
Many of the game mechanics in WoW have improved over time. Some of them we received word of in patch notes. But I can't seem for the life of me remember when my Felguard began to swim.
It's a simple thing, but to me it makes all the difference considering the amount of time I've spent in lakes farming water motes. I've racked my brain, but I come up empty when I try to find that exact moment when instead of sliding clumsily through the water in standing animation he began to frog his way through the water. When did he have time to take lessons? Is there some demon water training course he took while I was summoning succubae to assist me in Shadow Labs? The same could be said of the water elementals in various oceans and lakes around the game. When exactly did they spring to life instead of traveling woodenly around their watery homes?
I am often struck by the subtle changes made to the game without announcement or fan fair. The added artwork that began to decorate walls around Stormwind sometime last year is a good example, or the addition of supplementary items strewn in front of Darnassus. It's the details that count, that add atmosphere and story to the environments we play in. Have you noticed any subtle changes to the game?




















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-11-2007 @ 11:08AM
Ahoni said...
Not sure when they were added, but I love the footprints in sand/snow. I remember the first time I noticed them in Tanaris, and I still think today they are one of the coolest little details I've seen.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:16AM
Galipan said...
I had the same reaction when my wind serpent started swimming and no longer "flying" underwater, it makes the game more pleasant.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:20AM
Mike H said...
One of the last few patches the Priest move Levitate was changed so when you stood still you hovered with your feet pointing down, instead of just standing there. I don't remember seeing it in the patch notes but I was please to see they took the time.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:24AM
James said...
If it helps, it was recent, I think around patch 2.1 or later. My ravager pet went from walking under water to swimming.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:24AM
Lunada said...
I remember when the graphics of moonfire were improved, i shot it for the first time after the impovement in tanaris....however when i noticed it and told my non-druid friends they shruged it off having never noticed such details, but i suppose that was to be expected for i dont think i would have noticed graphical improvements to a warriors abilities
=P
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:30AM
Tinwhisker said...
I'm fairly certain my boar still doesn't swim... oh well.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:33AM
Paw said...
Boars....Easily the lamest non-swimming-animation-having pet lack-of-swimming-animation. It's like towing a big, hairy piggy bank behind you in the water. Maybe boars have water jet propulsion?
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:35AM
Ahoni said...
"Maybe boars have water jet propulsion?"
Really don't want to think about how ... really, please ... don't go there!
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:38AM
Tinwhisker said...
Actually, I think boars would be hard to animate swimming (short legs, stocky bodies).
But I think it would be kinda' cool if they 'kicked' all four legs together at once to swim. Seems to me that would be pretty cute and unique.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:48AM
BiggusGeekus said...
Yes!
The Westfall inn is being repaired! Slowly but surely it is being fixed. When I started the game the roof was practically missing. Now it is all but fixed.
I'm wondering what's going to happen when the inn is complete.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:50AM
Zechs said...
It was in one of the latest patches, can't remember the number exactly but should have been the flying factions 2.1.1 one.
How impressively ignorant are the warlock's reviewer on this site!
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 11:59AM
cggrubb said...
This is something I literally noticed last night on my hunter. My kitty looked like it was about to go back in time with the dash + swimming animation.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 12:03PM
Aldrel said...
fanfare
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fanfare
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 12:07PM
cynmoon said...
They still haven't quite perfected the felguard swimming, I think. When I send him to attack an enemy on land from the water, and he uses intercept, it looks like he's flying once he's out of the water.
It's only for a second, and obviously the enemy has to be close enough to the waters edge so that my felguard isn't walking yet, but it's still funny to see my felguard flying tackle and enemy, lol.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 12:22PM
jcgooch said...
It was patch 2.1. I remember it specifically, because I had been farming motes of water prior to that in the formerly empty Skettis zone. The day of the patch, I went up to do the same expecting it to be overrun, and noticed almost immediately that ol' Thoodie was actually swimming.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 12:45PM
Levi said...
When will Gnomes take back their capital city, anyhow? A bunch of 30 elites should be no problem for 70 warriors and mages and warlocks and rogues... I'm sure they could bring along some dwarf friends to heal...
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 12:58PM
Kingfox said...
The day my baby murloc started swimming was a joyous day for me. The fact that a murloc pet of all things couldn't swim was boggling.
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 1:02PM
Jason said...
I can't recall any minor changes like that, but the other day I ran headfirst into a rather major one.
I was running my mid 50s hunter through WPL into EPL using the tunnel that cuts through almost to the front entrance of Stratholme. My lovely tunnel had become full of Nerubians! I was upset :(
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 2:07PM
Corrodias said...
My mistake. wowwiki actually DOES have a list.
http://www.wowwiki.com/Daily_Quests
Reply
7-11-2007 @ 2:07PM
Corrodias said...
I'm sorry, i seem to have posted in the wrong article. Disregard that last comment.
Reply