Breakfast Topic: How is vehicle combat treating you?
by Lesley Smith 
May 18th 2009 at 8:00AM
I've done my time in Wintergrasp and I love it, especially when you can hitch a ride and let someone else do all the shooting (/joke). However I've always found the targeting system a little awkward. The vehicle interface in general feels clunky -- particularly when you're doing certain quests. Wintergrasp is bearable, but boss combat means you have to be more on your toes, especially when it's a team effort between the people driving and those who are unleashing hell upon Flame Leviathan and its minions.
So I'm quite curious to know what you guys think of the use of vehicles in WoW. Do you like the interface? Is there enough variety? How do you find using them in PvE combat in Ulduar? What about Wintergrasp? Do you wish we could have those flying vehicles mentioned way back at the WWI? Drop your comments in the box and cast your vote in our poll below.
Filed under: Patches, Breakfast topics, Expansions
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Oink May 18th 2009 8:05AM
Its got better in 3.1 imo. The oculus and mally fight are so darn clunky!
Stormscape May 18th 2009 10:34AM
I really like the vehicle combat, even Occulus.
IMO the thing I didn't like about Occ, the thing that make it clunky is the drakes' abilities, not the mechanic itself.
(Honestly, if you can't handle three-dimensional combat, you suck. Although, I will admit that blizz needs to put a little more polish on the way areal mobs position themselves during combat.)
The drakes' abilities were numerically sensible but just not that fun. The green drake was was the best of the three but even it was only okay, not good.
Other vehicle stuff is totally awesome. I'm a big fan of the argent tournament for one. The change of pace is really fun (and the music is completely awesome).
The quests in Storm Peaks where your ride this or that protodrake are really fun (like the one where you rescue npcs from the Sons of Hodir, that was awesome, or Drakkensyrd which isn't technically a vehicle quest, but is still the coolest thing ever.)
Honestly, vehicles are a great addition to the game. This is a GAME. I think the people who say they want the game to only ever be about using their own class abilities, are nuts.
Anyone remember the Netherwing races back in BC? The mathlete keyboard-turners probably hated that too, but I thought it was the best thing blizzard had done up to that point in WoW.
Diversity in game-play! Yeah!
;P
vinniedcleaner May 18th 2009 7:59PM
I just wish they would fix the Argent Tournament mount interface so I can actually do the quests. Those are the only vehicle types that I have problems with the actions not working properly.
Wyred May 19th 2009 5:24AM
@stormscape. Thanks for reminding me of that, I need to go back and complete that final race, never did get it done.
@Vinnie. Second that, especially in the respawn/aggro randomness hell that is the battle for the citadel. Got my crusader title, stopped doing those q's. Sod the mounts, not worth it
Matchu May 18th 2009 8:07AM
The only major gripe I have with combat vehicles, particularly Ulduar ones, is spinning. I'm generally the pasxenger in a siege vehicle; if the driver moves maybe 5 degrees, my aiming seems to get thrown around about 180 meaning I then have to self-correct.
Not that bad, but when the driver's doing turns through the towers and I'm having to correct my gun every 3 seconds it's annoyingly stressful.
Apart from that, I quote like the vehicles though the whole gauntlet is becoming a bit tedious on the 4th time.
We got Flame Levi down to 4% on our first attempt, which we were pretty pleased at (zomg casual guild). Make sure you've got awesome communication going on between the person being chased, the person interrupting, the people in bikes and the people killing the turrets.
Boydboyd May 18th 2009 9:31AM
To combat the problem you've mentioned:
I use my mouse for targeting when in a vehicle, meaning I click-and-hold my right mouse button which in turn moves my targeting reticule to wherever I want it to be.
Regardless of the driver, so long as I'm moving around my sights and aiming, his actions have no effect. Just use your left hand for your vehicles abilities (the hotkeys), and you're golden.
Problem solved! (until people reply beneath me debunking my solution)
Montas May 18th 2009 10:02AM
there are some problems with aiming even with your tactics (i use it too :))
when you target and vehicle rotates your pointer moves too, so you have to compensate rotation with mouse... if you have eager driver (like i do) you need to be careful not to pull boss by accident etc...
also there is problem with shooting on slopes. havent figured that one out yen tho :(
Gzuss May 18th 2009 8:08AM
It's not great and it's not bad, but it sure beats the hell out of the 3rd phase of maly + FL is a loot pinata :P
Maxim May 18th 2009 8:13AM
I don't know if many people know this, but the targeting system is REALLY easy after the first time you discover it. This is especially if you use keybindings and you mouse turn while playing your character.
All you do to move your targeting reticule around is use the right mouse button. If you're driving the vehicle, you can still use WASD, using (again), the mouse to turn. I don't feel it's clunky at all, and in fact, quite the opposite.
If you haven't been using the RMB, I'd suggest you get some practice with it at the argent tournament dailies.
Kirathe May 18th 2009 5:23PM
Well, maybe I am just a twitchy player, but I play in the way described (keybinds with the left hand and mouse movements with the right) and I still find targetting to be difficult; on larger targets, no problem, but my reticule seems to jerk around a lot, making it hard to hit small, distant targets like the pyrite balloons.
rosencratz May 18th 2009 8:16AM
Hah. Six options out of seven aimed negatively towards vehicles? Surely you don't need to try and fix the results that badly?
Flame leviathan is easy, getting folks to actively use and restock pyrite is the only problem I ever see.
I voted that I loved it because an option to like it without preffering other things wasn't available.
Zeplar May 18th 2009 9:53AM
I KNOW! I've taken to being passenger because I am the ONLY one who shoots down pyrite (other people are like "duhh how does I pick up) and then my driver of course proceeds not to use it.
Guys, each vehicle has like 3 abilities. You have to learn more new abilities than that when you change talents.
miyazana May 18th 2009 8:17AM
My biggest complaint with the vehicles in Ulduar is that it just takes so damn long to get to FL. Right now we have FL pretty much on farm status, but it takes so long to get to him in those slow vehicles. Im looking forward to being able to leave up all the towers, just so we wont have to drive around for too long before going to the boss.
Vehicles for bosses is great.
Vehicles for trash just makes trash that much more annoying.
Anuine May 18th 2009 8:52AM
Same here.
It was fun the 2 or 3 first times, now it's just painful. Having to spend 10-15 min on this (usually, there is always a moron to do something stupid enough making everybody lose 10 more minutes, so that's more something like 30 min lost on this) is just a painful waste of time.
But well, that was fun at the very beginning, so let's say that it was done the right way.
pants May 18th 2009 7:52PM
You know, you can actually skip going to any of the towers and still kill him on easy mode.
Instead of talking to the lore-keeper, talk to Brann to start the event, and it is automatically on easy mode, with no towers to worry about.
VaeVictis May 18th 2009 8:23AM
The vehicles are simple to use and aim with so long as you are not retarded. Like stated above use your damn mouse just hold down the right mouse button and low and behold the target reticle moves or stays in the same spot as your cursor! AMAZING!
The fight couldnt be easier either, when he chases you move in a straight line away as the bikes lay down tar and people light it on fire. Rinse, repeat, get epics!
This may be the most boring fight in the game. As a passenger you get to hit 12121212121212121 for about 10 minutes maybe 3 or 4 if you get targeted! ZOMG SO HARD NERF VEHICLES! Really if you cant do this boss World of My Little Pony Craft may be better for you.
Hal May 18th 2009 8:50AM
No no no, it's Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
MechChef May 18th 2009 9:05AM
Exactly. Vehicle combat is easy. Only slightly less easy than spamming ranged attacks. It's like, "OMG, I have to aim!!" I see it as one of the few skill-based abilities in this game.
Hansbo May 18th 2009 9:33AM
No, what's really dull is playing a chopper. You do realize that ignited tar barely deals damage at all, compared to pyrite stacks?
When we did the 3 tower achievement in 10-man, I tried to put out tar in good places every cooldown. I managed to get .5% of the dps. Ka-ching.
I find it better for the group to just run around, avoiding the orbital defense systems and minding my own business so I have a bigger chance to survive for more pick-ups. Mind-numbing though.
On topic, I rather like the vehicular combat as a good break from the monotony. It's a nice, relaxed way of starting the raid. What I don't like is how easy it is, even on hard mode it feels like its more RNG than actual skill.
Zeplar May 18th 2009 9:56AM
If you know people who have trouble with this fight, check first if they're keyboard turning. When you only have a couple abilities to press there is really no excuse not to mouse turn.