Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Kyriani]

Probably tomorrow.

That'd make me very happy! ^_^

[FossilFree]

The tentacles were a good idea, but dang, were they badly implemented. From baking them to hairstyles instead of allowing them to be their own customization option, to not giving them better animations.

Like not even talking about physics, but how cool would have been if they would have had like a "medusa" like animation, floating in the air instead of just being limp?

That would be really cool! I mean, if they can finally give draenei tails a skeleton, rather than a pasted on Barney the dinosaur tail, I think they could animate the tentacles too.

[Frenchvince]

I am happy that the biggest obstacles have been crossed, well done everyone !

Next step for me, hairstyles.

void elves have a braid in their hair texture but they don't have braid hairstyles !


Here are some ideas of braid hairstyles inspired by Alleria. <3


I would really love to see these styles of hairstyles added, and of course a toggle for the tentacles as well.
I would be even happier if that happened.

[Kyriani]

Those styles look great! I'd love to see them as well!

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

Probably tomorrow.

Mmm, I would give it minimum two weeks, conservatively speaking. Cause I feel we won't be seeing the Natural Hair colors on the first build since it does feel like a later decisions than the LFD and NB reveals.

[delus]

The biggest obstacle was the addition of a Quel'dorei race alliance side, followed by skin color. Hair color wasn't exactly a foregone conclusion but pretty close.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I am happy that the biggest obstacles have been crossed, well done everyone !

Next step for me, hairstyles.

void elves have a braid in their hair texture but they don't have braid hairstyles !


Here are some ideas of braid hairstyles inspired by Alleria. <3


I would really love to see these styles of hairstyles added, and of course a toggle for the tentacles as well.
I would be even happier if that happened.

I love the idea of adding more braided hairstyles, but I also think that the option of toggling tentacles to braids would serve that same aesthetic on a far more customizable manner. I did my own take on that with one of the dudes hairstyles a while ago, but Keyboardturn did such a great job fully realizing this concept on all the female hairstyles while also adding feathers to truly show that Alleria aesthetic.

I really believe a Tentacle/Braid toggle would be the apex of possibility we have with the current tools, like yeah an on/off toggle would be great, but the option to change them for braids would be incredible.



And I feel that in such a way, more "new" VE hairstyles could be more bold and go further into the Void aesthetic.

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Also I just really like how some simple re-colors of jewelry would add a lot to that HE fantasy.

[Luck4]

This would be insanely good, but I think the forums would melt with angry Blood Elf players, and I'm not even joking.

And the main complaint would not be about "watering down Void Elves", or "stealing from Blood Elves' identity", but rather about Void Elves "having more customizations than any other race in the entire game!"

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

This would be insanely good, but I think the forums would melt with angry Blood Elf players, and I'm not even joking.

And the main complaint would not be about "watering down Void Elves", or stealing from Blood Elves' identity, but rather about Void Elves "having" more customizations than any other race in the entire game!

That's why I'd say "Go on, give all of these to Blood Elves too". It makes sense, "Farstrider" aesthetics are also part of the BE identity, so it would be perfectly fair that BE's got all the braid and feathers goodness.

A lot of BE players would rather gatekeep aesthetics in a way it would limit their own choices rather than allowing more cross-customizations that would be a net win for both alliance and horde players lol.

I do think it's fair; if VE's were given BE assets, it would be fair that BE's were also given VE's assets, such as the hairstyles and braid option.

[Rhlor]

That's why I'd say "Go on, give all of these to Blood Elves too". It makes sense, "Farstrider" aesthetics are also part of the BE identity, so it would be perfectly fair that BE's got all the braid and feathers goodness.

A lot of BE players would rather gatekeep aesthetics in a way it would limit their own choices rather than allowing more cross-customizations that would be a net win for both alliance and horde players lol.

I do think it's fair; if VE's were given BE assets, it would be fair that BE's were also given VE's assets, such as the hairstyles and braid option.

what blood elves players want is to have a unique visual aesthetic that respects our lore and themes.
more light, arcane and farstrider customization

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

what blood elves players want is to have a unique visual aesthetic that respects our lore and themes.
more light, arcane and farstrider customization

No, that's just you.

Stop trying to speak for all Blood Elf fans. It's tiresome. What you want is not the same I want, and I am as much a Blood Elf player than you are.

[Kyriani]

I think a lot of us forget that even if our avatars on the official forums show one race, it doesn't mean that that character is necessarily our main. And even if it is, it doesn't mean we don't have alts of other races that we appreciate just as much.

I play multiple races in WoW, though I do admit to favoring the elves.

I have Night Elves, Blood Elves, Void Elves, Nightborne, Humans, Draenei, Lightforged, Tauren, Highmountain, Vulpera, Worgen, and even a Dark Iron. I am just a much a fan of each race as anyone else. If I have an opinion on any of these races, it matters just as much as the most ardent fan of those races.

None of our opinions on these races are more or less valid based on what race we post with on the official forums, or that we main in the game.

Most of my Horde characters are Blood Elves, with some Nightborne, Tauren, Highmountain, and Vulpera mixed in. The Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins just aren't appealing enough to me to invest in.

Most of my Alliance characters are Void Elves, with some Night Elves, Humans, Draenei, Lightforged, Worgen, and a Dark Iron mixed in. The standard Dwarves, standard Gnomes, Mechagnomes, and kul Tirans are just not appealing enough to me to invest in.

I don't play every race, but I feel that my opinion on the races I do play have as much weight as anyone elses.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I think a lot of us forget that even if our avatars on the official forums show one race, it doesn't mean that that character is necessarily our main. And even if it is, it doesn't mean we don't have alts of other races that we appreciate just as much.

I play multiple races in WoW, though I do admit to favoring the elves.

I have Night Elves, Blood Elves, Void Elves, Nightborne, Humans, Draenei, Lightforged, Tauren, Highmountain, Vulpera, and even a Dark Iron. I am just a much a fan of each race as anyone else. If I have an opinion on any of these races, it matters just as much as the most ardent fan of those races.

None of our opinions on these races are more or less valid based on what race we post with on the official forums, or that we main in the game.

It just really bothers me this trend some BE fans have to gatekeep others. It's like if you don't agree with faction exclusivity you're not a true BE fan.

It's not news that I am just an elven fanboy and that I would like to see just MORE elven content all around, and I love all the elven offshoots in WoW. But some people really act like you can only like one and it's really bothersome to be told you're not a true BE fan because you'd like to share hairstyles.

[Rhlor]

I think a lot of us forget that even if our avatars on the official forums show one race, it doesn't mean that that character is necessarily our main. And even if it is, it doesn't mean we don't have alts of other races that we appreciate just as much.

I play multiple races in WoW, though I do admit to favoring the elves.

I have Night Elves, Blood Elves, Void Elves, Nightborne, Humans, Draenei, Lightforged, Tauren, Highmountain, Vulpera, and even a Dark Iron. I am just a much a fan of each race as anyone else. If I have an opinion on any of these races, it matters just as much as the most ardent fan of those races.

None of our opinions on these races are more or less valid based on what race we post with on the official forums, or that we main in the game.

I love my vulpera shaman.

but I love the lore and the aesthetics of the blood elves and I want the lore and the blood elf aesthetic to be respected with customizations that are consistent.

If the blood elves are irradiated by the light all the time and the void elves were expelled because the void can damage the sunwell then it would be illogical to have customization that is contrary to the light such as void or undead customization.

[Kyriani]

It just really bothers me this trend some BE fans have to gatekeep others. It's like if you don't agree with faction exclusivity you're not a true BE fan.

It's not news that I am just an elven fanboy and that I would like to see just MORE elven content all around, and I love all the elven offshoots in WoW. But some people really act like you can only like one and it's really bothersome to be told you're not a true BE fan because you'd like to share hairstyles.

I'm in the camp of more options is better. I'd prefer those options be unique where possible (like say hairstyles), but I understand that in game development, getting more use out of time and resources invested by sharing things here and there (especially in the case where its so easy like between blood elves and void elves), is incentivized. If the only way to get the options I desire is to have them copy/pasted from another race, I'll grin and bear it, but again I would prefer new assets made if possible.

I love my vulpera shaman.

but I love the lore and the aesthetics of the blood elves and I want the lore and the blood elf aesthetic to be respected with customizations that are consistent.

If the blood elves are irradiated by the light all the time and the void elves were expelled because the void can damage the sunwell then it would be illogical to have customization that is contrary to the light such as void or undead customization.

I don't see a problem with blood elves getting undead options. Lots of thalassians died when Arthas cut a path through Quel'thalas. And yes I understand that it would be more ideal if those options were under the forsaken race, but the fact is, that would be more work. It's a lot easier to simply allow blood elves to use the undead skin tones and red eyes that are already being used by npcs. It's less a matter of it "making sense" or being "lore accurate", and more a matter of "this requires the least effort to answer a player request".

I'd rather get the dark ranger aesthetic through blood elves than not get it at all.

[Luck4]

A lot of BE players would rather gatekeep aesthetics in a way it would limit their own choices rather than allowing more cross-customizations that would be a net win for both alliance and horde players lol.

That's why I think some races are not getting more customizations because their fans are more invested in gatekeeping Void Elves options than telling Blizzard what customizations they want for their own race.

I mean come on, did people really expected that after fair skins and eye colors, Blizzard would never give anything else for Void Elves? Also, why Blizzard would waste time making customizations nobody wants? Did people forget what happened when Void Elves, and another couple of bad ARs, was announced and released?

Doesn't make any sense to me.

[Rhlor]

I'm in the camp of more options is better. I'd prefer those options be unique where possible (like say hairstyles), but I understand that in game development, getting more use out of time and resources invested by sharing things here and there (especially in the case where its so easy like between blood elves and void elves), is incentivized. If the only way to get the options I desire is to have them copy/pasted from another race, I'll grin and bear it, but again I would prefer new assets made if possible.



I don't see a problem with blood elves getting undead options. Lots of thalassians died when Arthas cut a path through Quel'thalas. And yes I understand that it would be more ideal if those options were under the forsaken race, but the fact is, that would be more work. It's a lot easier to simply allow blood elves to use the undead skin tones and red eyes that are already being used by npcs. It's less a matter of it "making sense" or being lore accurate, and more a matter of "this requires the least effort to answer a player request".

I'd rather get the dark ranger aesthetic through blood elves than not get it at all.

and I prefer not to have it and that the lore is not damaged.
DRs are part of the forsaken, they are not part of quelthalas and they don't make sense because the light should kill you. the light kills the undead just look at what happened to the venthyr.

I support DR as forsaken or hero class customization. but not like blood elf customization.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I'm in the camp of more options is better. I'd prefer those options be unique where possible (like say hairstyles), but I understand that in game development, getting more use out of time and resources invested by sharing things here and there (especially in the case where its so easy like between blood elves and void elves), is incentivized. If the only way to get the options I desire is to have them copy/pasted from another race, I'll grin and bear it, but again I would prefer new assets made if possible.

I agree with that, like of course I would have preferred High Elves to both be their own race, with their own animations and styles. It's not ideal, but I'd rather have shared assets than maintain the limitations, you know? It's like between the choice between Exclusivity and More Options, I will choose the later. That's the compromise here, because I mean, of course shiny and new options for everyone would be best, but the reality is just that we have to make do with reused BE assets for the HE aesthetic.

[Rhlor]

That's why I think some races are not getting more customizations because their fans are more invested in gatekeeping Void Elves options than telling Blizzard what customizations they want for their own race.

I mean come on, did people really expected that after fair skins and eye colors, Blizzard would never give anything else for Void Elves? Also, why Blizzard would waste time making customizations nobody wants? Did people forget what happened when Void Elves, and another couple of bad ARs, was announced and released?

Doesn't make any sense to me.

I personally even support that void elves have green eyes!
there are blood elves in telogrus after all!

I just want the lore to be respected. and if there are blood elves in telogrus the void elves should have green eyes too.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

That's why I think some races are not getting more customizations because their fans are more invested in gatekeeping Void Elves options than telling Blizzard what customizations they want for their own race.

I mean come on, did people really expected that after fair skins and eye colors, Blizzard would never give anything else for Void Elves? Also, why Blizzard would waste time making customizations nobody wants? Did people forget what happened when Void Elves, and another couple of bad ARs, was announced and released?

Doesn't make any sense to me.

I wouldn't blame the fans as the reason why BE's didn't get more customizations, but I do agree that HE fans overwhelmingly got on board with the idea of giving HE customization to VE's rather than keep asking for AR High Elves -oh there were people, but most HE fans understood that it was far more likely for the former to happen, thus focused their efforts on that.

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and I prefer not to have it and that the lore is not damaged.
DRs are part of the forsaken, they are not part of quelthalas and they don't make sense because the light should kill you. the light kills the undead just look at what happened to the venthyr.

I support DR as forsaken or hero class customization. but not like blood elf customization.

The lore is not "being damaged". This overstatement of harm is ridiculous.

It's about what assets are better to convey a fantasy that is already present on the lore, just like you can have the HE fantasy on a VE. How can you say such a thing would be damaging to the lore when there are literal examples of lore/gameplay segregation with Lightforged Draenei Shadow Priests and Void Elf Holy Priests?

Stop using the "sanctity of the lore" as a flimsy excuse to shut down whatever you don't deem to be fitting of Blood Elf customization options.