New flight paths and graveyards
by Eliah Hecht 
Apr 12th 2007 at 3:16PM
The 2.1 news just keeps coming. As well as boatloads of profession changes and new Darkmoon cards, now there is information on two new graveyards and some new flight points and flight paths:New Graveyards
Two new graveyards have been added to Blade's Edge Mountains.
New Flypaths
New flight points:
Felwood, Emerald Sanctuary (Both)
Ashenvale, Forest Song (Alliance)
New flight paths:
Stormwind <-> Thorium Point
Grom'gol Base Camp <-> Flame Crest
Ratchet <-> Gadgetzan, Astranaar, Brackenwall Village
Brackenwall Village <-> Ratchet, Camp Taurajo, Freewind Post
Thunderbluff <-> Zoram'gar Outpost
Evergrove <-> Toshley's Station
Honor Hold <-> Shattrath
In addition, many flight paths have been adjusted to be shorter, faster flights.
I must say, I'm pretty apathetic about flight paths these days. Now that I have my epic flying mount, it's easier just to aim myself towards my destination, fly high, hit runlock, and go AFK. No finding a flight master, no fee, and I can go anywhere. Epic mounts: the only way to fly. Still, these improvements are great for anyone that doesn't yet have the epic, including of course my eight zillion alts. And the new paths and points are all long overdue (very long, for the Azeroth ones).
Filed under: News items, Mounts, Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bodarim Apr 12th 2007 3:31PM
how about a flight path from falcon watch to spinebreaker post in HFP cause that flight from shattrath to spinebreaker sucks
Gitr Apr 12th 2007 3:36PM
Aside from getting on a flight and realizing that you forgot something, nothing annoys me more about the game than going out of my way to get somewhere because the stupid creature doesn't know the meaning of "as the crow flies."
It's been long overdue.
Burning Adrenaline Apr 12th 2007 3:47PM
Two points to consider: A lot of those are Azeroth flight points, so the flying mount isn't really applicable there. There's also PvP immunity while using a flight path.
Otherwise, flying mounts would appear to be an excellent alternative.
Metaphyzxx Apr 12th 2007 3:58PM
Glad to know they haven't forgotten about those of us still levelling characters in the "old country"
Derbeste Apr 12th 2007 4:01PM
Why they don't retoon azeroth a bit for flying mounts, I'll never know....oh wait...I do know...lazy buggers.
Other than that, the FP from honor hold to shattrath is LOOOONG over due. I remember not being able to fly from shattrath to HH at all when the expansion first came out because I didn't explore enough yet to find allarian strong hold. Most don't.
Seeing how shattrath is the main city for all of outland, I fail to see how it's not more of a major hub for most flight paths like SW and IF are.
As for the Azerothian FPs...........eh.
I wanna fly in Azeroth! :(
Urthona Apr 12th 2007 4:07PM
Emerald Sanctuary is a smart move, but Forest Song is what, a minute walk from the Azshara FP?
Meh.
WHERE, I ask, is the Flight Path for Northern STV?
Oxo Apr 12th 2007 4:16PM
"Why they don't retoon azeroth a bit for flying mounts, I'll never know....oh wait...I do know...lazy buggers."
No - its not laziness. The vast majority of Azeroth is modeled in 2D - with some areas/buildings being more like "1D". Kinda like a film set - its just a facade.
The Outlands however, were completely modeled in 3D because the requirement for flying mounts was designed in.
To allow the 'world and his dog' flying mounts in Azeroth would require humongous effort and time.
Kyle Apr 12th 2007 4:30PM
Yay for the Emerald Sanctuary flight-path. Hated having to run from either Astranaar or...whatever the alliance outpost in Felwood is (I forget the name, heh). Both are so far from that section.
Whil Urthona is right about the Azshara flightpath being close by, I think it still is rather nice. Makes things a bit easier for my alts.
Derbeste Apr 12th 2007 4:57PM
@Oxo
And?
Dracula Jones Apr 12th 2007 5:04PM
Yeah, there really needs to be a flight path at either Rebel Camp or Nesingwary in STV. Felwood and Ashenvale would be #2 and #3 on my list of "NEEDS SECOND FLIGHT PATH" but STV is a glaring omission.
Blackhorn Apr 12th 2007 6:18PM
@ Oxo.
I'm sorry... which parts of Azeroth are in "2D"? You say the vast majority, but do you have any examples? There are flightpaths all over azeroth for both alliance and horde, none of which reveal any false building fronts, or other hints of things being a single textured plane. People have done a great many things in this game that were never meant to be, and none of those videos reveal these 2D elements you speak of.
atr Apr 12th 2007 6:31PM
I don't think 2D was quite the right word, but there are areas that aren't filled in because they can't be seen. The top of Undercity is like this, as well as a lot of other areas.
'There are flightpaths all over azeroth for both alliance and horde, none of which reveal any false building fronts'
Of course, Azeroth is designed to look right from anywhere you might view it from - including flight paths.
Oxo's quite right that it'd be too big an undertaking for Blizzard because it's not modelled correctly.
Freehugz Apr 12th 2007 6:33PM
As someone who's experienced with 3d mapping i can tell you there's alot of "tricks" that mappers use to make your game run smoother. Redoing Azeroth to be flying mount friendly would require them to remake most of the maps.
That, and do you really want someone 50 levels hovering over you? Seeing as how getting from high level area A to high leve area B often involves flying over newb areas CD&E its just not a good idea or investment of time
Guernia Apr 12th 2007 6:46PM
You won't be able to fly from EPL to Ghostlands, or from Darkshore to Azuremyst, as both journeys will require zoning across servers. Plus they don't want you seeing all the wasted undeveloped land between zones (mapwow.com anyone?) nor flying over the Gilneas wall into... nowhere? These are pretty much the killer reasons AFAICT.
Also, other areas (capital cities, for example) are designed in such a way as when you're land based you can only see certain portions of them at any one time. Ever wonder why the switchbacks in Org exist, or the twisty little streets in Stormwind? It's to reduce visibility and improve performance. All those sections would need to be re-jiggered.
Saiori Apr 12th 2007 6:51PM
Why not let us at least summon our flying mounts in Azeroth and not let them fly there. That way we don't have to keep two mounts.
Freehugz Apr 12th 2007 6:57PM
I would like #15 answered as well. Once I got my flying mount I put my regular mount in the Inn.
I cheetah'd about my business when I got the stormwind. Then flew to duskwood.... "wtf i can't mount!"
Yippster Apr 12th 2007 8:32PM
Azeroth was not designed to be navigated via flight, plain and simple.
Is it not obvious?
The problem is that Azeroth would be too flight friendly if it was allowed. Think about all those mountain ranges we have to find a way around, those bodies of water we have to swim through, and so on. All were designed to create a certain gaming experience, to allow flying would mess that all up.
15 and 16, sorry but that's a retarded idea. Its just one bag slot... come on. And that would be really hard to explain in terms of believability, like an error message that says "your mount is unfamiliar with his surroundings and is not comfortable taking flight here here"
I knew long before I got my flyer that flyers were for outland only, if you act hastily enough to destroy your land mount without first being certain that you don't need it, then that's what they call and "expensive lesson"
G Apr 12th 2007 9:08PM
Felwood, Emerald Sanctuary - Hooray!
Ashenvale, Forest Song (Alliance) - Say what? I could throw a rock from there to the Azshara flight point across the bridge. I run my young 20's there all the time. I would have much preferred Rebel Camp in STV.
Jack Spicer Apr 12th 2007 11:38PM
I'm just hoping that they retuned the Crossrods->Thunderbluff flightpath so that it flies over the mountains and not through all of The Barrens and Mulgore.
Laurens Holst Apr 13th 2007 3:38AM
Eh... Ratchet Gadgetzan?? So that would be a cross-continent flight path? Correct me if I’m wrong, but that seems to be a first :).
The Felwood flight point is really needed, but unfortunately I just finished my Felwood quests last week -_-;;.
~Grauw