Warlords of Draenor: Playable Races?

[Obelisk Kai]

wow rumaya never ending story. Sometimes I think that the only reason why you are on this forums are just to write "no no no I dont High Elves because they are Blood Elves now in Horde and there is a blue post."

It seems I can't escape it. Even if I only wish to mention it in passing or in the context of all the other potential races, even as a negative, a response is forced.

Fine.

High Elves are nearly dead.

The classic Warcraft 2 race is on the Horde now.

And we have sources ranging from a blue post, an encyclopedia entry, the way the race is described in the novels, a tweet from Sean Copeland affirming the encyclopedia as canon as of four months ago and the very game itself to affirm that the High Elves have a population north of the dodo that does not justify giving the most popular Horde race to the Alliance simply because some people don't wish to play Horde.

- - - Updated - - -

You know what, I have to agree with him though. I'd rather see something savage on the Alliance side, like we were supposed to get with Worgen (but all we got was a bunch of hairy Englishmen.). We have plenty of pretty races. (Night Elf, Blood Elf, Draenei). *raises hands defensively* I have looked at both sides of the argument and personally I'd rather not have more anime elves. Please no more discussion about it. We already know a small, vocal minority likes the High elves and majority doesn't give two shits about them (They either don't care or don't like them.).

Believe it or not I agree with you, I don't particularly want to talk about them either. But I also don't want their proposed inclusion to go on unchallenged either. It's a bit of a catch 22 situation for me.

[Chain Chungus]

Not quite how I remember it.


Zorua, despite the assertions of one person I am not an asshole. That thread ended up as a negative experience for all involved at the end.

Personally I just wish to talk about potential expansion races, but as I have form in regards to being anti Helf it does tend to dominate should the idea be proposed.

I posted a lot about why it shouldn't happen you see.

Very well. I'll stop arguing with you then, and forget that thread as one that went on too long anyways.

I just hope if I bury the hatchet you will as well.

[Deleted]

Exactly. You think anyone is going to give a shit about Arrakoa or Ogres or Ethereals if we got new Human, Orc, Dwarf, Troll, and NE models?

I just don't see Blizzard wasting their time doing that. Also, could you imagine if we had 8 new vanilla models, two new races, but no new models for Dranei and Blood Elves? People would be ticked off.

are models so important? well new models are cool but new models as an alternative for new race?

I mean Im okay with no new races in next exp but saying that "is anyone going to give a shit with new races if we got new models" is just wrong imo because new race is not only a new model but a new part of story or new way of identification with Horde/Alliance. Some ppl choose race because they can be "a Dwarf fighting for glory of Iron Forge" or "a Blood Elf that want revange on Alliance because of those what happened in Third War" or be "and savage orc warrior that want to conquer new lands and kill new enemies"

thats the experience that new models cant provide.

[vihtahousu]

arakkoa would be cool. they already have nice emotes when you use time-lost figurine trinket and try for example /sleep and /salute. I also like their moving animation

[Lycanroc]

Exactly. You think anyone is going to give a shit about Arrakoa or Ogres or Ethereals if we got new Human, Orc, Dwarf, Troll, and NE models?

I just don't see Blizzard wasting their time doing that. Also, could you imagine if we had 8 new vanilla models, two new races, but no new models for Dranei and Blood Elves? People would be ticked off.

25% done in one year and NOTHING to show for it doesn't give me high hopes. While I'd love if they released the models at Blizzcon, I don't see them all being completed before the expansion after this.

[Obelisk Kai]

25% done in one year and NOTHING to show for it doesn't give me high hopes. While I'd love if they released the models at Blizzcon, I don't see them all being completed before the expansion after this.

See that number...I've wondered about it. What if it's classic Blizzard direction.

When they say 25% what do we think? We think of partly finished models, or some finished and others not even started.

What if that's just them being cheeky?

What if the models are basically done, and the remainder of the work is making sure every existing item in the game works with the new models. There could be a heck of a lot of coding involved but the models COULD be done couldn't they if the remaining 75% is non visual coding work.

Just a thought from a layman.

P.S. They confirmed Blood Elves and Draenei would get new models but they are at the back of the queue or something like that.

[Perryn]

thats the experience that new models cant provide.

But what new races cannot provide is the enjoyment/annoyance you feel from watching characters you've been playing for years, and considering the significant part of the player base in the next exp will be existing players this is a fairly significant issue.

Personally I care not a whit about new races, new classes or new models, I'm most interested in whatever lore and story/immersion this next exp can give. Races & models are cosmetics anyway and nowadays it'd be hard to bring in a new class with an actual identity significantly different from the existing classes.

[Devilyaki]

Playable race, DRAGONS o.o !

[Alltat]

25% done in one year and NOTHING to show for it doesn't give me high hopes. While I'd love if they released the models at Blizzcon, I don't see them all being completed before the expansion after this.

25% done while not putting all that many resources into it and nothing that they've chosen to show you for it. They could be halfway done by now and show off a couple of races at Blizzcon, then finish the rest before the expansion is released. Redoing the old races isn't that much work compared to making a whole expansion.

[Lycanroc]

See that number...I've wondered about it. What if it's classic Blizzard direction.

When they say 25% what do we think? We think of partly finished models, or some finished and others not even started.

What if that's just them being cheeky?

What if the models are basically done, and the remainder of the work is making sure every existing item in the game works with the new models. There could be a heck of a lot of coding involved but the models COULD be done couldn't they if the remaining 75% is non visual coding work.

Just a thought from a layman.

Another theory is that they lied about the numbers to throw us off and surprise us at blizzcon. (I'm not very confident in this one.)

[Deleted]

http://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments...urse_but_some/
Reddit post from 9 months ago.

I expect this to be a real leak, considering him mentioning the "Downscale" thing which was posted here less than a week ago.

[Zathrendar]

Ogre for the Horde.
High Elves for the Alliance.

For the win!

[wariofan1]

Exactly. You think anyone is going to give a shit about Arrakoa or Ogres or Ethereals if we got new Human, Orc, Dwarf, Troll, and NE models?

I just don't see Blizzard wasting their time doing that. Also, could you imagine if we had 8 new vanilla models, two new races, but no new models for Dranei and Blood Elves? People would be ticked off.

I personally don't give two shits about new race models, I do however give shits about new races. New races means new content, new models is just visual garbage that doesn't change the experience one bit. Plus, they have stated they aren't too far into the development of new models, and it's more like a side project, it's not being put in focus at all.

http://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments...urse_but_some/
Reddit post from 9 months ago.

I expect this to be a real leak, considering him mentioning the "Downscale" thing which was posted here less than a week ago.

Scaling old content so that we can do it has been discussed and requested by fans since TBC. This looks to be but something made up by someone after he heard about Alleria and Turalyon returning next expansion, nothing more. He has no proof otherwise.

[Zathrendar]

It seems I can't escape it. Even if I only wish to mention it in passing or in the context of all the other potential races, even as a negative, a response is forced.

Fine.

High Elves are nearly dead.

The classic Warcraft 2 race is on the Horde now.

Gnomes - nearly dead.

Trolls - nearly dead.

Tauren - nearly dead.

Draenei - nearly dead.

Gilneans - nearly dead.

Forsaken - ne-... well, they are dead but their numbers were dwindling until now.

So what is your actual argument? Nearly any race you care to mention is on the brink of annihilation. I bet the orcs aren't looking too good either, after this expansion.

I live in the hope that eventually Blizzard opens blood elves up to both factions, as they have with the Pandaren, and allows a high elf visual model for the Alliance.

As for the people stating they don't want new models - the vanilla and TBC models are in dire need of modernisation. It is going to happen, Blizzard has already committed to it and there is no reason just to add strings of new races whilst neglecting the old.

[Teriz]

are models so important? well new models are cool but new models as an alternative for new race?

I mean Im okay with no new races in next exp but saying that "is anyone going to give a shit with new races if we got new models" is just wrong imo because new race is not only a new model but a new part of story or new way of identification with Horde/Alliance. Some ppl choose race because they can be "a Dwarf fighting for glory of Iron Forge" or "a Blood Elf that want revange on Alliance because of those what happened in Third War" or be "and savage orc warrior that want to conquer new lands and kill new enemies"

thats the experience that new models cant provide.

The reality is that the vast majority of WoW players are either playing an Elf or a Human. Most people either want to be a character that looks like themselves, or a more attractive version of themselves. This is why before the introduction of Blood Elves on the Horde, Alliance had a huge population advantage over the Horde. As of now, Blood Elves constitute over 40% of the Horde user base. That's out of six races. You think we'll ever see Ogres constitute 10% of the Horde user base? Doubtful when it has to compete with Orcs, Tauren, and Trolls.

In other words, very few people want to play as an ugly race. The only options we have left are ugly races. I don't see Blizzard wasting the resources to make them playable. ESPECIALLY when those races have to compete with the most popular races in WoW on equal footing. In the case of Ogres, we have a race that's so hideous, Blizzard couldn't even come up with a suitable female model.

[Obelisk Kai]

Another theory is that they lied about the numbers to throw us off and surprise us at blizzcon. (I'm not very confident in this one.)

I don't think they would lie, but they would misdirect. If the overall work on the models to make them viable is 25% done, but that involves a lot more work than the actual model looks, well...

Also bear in mind that when asked about it Ghostcrawler basically said they hadn't been working flat out on the new models up until that point. I'd bet that since that interview they've probably focused on them quite a bit more if only to be able to show off a few (or even all?) of the models at Blizzcon.

In an ideal world, all the new races will get previewed.

At a bare minimum, I expect Trolls, Orcs, Dwarves and Humans.

Trolls and Orcs because we've basically seen previews (Marli in throne of thunder council fight for troll females, Vol'Jin for troll males, Garrosh for Orcs males)

Dwarves because a long time ago Blizzard said they were the first race they were working on.

And Humans because, well, the core race of the Alliance right?

[Deleted]

And Humans because, well, the core race of the Alliance right?

I'd say human because it would affect the most people and human models look very derpy as they are at the moment.

[Zathrendar]

The reality is that the vast majority of WoW players are either playing an Elf or a Human. Most people either want to be a character that looks like themselves, or a more attractive version of themselves. This is why before the introduction of Blood Elves on the Horde, Alliance had a huge population advantage over the Horde. As of now, Blood Elves constitute over 40% of the Horde user base. That's out of six races. You think we'll ever see Ogres constitute 10% of the Horde user base? Doubtful when it has to compete with Orcs, Tauren, and Trolls.

In other words, very few people want to play as an ugly race. The only options we have left are ugly races. I don't see Blizzard wasting the resources to make them playable. ESPECIALLY when those races have to compete with the most popular races in WoW on equal footing. In the case of Ogres, we have a race that's so hideous, Blizzard couldn't even come up with a suitable female model.

Even the "Ugly" races have been made prettier to draw more players, e.g. troll females used to be hideous but they were made to be more attractive in WoW.

[Teriz]

Even the "Ugly" races have been made prettier to draw more players, e.g. troll females used to be hideous but they were made to be more attractive in WoW.

Yeah, but Ogres are even more uglier than any Horde race, including the Forsaken. We're talking about big fat creatures with two heads or a single eye in the middle of their head. Again, they're so ugly Blizzard couldn't design a female version pretty enough for racial inclusion.

Which do you think benefits the game more? Updated Blood Elf and Draenei models, or Ogres and some cop out Alliance race?

[Deleted]

While I'm a bit skeptical about this trademark, I lean towards Alliance Arakkoa and neutral Ethereal.