Breakfast Topic: I believe I can fly
by Deb Montague 
Jun 3rd 2010 at 8:00AM
Many things are eagerly anticipated with the release of Cataclysm: guild achievements, level 85, Deathwing. Little has been discussed about flying mounts in all of Azeroth. It is just a snippet in the trailer, but I do remember its getting a huge cheer. Gone will be the days of flying into Southshore and then riding (I mean, really -- once we can fly, who is going to ride?) north to battle the Abominable Greench. You'll fly -- and yes, I know, Alliance won't be using Southshore, but that's a different topic. We will be flying up and out of Stormwind, heading south into Searing Gorge to Blackrock Mountain and a new instance with Nefarian, and we will be using our own mounts. Can't get that one piece of ore on the side of a hill? Fly up and get it. Need to help a low-level guild member outside Jintha'Alor? Fly there from Aerie Peak or Revantusk Village. You'll be able to scout where those nasty Devilsaurs are in Un'Goro without getting stomped on (not that it matters to a level 85).
So once you can fly anywhere in Azeroth, where are you going first? If you are Alliance, I would wager 85% of you are going to the airport above Ironforge. There is a gryphon master at the north end of that area. He always waves when you fly over on your way to Menethil. I'm thinking that will become an active flight point, but I suspect most of you will fly up there on your own, simply because now you can. A few of you will probably go to the fishing hut above Stormwind.
Me? That's not the first place I'm going. I have long wanted to get to one particular spot on the map. I've tried getting there a few times, particularly during the Lunar Festival because there's an elder near this spot. The gryphon flies over it and I so desperately want to get off, right there. No, I'm not telling.
Where are you going to go first? Anyplace in particular, or do you think you will just hop on your flying mount and savor the wind in your face as you fly anywhere?
Have you ever wanted to write for WoW.com? Your chance may be right around the corner. Watch for our next call for submissions for articles via Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. The next byline you see here may be yours!Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Jere Hunter Jun 3rd 2010 8:06AM
I've been on the IF airport and that FP up there isnt active, he keeps talking to his buds and ignoring you :(, but I have stood at the flag peak and had a picknic tho :)
Jennifer Jun 3rd 2010 8:38AM
This. I've been to the IF airport. But I'm going back.
Then I'm going to run around and see if any of the "younguns" have grown up. Sure, we all wonder if Andruin will finally hit puberty, but what about little Sharpbeak? Will he finally get to outgrow that tiny cage that those mean trolls keep putting him in?
And lastly, I'm going searching for Blanchy.
But first. The ironforge airport.
crschmidt Jun 3rd 2010 8:50AM
I wonder why people think that the IF airport will still be there.
It's pretty clear that most of the game is going to get a makeover; the way Vanilla Azeroth looks is, for huge chunks of it, just a facade, possible because of the limited points of view you have available to you.
Fixing that is going to require major, major renovation of pretty much the whole world. I would expect that a lot of the half-finished things that got left behind before, because they were difficult to get to, will simply disappear. (For example, I expect that GM Island will probably not be something you can get to anymore.)
Overall, I'm curious why people think that these things wouldn't go away; certainly some of them may be cleaned up, or included in the storyline, meaning they'll actually finish them, but for the most part, I'd expect these 'hideyholes' to just vanish, for the most part.
I suppose I could be wrong; are there any things like IF Airport in Northrend? Leftover bits that are only accessible if you know how to get there? If not, I expect it's much more likely that we'll see IF Airport go away than anything else.
Nonette Jun 3rd 2010 9:07AM
Uh...
Jere Hunter, the flight point being inactive now has nothing to do with whether it will be in Cataclysm.
Crschmidt, you do realise that the IF airport isn't just a place you're not supposed to be able to reach, right? It's actually a deliberate part of the scenery that anyone flying North from IF will see when they pass over. It's not going to get ironed out, rather it'll be filled out. Unless of course it gets hit by the Cataclysm. >_>
Jennifer, about Old Blanchy... :<
On topic, I'm going to go looking at the ruins in the mountains around Mulgore/Desolace/Stonetalon area.
Thyen Jun 3rd 2010 9:32AM
@crschmidt
There's actually a few places that, though not hard to get to, are obviously little unfinished things in Northrend that still have the vestiges of SOMETHING being planned there. There are other little things that you can SEE that were meant to be part of something bigger. I'd love for Blizz to throw a curveball in Cataclysm and throw one or two of these places into a patch. Think... from the beginning we'd always known that A ) There would be Naxxramas, Malygos, Obsidian Sanctum, Ulduar and ICC - 2 of these places were in patches... ToC was a surprise filler. What do we know in Cataclysm? From the start we're going to have 4 raids from the start, Firelands, Blackrock Descent, and a couple I don't remember... and then there will be the Deathwing patch, of course, and Aszhara (provided she's not in the release). It's not inconcievable to have a 'back to Northrend' patch.
In grizzly hills, at Vordrassil's Stump... there's a chamber deep in there that has two log walls that look like gates. Interestingly, the perspective at that point LOOKS like it leads into 2-3 long, twisty corridors made of roots. If you go in, the 'corridors' are actually a sort of optical illusion... and end not far away. The way it's set up shows there SHOULD be an instance portal there. Could be an interesting way to go and see that Yogg-saron isn't quite gone, since he's believed to be what corrupted Vordrassil in the first place.
In Gundrak, next to the room where you fight the Colossus, you can look out over a long corridor in which there's a giant, twitching snake tail. There has to be a story here... I sometimes wonder if the Drakuru quest line was supposed to be bigger.
Azjol-Nerub was intended to be a giant underground zone, instead we got 2 dungeons, one of which is the second shortest one in Wrath. Granted, what was planned for AN (underground zone) we're getting in Deepholme/Deephome/Deepholm
We never saw a proper resolution to the Nexus war... Malygos is dead, but it's possible that the remnants of his army could continue in his absence.
There's also what looks like an entrance into another instance on the side of Utgarde Keep... wasn't there supposed to be a raid there?
There's lots in every continent, Outland included, that's still in the game that has remained in the expansions, no reason to think they won't. What I REALLY wish I could do is explore Karazhan Catacombs... still looking for a way in there...
Aiva Jun 3rd 2010 8:07AM
I think mine might be the same as yours.. that troll village near Darkshore! They always seem to be having such a good time :)
Darias.Perenolde Jun 3rd 2010 8:42AM
Yes...but will they be flooded out?
Baba Jun 3rd 2010 8:45AM
The wall-walking fix was merely a setback!
Heilig Jun 3rd 2010 10:30AM
The mountains are open and the Shatterspear village is going to be a new quest hub, i think.
Tricia Jun 3rd 2010 11:02AM
That's going to become a new town and hub in Cataclysm, it's looking like.
Shibdaddy Jun 3rd 2010 11:10AM
You can actually still get down there now, its not too difficult. Just need a mage, priest or parachute to survive the drop down there.
IF airport is a little trickier, the intial jump can be tough.
cendrekai Jun 3rd 2010 12:19PM
Heck, all you need is noggenfogger and some careful running. I have done it lots of times using that.
pancakes Jun 3rd 2010 8:08AM
Everywhere! I think this will be my biggest problem when i first login after cata. I'll mount up, and won't be able to make up my mind on where I'd like to go first.
Although, I think I'll decide on Org (since new Org is looking so awesome), then north to Azshara (because it's my favourite old world zone).
traptinacivicsi Jun 3rd 2010 8:09AM
You said leave stormwind and go south to searing gorge and blackrock mountain lawl
traptinacivicsi Jun 3rd 2010 8:14AM
Also, grab noggenfogger if you're not a mage/priest (priest involves a hefty mounted jump then levi) and go to the Gy outside of IF front gate.
Aim northeast along the mountain side, and jump with an epic ground mount using a slowfall and land on that patch of level hill next to a tree. Then just simply go northeast along the mountain and boom, IF airport.
Alanid Jun 3rd 2010 8:25AM
or you can go through Loch Modan, there's a hill you can climb up near one of the gates.
Squatstopee Jun 3rd 2010 8:42AM
Stock up on noggenfogger before cata drops!!!
iammurlocftw Jun 3rd 2010 1:06PM
also, if you get pretty high on the hill thats a little past the graveyard(jump down from graveyard and run up the snowhill) you can get there without slowfalls. Im a warlock and while i dont get to the airport much, only been there once, i do get on top of the gates and hills. great screenshots there.
Also, I hope they add some hills into IF airport just to screw over all the private servers that use it for vendors (see youtube videos)
Edge Jun 3rd 2010 2:40PM
What's the noggenfogger for specifically?
Fatamorgana Jun 3rd 2010 3:01PM
Actually, you can walk to the IF airport. No slow fall or mounts needed.
I led an expedition of level 1 gnomes (guild-mate alts) there.
Take the road east from IF and travel half-way between IF and Gol'Bolar Quarry and then trek NNE up the mountains.
To my knowledge, this may still be considered an exploit by blizz and may be punishable by ban/temp ban. If this bothers you, you can alway just get a trail account.
The place is pretty cool. There's also a path from that point (IF airport) to old Iron Forge. However, that trek will require an epic land mount and slow fall. (Not to mention really good aim and timing). If your aim or timing is off, you die and your body appears at the entrance to IF.