Alt-Races

[Mace]

Exactly, you need to look at the lineage. Nightborne are Night Elves, they are a group of elves who built and maintained Suramar during Queen Azshara's rule and stayed there after the Sundering.

oh, it's even more intimate than that. Tyrande, The Stormrage brothers, Jarod and Maiev Shadowsong and the larger portion of the night elven army that survived with them ALL come from Suramar, it doesn't get more intimate that. Some of the Suramese left to go fight Azshara in Zin'Azshari, those that stayed behind sealed up the city and now we meet them again. It's quite possible they have living relations amongst each group. Can you imagine Tyrande's sister was Ellisandre? Or Maiev and Jarod's parents had another child after they left home, and that turned out to be First Arcanist Thalyssra?

[shoc]

I've probably posted this a dozen times but here's my list of alternative race variations.

Human
- Azotha: Humans from the Highlands of Strom, still retaining minor Vrykul Features.
- Half Elves: Half Human, Half Elf. Lighter Physical Build.
Dwarf
- Dark Iron: Dark Skin, Firey Eyes and Hair.
- Wildhammer: Body Tattoos, Wild Hairstyles.
Gnome
- Leper: Diseased, Green Skin. Restored Sanity.
- Mecha: Curse of Flesh partially reversed by Mimiron, half-Mechagnomes. Chris Robinson Approved.
Night Elf
- Nightborne: Dark Elves, addicted to the magic of the Nightwell.
- Cenarion: Dryad and Keeper of the Grove features.
Draenei
- Eredar: Original Eredar from Argus, slimmer proportions.
- Broken: Draenei devolved due to Fel Energy
(Can in fact work with Draenei Skeleton)
Worgen
- Bloodmoon: Northrend Worgen, Polar Wolf, Heavier Proportions.
- Blackhowl: Worgen corrupted by Black Dragonblood. Drakonid features.
Orc
- Half-Draenei: Orcs with Lighter Proportions (movie Garona).
- Half-Ogre: Mok'thanal Orcs, a la Rexxar. Heavier Proportions.
* Simply add Brown Skin Types to original Orcs for Mag'har.
Troll
- Forest: Mossy Green Skin, Warpaints. Heavy Proportions.
- Ice: Cold, Pale Skin, White Hair. Heavy Proportions.
- Sandfury: Coarse, cracked pale skin, black tusks. Light Proportions.
Tauren
- Highmountain: Moose Tauren from Highmountain. Tribal Tattoos.
- Taunka: Northrend Tauren, with a Bison Head.
Forsaken
- Undead Elves: Undead High Elves, pointed ears and elven hair styles.
- Skeleton: Completely Decomposed. 100% Spooky.
Blood Elf
- Darkfallen: Last remaining members of the San'layn, welcomed into the Forsaken by Sylvanas.
- Wretched: Blood Elves who have suffered Mana Withdrawl and become Withered.
Goblin
- Gilgoblin: Aquatic goblins, created by Hobart Grapplehammer.
- Tinker: Due to numerous engineering accidents, certain body parts replaced with volatile goblin technology. Blackfuse style.
Pandaren
- Tuskarr: Coo Coo Cachoo.
- Grizzly Bear: Brown Hair, Furbolg Aesthetic.

[Mace]

The animations are the biggest problem with this whole idea. People (who have no idea about game development) just say "stop being lazy Bliz", when it's a case of "Spend way more of your budget on this than on other parts of the next expansion". It's nowhere near impossible to add sub-races with new animations and skeletons, but it's going to take a big chunk out of development time and money from other areas. Animations aren't quick and easy, and IMO it's hard to justify the addition for something that adds so little to the game compared to other forms of content.

I think it's a lot more likely we'd just see things like Taunka, Brown Orcs, etc. that don't require a whole new rig and animation set but still add plenty of flavour. Size and builds can change, but their skeleton would have to remain the same. This is important for identification in PvP as well, since doubling the amount of races in the game would be a serious problem even IF their skeletons remained the same (though that would mitigate it a lot).

I think they're worth it, hugely popular, and I'd wager every player has encountered at least 1 sub race they badly want to play.

What makes them work is that they can be much easier than normal races to do. Much less work

1. The vast majority of them are basically their main race - with just superficial differences. Some though are a little bit more but are often a combination.. like they are the skeleton of 1 race, but the size of another. Which is also no problem because that solves animation issues and gear issues.

Some would still need more work, but only partially: things like new faces. Taunka for e.g if they did a NElf Worgen they'd probably have to give him a different face too. Same model & animations as worgen for worgen form and NElf for nelf form, but different face and possibly skin textrues

2. You can completely avoid having to build new starting areas, and 20 levels worth of quests. That's a HUGE HUGE workload also cut. All the sub-races are met somewhere in the game, mostly as friends, some as enemies. All they need do, is once you have finished all the quests concerning that group in the area. It unlocks the unlock quest if you're on the correctly aligned faction or race. On that character you can be the hero that cements the sub-race with it's main race. Once the chain is completed your sub-race is unlocked and if you want you can log out, race change or roll said sub-race who picks up from that point.

cost? Just 1 quest chain per race. This is a lot less work, it also means since we get new sub-races every expansion, it's easy to add them as options you just give players the unlock quest once they've finished the questing area. For legion as an example. Once a horde character has finished High Mountain, he can get the unlock quest to unlock the Highmountain as a Tauren sub-race. Same for the alliance in Suramar. Once completed, alliance hero would have the unlock quest to unlock the nightborne as a night elf sub-race.

3. This literally leaves largely menu work and an opening narrative.

Sub-races Only In-game Currently:
Criteria:
1. Must have/use playable race skeleton
2. Playable race size (not as necessary)
3. Already exist in game as a group

Can modify an existing model to give more variation

Orc:
Mag'har from Nagrand Lvl 62
Dragonmaw from Twilight Highlands Lvl 84
Blackrock Orc from Burning Steppes Lvl 45
Any Iron Horde Orc group from WoD

Tauren:
Taunka from Northrend Lvl 72
Highmountain from Broken Isles Lvl 110
(Yaungol? - but i think they're a new model)

Troll:
Zandalari Troll from Pandaria Lvl 90 - (doesn't this use the Night Elf skeleton, troll animations?)
Raventusk Ice Troll from Hinterlands Lvl 35 - (aren't forest trolls troll models with bulkier skins?)
Drakarri Ice Trolls from Zul'Drak Lvl 74 - (same as above)

Forsaken:
Forsaken Elf from Southshore Hillsbrad Lvl 25
Unliving Human from Karazhan Level 70 - (re-model to a humanized forsaken model, i.e. forsaken skeleton/animations just stands upright when idle, textures are not decayed, but faded: changed from stormwind human model)

Blood Elf:
San'Layn/Darkfallen from Icecrown Level 80
Wretched from Quel'Danis Level 70 [replace model with blood elf - dishevelled/uncouth/untidy/overgrown hair/beard styels, normal eyes (no glow) but with a huge irises - could make them thinner too - alter idle stance to a slouch, other animations identical to BElf.
High Elf from Crystalsong Forest level 76 - non glowyblue eyes. Could give males the thinner TBC beta original size. Same animations as Belf

Goblin:
Gilgoblin - from Vashj'ir level 81 (unlock quest starts after killing Gilgoblin chieftan - you are met by enhanced kajamite Gilgoblin)

Night Elf:
Nightborne - from Suramar Level 110

Gnome:
Mechagnome - from Stormpeaks Level 77
Leper gnome - from Gnomeragan level 28

Dwarf:
Wildhammer - from Twilight Highlands Lvl 84
Dark Iron - from Blackrock Depths & Searing Gorge Lvl 50
Frost Dwarves - from Stormpeaks Lvl 77 - (they just have a different size I think)
Iron Dwarves - from Grizzly Hills Lvl 74

Draenei:
Broken - from Kurenai Nagrand Lvl 64 - (I think they use the Orc skeleton)
Eredar - from Broken Shore Lvl 100


Worgen:
Blackhowl Worgen - Gilneas City Lvl 85 - (will need scale texture replacing fur)
Night Elf Worgen - Darkshire Lvl 25 - (will need different face for worgen for, possibly different fur colours too)

Human - I don't know Vrykul would have fit, but they're an entirely different model. Half Elf? From Hellfire peninsular or Terokkar forest level 60-64? Starts after Honor Hold quest with Arator - model is either Elvenised human or humanized Elf)

There is ample room with minimal effort for every race outside Panderans, the only one I struggled with was Human - though some may argue forsaken and worgen are their sub-race.

[Techno-Druid]

I've probably posted this a dozen times but here's my list of alternative race variations.

Human
- Azotha: Humans from the Highlands of Strom, still retaining minor Vrykul Features.
- Half Elves: Half Human, Half Elf. Lighter Physical Build.
Dwarf
- Dark Iron: Dark Skin, Firey Eyes and Hair.
- Wildhammer: Body Tattoos, Wild Hairstyles.
Gnome
- Leper: Diseased, Green Skin. Restored Sanity.
- Mecha: Curse of Flesh partially reversed by Mimiron, half-Mechagnomes. Chris Robinson Approved.
Night Elf
- Nightborne: Dark Elves, addicted to the magic of the Nightwell.
- Cenarion: Dryad and Keeper of the Grove features.
Draenei
- Eredar: Original Eredar from Argus, slimmer proportions.
- Broken: Draenei devolved due to Fel Energy
(Can in fact work with Draenei Skeleton)
Worgen
- Bloodmoon: Northrend Worgen, Polar Wolf, Heavier Proportions.
- Blackhowl: Worgen corrupted by Black Dragonblood. Drakonid features.
Orc
- Half-Draenei: Orcs with Lighter Proportions (movie Garona).
- Half-Ogre: Mok'thanal Orcs, a la Rexxar. Heavier Proportions.
* Simply add Brown Skin Types to original Orcs for Mag'har.
Troll
- Forest: Mossy Green Skin, Warpaints. Heavy Proportions.
- Ice: Cold, Pale Skin, White Hair. Heavy Proportions.
- Sandfury: Coarse, cracked pale skin, black tusks. Light Proportions.
Tauren
- Highmountain: Moose Tauren from Highmountain. Tribal Tattoos.
- Taunka: Northrend Tauren, with a Bison Head.
Forsaken
- Undead Elves: Undead High Elves, pointed ears and elven hair styles.
- Skeleton: Completely Decomposed. 100% Spooky.
Blood Elf
- Darkfallen: Last remaining members of the San'layn, welcomed into the Forsaken by Sylvanas.
- Wretched: Blood Elves who have suffered Mana Withdrawl and become Withered.
Goblin
- Gilgoblin: Aquatic goblins, created by Hobart Grapplehammer.
- Tinker: Due to numerous engineering accidents, certain body parts replaced with volatile goblin technology. Blackfuse style.
Pandaren
- Tuskarr: Coo Coo Cachoo.
- Grizzly Bear: Brown Hair, Furbolg Aesthetic.

Your photoshops are cool. When are you going to other photoshops.

[Mace]

I've probably posted this a dozen times but here's my list of alternative race variations.

Human
- Azotha: Humans from the Highlands of Strom, still retaining minor Vrykul Features.
- Half Elves: Half Human, Half Elf. Lighter Physical Build.
Dwarf
- Dark Iron: Dark Skin, Firey Eyes and Hair.
- Wildhammer: Body Tattoos, Wild Hairstyles.
Gnome
- Leper: Diseased, Green Skin. Restored Sanity.
- Mecha: Curse of Flesh partially reversed by Mimiron, half-Mechagnomes. Chris Robinson Approved.
Night Elf
- Nightborne: Dark Elves, addicted to the magic of the Nightwell.
- Cenarion: Dryad and Keeper of the Grove features.
Draenei
- Eredar: Original Eredar from Argus, slimmer proportions.
- Broken: Draenei devolved due to Fel Energy
(Can in fact work with Draenei Skeleton)
Worgen
- Bloodmoon: Northrend Worgen, Polar Wolf, Heavier Proportions.
- Blackhowl: Worgen corrupted by Black Dragonblood. Drakonid features.
Orc
- Half-Draenei: Orcs with Lighter Proportions (movie Garona).
- Half-Ogre: Mok'thanal Orcs, a la Rexxar. Heavier Proportions.
* Simply add Brown Skin Types to original Orcs for Mag'har.
Troll
- Forest: Mossy Green Skin, Warpaints. Heavy Proportions.
- Ice: Cold, Pale Skin, White Hair. Heavy Proportions.
- Sandfury: Coarse, cracked pale skin, black tusks. Light Proportions.
Tauren
- Highmountain: Moose Tauren from Highmountain. Tribal Tattoos.
- Taunka: Northrend Tauren, with a Bison Head.
Forsaken
- Undead Elves: Undead High Elves, pointed ears and elven hair styles.
- Skeleton: Completely Decomposed. 100% Spooky.
Blood Elf
- Darkfallen: Last remaining members of the San'layn, welcomed into the Forsaken by Sylvanas.
- Wretched: Blood Elves who have suffered Mana Withdrawl and become Withered.
Goblin
- Gilgoblin: Aquatic goblins, created by Hobart Grapplehammer.
- Tinker: Due to numerous engineering accidents, certain body parts replaced with volatile goblin technology. Blackfuse style.
Pandaren
- Tuskarr: Coo Coo Cachoo.
- Grizzly Bear: Brown Hair, Furbolg Aesthetic.

I love your list: if you were to shave this list to only races that:
1. Had a group already in game with quests related to them (whether enemies or friends)
2. Also would have models only based on/used by existing PLAYABLE race skeletons and animations. Size variations can be acceptable, you are allowed to change the model the sub-race currently uses in the game to a different one but it must still fit the "based on playable race" criteria.

How would you wittle that list down?

Let me give 3 examples.
e.g
1. Won't be able to use Tuskarr as they're not based on any playable race.
2. Can't use Tinker because they are not presently established anywhere .
3. Can use Human Azotha: if they actually replace the Strom humans with this model which is essentially a slightly larger human model with a vrykul like face. Unlock quest will come for alliance players after completing Arathor Stromgarde quests in Arathi Highlands.
[e.g. 4. Mok'nathal would need a new design for face - but that's acceptable since everything else is literally Orc in larger shape.]

[Techno-Druid]

I've probably posted this a dozen times but here's my list of alternative race variations.

Human
- Azotha: Humans from the Highlands of Strom, still retaining minor Vrykul Features.
- Half Elves: Half Human, Half Elf. Lighter Physical Build.
Dwarf
- Dark Iron: Dark Skin, Firey Eyes and Hair.
- Wildhammer: Body Tattoos, Wild Hairstyles.
Gnome
- Leper: Diseased, Green Skin. Restored Sanity.
- Mecha: Curse of Flesh partially reversed by Mimiron, half-Mechagnomes. Chris Robinson Approved.
Night Elf
- Nightborne: Dark Elves, addicted to the magic of the Nightwell.
- Cenarion: Dryad and Keeper of the Grove features.
Draenei
- Eredar: Original Eredar from Argus, slimmer proportions.
- Broken: Draenei devolved due to Fel Energy
(Can in fact work with Draenei Skeleton)
Worgen
- Bloodmoon: Northrend Worgen, Polar Wolf, Heavier Proportions.
- Blackhowl: Worgen corrupted by Black Dragonblood. Drakonid features.
Orc
- Half-Draenei: Orcs with Lighter Proportions (movie Garona).
- Half-Ogre: Mok'thanal Orcs, a la Rexxar. Heavier Proportions.
* Simply add Brown Skin Types to original Orcs for Mag'har.
Troll
- Forest: Mossy Green Skin, Warpaints. Heavy Proportions.
- Ice: Cold, Pale Skin, White Hair. Heavy Proportions.
- Sandfury: Coarse, cracked pale skin, black tusks. Light Proportions.
Tauren
- Highmountain: Moose Tauren from Highmountain. Tribal Tattoos.
- Taunka: Northrend Tauren, with a Bison Head.
Forsaken
- Undead Elves: Undead High Elves, pointed ears and elven hair styles.
- Skeleton: Completely Decomposed. 100% Spooky.
Blood Elf
- Darkfallen: Last remaining members of the San'layn, welcomed into the Forsaken by Sylvanas.
- Wretched: Blood Elves who have suffered Mana Withdrawl and become Withered.
Goblin
- Gilgoblin: Aquatic goblins, created by Hobart Grapplehammer.
- Tinker: Due to numerous engineering accidents, certain body parts replaced with volatile goblin technology. Blackfuse style.
Pandaren
- Tuskarr: Coo Coo Cachoo.
- Grizzly Bear: Brown Hair, Furbolg Aesthetic.

Dude, you should make a private server.

[RedGamer030]

Brown orcs and green orcs don't have completely different builds like the forest trolls do.

You mean like this?

Tyrande, The Stormrage brothers, Jarod and Maiev Shadowsong and the larger portion of the night elven army that survived with them ALL come from Suramar,

You need to read the War of the Ancients trilogy and FAST!

[Techno-Druid]

You mean like this?

That's a berserker, mag'har orcs aren't different from regular orcs except skin color.

[RedGamer030]

That's a berserker, mag'har orcs aren't different from regular orcs except skin color.

It is an Orc. Mag'har Orcs are not the only brown-skinned Orcs.

[Techno-Druid]

Forest and Jungle trolls are different from each other. The average forest troll is naturally more muscular and possess green, mossy fur.

Berserker orcs and trolls are unique and not a subrace, but rather really individuals that have been buffed up through training and magic.

[shoc]

I would rather Draenor skin colors just be added to the default 'Orc' race and not waste a good sub-race slot with something like that.

I want to see every sub-race get as much treatment as the Night Elf -> Nightborne variation.

I think Half-Draenei Orcs like Garona and Lantresor should be added too, because it would give Blizzard a way of making upright back variations for Orcs.




Orc Blademasters were certainly not the same physique as your baseline Orcs, they had a much more humanoid appearance. They could introduce that physique through a Half-Draenei Sub-race, that would still look very much like an Orc, just with more Human proportions.

If Blizzard could make 2 subraces for every race, that would give WoW a comically huge character customization system.

[Maxilian]

I've probably posted this a dozen times but here's my list of alternative race variations.

Human
- Azotha: Humans from the Highlands of Strom, still retaining minor Vrykul Features.
- Half Elves: Half Human, Half Elf. Lighter Physical Build.
Dwarf
- Dark Iron: Dark Skin, Firey Eyes and Hair.
- Wildhammer: Body Tattoos, Wild Hairstyles.
Gnome
- Leper: Diseased, Green Skin. Restored Sanity.
- Mecha: Curse of Flesh partially reversed by Mimiron, half-Mechagnomes. Chris Robinson Approved.
Night Elf
- Nightborne: Dark Elves, addicted to the magic of the Nightwell.
- Cenarion: Dryad and Keeper of the Grove features.
Draenei
- Eredar: Original Eredar from Argus, slimmer proportions.
- Broken: Draenei devolved due to Fel Energy
(Can in fact work with Draenei Skeleton)
Worgen
- Bloodmoon: Northrend Worgen, Polar Wolf, Heavier Proportions.
- Blackhowl: Worgen corrupted by Black Dragonblood. Drakonid features.
Orc
- Half-Draenei: Orcs with Lighter Proportions (movie Garona).
- Half-Ogre: Mok'thanal Orcs, a la Rexxar. Heavier Proportions.
* Simply add Brown Skin Types to original Orcs for Mag'har.
Troll
- Forest: Mossy Green Skin, Warpaints. Heavy Proportions.
- Ice: Cold, Pale Skin, White Hair. Heavy Proportions.
- Sandfury: Coarse, cracked pale skin, black tusks. Light Proportions.
Tauren
- Highmountain: Moose Tauren from Highmountain. Tribal Tattoos.
- Taunka: Northrend Tauren, with a Bison Head.
Forsaken
- Undead Elves: Undead High Elves, pointed ears and elven hair styles.
- Skeleton: Completely Decomposed. 100% Spooky.
Blood Elf
- Darkfallen: Last remaining members of the San'layn, welcomed into the Forsaken by Sylvanas.
- Wretched: Blood Elves who have suffered Mana Withdrawl and become Withered.
Goblin
- Gilgoblin: Aquatic goblins, created by Hobart Grapplehammer.
- Tinker: Due to numerous engineering accidents, certain body parts replaced with volatile goblin technology. Blackfuse style.
Pandaren
- Tuskarr: Coo Coo Cachoo.
- Grizzly Bear: Brown Hair, Furbolg Aesthetic.

I like most of your options, but... the Forsaken Skeleton thing won't happen, why? cause China, also... Darkfallen would be part of the forsaken so why put it with the BE, also i would remove undead elves and just leave Darkfallen, we know that most Darkfallen have the normal undead elf model (excluding all the princes and the queen) and not for both Pandaren options (they have nothing to do with each other)

- - - Updated - - -

It is an Orc. Mag'har Orcs are not the only brown-skinned Orcs.

That's not a normal orc though, Berseker are orcs that were modified somehow (normally magic)

- - - Updated - - -

I would rather Draenor skin colors just be added to the default 'Orc' race and not waste a good sub-race slot with something like that.

I want to see every sub-race get as much treatment as the Night Elf -> Nightborne variation.

But you're not giving the same treatment to Dwarfs, and you're not adding black skin orcs! D:

[Friendlyimmolation]

I would rather Draenor skin colors just be added to the default 'Orc' race and not waste a good sub-race slot with something like that.

I want to see every sub-race get as much treatment as the Night Elf -> Nightborne variation.

I think Half-Draenei Orcs like Garona and Lantresor should be added too, because it would give Blizzard a way of making upright back variations for Orcs.




Orc Blademasters were certainly not the same physique as your baseline Orcs, they had a much more humanoid appearance. They could introduce that physique through a Half-Draenei Sub-race, that would still look very much like an Orc, just with more Human proportions.

If Blizzard could make 2 subraces for every race, that would give WoW a comically huge character customization system.

They don't need to make them half draenei for that model, just fix the current orc one, which is agaisnt all lore. Orcs have never been depicated as hunched over, even in the offical artwork and cinematics orcs stand straight up.

[ravenmoon]

If Blizzard could make 2 subraces for every race, that would give WoW a comically huge character customization system.

This would be ideal, and I can see it working. You do the first round of 12 in the next expansion launch,

and then you add round 2 progressively, probably in pairs as soon as they're ready.

Some require a bit more work then others, that's for sure, but they all are a lot less work than a full race. a hell of a lot less. If you coulple that with a race action centric approach to the next expansion, it could work extremely well.

Players end up feeling they've got 12 new races rather than just 1 or 2, and have a feast of customizations.

[Techno-Druid]

This would be ideal, and I can see it working. You do the first round of 12 in the next expansion launch,

and then you add round 2 progressively, probably in pairs as soon as they're ready.

Some require a bit more work then others, that's for sure, but they all are a lot less work than a full race. a hell of a lot less. If you coulple that with a race action centric approach to the next expansion, it could work extremely well.

Players end up feeling they've got 12 new races rather than just 1 or 2, and have a feast of customizations.

It may also allow people to express themselves more in Roleplay.

[ravenmoon]

It may also allow people to express themselves more in Roleplay.

that's true, but i've come to realize that far more important to RPGs than roleplaying is the fantasy. Everyone plays into a fantasy when they play these games, but very very few roleplay. It's just the buzz of seeing yourself as that cool straight backed athletic blademaster orc with the huge sword

Art, visual assets, a cool story all conspire to generate a desirable fantasy for you. You see nightbourne casters in a cool exotic looking city being badass, all of a sudden you want to be that even though you don't play. You see the towering and menacingly vryjul, massive themed, raw power, nordic primal, you love that, and now you want to be that.

it's been the driving fantasy of all the races, and it's one of the key reasons wow is so successful. Unlike other games, they took the time to build a detailed fantasy for their players in all the races. Each race has starting areas, and multiple facets. They didn't just lump you in with extra race/class combinations, they built in lore for that. They didn't just slap races with random stuff, they took the time to alter night elves to a new model to show nightborne, thereby diversing and expanding the race and bringing out a desired element in the lroe. They did the same for mechagnomes in Northrend, seeing that they were doing an Ulduar thing and a dwarrven thing with titan lore. a full tian city, they expanded with mecahhanized gnomes etc

All across you see detailed fantasy being provided, and you notice it's never a case of just plunking in, they want to take the time.

They know we want more customization for our races, night elves need more facial beards, adam's apples, hairstyles, face options - human females could do with less, but they know all that, yet even more than that it's quite clear people are salivating over the alternate races, the sub-races. You may have never felt right about playing a night elf as caster - not because they aren't, but because you've only seen them as nature, but now with a powerful arcane showing in the nightborne, you can see yourself playing a nightborne mage as a night elf sub race instead or warlock.

Every group offers new fantasies, even if it's the same class, normal night elf mage and nightborne mage is a different fantasy even though it's the same parent race, just as playing a Wildhammer shaman will feel different to just a normal dwarf. It's the nature of the beast.

So, now effort is made and must be made now to bring those to fruition in a meaningful way that enhances this even further. If you're smart about it, you can both reduce your workload and make it a really powerful thing.

for e.g. if you instead chose to introduce them at the level and area in the game they are met, saves you all the work of starting zone or phasing, allowing development time to be almost 100% on customization, most of the work for animations is not needed cos that's already in the base model. Now it's selling the fantasy with a cool quest chain, a narrative, and detailed distinct looks which is where the work goes. A clever dressing up of character creation menu screen and voila, something gorgeeous looking, stunning art in the model, with already a storyline very much in the game, with some meaningful expansion and it feels like a new race and really cool

[Hallowseve17]

This would be ideal, and I can see it working. You do the first round of 12 in the next expansion launch,

and then you add round 2 progressively, probably in pairs as soon as they're ready.

Some require a bit more work then others, that's for sure, but they all are a lot less work than a full race. a hell of a lot less. If you coulple that with a race action centric approach to the next expansion, it could work extremely well.

Players end up feeling they've got 12 new races rather than just 1 or 2, and have a feast of customizations.

This is genius!

[RedGamer030]

That's not a normal orc though, Berseker are orcs that were modified somehow (normally magic)

An Orc is an Orc is an Orc.

[shoc]

They don't need to make them half draenei for that model, just fix the current orc one, which is agaisnt all lore. Orcs have never been depicated as hunched over, even in the offical artwork and cinematics orcs stand straight up.

I disagree, I think the current hunched Orcs have become iconic to the series and should stay hunched, especially given how the Fel Corrupted Orcs look in the Warcraft Movie.



However I still want an upright Orc posture more than anything else. But, I don't want them to just shoehorn it in as 'fix normal Orc posture'.

Instead, my proposed solution is to make a small retcon in the lore that establishes the Blademasters from Warcraft 3 to be Half-Draenei. Lantresor of the Blade is the Warcraft Lore's quintessential Blademaster character, and it would also explain why the Blademasters had a much more humanoid appearance compared to default Orcs.



The way I see it, it's a perfect way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Upright Orc enthusiasts get their Blademaster physique, while female Half-Draenei-Orcs can get their Garona physique as well. With how important Garona is to the WoW lore, it's pretty crazy how she continues to just use the Female Orc model, even though she is described to look pretty much like an athletic green Human.

It may also allow people to express themselves more in Roleplay.

It would be a roleplayers wet dream. 39 playable race options? That's more variety than any RPG that I can think of off the top of my head.

[Techno-Druid]

I disagree, I think the current hunched Orcs have become iconic to the series and should stay hunched, especially given how the Fel Corrupted Orcs look in the Warcraft Movie.



However I still want an upright Orc posture more than anything else. But, I don't want them to just shoehorn it in as 'fix normal Orc posture'.

Instead, my proposed solution is to make a small retcon in the lore that establishes the Blademasters from Warcraft 3 to be Half-Draenei. Lantresor of the Blade is the Warcraft Lore's quintessential Blademaster character, and it would also explain why the Blademasters had a much more humanoid appearance compared to default Orcs.



The way I see it, it's a perfect way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Upright Orc enthusiasts get their Blademaster physique, while female Half-Draenei-Orcs can get their Garona physique as well. With how important Garona is to the WoW lore, it's pretty crazy how she continues to just use the Female Orc model, even though she is described to look pretty much like an athletic green Human.






It would be a roleplayers wet dream. 39 playable race options? That's more variety than any RPG that I can think of off the top of my head.

Really, I think having so much variety would definitely bring back some roleplayers. That's the thing, Blizzard rarely seems to want to do much if anything for roleplayers.