Avatar Specter-isms

I noticed in this release movement is slowed when walking through living creatures. Which in turn made me notice how movement behaves walking through other objects in the game. For example walking through some objects has no slowing effect -- like knee high grass, knee high mushrooms, or even player high bushes. But, lanterns and buckets stop movement entirely, as do doors that are in the process of opening. Why not just stop movement through all living creatures, and slow movement through tall foliage.

Anyway, this isn't a complaint -- just an observation that movement through things seems a bit inconsistent at times. Actually I'm curious what that rationale might be for how these kinds of ghostly decisions are made.

 

The slowing down through living creatures is explained in the release 8 instructions and changelog post from Starr. They thought that being able to go through other people was too immersion breaking but bumping constantly was too annoying, specially in crowded areas, so they made it so you can go through but slowed, simulating the whole zigzagging in thigh spots between people.

I agree, though, that other kind of movement seems inconsistent or plain weird. And an avatar should definitely be able to just walk over small items.

 

Thanks Kether. This is the first release where I haven't yet read the release notes right away. Shame on me!

 

Do we know if this is exploitable in PvP? That is, does the movement slowdown also occur with other players? So if you're in combat, other players can just get in your way, causing you to walk rather than run and thus get ganked easier?