D.R.I.V.E. May Be The Final Piece For Truly Spectacular WoW Zones

D.R.I.V.E. may be the last piece of the puzzle for truly dynamic WoW zones. Historically, WoW zones have been designed with a particular mode of transportation in mind. With both modes of travel finally having updated mechanics, now is the perfect time to begin a zone philosophy that could see more dynamic creations which could function perfectly well both in the air and on the ground.

What Is D.R.I.V.E.

Travel With Style

D.R.I.V.E. is an upcoming Undermined update feature which will be coming in 11.1 along with new raids and dungeons. Players will receive a customizable mount that can be augmented in a variety of ways, many of which are more commonly seen in driving games like Forza or Gran Turismo. This includes features such as drift, acceleration, and speed, with the mount itself already shown to be one of the fastest ever modes of travel in World of Warcraft.

Currently, D.R.I.V.E. is slated to only be used in the upcoming Undermined patch. However, as seen with Dragonriding, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the mechanic is eventually broken out of its exclusivity. Dragonriding, which began as a unique Dragonflight feature, was eventually expanded to all of Azeroth with its new Skyriding moniker. D.R.I.V.E. could certainly follow suit, expanding into existing and future zones gradually.

WoW Zones Have Lost A Sense Of Connectedness With Skyriding

Ground Mounts Have Been Made Useless

WoW zones have typically been designed around a singular mode of travel. Starting with Warlords of Draenor, flying was made to be exceedingly difficult to unlock, a choice made because of the zones being designed around ground mounts. In Dragonflight, this philosophy shifted with Skyriding's introduction, creating highly vertical zones perfect for flying mounts.

With The War Within carrying on with this choice, there has been a marked decline in zone cohesion. The speed at which players move now has limited ground travel, making it a feature only really used while actively questing in an area. The zones have more of a theme park feel now, wherein players drop into a themed sub-area, quest, and then depart to the next. Compare this to something like the Barrens, a massive plain where traveling along the Gold Road was essential for avoiding roaming enemies and threats.

The success of Skyriding can be seen with the popularity of the WoW expansions centered around it. Skyriding has massively increased the scale and detail of zones. However, many areas within modern WoW zones are completely inaccessible from the ground, which has completely removed any focus on ground travel from the game. In Legion, the climb up Highmountain was one of the most immersive walks in WoW, featuring climbing ropes and a winding path, and was rewarded with a vista of the entire continent, a journey which can no longer exist within WoW.

How D.R.I.V.E. Could Work Together With Skyriding

Bring Immersion Back To Travel

D.R.I.V.E. could provide a solution to this problem. Skyriding, as a mechanic, has fundamentally modernized WoW zones, and while the loss of cohesion was felt, it was far outweighed by the creative possibilities of verticality. However, with D.R.I.V.E., which will perhaps be just as fun to use as Skyriding, there's no reason why future zones cannot capture both fantasies.

Just as some areas are inaccessible with ground mounts, D.R.I.V.E. could be used within areas that are made inaccessible to flying. The theme park sub-zones could once again be connected via roads and trails, which could perhaps be faster to traverse on the ground in some cases. A dynamic link of sky and ground routes could be combined to create more fluid transitions between zones and sub-zones, which can now be done without sacrificing the newfound scale of modern zones.

With The War Within shaping up to be a stellar expansion, D.R.I.V.E. may be a long-lasting remnant of that success. That small decision – should I fly or drive to my destination – is a choice that would reward familiarity and knowledge of the world. All in all, it would be a victory for immersion, and could help create a level of dynamic zone design that has never been seen in World of Warcraft zones.