Model Updates & Differing Body Types

[Macabre101]

With Blizzard working on the new model updates for the older races, do we know if there will be the possibility of having different body types? For example, Garrosh and Thrall have newer models yet completely different body types. Garrosh is a lot larger and muscular. Do you think they will also implement something similar to the model updates that way if say you are a priest or warlock you won't be this super muscular jacked individual who must be spending his nights pumping iron in the gym. Just some food for though.

[Ossandran]

I think I've heard them say something about sub-races?

[Zahgurim]

doubt it it will be like that. it would be cool if it was.

[miffy23]

I believe they're using the same skeletons, but updated textures and animations. Doubt we'll get subraces/variable body mass.

[Deleted]

I believe they're using the same skeletons, but updated textures and animations. Doubt we'll get subraces/variable body mass.

They will not be using the same skeletons. I mean, it will look like it, but it will be done from scratch.

[Hellspawn]

Just like in SW:Tor would be great or like the human alpha models. Bodymass is not dependent on the skeletons anyways.

[Imnick]

I hope so but it's very unlikely

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Not if you want the models before WoW2.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Highly unlikely. While I'm sure we can expect a higher graphical fidelity, it does not seem like they would rework the way armor and such things will be displayed. We don't even know which races will be updated besides the classic ones. The best thing we can do is guess and seeing how the last models they introduced (padaren, when they were already working on the updates) don't seem to have alot of extra features that hint at a total rework of the way characters are displayed. I doubt they will go for a bastard approach and keep old tech and new tech around simultaneously, so it will most likely be more detailed models, with a few minor corrections here and there (if we are lucky) and more animations (mostly facial/hands) as well as a couple reworked ones if they have any sense (if the pandaren models are anything to go by, they don't though).

@ Hellspawn: It's not, but that would make it alot harder to do properly without causing clipping errors left, right and center.

Edit: Personally I'm happy if forsaken would get a beard option, have knees/elbows and for the love of god give me white hair as a deathknight. If they manage any of these I'll buy their next expansion no matter how shitty their possible time travel plot my be and sub for a whole year, just as a thank you.

[Macabre101]

Didn't someone from blizzard say the new updated Garrosh, with updates like the articulating fingers, was going to be similar in terms of what to expect for the model reworks?

[Hellspawn]

Didn't someone from blizzard say the new updated Garrosh, with updates like the articulating fingers, was going to be similar in terms of what to expect for the model reworks?

Thats correct, also much better facial expression

[Austilias]

Frankly I think WoW has been lagging behind when it comes to character customization for a long time. If they wanted to take a middle ground, they could take a look out of LOTRO's book; where there's quite a bit of customization with respect to the finer details and body type, but nothing too extreme. Then again it is Blizzard; with a tradition of doing as little as possible for as high a price tag as possible as those recent store helmets demonstrated.

[Dblbaconator]

I wouldn't bet on it, but I sure as hell would like it. It bugged me when I first started playing WoW after having dicked around in a couple F2P MMOs that I couldn't do more to customize my character. No variable height or bodytypes, very few options overall. While it would be unlikely you'd ever run into someone with the same features as you, it wouldn't be impossible (especially if you were a dwarf, gnome, orc, or troll female and could only take that one face that didn't make you look hideous).

If it doesn't happen with the model reworks, I don't expect it to ever happen. Doesn't stop it from being a desire of mine.

[Gheld]

Differing body types to what end?

"Hmm, do I want to make a short, fat, male human, or a tall sexy muscular male human?"

I mean, look at a game like GW2 where you have a lot more visual customization of your character. They all end up looking the same anyways.

The key difference is the body type becomes another variable the server has to transmit back and forth between players. It becomes another variable your computer has to interpret, and the end result is that you create performance issues just so the 1 guy who wants to be "Different" and make his character look completely stupid can do so.

[Macabre101]

Differing body types to what end?

"Hmm, do I want to make a short, fat, male human, or a tall sexy muscular male human?"

I mean, look at a game like GW2 where you have a lot more visual customization of your character. They all end up looking the same anyways.

The key difference is the body type becomes another variable the server has to transmit back and forth between players. It becomes another variable your computer has to interpret, and the end result is that you create performance issues just so the 1 guy who wants to be "Different" and make his character look completely stupid can do so.

Well I'm not talking about the body shape and size being 100% customizable in that sense, just add another feature like when you are selecting hair style or facial features with about 3 or 4 different body shapes ranging from big and muscular for say a warrior/paladin to more thin for a priest/mage.

[Sierra85]

i want a fat short tauren with a tattoo of Bender Bending Rodriguez on its butt

[miffy23]

They will not be using the same skeletons. I mean, it will look like it, but it will be done from scratch.

Do we have a source for that? I always heard they were using the existing skeletons, and rough stance would be the same. I'ma google this.

[Macabre101]

i want a fat short tauren with a tattoo of Bender Bending Rodriguez on its butt

I know it won't come true, but I wish the Tauren remodel would make them look more like their Tall Brute Stature from WCIII

[heerobya]

Maybe the Horde will finally have more than one race (male) to choose from w/o a hunchback.

[miffy23]

Can't seem to find anything reliable, just that the animations will remain the same.
We'll see either way, i can't wait to witness them.