Blizzard Announces Flying in Draenor with Patch 6.2.x

[HI5]

Just a heads up if some of you aren't following other news from blizz - with patch 6.2.x flying in Draenor will be allowed once you've completed a set of task for "Draenor Pathfinder" mete-achievement ("collecting 100 treasures in Draenor, completing the Draenor Loremaster and Securing Draenor achievements, and raising the three new Tanaan Jungle reputations to Revered") which will give you Soaring Skyterror mount that will allow you to fly in Draenor on all your 90+ lvl chars.

Imo it's a nice idea, they are finally forcing people to come out of their garrisons which means WoW might be a WoW again and not GarrisonVile



Full read for ones of you that aren't too lazy (I am :x)

We appreciate the spirited discussion on the topic of flying. The subject has brought out passionate viewpoints and sparked insightful conversations on our official forums and blogs, on community sites, and in chat channels. Your feedback has been a valuable part of the ongoing conversations within Blizzard as well, and today, we’d like to share some updated plans for how we’ll handle flight going forward.

The Thrill of Discovery


At the heart of the initial plan to restrict flight in Draenor (even after players reach level 100) lies the design goal of providing the best moment-to-moment gameplay possible in the outdoor world. From navigating the lava flows of the Molten Front in Patch 4.2, to breaching the Thunder King’s stronghold in Patch 5.2, to reaching the heights of the Ordon Sanctuary on Timeless Isle in Patch 5.4, to uncovering secrets deep within Gorgrond’s jungles on Draenor, World of Warcraft is full of memorable moments that are only possible when players explore the world by ground. And as we’ve continued to develop content over the years, we’ve focused more and more on providing players with these kinds of experiences.


However, while we firmly believe that keeping your feet on the ground is a key part of discovery in WoW, we also recognize that breaking free from those restrictions can be fun and rewarding as well, especially for those who’ve already fully experienced the game’s world content. With that in mind, we’re planning some changes in the near future that will allow players to enjoy their hard-earned flying mounts in Draenor—in a way that doesn’t compromise the excitement of ground-based exploration.


Mastering the Outdoor World


In an upcoming Public Test Realm build, we will be introducing a new meta-achievement called Draenor Pathfinder. You’ll earn this achievement in Patch 6.2 by mastering the outdoor environment of Draenor—exploring Draenor’s zones, collecting 100 treasures in Draenor, completing the Draenor Loremaster and Securing Draenor achievements, and raising the three new Tanaan Jungle reputations to Revered. Initially, this achievement will award a rylak mount: the Soaring Skyterror, one of the native beasts that roam Draenor’s skies. Players will remain ground-bound on Draenor until a small follow-up patch (6.2.x), when all players who have earned Draenor Pathfinder on at least one character will unlock the ability to fly in Draenor on all their level 90+ characters.
We believe this strikes the right balance between ensuring ground-based content lives up to its full potential, while providing players who’ve already fully experienced Draenor’s outdoor world extra freedom to “break the rules.” This also provides a general blueprint going forward for content to come. Players will explore new and undiscovered lands from the ground, and then once they’ve fully mastered those environments—a notion that continues to evolve with each new expansion—they can take to the skies and experience the world from a new vantage point.
Thank you for your heartfelt feedback. We’ll see you in (and soon, above) Tanaan Jungle.

[Hanss]

Yup, exactly what I hoped they would do. Part of their reasoning for removing flying was that they wanted people to explore and engage more in the world, so by forcing us to do these things first they still get to show off the cool little secrets they have hid all around Draenor before letting us skip over it all. Great decision.

[Incontrol]

It does not seem fair to allow flying again in Draenor. What about the mounts earned from Gladiator / glory achivements? I know you can only use the one flying mount and not the rest of your own flying mounts but still, everyone will be using the flying mount instead of ground mounts. Therefor there is no longer any use in having a ground mount as glory achivements rewards? I think its a great thing to allow people to "show off" their accomplishments by mounting up a mount earned from that spesific achivement. This decision crushes that imo.

[Torpedoes]

It does not seem fair to allow flying again in Draenor. What about the mounts earned from Gladiator / glory achivements? I know you can only use the one flying mount and not the rest of your own flying mounts but still, everyone will be using the flying mount instead of ground mounts. Therefor there is no longer any use in having a ground mount as glory achivements rewards? I think its a great thing to allow people to "show off" their accomplishments by mounting up a mount earned from that spesific achivement. This decision crushes that imo.

I don't think it's fair to ground everyone because you wanna show off your mount. You can still show it off in PvP, where your PvP achievements belong.

[lilsniff]

This sounds just right!
I've always disliked how flying makes you blind to all the beautiful landscape and design of the open world in WoW. I wish they did this back in MoP, because after lvling up to 90 I never payed attention to my surroundings again, just hitting that auto-run button and tabbing out.

I hope that gaining reputation with the factions required from Tanaan jungle will involve more than doing boring dailies, maybe a few chains that take you on a wild ride through the jungle!
Seeing as I have all requirements other than the factions done, I'm eager to see this hit in 6.2.x

[Incontrol]

I don't think it's fair to ground everyone because you wanna show off your mount. You can still show it off in PvP, where your PvP achievements belong.

Maybe I didnt make myself clear but Glory of the draenor hero and Glory of the draenor raider are not PvP achivements. Also what im saying is if you put up a reward for earning x achivement then that reward should feel like a reward. If the reward is you get one more of those mounts you cannot use and just stays dusting in your mount journal. Then whats the point of the reward? Sure you can use it in PvP or mount on the ground and run whilest others are flying above you. But is that really a reward?

And what about world pvp? it will surely die again once this is implemented.

[lilsniff]

Maybe I didnt make myself clear but Glory of the draenor hero and Glory of the draenor raider are not PvP achivements. Also what im saying is if you put up a reward for earning x achivement then that reward should feel like a reward. If the reward is you get one more of those mounts you cannot use and just stays dusting in your mount journal. Then whats the point of the reward? Sure you can use it in PvP or mount on the ground and run whilest others are flying above you. But is that really a reward?

And what about world pvp? it will surely die again once this is implemented.

I get what you're saying, having obtained that new mount but only to have to use another since it can't fly (and not many would prefer to run when they can fly). Although, we'll still get other opportunities to show them off, like waiting outside raid entrances with your group or doing battlegrounds/arena or to simply just show that damn sexy beast to the world.
If I feel I haven't showed off my gems enough, I make time to do so

[Torpedoes]

Maybe I didnt make myself clear but Glory of the draenor hero and Glory of the draenor raider are not PvP achivements. Also what im saying is if you put up a reward for earning x achivement then that reward should feel like a reward. If the reward is you get one more of those mounts you cannot use and just stays dusting in your mount journal. Then whats the point of the reward? Sure you can use it in PvP or mount on the ground and run whilest others are flying above you. But is that really a reward?

You do realize that achievements are optional, you don't HAVE to do them. Achievements are just for you. Why should others be inconvenienced because you want to feel good about yourself. Great, well done on the mount, but now I wanna get shit done. Blizzard wants us to experience the content, great I did, now I wanna get shit done. I don't have all day to travel around every mountain in the game just to look at you riding your mount and engage in useless combat with NPCs. That's not the game I want to play six months in.

And what about world pvp? it will surely die again once this is implemented.

What world PvP. I haven't seen anybody step a foot out of their garrisons since launch.

[lilsniff]

What world PvP. I haven't seen anybody step a foot out of their garrisons since launch.

This is so true. There aren't many people to be met in the open world.

[HI5]

Flying will definitely not kill world PvP, if anything - it will actually bring world PvP to Draenor, since atm it's non-existent because it's a GarrisonVile / World of Garrison, and flying is the only thing right now (other than just killing garrisons completely) that can pull people out of garrison, let alone the fact you actually gonna have to grind the c*** out of WoD to be able to get to flying, which means there will be tons of people both on ground mounts and flying mounts in there

Best example that flying doesn't kill world pvp - Outland, on any bigger pvp realm it's a gank fest, 100's kill some lowbies, lowbies call friends, and then start killing each other / wiping opposite faction cities, it's like that all the time, and now it will likely be the same in Draenor.

Better gear up for PvP if you ever want to get your flying, and better do it fast, otherwise you might need to setup a subscription with spirit healer

[Incontrol]

You do realize that achievements are optional, you don't HAVE to do them. Achievements are just for you. Why should others be inconvenienced because you want to feel good about yourself. Great, well done on the mount, but now I wanna get shit done. Blizzard wants us to experience the content, great I did, now I wanna get shit done. I don't have all day to travel around every mountain in the game just to look at you riding your mount and engage in useless combat with NPCs. That's not the game I want to play six months in.

Basicly what you're saying here is you want to spend the minimal amount of time on a game you enjoy? It sounds like it has become your job instead of pleasure. Also yes achivements are optional thats why Blizzard put up rewards for someone to actually do them. And people who do them for the mount achivements should be able to use them. What I said was making flying in draenor is not fair towards them. Towards you its awesome becouse you clearly dont care about mounts or achivements. You just want speed and get shit done.

What world PvP. I haven't seen anybody step a foot out of their garrisons since launch.

What you're doing here is called special pleading. Becouse _you_ dont see anyone step a foot out of their garrisons does not mean people dont do it. And to answer your statement more clearly there are actually tons of world pvp outside of garrisons.

[Torpedoes]

Basicly what you're saying here is you want to spend the minimal amount of time on a game you enjoy? It sounds like it has become your job instead of pleasure.

I don't have a lot of time to play this game and the time I do have I want to enjoy, and progress, not waste time doing inconsequential things. And I don't want it to become my job, which sometimes it feels that way. Just because it's fun for you doesn't mean it's fun for everybody.

Also yes achivements are optional thats why Blizzard put up rewards for someone to actually do them. And people who do them for the mount achivements should be able to use them. What I said was making flying in draenor is not fair towards them. Towards you its awesome becouse you clearly dont care about mounts or achivements. You just want speed and get shit done.

How does the ability to fly stop you from using your ground mount? Do watching people watching you give you an orgasm of something, there are inn's for that in this game. Besides, Blizzard said at the very beginning that flying is coming later so I don't know why you're so surprised.

What you're doing here is called special pleading. Becouse _you_ dont see anyone step a foot out of their garrisons does not mean people dont do it. And to answer your statement more clearly there are actually tons of world pvp outside of garrisons.

This is not my opinion, listen to any reputable WoW streamer and they'll say the same thing. Azmongold, BellularGaming and HeelvsBabyface just to name a few.

[Incontrol]

Flying will definitely not kill world PvP, if anything - it will actually bring world PvP to Draenor, since atm it's non-existent because it's a GarrisonVile / World of Garrison, and flying is the only thing right now (other than just killing garrisons completely) that can pull people out of garrison, let alone the fact you actually gonna have to grind the c*** out of WoD to be able to get to flying, which means there will be tons of people both on ground mounts and flying mounts in there

Best example that flying doesn't kill world pvp - Outland, on any bigger pvp realm it's a gank fest, 100's kill some lowbies, lowbies call friends, and then start killing each other / wiping opposite faction cities, it's like that all the time, and now it will likely be the same in Draenor.

Better gear up for PvP if you ever want to get your flying, and better do it fast, otherwise you might need to setup a subscription with spirit healer

Sorry but I fail to see the logic here. Why would flying mounts bring people out of garrisons more than ground mounts currently do? I think it will actually make it worse becouse now people can do their apexsis dailys twice as fast and then go back to garrisons and there will be no interaction with other players while flying to your quest, which there is now from walking on the ground

let alone the fact you actually gonna have to grind the c*** out of WoD to be able to get to flying, which means there will be tons of people both on ground mounts and flying mounts in there.

This however I see. For a limited time, sure there will be a huge amount of people grinding these reps and the world pvp will be awesome for lets say 1 - 2 months? until every active player has gotten their flying mount. After that it will die again and people will go back to sitting in garrisons.

[Torpedoes]

Sorry but I fail to see the logic here. Why would flying mounts bring people out of garrisons more than ground mounts currently do? I think it will actually make it worse becouse now people can do their apexsis dailys twice as fast and then go back to garrisons and there will be no interaction with other players while flying to your quest, which there is now from walking on the ground

This however I see. For a limited time, sure there will be a huge amount of people grinding these reps and the world pvp will be awesome for lets say 1 - 2 months? until every active player has gotten their flying mount. After that it will die again and people will go back to sitting in garrisons.

And the common theme here is??? garrisons, which I agree are a detriment to this game. It's always garrisons or capital cities. But I think that's more to say about the lack of engaging world content in this game than anything else. What we really need is more Timeless isle level content, except not have it last for months on end.

[HI5]

Sorry but I fail to see the logic here. Why would flying mounts bring people out of garrisons more than ground mounts currently do? I think it will actually make it worse becouse now people can do their apexsis dailys twice as fast and then go back to garrisons and there will be no interaction with other players while flying to your quest, which there is now from walking on the ground

This however I see. For a limited time, sure there will be a huge amount of people grinding these reps and the world pvp will be awesome for lets say 1 - 2 months? until every active player has gotten their flying mount. After that it will die again and people will go back to sitting in garrisons.

Already gave you example of Outland - flying mounts means world pvp battle can actually start pretty fast, as atm people don't really bother helping lowbies being ganked, nor even anyone wants to gank lowbies for that matter since getting anywhere simply takes too long :x

Flying never killed world pvp on any expansion, this is simply an opinion that was never true, world pvp was very much alive in BC, WotLK, Cata and even MoP (it was even hard to buy set pieces at times because of players from opposite factions killing each other npc's).

I remember playing on Vanila, and world pvp was barely there aside of just one guy killing another, but that's the least fun thing to do tbh, if anything - flying only made world PvP better and actually encouraged people to fight more by making it easier to gank and seek revenge on other faction, either by killing the guy who killed your buddy / your alt or by killing other players of his faction questing in the area (flying between the quests means nothing, you have to get down to quest, and you are down for most of the time... xd).