering not activating flying in Draenor at all (where we'll be expected to spend the majority of our time) but are also considering not having flight in any future content. As I said before - if they go that route, I'm outta WoW. Plain and simple. and that's my perogative.

[Danielfboone]

That's the thing. If I could be sure it was only a temporary removal, I wouldn't mind a jot - not at all. My concern is the fact that they are considering not activating flying in Draenor at all (where we'll be expected to spend the majority of our time) but are also considering not having flight in any future content. As I said before - if they go that route, I'm outta WoW. Plain and simple. and that's my perogative.

I might be right behind you and it would be hard to leave the game I've loved for almost 9 years now.

[Sukurachi]

The difference between "no flying in WoD" and "no flying in some zones" (timeless, thunder, tol barad, etc...) is that while those pre-WoD zone might not have flying, there is STILL a large zone where flying is permitted in that expansion.

In other words, you still have stuff to do at level 90, in a zone where you can/must fly.

With WoD, you would level to cap, without flying, and then... still no flying once at level cap.

There's still a crap-load to do in Pandaria at level 90, while flying around.
You can continue do do a LOT of stuff that is fulfilling at level 90, without ever setting foot in the no-fly zones. (I only recently started going to Timeless, and have completely ignored Thunder and whatever that other one was... see, I don't even remember its name).

With Pandaria (as with Cataclysm before it), the no-fly zones were a small part of the totality.

With WoD, the no-fly zone would BE the totality of the zone.

[Slickrock]

Ok, let's look at the core issue..

Blizz appears to want to deploy a content design for new WoD content that would be trivialized by flying. (Rares, loot,etc, ala Timeless Isle)

If you disgree with them that such a design decision is a poor choice, then discuss it with them on those terms.

But most of the arguments here, and especially those on the official forums, have little to do with the design choice, and are mostely emotion based, or address side issues. That's not the way to get Blizz to change their mind.

You certainly have a right to leave for whatever reason you want, but if you want to influence change, address it in terms of the design.

[Sukurachi]

The new design paradigm is flawed.

You get players to cap in the preceding expansion. They can fly, except in a few select zones.
They have also spent real money, and massive amounts of energy collecting mounts that are "flying mounts".

Now you put forth a new expansion that nullifies ALL of that work/money, and forces players who wish to continue on to the new level cap to ONLY use ground mounts.

As a paying customer, I can't help but think that I am being screwed over after giving so much money to the company.

Non-flying zones are fine.
And entire expansion made of only non-flying zones, not such a good idea.

[Vephriel]

I'm still neutral on the topic itself, but I just wanted to mention that they are making all mounts ground mounts in WoD, so people won't necessarily be screwed out of using their flying mounts. Every mount will be usable, though obviously it wouldn't be the same being locked on the ground with dragons and such. Just wanted to point that out though!

[Silivren]

I don't play WoW atm but I'm going against the masses. I'd love an expansion without flying. You can say I'm wrong if you'd like, but frankly, nothing you could say would change my mind. The best feeling I ever had in WoW was getting my Nightsaber on my night elf Druid. Yeah he ran at 60% speed or whatever but it didn't matter. I ran all across the Stranglethorn zone just out of sheer joy. That was back when first mounts were expensive. I felt so accomplished and it was wonderful to travel and use that first mount. It was even better to get my epic ground mount. My beloved Stormsaber. Flying is fun. Yeah it's nice, but for me, it wasn't as exciting to get my first flying mount as it was to get my first mount. I mean flying is nice but it also gives me grief too. I always hated going for a resource node and all of a sudden, nope guy on an epic flyer takes it from me, this happened CONSTANTLY on my low level toons and when I didn't level as fast as someone else, it happened. I dont know I just miss the feeling of awe and exploring on a ground mount. That is not to say I hate flying so please don't twist my words to make it seem that way.

[Castile]

The arguement "I paid real money for those mounts" is kinda flawed as well. All those store mounts work both as ground and flying mounts currently - nothing will stop you from using them. And as Veph pointed out ALL mounts will work as ground mounts anyway. No ones making you abandon them.

If anything it will make you use currently ignored mounts that you worked even harder for (ground mounts) and I can't see that as being a bad thing at all.

[Danielfboone]

Telling us that we can still use our flyers as ground mounts is ridiculous and insulting.They are meant to fly, not walk.

[AdamSavage]

With WoD, you would level to cap, without flying, and then... still no flying once at level cap.

It was the biggest motivation for me to get to the level cap, so I can stop using my ground mount. I don't mind have no fly zones, but to make an entire continent a no fly zone is just bs. I paid countless thousands of gold on all my toons for flying, only to be told you can only use it in old content ? Wow.. I get to do laps around Stormwind on my flying mount. I feel so special... Someone give me a reward!

I also have noticed the reason they're testing it out cause PVPers for eons have complained that flying ruined WPvP. I think they're finally taking it into account and want to see if flying made a difference or not.

Of course it comes down to PVP... Majority of the time, any class change they make is because of pvp. People start crying that xyz class is OP, vs learning to play there class. I don't mind pvp sometimes, and I typically get my butt kicked. I don't go and cry about how the class that beat me is OP. I understand, that they are simply a better player and know how to get the most of the class.

You get ganked by higher levels, and you are on a PVP server ? Don't like it, then go play PVE. Far as I'm concerned, when you play on PVP server. That is the change you have to take.

Telling us that we can still use our flyers as ground mounts is ridiculous and insulting.They are meant to fly, not walk.

I agree. 99% of the flying mounts look goofy walking on the ground.. With exception of a few mounts that can work either way, like the Headless Horseman mount. It's fine as either a flying or ground.