To Protect Our Children...

If you haven't heard about the new mount and travel changes, well here you go. I'll list some of the changes then I'll discuss my thoughts on the matter. Also sorry about the flier, but there isn't any punch and pie.

• Apprentice Riding (Skill 75)
  60% land mount speed
  Requires level 20
  Cost: 4 gold
  Mount cost: 1 gold
  Mail will be sent to players at level 20 guiding them to the riding trainer


• Riding (Skill 150)
  100% land mount speed
  Requires level 40
  Cost: 50 gold
  Mount cost: 10 gold
  Mail will be sent to players at level 40 guiding them back to the riding trainer


• 150% flying mount speed; 60% land mount speed
  Requires level 60
  Cost: 600 gold (faction discounts now apply)
  Mount Cost: 50 gold
  Can now be learned in Honor Hold (Alliance) or Thrallmar (Horde)


• 280% flying mount speed; 100% land mount speed
  Requires level 70
  Cost: 5,000 gold (faction discounts now apply)
  Mount Cost: 100 gold


• A new zeppelin route is being added in Thunder Bluff and will transport players to Orgrimmar.


• Druid
  Travel Form: Requires level 16
  Flight Form: Requires level 60 (150% flight speed)
  Swift Flight Form: Requires level 70


• Hunter
  Aspect of the Cheetah: Requires level 16


• Shaman
  Ghost Wolf: Requires level 16


• Portals from Ogrimmar and Stormwind to the Dark Portal.

Ok now the zeplin between Ogrimmar and Thunder Bluff is nice, especially since Ally can all hub through Stormwind. Everything else I'm not too thrilled about. Was blizz really losing so many players between lvl20-30 that they needed to do that? Does it really take that long to level? I mean it only took me a week or so to get to lvl 40 on my last alt. And really?!? A portal from Stormwind and Ogrimmar to the Dark Portal. Was it really that hard to take the bird/zeplin?

Blizz really seems to be wanting to fast track any new player (possibly to replace the loss of players recently, summer and otherwise) but will they get the same experience that was originally meant. I mean one of the cool things was getting my first mount and realizing in the process how big Azeroth really is. In all seriousness, mark my words! This will only lead to obesity amongst our younger toons.

~Jack