How I Hope the New Character Models Work

[Psychotrip]

So we all know that new character models are coming. We know it's apperently a "priority" for the art team. We know they're not just adding new skins but new animations and completely new looks that still retain the feel of the old. This could be handled in many different ways, but WoW Insider said it best:

"Frankly, I don't just want new character models. I want a new character model process, where we're given a couple of body type options, and where the classic WoW models are retained as an option. Players who've enjoyed the repulsively terrible dwarf face for the past years shouldn't be forced to change it. The game is composed of thousands of tiny elements and they all contribute to this World of Warcraft we inhabit, so the character model should be approached with the utmost in restraint and caution. While I'm dreaming, put in some fun variants - orcs can be mag'har or fel, dwarves can be Dark Irons, Wildhammers with face tattoos, even earthen with stony structures, tauren players could be Grimtotems with the face paint or even taunka/yaungol. Draenei could play as broken or lost ones."

What really strikes me here is the idea of alternate subraces. I had that idea for a while: the option to be a felblood elf, or a broken draenei, or a revantusk troll, or a Mag'har orc or a wildhammer dwarf, or a forsaken high elf. Not every race needs an alternate subrace, but it would be a great way to add diversity to character creation. It wouldn't be hard to put armor on these races since they share the same wireframe as pre-existing races. All they need is a new skin, maybe a new or modified voice and that's it.

What do you guys think of these ideas?

[Alceus]

People have to face changes, whatever the character models will be 90% of the playerbase cba because they are covered by their gear.
It is a much needed update, I hope they atleast use polls to choose between various models to make it live.

[Shampro]

Im just goin to go ahead and say this, the day Blizzard adds the character models, they wont let the the outdated models in game, just think about it. It would look terribly out of place. I would bet that they would let you re-custumize your character (face, ears etc), but honestly, people need to either move on with change or just move on from the game.

[Psychotrip]

I agree to he honest. I just figured it would help the other players feel less butthurt when their characters change. Hmm...no ones seems to have addressed my question about subraces, and that was the bulk of my post

[Justignoreme]

Im just goin to go ahead and say this, the day Blizzard adds the character models, they wont let the the outdated models in game, just think about it. It would look terribly out of place. I would bet that they would let you re-custumize your character (face, ears etc), but honestly, people need to either move on with change or just move on from the game.

I can apply this to dissolving factions, forming new ones, even removing a race entirely or changing it. But then it's not good business model at all. Blizzard is a business.

[Noct]

It would be nice to do subraces but issues like explaining a taunka in a tauren starting zone would pose an iffy situation for role-players who are serious about their lore.

It can be done by adding a few of each subrace in each starting zone but it would require explanations which would require time. A precious commodity Blizzard uses sparingly.

[Haven]

I can apply this to dissolving factions, forming new ones, even removing a race entirely or changing it. But then it's not good business model at all. Blizzard is a business.

4 factions, like in the good ol'days. We need it. And we need a better, gnome-free Azeroth.

[Yig]

I'm the person who asked Ghostcrawler what he thought about the new character models being optional, and he answered my tweet. He said yes, they "might" well be an option because(paraphrasing) it would be the best way to minimize the drama that will come from this change. But Blizzard has said they straight up will not let that controversy keep them from finally doing this and they won't "hide" behind it as an excuse.

There's really no reason why they shouldn't let you keep your old model. The new skeletons will likely look exactly the same in shape, just having more movable parts for better animations.

Ghostcrawler also specifically addressed the issue of ethnic skin choices based on lore being added to the game for players in a recent interview around MOP's release.

He said they have been on their mind and they've seriously considered doing it, they are at the point of discussing how to go about it. Something like brand new lore or quest lines for instance. Most of the lore is already in place, fel orcs and mag'har have members in the Horde. Dark Irons and Wildhammers have members in the Alliance.

In fact, early in Cataclysm's beta, you could actually choose Wildhammer tattoos that were bound to a few new skin options. It was rough, as the tattoos were bound to entire selections of skin and face I believe, but it was ultimately removed before polishing.

They also changed all grey skinned player dwarf skins to have red eyes. People complained or asked about the change on the CATA Beta forum and a blue said it was done to better represent the Dark Irons as members of the Alliance. Which is pretty cool I think. But actual full fledged Dark Iron skins with red glowing eyes would have been cooler.

I think if the model upgrade becomes a feature of the next expansion IN PLACE of a new player race, more developer resources can be allotted to the project which could open the door to new hairstyles and ethnic skin options as well as just what we are already getting.

[Psychotrip]

It would be nice to do subraces but issues like explaining a taunka in a tauren starting zone would pose an iffy situation for role-players who are serious about their lore.

It can be done by adding a few of each subrace in each starting zone but it would require explanations which would require time. A precious commodity Blizzard uses sparingly.

I feel like you could easily explain what a certain subrace is doing in the starting zone with a simple explanation or dialogue change in a quest. Most of the subraces make sense having the same starting zone for the most part anyway

[Yig]

I feel like you could easily explain what a certain subrace is doing in the starting zone with a simple explanation or dialogue change in a quest. Most of the subraces make sense having the same starting zone for the most part anyway

It would be so simple to explain it's not worth claiming it's a problem I think. Something as simple as an ingame letter mailed to your character just like we used to have letters sent to us depending on what class we chose which tells us to visit our trainer.

Something like "On behalf of the Bloodhoof Tribe, I Bain welcome you to the Horde and wish to thank you for coming to aid us in these troubled times".

Granted many of the early quests take place in the time of the Cataclysm, but there is precedent for most of these choices to have been part of the Horde at that time. Yaungol would be a problem.

[Psychotrip]

I'm the person who asked Ghostcrawler what he thought about the new character models being optional, and he answered my tweet. He said yes, they "might" well be an option because(paraphrasing) it would be the best way to minimize the drama that will come from this change. But Blizzard has said they straight up will not let that controversy keep them from finally doing this and they won't "hide" behind it as an excuse.

There's really no reason why they shouldn't let you keep your old model. The new skeletons will likely look exactly the same in shape, just having more movable parts for better animations.

Ghostcrawler also specifically addressed the issue of ethnic skin choices based on lore being added to the game for players in a recent interview around MOP's release.

He said they have been on their mind and they've seriously considered doing it, they are at the point of discussing how to go about it. Something like brand new lore or quest lines for instance. Most of the lore is already in place, fel orcs and mag'har have members in the Horde. Dark Irons and Wildhammers have members in the Alliance.

In fact, early in Cataclysm's beta, you could actually choose Wildhammer tattoos that were bound to a few new skin options. It was rough, as the tattoos were bound to entire selections of skin and face I believe, but it was ultimately removed before polishing.

They also changed all grey skinned player dwarf skins to have red eyes. People complained or asked about the change on the CATA Beta forum and a blue said it was done to better represent the Dark Irons as members of the Alliance. Which is pretty cool I think. But actual full fledged Dark Iron skins with red glowing eyes would have been cooler.

I think if the model upgrade becomes a feature of the next expansion IN PLACE of a new player race, more developer resources can be allotted to the project which could open the door to new hairstyles and ethnic skin options as well as just what we are already getting.

That is genuinely awesome, and gives me a lot of optimism at how the character models are going to work. I hope they follow through with this.

[Yig]

That is genuinely awesome, and gives me a lot of optimism at how the character models are going to work. I hope they follow through with this.

Then my job is done here

[Admiral Daelin Proudmoore]

This is what I think they would do for subraces:

Horde
Tauren: Grimtotem
Orc: Mag'har, Dragonmaw, Blackrock
Troll: Revantusk

Alliance
Dwarf: Wildhammer, Dark Iron
Human: High elf (refugees, share starting zone)
Draenei: Broken
Night elf: Highborne (differentiate features, look more elegant)

[Psychotrip]

This is what I think they would do for subraces:

Horde
Tauren: Grimtotem
Orc: Mag'har, Dragonmaw, Blackrock
Troll: Revantusk

Alliance
Dwarf: Wildhammer, Dark Iron
Human: High elf (refugees, share starting zone)
Draenei: Broken
Night elf: Highborne (differentiate features, look more elegant)

What about blood elves and forsaken? Felblood and forsaken high elves?

[Xorn]

I'd give quite a bit to play as an undead High Elf. Undead racials with blood elf aesthetics? Yes please.

[Psychotrip]

I'd give quite a bit to play as an undead High Elf. Undead racials with blood elf aesthetics? Yes please.

And this is why I cant wait until we learn the details of these new player models.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 01:55 AM ----------

Side note: when do you think we'll finally get some more details on this? Perhaps some pics of at least one of the new races? The suspense is killing me.

[Vellerix]

And this is why I cant wait until we learn the details of these new player models.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 01:55 AM ----------

Side note: when do you think we'll finally get some more details on this? Perhaps some pics of at least one of the new races? The suspense is killing me.

I'd be surprised if we didn't at least get some tidbits from the next blizzcon.

[Psychotrip]

I'd be surprised if we didn't at least get some tidbits from the next blizzcon.

When is blizzcon this year?