New zeppelin and portals coming in Patch 3.2
by Adam Holisky 
Jun 11th 2009 at 2:30PM
First, there will be a new zeppelin route between Thunder Bluff and Orgrimmar. We heard about this before, but now we know in what patch / context it will be released in.
Secondly, there will be portal in Stormwind and Orgrimmar leading directly to the Stair of Destiny at the Dark Portal. No more need to haul yourself out there at level 58. Just take a portal instead!
The portal in particular should help people level in Outland much easier. It should also help to significantly decrease the use of Hearthstones for traveling back and forth between Outland and Azeroth. Now you can fly to Shat in your 150% flying mount at 60, take a portal to Stormwind to train, and then portal right back to the entrance to Outland where you can hop on your flying mount again and return to grinding levels. Very quick, very easy, very smooth.
Filed under: News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
FifthDream Jun 11th 2009 2:36PM
"Zeplins"?
Wolftech Jun 11th 2009 3:10PM
But will they be made of "Led"?
Squidbeard Jun 15th 2009 3:26AM
I agree with Ayajulia, The journey to the Dark Portal should always be one of epic preportion, letting each character mark another stepping stone off along there adventure to 80.
I have to admit I started my main (Draenai Prot Warrior) back in BC, and have been partial to some of the overall questing/leveling nerfs that blizzard had started to imlpement. But i also first played wow and grinded levels back in Vanilla But this sort of change and the reducion of mount levels really grinds my gears.
While i understand that blizzard are a company and need customers to make profit, and that the market is leaning toward lazy dumb people. The nerfs they are making and continue to make (excluding BOAs which i like) are turning the wow quesing experience which gives insight into how to play your class, lore, complexity, mechanics, and general skill of game, into a cheap ponny ride at the speed of sound where new players get everything thrown at them, and we the end game players who have played for some time, have to pick them up and teach them the more complex ideas of wow.
Its a similar reason as to why there are so many DUMB Death Knights who dont know what they are doing, and why there are so few who do, its called INEXPERIENCE. Now blizzard are applying it like a paint brush across every class.
And we are the ones that will have to deal with it
Pandalicious Jun 16th 2009 12:44PM
There is no longer anything "epic" about Outland. It is just another stop along the way to Northrend. The journey to Outland should be no more epic than the journey to Stormwind from Northshire. Imagine the disappointment of a noob when they first hit "epic" Outland only to find there are only 4 other people there. And one day, Northrend will be the same way. Such is the nature of an evolving MMO.
Xanwryn Jun 16th 2009 4:53PM
Meh, speak for yourself Pandalicious but I loved Outland more than shitty Northrend. Wrath of the Lich King (at least in my opinion) is overrated as Hell. Just my opinion and I know many don't agree, but I truly did prefer TBC over WotLK.
As for Dark Portals in Stormwind and Orgrimmar? Cool... I suppose. But since I love the Warcraft lore and am a role-player how the hell are they gonna retcon this into the storyline? I actually ENJOYED going to the Dark Portal at level 58, sure it's old now since WotLK is out but anyone who HAS NOT been to Outland before will probably be missing a lot (again, in my opinion).
I wouldn't mind this so much if you could only enter the SW and Org Portals once going through the one in the Blasted Lands at least once first. But that's just me and Blizzard are WAY too casual friendly now to ever think of the idea anyway.
oops Jun 11th 2009 2:37PM
I honestly got a good chuckle out of 'zeplins.' :D
AyaJulia Jun 11th 2009 2:36PM
Am I the only one annoyed by the portal to the Stair of Destiny? On my first character (I started playing during BC) that ride up to the portal felt truly epic....
Maybe it could/should work the way the Dalaran portal does; can't access it from Org/SW until you've gone TO Org/SW FROM the Stair of Destiny side.
Wulfkin Jun 11th 2009 2:46PM
Yeah kind of. That epic feeling of approaching the Dark Portal is an awesome feeling. Would be cool if the portal opened up for you once you'd been through the Dark Portal once.
Sithril Jun 11th 2009 2:48PM
Agreed with Wulfkin.
ToyChristopher Jun 11th 2009 2:54PM
Yeah it is kind of annoying although there are troops coming in from both orggrimar and stormwind right there at the stair of destiny so it does make sense.
Discolando Jun 11th 2009 3:04PM
Nobody will be forcing you or anyone else to take the Stormwind portal. You're welcome to continue doing it the old fashioned way.
Robert M Jun 11th 2009 3:06PM
EPIC INDEED, but does it feel epic on alt number 3? 4? I totally agree with what you are saying, but I think the redundancy of the game needs to be addressed. Blizzard is making attempts with things like this, and they should be applauded, even if there might be better ways to do it.
And…UGH, why is it they insist on forcing me to use Douchewind? Haven’t they given enough love to that forsaken (no offense AyaJulia) city? Is there no way to purge the parasitic humans from the Alliance?
tyler Jun 11th 2009 3:08PM
i think i will continue to do it the old fashion way discolando. the next character i have that hits 58, will make the ride thru blasted lands and ride up on thru the dark portal. one there and questing then yeah i'll probably take the SW portal route, from then on out.
it is an epic feeling to go thru the portal into Outland at 58.....
AyaJulia Jun 11th 2009 3:09PM
@RobertM: "EPIC INDEED, but does it feel epic on alt number 3? 4?"
Believe it or not, yeah, kinda. :) But not in the same way. That ride up to the portal is less of a breathtaking "omg this is sooooo cooooool I'm finally going to see Outland" now, but instead it's more of a joyful "Hurray! Outland here I come!" rite of passage. I still enjoy it, and it's not terribly long to get there, really.
DrunkenPandaren Jun 11th 2009 4:13PM
It was epic when there was 60 other people jumping through the portal at the same time. Now not so much.
turkeyspit Jun 11th 2009 3:21PM
Agree with Ayla
Everyone should get to experience riding through the Blasted Lands to the Dark Portal for their first time.
But then, first timers to the game won't necessarily experience the Pally/Warlock mount chains either, so this isn't new
Belthatar Jun 11th 2009 3:51PM
Agreed 100%. I feel like players should have to make this journey once per character, at least -- it provides a sense of accomplishment, wonder, awe, whatever you want to call it. It gives the game character.
I sort of get where Blizzard is going -- with the next major expansion and (presumably) level 90, the old world and Outland are going to be pretty equal in terms of people just getting through them to get to the next place. I don't necessarily agree with this order of priorities -- I think the old world still has a lot of potential for future expansions, content, etc., especially with the possibilities phasing brings to the game -- but that's their model, and I get it.
But that next expansion is still more than a year out at least (unless Something Has Changed), and I feel like they're jumping the gun a bit on writing off outland and flying mounts.
Of course, that might just be my jealousy talking, since I literally got my epic flying training and mount in the last few days... But that's my timing for you!
Manatank Jun 11th 2009 3:59PM
"Agreed 100%. I feel like players should have to make this journey once per character, at least -- it provides a sense of accomplishment, wonder, awe, whatever you want to call it. It gives the game character."
I disagree 100%. For me it is a waste of time on my power level to 80. Please realize other people play this game. The introduction of this feature does not prevent those who enjoy looking at scenery from doing so, but it does allow those of us who are bored out of mind of the same old zones to skip to the good part (from our perspective). We both win, so please... Those of you whining about this, and talking about how they should prevent it... Play your game the way you want to.
furry Jun 11th 2009 4:23PM
When I turned 58 my first time I just hearthed to Shat. Kinda killed the fun, I guess.
Elmo Jun 11th 2009 4:14PM
It would be cool if you first needed an attunement Quest to use the portal (starting in outland ovbiously) nothing special just something like,
Hi soldier welcome to outland, we understand you want to go back for stuff so now you can make use of our awesome portal.
that way they still make the ride of epicness but can go back and forth to Outland and SW/Org easier while questing.