Possible direction devs can go for new Mounts for EoD

I made this topic about a year ago on Reddit, (before Warclaw and Skyscale were announced) but now that we have a confirmed expansion coming up, I wanted to know what you all would think if they went with an approach similar to this in regards to mounts in EoD?

Basically the mounts would have the same function as their counterparts, except the weight/ animation would feel different. I drew some examples:

So instead of the Springer hopping, it could be a Giant Moa lifting us off by flapping it's little wings! It's silly, but I hope it gets the idea across haha

The devs have shown they can be capable of this when it comes to the special skins, like the Humming Bird where the idle animations really make it feel like a whole new mount.

I see this as a possible direction they can head towards since there's only so many functions they can keep creating for new mounts. I honestly loved collecting the mounts in PoF and would love more opportunities! Is this something you'd like to see come from the expansion?

Wouldn't the Devs just release new skins? Probably the 1600 Gem-type skins.It would be nice if the skins were able to be earned in-game, but I'm guessing that would be unlikely, as they are probably a good source of revenue.

think more easy. The most common way - make limit, and mount as soliution.So portal is useless without jackal. So on ne map add portal, or poison grass, or other trouble and give mount to avid it.

Also can be add line for each existing mounts, and do same "damage buffer" for that.

Also why at all new mount should come? This mount stage can be left same. 90%

I think we're done with mounts at this point.

There really isn't much they could do to justify new ones imo.Probably the last major area that was lacking a mount was Underwater content but Anet fixed that a few months back by upgrading our Skimmers.

I think if any new mount requirements come in now it will likely be through the same means as the Underwater Skimmer, some kind of new ability upgrade quest and I think that is honestly the best way to go at this point, keep improving the ones we have.We really don't need any new mount creatures going forward and we certainly don't want to end up having clone mount creatures that just do what existing mounts already do.. that wouldn't be a good idea.

I like the designs but If we were to get mounts I'd rather they have different mechanics even if that means making something new like jackal portals in order for them to be relevant.Like for example if we go to cantha and there's a huge underwater area I'd like If we were to get another underwater mount maybe having something similar to griffon's flying mechanics where you need to dive to gain speed, This way it works in deep waters but in shallow were you cant dive very far it's slower than skimmer.

As much as I love the designs you drew I think having the same mechanics on different mounts just with another skin would be wasted potential when you could make them unique even if just slightly so.

To be fair, maybe mounts was such a great idea that Anet could reintroduce new mounts in EoD that serve similar (or the same) utility. That way you won't need PoF to complete (or have a significant advantage while playing) EoD, and it means everyone would get new mount cosmetic options and better open world design options.

Because, after gliding and mounts, I don't see where else they can go.

I would like to see skimmers "glide" function be defaulted to unlimited glide, like a glider. You can current do it with energy, but not for long. Energy should be used for hovering up, and gliding should be default instead of dropping.

Using Skimmer as a pseudo flight, glider would be a good cross over mount, which is current a missing niche.

I think there should be a full underwater mount like a seahorse or fish if they are going to pursue underwater content.

@"Opopanax.1803" said:I would like to see skimmers "glide" function be defaulted to unlimited glide, like a glider. You can current do it with energy, but not for long. Energy should be used for hovering up, and gliding should be default instead of dropping.

Using Skimmer as a pseudo flight, glider would be a good cross over mount, which is current a missing niche.

There's already griffon and skyscale in the game, so I disagree.

I think there should be a full underwater mount like a seahorse or fish if they are going to pursue underwater content.

Skimmer is already underwater though? :p

Nothing to see here, they make skins anytime they want, no need for new mounts or fulling a personal I want list.

@Westenev.5289 said:To be fair, maybe mounts was such a great idea that Anet could reintroduce new mounts in EoD that serve similar (or the same) utility. That way you won't need PoF to complete (or have a significant advantage while playing) EoD, and it means everyone would get new mount cosmetic options and better open world design options.

Because, after gliding and mounts, I don't see where else they can go.

This touches on my thoughts, where EoD has to be designed for people who never played HoT or PoF and thereby don’t have gliders or mounts.

In turn, I would expect them to create either A a way for new players to get gliding and mounts easily in EoD or B they introduce new mechanics around travel (and I think B is more likely).

Perhaps they add new unique mounts, or some as yet unthought of travel system, but I tend to think it will be something new over updating something old. Although I can imagine they will keep releasing mount and glider skins as long as they generate revenue.

@Sobx.1758 said:

@"Opopanax.1803" said:I would like to see skimmers "glide" function be defaulted to unlimited glide, like a glider. You can current do it with energy, but not for long. Energy should be used for hovering up, and gliding should be default instead of dropping.

Using Skimmer as a pseudo flight, glider would be a good cross over mount, which is current a missing niche.

I think there should be a full underwater mount like a seahorse or fish if they are going to pursue underwater content.

Those are pure flight, so certain not in between, as stated.

And i could care less on underwater one, but could see a second mount if they pursue lots of underwater content... But personally I am hoping for ships.

I don't think we need more masteries for what's basically the same mount.

Mounts have pretty much run their course, EoD needs to some how come up with something new.

@Fueki.4753 said:I don't think we need more masteries for what's basically the same mount.

Idk, I liked what they did with skimmer. I could see adding more skills to mount skill bars, enhancing current mounts in some ways.

Skimmer was a nice touch.

This probably the only way, that doesn't break the game since some people will have mounts from PoF and others wouldn't and that would get messy. The other options is to turn them off, but man they are selling pricy skins for those in the gem store and it will be a shit show.
A new skeleton for the mounts would allow them to sell more skins since more variety so having the same utility and different base mount is a win win for Anet here.They can even make the PoF mounts unusable till people do some quest thingy to get each of the respective Cantha mounts, it would feel kinda bad but it would probably give them more room to work with exploration and bring the metroidvania feel of Fresh expansion like HoT and PoF did.

Would rather have new abilities from the current mounts instead of a new mount.

@Opopanax.1803 said:

@Fueki.4753 said:I don't think we need more masteries for what's basically the same mount.

The thing here is, that Skimmer Diving still is a PoF mastery, despite being released during Season 5.Arenanet shouldn't add masteries in one expansion, when the required mount comes from another expansion.The expansions ought to work without each other.

I don't believe we'd get new mounts as that's a PoF feature. Different skins is another story which I believe they'd definitely do.

@Mungo Zen.9364 said:

@Westenev.5289 said:To be fair, maybe mounts was such a great idea that Anet could reintroduce new mounts in EoD that serve similar (or the same) utility. That way you won't need PoF to complete (or have a significant advantage while playing) EoD, and it means everyone would get new mount cosmetic options and better open world design options.

Because, after gliding and mounts, I don't see where else they can go.

The problem with something like that is that if the new means of travel can be neglected by those riding mounts then you'll end up with a bulk of new tools in EoD being completely useless to most players..It will come across that Anet is favouring some players over their most loyal playerbase which wouldn't be a good image for them.They also can't just go and ban mount use in the content either to force us all to use the new mechanics as that would really annoy a lot of players.So I expect EoD maps will be designed with mounts in mind, that's just going to have to be a thing I think.

There is a possibility that Anet may just bundle the PoF expansion free into EoD much like the did with the core world game and HoT.This is the best thing I think they could do in all honesty as it would completely fix the needing mounts problem and give Anet total freedom to design EoD maps with the main 3 mounts in mind. (Raptor, Springger & Skimmer)

Some may complain about that decision much like they did with the core game being bundled into HoT but it would certainly be a more preferable solution to having our mounts banned from use in Cantha (temporarily or otherwise) or having a bunch of new mechanics/abilities that are completely useless to most players who have played the game for a long time and have mounts.

If it means we all get a better expansion then I say let a few salty people cry about some getting a free expac.. it was a ridiculous petty complaint back with HoT and it will be a ridiculous petty complaint with EoD as well.I say that as someone who pre ordered a collectors edition of Gw2 and bought the ultimate editions of both HoT and PoF.. and will be buying the most expensive version of EoD as well be that another Ultimate edition or a physical Collectors (I really hope it's a physical collectors with an Aurine statue XD)

I do not care if PoF gets included for free with EoD, specially if that means Anet gets to use more creative freedom with EoD map design to include mounts.And of course that also means they get more freedom to enhance the mounts we already have with new abilities like the underwater skimmer did.This is a win for us, a win for new players and a win for Anet as well in my opinion.

I would be dissapointed if we got new mounts in EoD. It should be something new and unique. So far we had movement skills and gliding in E1 and mounts in E2. I'd rather see something else in E3.As mounts are also some kind of movement skill, I'd rather see them implement something that enriches fighting AND also adds to the skin war.

My personal idea would be a hero-system, but not like GW1. Itt encourages solo play and makes the game too easy.I am more thinking about a system where you summon a hero to take your place in combat and which you can switch galfway fights (with a decent cooldown). there are different heroes with each class and you can customise their look and outfit just like your regular character.

@Teratus.2859 said:

@Mungo Zen.9364 said:

@Westenev.5289 said:To be fair, maybe mounts was such a great idea that Anet could reintroduce new mounts in EoD that serve similar (or the same) utility. That way you won't need PoF to complete (or have a significant advantage while playing) EoD, and it means everyone would get new mount cosmetic options and better open world design options.

Because, after gliding and mounts, I don't see where else they can go.

Consider the ‘new player experience’ for someone starting at EoD. They will be forced at some point to go back to HoT and PoF to farm for gliders and mounts. Rarely do you find a game company who release new content but require new players to go backwards to access it.

Using Hot to PoF as an example, do new players today need gliding in any way to enjoy the PoF content? Not at all, but the maps were designed with gliding in mind, and I could see the same for EoD and mounts from PoF.

However, Just like we don’t see Nuhoch Wallows in PoF we may not see Jackal portals in EoD. We probably won’t see Roller Beetle walls to break either, unless EoD offers some alternate way of doing the same. The niche of some travel options won’t come to EoD, unless they offer a new way to get mounts that offer similar/same tools as the PoF ones.

And I can definitely see them taking the path of offering mount training in EoD for PoF mounts, but I can also see them trying to offer something new that updates or negates the need for the PoF mounts and provides a new or unique twist on travel.

I don't believe that PoF maps were designed with gliding in mind. I believe that they were designed for mounts. HoT was designed for gliding, IMO.

I'd rather have resources spent elsewhere.

@Mungo Zen.9364 said:

@Teratus.2859 said:

@Mungo Zen.9364 said:

@"Westenev.5289" said:To be fair, maybe mounts was such a great idea that Anet could reintroduce new mounts in EoD that serve similar (or the same) utility. That way you won't need PoF to complete (or have a significant advantage while playing) EoD, and it means everyone would get new mount cosmetic options and better open world design options.

Because, after gliding and mounts, I don't see where else they can go.

In all honesty I don't consider a "new" player experience for any of the expansion content.The main thing driving Gw2's PvE is the story content so if you're jumping from core game straight into EoD that's a bad way to be playing this game.. or any game for that matter.I don't mean to sound mean here just realistic.. but in my opinion "new" players should not be the focus or target group for a games 3rd expansion.. specially when it's released almost a decade after the original game came out..

Don't misunderstand though i'm not saying new players can't or shouldn't be able to come play EoD content when it comes out, i'm just saying that they should consider playing PoF first like almost everyone else did so they can avoid potential annoyances due to their lack of access to what many would call essential or common place character abilities at this point.

Using Hot to PoF as an example, do new players today need gliding in any way to enjoy the PoF content? Not at all, but the maps were designed with gliding in mind, and I could see the same for EoD and mounts from PoF.

However, Just like we don’t see Nuhoch Wallows in PoF we may not see Jackal portals in EoD. We probably won’t see Roller Beetle walls to break either, unless EoD offers some alternate way of doing the same. The niche of some travel options won’t come to EoD, unless they offer a new way to get mounts that offer similar/same tools as the PoF ones.

Perhaps although I would stress that there is a massive difference between the static methods of travel introduced in HoT and the portable mounts introduced in PoF.It will not be so easy to replicate that with EoD in my opinion due to how much freedom the mounts provide.

Springger is basically a portable bouncing mushroom.Raptor is basically a portable launch pad (not a HoT thing but it is an old mechanic being made portable)Skimmer and Griffon are new forms of the GliderAnd Jackel pretty much does what Nuhoch Wallows did in HoT with sand portals.

It's essentially the same old abilities only based on a portable mount that you can use anywhere.. I don't see how they can replicate that with new EoD mastery's without having to restrict our mount access in the new content.. or just straight up making new mounts that do the exact same thing as PoF mounts giving most players a bunch of worthless clone mounts that they'll have no use for.Long time loyal players will likely feel cheated by either of those compromises.. specially since they had to pay for this new content.

And I can definitely see them taking the path of offering mount training in EoD for PoF mounts, but I can also see them trying to offer something new that updates or negates the need for the PoF mounts and provides a new or unique twist on travel.

I honestly only see three options provided in both our comments.

1. PoF bundles into EoD allowing new players to get the mounts before playing EoD content.(Best option imo)

2. Anet decides to ban mounts in EoD content temporarily to force everyone to use new EoD travel methods which will quickly become irrelevant once the mounts become usable again.(Will annoy a lot of long time players.)

3. Anet decides to make a bunch of new mounts that are basically clones of PoF mounts and only relevant to a minority of new players.(Again would anger a lot of long time players who will feel cheated out of new expansion mechanics.)

Who knows maybe they'll pull something completely different out of those creative brains of theirs and blow all of our minds lolI don't know, guess nobody but the Devs do at this point but I am hopeful that no matter what they end up doing everyone will be satisfied with it when we finally get to play EoD.

An expansion should introduce a feature that changes the way we explore. More mounts isn't a big sell for a new expansion.