Dragonriding is destroying exploration

[Mamut]

I find myself exploring more with the dragonriding than I would if I had to move on ground mount.

[MsSideEye]

I'll be entirely honest at this point, I'm a little surprised that Blizzard hasn't nicked the Aether currents idea from FF14 yet when it comes to their exploration and what not, which feels like a better overall compromise then what they've been doing. Have little spots that the players have to seak out and a few quests you've specificlly have to do (including the main story quest of that zone) and boom, you're done, you've got flying in that particular zone. It allows for them to keep the ground design that makes things easier on them, encourages exploration to find all the little nodes to get into the air, and encourages finish the zone up before players move to the next one. It's a win/win.

I will say, from what little I've seen that Dragonriding does look fun. Not sure how much 'destroying' of exploration it's actually doing, though.

[Nak88]

I don't agree, in fact dragonriding is one the best features ever released in WoW history.

[SinR]

I bet OP's the type to bitch about having to ride everywhere at the start of the expansion for the sake of being able to bitch about things.

On Topic: use your goddamned ground mount then if you wanna EXPLORE

[babalou1]

This is the first expansion in a long long time that Im actually having fun questing and leveling.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

The problem is that Blizzard copy-pasted GW2's Griffon flying without understanding why Griffon flying worked. Griffon flying works because you can't ascend. They are glorified gliders, and there usually isn't a super tall mountain you can launch from that allows you to glide over the map. Your altitude is usually so low that you actually have to navigate around obstacles. But in WoW, not only can your dragon ascend, you also have the capital city that towers over the rest of the island that you can launch from and glide over the forests and the mountain peaks, never having to navigate around the terrain. Hence why WoW's implementation of dragonriding trivializes the environment.

[Hobbidaggy]

The problem is that Blizzard copy-pasted GW2's Griffon flying without understanding why Griffon flying worked. Griffon flying works because you can't ascend. They are glorified gliders, and there usually isn't a super tall mountain you can launch from that allows you to glide over the map. Your altitude is usually so low that you actually have to navigate around obstacles. But in WoW, not only can your dragon ascend, you also have the capital city that towers over the rest of the island that you can launch from and glide over the forests and the mountain peaks, never having to navigate around the terrain. Hence why WoW's implementation of dragonriding trivializes the environment.

Sure but only if you want it to trivialise it. You can still do everything else everyone has done in other expansions with flying mounts (except endless hover, which they said they wanted to address with Dragonriding) as well as only use ground mounts.

Just because a choice is available doesn’t mean you have to choose it. Especially if that choice is then something you will complain about and say “it ruins the game” like OP is doing. Nobody is forcing you to skip over terrain and not explore. I explored the heck out of the zones in Beta because I wanted to. Just endless flying around looking at the areas and sightseeing. If you don’t want to do that that’s completely your own choice.

[Thirtyrock]

The problem is that Blizzard copy-pasted GW2's Griffon flying without understanding why Griffon flying worked. Griffon flying works because you can't ascend. They are glorified gliders, and there usually isn't a super tall mountain you can launch from that allows you to glide over the map. Your altitude is usually so low that you actually have to navigate around obstacles. But in WoW, not only can your dragon ascend, you also have the capital city that towers over the rest of the island that you can launch from and glide over the forests and the mountain peaks, never having to navigate around the terrain. Hence why WoW's implementation of dragonriding trivializes the environment.

Yes, but you've missed a key point...It's so freaking fun!!! Not to mention that the continent is enormous and even with maxed out dragonriding it takes several minutes to cross the whole continent end to end. Yes, you CAN just go straight to quest points, sure, but you can also spend a LOT of time exploring from the air. When you have a minute, fly to the max you can while you have your view distance maxed out. The continent is gorgeous and feels huge.

I plan on doing a ton of sight seeing just flying around because it's one of the funnest non-group activities they've ever added. Like, you can just fly around and when you see something interesting, land and explore on the ground. And while you're looking for those cool ground experiences you're FLYING and it feels like flying WAY more than just riding a flying mount does. It's engaging.

I don't know anything about GW2 or their griffon system. I have played previous expansions with a Demon Hunter and before that with goblin gliders, which essentially allows what you're talking about (from how I'm understanding you). That's nice, it' helps get around a bit quicker, but it's really just a convenience thing. I would never jump off a high cliff with my demon hunter just to glide down/explore. I will, however, spend a lot of time Dragonriding.

[Sariengrey]

The fact this was even touted as some big thing and selling point in the xpac is ridiculous. It's already been done, it's pretty basic and is mostly just flying on steroids...whoopie do. This is supposed to sell an xpac? please

[Skalm]

The problem is that Blizzard copy-pasted GW2's Griffon flying without understanding why Griffon flying worked. Griffon flying works because you can't ascend. They are glorified gliders, and there usually isn't a super tall mountain you can launch from that allows you to glide over the map. Your altitude is usually so low that you actually have to navigate around obstacles. But in WoW, not only can your dragon ascend, you also have the capital city that towers over the rest of the island that you can launch from and glide over the forests and the mountain peaks, never having to navigate around the terrain. Hence why WoW's implementation of dragonriding trivializes the environment.

Obviously you do not know how flying works in GW2 either. It is entirely possbile to regain your altitude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G--KifOK3F8

[Wyrt]

The problem is that Blizzard copy-pasted GW2's Griffon flying without understanding why Griffon flying worked. Griffon flying works because you can't ascend. They are glorified gliders, and there usually isn't a super tall mountain you can launch from that allows you to glide over the map. Your altitude is usually so low that you actually have to navigate around obstacles. But in WoW, not only can your dragon ascend, you also have the capital city that towers over the rest of the island that you can launch from and glide over the forests and the mountain peaks, never having to navigate around the terrain. Hence why WoW's implementation of dragonriding trivializes the environment.

And the alternative would be players just taking flight paths. Player controlled flight>flight paths.

[TbouncerT]

The fact this was even touted as some big thing and selling point in the xpac is ridiculous. It's already been done, it's pretty basic and is mostly just flying on steroids...whoopie do. This is supposed to sell an xpac? please

@SinR we found another one.....cant believe these people just cant let go and play something else that they actually enjoy.

OT: Dragonriding has been pretty fun so far, I am looking to max that bad boy out.

[Gaidax]

Hopefully Pathfinder will come in next patch so you can use regular mounts in Dragon Isles. Not sure why people are SO opposed to it.

They might as well enable it now, Dragonriding is simply better in every way imaginable right now, so like whatever.

[Itori]

This is about the most fun I've had with a WoW expansion since Wrath. I dinged 70 earlier today on my druid and now I'm lvling a fresh warrior just so I can play it again. The best part? I get to keep my dragon. Could we do that with shadowlands day 1? Hell no. Dragon riding is fun, the dungeons were actually fun for me and I didn't feel like I was nodding off the whole time. The story kept me entertained. Shadowlands just kept me frustrated and wishing I had leveled something else instead when I hit max lvl and when I did decide to level something else I had to go through the same BS again. So nope, if you loved that shit show then wait for classic to catch up I guess.

[Wyrt]

They might as well enable it now, Dragonriding is simply better in every way imaginable right now, so like whatever.

As a druid main with herbalism I can think of 1 way normal flying is better.

[The King in Yellow]

The only answer I have to this is: Weeeeee! Dragon riding.

[Pakheth]

I have to say I don't think I've had this much fun leveling AND exploring in years. Dragonriding is addicting. It's smooth(at least for me) and gives me an adrenaline rush at tight corners. It's just superior in every way to the original system. The only little drawback I can see is that it can be hard to make precision landings on small surfaces but eh, I can manage.

Dragon Isles are huge and I love them for it. Dragonriding fits so well into that size.

[Hctaz]

So you complain about the feature, but you use said feature and even try to min-max the feature by collecting the glyphs? Why are you like this?

Everybody is like this. This is literally human nature.

You ask somebody if they want to take a boat to Europe from America or a plane and they're going to say the plane.
Efficiency is more important than adventure.

[Mysterymask]

Everybody is like this. This is literally human nature.

You ask somebody if they want to take a boat to Europe from America or a plane and they're going to say the plane.
Efficiency is more important than adventure.

But cruise ships exist....people do take those....

Yes if I need to get to Europe fast 7 hours on a plane is better than a week on a boat

But MAN is that boat a LOT more comfortable and enjoyable of a ride than sitting in an airplane for 7 hours

What im saying is the option is there and many people do in fact take it (money isn't an option with this analogy cause both are exhorbiantly expensive and cruise ship has less places it can go)

[Ashnazg]

I have to say I don't think I've had this much fun leveling AND exploring in years. Dragonriding is addicting. It's smooth(at least for me) and gives me an adrenaline rush at tight corners. It's just superior in every way to the original system. The only little drawback I can see is that it can be hard to make precision landings on small surfaces but eh, I can manage.

Dragon Isles are huge and I love them for it. Dragonriding fits so well into that size.

This is probably the first time in a decade I actually wanted to explore areas during the initial leveling spree. Definitely seconded on the fun factor.