Suggestion: How to Implement Flight in 2.x Areas Without Delaying Expansion

[EveK]

At PAX East, the answer regarding implementing flight in A Realm Reborn areas was that doing it in the short term would likely delay the 4.0 release since we'd have to model terrain that we can't see from the ground but would be able to see were we able to freely fly.

Why not just put flight boundaries such that we still can't get to the "wrong" side of such scenery? We already hit invisible walls when we try to fly too far in Heavensward areas. Just put those boundaries a bit closer as needed in ARR areas.

[Lemuria]

Wouldn't work. Simply by being able to fly upwards would give you a perspective that you wouldn't be able to get otherwise, meaning you would be able to see over existing terrain and into the void beyond. If they were to put in such flight boundaries, it would be so restrictive that it would defeat the purpose of giving you flight to begin with.

[Felis]

It can work if we can't fly higher than head height (just to have the increased speed)

[Rakiria]

It can work if we can't fly higher than head height

It can't be that hard to be a little slower. Those areas are not made for flying and being a little slower won't kill anybody.

[Phireblast]

ITT: People talking as if they're game designers.

[Ashkendor]

ITT: People talking as if they're game designers.

You don't have to be a game designer to know why flying would be a pain to implement in 2.x zones.

You just have to have an appreciation for going out of bounds in those areas. :3

[Airget]

Ya, 2.X zones were designed only with X/Y in mind. 3.0 zones, wide and open are designed with X/Y/Z in mind. Adding that extra dimension takes more work that just saying "Oh I'll just allow players to manipulate their Z positions".

Placing boundaries in the older zones isn't as easy as say putting Cheese on your sandwich because you decided you wanted to add it to your ham sandwich. It's more like Making a pizza and realizing you forgot to put the yeast in the dough. You can't really use that dough to make a pizza now, you have to start from scratch. While you might have the core ingredients on hand still, you still in a sense have to start back at square one in order to properly make flying zones.

[Jynx]

Why not just put flight boundaries such that we still can't get to the "wrong" side of such scenery?

Because the direction of "Up" is part of that whole "Wrong side" thing.

[Canadane]

I'm actually fine with a delayed expansion if they want to include this in 2.0 areas.
I mean, yes, expansions are fun to have and give you more features than a patch update, but if it's an option, I can go a few months longer without needing to dish out an extra $20 for the next expansion in order to have HW more complete.

[DWolfwood]

Like everyone is saying, this wouldn't work. However, I do think we should keep asking for it. I don't think it would cost us much in terms of what we'd be sacrificing to receive it.