Character model rework 25% complete (Tom Chilton & Cory Stockton interview)

[Ryuukon]

If you are talking about that guy that comes here once in a blue moon nad posts some new model, yeah, those look like shit, not to mention he has unhealthy obsession with elves.

No, I'm referring to uh... other edits... that might not be condoned by the moderators.

Suffice to say, if you take the time to look for WoW model edits, you'll find probably dozens, all of them done by individuals, not a whole team.

[Eucep]

Just not pleased with what it sounds like, just seems little is done. If indeed true it's only been a few months since they really started, then okay.

My bugbear in the room is that I disagree with the need for them to look like the old ones. No no no. If they want that, leave the old models in as an option. One of the issues with the old models is how often the faces really don't look that great to start with or how few choices there were to start with (female trolls as a good example).

Same feeling, okay can get into that.

[Deleted]

It's pathetic that it takes an MMO Giant with 8 million paying subscribers can't update 20 models within 2 years, 25% is pathetically lazy.

[Methusula]

They did verify that the pace they were working on was a bit slower. It sounds like now that 5.4 is essentially done, they can pick up the pace.

[Mawnix]

Blizz is just dragging their feet. They're trying to postpone what should have been done years ago, in order to avoid doing it again any time soon, assuming WoW lasts that long.

Unlicensed model edits have been done for WoW for freaking YEARS, all done by INDIVIDUALS, not an entire development company, and were done a LONG time ago. Blizz saying it's taking longer to do them is the biggest crock of shit they've ever spewed, pretty much ever. So ONE person can do a single race in a few weeks (and that's being VERY meticulous to details they prefer to adhere to), and Blizz STILL can't do it in the years since it's been requested... I'll just say "Yeah whatever."

That coupled with 2 expansions of reused armor/weapon models/textures is why I've pretty much written Blizz off as the most money grubbing game dev since EA and Activision. Oh SNAP!

If you read the front page, you'd think differently, but ignorance is bliss apparently.

[Crookids]

Might want to add the new info how % is != to time remaining.

[Futhark]

Reactions like these are why we're never told anything until big events.

[3vyan]

Reactions like these are why we're never told anything until big events.

Or you know, they could just be honest instead of giving false information so we get our hopes up.

Also the news on the front page makes me optimistic:

Are new character models not priority 1 right now?? /boggled If they are not.
They are *a* priority. I don't think players would be understanding if they saw no new art in the game just to get new models. (Source)

I thought these were expected feature for the next expansion? Guessing I assumed wrong.
You should have no expectations for the next expansion IMO since we haven't talked about a next expansion at all. (Source)

I just assumed since we didn't get them in MoP, they would be a major feat. of the next XPac. I think most ppl did
I would not make any assumptions about future expansions since we haven't made any announcements about them at all. (Source)

Or how should I interpeted these answers?
To me it looks like they'll be announcing & showing something at blizzcon.

Btw: how to make the quote blue?

[Orange Joe]

I am sad and happy about this.

Sad because they said it was going to released during MoP


Happu because I would rather them take their time with them rather than rush it.

They never once said when it would be released.

[Eviscero]

The recent blue remarks confirmed what I have been saying all along: They haven't been actively working on them as long as many of you want to believe. They may have said "we will be doing new character models" 2 years ago, that is not the same thing as "we started working on character models today."

For all we know they have only been actively working on the models for the last 3 months. Then 25% isn't so bad now is it?

ALSO, I would suspect there is a lot of UPFRONT time investment with testing, playing with ideas, and deciding exactly what direction to go. That is a lot slower than actually building the models once you have a gameplan on how to do it properly.

[Orange Joe]

That's just you then.




And yes. We're so starved for content. I mean, it's not like there are people who complained that there was too much content at a too fast pace lately. We're really starved. Look at how famished we are for new content. How dare those filthy people who care about the look of their character ask for a one-time makeover.

It's not just him. I couldn't care less about getting new models.

[3vyan]

They never once said when it would be released.

While I agree with this I have to add they did a poor job on communicating everything so far about the character remodel.

Why did they say if they focused on the models they would only have dwarves done before MoP?
That answer leaves room for interpretation.

They were always way too vague on these models and tried to silence the playerbase by giving these vague answers.
A lot of people believed they were a priority and were being worked on daily.

It wasn't such a successful idea long term.

- - - Updated - - -

For all we know they have only been actively working on the models for the last 3 months. Then 25% isn't so bad now is it?

They have been saying: "we are working on them" for a long time now...

[Xeraxis]

They have been saying: "we are working on them" for a long time now...

No it wasn't until MoP was announced that they stated they had done any work on them. Even at that point it was never stated how much of priority it was or even when they had started doing that work. Up until then the only thing said was that they like to but it would be a massive undertaking due to trying to keep everyone happy with the new designs.

[Orange Joe]

While I agree with this I have to add they did a poor job on communicating everything so far about the character remodel.

Why did they say if they focused on the models they would only have dwarves done before MoP?
That answer leaves room for interpretation.

They were always way too vague on these models and tried to silence the playerbase by giving these vague answers.
A lot of people believed they were a priority and were being worked on daily.

It wasn't such a successful idea long term.

- - - Updated - - -



They have been saying: "we are working on them" for a long time now...

Me personally, I think it's more players have selective hearing. They hear what they want and be damned if anyone tells them something different.

[Eviscero]

They have been saying: "we are working on them" for a long time now...

Addressed by my other point that they may have been working on them for a long time, but not constructing anything as they had to plan, debate, test, and do a bunch of pre-build nonsense to make sure they pull it off properly. If they are now 25% done with CONSTRUCTION (which we honestly don't know if that s what they meant by that but I will assume so for the sake of my argument) then I am sure it will take far less time than it has to finish them up.

There is no way that you can extrapolate 6 years from now till completion by assuming 25% took 2 years, they wouldn't even be entertaining any comments about new models if they weren't, at most, a year out.

[Defengar]

It is really ridiculous.

Activisionblizzard has a net worth in the ballpark of twenty billion dollars. They could easily get as many artists as they need from other companies just by waving some money around. Moving to different companies is part of the industry. Hell, there's loads of unemployed video game artists right now (market is very over saturated) that can do excellent work on the cheap.

There is no excuse. They have the means, and the ability to get this done in a very timely fashion. But they don't. Its pure laziness. You can bet your ass if there was another MMO actually providing some heated competition to WoW they would have been all over this years ago. However because there is no other game to provide real competition they have become content to sit on their laurels and vacuum in cash while dipping as little into their profits as possible.

[Mawnix]

It is really ridiculous.

Activisionblizzard has a net worth in the ballpark of twenty billion dollars. They could easily get as many artists as they need from other companies just by waving some money around. Moving to different companies is part of the industry. Hell, there's loads of unemployed video game artists right now (market is very over saturated) that can do excellent work on the cheap.

There is no excuse. They have the means, and the ability to get this done in a very timely fashion. But they don't.

I'm gonna say it one. Last. Time. Because I don't wanna dignify the rest of your absurd statements in this post.

Read their recent comments on the front page.

[Deleted]

I'm gonna say it one. Last. Time. Because I don't wanna dignify the rest of your absurd statements in this post.

Read their recent comments on the front page.

Yet his statement is still correct as Blizzard has a lot of money and the character remodeling is a very important point on their agenda. They could hire a dozen of new artists to help with the remodeling but they keep it as a side project.

It isn't absurd at all that some people don't want to play as a 10 year old ugly looking Orc anymore just because you think it is.

[Deleted]

After reading the latest comments from Blizzard, I'm fairly confident we'll have a few a new models in the game before next summer already.

[Deleted]

They could hire a dozen of new artists to help with the remodeling but they keep it as a side project.

Isn't this already the case, though? Aren't there already a few dozen artists working on this as a side project?

Besides, I'm pretty sure Blizzard have stated that they don't want to just hire artists, simply because that means a lot more effort will be spent making sure they stick to the in-house style and that they are able to maintain a certain standard of quality.
Updating, what, eight year-old(?) models is a problem that requires care and plenty of thought. The solution is not to throw artists at it.

... character remodeling is a very important point on their agenda.

I would argue that just hiring artists for the sake of this project wouldn't make it appear very important to Blizzard: Can they guarantee that these artists are familiar with the in-house style? Can they guarantee that these artists have any experience? Can they guarantee that these artists can work at a high standard? Can they guarantee these artists care for the project rather than simply the paycheck?

Any artist that wants to work at Blizzard and that Blizzard wants to hire, has probably already been hired.

As impatient as I am (and, indeed, pretty much everyone else), I would much prefer the art team take as much time as necessary - hiring random artists whom may be unfamiliar with the style and may not even care about the project beyond the paycheck is not the answer and, frankly, I wouldn't want them working on it.

Just my two pence, really.