Sub-Race Photoshop Mockups

[In Ogres We Trust]

Why necro this thread?

Because it's an excellent thread.

[Shadowtwili]

You know what.

I'mma necro it again. Also, @shoc, you should put that high void elf on the first post too

[shoc]

You know what.

I'mma necro it again. Also, @shoc, you should put that high void elf on the first post too

There's so much lost in the pages that I never updated to the first post

[Shadowtwili]

Oof, well it's only 146 pages!

Maybe I'll go and dig through them tonight, got nothing else to do with Corona around.

[JacobMarley]

The mechagnome in the main post actually looks better than what we have now :’(

[matrix123mko]

Because it's an excellent thread.

It really is. MMO-Champ needs more art.

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Right, what the actual F is that!

This one would look great on human mage.

[shoc]

Oof, well it's only 146 pages!

Maybe I'll go and dig through them tonight, got nothing else to do with Corona around.

Don't bother I already did! Found the derpy Eredar from the April Fools Draenei

[Shadowtwili]

The mechagnome in the main post actually looks better than what we have now :’(

Because it looks like a mix between the actual Ulduar Mechagnomes and the living gnomes instead of the mechagnomes we have now. (mind you, I still play one )

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Don't bother I already did! Found the derpy Eredar from the April Fools Draenei

Good heavens, my hate for that april fools draenei isn't able to be said in a post!

[plz delete account]

Can we get a much less derpy eredar please?

[Mace]

There's so much lost in the pages that I never updated to the first post

WHat I would really like them to do now, is the highborne properly. Now it could be a sub-race or a customisation, att his point it's looking more likely like a customisation option, the same as the Wildhammer dwarf, but if it's the same level of quality they did the Illidari, or better I'd be okay with that...


Check this topic out where it is being discussed
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...OT-High-Elves)

Some examples from Fan Art

(Please notice the better looking face, the neatly trimmed beard, the skin tone, and the ornamentation)

The Highborne by LiberLelula on DeviantArt


Highborne by Beurghes on DeviantArt


Highborne male by Zelulae on Thumblr


Highborne female by Aloija on DeviantArt


Night elf mage by Fanfoxy on DeviantArt


Highborne female by Nozomi-N on DeviantArt



Examples of deep purple skin and star markings as suggested by @Mace - His original post here.

(Not necessarily Highborne, but an interesting possibility for the Night Elves granted it does not come too close to the Nightborne runes.)



]*** Last edited on 17-03-2020 to include contributions from @Mace who was so kind to have his thread merged ***
His original post here.

Why a Highborne customization

The Night Elves have a long tradition of druids, hunters, priestesses, and warriors, which are currently characterized in game - but the former Highborne sorcerers ruling class of the pre-sundering civilization, which has been reinstated among the Alliance Darnassian group following the Cataclysm, doesn't have a specific representation in game when it comes to the playable model.

The customization revamp coming in Shadowlands could therefore be a good time for Blizzard to further interest in a story-line they have already developed in Classic and Cataclysm, while adding some variety to Night Elves at the same time.

Why the Shen'dralar

The Shen'dralar were Highborne Night Elves who did not live in Zin-Azshari and remained isolated and secluded to the point that they were never exiled from Kalimdor and never became High/Blood Elves, but even though they were established by the Classic lore, and then rejoined the Night Elves and have been in charge for training the Night Elf mages since Cataclysm, we still don't know exactly what their isolation did to them in the same amount of time that radically changed both the High Elves and the Nightborne.


Shen'dralar banner as seen in Dire Maul

What could they look like?

From https://wow.gamepedia.com/Highborne:

"According to Brann Bronzebeard, there is little (editor's note - which however means there is) physical difference between the Highborne and the rest of the kaldorei, save perhaps the Highborne being slightly pastier, but they consider themselves different enough."

At some point it seems to have also been hinted that the Night Elves may undergo some irreversible physical changes from mastering the Arcane that would mark them forever, yet Blizzard has never shown what happens and this approach appears to have been retconned. [source, anyone?]

Based on Brann's report and current NPC models plus royalty and Arcane backgrounds, their hypothetical appearance could therefore include:

Facial customization:

• Smoother, good-looking faces, especially on the males. This may be one of the most noticeable differences.
• Golden eyes as an option for both males or females. While not a specifically distinctive Highborne trait, this is a logical option since Queen Azshara is the only Night Elf female to have them at this point.
• Fine jewelry such as earrings, tiaras and hair ornaments. (This could actually fit the elven theme in general)
• New hair colors such as pink and platinum blonde like the Nightborne, as a part of the pastier looks reported by Brann, or anything else seen in the Azshara video (images below) such as red shades or even black or at least darker purple and blue.
• Neatly-trimmed beards and eyebrows for a more austere look.
• Elegant hairstyles such as complex braids for both males and females.
• Differently tilted ears as seen from the statues in the Highborne city of Eldre’Thalas. (1)
• Star markings or glitter make-up as an alternative to the more feral-looking face tattoos. (2) (idea by @Mace - His original post here)

Skin and body options:

• Pale/light skin shades such as ivory and light-grayish purple and blue, always as a part of the pastier looks reported by Brann.
• Electric skin shades like Azshara's midnight blue/purple or even tones of deeper blue and purple, due to the use of magic.
• Leaner build as an option for males (more aristocratic look) possibly tied to a different standing pose. (idea by @Mace - His original post here)
• Skin glow to display Arcane empowerment. (2) (idea by @Mace - His original post here)
• Glitter/star markings as an alternative to feral-looking face tattoos and demon hunter's runes. (2) (idea by @Mace - His original post here)

(1) Yes, I am aware that even though the statues in many Vanilla locations display upwards ears this is due to Blizzard not having yet established the lore about the transition between the Night and the High Elves at the time. But the choice of the ears is a feature for all other races with big ones and if Blizzard is willing to add features that were never seen before in-game for other races (think the upright, un-rotten customization for the Undead), it may not be too crazy to ask for something that is already in game in some form, if not displayed on NPCs.

(2) While anyone is free to disagree on any of the suggestions and encouraged to elaborate on their opinion, please keep in mind that World of Warcraft is very dynamic game, with details getting altered patch after patch, so if Blizzard is willing to review models and add new customization features without even providing an explanation (think of the Human ethnic features) this may still become possible as well, and in the end it's just up to the Blizzard development team. Here, we're just speculating and proposing things we might like as fans.


Highborne from the Azshara animation

[shoc]

WHat I would really like them to do now, is the highborne properly. Now it could be a sub-race or a customisation, att his point it's looking more likely like a customisation option, the same as the Wildhammer dwarf, but if it's the same level of quality they did the Illidari, or better I'd be okay with that...


Check this topic out where it is being discussed
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...OT-High-Elves)

I would be happy if that was how Blizz chose to expand on the base Night Elf customization, and general improvement to their character models overall.

[Mace]

It was actually really nice to have the Ilidari get their own customisation in 7.0, rather than just like a head piece with horns. Makes the lore come alive properly. They should extend them to the Warlock class for night elves as well, as I can easily see night elf warlocks and demon hunters being Illidari only - ofc the Illidari warlocks would likely have another class name, (but it's essentially the same thing, and probably use greenfire by default, but can glyph normal fire if they prefer).

What remains now is the highborne night elf, and it's a huge group, and to be honest, the current night elf models just don't cut it. Hair too bushy, faces (males mostly) too wrinkled or dour, and stance too humble.. nothing that speaks majestic, gorgeous, or great arcane user.

• ornamentations, like those in the pics above are the sort of thing you want on them, with better hairstyles
• change of idle stance/posture (same model) just different posture - just like the DH altered the movement animation and melee, at least the posture should change, but if possible maybe even the casting animations only. Melee remain the same.
• nicer faces (males mostly) regal, handsome/beautiful, defined, distinguished
• arcane effects - I would say glowing hands/feet instead of tattoos,
• arcane based cultural effects - star effects in hair and skin possibly hearken to the identity of the race as the Children of the Stars - this is because the highborne represent the pinnacle of night elf civilization (both when it was good and when it became arrogant - which is why model wise should have something

Bigmoma did his Nazdorei concept, but the way the hair and faces are, it is more along this line their model needs for an example of hair and face.

Example of the type of Face and Hair Changes I would Expect on Highborne

Images from Bigmoma's post on the Nazdorei a while back.


Male - already both simultaneously a good looking face and regal, yet unmistakenly night elven. Also note the hair is finer, less bushy/wild like the current male models who are based on the druid.

[Powerogue]

Blame this guy for mechagnomes.

(but also wildhammer, mag'har, and dark irons I suppose, which turned out good.)

[Mace]

I would be happy if that was how Blizz chose to expand on the base Night Elf customization, and general improvement to their character models overall.

I just don't understand them, sometimes they do incredible work, the Illidari came out quite well, as did the Dark Iron dwarves (one a customization, the other a race) , but other times.... the 6.0 night elf model remake was disappointing across the board, they felt like they took a downgrade but in higher rez, rather than an upgrade.

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Blame this guy for mechagnomes.

I like mechagnomes Powerogue - but you gotta understand some allied race are a niche thing, even if most people hate them, they will greatly appeal to those who like that stuff. Most hated gnomes being made playable in classic, and have dissed them ever since, yet they are an all time fave for some, adult and children alike.

[LemonDemonGirl]

The mechagnome in the main post actually looks better than what we have now :’(

The metal facial hair looks weird though

[matrix123mko]

The metal facial hair looks weird though

I like metal beards from Warhammer.

[Shadowtwili]

In 2013, MMO-Champion user "shoc" created a forum thread in which they showcased various mockups for "subraces", including several ideas that later became playable as allied races (Mag'har orcs, Dark Iron dwarves, humanoid mechagnomes). They also introduced the idea of slim humans based on the Forsaken rig and beefier humans, two concepts that were eventually realized with the nation of Kul Tiras.

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Allied_race

Shoc got named on the Allied Races page of wowpedia!

Also, since I recently started playing my blood elf warlock again, I would murder for a felblood elf option for her.

[matrix123mko]

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Allied_race

Shoc got named on the Allied Races page of wowpedia!

Also, since I recently started playing my blood elf warlock again, I would murder for a felblood elf option for her.

Yes. They could even use demon hunter parts.

[Shadowtwili]

Yes. They could even use demon hunter parts.

I was actually looking at that for my blood elf warlock, the demon hunter tiny horns, the fel tattoo' and then the normal eyes and skin!

[matrix123mko]

I was actually looking at that for my blood elf warlock, the demon hunter tiny horns, the fel tattoo' and then the normal eyes and skin!

Yes. That would look nice.