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. Aucald's Avatar
    I think this is a good compromise. It enforces experiencing the world design and gates flying better than just hitting max-level for the expansion. I especially like the fact that it can be gained on one's main and then applies to alts (where you likely would have no desire to repeat all these steps again for a character you don't tend to play as often). Well-crafted compromise to please both sides, aside from those who couldn't be pleased regardless of what was done.
  1. killstar's Avatar
    This makes my day. I love that it's tied into an achievement too!
  1. Irisia's Avatar
    Awesome! Good way of adding it as well.
  1. Thirteen's Avatar
    Thank fucking god, they're not as dumb as I thought.
  1. Uncle's Avatar
    I am very surprised, and i'm glad of this decision: remove flying in Wod and all the futures expansions like they announced few week ago was astonishing, and not really justified.
    Now, we have at least the possibility to fly in Draenor, yes, this will be hard, it will be long (for raising the factions), but there we are: flying in Draenor, and it is really a good new.
    At least, for those who play on PVP realms, they will be able to play without being constantly annoyed by the worst of the humanity; good news, good news.
  1. buur's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zervek View Post
    They don't listen. It took them months to finally cave in. They had no intention of putting flying back into the game.
    And yet they did...
  1. Nask's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Overlord Fordragon View Post
    It helps though.

    Now we get to watch the hundreds the anti-flight crowd grind out reputations and treasures for a feature they despise...
    If they despise it why would they grind for it? I won't, because I don't care about flying.
  1. Fasolina's Avatar
    VERY good solution. Hopefully this will stop the whining… (as if)
  1. Jokerfiend's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zervek View Post
    They don't listen. It took them months to finally cave in. They had no intention of putting flying back into the game.
    Sorry, it's the other way around. They had every intention, as said from Blizzcon and beta. But, now they get to say. "Hey we listened!" Here is compromise. Blizzard never had intentions of grounding the game. Period.
  1. ravenxii's Avatar
    fantastic.
  1. Donald Hellscream's Avatar
    I like that it requires a little bit of exploring and rep grinding to unlock it, it is not gonna change much for me except getting from a to b is gonna be quicker without flightpaths.
  1. mmoc166a4956df's Avatar
    I will stop using my Tokens. Flying is the most stupid thing WoW ever introduced.
  1. Overlord Fordragon's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Thirteen View Post
    Thank fucking god, they're not as dumb as I thought.
    It is a glorious day friend!
  1. Xilurm's Avatar
    Am I the only thinking that's not so much to do? Why are people thinking this is difficult to get?
  1. Sierra85's Avatar
    talk about caving in on their subscribers demands.

    this is a dangerous precedent
  1. Zervek's Avatar
    I don't understand why they have you do a fuck ton of boring shit instead of just implementing a vendor who sells the license. We don't need a compromise when we were able to just buy a license for years.
  1. Eldonia's Avatar
    This might as well have been the Spanish Inquisition, because I didn't expect this at all. Good solution for a problem with a lot of people on both sides.
  1. ruuBEN's Avatar
    Anti-flyer.

    I have been on board with their no flying policy. I havent ever been the biggest fan of it.

    100% happy with this solution.

    So people have to experience the content for what its worth, and arguably 'work pretty hard' to get the ability to fly.

    A+ blizzard.
  1. Jokerfiend's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Mokoshne View Post
    talk about caving in on their subscribers demands.

    this is a dangerous precedent
    Real-ID, Flying, and Personal Loot?
  1. mickybrighteyes's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by buur View Post
    And yet they did...
    you know... after realizing how many people were saying they were quitting with it as an excuse.... and then months later on top of that...

    they then realize how little they had to do to reach a solution and then say some sort of statement on it.

    I might change my tune when they start listening on other topics I regard as more important.... like actual gameplay effects that you deal with more often than when you're trying to travel via a non-instant method.
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