I would like to see an extended route from point A to point B without a loop. I realize that creating a long, non-looping route would be labor intensive, particularly in terms of graphical design, but, currently, the only way to rack up mileage is to ride in “circles,” which after several iterations, day-after-day, becomes boring and uninspiring. A long, non-looping route would allow riders to complete as much as they want without repeatedly viewing the same scenery along the ride. You can include short offshoots (diversions) that meet back up with the main route and which incorporate different terrain and topographies in order to accommodate those who might want a more difficult or easier ride.
In terms of gameplay it’d definitely be nice to see further extension to Watopia to allow for longer rides without looping.
Till then, it helps to simply put on Netflix instead. It’d be nice if the mobile app would display the current gradient profile to make cycling “blind” even more convenient.
I’ve said for a while that an ideal extension to Watopia for this winter would be a long flat route - one which starts near Watopia town and loops around the back of the mountain route and then rejoins the old route at around the sprint village area. It could have roads joining into it which provide new mountain climbs joining up to the existing mountain climb.
Ideally around 20 or so miles in length with gently undulating terrain and a couple of small climbs to keep it interesting but nothing more than say half the height of the old Watopia KOM.
Like yourself sometimes I want to ride with people but quite often I just want to go for a long ride and I’m not too bothered about how many others I see out there.
Attached a crude drawing of what I mean. A flat route all the way around the mountain with a couple of steep joining roads.
I agree with that, especially with the idea of more junctions. The more junctions there are the more variety one can put into ones ride.
I also suggested a while ago to connect Richmond to Watopia (and now London) to create one world This gives plenty of roads, no need for a schedule, nobody moaning about that they are “forced” to ride a course they don’t like, etc…
Create some more side roads within London, Richmond and Watopia to be able to vary the rides.
Instead of 10 or more loops to get a 100km ride for example, ride from London to Richmond (not Richmond in London though!!!) via Watopia.
Finish at a pub of your choice…
It doesn’t even have to have a lot of roads. This is what you could have in a single world if Watopia, Richmond and London were combined. All using routes that already exist apart from some small connecting roads. Would mean a big area to explore!
That is pretty much what I did suggest some months ago! The only other thing I mentioned was to create a Velodrome (for the rider / riderettes who keep asking for one) and connect this also into one big cycle world.
The “thing” with combining roads/worlds is a messy Strava upload I guess. I has been discussed before…
The Strava problem is why you put them all together in one map as I depicted above n
Strava would no longer show it as if riding in London or Richmond in that case, but somewhere around the island Watopia is based on for example. In the end it doesn’t matter too much. To be fair, strava maps for virtual rides don’t make too much sense to me.
Considering the partnership with Strava I’d suggest Zwift to see if they can sort out with Strava to provide al alternative worldmap for the virtual rides, making it so that Zwift rides rather than plotted in the real world are plotted on a Zwift map.
That would make it a lot easier to fill in landmass according to their own artistic freedom as well.
I like the idea of extending Watopia, just keep building out the island. I don’t mind the London and Richmond courses being seperate as long as Watopia keeps growing.
This could be achieved with randomly created rides. Just let the computer generate a 50 mile loop on Planet Pedal once a week.
The downside of it: it will take the Strava-KOM-Game out, because there would be no permanent segments on it.