So turns out, Dracthyr design isn't half so bad...

[Rageonit]

In their Dracthyr Evoker & Dragonriding Preview video where they said they wanted to give us playable humanoid dragons.

Quoting word for word, they said that they wanted to create a "draconic humanoid" race. That doesn't imply that their goal with Dracthyr was to represent old draconic races as much as possible, so no, they didn't fail on that, because they never promised that. They promised a "draconic humanoid" and Dracthyr is a draconic humanoid. That it doesn't look the want you want it to look is not a failure on their part, because they never meant to deliver what you want. Therefore, Dracthyr is not a "wasted potential" for something it was never meant to be.

[Katchii]

It very much is a failure. Their mindset was wrong from the very beginnng.

You're still projecting your requirements onto something that isn't yours to control.

It met the requirements and expectations Blizzard set for themselves, therefore, not a failure. By definition.

It not meeting your personal needs or requirements isn't a failure. It's disappointment.

If Blizzard was working off your checklist and then didn't meet those requirements, THEN it would be a failure. But that's not how it happened.

[Auburst]

Quoting word for word, they said that they wanted to create a "draconic humanoid" race. That doesn't imply that their goal with Dracthyr was to represent old draconic races as much as possible, so no, they didn't fail on that, because they never promised that. They promised a "draconic humanoid" and Dracthyr is a draconic humanoid. That it doesn't look the want you want it to look is not a failure on their part, because they never meant to deliver what you want. Therefore, Dracthyr is not a "wasted potential" for something it was never meant to be.

Word for word would be 'we wanted to let you play a dragon', then they say 'draconic humanoid'. Which means that these Dracthyr Evokers are supposed to reflect draconic themes because they are meant to be the closest thing to playable dragons. It is both a failure and wasted potential.

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You're still projecting your requirements onto something that isn't yours to control.

It met the requirements and expectations Blizzard set for themselves, therefore, not a failure. By definition.

It not meeting your personal needs or requirements isn't a failure. It's disappointment.

If Blizzard was working off your checklist and then didn't meet those requirements, THEN it would be a failure. But that's not how it happened.

It doesn't matter if it is mine to control or not.

It's not a failure for them, but it is a failure for me.

[Rageonit]

Word for word would be 'we wanted to let you a dragon', then they say 'draconic humanoid'. Which means that these Dracthyr Evokers are supposed to reflect draconic themes because they are meant to be the closest thing to playable dragons. It is both a failure and wasted potential.

There are thousands of ways to represent something, and them not doing it the way you'd want them to is by no means a failure. Dracthyrs breathe fire, have wings and claws and plenty of other draconic features. All those things represent dragons. As proved, they have never promised their version of draconic humanoids to look like old WoW dragons/draconic races, so there is no failure on their part and no wasted potential.

[Auburst]

There are thousands of ways to represent something, and them not doing it the way you'd want them to is by no means a failure. Dracthyrs breathe fire, have wings and claws and plenty of other draconic features. All those things represent dragons. As proved, they have never promised their version of draconic humanoid to look like old WoW dragons/draconic races, so there is no failure on their part and no wasted potential.

No, there aren't. We know exactly how dragons look like in WoW. As proved, Dracthyr are meant to be the closest thing to playable dragons but instead they look like kobolds sprinled with few draconic features. That's a failure and wasted potential. Btw. funny thing you mention claws when they don't even use them in combat.

[Rageonit]

As proved, Dracthyr are meant to be the closest thing to playable dragons

They are not. If you think them saying a general hype thing like: "We want you to play dragons!" is equivalent with "We promise Dracthyrs will be the closest version of WoW dragons as possible", then you have serious issues with understanding human communication. It was meant as a joke (proved by the comments of dragons being too big to fit in raids), and after that, they clearly explain that Dracthyrs are meant to be "draconic humanoids". Dracthyrs are humanoids with plenty of draconic features, therefore they have delivered exactly what they wanted to deliver. No failure, no wasted potential.

[Aucald]

But is it really that big of an issue? I mean: horns, wings, tail and arm/leg/neck spikes can just clip through armor as normal like they do for all other races, so that is not an issue whatsoever because it doesn't need addressing. Literally nothing needs to be done regardings those. The digitigrade feet are also not a problem, because the same model of 'foot' wear would also be used for draenei, tauren and worgen.

As I said before, it's not that big of an issue to me, personally. The developers seem to have a different opinion, and I guess that's just kind of on them. As another poster said previously it looks like they are iterating on the issue slowly but surely, so it's probably only a matter of time before dracthyr are up to snuff in the xmog dept.

[Katchii]

It doesn't matter if it is mine to control or not.

It's not a failure for them, but it is a failure for me.

Fair enough.

[Berkilak]

Quoting word for word, they said that they wanted to create a "draconic humanoid" race. That doesn't imply that their goal with Dracthyr was to represent old draconic races as much as possible, so no, they didn't fail on that, because they never promised that. They promised a "draconic humanoid" and Dracthyr is a draconic humanoid. That it doesn't look the want you want it to look is not a failure on their part, because they never meant to deliver what you want. Therefore, Dracthyr is not a "wasted potential" for something it was never meant to be.

Indeed. They've also said things along the like of, "Playing as an Enhancement Shaman is like playing as Thor!" In the same vein, playing as a Dracthyr is like playing a dragon. It is difficult for some people to understand that those aren't literal statements: Shamans aren't Thor, and Dracthyr aren't Dragons.

[Teriz]

takes a lot less dev time to do what they did, simple as that. which is hilarious considering instead of making that hideous visage form, they could have just let players build out a custom visage form from any race cause you know dragons can shape shift...

This is considered a hideous model?

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Indeed. They've also said things along the like of, "Playing as an Enhancement Shaman is like playing as Thor!" In the same vein, playing as a Dracthyr is like playing a dragon. It is difficult for some people to understand that those aren't literal statements: Shamans aren't Thor, and Dracthyr aren't Dragons.

Oh? Please explain how a Dracthyr is not a dragon. What can a dragon do that I dracthyr cannot do.

[Auburst]

They are not. If you think them saying a general hype thing like: "We want you to play dragons!" is equivalent with "We promise Dracthyrs will be the closest version of WoW dragons as possible", then you have serious issues with understanding human communication. It was meant as a joke (proved by the comments of dragons being too big to fit in raids), and after that, they clearly explain that Dracthyrs are meant to be "draconic humanoids". Dracthyrs are humanoids with plenty of draconic features, therefore they have delivered exactly what they wanted to deliver. No failure, no wasted potential.

They are. Words matter. It wasn't meant as a joke, it was meant as an explanation that it's impossible to get full dragons playable and Dracthyr are meant to be the closest thing to them. They aren't and they don't have plenty of draconic features. They have delivered what they wanted to deliver, but they failed at creating dragon themed class and race. It's a wasted opportunity.

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This is considered a hideous model?

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Oh? Please explain how a Dracthyr is not a dragon. What can a dragon do that I dracthyr cannot do.

Yeah, look at those duck lips.

They can't use their fangs, claws and tail in combat. Pretty basic WoW dragon stuff.

[Rageonit]

Oh? Please explain how a Dracthyr is not a dragon. What can a dragon do that I dracthyr cannot do.

It was called a "draconic humanoid" by Blizzard. Dragons are not humanoids. For example, it cannot fly unhindered like dragons can.

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They are. Words matter. It wasn't meant as a joke, it was meant as an explanation that it's impossible to get full dragons playable and Dracthyr are meant to be the closest thing to them. They aren't and they don't have plenty of draconic features. They have delivered what they wanted to deliver, but they failed at creating dragon themed class and race. It's a wasted opportunity.

Yes, words matter, and after jokingly saying (and laughing about it) that we will be able to play dragons, they state clearly that no, not really - we will be playing draconic humanoids. The distinction is super clear. Dragons are not humanoids; and for a humanoid, yes, Dracthyrs have plenty of draconic features. They are as "draconic" as worgens are "wolfish"; but just as a worgen is not a wolf, a dracthyr is not a dragon. So no, not a wasted opportunity.

[Teriz]

They can't use their fangs, claws and tail in combat. Pretty basic WoW dragon stuff.

https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=362969/azure-strike
https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=368970/tail-swipe

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It was called a "draconic humanoid" by Blizzard. Dragons are not humanoids. For example, it cannot fly unhindered like dragons can.

https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=369536/soar

[Rageonit]

https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=369536/soar

Which part of "unhindered" is difficult to understand?

[Teriz]

Which part of "unhindered" is difficult to understand?

What hinders it exactly? The Dracthyr can fly just fine.

If you mean in combat and indoors, they have an attack, heal, and utility ability where they're flying around as well.

[Rageonit]

What hinders it exactly? The Dracthyr can fly.

Cooldown hinders it. Dracthyr is not a flying creature; it's a creature that has a limited ability to fly at short distances every now and then. Dragons can fly at will.

[Auburst]

It was called a "draconic humanoid" by Blizzard. Dragons are not humanoids. For example, it cannot fly unhindered like dragons can.

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Yes, words matter, and after jokingly saying (and laughing about it) that we will be able to play dragons, they state clearly that no, not really - we will be playing draconic humanoids. The distinction is super clear. Dragons are not humanoids; and for a humanoid, yes, Dracthyrs have plenty of draconic features. They are as "draconic" as worgens are "wolfish"; but just as a worgen is not a wolf, a dracthyr is not a dragon. So no, not a wasted opportunity.

It wasn't a joke but a humoristic redirection. In other words Dracthyr are meant to be the closest thing to actual playable dragons. They are far from WoW dragons tho, and like I already said twice, look more like winged kobolds. They don't have plenty of draconic features, they look physically weak and they don't even have one snout to choose from that would be reminiscent of a dragon. It is a wasted oppoirtunity.

https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=362969/azure-strike
https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=368970/tail-swipe

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https://www.wowhead.com/beta/spell=369536/soar

None of which are melee attacks.

[Mic_128]

We know exactly how dragons look like in WoW.

These are all dragons.

[Teriz]

Cooldown hinders it.

It has a cooldown because it's faster than standard mounts and the druid flight form, and it's a racial that you don't have to train for or purchase. That's called balance.

Dracthyr is not a flying creature; it's a creature that has a limited ability to fly at short distances every now and then. Dragons can fly at will.

Uh, how is a creature that can fly across an entire continent more quickly than anything else not a flying creature? That's like saying an Eagle isn't a flying creature because it has to rest.

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None of which are melee attacks.

Please provide the source that states that dragons have to have special melee attacks in order to be considered a dragon.

[Rageonit]

In other words Dracthyr are meant to be the closest thing to actual playable dragons.

No, you're making things up. Noone has said that. A draconic humanoid creature can have ANY level of draconic features and still remain a draconic humanoid. It's untrue by definition that a creature like that has to be as similar to dragons as possible. And Blizzard has never stated clearly and unambiguously that yes, they fully intended to make Dracthyrs as similar to WoW dragons as possible. That's your overinterpretation of a single humorous statement in a marketing piece. Not a wasted opportunity, they created exactly what they said and wanted to create.

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It has a cooldown because it's faster than standard mounts and the druid flight form, and it's a racial that you don't have to train for or purchase. That's called balance.

Uh, how is a creature that can fly across an entire continent more quickly than anything else not a flying creature? That's like saying an Eagle isn't a flying creature because it has to rest.

You argued that they can also fly in raids. No, they can't, and a short strafe on a long CD is not flying. You can argue it's due to balance if you want, that's fine. Doesn't change the fact that they can't fly freely like dragons can.
Also, people who made the race calll it a draconic humanoid. Are dragons humanoids?