Zomg New models?!?

[Duridi]

the only real argument i ever see against new models is people feel attached to how their character looks now. and i understand that. my druid has looked more or less the same since i made him in 2006. sure they added the barber shop but thats not too major. if you were to just log in one day and all the sudden you looked entirely different i could see people freaking out.

As a druid, you should know how that feels. We did get new models to our forms some years ago. There was a lot of whining about people wanting to keep the old models at first, then the new models came, and how many do you see now, whining about the old models looking better?

[Deleted]

No it isn't. WoW's original models are showing their age. Keeping up with the times is not, inherently, a waste.

The problem is that a character designer works with a poly counter which is sat to a upper limit. Afaik a naked Wow model is around 5-6 k polygons. But when you add armor and weapons, you will at least double that count - and then you actual start approaching what is feasible for modern mmo games. If you add polygons to the naked model, you might have to cut down on the armor/weapon details.

You can get along way with Normal maps, which sort of "paint" extra polygons on a model. But im not sure wow`s graphic engine supports that kind of texture.

[Olrox]

How can new armor cover up better animations? And you do know that new races will be covered up just as much as by armor as old ones? What do new classes have to do with new models? I can't remember offhand when someone said something on these forums that was so stupid when they believed themselves to be so enlightened. Much more of an impacts!

thx bai

This guy is the one you should listen to, OP.

It's not about just the model and textures - it's about the changes to the skeleton and the rig - the older races are very bland in their movements compared to the newer ones. That's the big thing about model updates - animation changes and skeleton updates and the like as well - the number of combat animations will go up and we'll see more doors open for classes having unique casts for some of their signature abilities if Blizzard ever wants to do something like that.

[Mormolyce]

Armour doesn't cover everything, my character still has a face. Also it influences the way the armour sits and the animations. Plus if you're Tauren or Troll or Forsaken etc a lot of your body sticks out of armour.

If you don't care then bully for you. Personally I'm dying to see what they're planning.

[HeedmySpeed]

He did not make a good point about models being covered up. As people have said, lots of people like transmorging into armor that reveals a character more (and we're not talking about the stupid vanilla "Platekini" sets), plus there's the fact that gear would fit on new models better and reduce clipping and the fact new models would have much smoother animations and look/move better in general.

So his entire post not only has no valid point, but it's just him forcing his opinion down the throats of others. Your post is even dumber than his.

And lots of people say they have their camera distance almost set to maximum the majority of the time. And new skins does not include animations.
I myself would like to see model updates but understand how some might feel it won't make a huge impact as most make it out to be.

But thanks for confirming your bigotry, I'll waste no further time.

[Yarathir]

And lots of people say they have their camera distance almost set to maximum the majority of the time. And new skins does not include animations.I myself would like to see model updates but understand how some might feel it won't make a huge impact as most make it out to be.

But thanks for confirming your bigotry, I'll waste no further time.

But they aren't just 'new skins'. They're new skeletons, models and textures. It's the whole deal, so that includes updated animations.

[Deleted]

New models would hopefully mean better fitting armor, i.e. less armor clipping etc (Nelf eye brows)

[Synstir]

Um ok, can I leave this thread already?

You didn't need to come in the first place! :-)

OT: well I do like the idea of new models, it is time for them also.
At the same time I like new races and classes with a new xpac also.

I also don't believe that new models should be a reason not to have a new race/class.
I see new models as just upgrading the game or a part of it to newer standard while a new race/class as part of new content; different things imo.

[Giscoicus]

Personally, while I want new models, I work prefer more amor updates. In Cataclysm they made belts non-2D and in I believe Wrath they made pants non-2D. I would love to see the same for chest items and cloaks (just minor things on cloaks)

However, I do think far to much value is being placed on the character models compared to new content, but the new generation of players values graphics far more anyway.

[Deleted]

I agree new models aren't that important and are covered with armor anyway.. but new models with sliders and lots of customization would be really nice. Like you could play as a fat elf or anorectic cow:P Oh and while they're at it, they should really take a look at the ugly low polygon robes as well. They all look the same and whats worse is that your characters feet arent even attached to the body while wearing a robe... so 1995.

[Hellspawn]

Before they add new races I would love to see body variations (like in SW:Tor for example) paired with new models and animations.
The old vanilla races makes this game look really old especially when you put these old models in new content or compare to pandas (or even blood elves).

The new models get new animations for sure, by new you can probably guess they resemble like the existing ones (because of nostalgia) only better especially in terms of deforming, Hand/Finger movement and facial expression.

[Moonbow]

I think WoW have enough races, already for now..
And we dont need more classes to balance, new models will be awesome for me, thats your opinion, thanks for sharing.

-Elune

[Deleted]

I just hope that they can retain the "feel" of the race you play...

I'm all for new models, but animations could make or break some of my "favourite" races if they don't retain some of their charming features

[Grimmer]

Look at the Garrosh update, then look at the current orcs. Animations included. Then tell me it's a waste of time.

One thing people are forgetting that was mentioned is that an update in terms of player models will also mean an update in models for almost all NPCs of those races as well, as they draw off the same pool. So it'll improve the overall game world, too, and won't just be covered exclusively by our armor.

[Hellspawn]

I just hope that they can retain the "feel" of the race you play...

I'm all for new models, but animations could make or break some of my "favourite" races if they don't retain some of their charming features

Well you can guess thats their top priority and the reason why it takes them so long. If players lose the connection to their characters, subscription will drop

[Xilurm]

And all I read was:
"BLA BLA BLA YOUR OPINION DIFFERS FROM MINE AND I TOOK SLIGHT OFFENSE"

He made a good point about character models being covered up half the time.
Where he went wrong was suggesting in new races since he already pointed out models are obscured with gear anyways.

Actually he made a shitty point. And a shitty point remains shitty no matter what.

- - - Updated - - -

The problem is that a character designer works with a poly counter which is sat to a upper limit. Afaik a naked Wow model is around 5-6 k polygons. But when you add armor and weapons, you will at least double that count - and then you actual start approaching what is feasible for modern mmo games. If you add polygons to the naked model, you might have to cut down on the armor/weapon details.

You can get along way with Normal maps, which sort of "paint" extra polygons on a model. But im not sure wow`s graphic engine supports that kind of texture.

So how do Pandaren do it? And how will newer races in the future do it? It's the same thing. Maybe there will be some point where the graphics can't get better in this game. Doesn't mean there should be shitty textures left here and there.

[Magruun]

It's not only the models which are getting more detail but also the animations will get smoothed out and faces will get expressions added to them.
It will add considerable detail to the gameworld by not only improving your character but everyone elses and all NPC's of playable races.

The problem is that a character designer works with a poly counter which is sat to a upper limit. Afaik a naked Wow model is around 5-6 k polygons. But when you add armor and weapons, you will at least double that count - and then you actual start approaching what is feasible for modern mmo games. If you add polygons to the naked model, you might have to cut down on the armor/weapon details.

You can get along way with Normal maps, which sort of "paint" extra polygons on a model. But im not sure wow`s graphic engine supports that kind of texture.

Fair point about the polycount limitations,
first of all WoW already uses normal maps, I'm not sure about the characters but they are definately used in some of the environments.
(also your explananation of Normal maps is not really correct. they can add extra detail to a model by affecting the direction the light reflects off a surface, you can only use it to add minor details such as small cracks and wrinkles, something that is also done a lot by handpainting with color in WoW)

Second, 5-6k polygons is what Pandaren have, the classic races only use around 1-1.2k polygons, clearly WoW can handle 6k characters and I don't see why the classic races can't be brought up to that level. it increases the detail on the character a massive 5 times at least

[scvd]

Let's revert Goblin npcs and give that model to players, then go back to old cat/bear forms and make jaggy 2d mounts again.

No.

[Hellspawn]

Models with higher polycount is a solved problem for them, otherwise they would not be able to implement pandas in its current form.
(Normalmaps would not really help with models that are so low-poly, also you just transfer the performancecost to something else, which is not cheaper at all.)

[Synstir]

New models would hopefully mean better fitting armor, i.e. less armor clipping etc (Nelf eye brows)

This is what I am hoping for also and some new armor models also.