In the pre-patch dragonflying becomes skyriding and is available for almost every flying mount in the game. The ‘talents’ for skyriding are trimmed down (mostly those not in the tree have become default).
There’s a toggle switch between normal flying mount and skyriding (that takes a five second cast).
Skyriding speed will be capped at 705% (I think) - a little less than dragonflight but still fast. The maximum speed for standard flying will be increased to 420%.
From the forums here there’s a small population of players who prefer standard flying to skyriding.
Sadly, once the expansion starts, I presume in the new zones, standard flying is not available - only skyriding. I have seen a blue post that says there will be no huge grind to unlock standard riding and it will happen soon after maximum level.
I don’t understand the reason for this. Supposedly according to the promotional videos from Blizzcon, Blizzard is hoping to be much more in tune with doing what the players want (eg supporting alts through the warbands after decades of discouraging them). They let themselves down with some decisions in remix where the old Blizzard asserted themselves.
There seems to be no reason not to allow standard flying from the start for those players who do not like skyriding. I have a close friend who simply cannot do dragonflying (soon to be skyriding) (mostly due to being differently abled). This seems like an old Blizzard decision - do what we say, not what you want. For most players who will be skyriding this will make no difference - for those who this affects it is a major impact.
There’s a small group of players who can’t dragonride - or who prefer standard flying.
Standard flying is easy to control - can do one handed or no hands. Dragonridng often needs mouse control and the other hand. For one handed people like my friend dragonriding is a no go.
Seems nuts to restrict something that is effectively worse than dragonriding / skyriding until max level when this only majorly effects people who for some reason prefer standard flying.
They are catering to 99.9% of the player base with sky riding being instant. The TBC flying will be obtained after getting to 80 and doing pre-req quests.
The delay before getting standard flying will be pretty short, supposedly. But yeah, I really don’t see any point in having it delayed at all considering skyriding is generally faster and better anyway for those who don’t struggle with it.
Standard flying will be available everywhere in the pre-patch (which cannot access the new zones). It will NOT be available at launch in the new zones. It will become available soon after max level (how has not been made clear).
It may be only a small group of players affected but for them this has a major impact. And there seems to be no rational reason for the initial denial of flying to that group of players. Sure it may be a small group - but why deny them at all. Seems like a ‘what the ?’ decison to me.
It remains….highly stupid that they include skyriding but feel the need to restrict regular flying. It being available does not hurt skyriding or vice versa so them doing this is really just spite that everyone couldnt kill regular flying off in DF.
I understand them wanting to do pathfinder again, but one of the dungeons in tww is built around flying, so I think it will be better if it’s just in from the beginning/ Maybe they could lock the faster 420% behind the pathfinder but still allow regular flying?
While I agree it’s harder for some people to do very fast dragonriding, with the accessibility options added in 10.2, one handed dragonriding is very possible. You can change your W/S keys to control pitch while in the air on a dragonriding mount, and it’s very usable. You won’t win any gold challenge modes with it without practice though.
One of the achievements to unlock standard flying in dragonflight depended on finishing the dragonriding dungeon. My friends helped a few people through that dungeon so they could unlock standard flying.
The video of the dungeon in TWW that depends on flying (or perhaps skyriding) looks like a good/fun dungeon. I just hope it is not a requirement for unlocking standard flying.
Surprised?! This discussion didn’t change anything last time or this time nor next time. “He who shall not be named” has had hate towards flying since WoD.
You use ground mounts and flight paths until you level up and finish the campaign just like we’ve been doing it for years. Heck, I love dragonriding and I’ll still do the first play through on the ground, there’s infinitely more immersion in the story that way.