Possible leaked 1.8 patch notes

[Merusk]

In the September 'preview' beta last year Night Elves had an automatic flight path from Menethril to IF like the one they get from Darnassus to Auberdine.  I have no idea why they removed it, though.  Probably because nobody was leveling in Darkshore, and were just running over to Westfall to do the Defias prerequs so they could do Deadmines.

[AOFanboi]

But how many are needed? Even if you add one to each of the nine cities, what if you are in Duskwood and cannot be bothered to travel to Stormwind?

You might as well install AO's market terminals or something like them if convenience is the key.

[Sairon]

All of this pretty much revolves around the stupidly slow travelling in WoW. In AO you could go pretty much anywhere in the entire world in under 10 minutes. Wind riders shouldn't force you to look at the entire flight and travelling between the 3 major cities should be possible instantly.

[Merusk]

Heh... amazing how things change in a few months. At release/ beta WoW's travel system was heralded as one of the best in an MMO ever.  It reduces travel time significantly while still maintaining a 'large' feel to the world, unlike the instant ports from EQ or AO.  Now folks are complaining that travel takes far too much time.

[MrHat]

Heh... amazing how things change in a few months. At release/ beta WoW's travel system was heralded as one of the best in an MMO ever.  It reduces travel time significantly while still maintaining a 'large' feel to the world, unlike the instant ports from EQ or AO.  Now folks are complaining that travel takes far too much time.

I like it.  I do feel that certain flight paths need readjustment and perhaps a new system to get to Gadgetzan/Un'Goro needs to be put in place.  But other than that, gives you a few minutes to get up and get a soda or chat or something.  Now, if engineers could make those parachute cloaks usable off a griffen, that would be win.

[Paelos]

Steamwheedle Port in Gaz needs a Boat going to somewhere on the other continent. That would help.

[Strazos]

And let me plan a fligth across a continent. Don't make me get off a ride, just to get on another.

[SurfD]

Steamwheedle Port in Gaz needs a Boat going to somewhere on the other continent. That would help.

I remember at least one rumor that had it that Steamwhedle Port will have something to do with the Maelstrom zone when they add it.  Lots of Nagas and stuff, probably a battleground also.

For anyone who missed a similar link someone posted a while back, this website has a nice rundown of everything rumored to be lined up for future content expantions.

[Merusk]

Heh... amazing how things change in a few months. At release/ beta WoW's travel system was heralded as one of the best in an MMO ever.  It reduces travel time significantly while still maintaining a 'large' feel to the world, unlike the instant ports from EQ or AO.  Now folks are complaining that travel takes far too much time.

I like it.  I do feel that certain flight paths need readjustment and perhaps a new system to get to Gadgetzan/Un'Goro needs to be put in place.  But other than that, gives you a few minutes to get up and get a soda or chat or something.  Now, if engineers could make those parachute cloaks usable off a griffen, that would be win.

Yeah the system should be tweaked, but I was referring more towards the people who feel the whole system sucks because, in their opinion, it should be identical to Guild Wars with the "point at the map point and POOF" insta-ports.   Hopping OFF of griffs would be great, I agree particularly for those times where you get a hand spasm as you click and wind-up going to some other nearby FP instead of where you wanted to go. (Hey, how about a list or a confirm since we can't zoom in and it's too easy to click menethril instead of IF?)

What's the prob with Gadgetzan/Un'Goro, since I presume you're talking about Horde side.  The Alliance has a pretty fair time of accessing Gadgetzan.. and Ungoro should be easy for everyone nowadays with the FP just inside of Silithus.

[MrHat]

Orgrimmar - Un'Goro used to take an inordinate amount of time.

Even with the flight path to Silithus, you still have to fly to Gadget first.  Longest flight.

[Merusk]

Yeah, I can see how that sucks.  Kind of like the FP from Theramore to Auberdine for Alliance. It's quicker to just take the boat from Theramore to Menethril and go from there to Auberdine.  Horde doesn't have a convienant boat hub down south like Alliance does.  :-(

[kaid]

I do like the wow travel system but they SERIOUSLY need to tweak some of the flight paths. The flight path from theramore to auberdine literally takes a good 10 to 15 minutes. They need to add a vew more interconnections such as theramore to astranar. Also why does astranar not have a path to felwood and why is there not a flight path in rachet.

The biggest problem is mainly kalimdor the other continent is pretty well laid out and none of the flight paths are to excessive. But man getting to anything on northern kalimdor requires you to go to auberdine and getting to auberdine from the southern part of the world leads to LONG LONG LONG meandering flightpaths that are way longer than is needed.

kaid

[Paelos]

It's faster to go from Theremore to the Wetlands, switch boats, and get on the boat to Auberdine, rather than taking the flight directly. That's when you know it's too long.

[jpark]

Heh... amazing how things change in a few months. At release/ beta WoW's travel system was heralded as one of the best in an MMO ever.  It reduces travel time significantly while still maintaining a 'large' feel to the world, unlike the instant ports from EQ or AO.  Now folks are complaining that travel takes far too much time.

I like it.  I do feel that certain flight paths need readjustment and perhaps a new system to get to Gadgetzan/Un'Goro needs to be put in place.  But other than that, gives you a few minutes to get up and get a soda or chat or something.  Now, if engineers could make those parachute cloaks usable off a griffen, that would be win.

I like the flight paths as well. 

Instant travel (e.g. clicking on bells in EQ2 or POP books in EQ) ruins the atmosphere in a game for me.

[kaid]

In general I do like griffon routes myself its a good mechanic. I think it would be better if they added a couple more obvious links and tweaked a flight path.

When its faster to get from the southern part of kalimdor to boat to the other continent wait for the next boat then go back than it is to take that griffon route something is not right.


The main issue with the theramore to auberdine route is it goes all the way almost due west before turning up the coast. If it flew up in a more direct line say to or over astranar it would save a great deal of time probably 5 minutes or so off that route.

Astranar should also be linked up to both theramore and felwood. Right now astranar is a very odd dead end route which dosn't make sense since there are at least 3 very close places it could connect to. The astranar annoyance is one reason everybody on the alliance was begging to be able to enter queues from the cities. Astranar is very annoying to get to and back from.


kaid

[SurfD]

Horde have a somewhat similar issue going on, but with Central Lorderon instead.

Getting to Kargath is a bitch.  It has only a fiew flightpaths that connect to it, and all are at least 5-8 minute flights.  You either fly from Grom'Gol, or Boody Bay in STV, or you fly from Undercity (ugh) or Arathi.

Hell, Kargath is probably the single most ANNOYING flightpath for horde to get to in the mid levels when you need it, because you always have to treck through at least 2 alliance zones to get to it.

And if you want to talk about long flightpaths, try the Nighthaven -> thunderbluff flight (Horde Druids).  Its easily 9 minutes.

[Dren]

I don't mind flightpaths, they give me a break for bio or getting a drink.  The thing I absolutely hate is the damned boats.

Why is it supposed to be fun to sit and wait, I mean physically wait, for a boat to show up, get on it, wait for it to arrive at the other side, and get off.  With flight paths I can at least hit the destination, walk away from the computer for awhile and know that I'll be at the destination, no problem.  With a boat, you are forced to stare at the screen doing nothing for around 5-8 minutes.  You have no choice.

I really wish they would have done something similiar to FFXI on that.  At least they had you get off the boat automatically when you got to your destination.  I'd go a step further and have it do both auto.  It wouldn't have to be instant (although I have no problem with that,) but forced downtime like that annoys me.

[Numtini]

It's a balance between fast easy travel and having a world that doesn't seem at all large. I don't mind the boats or zeppelins. The wait is within reason and it helps keep the world diverse. I'd mind them even less if the Undercity had an auction house and that would add to keeping the world diverse as well.

[HaemishM]

Any time I think the wait for boats is too long, I just remember the original EQ1 boats, that had 30 minute wait times and 15 minute travel times. When they worked and didn't dump you into the ocean. WoW is a godsend in that respect.

[Righ]

Every game needs to implement the b-teles from Lineage. Blessed scrolls of teleportation (lifted from Nethack like 90% of the Lineage mechanics) allowed you to teleport to a previously recorded 'bookmark' on the map. Most places on the outdoor map, you could record a bookmark, and later b-tele to the place. They dropped fairly frequently from a number of mobs, most specifically the giant ants. I used to farm the giant ant cave several hours a night with my summon mage and had hundreds of these things at ant time. They were truly a blessing in sieges.

Boats, wind riders, zeppelins, riding, running and other non-instant transportation methods are sucky.

[Dren]

I agree that all of those things are tolerable in WoW, but I could do without them.  Make them a /toggle.  After watching my back go over the landscape from IF to BB 150 times, I'm not impressed anymore.  Let me shut it off once it gets boring (1 time) and make it instant. Immersion, simmersion, bleh. 

[MrHat]

Every game needs to implement the b-teles from Lineage. Blessed scrolls of teleportation (lifted from Nethack like 90% of the Lineage mechanics) allowed you to teleport to a previously recorded 'bookmark' on the map. Most places on the outdoor map, you could record a bookmark, and later b-tele to the place. They dropped fairly frequently from a number of mobs, most specifically the giant ants. I used to farm the giant ant cave several hours a night with my summon mage and had hundreds of these things at ant time. They were truly a blessing in sieges.

Boats, wind riders, zeppelins, riding, running and other non-instant transportation methods are sucky.

I actually saw a "Scholar" profession proposed on the Suggestion forums a while back.  It was one of the better ideas (scroll maker/language talker) and this would fit perfectly with something like that.

[SurfD]

Either that, or give Mages the ability to Teleport and Summon Portals to more places then just the 3 Faction Capital Cities.

[Calantus]

I'm pretty sure a lot of us have played UO at som point and are thus aware of the mark/recall mechanic. For me that makes me like the WoW system even more. Even though I do occasionally miss being able to recall to whereever the hall I want, I do remember how world-destroying that was for UO. In UO for me it eventually got to where there were a number of dungeons, several mining spots, a few outdoor grinding places, the cities, and mine and my friend's houses. The rest of the world didn't really exist most of the time.

I like the WoW system better.

[Dren]

I'm pretty sure a lot of us have played UO at som point and are thus aware of the mark/recall mechanic. For me that makes me like the WoW system even more. Even though I do occasionally miss being able to recall to whereever the hall I want, I do remember how world-destroying that was for UO. In UO for me it eventually got to where there were a number of dungeons, several mining spots, a few outdoor grinding places, the cities, and mine and my friend's houses. The rest of the world didn't really exist most of the time.

I like the WoW system better.

I completely disagree.  If you don't choose to go places, why is it better to be forced to go there?  If I go through an area once and there isn't anything interesting or worthwhile about the area, I really do not ever want to go through it again.

It is the same as life.  I have a few places I like enough or need enough to return.  I do not randomly go to places I've been before just to experience them again.  I find ways to make my path to those places quick and easy (work, a couple bars, a few parks, friends houses, etc.)  If they came up with a way to instantly teleport to those places I sure as hell would use them.  Repetitive travel sucks.

[Righ]

On the way to 60 you do a zone at a time and the rest of the world doesn't exist. Once 60 you do an instance at a time, and the rest of the world doesn't exist. There's downtime getting to the content is all. When I go to Molten Core, I don't marvel at the Zeppelin ride, mount up in Stranglethorn and take the scenic ride up to Blackrock Mountain. I get on the Zep, check my DKP on the web, jump down, get on the windrider and go get myself a beer and make some popcorn. That's not more immersive than a Molten Core button, just more tedious.

[MrHat]

On the way to 60 you do a zone at a time and the rest of the world doesn't exist. Once 60 you do an instance at a time, and the rest of the world doesn't exist. There's downtime getting to the content is all. When I go to Molten Core, I don't marvel at the Zeppelin ride, mount up in Stranglethorn and take the scenic ride up to Blackrock Mountain. I get on the Zep, check my DKP on the web, jump down, get on the windrider and go get myself a beer and make some popcorn. That's not more immersive than a Molten Core button, just more tedious.

But you get a chance to get beer!

[Dren]

On the way to 60 you do a zone at a time and the rest of the world doesn't exist. Once 60 you do an instance at a time, and the rest of the world doesn't exist. There's downtime getting to the content is all. When I go to Molten Core, I don't marvel at the Zeppelin ride, mount up in Stranglethorn and take the scenic ride up to Blackrock Mountain. I get on the Zep, check my DKP on the web, jump down, get on the windrider and go get myself a beer and make some popcorn. That's not more immersive than a Molten Core button, just more tedious.

But you get a chance to get beer!

Just sit near or on a mini-refrigerator.  Problem solved!

[Samprimary]

Alas, ye Moonfire druids;

Repent, for thy Nature Resistance Potions

doth be an autowin

[Tale]

I like the flight paths as well. 

Instant travel (e.g. clicking on bells in EQ2 or POP books in EQ) ruins the atmosphere in a game for me.

Agreed. I cannot stand people who want efficiency over atmosphere ("weapon A is 0.0002% better than weapon B because my 12 pages of math says so!"). They want to play an engine, not a game. When they pandered to those people in EQ with the PoK books, the game suffered.

I want inefficiency, chaos and inconvenient obstacles. In fact, griffin rides should get slower the more efficient gear you have :P

[Sairon]

I like atmosphere but would gladly sacrifice some for gameplay. Some things simply aren't fun, watching your avatar travel by auto pilot on manticores is one of them. Yes it's cool the first couple of times but it gets old pretty fast. I do however recognize that there's people who are more intrested in the virtual world aspect than the game aspect of MMORPGs.

[Dren]

They want to play an engine, not a game.

Repetitive travel forcing me to stare at the screen for 5-15 minutes is NOT a game.  I want to interract and make things happen.  Bird, boat, and zepplin rides provide none of that.  My point was, if you have to force me to do this crap, at least make it automatic so I can go do something else.  Otherwise I'm forced to be bored in your game.  If you enjoy it, you can sit through it.

BTW, I do not worry about having the best equipment, etc.  That has nothing to do with travel.

[Signe]

On the way to 60 you do a zone at a time and the rest of the world doesn't exist. Once 60 you do an instance at a time, and the rest of the world doesn't exist. There's downtime getting to the content is all. When I go to Molten Core, I don't marvel at the Zeppelin ride, mount up in Stranglethorn and take the scenic ride up to Blackrock Mountain. I get on the Zep, check my DKP on the web, jump down, get on the windrider and go get myself a beer and make some popcorn. That's not more immersive than a Molten Core button, just more tedious.

But you get a chance to get beer!

Just sit near or on a mini-refrigerator.  Problem solved!

There will be no mini fridge in my living room, fuck you very much!

[Dren]

MEOW!

[Pococurante]

I like the flight paths as well. 

Instant travel (e.g. clicking on bells in EQ2 or POP books in EQ) ruins the atmosphere in a game for me.

I feel the same.  That said I wouldn't mind a secondary healthstone and/or the ability to jump off the fliers.

Really all I want is a personal flight beast.  The one thing I loved most about CoH was the variety of self-travel.