Artcraft - Updated Facial Customization

[Nexsa]

My main is a blood elf and I don't mind them adding it later. I didn't even expect this many of the models to be done.

[TmrAsakura]

well only 1 race model not being in at launch, not too bad

[Zoaric]

Apparently Blood Elves were afraid an update would ruin their looks and are now
running amuck. It will take some time to calm them down and get the surgeries
started.

[eScar95]

Apparently Blood Elves were afraid an update would ruin their looks and are now
running amuck. It will take some time to calm them down and get the surgeries
started.

Didn't know a virtual race had any say if they get updated or not. Unless you live in some alternate universe.

[DizzyMonk]

order canceled

[Hitei]

order canceled

lol, good joke.

[Jakins]

Almost implying that they have a launch date figured out ^^

Actually they do, it's called a 'deadline' and 'if they don't meet the deadline, they're fired'.

[ColbaneX]

I'm fine with this. Belves need the least updating anyways.

[Aelric70]

Fantastic news, I was honestly afraid they weren't listening when we were screaming about the emotions and the facial differences.

I'm even more hyped to see my characters revitalized.

That's what scared you? Not the fact that you were screaming about something that was never an actual problem? What did you do--base your fear on the alarmist forum posts of the ignorant or did you leap to the wrong conclusions all by yourself?

Either way, that's the part that should concern you

[rayden54]

My gosh the females still look creepy. None of the others have such dead eyes.

[CalamityHeart]

Considering that updating the Blood Elf models for launch wasn't even in the initial plan, I can't be too upset over this. Chris is as bummed out about it as the rest of us, and you can tell he's passionate about this. Best we can do is have even higher expectations for Blood Elves in 6.1. No point in QQing and raging.

[Luko]

Didn't know a virtual race had any say if they get updated or not. Unless you live in some alternate universe.

Ew, stop that.

[OneSent]

I think people are missing the "hidden" good news of this post: The fact that they know the Blood Elves' model will not be ready in time for launch simply proves that Blizzard is close enough to a launch window to make that call.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but this is the first confirmed "this race will not be done by launch" that we've had so far. Sounds to me like the launch window is fast approaching!

/tinfoil hat?

[tangers58]

Actually they do, it's called a 'deadline' and 'if they don't meet the deadline, they're fired'.

Given the downhill trajectory this game has been on, I think they get promoted when they fail to meet deadlines.

[Kezaren]

You know, I love Blizzard, but... a lot of the time, they act like the absolute smallest developer in the world. Listen, I don't know how to make character models or anything, but going from what I've seen from other developers--and the kind of throughput they have while maintaining world-class quality--making a boatload of new character models shouldn't actually be as hard as Blizzard is making it out to be. I mean, I expect it to take time, but they were seriously going to launch the expansion with one face to choose from for each race? That quite honestly made me laugh out loud. As did the fact that they're not going to be able to get to the Blood Elves until later on. That's pretty incredible.

And here I was thinking that of course as part of the character model revamp, we'd get all kinds of sliders to adjust basically every part of the face, and the height, weight, and muscle mass of our characters. You know; like the character creator in... every other MMO made in the last ten years. Obviously, right? I mean, it's not like they don't have the resources to do what every other smaller developer does on a routine basis. And yet, here we are. And what's more, it's apparently really hard to make more than one preset face after two years of development time, and we're lucky to be getting more. This, from the largest game company in the industry. It just doesn't compute.

I know they counter the idea of hiring more people by saying they want to maintain their high standards, but while I have no doubt that the people working there are the best in the industry, that doesn't mean that the next modeler down is going to make crap that will bring down the game. They've got a long way to go before that happens. They have the cream of the crop, sure, but they can definitely afford to hire more cream, because they only took a little paper-thin slice off the top so far (to carry that analogy to the bitter end). Blizzard's development times are legendarily slow, and they've said they want to get stuff out faster, but from my perspective on the outside, it's their own fault: they keep it slow. But there's no good reason to restrict themselves to a tiny team that can't keep up with their own goals, especially when they're relatively modest goals, like in this case (make 22 character models). I certainly couldn't do that in two years, but when entire triple-A games are made from start to finish by smaller studios in as much time, I feel there's a better way for Blizzard to be doing things.

[charizma]

their one of the biggest game companies in the world, the way they have handled this expansion is amateur at best.

[BetrayedOf52]

My main is a bloodelf and ill be okay with this if 2 conditions...

They update it shortly after WOD release 1-2 months tops.

And when it's added I don't want them to act like it's the pinnacle of a patch. Nothing would annoy me more, then our first patch all the hype is around one new model and they act like they did us a huge favor. It's delayed, get it to the public asap and don't act like heroes when they do deliver it..

[Enan1981]

Yeah with all of these "prioritization" and cut backs (per say), it seems like they do have a planned date already. Delay whatever they need to delay, just as long as its gradually put in the game. So ill be expecting a TON of content while im busy with my Garrison :3

[Shudder]

Yeah it's to be expected they really haven't had a lot of time to work on this expansion...

[wasoon]

the new version of that female human face is not similar enough for one of the better human faces. she also looks about 20 years older now...