The 5.4 trailer showcases the need for new vanilla models over new races.

[Golden Yak]

My character's going to get covered up with sweet looking armor anyway, so I'm not especially interested in new race models. I'd rather introduce new races.

[xanzul]

The 5.4 model showcases why the vanilla remodels should take priority over new race implementations. Garrosh looked simply amazing, as did Zhu. The awesome thing is that both were using ingame models. The problem is that our player models are nearly a decade old and look the part.

Here is an image of Garrosh from Burning Crusade to MoP. The differences are staggering;



There is a good chance that the old player models are causing new players to not play WoW. Let's face it; Graphics are a huge part of people enjoying and playing games. When a game looks dated, it can be a turn off for younger players, or people who have never played WoW before. That trailer looked great, and it looked like it came from a modern game. However, those vanilla character models look like they came from 2004.

Blizzard should make the new character remodels a priority over any new race development. I can't imagine another expansion where I'm looking at 2 new races I don't care about with incredible animation and expressions, and my 7 year old Orc shaman still has clipping issues, static expressions, and blocky looking hands.

Agree or Disagree?

Why do people keep making these threads as if Blizzard hasn't commented on the issue at all ever? Blizzard has confirmed multiple times they are working on new models even as recently as last week. They are coming. Stop crying already.

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Let's not underestimate the laziness that Blizzard apparently seems to have... but yes, I expect Blizzcon to have the updated WoW race models.

And how are they lazy? By not doing what you want when you want it and how you want it? Blizzard can legitimately be called a lot of things but lazy isn't one of them. Just look at the fast content patches we have been getting for example. Nothing lazy about that at all.

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Why compromise?

They've been working on these models since Blizzcon 2011 at least. 2.5 years to make new models is easy, especially if they had 1 race done and 2 more in progress by early last year.

New models are also easy enough to make, they require fewer resources than a new race. I won't be satisfied with an excuse of "the new models meant no time to make races or a class."

Of course you won't be satisfied as you have made it clear you have no interest in doing anything but bitching about Blizzard. If this were to happen it wouldn't be an "excuse". You may not like it or you may not agree with it but it is perfectly valid for Blizzard to reassess their priorities and make changes based on that assessment. This is how project management works and isn't exclusive to Blizzard.

[Frozenbeef]

Even though i play a panda i would be really interested in seeing updates to the old mdoels..Although i can imagine it would be strange going from seeing them like that for 10 years to brand new models i kinda hope they give players the option to keep their old models :P

[Deleted]

I'm looking forward to see those new models. It's true that when we compare vanilla models / actual models, vanilla's look outdated. Even the difference between vanilla and BC is huge ! I think it will be as nice to play those new characters as playing the new drood forms.

[TheRealDavidTwo]

Let's not underestimate the laziness that Blizzard apparently seems to have... but yes, I expect Blizzcon to have the updated WoW race models.

And how are they lazy? By not doing what you want when you want it and how you want it? Blizzard can legitimately be called a lot of things but lazy isn't one of them. Just look at the fast content patches we have been getting for example. Nothing lazy about that at all.

Let me reiterate on what I meant by 'laziness'. Blizzard has promised us new character models since early Cataclysm (if I recall), and then in early Mists of Pandaria (and with all the new models being done by the time MoP goes live, if I recall). They said the dwarf was done, but didn't say if any other race models were done.

If Blizzard promised something to us at the beginning of an expansion, like race models, then we should have gotten them. That means Blizzard is only lazy with the one thing that people have been requesting for.. well, forever, really. I never meant to say that Blizzard was 'lazy' in any other way. In fact, I don't think Blizzard is as lazy as some people may have imagined them to be. If Blizzard was able to produce faster content patches for Mists of Pandaria, then that doesn't mean they're lazy for /that/ reason alone. They might be lazy with one or two features here or there, or something else.

Now let's hope for new Draenei and Blood Elf/High Elf models as well, eh?

[xanzul]

It should be the #1 priority, but I don't want Blizz to use this as an excuse to not create new content as well because of "limited resources". When you have resources to make mounts and pets that you sell for hundreds of thousands, you have time to create new content as well.

Disagreement with Blizzard's decisions doesn't make it an "excuse". Also Blizzard has hired a significant amount of new developers and artists for Wow and this was prior to moving developers and artists over from Titan to Wow. It may or may not be their "#1 priority" but it is being worked on and it will be completed.

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Exactly. Those models impressed us in 2004, but they don't impress anyone in 2013. I would also say that the time spent trying to develop new races that most players won't even use is better spent on making the old models look as good as possible.

Speak for yourself please. I don't think Blizzard has introduced one single new race that hasn't been embraced by a significant number of players. It isn't a waste and just because you think new character models are more important doesn't mean that is how everyone else thinks including Blizzard.

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I know the discussion here is about new races OR new models but I'd like to point out that the one thing MOST players don't really concern themselves with now is a new CLASS.

I would say that we need neither a new race nor a new class next expansion. All it should do is make everything that's already in this game better. Like tBC level focus on professions or mid-late WotLK level focus on streamlining talents/classes. And of course new character models.

They focused on professions in TBC? What? I don't think you played the same game as me.

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The rate at which they make these models is going to make the first ones completed outdated by the time the last ones are finished...

And you know this how? They had at least one race completed around the time Mop released and we have no clue what state the other models were in at that time and it is now a year later and after they have hired many more artists.

[Xargoth6634]

Don't really care about new models, personally. I don't see what all the fuss is about.

[xanzul]

Lets be honest here, it doesn't require a LOT of resources to upgrade models. They are doing them very slowly, so that tells me they are more focused on gameplay and with the new expansion around the corner, resources used to make a new playable race, are gonna be shifted to update the models. In the end, I doubt that much focus shifted away from gameplay. Also why not both?

I love all these armchair developers and artists in this thread. How do you know it doesn't require a lot of resources? The very fact that Blizzard openly stated they hired new artists specifically for the purpose of updating character models says otherwise.

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Really? I've heard nothing of it taking top priority. Got any proof to back that up other then a few blues saying "It's still on the schedule?"

Again the fact that Blizzard hired new artists specifically to update character models speaks to the fact that it is a priority. While it may or may not be top priority it is way up there way higher than it has ever been before. Let's stop pretending otherwise.

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Exactly why I don't get the people who claim "I'll give up new races just to have them." They're likely done and ready for the Blizzcon reveal. There's no reason to give Blizz the idea that "we can pass these rehashes off as new content, skip new races, and get away with it. It's like Cataclysm only foolproof."

I love the arrogance of some people on these forums who actually think they are giving Blizzard any actual ideas at all when it is all the same tired old rehashed complaints. Blizzard isn't looking to "get away" with anything.

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The Orc model is done. Just look at Garrosh.

NPC models aren't even remotely the same as character models and again Blizzard has stated this multiple times.

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Keep in mind; When Blizzard redoes the Vanilla models, that will include all of the NPCs as well. Just like the Goblin and Worgen NPCs and enemies also got new models after Cataclysm.

So it won't just be your character, it will be every playable race's NPC as well.

Blizzard has never ever said this. In fact they have gone to great effort to explain to players that NPC models have nothing to do with character models and that we shouldn't expect a change in one to be made in the other.

[Aqua]

Think of these 'previews' (aka Garrosh here, and the trolls in ToT) as extended trailers for the models. They're coming. Do not rush art. It will not go well.

[xanzul]

Yet that is not how people work. Yes most of the time you will see their back, but you also spend a lot of time running past player characters, interacting with NPCs with older models, etc. It also doesn't help that there is starting to be a noticeable graphical gap between the world around your character as well. So you have this constant reminder of everything but your character looks nice and people go "I want my toon to look better". If they can make updated models without taking too much time away from other content (which I believe that is what they are doing), then why not do it?

And how often and for what purpose are you going to be zoomed in enough to see the aspects of character models people complain about such as hands and feet and even less significant how their fingers look? I have seen entire threads dedicated solely to fingers alone and how players can't stand them and makes them want to quit the game. Sorry but it seems like much of the complaints are coming from control freaks who probably won't be happy with the new models either. Want proof? Female worgens. The original model was scrapped because idiots wouldn't stop QQing about it so what we have now is a direct result of petty complaints about incredibly insignificant details. I predict the same to happen with the updated models.

[Deleted]

And how often and for what purpose are you going to be zoomed in enough to see the aspects of character models people complain about

Seeing as you're so unenlightened in the subject, I'll do the honour of giving you this wonderful piece of information.

Some people play with the default camera angles. Can you believe it!?

[Mirishka]

Let's not underestimate the laziness that Blizzard apparently seems to have... but yes, I expect Blizzcon to have the updated WoW race models.

Yes, lets not underestimate the laziness that has brought one of the most content-heavy expansions in WoW's history, with several great raids (and Siege is shaping up to be awesome as well) less than a year in.

If you actually had a clue how much work goes into creating, rigging and animating new models, each of which has a unique skeleton/art/animation set (not to mention multiple texture/mesh variations, like hair models and skintones), you would know better than to make ignorant remarks like this.

[xanzul]

I'm just hoping that they release the models when they are finished in a patch instead of waiting until the next expansion. If they are done, and they're going to be given to everyone and not just those who buy the expansion, there's no point in holding them back.

Also, while I'm really looking forward to my orc having a better quality model than trash mobs I don't see how they could make that the selling point of an expansion without adding new races or a new class or 4th specs or something. The models are very much needed, but once the initial excitement wears away we would basically be exactly where we are now.

And I don't think we really have to compromise. They've been working on them for a long time already, and I know that new models takes a lot of work, but I think they've had enough of a head start on the new models in comparison to the new expansion to also throw in 2 new races or a new class.

Typically Blizzard saves the massive changes for expansions and they won't require purchase of the expansion to get the new models either. Much like they have changed it so that all players get all races regardless of account level, the same will apply to models as well. It is very likely we will get the new models in 6.0 when it launches a few weeks before the expansion.

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honestly... how good can they make it look on their old ass engine nothing looks good except water lol
fem pandas were designed well but are still nothing great to look at

I really dont think they should update it for the simple reason that it would take time away from other stuff. I mean thats the BS reply they give to anything but i mean think about it when it comes down to it me personally i dont care what the game looks like ( as long as the armor sets look halfway decent ( which they dont)to cover up the shitty character looks *cough rifts shitty gear art) as long as the game plays good feels good and is fun.... which it plays about the same but feels weak and hasnt been fun for me since the end of LK.

"Hey tru they finally updated character models"
"so?"
"but... its character models...."
"is still the same shitty game as it was when i quit playing?"....
"yes"
"ok then"

Blizzard has done amazing things with an engine that is going on 10 years old. Boss fights like Spine technically shouldn't have even been possible and yet it is in game. Don't mistake an aging engine with an inflexible one as Blizzard has shown us time and again they are able to tweak things quite a bit to keep the game looking updated. The way the game looks now is significantly different than how it looked 8 years ago on launch and anyone saying otherwise is either lying through their teeth or blind.

[Nabeela]

As Jaina & Varian get a new skin, i was fascinated. And this is, what we need. re-work that shitty vanilla skins ALL!!! and bring not 2 more useless race

[Obelisk Kai]

Blizzard has never ever said this. In fact they have gone to great effort to explain to players that NPC models have nothing to do with character models and that we shouldn't expect a change in one to be made in the other.

Yes we should and do you know why?

Precedent.

The Goblins, Worgen and Blood Elf Models were replaced with the updated models in virtually all instances.

After the great model upgrade, all NPCs will be updated.

[La]

They can update the models all they want, I aint ever playing a gnome!

[Deleted]

Just how many sentient races can the one poxy planet sustain? New models are incoming; as graphical updates go this one is a no-brainer. They have already told us they are working on them, and I just can't find myself getting excited at yet another new race, so if it's either/or then I'll take the new models thank you very much.

[xanzul]

Lol no, Blizzard has been promising new models since wotlk... still hasn't happened. They always say they are working on it... yet it always vanishes. When you call them out on it you just get the reply "WHAT NEW FEATURE WOULD YOU GIVE UP? HUH? WHICH ONE" To which I reply "LFR"

Nope. All the way up until the Blizzcon where Mop was announced Blizzard's official stance was they want to update character models but don't want to dedicate the resources to that quite yet as they had other things they wanted to get done first Psuch as Azeroth revamP in Cata among other things). Since then the language used has significantly changed and they flat out came out and said yes they are working on it and yes they have been hiring new artists specifically for that purpose. In fact I recall having to point out to more than a few people at the time the new job postings that went up on Blizzard's career page looking for new artists for Wow. Also care to quote where Blizzard has asked us if we are willing to give up features not even worked on by artists in favor of new character models? Because that NEVER happened. It is only ignorant armchair developers who ask questions like that.

[The Stormbringer]

There's one question I haven't seen answered yet, so I'd like to pose it to you guys and hopefully get a response. I'm all for seeing the new models & animations coming, but why are so many people thinking that's the ONLY thing involved in making a new race? A new race has to have the proper background, the introduction, the cinematics, the zones with all their art assets, the quests, the items, the racials, the armor designs, the models & animations, and the voices.

If you're choosing just new models & animations over one or two new races, where will all that other development go, and how can Blizzard make it visible to show us they're not simply cutting out all that extra stuff?

[xanzul]

I disagree, the quality of vanilla and even BC models is terrible. With the competition in the MMO market these days they do NEED new models.

No I'm sorry but a distinction needs to be made and players need to get this through their thick skulls: claiming something is a "need" when it isn't is a surefire way to make sure Blizzard digs in their heels and ignores feedback. You are only doing yourself and others a disservice by devaluing potential constructive feedback in such a way. It boggles my mind that people still can't grasp this even nearly 9 years later.

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What he said. I really can't see the point in this thread because they are already taking priority.

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Mark my word. The new models are already finished they are just holding them back for a selling point for next expansion. Blizzard isn't dumb. They can see the extra expansion sales just from having new race models come with it.

It won't be a selling point. Updated models are likely to come with 6.0 and the expansion but it won't require purchase of the expansion. Please do keep in mind that prior to Mop's release Blizzard stated from that point on, all races will be available to all players regardless of account level. Why on earth would new models be any different?