Dev Watercooler - Flying in Draenor

Update (1:15 PM EDT): The preview of Timewalking in The Arcatraz included this for a few minutes before it was removed: "your first crack at The Arcatraz, is June 26-30".
Update (1:15 PM EDT): The guess from Projection List that said the Warcraft trailer was showing today was confirmed to be incorrect.
Update (9:30 PM EDT): Blizzard posted a Shipyard overview.

Dev Watercooler – Flying in Draenor
It looks like flight is finally coming to Draenor in Patch 6.2.x. You will earn flying by exploring the world from the ground first and completing:


Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
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.

Armory Stats - Flying Achievements
While not all of the flying related achievements are in, we can take a look at how people are doing on each achievement before everyone knew they would be required to fly. The used sample is 1.8 million players that have logged in since May 1.

Don't see a chart? Enable javascript!
This article was originally published in forum thread: Dev Watercooler – Flying Returns to Draenor started by chaud View original post
Published on 2015-06-10 05:06 PM
713 Comments
Comments 710 Comments
  1. Leih's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Baikalsan View Post
    Tanaan reps are an enormous grind, seriously they are borderline hardcore. It's just like the other reps.
    Not really, they're faster than the other reps and it doesn't really take long to get to Revered only. If you just do the daily quest parts you'll probably have it by the time 6.2.X comes out without additional grinding.

    I think "It's going to take MONTHS!" is a bit of an exaggeration.
  1. Kathranis's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bubblykiss View Post
    We complain about lack of compelling stuff or interesting stuff to do.

    Of which, none of those are.
    So, uh, if you're not interested in doing stuff like this, why exactly do you need flying mounts in Draenor in the first place?
  1. Life-Binder's Avatar
    Blizzard you are the best

    I never doubted, I never waivered


    I salute you
  1. Zoldor's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Gadzooks View Post
    "We're not going to be reintroducing the ability to fly in Draenor, and that's kind of where we're at going forward." - Ion Hazzikostas, Polygon

    Words mean things.
    Still holding out for that Dance studio as well? Ion is the lead dev for encounter design. I'm not really worried about him reading a PR or doing what he does best which is be a corporate man. There is a reason he's the guy talking in all the interviews now. It is lie Holinka telling us about PvE. Also, doesn't change how the world was designed. It was designed to have flight.
  1. Kaneiac's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kathranis View Post
    So, uh, if you're not interested in doing stuff like this, why exactly do you need flying mounts in Draenor in the first place?
    Asking the important questions.
  1. Draxz's Avatar
    Yes, love forced content. Makes me feel alive to have others do same thing i'm doing to unlock a pointless meta for flying... If i wanted to explore i would...
  1. Gadzooks's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zephre View Post
    Blizzard dropped the ball big time when it comes to reps this expansion and now they've become required (till revered)? Mindless repetitive killing (saberon faction) and a poultry amount of dailies for hand of the prophet and order of the awakened? Screw that.
    They actually give the reps a meaning, and value now, tho. It's better than before - and trust me, it hurts to say that, because I agree, the reps are mindless "fill the bar" grinds.

    A better solution, not that this one is that bad, would to build a major quest line, like Wrathion's, with flying as the reward, as Bashiok referenced before 6.1.

    It's one thing to go from point A to point B with just "go kill 20,000 mobs", and to do the journey withe some story and play attached to it.
  1. Zoneseek's Avatar
    great change
  1. Apexis's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by lagmoose View Post
    Never again. Never ever again do I want to hear people whine and bitch about "Blizzard ignores us". That being said, I wonder what the next excuse will be when there's a mass exodus in WoW. Can't blame flying now. Oh well, no flying was fun while it lasted.

    Had they not seen the money walking out the door, they would have never compromised. Money makes the world go round and it also makes less people employee and someone would of had to be sacrifice, if the accounts would bled like there is no tomorrow. I still don't think the recover as much as they will have lost over this stupid PR stunt. People are still not going to trust them and they can still back off from putting flying in by making some sort of excuse.

    I think many will do most of this while still looking back over there shoulders, to make sure what Blizzard means, is actually what they means. They changed so much in this expansion from what was shown over two Blizzcon's, so it not like they can't change their minds again.

    The way this whole thing was handle from the start will be something Blizzard remember for along time. I am sure in the end they will lose far more than they will now gain, because of the trust issue alone. Once someone feels burned, they usually don't come back for more of the same.


    Addition: How exactly is this going to play out on a PVP realm with the people that don't end up bothering to do all this hoop jump to get flying back? Some people are going to have flying and others without and and the ones without are going to get ganked like there is no tomorrow. I on a normal realm, so this whole thing does not present an issue for me, but it will sure do so to others that do not even play the game to the level I play it as someone that enjoys doing all this type of content. I think, like other things that Blizzard has done in the past. The details have not been fully iron out, which means in the end like every other bright idea like this it is doomed the fail before it even get's started, because at the end of the day it is really about money and not enjoy the game or having fun.

    It going to be amazing to see the thread after flying get put in, they are going to be the same hornets nest they been for the past year over the various issue even this compromise is going to bring.
  1. Wondercrab's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Baikalsan View Post
    The reputations are a HORRIBLE grind. Oh my god this is going to suck hard.
    That's the one thing that does concern me. I haven't played the 6.2 PTR so I have no idea how those reputations are going to work out, but I'd have thought they would've made improvements since the 6.0 reputations. If they're all the same atrocious mob grind, then that sucks really bad.
  1. Binko's Avatar
    By the time you circle back and do all that crap you'll be so sick of WoD you won't care about flying.
  1. Gadzooks's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zoldor View Post
    Still holding out for that Dance studio as well? Ion is the lead dev for encounter design. I'm not really worried about him reading a PR or doing what he does best which is be a corporate man. There is a reason he's the guy talking in all the interviews now. It is lie Holinka telling us about PvE. Also, doesn't change how the world was designed. It was designed to have flight.
    Got it - you got nothing, so there's no point in responding to you further.
  1. IIamaKing's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by DAV_76 View Post
    Those achievements are related to levelling content, and it seems from the stats that not many people bothered doing them when it was current.

    So they want people in high-level raid gear to spend some time killing levelling mobs? What is the purpose of that?

    What a mess. Blizz, I just don't understand you anymore.
    Gotta keep the rats in the maze.
  1. mmoc3dde1cb131's Avatar
    The amount of tin foil hat and hyperbole in this thread is AMAZING.

    Even for MMO-C.
  1. Jdance's Avatar
    The problem with this is that none of the criteria are even remotely difficult to do. As fun as time commitments in a friendly, non-dangerous open world environment are--I think I'll pass on flying. I can just take a flight path from my Garrison or get summoned by a warlock to the raids, the only reason I would ever leave the garrison in the current iteration of the game anyways.

    Remember back in the day where there was rewarding things to do in the game like get 'The Insane' title, or pre-simplified Loremaster. Wow, the world actually felt like a world back then.
  1. Overlord Fordragon's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by kenshinag View Post
    I honestly don't give a fuck if flying is implemented or not. I just want them to pick an stance on a major issue and follow through. That's what being an adult is like. You don't fucking bend when people whine. I see with your comment you don't have much experience with that so I'll give you pass on it.
    They had major backlash from it, what's more they promised us this, all they have done is broken the new promise to go back to the old one, they should never have made the new one when the majority was waiting for the first to be fulfilled.

    My comment is more at you flipping the fuck out about it, despite you claim to not care.
  1. Kaneiac's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Binko View Post
    By the time you circle back and do all that crap you'll be so sick of WoD you won't care about flying.
    I find this incredibly amusing. I had every single one of these achievements done within 2 months of the expansion launching, aside from the Tanaan reps. And that was just through normal play.
  1. Leih's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Wondercrab View Post
    That's the one thing that does concern me. I haven't played the 6.2 PTR so I have no idea how those reputations are going to work out, but I'd have thought they would've made improvements since the 6.0 reputations. If they're all the same atrocious mob grind, then that sucks really bad.
    One faction is done almost entirely through daily quests. The hunters one is done through a combination of a daily giving 1000 rep, a weekly giving 3500 rep and grinding mobs for additional rep each (it's a higher gain than it was in the 6.0 reps).

    The third faction is the hardest one because it's an elite area with mobs you have to group up for. Guess that'll be the one people struggle with most.
  1. bryroo's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by kenshinag View Post
    I honestly don't give a fuck if flying is implemented or not. I just want them to pick an stance on a major issue and follow through. That's what being an adult is like. You don't fucking bend when people whine. I see with your comment you don't have much experience with that so I'll give you pass on it.
    No. Adults compromise.

    Only stubborn jackasses are unwilling to change.
  1. cFortyfive's Avatar
    I suppose the oceans of tears were flowing over
Page 11 of 36 FirstFirst ...
9
10
11
12
13
21
... LastLast

Site Navigation

Social Media

Services

My Account

Support

Advertise

Resources

Terms of Service

Privacy Policy

Our Communities

© 2023 Magic Find, Inc. All rights reserved.