Skyscale: another great mount that (like the Griffon) just can't fly!

[echolynfan.2049]

The Skyscale is an awesome mount and is an excellent addition to the mount roster. However it has one major flaw like the Griffon: it's a bird that really can't fly.

I'd have to say this is one of the most annoying things Arenanet has done in the game - given us a flying mount that can't maintain flight.

I know everyone has their idea of what the mounts should be and do and so do I and here it is:

Skycale: Grant full flight without having to land to recharge. ELIMINATE that stupid kung-fu never-let-go-grip. Keep the ability to hover.

Griffin: Grant full flight - no hovering but add superspeed much like the beetle but without having to dive first.

Roller Beetle: Keep everything the same except perhaps improve the high speed control.

Jackal: My favorite mount! I love the way it looks: it's made up of falling sand how cool is that? It's really unique because it's the only mount capable of traversing the sand portals. I think improving it's ground speed would entice peple to use it more.

Skimmer: No need really to change this one

Springer: Other than being a cute little bunny this mount's usefulness has been nerfed since the Skyscale came out. I would give it "jackrabbit" speed and double the jump height to make it more attractive.

Raptor: A great mount that doesn't need to be changed.

Opinions?

[Dante.1763]

Sorry no. I hope they never introduce a pure flying mount. Mounts already invalidate almost all content as is, and having a flying mount that could fly forever would invalidate all content completely. By forcing players to land, it creates the chance for said player to get demounted and have to interact with the world, which wouldnt happen otherwise.

The springer is still faster for getting up cliffs than the skyscale at least in my experiences, even with a fully upgraded skyscale, i honestly think all the mounts with the exception of the Jackal(needs to be a little faster) and the beetle(needs more control) they are fine as is.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

For Dev comments on why the Skyscale does not have free/full flight, watch the pertinent Guild Chat video.

Good luck.

[Randulf.7614]

They dont want a full flight mount. This is a specific design they are avoiding as per the skyscale dev video.

Changing the griffon means changing all the griffon race adventures which rely on diving.

To be honest, neither really need full flight and its not a gap the game needs to fill. I think they both work just fine as they are. As for the other mounts, do they need to be more attractive to use? They are niche compared to the raptor, but they do their jobs well without being replaced in their roles.

My only suggestions are that The beetle could use a slight tweaking to make the slide turn more natural or accessible and The warclaw has been nerfed way too hard in my opinion

[echolynfan.2049]

I know the devs don't want full flight - I'm saying it's a horrible mechanic and I spend most of my time cursing the damn mount because it can't stay in the air. The design is flawed and NOT fun IMO. I'm not in the Vanilla Wow camp who don't want flying mounts - I WANT my mounts to fly. People can port to other maps anyway so if you want to skip content that's not problem at all.

[zealex.9410]

How do you see them adding unlimited flight without making every non flying mount useless?

[MithranArkanere.8957]

Nothing really flies the way you think it does.

"Flight" is just falling slowly and missing the ground.

Because the game compresses the world of Tyria into maps that are smaller than the actual world, like a summary of a landscape, things are smaller in the game than they actually are in the lore version of the world of Tyria.
Walking from Divinity's Reach to LA takes less than an hour. Less than an hour. That distance is probably less than 1/128 of the circumference of Tyria. No freaking way it can take just 1 hour.
It's just that it'd be terribly boring to have a 1:1 model of the world, with mostly nothing going on in most of it.So the world is compressed with just the bits with stuff happening, and when skyscale touches land after what appears to be less than 500...1000 meters, that quite probably corresponds to more than 100 kilometers. And 100 kilometers is quite a distance to fly without resting, even for a magical dragon.

[Nokomis.5076]

@"echolynfan.2049" said:Jackal: My favorite mount! I love the way it looks: it's made up of falling sand how cool is that? It's really unique because it's the only mount capable of traversing the sand portals. I think improving it's ground speed would entice peple to use it more.

It is already the fastest mount on land: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Movement_Speed#Mounts

Still, it's my favourite as well and my default mount.

[echolynfan.2049]

@zealex.9410 said:How do you see them adding unlimited flight without making every non flying mount useless?

How often do you use the other mounts now? Tell me you don't use the Skyscale all the time.

[derd.6413]

@echolynfan.2049 said:

@zealex.9410 said:How do you see them adding unlimited flight without making every non flying mount useless?

How often do you use the other mounts now? Tell me you don't use the Skyscale all the time.

no because the skyscale isn't an unlimited flying mount. (the unlimited is very important)

[echolynfan.2049]

@Nokomis.5076 said:

@"echolynfan.2049" said:

Jackal:

My favorite mount! I love the way it looks: it's made up of falling sand how cool is that? It's really unique because it's the only mount capable of traversing the sand portals. I think improving it's ground speed would entice peple to use it more.

It is already the fastest mount on land:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Movement_Speed#Mounts

Still, it's my favourite as well and my default mount.

Thanks for the info and the link! I had no idea the mount speeds were listed.

[Dante.1763]

@echolynfan.2049 said:

@zealex.9410 said:How do you see them adding unlimited flight without making every non flying mount useless?

How often do you use the other mounts now? Tell me you don't use the Skyscale all the time.

I dont. I use the Raptor or Jackal the most because they are so much faster.

Ive found myself using the Skyscale more to see if i can break out of maps than anything else..

[Ototo.3214]

Please refer to every other thread on this subject.

[waaghals.6124]

I want full flight but because of a different reason. I main chrono and it's isn't fun to go in combat anymore. So let me just fly and skip everything.

[Arzurag.7506]

Maybe they will add some maps in the future, that are very big with spaces where only flight is an option, along with a new mount that can only fly in these maps and hover in all others, or they could add such a mechanic to the existing two flying mounts.

[Yasi.9065]

@echolynfan.2049 said:

@zealex.9410 said:How do you see them adding unlimited flight without making every non flying mount useless?

How often do you use the other mounts now? Tell me you don't use the Skyscale all the time.

Why would I use a slow moving mount all the time? I use the skyscale only for those parts I have to climb that the springer cant reach.

[LucianDK.8615]

Freeflying is bad for the game, no contest.

I use skyscale most of the time, swapping to skimmer or rollerbeetle when needed.And for why? Its the sheer usefulness of being able to go up on demand that sells the skyscale for me. Dashing upwards to shoot over a ledge, or 'bunnyhopping' up a wall.

[castlemanic.3198]

@echolynfan.2049 said:How often do you use the other mounts now? Tell me you don't use the Skyscale all the time.

As someone who uses the skyscale almost exclusively, I don't think true flight is needed.

The skyscale is fine as is and, I'd argue, actually more fun than any form of true flight for the simple reason that the skyscale (and griffon for what it's worth) actually engage the player and make them think about the environment and how to interact with it. True flight doesn't do that. I've played a lot of games with verticality and while free flight is always fun in theory, gameplay-wise it never lives up to the hype for the simple fact that free flight isn't engaging. We already see what free 3-dimensional movement looks like in-game, underwater movement. And underwater movement (as is) isn't as engaging as anything you can do on a mount, yes even when compared to the skyscale. Because with the skyscale it's not (just) about the flight. You can climb things, find ledges to recharge on, and air dodge to higher areas or to just get to ledges you might have otherwised missed. Flying on a skyscale from a game mechanics perspective is fun. Griffons are similarly fun because of their mechanical complexity, trying to find the right ledge to start off on or even just using it as a general all terrain mount (like i used it before the skyscale came along) and then getting the most use out of it by gliding over long distances. The current griffon and skyscale ask you to engage with the environment in a way that most other flying mounts in games never will. and that's what makes them fun. that's what makes them interesting.

For those reasons, even if I almost exclusively use the skyscale, I feel that regardless of how frequently I use the other mounts, the current design should remain as is, and the frequency of use of the other mounts is inconsequential to the design of the skyscale and griffon and should not be used as a factor to include true flight (in fact, the infrequency of use of the other mounts might make for an argument to dial back the capabilities of the griffon and skyscale).

[Jzilla.5418]

Having just had my first try with a skyscale in the lws4 mission I have to say it was not fun at all.

in the start I had to collect 10 volatile magics, problem was I wasn't high enough at the start t reach them, and then I couldn't even get back on the ledge I jumped from. ended up go lower and lower trying to find another ledge, but nothing till the sea at the bottom and then no way back up.Once I got back I spent a lot of time trying to get used to it, but just felt clunky and a huge letdown of the expectations I had, which weren't that high to start with because I knew it couldn't really fly.

the next mission I had to take a skyscale halfway round the island to collect blood. I think it put my blood pressure well above the danger zone ;-)

I basically walked most of the way on it, avoiding any combat, because if I got off it disappeared since it was only borrowed.

as far as usefulness I rank it only slightly higher than a high vault springer and advanced gliding and a damn sight more annoying to use

giving it real flying would make it worth the hassle of getting.

An easy way to stop people from skipping new content is to grant a flying stamina buff for each zone you have 100% completion on.

not to mention you actually have to have a skyscale in the first place, it's not like brand new players are going to be zooming around skipping everything and complaining there's nothing to do. There's a large amount of game playing and effort to even get the mount. Make full flying a top tier mastery and require 100% in a zone to use it.

This gives the best of both worlds, you cant skip new content/zones until you have fully experienced the entire zone and once you have fully enjoyed all the content you can fly over it next time if you wish.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

Except then, no one helps the new players that can't skip the content. If the mount-owners are flying high over all content, how would they ever see someone in need?

I agree with the poster above that comments on the fun of interaction with the environment. Also, that's why the Devs have created the Mounts in the current manner; so we will interact with all their hard work.

The Skyscale is fine just as is (for me).

[Sobx.1758]

@"echolynfan.2049" said:Skycale: Grant full flight without having to land to recharge. ELIMINATE that stupid kung-fu never-let-go-grip. Keep the ability to hover.

no

Griffin: Grant full flight - no hovering but add superspeed much like the beetle but without having to dive first.

no

Roller Beetle: Keep everything the same except perhaps improve the high speed control.

Not needed, 'l2p issue'

Jackal: My favorite mount! I love the way it looks: it's made up of falling sand how cool is that? It's really unique because it's the only mount capable of traversing the sand portals. I think improving it's ground speed would entice peple to use it more.

Not needed, would make it a direct upgrade over raptor

Skimmer: No need really to change this one

.

Springer: Other than being a cute little bunny this mount's usefulness has been nerfed since the Skyscale came out. I would give it "jackrabbit" speed and double the jump height to make it more attractive.

True that its usefulness fell off after skyscale release, but it's still a faster 'hill climber'.

Raptor: A great mount that doesn't need to be changed.

.

---

tldr: no.

[Cristian A.7095]

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Skycale:

Grant full flight without having to land to recharge. ELIMINATE that stupid kung-fu never-let-go-grip. Keep the ability to hover.

noNo reason? Then yes.

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Griffin:

Grant full flight - no hovering but add superspeed much like the beetle but without having to dive first.

noSame as above - yes.

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Jackal:

My favorite mount! I love the way it looks: it's made up of falling sand how cool is that? It's really unique because it's the only mount capable of traversing the sand portals. I think improving it's ground speed would entice peple to use it more.

Not needed, would make it a direct upgrade over raptorPlaying the game is also not needed, so why do you play it? And what is the problem with being a direct upgrade over the raptor (which it wouldn't really be, raptors can jump over ravines easier than jackals, due to their slight altitude increase) ?

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Springer:

Other than being a cute little bunny this mount's usefulness has been nerfed since the Skyscale came out. I would give it "jackrabbit" speed and double the jump height to make it more attractive.

True that its usefulness fell off after skyscale release, but it's still a faster 'hill climber'.He didn't say the springer is not the faster hill climber, he said to buff it.

@Sobx.1758 said:tldr: no.Actually yes.

[Ayakaru.6583]

Because flying ruined WoW and we don't want to ruin GW2. This topic has been answered countless of times, no need to reopen this wound every two weeks

[Josiah.2967]

I run into invisible walls enough out of nowhere.... Full flight would just make that 10x worse.

[Sobx.1758]

@Cristian A.7095 said:

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Skycale:

Grant full flight without having to land to recharge. ELIMINATE that stupid kung-fu never-let-go-grip. Keep the ability to hover.

noNo reason? Then yes.

My reasoning here is as "good" as his (which is "none", to make it absolutely clear). So still no.

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Griffin:

Grant full flight - no hovering but add superspeed much like the beetle but without having to dive first.

noSame as above - yes.

Same as above -still no.

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Jackal:

My favorite mount! I love the way it looks: it's made up of falling sand how cool is that? It's really unique because it's the only mount capable of traversing the sand portals. I think improving it's ground speed would entice peple to use it more.

Not needed, would make it a direct upgrade over raptorPlaying the game is also not needed, so why do you play it? And what is the problem with being a direct upgrade over the raptor (which it wouldn't really be, raptors can jump over ravines easier than jackals, due to their slight altitude increase) ?

See, this time I gave you the reasoning and all you came up with is... this? "you don't need to play the game"? It's not even relevant to what I wrote in the slightest. I guess you just want to find someone to argue with despite having nothing to say. :+1:What is wrong with it? The fact that they're not making other mounts worthless by releasing new ones. Because making each mount unique and useful in it's own way is a great concept and it should definitely stay this way.

@Sobx.1758 said:

@echolynfan.2049 said:

Springer:

Other than being a cute little bunny this mount's usefulness has been nerfed since the Skyscale came out. I would give it "jackrabbit" speed and double the jump height to make it more attractive.

True that its usefulness fell off after skyscale release, but it's still a faster 'hill climber'.He didn't say the springer is not the faster hill climber, he said to buff it.

And I said there's no need to, because it's still useful. What's your point here?

@Sobx.1758 said:tldr: no.Actually yes.

Nah, still definitely not. But great non-constructive necroing for your first post. Welcome, I guess. :lol: