Pre-Cataclysm: Exploring the Old World
Posted by 
pixiestixy on Friday, September 11, 2009 - 17 Comments Tags: Achievements, azeroth, cataclysm, eastern kingdoms, explorer, exploring, kalimdor, level 80, pre-cataclysm, questing, title, world explorer
pixiestixy on Friday, September 11, 2009 - 17 Comments Tags: Achievements, azeroth, cataclysm, eastern kingdoms, explorer, exploring, kalimdor, level 80, pre-cataclysm, questing, title, world explorer 
I've had a ton to keep my busy in WoW since dinging level 80 a couple of weeks ago. There's rep to grind, daily heroics to run and farming of the ToC to be had (building up my purple collection FTW). But on the side when I have a few moments (or hours) to spare, I've taken up exploring Azeroth.Perhaps it's not something that most players would have at the top of their priority list after hitting 80, but so far for me it's been a bit of a nostalgic way to re-visit the old world, run through parts I've never seen before, and earn some achievements in the process.
Plus, now we have an even more compelling reason. With the imminent destruction of Azeroth in the Cataclysm, this could be the last time I see some of these zones before they are changed forever. Sure, I'll likely visit Orgrimmar and UC, but the surrounding areas? Probably not. And we still don't know what the expansion will mean for exploration achievements - if a zone is completely altered to the point of being split in two (I'm thinking Barrens), will the old exploration achievements be locked? The same could be said for questing in the Old World, but that's for a later conquest. Maybe there will be some middle ground on the issues, but I'd rather not take my chances.
Anyhow, back on point. I started out in Kalimdor, from good ol' Durotar, where I had neglected to uncover Kolkar Crag. Then it was west to the grasslands of the Barrens, where my Zhevra visited her long-lost cousin. I worked my way west and then to the north, finishing off a couple of uncovered areas in each zone of Thousand Needles, Feralas, Mulgore, Desolace, Azshara, Stonetalon Mountains, Ashenvale, Felwood and Winterspring (and /love-ing every critter I see along the way). One of the high points: running into a pack of Worgen hiding out in Ashenvale and beating up on a few of them (good practice for future PvP fun).There also was Moonglade and Dark Shore, neither of which I had stepped foot in before. So far, I've finished up 14 of the 20 zones in Kalimdor, but I've still got a long ways to go before hitting that coveted Explorer title.
It's easy to forget, when hidden away in the deep corners of Northrend, how vast and diverse Azeroth is. My secret pleasure - I've really enjoyed running into some of those humanoid tribes that you don't see too much of anymore: The Centaurs, Ogres, Furbolgs, Harpies and Wildkin of the world. I suppose Murlocs still are a pretty common sight, but I also made a point to run over top of every single murloc I came across, just to hear their gurgling battle cry while I galloped away. And more fun is yet to be had. I still have more nostalgia to come as I finish up Kalimdor, then head to the Eastern Kingdoms.
Has anyone else taken to exploring lately? What about any other achievements that you want to get before the expansion? Don't worry if not - it seems that we'll still have quite a while before it comes out.
Reader Comments (17)
First!
i think exploring is great and u zant get the most for the 15 dollars a month unless u see every corner of every continent. but i focused my time on grinding money. i still dont have epic flying and spend way too much (ice mammoth,brown battle bear,ghostly skull)
and the way i see it theres probably going to be some changes in proffesions so its always good to have backup money in case u would like to switch
I just want to get a lot of the land mounts, since a lot of the zones will be covered in lava and such, it'd be nice to just have the classics in a new expansion.
Somehow flying mount exploring isn't as special as land mount exploring, maybe just me.
I agree with Drenton you can't really experience the world if your not running on it
@Drenton, Taver
You may have a point there, but I know I was happy to be able to explore by flying because I could press the num-lock key and give my hand and arm a rest! :lol:
When I heard that Cataclysm would change the old zones, I said to myself, "Better explore what's here now." So I did. Got my Title and Tabard. Plus a lot of Achievement Points, for whatever they are eventually going to be usable for. (Buying epics? Showing off? Who knows.)
i did all my exploring a long time ago while i was leveling up. by the time they put achievements in i had most areas already discovered just because i hated seening tan on a map. but yes i completely agree with the posters above me. I enjoyed eastern kingdoms and kalimdor so much more just because i actually had to run around and on the world intereacting witht he landscape rather then flying right over it and missing most of the area.
I've long had the map uncovered and Loremaster done, but there are still things I am trying to finish before they may go away forever; namely the Scepter of the Shifting Sands quest line. So few people got to truly experience one of the best lore events that WoW has ever put out, and may never be able to if not soon. It's long and arduous, but so far it's been very cool.
For a long time I would always explore a new zone when I first got into it. I kinda slacked off as my toon got higher in levels. I think you have inspired me to finish this. I am almost done just a few more to go..
I don't have Loremaster. yet. So I set aside a day or two a week to skip dailies, raiding, and such in favor of completing some old quests. I have to agree with Kagitaar, too. Sceptre of the Shifting Sands is right there on my list, along with taking down Onyxia before she gets upgraded. Less than two months left on that one, and for some reason I keep putting it off....
Gotta say when i first started off explorign i thought oh this isnt so bad. due to the fact i had epic flying lol. Once i got to Old azeroth i got a little sick a little quickly because i started with the areas i had already been to millions of times whilst leveling alts and what not.
However once I got to the areas that were unknown to me, such as the alliance areas, I really started to enjoy myself and actually regretted not exploring northrend and outland on normal mounts.
Regardless of this once id got the achievement and title and actually EXPLORED the areas I was uncovering as opposed to getting the discovery and heading elsewhere I headed bak to northrend and outland and did the same and tbh it was worth it
Exploring is awesome. I can't count the amount of cool stuff I discovered either by running or flying.
Makes me remember a flying island in Nagrand where there's an apple tree, a skeleton and an axe inserted right in the skull.
Looks like Newton was too long sitting in the tree.
Lol sadly as with previous posters from lving my alts by the time the achivements came out i had a good% of eastern kalimdor and outland explored lol but i desided since old world is getting nuked i'd go back and finish some things i put off * finaly became exalted with the kolkar in decolace lol! >:) killed some time in the gurubashi arena*and some lowbies* and started a war in SS/vrs/TM ahh good times *ended up being 10 80's vrs 10 80's in half tier 9's..quite entertaining though not to the lvl 20's in the area im shure lolz
I did all my explorin' back during the summer fire festival. Got both muh titles and a TON of achievement points. Had a lot of fun as well :)
One of the big things I've done is while leveling up my alt druid, I've gone back and fully quested in zones that I skipped or missed the previous times. Zones such as Ashenvale, STV and now Silithus, which I NEVER touched, have become much more poignant imo knowing that they'll either be drastically changed or gone for ever....makes me glad I love my alts lol
It was my first title 'Elvirapeters the Explorer' I just love the explorer achievs, they're fun, you visit areas you'll never have to. You know different mobs, and you know the Horde areas (for me as ally).
I have much to do of the achievs in dungeons, but I'm pretty ahead
http://www.wowarmory.com/character-achievements.xml?r=Warsong&cn=Elvirapeters&gn=Horde+Extinction+BR
:D
Hi pixie!! doing the same took a break from the 80's thing and explored. Got all my land mounts and need to get a couple more flying mounts. Got tabbard and title and just had a good time helping out here and there still need to do alot of quest but,,,, isnt that always the case.