Yes, i'ts a lot of work, blizzard has 13 different sizes in game, the thing is each race has a unique size as well as features - compare this to say SwTOR - that instead have 4 different sizes of 1 model - BUT, that model has features for all it's 12 races, and they have a wide selection of distinct faces. Whereas in WoW you get only 2-3 faces per race tops, most have just 1. It's not a competition of who has done more work or who is better, be respectful of the artists who have done incredible work in both games. SwTOR models look outstanding, face rigs animation have their characters come off like movies in convos. Wow models might be old, but appreciated they did something unique for BOTH genders of up to 13 races, and added unique animations for each gender, SwTOR has animations based on class, and not separated on gender, with some of their mirror classes sharing some of those animations, whereas the WoW ones are unique. With redone models, wow should look much nicer.
So I was thinking if the same thing with different sizes can be done for WoW, and realized the work load problem existed if you were going to create different sizes for ALL the races. Lets be a bit more realistic. I don't know how well this game can support sliders, but I know NOT every race really needs more than one size, only some, this reduces the work load considerably. So:
ELIMINATING: Dwarf, Goblin, Gnome, Worgen, Tauren, Forsaken & Panderan - do not need different sizes.
That's more than half the available races that don't need varying sizes created for them.
The remaining are where popular demand and reason together has created a need. A slider might not be feasible at all, as only slight variations can be given with that, you're going to need a different model. However, it won't need different animations. This is a huge chunk of the work load. Theyj ust needto give the bigger size the same animations. The work may come in fitting for the gear.
Races that We Want More Sizes Off
Human, Night elf, Blood Elf, Draenei, Troll, Orc - could all do with an additional size or 2.
Human = 3 sizes on male - skinny, normal, fat: 2 on female: normal and fat. = 3 new sizes
Night Elf = 2 sizes on male - super bulky, and normal, 1 on female (you could have 2 - a more muscular fem for those crying for it.) = 1 or 2 new sizes
Blood Elf = 2 sizes on male - slimmer male and normal male, 1 on female = 1 new size
Draenei = 2 sizes on male - slimmer male, normal male, 2 on female = fatter female, normal female = 2 new sizes
Troll = 2sizes on male - bulkier male, normal male, 1 on female = 1 new size
Orc = 2 sizes on male - slimmer male, normal male, 3 on female, musclier/bulkier female, normal female, slimmer female = 3 new sizes
a total of 12 new sizes and i'm counting both male and female.
This ofc is alot less work than giving 1 new size per race = 26 new sizes
or 2 new sizes per race = 52 new sizes.
this might be feasible to do. And if you were to really stream line this:
We could skip on a second musclier Nelf female
We could skip on a slimmer blood elf male.
WE could skip on slimmer Orc female
Get that number down to 9 although the 12 would be better.