New Character models, why do we care?

[Bianconeri]

Because games needs visual updates and it's just the way things are. If the game was never updated visually and we still had a vanilla quality graphics across the board it would be very bad indeed. This can only be a good thing. That people want to criticize this is beyond me, and they often don't understand how games are made and think this will somehow delay the expansion by months. If anything, it would be strange if they did not update the models at this point in time.

To say that time spent developing something that isn't "gameplay" isn't worth it must come frome the mouth of someone who is really out of touch with what a video game is, it's akin to people who think that spending money IRL on leisure and entertainement is a waste. I for one care about how my characters look, I'm not an RPer, I'm just a regular PvEr and yes i like looking at my chars, tinker with their appearance to a minute level (Even though that is not really possible as things are now). I take great care in making them and modifying them. Visuals matters, and if you think this is unimportant because most of the time you are looking at their ass 20 yards away you will be proven wrong I think.

And I have to laugh at people pointing out that it isn't near the level of SWTOR, Rift, GW2 or whatever, WoW is from 2004 and it has intentionally had a cartoony style since then, hell even before that. You are just pointing out the obvious. No one ever expected the graphics of WoW to approach those, if so a complete overhaul of the game would have to be done. As an avid SWTOR player myself it is fully possible to be reasonable and not be so bloody polemic, WoW is WoW and ToR is ToR.

Personally I can't wait for the new models to be playable and it will be 10x as exciting once we have the full specter of customisations available, even if they don't introduce sub-races. The only thing that I miss from other games is that we should be able to choose at least a body type like skinny, normal, fat, bulky etc. But no big deal really.

[shoc]

Models are meh. So much time and resources spent on something that offers so little to gameplay.

The models in GW2, SWTOR, Rift, D3, Tera all blow wow's away. but the gameplay is either = or meh.

Models just spice things up but offer no gameplay value. Think of all the other things they could possibly spend that time and money on instead of something that isn't going to effect the gameplay.

so stupid.

Have you actually played SWTOR or Rift? The animations don't sync up properly with the movement speed so it just looks like you "slide" across the ground while a run animation plays. WoW has the resources to maintain a dedicated art team that's in charge of everything from dungeons to the environment to player models to NPCs. Explain to me exactly how artists working on player models takes away from "gameplay" development at all? Did Blizz take PvP devs off the PvP team to animate the new character models?

[Caliph]

Yeah how dare the art department actually make art when they could be learning how to code and develop new modes of game play. What a bunch of stupid people who aren't working to their full potential. You should get a management job at Blizz so we can all have super awesome content again.

Customer service? Who needs it? It doesn't affect gameplay so get those people into some programming night classes so they can make a new feature. Billing? don't need them either.

what a joke of an argument. Models do nothing for gameplay just look how nice everything is in swtor, or rift. their gameplay isn't as good as wow's. And yes the art department could be put to better use coming up with new dungeons, raids, scenarios, instances.

what does customer service and billing have to do with it. they don't work on the game, they're part of the service end.

I should be a blizz manager the game would be much much better.

[vindicatorx]

personally I am indifferent to these updates I am a firm believer that looks are less important than compelling gameplay. I guess a lot of people would rather sit around and decorate their character than have something fun to do.

[Deleted]

because visual effect is important in a game, you dont care? well just go play 8bit mmo (it really exists)

[SL1200]

If you're going to do an update why update 2006-2008. It'd make a lot more sense to update to 2014. The graphics update I see here is more like a sidegrade. A sidegrade isn't worth the time or effort.

[PuppetShowJustice]

personally I am indifferent to these updates I am a firm believer that looks are less important than compelling gameplay. I guess a lot of people would rather sit around and decorate their character than have something fun to do.

Why do people think that these aspects of the game conflict with one another? You think the people rigging the character models are the ones tuning your raid encounters?

[MasterOfNone]

I don't care about character models, but I don't mind them putting resources into it.

I don't either as long as the game doesn't suck because of it. When mop was announced one of the biggest features was per battles. When it launched and even up till recently they had to make obvious changes that should have been focused on more than pet battles IMO.

[Kelimbror]

And yes the art department could be put to better use coming up with new dungeons, raids, scenarios, instances.

You clearly have no understanding how Blizzard constructs their teams. There are separate teams working on character models AND a team working on art for the new expansion (world, instances, etc). Or do you think that Blizzard only employs 15 people in a supply closet at the Google Campus or something?

But ok, you heard it hear first folks. User Caliph has triumphantly declared that models do nothing for gameplay. Let's start a petition for Blizzard to remove all models from his game so that his WoW is comprised of monochrome cubes. No loot, no spell effects, no art...just monochrome cubes that shoot monochrome cubes at monochrome cubes inside of more monochrome cubes. It's no different right? So he'll enjoy it exactly as much.

[Seefer]

They still look like garbage when compared to other games anyway. Bliizz keeps mentioning the matter or resources but they keep on doing such trivial things in order to keep the fanboys happy. Why update the character models when everything else is the same, anyway?

What looks the same short of people having the same armor? They upped the graphics in the world etc.

[Deleted]

what a joke of an argument. Models do nothing for gameplay just look how nice everything is in swtor, or rift. their gameplay isn't as good as wow's. And yes the art department could be put to better use coming up with new dungeons, raids, scenarios, instances.

what does customer service and billing have to do with it. they don't work on the game, they're part of the service end.

I should be a blizz manager the game would be much much better.

How would you even come close to being a manager when you don't understand that every company has different teams assigned for different tasks?

[Sithalos]

Because the game is ten years old, and all the old races look like ass.

[edmorte]

I think it can backfire blizzard.

1 - How much more performance it'll tax the VGA in raids and pvp?

2 - If anything in WoD got bad designed, guess what ppl will blame.

Patience is a virtue. I love to wait to bash ppl, in this case a huge told you so...

[Horizon]

nude female wow characters

Why do people think that these aspects of the game conflict with one another? You think the people rigging the character models are the ones tuning your raid encounters?

Do you believe blizzard has a special aesthetics purse? WoD has a budget and character models are eating some/a lot (I don't know) of that money.

[Pull My Finger]

If you're going to do an update why update 2006-2008. It'd make a lot more sense to update to 2014. The graphics update I see here is more like a sidegrade. A sidegrade isn't worth the time or effort.

The level of ignorance is terrifying. I'm gonna generously assume that you have an at least peripheral idea of what it means to build a completely new engine for a game of this size, implement it and get it to work. Do we really need to further engross the matter?

Having that said, the other thing that can be discussed is your claim that this, what you call a "sidegrade", isn't worth the time or effort. How do you even come to such a conclusion? You have no idea how many people are working on the project, who does what, at what expense, or any other internal production details. You're simply logically and realistically in absolutely no situation to attempt any serious evaluation.

Which leaves us with two tangible categories that could define if it's "worth it" or not.

1) Does the developer think it's worth it?
They obviously do, or else they wouldn't be doing it.

2) Does the audience think it's worth it?
Even the most negative and obtuse person still has to acknowledge that a lot of people are really interested and really looking forward to the updates, and if you skim through the front page thread, a whole lot of people are really happy about the latest preview. Like it or not, there's a definite interest and approval of the updates.

So, by any tangible definition, you saying that it "isn't worth the time and effort", is literally BS.

[Maxilian]

Because armour is still effected by a character's overall shape and animations.

Not to mention that there is a large number of people who care what their character looks like.

These...

Even more when you remenber that transmogrification is one of the most popular thinks wow have, almost everyone use it, at least once

[Deleted]

Because WoW isn't only about raids and epix loot.The game is 10 years old,and along the new graphical updates,PC models need updates too.
You should also remember OP,that next to the PC models,every NPC in the world will be updated.That's quite a change you are going to notice.
And from what I remember,a year-or-too back it was among the most requested updates.
After all,why the hell not?You're getting new animations and more pixels.There's nothing useless in that even if it is all "hidden under the armor".There are a bunch of other changes coming in WoD,so there's plenty of things to get excited about if you're really hating on the new character models.

[Aeula]

I'm a raider and a roleplayer, I care a hell of a lot about what my character looks like.
Another thing is, not everyone wears armor that covers all of their body, just look at how 25% of female cloth users wear black mageweave.

[Lord Pebbleton]

I just don't like the thought of running through perfectly defined and polished valleys with my character resembling a malformed pixel.

[Deleted]

These...

Even more when you remenber that transmogrification is one of the most popular thinks wow have, almost everyone use it, at least once

This. Transmog is still among the most used features,even though its coming from an expansion that "everyone hates".You bet new character models will be quite popular once they come out.