Will EoD maps be designed with mounts in mind?

[Aodlop.1907]

Now I'm curious. I wonder if new players will be able to jump straight into EoD or if they'll have to get some mounts first. 

Do you think we'll go back to a more boring type of map layout just so that players that haven't played PoF aren't prevented from progressing through the new expansion?

[Farohna.6247]

Guessing it will be much like Icebrood Saga in that regard.  For example, Drizzlewood is easier with mounts but you can definitely do it on foot (bouncing mushrooms, gliding, etc).  

[Ayrilana.1396]

They’ll likely be built with mounts in mind but mounts won’t be required. Kind of like how PoF maps were built with gliding in mind but gliding wasn’t a requirement. 

[TheGrimm.5624]

As far as guesses go , I would think they will be coming up with new movement styles with the expansion since that has been a trend. Even without that I would hope they are creating means to both incorporate mounts, gliding and other living world styles in the new expansion so that those options retain value and enhance anything new they come up with. 

[AgentMoore.9453]

Pretty much echoing what others have said in terms of there being multiple ways of getting around EoD (plus anything new they might add). Still, I wouldn't be surprised to see some chests or mastery points or other extras tucked away in mount-accessible locations (Beetle walls, Jackal portals, bunny-up cliffs, Skyscale paths, mount races). If by some twist of circumstance a person makes it to EoD without mounts, they'll be fine and most likely people will help each other get to mount-only extras if there are any.

[Malitias.8453]

If just the main storys path doesn't require any previous masteries, I'm ok with it, but I don't want them to restrict the creativity of a level designer by not allowing them to create paths that do require mounts, gliding, etc.
I think playing the game at least somewhat chronologically is not too much to ask.

[radda.8920]

During EoD, I would like mounts to be banned in lots of places, it kills all the interest of exploration.

I miss the time when there were lots of very long jumping puzzles to do, now everything is done in 30 seconds with the skyscale/raptor/roller beetle .

HOT was the best memory I have had while exploring, getting lost all over the place and having to search to find your way back, it was really pleasant.

I imagined a kaineng with lots of labyrinths in the slums or full of  Kurzick cathedrals that we would have to climb ....but with the mounts, all the interest of the areas will be destroyed

Edited May 26, 2021 by radda.8920

[Eraden.8740]

Mounts are banned in areas with jumping puzzles. I don't think mounts will cause problems for the new content.

[radda.8920]

37 minutes ago, Eraden.8740 said:

Mounts are banned in areas with jumping puzzles. I don't think mounts will cause problems for the new content.

 

You can already see it on HOT, the exploration side has completely disappeared with the mounts.

What we took pleasure to discover for hours  during  the realease  of this expansion, is done in a few minutes now ...

[Eraden.8740]

I don't think the developers meant for basic exploration to be incredibly difficult or time consuming. Mapping out zones is fairly basic level content. For me, even with having a skyscale, exploring zones is still fun, albeit somewhat faster than without a mount. The REAL challenges are still the jumping puzzles and those are STILL locked from being accessed with mounts.

[radda.8920]

12 minutes ago, Eraden.8740 said:

I don't think the developers meant for basic exploration to be incredibly difficult or time consuming. Mapping out zones is fairly basic level content. For me, even with having a skyscale, exploring zones is still fun, albeit somewhat faster than without a mount. The REAL challenges are still the jumping puzzles and those are STILL locked from being accessed with mounts.

the one who took care of the jumping puzzle (at least the most successful ) was fired after path of fire so anyway, we are no longer likely to see a lot of them during EoD (like in the saga).

I was talking more about basic exploration like to climb mountains, buildings, cathedrals, going down into basements/ underground areas ...with the skyscale it is done in a few seconds whereas before it could take long moments of reflection. Which for me makes exploration meaningful.

Edited May 26, 2021 by radda.8920

[Poormany.4507]

Based on the concept art scales so far, it looks like mounts will likely range from helpful to necessary in a lot of areas, unless some kind of climbing/wall scaling/high jumping mastery is introduced. As for exploration, I think making mounts optional would let players who want to explore more do so, while letting others who do not care as much go at a faster pace.

Edited May 27, 2021 by Poormany.4507

[Akari Storm.6809]

1 hour ago, radda.8920 said:

with the skyscale it is done in a few seconds whereas before it could take long moments of reflection. Which for me makes exploration meaningful.

Hope this doesn't come off as mean as that is not my intention, don't use the skyscale then?  I think it's that simple.  If this is a you thing...you have the option to make things harder if you want, why do you need the game to put restrictions on you if can do it yourself? 

 

People do it all the time in a multitude of areas...like for example, running raids in green or blue gear on purpose to increase difficulty.  There's probably even folks who already specifically don't use mounts when exploring.  That goes for every game that has them by the way, well...for the most part.

 

 

[radda.8920]

26 minutes ago, Akari Storm.6809 said:

Hope this doesn't come off as mean as that is not my intention, don't use the skyscale then?  I think it's that simple.  If this is a you thing...you have the option to make things harder if you want, why do you need the game to put restrictions on you if can do it yourself? 

 

People do it all the time in a multitude of areas...like for example, running raids in green or blue gear on purpose to increase difficulty.  There's probably even folks who already specifically don't use mounts when exploring.  That goes for every game that has them by the way, well...for the most part.

 

 

 

 

Because the maps are mainly designed to be explorable with the current mounts.

At least that was the case for path of fire. There was almost no notion of exploration in these maps. The environments might be gigantic, it had absolutely nothing to do with the shape of the maps of HOT...

In addition, all the metas / events are finished very quickly as people come in mounts at full speed on them. So in fact all the mechanics of the game push you to use them. It's the spirit of the game before the mounts that I miss, it's not by forcing myself not to use them that it will change anything .

I guess in EoD a lot of structures will be impassable without using mounts.

 

But that's absolutely not a complaint. The mounts are really great in this game. I just find that it drastically detracted from the feeling of exploration. It's just my opinion, I don't impose it: p

Edited May 27, 2021 by radda.8920

[Malitias.8453]

@Akari Storm.6809Self-imposed challanges/restrictions don't convey the same feeling.
There's a satisfaction in using everything at your disposal to overcome a challenge presented by the environment, you can't recreate with self-imposed restrictions.

[Incar.7358]

Perfectly understand the desire to explore the way you're saying, I get that in many games, it's amazing when you find something you weren't expecting and the satisfaction of simply having done it always hits me, but that is a you thing here. Not everyone feels that way.
I've done map complete a dozen or so times, with and without mounts - no desire to do that again without mounts. I've seen what the world has to offer. I don't mind a first go through on something to be 'vanilla', especially a new area, it's a thrill to do that... but once you're doing it (as is my case) because of your compulsion to have it done on every character, then the charm is quickly gone.
Also, many others will be doing it simply because they wish to have the rewards, such as for legendary crafting. Stopping to smell the roses isn't high on many people's lists.
Don't get me wrong though, the mood sometimes takes me, but I'd still rather have mounts wherever I want to go.

Edited May 27, 2021 by Incar.7358

[Rukia.4802]

I can't say I miss the game without mounts, they have drastically improved the experience. GW2 maps are usually pretty big and vertical so it can be frustrating without them. I absolutely did not enjoy doing world completion when the game was new but I would have if there were mounts, so the whole exploration thing doesn't really click with me. A lot of it was just confusing crap I had to google anyway, imagine if I had a springer or whatever..

 

I usually love exploration, I play a lot of elder scrolls games and such. But ANet doesn't rly do exploration, they do endless puzzles. Its fine once in a while, but kitten bruh..

[Andy.5981]

Personally I hope they give us a Kirin, and all the other mounts are banned from use. Everyone starts from the same point.

[Blur.3465]

What I really hope for most is just areas to be huge, with lots of secrets to discover, lore, depth...and not cluttered with mobs or heart objectives.  🙂

[Faridah.8431]

17 hours ago, Eraden.8740 said:

Mounts are banned in areas with jumping puzzles. I don't think mounts will cause problems for the new content.

Could kill the feeling of Kaineng City if that ends up in the expansion. Definitely a way different environment from PoF/HoT maps. Depending on how they design it, would definitely not be the kinda place I'd want to use mounts. But I guess those that hated it from GW1 would love mounts here. 😜

Edited May 27, 2021 by Faridah.8431

[Tyncale.1629]

I've only really started exploring HoT once we got mounts. Before that I did not like to walk around there one bit. Now I am enjoying it very much, playing more  in HoT then ever.  I had actually done map completion and all HoT masteries before PoF so I guess I experienced it the way it was meant but I am sure enjoying HoT a lot more now.  I still like to use shrooms, gliding and even wallows, though I am using them less off course. 

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

The cheapest solution would definitely be: There are no mounts. You cannot use them because of reasons. We have seen this already in other areas. (e. g. temperatures are too low)

 

The biggest problem I see is mostly with the Skyscale, because it can bypass almost every obstacle-mechanic we have in the game, with little to no effort.

 

Let us assume they allow the other mounts and just block the skyscale. They could introduce an eye-of-sauron (LotR) feature, some magical barrier or a group of special trained bounty-hunters, to protect Cantha. Those 1-shot everything that slightly looks like a dragon. On second thought, this would block both the Skyscale and the Raptor ^^. 

 

Another possibility would be to increase the gravity in Cantha. This would also influence the Springer mount and prevent a lot of exploits.

 

They could also lower the gravity drastically or give us something aspect-crystal powers permanently. In that case, using a mount would slow us down. We have such a situation already in the ???? area in Jahai Bluffs. You can mount up, but most of them are not much of a help there.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dark Skeeve.2695]

I hope they take a hybrid approach.  Lock the use of previously acquired mounts temporarily behind a mastery wall.  This would allow for the joy of exploration when the content is new and then when the maps have been explored and the mastery wall has been met we could once again enjoy the convenience of mounts.

[kharmin.7683]

19 hours ago, radda.8920 said:

During EoD, I would like mounts to be banned in lots of places, it kills all the interest of exploration.

I miss the time when there were lots of very long jumping puzzles to do, now everything is done in 30 seconds with the skyscale/raptor/roller beetle .

HOT was the best memory I have had while exploring, getting lost all over the place and having to search to find your way back, it was really pleasant.

I imagined a kaineng with lots of labyrinths in the slums or full of  Kurzick cathedrals that we would have to climb ....but with the mounts, all the interest of the areas will be destroyed

There is nothing requiring you from not using mounts to complete this kind of content.  If you wish to explore without using mounts, you are more than free to do so.  You can also do jumping puzzles as intended.   There is no need to force your preferred play style on the rest of the player base.

[Lottie.5370]

7 minutes ago, kharmin.7683 said:

There is nothing requiring you from not using mounts to complete this kind of content.  If you wish to explore without using mounts, you are more than free to do so.  You can also do jumping puzzles as intended.   There is no need to force your preferred play style on the rest of the player base.

 

Exactly this. I don't understand people that have negative feelings towards people not playing or enjoying the game the same way they do.

 

Mounts do not kill exploration, if anything they allow you to explore more places - places you might not have been able to reach without them. I love seeing where I can get on a Skyscale and some of the views you can get that just aren't possible on foot.

 

I hope the expac has a mix of foot/mount/gliding stuff, but mostly I hope that it's easy to navigate - I enjoy maps with several layers and depths but not quite at TD level - when they're all overlapping it's a bit too much.