Breakfast Topic: I can do what now?

I've been watching the clips of people flying about Eastern Kingdoms. I can hardly wait! It got me to thinking about all the mount changes I've witnessed in the course of my gaming time.
I started towards the end of vanilla. The Burning Crusade had been announced. My daughter was in the beta, actually, and telling me that I needed to get into this game before it "expanded," whatever that meant. So I made my character and started to run everywhere. Dun Morogh, Loch Modan, Elwynn Forest, Redridge, Westfall, Wetlands, Arathi Highlands, Hinterlands, Ashenvale, Desolace, Feralas, Felwood were all done on foot. I knew the route from Nijel's Point to Maraudon to the point that I could hit auto run and be pretty certain I'd make it there without too much trouble, just a few swoops and centaur along the way.
I didn't get my first ram until level 45, as I couldn't afford it. I didn't get my epic ram until level 65 because I couldn't afford it. I was four months into level 70 before getting flying because, yup, couldn't afford it. The joke "When I was your level, I ran everywhere, uphill, both ways, in snow, barefoot ..." is semi-serious.
This isn't about Blizzard's changing the levels for mounts. I have low-level alts, and I absolutely love their having mounts to get to the places my main once ran. This is a post about those things you do even when you don't have to anymore.
I came into the game at a time when you ran everywhere, because that's how you got from place to place. What I find myself still doing is taking the portal to Stormwind or Ironforge to use the auction house and then running, running from the portal to the AH. Land at the gryphon at Ruth'eran Village, run into Darnassus. I've been known to start to run to Crossroads, get up the hill out of Ratchet and say in Vent, "Why am I running?" You can mount now in Booty Bay. I remember when you couldn't, and I almost never do, unless I come in on the boat.
I just know that being able to fly everywhere isn't going to make a difference in my getting from point A to point B. I'm going to run, stop, and then hear everyone on Vent laughing when I say, "I can do what now? Why am I still running?"
What are you still doing that you don't have to now, because Blizzard changed it? Do you think you'll ever not still do that?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Jamie Aug 2nd 2010 8:07AM
Well... I'm pretty boring I've never really had such a situation because I'm always such a geek when it comes to changes in games I play...
Sorry...
thepiratester Aug 2nd 2010 8:29AM
My 1st toon was a nelf warrior. I will never forget ( or forgive ) my RLF on his hunter using aspect to run his A** 10 feet in front of me just to feign death, then lol at me for being so slow... < the entire run from Auberdine to Astranarr !!!> At least someone was having a good time :P
I was so happy to get my slow mount at lvl 40!!!
Duulket Aug 2nd 2010 8:09AM
I started playing right before Wrath was released and I still port into Stormwind or Ironforge and run to the AH.
Gamer am I Aug 2nd 2010 8:11AM
Even as a Druid with Swift Flight Form, I still use flying mounts. I used to sometimes use my Onyx Netherwing Drake because I was so proud of obtaining it. I know, it provides no benefit over Swift Flight Form and Swift Flight Form is an instant cast, so why did I use it? Because it was pretty, and hard to obtain. For the same reason, I now use my Violet Proto-Drake more often than I use Swift Flight Form, simply because it looks more impressive and imposing. I know that Swift Flight Form was also a challenge to get (I got it through the quest chain, before you kids could get it at level 71), but the memories of getting my Onyx Netherwing Drake were just more fresh in my mind, so I was prouder of it. Ditto for the Violet Proto-Drake.
Jen Aug 2nd 2010 9:03AM
I wish I could use my pretty mounts. I got the Red Proto back when it was actually kinda hard, but those 1.5 seconds are just too long. I can't talk myself into waiting for a cast time when I could be airborne in a GCD...
(But I promised myself I'd make an exception if I ever get a frostwyrm.)
dc3boi02 Aug 2nd 2010 9:31AM
I just got my Bloodbathed from 10m on Friday and now I am like the rest of the crazies and I sit on Krasus' Landing and just fly w/ my wyrm to say hi!
Moeru Aug 2nd 2010 11:14AM
I'd understand this if my druid was my only toon but with 8 80s I make sure everyone's mount is unique. My druid, for example, uses Flight Form and a Talbuk from the rep. I did it back at the end of BC when rep grinds were hard, and I did it as resto. Killing 2k+ ogres as an ungeared resto druid took awhile lol
Neirin Aug 2nd 2010 4:16PM
When I'm just taking short trips I generally just hop into flight form, but if I'm going a fair distance I'll make sure I'm riding something stylish.
I'm actually a big fan of the Rusted Proto and the Cenarion War Hippogryph, so I'll generally use one of those when I'm solo'ing. I only really use my frostwyrm if I'm in a PuG and I want to stick it to someone that's talking about how great they are and how the entire rest of the group sucks.
Uriah Aug 2nd 2010 8:12AM
Keep Run'n Run'n and Run'n Run'n
Narayana Aug 2nd 2010 12:11PM
your pic reminds me of something that I still find myself doing. When I need to cook, I'll often go seek out the nearest fire pit or some other nonsense to get going- completely forgetting that simple camp fires don't require any reagents any more.
mcherry1 Aug 2nd 2010 8:13AM
I still run some places (and it always takes me the longest of our group to get places, I don't know why!), but when I hit BC, I just had to fly. To be honest, the biggest reason I'm looking forward to getting Cataclysm is so I can fly around in the old continents. I can't wait! :)
philiplhammond Sep 15th 2010 6:43PM
I'm pretty worried about the future of ground mounts. I've worked pretty hard for some. It'll be disappointing if I rarely use them anymore.
Shiro Aug 2nd 2010 8:23AM
Mine is even lamer. I still fly to the old locations for certain things. When I started, you flew from Undercity down to Kargath/Flame Steppes in order to get to Blackrock Mountain. Now it's faster to take the portal to Blasted Lands and ride up to Stonard. Shaves several minutes off the travel time.
I still end up on a bat out of Undercity with the rest of the raid wondering why I'm not there yet. : P
Back when we were doing Kara, I used to go Orgrimmar to Rachet, to Booty Bay, then fly to Grom'Gol and ride north to get to Karazhan. It was a long while before I learned to wait in Shattrath for our mage to open a port to Stonard.
So yeah, I feel your pain. I still do those two when I run old world content on the weekends.
FoxOfWar Aug 2nd 2010 10:14AM
Join the club, I'm guilty on both of those things too :D
Drakkenfyre Aug 2nd 2010 11:09AM
There was a time when that portal to Stonard didn't exist. Nor did the one for Theramore. Don't feel so bad.
MusedMoose Aug 2nd 2010 8:24AM
I started playing when the only auction houses in the entire world were in Ironforge and Orgrimmar. I *still* go to the IF auction house, almost exclusively, as it's the one I like the most.
Or maybe I just like IF. But still.
Psiwave Aug 2nd 2010 11:06AM
That's me too, I always take the IF portal from dala, but it really bugs me when I'm on an alt in stormeind and forget about the AH there until I'm on a gryffon to Ironforge.
Quill2006 Aug 2nd 2010 8:33PM
My guild and I discovered a few months ago that one of our long-time guildies, who's been playing since vanilla, had NO IDEA that there were auction houses in all the major cities, and have been for several years. He got caught out when we were waiting for him to join us for a raid and said in vent that he had to take the zeppelin from UC to Org to auction some stuff. Everyone was gobsmacked that he'd missed the auctioneers in UC, since they're rather obvious!
Josin Aug 2nd 2010 8:26AM
This isn't anything due to outdated mechanics, but I always find myself moving out of the way for falling monsters. Always. Whether it's merely sidestepping with my human warrior, or making a mad dash between their feet on my gnome rogue... I apparently don't like getting squished.
Joakim Aug 2nd 2010 1:16PM
Heh, you too?
Humanoids and animals I just take one step. Giants and such ilk - I run like hell.
It must be all those times I've been stomped by either fel reavers or that pesky bug in Azjol watchamacallit.
(I don't like that bug. He is pesky.)