Wow has changed its artistic direction

[sfeeney37]

Who moved my cheese?!?

This thread is further proof, where none was needed, that it is impossible to please 10 million people with one decision.

[Blufossa]

Nowadays WoW just feels cluttered. When you'd walk into a orc hut in vanilla there would be like...a rug, an axe leaning against the wall, and then the quest item you needed to grab. I walk an orc hut on Draenor and I'm confused what I'm supposed to grab because there's so much shit laying around. It's like walking into an episode of horde hoarders. Without the sparkles I'd probably be in there for 10 minutes mousing over shit. My garrison is the same way. So much unnecessary shit laying around it's insane. I mean who is my garrison's interior decorator? My grandma? I miss the old days when there wasn't so many damn doodads and clutter in the world.

Lol, you've obviously never been camping or lived in a hut/igloo/teepee/yurt/etc. It gets crowded fast with all your shit, and worse if you have others.

@the OP: WoW has always been pretty simple imagery with VERY bold colors. And as for the angry faces/etc, they were always there. Orcs, Humans, Gnomes, Dwarves, etc- they all had angry faces but with shit for details.

[Deleted]

Lol, you've obviously never been camping or lived in a hut/igloo/teepee/yurt/etc. It gets crowded fast with all your shit, and worse if you have others.

@the OP: WoW has always been pretty simple imagery with VERY bold colors. And as for the angry faces/etc, they were always there. Orcs, Humans, Gnomes, Dwarves, etc- they all had angry faces but with shit for details.

Ashenvale, Teldrassil, STV etc they were not bold. And what are you referring to with "angry faces"?

[Al Gorefiend]

I like the grittier graphics. Fits the theme of Warcraft.

[Abysal]

Graphics are extremely subjective. I remember people complaining constantly about the "candy-graphics" in Vanilla/BC. No before that, I remember constant mockery of the graphics during WC3.

I'm glad WoW isn't an "eye-candy" kind of game though. It never would have lasted 10 years if it was. State of the art graphics are outdated within 2 years. Solid gameplay lasts a lot longer though and regardless of what most people say, WoW has always been at least near the top in terms of gameplay compared to other MMOs.

[Thelxi]

They did and it was about time. A long way to go still if you ask me.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Reading through the OP I couldn't find anything factual about the art direction, just "they changed this, this, and this, and I hate all of it."

[Eurhetemec]

Graphics are extremely subjective. I remember people complaining constantly about the "candy-graphics" in Vanilla/BC. No before that, I remember constant mockery of the graphics during WC3.

I'm glad WoW isn't an "eye-candy" kind of game though. It never would have lasted 10 years if it was. State of the art graphics are outdated within 2 years. Solid gameplay lasts a lot longer though and regardless of what most people say, WoW has always been at least near the top in terms of gameplay compared to other MMOs.

WoW wouldn't have lasted 10 years without very strong art direction though - that's what compensates for the lack of visual bells/whistles.

[Tenjen]

Thise zones often had better colorization than most of current zones. Its not about just colors even, the models were better because they were more cartoony and looked more like WC3. WoW has shifted into more realistic looking style, which isnt as good and it also affects how the colors are presented because obviously they are moving out of the previous cartoon style vanilla had.

no... we still have the same cartoon style you're talking about. the quality has jsut been updated and is no logner pixelated, thats not "realistic"...thats just graphical updates. You're displaying some serious "who moved my cheese" bulshit.

also your "zones often had better colorization" is plainly not true from the very photographs shown by you people on the previous pages.

This isnt even something subjective. the level of quality, feel and theming is so much better in the changed and new zones than the vanilla versions that i just cant take any of you seriously in any manner or respect what you have to say as having any worth.

[Deleted]

I dont know how to describe this more clearly, just go see some vanilla zones. STV, Booty bay, the coloring and style of the models is so much different than current game. It looks alot better for me than the whole Draenor which is entirely different artistic style. Texturing also is so much different generally, like I said the "painting" style is common in modern wow.

Compare STV to Tanaan Jungle, both are strong green but still Tanaan Jungle seems bland, dark and boring compared to STV. In vanilla blizzard achieved so much more with less.

[worprz]

WCIII was more dark and gritty than WoW was IMO.

If you watch the old cinematics they are in the same style as Diablo 2. I wish they would have stayed more towards that style, even Diablo has the cartoony colorful look now.


I do like they cartoon style look that wow started out as. The problem I have is that the game seems more childlike now.

A good example would be the Mists of Pandaria cinematic. Now it looked really nice (artwise), but it just didn't seem as serious.

[Deleted]

WCIII was more dark and gritty than WoW was IMO.

If you watch the old cinematics they are in the same style as Diablo 2. I wish they would have stayed more towards that style, even Diablo has the cartoony colorful look now.

WC3 in-game is 100% candy graphics, and it still looks good and thats why wow last so long. Vanilla wow had same art style, they have moved out of that. I would even say that current wow graphics dont hold as long as vanilla style, they get outdated faster.

[worprz]

WC3 in-game is 100% candy graphics, and it still looks good and thats why wow last so long. Vanilla wow had same art style, they have moved out of that. I would even say that current wow graphics dont hold as long as vanilla style, they get outdated faster.

I guess it depends on what you mean by 'candy' graphics. I do agree vanilla was more like WC3, but I would consider the new game more 'candy' looking. I can't say for sure because I haven't played since WoTLK. This is just based on the newer character models and screenshots I have seen.

[IxilaFA]

I love all of these subjective threads about the art style of WoW. Personally I feel like WoD is a perfect contrast to TBC art style since thats what the entire expansion is supposed to be.

I dont get why people continue to post threads like this as if their persobal opinion is why WoW feels different.

[hablix]

I think the art in WoD is by far better than anything before it. Also, while stylized, I believe the art and graphics have come to the point that they are just as impressive as say Shadow of Mordor or most any other modern AAA game.

[leetk1ng]

WoD brings nice change of pace from Pandas imo (kinda like wotlk was). Panda was a "nice and cute" exp.

EDIT: but nothing beats the atmosphere of WotlK, it was godlike.