Free Flying...I know bear with me

ArchivedUser

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I would LOVE to see free flying in this game! This world would look absolutely beautiful from the sky...but it would have to be HEAVILY gated, I understand flying in WoW caused players to miss out on a lot of world content. But like a 1% drop on a hidden max level dungeon, or maybe even a world puzzle w/ oblique hints per code release that net you a unique flying mount? That would be so freaking cool! Imagine seeing only the elite of elite players touching the sky, most of which have already explored the current world build anyway. Need to release new areas or expansions? Lock flying behind player's progress through the content, or dynamic events (area here is contested, air travel is too dangerous!). The latter would work especially well with the node based development gameplay. Thoughts?

ArchivedUser

Flying tends to trivialize many aspects of the game, since it allows you to skip puzzles/paths/enemies.  Gathering, exploring, questing, travel are all made much easier through free flight and it reduces the chance to run into other players for good or ill.  

I would be ok with a flying taxi service though I'm not sure how that would be implemented without making caravans obsolete.  Maybe free flight with some severe limitations like can only take off/land in a designated area and as a limited event.

ArchivedUser

So far I have only heard that castle holders would receive a flying mount for the duration of their rule, which is already a very limited amount of players. They might add additional ways to get access to flying mounts, but as you said they'd have to be heavily gated. Even a few % drop chance in a high-level dungeon might lead to crowding of the airspace after a few major patches (when that high-level dungeon is not so high-level anymore). You mentioned a way to partly restrict this, but it'll remain a tricky thing to do for Intrepid. As such I highly doubt it they'll add free flying from release, but they might add it later if the community really demands it.

ArchivedUser

@Sidiston I think the Idea of flying taxis would be a good idea. It wouldn't really make caravans obsolete as a taxi is just for you and the caravans are more for moving materials around that you cant carry yourself. 

ArchivedUser

@BrvBrvSirRobin though it would be convenient I'm personally not a fan of widely accessible mmo taxis, which I think are tantamount to auto-pathing. In my opinion that functionality trivializes gameplay, in the sense that the journey becomes meaningless. I don't necessarily think the same is true for free flying - as long as it's extremely exclusive - because players will have 1. won the freedom of flight and; 2. Inherent in that freedom is the ability to explore (and land in) unrestricted space.

ArchivedUser

Before free flying was introduced to WoW, I remember the thrill of perilous treks through mob and enemy infested zones to get to a remote dungeon. Or being part of multiple 40 man world PvP raid groups navigating the oceans and riverways around capital cities to avoid detection. All that excitement just vanished overnight for me.

ArchivedUser

@Council I totally agree I simply like the idea of flying taxis to see the beauty of the world from an aerial view while also restricting flight so players cant just fly were ever they wish to go while bypassing the world below them. Maybe something like only major cities have access to those taxis so you still have to do some running to get were your going. Sort of like Dark Age of Camelot pre ToA. 

ArchivedUser

I really do think they should keep flying to the Leaders/Mayors. Unlockable teleport locations would be nice. For example, when a node hits a certain size, there is a available teleport pad that can be unlocked. Major landmarks or locations could also get one but not so many as to be overdone. Just enough to be able to get across the continent if you need to. Maybe a debuff on the teleport (like 4 hours) so you can't go hopping all over the place and abuse it. Obviously this would be limited to individuals, as caravans and stuff would still need to travel.

ArchivedUser

I appreciate the suggestion for sure, but I think Intrepid have got it right with regards to flying and traveling over the world.

ArchivedUser

Based on the thread title I had hoped you would be discussing flying bears.

I am disappointed.

ArchivedUser

Now flying bears... that changes everything!

ArchivedUser

dazza123 said:

Now flying bears... that changes everything!

Mmmm hmmmmm

ArchivedUser

I dunno.  There seems to be enough free flying without mounts!  

ArchivedUser

Free flying is really bad for games.  It trivializes terrain.
Much better is a "gliding" system, such as in Archeage, where you cannot gain altitude in mid air, but instead must seek high take-off points for long trips.
You can still see the world from above, but in a way that emphasizes terrain instead of trivializing it.

ArchivedUser

Free flying would ruin the vastness of the world just as it did in wow

ArchivedUser

Also worth noting is that once flying is implemented in a game you (developers) are then put under greater and greater pressure to allow flying immediately in new content areas that really need to be gated, which leads to: do I break immersion through trivialisation of mechanics or break immersion through imaginary reasons a mount cannot fly in a new area but can in others.