wow Flying Returns to Warlords of Draenor

[Odinn 95]

 

Blizzard has announced an upcoming meta achievement in Patch 6.2 that will unlock flying for all level 90+ characters in Draenor on an account.

 

Here is the complete post:

 

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.

 

 

Is this an agreeable solution for reintroducing flight in Draenor?

 

WE CAN FLY! WE CAN FLY!

[Kadill 0]

Yeah it is.

[primeous 0]

I think its a good compromise. It does force players to do a bit more pve then some might regularly do, but it is worth it if the flying really is account wide.

[Orthios 271]

I like how they're still forcing players to play by their rules (via all of the necessary achievements) in order to unlock flying. I'm wondering if it will be account wide or per character though.

[Odinn 95]

I like how they're still forcing players to play by their rules (via all of the necessary achievements) in order to unlock flying. I'm wondering if it will be account wide or per character though.

 

The original post suggests it will be account-wide once you have completed it once. The individual achievements that are not account-wide will likely need to be completed on a single character, obviously (e.g. finishing all of the quests in any one zone).

[nicarlitos 13]

Too much grind.

 

If it was just treasures and exploring the map, then fine. But lore master, 3 reps to revered and another achievement on top of that....ugh. Grind. Can't see that making anyone resub.

 

Personally, I will probably just continue to sit in my garrison. Alone.

[InfernoRFU 125]

I'd really prefer an all or nothing solution. Well, I'd prefer the nothing since flying gankers are the worst. This just seems like an even worse idea "Hey this guy can fly down and kill you at will, but you didn't get enough achievements so good luck trying to escape him on the ground"

[AliokWOWDB 7]

 

Is this an agreeable solution for reintroducing flight in Draenor?

 

No. This "solution" smacks as spiteful retribution for being forced to capitulate on Their Vision.

• Require exploration achievement?  OK.  Players pretty much get this while leveling and gearing from quests.
• Require quest achievements?  Fine.  Blizzard didn't have the time (or inclination) to properly design a world which integrates player flight, so they don't want players cheesing several quests.  This is their own fault but I'll give them a semi-grudging pass.
• Require collecting 100 so-called treasures?  Not OK.  Easter eggs are supposed to be their own reward.  This removes whatever fun there was in seeking them out.
• Require three reputations in Tanaan Jungle to Revered?  Nope.jpg.  My main character has only 1 maxed reputation, and that's solely because of +rep items for Arakkoa Outcasts rewarded through certain garrison missions!  I hated grinding mobs in vanilla and was Not Pleased to see Blizzard designers swinging back to this.  This right here is what convinces me that some Blizz designers are pissing on pro-flying players.
• Have to wait for some undefined patch (look, if there is an asterisk as a placeholder then it is undefined)? Hell no.  That's what was "intended" the last time around and look what that bought us.

Seriously, what in blazes was so wrong with Wrath's model? or Mists?

[denial 0]

I agree with the required exploration , many of us get this while leveling and the questing not so bad since we are going to do it with only one character.

I beleive they should remove the treasures and  probably the one faction for rep and give the flying mode only to 100 characters in the account its fine by me.

If i have to rep 2 factions and find 100 treasures well....by foot is fine for me until i get bored and stop logging :(

Let people have fun and get the flying mount and dont give another escuse to the people that makes money from this and start selling Flying Boosting because its hard to do it yourself or you dont have the time , i am so tired all these years to make so much effort for something i should have from the begining.

You can see the flaw here right? New blizzard in loot and Raid and levelup but old blizzard habits for the flying mount, nah i dont like it, i beleive you are making it so difficult because you didnt want to give us flying and now you can say "you ask for it so go spit blood to get it".

Sorry blizzard but this is too much to ask from players for just let them fly in WOD....

[Archimage 98]

This is an agreeable solution. As I mentioned quest progress and combat in the other thread, Blizzard designed the exploration achievements and quests for ground travel. It will be too easy for players to do the treasures after they have gained flying.

 

The rep grind requirement is strict, but what RPG genre game doesn't have a "GRIND" in it? This is Blizzard's way of rewarding players for their efforts and it is better than not allowing flying at all!

Now you can show off that you have completed this achievement. Each time I see someone with the "Loremaster" or "Salty" titles I /respect since these achievements require large amounts of time, unlike people that just leaches the achievements in raids / pvp.

 

Some people might complain that "They only do PvP / Raids, so why do I have to do quests and exploration for flying". The PvP and Raid instances are already restricted to ground mounts, so why would you want to fly?

 

The part where "Flying Trivializes Combat" still needs a little tweaking since there will still be people that swoop in for kills and fly away. 

 

Would still be fun to see aerial combat like the fight with Alysrazor.

[nicarlitos 13]

I've changed my mind on this. 

 

I realised that I already had done the lore master achieve and all but 3 of the Securing Draenor apexis dailies.

 

The only grind has been the treasures. I was only on 20 or so. Got the remaining 80 or so in a few hours....it was tedious, but not awful.

 

I suppose all that remains to be seen is the 3 new reps. At least I have the level three trading post to help things along....

 

So, all in all it doesn't feel too bad. Although, I expect by the time I've finally got flying, I won't care to fly anywhere anyway!