Mounts: An Unintended Consequence

[PookieDaWombat.6209]

So, I was on a core Tyrian map late last night with all manner of newly mounted players around me. Some were obviously vets, and many were brand new players. While on the map an interesting conversation arose that got me thinking a bit more about one of the potential unintended consequences of adding mounts to the game (and more pointed allowing them on core Tyrian maps).

Two vet players were waxing poetic about how liberating it was to free their skill bars and even trait lines of movement enhancements because they now had a mount to get them around, and while this is perfectly fine for PvE and does allow for some more freedom in build design, vet players that go into PvP and WvW still understand the value and even necessity to building with mobility in mind.

The problem here is that a large number of new players going right into PoF and maybe even finding and using new PvE builds that don't factor in character mobility will be at a huge disadvantage in PvP and WvW where they won't have their mount as a mobility crutch.

So I guess the question I pose is, how do we think this will affect those new players and their experience in those game types if they are the ones who jump in via PvE then branch out later to the other modes. What about fractals and dungeons?

[Game of Bones.8975]

How much are mounts going to be useful in PvP? Any action and you dismount. You can't mount in combat.I can see the issue of a person relying on mounts so much that they forget how to play without them. That's the same issue of individuals playing the same build and not expanding or exploring new options. "I always use GS with my Necro, so why would I want to use a staff, or axe, or dagger ..."I don't play PvP so I'm just speculating that they won't be used much at all.

[Zoltreez.6435]

1 your over thinking it2 in all those group contents your teamates will provide you with swiftness etc so not much of an issue3 they should and im sure they will implement mounts in WvW sooner or later....

[Lonecap.4105]

That's fine. They will go into WvW and PvP and get stomped. Then as they learn, they will see they made an error in underestimating mobility in WvW and PvP.

[PookieDaWombat.6209]

Mounts would completely break WvW as they currently work, so no, they should never be implemented in to WvW. Ever. In a game mode that requires wall breaching and more than one mount able to ignore those obstacles its fairly clear that this will never happen.

Furthermore, if you're going into WvW or PvP with no mobility skills/traits of your own and are running with a group, you're going to be a detriment to the group. You need ways to disengage and move faster on your own should you get put into combat or just lag behind the ones giving it out to the team.

[Zoltreez.6435]

@ProverbsofHell.2307 said:That's fine. They will go into WvW and PvP and get stomped. Then as they learn, they will see they made an error in underestimating mobility in WvW and PvP.

except if they play a Necro.... because then nothing will change for them...... you cant get more of something that does not exist :P

[PookieDaWombat.6209]

@ProverbsofHell.2307 said:That's fine. They will go into WvW and PvP and get stomped. Then as they learn, they will see they made an error in underestimating mobility in WvW and PvP.

Will they or will they go onto the forums and create an unending string of posts about the people they can't escape from/chase? Its no stretch to say that mounts have negated build craft that incorporates mobility in many ways. I just wonder how adverse of an effect it will be for new players that get used to it.

[Vandril.3490]

It'll be no worse than new players not realizing the all but necessity in PvP that is a condition cleanse utility. You can go through all of the open world without a single condition cleanse ability - I've done it - so they won't build for PvP with that in mind either.

So, what'll happen? They'll lose.

Then players that persevere will change their builds (with or without doing research first) to better compete in a PvP environment. They will repeat this until they find a build they're comfortable with.

Alternatively, players that won't persevere will just not PvP, considering that it's just not for them. Which is true if you don't want to learn to play it.

In short: nothing changes. PvP has a learning curve with or without mounts. Even if you removed the need for condition cleanse, it'd still have a very steep, front-loaded learning curve.

[PookieDaWombat.6209]

@Zoltreez.6435 said:

@ProverbsofHell.2307 said:That's fine. They will go into WvW and PvP and get stomped. Then as they learn, they will see they made an error in underestimating mobility in WvW and PvP.

except if they play a Necro.... because then nothing will change for them...... you cant get more of something that does not exist :P

Are you saying necro lacks speed/mobility?

[Zoltreez.6435]

@PookieDaWombat.6209 said:

@ProverbsofHell.2307 said:That's fine. They will go into WvW and PvP and get stomped. Then as they learn, they will see they made an error in underestimating mobility in WvW and PvP.

Will they or will they go onto the forums and create an unending string of posts about the people they can't escape from/chase? Its no stretch to say that mounts have negated build craft that incorporates mobility in many ways. I just wonder how adverse of an effect it will be for new players that get used to it.

and the point ? you cant realy chase or escape a thief either way....................... and when not with a group thats what they will meet the most out in the open far from friendlies.......

game is too broken nowdays to care about small stuff like this realy...............

[Disig.7169]

There are always going to be unintended consequences to everything. I think new players are going to have to learn from others in PvP and WvW. There are plenty of well explained builds online. They just need to be pointed in the right direction.