Battle for Azeroth Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Shadochi]

Tho to be perfectly honest. I would love a flying islands themed expansion (main island being on the back of a giant dragon? = dragon isles). Flying unlock-able in the first patch (x.0), grind equal to Pathfinder part 1 (complete launch content once to unlock flying).

Floating islands would look much more island like than Outland. And with the new skybox tech they could make it seem like we're flying over different parts of Azeroth.

Change flight to be based on weather (a bit slower in thunders, normal in rain and cloudy, faster in clear skies). Not by much, 10% max just for flavor.

- - - Updated - - -

I'd even be happy with a return of the simple anti-flight mechanics in Skettis (birds that could aggro and dismount you) and Ogri'la (cannons constantly firing at your position if you were on a flying mount)

As much as I would like it and not mind it, I already see forums crying about that like they do for just about everything.

[huth]

Could work in cavern flight. Tho i meant the mobs.

I never got this one. What's the big thing with the mobs on Argus? Most can be fairly easily navigated around. You just can't run headlong through the groups.

And it is only really an issue in the Waste, the other two have huge areas with nary an enemy in sight.

[Shadochi]

People cry about the flying issue EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past few years. Who cares if some more people cry on the same issue. Bring back the murder Kaliri, they were awesome. I think my neighbours could hear me swearing through the walls a few times back then

If by the past few years you mean since TBC, then true :-D

Honestly I'm all up for blizz doing whatever changes they want to the game. It's their game and they should steer it in the direction they want. If I ever no longer enjoy the game I'll just stop playing.

- - - Updated - - -

I never got this one. What's the big thing with the mobs on Argus? Most can be fairly easily navigated around. You just can't run headlong through the groups.

And it is only really an issue in the Waste, the other two have huge areas with nary an enemy in sight.

I agree, and I don't mind it in Wastes since it's meant to be a dangerous place. We are at the front door of the seat of Legion's power. Personally I prefer immersion over gameplay.

[rda]

Immersion? Long promised and scrapped aerial combat?

You don't need to force dangerous skies everywhere to have long promised and scrapped aerial combat - have it in some places but not in others.

Same for immersion, in fact you should NOT force it for immersion, because immersion is subjective.

- - - Updated - - -

Improved gameplay and new content.

I am not sure forcing this would qualify as an improvement. In fact, I am pretty sure it would be a detriment.

My only issue is with forcing. Aerial combat as a feature I have nothing against. Ie, you go to some zone and there you do that combat - that's fine and welcome. You have to do it everywhere - no.

[DeicideUH]

I'd even be happy with a return of the simple anti-flight mechanics in Skettis (birds that could aggro and dismount you) and Ogri'la (cannons constantly firing at your position if you were on a flying mount)

If it's only in certain areas, within certain distance of the ground and the place makes sense (above a hostile base, for instance), I don't mind, at all. I remember how flight was limited in the 5.1 Krasarang bases (Alliance gryphons dismounting Horde players, Horde machine guns causing huge damage to Alliance players), and it was nice, it meant you couldn't fly in and out to do quests quickly, while still not denying flight to players that were just traveling.

One idea I had once was maybe flying mounts could get tired. Like, you had a "Flight Stamina" bar that allowed for, say, 5 minutes of constant flight.
* If you land, after some initial X (10?) seconds on the ground, every two seconds not flying recover one second of fight stamina.
* If the stamina bar empties, you can't fly anymore until you gather at least 15 seconds of flight stamina
* If you were already in the air when the flight stamina ends, you glide down (instead of falling) until you land somewhere.

This system could potentially discourge short, constant flights, while still allowing long travels.

But it's just some random idea, never really gave it much thought on what problems/advantages it could cause.

[Lamora]

Immersion? Long promised and scrapped aerial combat?

Aerial combat was just a thing for Wintergrasp, and it was utterly shit. Imagine one of those cannon quests with awkward aim, but strapped on a vehicle with constant forward momentum. In three dimensions. Cutting it improved Wintergrasp, and I don't see the reason to bring it back.

[Drekmar]

I am not sure forcing this would qualify as an improvement. In fact, I am pretty sure it would be a detriment.

My only issue is with forcing. Aerial combat as a feature I have nothing against. Ie, you go to some zone and there you do that combat - that's fine and welcome. You have to do it everywhere - no.

Detriment for you, improvement for me. As you said, it's subjective, not factual.

The way I see it should be done is the same way as they do locations, you got safe space and you got the dangerous parts. Flying over road or near your base = completely safe. Flying over enemy location, flying through enemy base = that shouldn't be so easy and safe. Yes, it could be done the same way as they did in TBC where you could get shot down, but I consider that terrible design, because the player has no chance of defending themselves.

I prefer aerial combat from beginning over gated flying. (Flying is probably my biggest pet peeve for a long time, and is handled terribly.)

[Shadochi]

Aerial combat was just a thing for Wintergrasp, and it was utterly shit. Imagine one of those cannon quests with awkward aim, but strapped on a vehicle with constant forward momentum. In three dimensions. Cutting it improved Wintergrasp, and I don't see the reason to bring it back.

Which is why it wouldn't use existing systems.

I was thinking more along the lines that each mount gets 2-3 attacks/spells/abilities depending on the mount.

For example a dragon would get a claw attack, bite attack, breath weapon (depending on dragon type). Others might get some passive effects. And have those appear in your action bar when you mount.

They would work just like regular spells (no aiming mechanic) with tab targeting and cone/radial AoE.

And then have certain enemies have vulnerability to certain damage type making mount choices more significant. If your mount dies in mount combat give it a small cooldown (5-10min) where you have to use a different mount.

And obviously as @rda pointed out not have this in all areas, just in ones that are meant to be dangerous. Could give them reasons to allow flying in zones where we can't atm because of dangerous skies (Antoran wastes for example).

Obviously the system would be far more complex than what I said, but just giving a basic concept.

[rda]

Detriment for you, improvement for me. As you said, it's subjective, not factual.

The way I see it should be done is the same way as they do locations, you got safe space and you got the dangerous parts. Flying over road or near your base = completely safe. Flying over enemy location, flying through enemy base = that shouldn't be so easy and safe. Yes, it could be done the same way as they did in TBC where you could get shot down, but I consider that terrible design, because the player has no chance of defending themselves.

I prefer aerial combat from beginning over gated flying. (Flying is probably my biggest pet peeve for a long time, and is handled terribly.)

I prefer non-gated flying to gated flying.

[George Costanza]

Well hit exalted with the argus factions, if they change so that you need to have it on the alliance for the alliance races I will just unsub and say fuck you everyday to warcraft devs for a month on twitter.

[Shadochi]

Well hit exalted with the argus factions, if they change so that you need to have it on the alliance for the alliance races I will just unsub and say fuck you everyday to warcraft devs for a month on twitter.

You can always just stockpile the rep tokens.

[George Costanza]

You can always just stockpile the rep tokens.

would prefer not to :P.

[Shadochi]

I prefer non-gated flying to gated flying.

Gated flying has always been a thing tho. Sometimes monetary, most times patch zones just didn't have it. The difference now is that it's account wide and requires you to do the content at least once. (but a bonus is you have it when leveling alts).

I agree that the 7-8 month delay in Legion was too large. Personally I would like it to be 2-4 months max. (Legion equivalent would be either when 7.1 or 7.1.5 dropped)
But after that point I get the urge to level alts and can't really bring myself to doing it on the ground for more than 3-4 characters total. Tho I still agree that you should first see all the content from the ground as it's meant to be.

[George Costanza]

Allied races should be out with the pre order correct? I mean EU wont have to wait for wednesday right?

[Shadochi]

would prefer not to :P.

That's what I've been doing with Nightborne/Highmountain just in case. Haven't really lost out on any rep since I'll still use it on my main if it's account wide.

- - - Updated - - -

Allied races should be out with the pre order correct? I mean EU wont have to wait for wednesday right?

Not necessarily, they could still come some time after pre orders and require a pre order.

[Pulp5850]

Allied races should be out with the pre order correct? I mean EU wont have to wait for wednesday right?

Blizzard can unlock allied races without a maintenance

[CasualFilth]

Well hit exalted with the argus factions, if they change so that you need to have it on the alliance for the alliance races I will just unsub and say fuck you everyday to warcraft devs for a month on twitter.

Same as an Alliance player. Uh, no way would I sit through the emissary grind for Highmountain. I would expect though to have at least one 110 character on the opposite faction to do the unlocking questlines. Apart from achievements, the unlocking requirements haven't been super clear tbh.

[Nathanyel]

Floating islands would look much more island like than Outland. And with the new skybox tech they could make it seem like we're flying over different parts of Azeroth.

Eh, story-wise, it would make much more sense to use other parts of Outland that broke away - Goria, Arak (maybe Ogres and Arakkoa as Allied/Playable Races?) as the main chunks, and various smaller chunks that are either only available via flying, and/or require a lengthy travel (maybe a "bus" that traverses the islands, only returning to the mainland once per loop)

Or (letting my imagination run wild) these continents somehow arrive on Azeroth, being fixed into "orbit" above the ocean/BfA continents...

[DeicideUH]

Same as an Alliance player. Uh, no way would I sit through the emissary grind for Highmountain. I would expect though to have at least one 110 character on the opposite faction to do the unlocking questlines. Apart from achievements, the unlocking requirements haven't been super clear tbh.

Actually, they do. In PTR (my subscription ran out so I couldn't check on 7.3.5 live), there were banners for the Allied races in the embassies. You could click on them and check if you had the requirements to start the recruitment storyline. Having the requirements done on any character, even on opposite faction, would show check the requisites and show you were able to recruit that race.

Once the requirements are met, you just need a character in the right faction to do the recruitment storyline.

[Shadochi]

Or (letting my imagination run wild) these continents somehow arrive on Azeroth, being fixed into "orbit" above the ocean/BfA continents...

I was thinking more along the lines of a combination of this:
a) On the back of a giant dragon (like Pandaria starting zone is on a turtle) - Dragon Isles introduced
b) Various landmasses that didn't go under the ocean but up into the sky during the Sundering and moved to some other part.