Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Raetary]

Wait what?? We are getting a fifth mount?

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If so that's huge news, no clue why wowhead isn't even reporting on that lol.

Yep
https://twitter.com/keyboardturn/sta...ohQyw2BPg&s=19

5 different dragon mounts to collect and customize.
Drake Mcderpface that we start out with, the proto drake, the pterrodax, the wyvern drake and that serpent drake.

[THEORACLE64]

Yes, I even mentioned Deepholm in my other comment, it's the same problem though. Deepholme is a generic underground zone. But they explicitly said that the Dragon Isles are far bigger and open than previous zones to allow Dragonriding.

So an underground cave would need to be MASSIVE to make that work, it would need to be very vertical to play to the strenghts of Dragonriding and while not impossible it just seems weird to introduce an underground zone in an expansion that's dedicated to huge open zones. It's just against the entire design philosophy of Dragonflight. An underground zone would have made sense in every other expansion, in Dragonflight it just seems counterproductive.

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Uhm yes there will, alone by the limitating factor of the ceiling in an underground zone.

I imagine it would basically feel like an outdoor zone, but with a skybox that resembles a giant cave so it still all feels underground.

[Nymrohd]

Honestly, underground dragon races that require you to carefully fly through small tunnels connecting caves sounds like fun to me. Plus by the time we get there we will be much more experienced and have probably completed Dragonriding talents.

[Foolicious]

If so that's huge news, no clue why wowhead isn't even reporting on that lol.

Wowhead switched its reporting style a long time ago from simply reporting new and interesting finds to maximizing the clicks on the website. They will report on that when they need to generate interest again.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

Perhaps we're getting the Undermine has a content patch? To explain the underground stuff.


Don't tell *him*.

[Makabreska]

Wowhead switched its reporting style a long time ago from simply reporting new and interesting finds to maximizing the clicks on the website. They will report on that when they need to generate interest again.

Weird take. Since Alpha started, they have been doing little else than reporting finds from it, opinions on it and speculations. From lore finds to profession equipment models.

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Perhaps we're getting the Undermine has a content patch? To explain the underground stuff.


Don't tell *him*.

Aw hellllll, don't summon Voldemort pls.

[Khaza-R]

Perhaps we're getting the Undermine has a content patch? To explain the underground stuff.


Don't tell *him*.

It would be a little lame for it to be a patch. But they already did that with Najzatar and Argus so I can definitely see it happening.

[Black Rider]

As I said in the other thread, as logical as this sounds from a lore perspective, I have a very hard time imagining how Dragonriding (the feature of the expansion) would work in underground caves as - even if they're enormous - will not be as big as overworld zones or places. So restricting your new feature in favor of an underground zone seems like a step back in their design philosophy.

Look at the Deepholm, DR can be fun there, imagine zone twice of that size

[Lady Atia]

Yep
https://twitter.com/keyboardturn/sta...ohQyw2BPg&s=19

5 different dragon mounts to collect and customize.
Drake Mcderpface that we start out with, the proto drake, the pterrodax, the wyvern drake and that serpent drake.

Awesome! I still hope we will get additional ones with each patch, but I didn't expect a fifth with launch already. I guess we will get it via the max level campaign?

Also interesting that it seems to be the same species as the heart of the aspects, with never really got any lore besides "it was the laser of the dragonsoul".

[Sondrelk]

Awesome! I still hope we will get additional ones with each patch, but I didn't expect a fifth with launch already. I guess we will get it via the max level campaign?

Also interesting that it seems to be the same species as the heart of the aspects, with never really got any lore besides "it was the laser of the dragonsoul".

I wonder whether it will end up being a special unlockable skin. Maybe you get it by completing all Dragonriding challenges at Gold. Seems like a fitting reward for that.

[Raetary]

I wonder whether it will end up being a special unlockable skin. Maybe you get it by completing all Dragonriding challenges at Gold. Seems like a fitting reward for that.

I don't think they'll gate the mounts, considering there are only 5 of them.

The achievement reward for all gold courses is more likely to be fancy customization options.

[Lady Atia]

I don't think they'll gate the mounts, considering there are only 5 of them.

The achievement reward for all gold courses is more likely to be fancy customization options.

Yeah I hope so. Stop gating mounts lol. KSM und Gladi are enough ...

[Sondrelk]

I don't think they'll gate the mounts, considering there are only 5 of them.

The achievement reward for all gold courses is more likely to be fancy customization options.

All Bronze or Silver courses then.
Sure, it could just be a fancy bit of customization, but given that Dragonriding is the ultimate challenge for those that engage in Dragonriding (that we know of), it feels fitting that it would give a suitably impressive reward for Dragonriding.

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Yeah I hope so. Stop gating mounts lol. KSM und Gladi are enough ...

KSM and Glad are both timegated and have very high barriers to entry, in addition to requiring a pugging at a minimum and more likely a dedicated group. Dragonriding is most likely not timegated, extremely available to the casual player, and likely to become trivial as the expansion progresses.

[Lady Atia]

All Bronze or Silver courses then.
Sure, it could just be a fancy bit of customization, but given that Dragonriding is the ultimate challenge for those that engage in Dragonriding (that we know of), it feels fitting that it would give a suitably impressive reward for Dragonriding.

It's one of the base forms .... no, that one shouldn't be locked behind any kind of content besides questing. You can give out stuff like armour for these challenges.

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All Bronze or Silver courses then.
Sure, it could just be a fancy bit of customization, but given that Dragonriding is the ultimate challenge for those that engage in Dragonriding (that we know of), it feels fitting that it would give a suitably impressive reward for Dragonriding.

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KSM and Glad are both timegated and have very high barriers to entry, in addition to requiring a pugging at a minimum and more likely a dedicated group. Dragonriding is most likely not timegated, extremely available to the casual player, and likely to become trivial as the expansion progresses.

Funny enough, it *seems* like both Gladiator and hopefully M+ mounts will actually be seperate mounts from the other 5 that you can use for dragonriding.

[Sondrelk]

It's one of the base forms .... no, that one shouldn't be locked behind any kind of content besides questing. You can give out stuff like armour for these challenges.

Why though? Sure it's much more significant than special armor or horn options, but unless the different models do different things then it's just an extra fancy bit of customization.

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Funny enough, it *seems* like both Gladiator and hopefully M+ mounts will actually be seperate mounts from the other 5 that you can use for dragonriding.

I wouldnt be shocked if Blizzard starts adding older dragons into the Dragonriding system if it becomes popular. Basically all Dragons, Proto-drakes, and whatever else uses the relevant skeletons should be perfectly doable for the system, I would guess that only smaller mounts wouldnt work, and even then mostly because it makes Dragonriding easier in addition to not having the relevant animations.

[Lady Atia]

Why though? Sure it's much more significant than special armor or horn options, but unless the different models do different things then it's just an extra fancy bit of customization.

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I wouldnt be shocked if Blizzard starts adding older dragons into the Dragonriding system if it becomes popular. Basically all Dragons, Proto-drakes, and whatever else uses the relevant skeletons should be perfectly doable for the system, I would guess that only smaller mounts wouldnt work, and even then mostly because it makes Dragonriding easier in addition to not having the relevant animations.

No, it's an extra mount, not just extra customization.

[Sondrelk]

No, it's an extra mount, not just extra customization.

That depends on whether the Dragonriding customization has changed since hte opening pitch. Back then it sounded like you had one dedicated mount that you could change the appearance of, whereas now you have 4 (or 5) different ones.

Regardless, even if it is an entirely separate mount, I am still not convinced it would be that significant an improvement. So long as the challenges don't disappear they should become increasingly approachable and trivial to the regular player, while still being a significant reward to Dragonriding enthusiasts, given from Dragonriding related content.
Sure seems more approachable than comparable endgame activities, like Revered with all factions, or defeating the last boss of the raid.

Realistically I would assume it's a reward from endgame questing. At least going by it's appearance being an HD version of the Soul of the Aspects. But I am still not convinced that is "easier" than all Dragonriding challenges at some treshold.

[Raetary]

All Bronze or Silver courses then.
Sure, it could just be a fancy bit of customization, but given that Dragonriding is the ultimate challenge for those that engage in Dragonriding (that we know of), it feels fitting that it would give a suitably impressive reward for Dragonriding.

Again, with Dragonriding being restricted to only 5 base mounts, i do not think Blizzard will gate them behind anything other than base questing.
And note that when i say fancy, i actually mean fancy, like the S1 glad reward, which is sick looking customization for the drake.

it feels fitting that it would give a suitably impressive reward for Dragonriding.

Why can't customization be that reward?

In fact I'd argue that getting a whole set of cool looking customization of for your already available drake is more rewarding and impressive than getting a new base mount that is going to considerably lack customization options compared to your other mounts.

[Sondrelk]

Will either locked behind the races or the Thaldrazzus questing imo. Having a 5th Dragonriding mount earned through Dragonriding would imo be nice!

Unless it's literally just handed to you when you reach max level/Valdrakken then it obviously has to come from somewhere, and given it's appearance it seems a safe bet it would be considered a somewhat significant reward.
The obvious candidates for this are endgame questlines, reputations/Covenants 2.0, and open world exploration, of which Dragonriding is supposed to be a large part.

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Again, with Dragonriding being restricted to only 5 base mounts, i do not think Blizzard will gate them behind anything other than base questing.
And note that when i say fancy, i actually mean fancy, like the S1 glad reward, which is sick looking customization for the drake.


Why can't customization be that reward?

In fact I'd argue that getting a whole set of cool looking customization of for your already available drake is more rewarding and impressive than getting a new base mount that is going to considerably lack customization options compared to your other mounts.

It absolutely could just be a customization option as a reward for all Gold races, but that mount has to come from somewhere, and unless that somewhere is when you reach max level it seems to me like it would be a reward of some kind.

[Jastall]

Yes, I even mentioned Deepholm in my other comment, it's the same problem though. Deepholme is a generic underground zone. But they explicitly said that the Dragon Isles are far bigger and open than previous zones to allow Dragonriding.

So an underground cave would need to be MASSIVE to make that work, it would need to be very vertical to play to the strenghts of Dragonriding and while not impossible it just seems weird to introduce an underground zone in an expansion that's dedicated to huge open zones. It's just against the entire design philosophy of Dragonflight. An underground zone would have made sense in every other expansion, in Dragonflight it just seems counterproductive.

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Uhm yes there will, alone by the limitating factor of the ceiling in an underground zone.

One with an Elden Ring profile picture should know that underground zones and massive zones with little in the way of upper ceiling are not mutually exclusive. Nothing stops Blizzard from making that particular cave absolutely ginormous.