Physics of Warcraft

Kinematics. The time needed for one

mode of transport to become more
attractive than another.
By Dr Tusks R. Us
Physics of Warcraft Kinematics: Speed differences

Table of Contents
Individual Problems..............................................................................................................................3
Deduction of formulae.....................................................................................................................3
Paladins and druids..........................................................................................................................4
Travel form and level 30 mounts.....................................................................................................5
A more general equation?.....................................................................................................................5
Points of interest...................................................................................................................................7

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Kinematics: Speed Differences Physics of Warcraft

Individual Problems

Deduction of formulae

The following assumes a latency of 0 ms and that as soon as each player is mounted they
instantly start at their mounted speed while flying.
It's a simple kinematics problem: the velocity of each player, as it's constant, is equal to the
distance travelled divided by the time taken to travel that distance:
x
v=
t

where v is the velocity the player is travelling at, Δx is the variation of position, that is, the distance
travelled in a straight line from the starting point to the finish, and Δt is the amount of time taken to
travel said distance (the capital delta indicates a variation in a certain magnitude; in this case
position, x, and time, t). The equation can be developed into:
x− x 0
v= and thus x= x 0vt −t 0 
t −t 0

where v is the velocity of the player, x is the final position, x0 is the initial position, t is the final
time (or the time the chronometer shows when the player reaches point x) and t0 the time of starting.
We then apply this final formula for finding position relative to time in the following way, first
we must find out how fast a player character without any movement speed increasing or decreasing
effects such as mounts, talents, travel form, crippling poison, hamstring or dazed. This speed in this
article will be referred to as vk.
v k =7.0 yd / s

According to online sources, a player character's default speed is exactly 7.0 yards per second
(later on this can be proven by, in the deduction for the general formula, this value not being used
and the same results being obtained).
Using this information we can find out how long it takes for any two players with any speed
modifiers starting from any position at any point in time to cross paths. This can be used to find out,
for example, how much time it takes for a paladin with crusader aura to overtake a druid with swift
flight form when that druid had the 3 second head start, or how long a journey is needed so that
mounting up gets one there before switching to travel form.

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Physics of Warcraft Kinematics: Speed differences

Paladins and druids

As we all know, a paladin has an aura that increases mounted speed by 20%, and a druid's swift
flight form is instant cast, so we apply the following values to the variables x0, v & t0 to find t and x.
Paladin (a) Druid (b)
x 0=0 yd x 0=0 yd
v a=1.23.8v k  v b=3.8v k
v a=31.92 yd / s v b=26.6 yd / s
t 0a=3s t 0b=0s
Here the initial starting point for the druid and the paladin aren't differentiated with an a or a b
because they're the same point. With this data we can create an equation system with two equations
and two unknown numbers:

{x=31.92
x=26.60t
t−3

By equalisation we solve:
t−3 31.92=26.6t

31.92t −95.76=26.6t

5.32t=95.76

95.76
t= =18 s
5.32

Thus proving that if a druid and a paladin were to start at the same point both unmounted, and at the
same instant with no lag issues (human or computer based) mount up, the paladin on his epic flyer
and the druid on his swift flight form, the paladin would catch up to the druid eighteen seconds after
starting, thus a druid will arrive at any point before a paladin if the time it takes to travel is less than
eighteen seconds. How much distance is that?
x=26.60t

x=26.60×18=478.8 yd

The numbers say that in terms of distance they would cross at 478.8 yards from the starting point.

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Kinematics: Speed Differences Physics of Warcraft

Travel form and level 30 mounts

Some druids have wondered, myself included, when should one use travel form, and when
should one use the mount? Clearly travel form is better for short distances but, how short is short?
Similar approach to before:
Travel Form (a) Level 30 Mount (b)
x 0=0 yd x 0=0 yd
v a=1.4v k v b=1.6v k
v a=9.8 yd / s v b=11.2 yd / s
t 0a=0s t 0b=3s

From which we obtain the equation system:

{ x=11.2t −3
x=9.8t

which we solve, once again, by equalisation.

t −311.2=9.8t

11.2t−33.6=9.8t

11.2−9.8 t=33.6

33.6
t= =24 s
1.4

x=9.8×24=235.2 yd

Thus proving that for any distance greater than 235.2 yards travel form is your choice, whereas
anything further than 235.2 yards you'll get there sooner by mounting up your level 60 mount.

A more general equation?

It can seem tiresome to have to make an equation system with all these numbers just to find out
the differences in how efficient one mode of transport is compared to another, so a general theory
that gives you the time where two modes of transport cross is in order, that is, an equation that will
tell you how long it takes for a paladin to catch up to a druid, for a mounted druid to catch up with a
druid using travel form...
First we split the velocity into two parts. The constant normal running speed part and the
modifier part:

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Physics of Warcraft Kinematics: Speed differences

v=dv k

where this new magnitude d is the modifier to running speed, which is found by baring in mind
mount speed modifiers increase multiplicatively, with each modifier increasing the players mounted
speed (which is "100% + Mount Speed") by "100% + Modifier". Non-stacking multipliers are the
only exception to this formula, in which case the largest possible modifier is only applied (either the
product of the stacking modifiers or the non-stacking modifier itself). For example for crusader aura
d is 456%, but expressed in decimal form, d=4.56.
So we apply this change to the magnitude velocity in our equations:

{ x= x 0d a v k t −t 0a 
x= x 0d b v k t −t 0b 

and here is where we start using mathematics. As vk is a constant we can use equalisation to
create a relationship between the two equations.

{
x−x 0
v k=
d a t −t 0a 
x−x 0
v k=
d b t −t 0b 

We find two ways of expressing vk, one in terms of player a and another in terms of player b. The
example of players is given to provide understanding based on two vehicles on a straight course,
leaving at different times and going at different speeds, and at some point they cross, like the
paladin/druid example from earlier.
x− x 0 x− x 0
=
d a t−t 0a  d b t−t 0b 

We obtain this equation by the simple logic that if a equals b, and a equals c, therefore b equals
c.
 x−x 0  d a t −t 0a =d b t−t 0b  x−x 0
d a t −t 0a =d b t−t 0b 

Here, the denominators of the fractions from the previous equations are moved to the other side
multiplying, then we simply divide both sides by x-x0. Next comes putting t on the left and
everything else on the right.

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Kinematics: Speed Differences Physics of Warcraft

d a t−d a t 0a=d b t−d b t 0b

d a t−d b t=d a t 0a−d b t 0b

t d a −d b =d a t 0a −d b t 0b

d a t 0a −d b t 0b
t=
d a −d b

Algebra. The respective ds are distributed through the brackets following the rule of brackets
a(b+c) = ab+ac. All factors of t moved to the left (changing the sign when necessary) and factors
of t0 to the right. Then, finally, t is brought out and the ds put into brackets, and passed dividing,
leaving us with the simple general equation for all modified movement comparison where what
interests us is time.

d a t 0a −d b t 0b
t=
d a −d b

The time taken for two players to cross paths starting from the same starting point at different
times is equal to the difference between the respective products of proportion real speed to running
speed multiplied by starting time, divided by the difference between the proportions real speed to
running speed.

Points of interest
• Using the general formula and working it out manually, you get the same result in both
situations. Of course, if it wasn't one of the formulae would be incorrect.
• The general formula doesn't require the numerical value of how fast a player runs, and thus
is applicable to any situation where running speed might not be seven yards per second. You
will, however, need it to find out the position where two might cross.