Can you fly, Bobby?

Discussion in 'General Gameplay Discussion' started by Sturmlocke, Feb 27, 2022.

  1. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    To fly or not to fly, this is a question that I found myself thinking about for the longest time, even before coming back to EQ2. I have decided that I'm going to experience the entire world of Norrath either by foot, or via a mount that doesn't fly, jump high or anything else to that effect. Ofc, if flying ever becomes a necessity or a fun event for a zone or quest (like flying on a magic carpet to the royal palast in Sinking Sands etc.), I'm all in, but I'll try to keep my feet on the ground for most of the time.

    [IMG]

    I realised that flying over zones really takes away much of the immersion, that I would otherwise see and feel when traveling the lands on the ground. The older I get, the more I find myself appreciating small details in virtual worlds, like the jewels and texture work found at the entrance to Siren's Grotto, for example. Questing in Sinking Sands right now and I can almost feel the hot days and cold nights, the windy sand particles and the wet air from the ocean nearby. Thanks to a pretty good sound system, I also enjoy the sounds of nature coming from the wildlife and elements all around me. In a Sinking Sands cave right now and I can hear and almost feel the water droplets hitting the ground. Reminds me of the good old days in Turok for N64. I also used to play in third person for the longest time, now I'm in first person 90% of the time.

    Am I alone with this? Are you traveling the lands in a speedy manner by flying high above - or are you taking it slow by foot?
    Aethos, kaelie and Breanna like this.
  2. Cusashorn Well-Known Member


    The Tears of Veeshan expansion literally requires you to have a flying mount if you intend on leaving the central island where you zone in. There's no travel network there. The Chains of Eternity expansion before it also required you to fly just to traverse from the lower, western side of Eidolon Jungle up the sheer cliff face to the eastern side. Once you complete the questlines in Obol Plains, you can access the wizard spire there, and the druid ring there was only just recently added to the network.

    The developers started to re-evaluate the flight mechanics with the Blood of Luclin, Reign of Shadows, and now Visions of Vetrovia expansions. They figured that flight limits the creativity of the zone designs because it trivializes travel, so players now have to complete the signature questlines to gain access to flight in each overland zone only after they have spent all that time hoofing it to complete the questlines. I'm okay with this change.
  3. Carynn Well-Known Member

    I'd rather be able to fly, and choose not to, than to be forced not to fly. I tend to ground run on my fliers in most zones now, or switch to a ground mount depending on what I'm doing. But I'd rather fly from the spire to, say, Somborn then have to run all the way around.
  4. Nilyana Active Member

    I did the slow way for many years before we received flying mounts. I still like to stay on the ground when running around questing, for the most part. But while I do still like to take it slow sometimes, I like to see some of the zones from the flying perspective, too. I found an odd little camp in Sinking Sands last night that I don't think I've seen before, and seemed to only be accessible through flight. (Saw it harvesting from the ground, couldn't see another way up.) Nice to have multiple ways to explore and view the zones.
  5. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    [IMG]

    [IMG]

    That sounds great tbh and I'm a-ok with that change too! That being said, it might upset some ppl that prefer having a choice, instead of being forced to stay on the ground, which I can relate to as well. I'd be upset if it was the other way around too. Yeah, back in the old days, when adventuring and exploring even the smallest easteregg was still a thing, I used to enjoy traveling by foot or via horse. I keep remembering a game that I really liked as a child, Zelda Ocarina of Time, and back then it was mindblowing being able to actually get to the stuff you saw in the far distance. It literally blowed my mind as a child and I even thought we had reached graphical and environmental perfection in 3d games back then, lol. I remember thinking to myself, how cool it would be, if Link could actually get to the mountain and explore it, instead of it being a mere deco item in the background. Turns out you can get to the "death mountain" and much, much more.

    [IMG]

    Questing in Sinking Sands gives me the same vibes every now and then, but only because I am exploring it by foot this time around. I see stuff in the far distance and it triggers the same feeling, that I felt when playing Zelda as a kid. It's a magical feeling and it almost triggers ASMR in my head. Makes me wonder what else is hidden somewhere in this vast and beautiful region.
    Jaden and Breanna like this.
  6. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Huh? Damn it, now I'm curious and would like to see a picture of that camp, but at the same time, I don't want to be spoilered. Never heard of it. I agree though, having multiple ways to explore sounds like a fair deal.
    Breanna likes this.
  7. Dogwood Member

    I always thought the notion that flying mounts or mounts in general ruin or stop immersion or discovery in games. Just because I choose to fly around a zone doesnt mean I am not still exploring the zone.
  8. MightyMeaghan Well-Known Member

    With DoV they start designing the zones with flight in mind, so in some cases you'll probably be required to in order to access some areas. I like that the most recent expansions have started requiring that you complete the zone on foot before earning the right to fly through it. The Luclin expansions in particular had amazing zones. While I appreciated the ability to fly over them, being initially grounded gave me a greater appreciation for the zone design and an overall better experience questing through.
    Hartsmith likes this.
  9. Breanna Well-Known Member

    I mostly go around on foot, because.... SHINEYS!!!!! and harvesting. The only time I really fly is if I'm in a hurry to turn in a quest before I log out. It used to be funner though when killing the mobs actually meant something, like you'd get xp or a chest. Now they are just in the way, and some re-spawn way to quick, you can't even get through harvesting a node and the bad guy is up again.
  10. Accendo Guest

    This is actually one of the main reasons gaming companies spend a lot of time contemplating whether to add flying or not. Level and environmental designers spend so much time beautifying the world, they love it when players feel immersed and enjoy the scenery.
    Hartsmith, kaelie, Leloes and 2 others like this.
  11. Bludd Well-Known Member

    the RoS and VoV way is the way i prefer it, unlock flying as we go - if flying is denied at the start of a new expac

    the BoL way was painful, unlock flying at the end
    Hartsmith, Rosyposy, Twyla and 2 others like this.
  12. Sigrdrifa EQ2 Wiki Author

    They just don't realize that the shiny hunters will be down there hoofing it because there are shinies to be collected.
    Griffon Lady, Breanna and Leloes like this.
  13. Accendo Guest

    I still go all SQUIRREL when I see them. :D
  14. Leloes Well-Known Member

    Not playing the game yet but not so sure I'd want to fly over the zone. I spend too much time looking for shinies.:p
    Griffon Lady and Breanna like this.
  15. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.



    Zap in at around 04:50 and you'll actually feel the emotion in his voice and see the gratefulness in his eyes when talking about cosplay at the fan fares. And yeah, I hear you, it's really a different experience walking the lands by foot. It's strange how things have changed over time. I remember when EQ2 and other mmos started introducing flying mounts into their worlds, and I couldn't wait to hop onto a griffin and fly away. And now I couldn't be bothered with a flying birdie. I like taking my time and exploring again. Sure, if I keep this up, it's gonna take me an entire year to reach Jurassic Park (VoV), but who cares, it's all about the journey. Sometimes it's easy to forget that worlds like these are full of passion and crazy ideas and that it's a world for both the creators alias engineers and the pilgers who wander these lands. Gonna quote our forum member Katt here:

    She summed it up perfectly. It's interesting how SOE / Daybreak / Darkpaw games always tend to have that magical feeling to them and also feature some of the nicest ppl in both the dev team and the playerbase, minus a few crazy folks ofc. It's the "interwebs" after all. Ah, last time I felt like this was during the Star Wars Galaxies era. An era that had to come to an end unfortunately, but it still lives on in my gamer heart:



    Good times.
    Hartsmith, Breanna and Leloes like this.
  16. Dogwood Member

    Ultimily it should be left to the explorer's choice. Even more so if they are paying a membership fee.
    Griffon Lady and Breanna like this.
  17. Accendo Guest

    Won't get any disagreement out of me. Just yesterday on Kael Drakkel, I was questing on my flying mount and spent half my time on the ground just to explore and see the detail. Once finished with my tasks, I flew back to turn in the quests. It is liberating to have the choice, but I have MAD respect for level and environment designers and the time they spend meticulously working on every detail and the flow of each zone.
  18. Sturmlocke Linux enthusiast playing EQ2 via Proton.

    Yeah, you both hit the nail on the head. It's just like in real life, you want to give ppl the freedom of speech and choice, which is good, but at the same time, it's nice to remind ppl from time to time that there are beautiful things going on down here on the ground and under the sea. Hey wait, that reminds me of something. I can feel a beat coming into my mind... a melody... my arms and legs are starting to move... I feel like dancing!



    Ha, kinda funny. I imagine Ariel being Dogwood, trying to break free and explore the world high above, and Sebastian = ppl like me living under the sea.
    Breanna and Leloes like this.
  19. Pixistik Don't like it? You're not alone!

    Love the movie line for a title
    Sturmlocke and Breanna like this.
  20. Almee Well-Known Member

    As an ex artist, I love looking at the scenery both on foot and from above. You can't make people appreciate art so making them walk, or ride a mount, is pointless except to slow down leveling.

    Any real world will have at least three dimensions so the view from above is just as important as the view from the ground. Denying flying limits what we can see of the world and limits our appreciation of it.

    No one is making anyone fly if they don't want to with a couple of exceptions. What I hate is people making it so I can't fly unless I jump through hoops which I may, or may not, be able to do because of various physical limitations.

    Flying, in EQ2, has not only allowed me to immerse myself in a gorgeous world full of all kinds of wonders it also helped me overcome vertigo, play in areas I wouldn't have been able to play in without flying, and for a few hours each day, I am freed from my bed which would otherwise be a prison.

    So I hope the Devs never underestimate the benefits of flying in this game or any future game. Those of us who appreciate good art will do so regardless of what height we are at in the game. The rest will just plow through the game like they always have whether on foot, horse, or bird.