Official High Elf Discussion Megathread

[Syegfryed]

Edit: Doesn't it seem odd that a general position of the anti-HE crowd, and you specifically Syegfryed, is that there wouldn't have been enough time for HE's to have culturally diverged from BE's because of their long lifespans... yet, it's easy for ya'll to turn right around and assume that it's reasonable for them to have "been lost to time" in an 11-year period?

what?

you can ague that they have enough time to a culturally divergence, but they didn't show ingame, the only divergence is politic, and only this, putting elves with fancy cloths and shit hairstyles will not help

the only "cultural" divergence ever mentioned is when the HE will be absorbed by human culture, and will fade away

"They live for hundreds of years, they wouldn't really deviate in a decade. That said, a decade is enough time for them to become extinct due to old age and natural attrition." Crazy.

except they didn't will be extinct in 10 years due to old age

they already are almost extinct, and when you don't have children ( cause elves do not have then often) and after all the loses in battles and skirmishes they will fade away in time, is inevitable

[orukam]

Sadly yes some people don't get that void elves are the closest thing alliance is getting.

Unfortunately, I believe you are right and void elves are as closest as the Alliance will receive.
However, this does not prevent us from having a healthy conversation about how we find it more cool or accurate historically. After all, we all are just Blizz customers.
#PleaseMoreEmpathy

[Neklord]

This thread was fine before the druid and blue dragonflight stuff, now it becomes terrible fan fiction.

[orukam]

...
the only divergence is politic, and only this, putting elves with fancy cloths and shit hairstyles will not help

the only "cultural" divergence ever mentioned is when the HE will be absorbed by human culture, and will fade away
...

Like Trolls dresses as Incas and mounted on dinos???

Or higher larger Humans dressed like pirates?

Or Colorchanged Orcs with old school style?

Or Draenei with holy tattoos ?

Or Tauren with just other horns and warpainting?



"But Elves with other eyes and dressed like rangers NO WAY"

See my point?
This is exactly what Allied Races are up to now! Small groups of races that already exist with small political / social differences!!

[Traycor]

Okay, I'll be honest. I was mostly just quoting a meme, but you responded with enthusiasm, so I'll give my actual thoughts on the matter.

Putting aside thoughts as to why Blizzard gave us void elves rather than high elves, and what would constitute adding a high elf race that is separate than void elves (and for the record, my personal opinion is that Blizzard should just give void elves some "natural" skintones as to appease people who want to play a high elf), I'm just not certain that what you've created here meshes with what Blizzard's vision of high elves is. In fact, a lot of this feels a lot like Stromgarde to me, or at least what we've seen of it.

That isn't to say your ideas are bad! In fact, there are some neat things brought up here, and I think you could definitely expand upon them-- hell, do you do much writing? You could create your own story/IP to expand upon them.

But on the subject matter at hand, I think Blizzard doesn't tend to see high elves as "barbarian" elves these days, nor do I think they necessarily even subscribe to a Lord of the Rings style "ranger" aesthetic for them anymore, from what we've seen. I think Blizzard tends to look at High Elves and the Silver Covenant as a whole as the sort of "arcane" side of elves (similar to Shal'dorei, in that sense), as the blood elves are to fel magic, and the void elves to void, and night elves to nature magic, and so on and so forth.

Again, I think there's some great ideas here. Dragon-riding/allied elves is a pretty sick idea-- hell, maybe some of the concepts here could work as a future blue dragon allied race, with high elf forms. I'd definitely play that. At the very least, one thing I think you could incorporate into your concept is a wider ranger of skintones. Blizzard tends to go pretty pale on the spectrum of skintones, which is something I think they could improve on, but for a concept as outdoorsy as this I think it'd be neat, and make sense, to see some tanner and darker skin tones than those currently given to blood elves.

And that's my two cents! More than I had intended to give, to be honest, but you seem genuinely passionate about this and I can't bring myself to not respond in kind.

Thanks for the feedback! It is appreciated.

Agreed that what is presented here doesn't mesh with the Blizz vision of High Elves. I would argue, however, that Blizzard doesn't really have a vision for High Elves. That's why they felt they had to do Void Elves, because High Elves were just kind of there. The only way High Elves would be used as a player race is if Blizzard finds a take on them that they like and can do game design around. So far I think they've remained in the story only because of overwhelming popularity.

The skin tones are a good idea. Should take the time to make variations on those.

Thanks again for the feedback. I missed the meme reference.

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This thread was fine before the druid and blue dragonflight stuff, now it becomes terrible fan fiction.

Valid criticism. Just keep in mind that the purpose of this thread is to brainstorm ideas for different directions they could take High Elves in that allows for game design so Blizzard could use them. If the only ideas presented are the usual suspects, it won't be productive.

The hope is to find crazy ideas that still fit the mold and feel of what a High Elf should be. The crazier the idea, the more likely it is to have something that could actually be used. Obviously, it's hard to find ideas that fit High Elves, don't turn them into something else, and still present a crazy new take.

[Unholyground]

Trolls > Elves

Just come to da Horde alredy mon, we have da superior races!

[Traycor]

Trolls > Elves

Just come to da Horde alredy mon, we have da superior races!

I would love it if Blizz released Forest Trolls for Horde against High Elves for Alliance. Troll Hunters! I'd probably spend all day in PvP if they did that. Good times!

[Deleted]

I think this is by far the most viable take I've ever seen on a High Elf-type race, and its really extremely impressive. Too cool to actually happen I suspect but...

Absolutley agree. I want. Never get. Sad.

[Syegfryed]

Like Trolls dresses as Incas and mounted on dinos???

oh yes because the difference is just cloches and dinos

Or higher larger Humans dressed like pirates?

the only difference is clothes?

Or Colorchanged Orcs with old school style?

year, color change is fine, thats why you get purple elf

Or Draenei with holy tattoos ?

their difference is just holy tattoos?

Or Tauren with just other horns and warpainting?

others hornes and warpiting is mroe than just clothes buddy

See my point?

your point is null and false, even when most of then are in the same faction

This is exactly what Allied Races are up to now! Small groups of races that already exist with small political / social differences!!

this is not what allied races are up to, none of then are just "small political and clothes differences" all of then have some magic or years of isolation to make then look different enough, and thats why you got void elf

[orukam]

oh yes because the difference is just cloches and dinos

No! It's the culture! This is the point! Small aesthetic differences that exist in Ztroll could be implemented in the High Elves. ITS. NOT. A. ARGUMENT.

the only difference is clothes?

At the! It is the CULTURE!

their difference is just holy tattoos?

And Horns? Are just blesses Draeneis! Velves ares just void affected High Elves

others hornes and warpiting is more than just clothes buddy

ITS NOT ABOUT THE CLOTHS! Its about cultural / politacal difereces!

your point is null and false, even when most of then are in the same faction

You are reducing the cultural differences between them to "clothing".
Only the fact of aligning with different factions is an ideological difference sufficient to differentiate an Allied Race!

Void Elves are just a silly apology taken from the developers' butt.
If the idea was to give Classes Connected to Light and Void.
Why not the Krokuns?

There are reliable facts:
1-High Elves are part of the Alliance throughout the game.
2-The Existence of Pandas and Void Elves nullify the excuse of "same design in another faction"
3-Belves and Helves have cultural differences! Even if you only take into account the factions!
4- If the problem is to leave the Belves lovers sad, just change aesthetic factors!


I challenge you to count how many NPCs in Dalaran (our main city at the moment) are High Elves! Maybe you'll find more of them than you expect ...

But if you prefer a scientific approach, race "... is an informal rank in the taxonomic hierarchy, below the level of subspecies. It has been used as a higher rank than strain, with several strains making up one race. Various definitions exist.
Races may be genetically distinct populations of individuals within the same species, or they may be defined in other ways, geographically, or physiologically.[4] ..." Wikipedia

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What really pisses me off is these Anti-high-elf Extremists!
You do not want? GREAT! You are not required to play with them!
Do just like me! I do not want Vulperas but it is making people happy!
I will not be boring in the post of the people who are talking about the happy possibility of playing with Vulperas!
Fgs!
Have empathy for others!

[Syegfryed]

No! It's the culture! This is the point! Small aesthetic differences that exist in Ztroll could be implemented in the High Elves. ITS. NOT. A. ARGUMENT.

are you... blind? cause culture is the minor thing, their entire model is different due tot he years of isolation and evolution

At the! It is the CULTURE!

its not culture only :^)

And Horns? Are just blesses Draeneis! Velves ares just void affected High Elves

yeah and this is the last you will get, enough differences, cultural and physic

ITS NOT ABOUT THE CLOTHS! Its about cultural / politacal difereces!

nop is not only that, stop focusing in a minor thing and see the big picture

You are reducing the cultural differences between them to "clothing".

they have no cultural diference yet, just political, and this is.not.enough.to.be.an.allied.race

Only the fact of aligning with different factions is an ideological difference sufficient to differentiate an Allied Race!

no, it is not

There are reliable facts:
1-High Elves are part of the Alliance throughout the game.

irrelevant

2-The Existence of Pandas and Void Elves nullify the excuse of "same design in another faction"

nop, don't nullify, cause pandas were introduced neutrals, they are not introduced to a faction, and 12 years later, give to the other.

3-Belves and Helves have cultural differences! Even if you only take into account the factions!

they have political differences, not enough cultural differences, only if you count adopt the human culture as cultural difference

yet, this is not enough

4- If the problem is to leave the Belves lovers sad, just change aesthetic factors!

what?

I challenge you to count how many NPCs in Dalaran (our main city at the moment) are High Elves! Maybe you'll find more of them than you expect ...

npcs ingame are not canon lore-wise

But if you prefer a scientific approach,

the scientific approach is that they are the same biological race, this is what the canon lore say

What really pisses me off is these Anti-high-elf Extremists!
You do not want? GREAT! You are not required to play with them!
Do just like me! I do not want Vulperas but it is making people happy!
I will not be boring in the post of the people who are talking about the happy possibility of playing with Vulperas!
Fgs!
Have empathy for others!

it is rly hypocrite when you try to come up with empathy when you think you are entitled to have a horde race in the alliance an just think "if you don't like don't play", it will affect the game beyond that, will affect the belf players, the wow and belf lore and the faction flavor

you want a high elf? roll horde, don't wanna play horde? ok chose another race, is like this with all other races, why it would be different with elves?

i would want to play a worgen in the horde, but guess what? i need to roll alliance, not spam in foruns with silly ideas and tumblr fanfics so they can be available in the horde

[Lumineus]

You want to talk about others' supposed lack of empathy with that signature? Haha, fuck you.

it is rly hypocrite

Thank you for summarizing your post.

when you think you are entitled to have a horde race in the alliance

Aight, hold up shawty. There were high elf NPCs in Stormwind in 2004. Horde race, my ass.

tumblr fanfics

Guess you'd know all about that with your shitty memes and faux victim complex.

[Powerogue]

At the end of the day the problem is this concept does not exist in-game and suddenly completely overhauling the aesthetics of the silver covenant faction wouldn't be received well. Where would you propose this, what would have to be a new, faction of elves live? How would we first interact with them?

[Fyersing]

are you... blind? cause culture is the minor thing, their entire model is different due tot he years of isolation and evolution

You're entirely missing the point of all of this.

The models utilized by the Zandalari Trolls, up until Mists of Pandaria, were identical to the Darkspear Trolls. The only thing that distinguished them, in-game, was their use of language and cultural peculiarities -- which is the exact same situation High Elves are in, presently. It seems that many people are conflating the question of whether Blizzard should/shouldn't implement playable High Elves with the question of whether or not they could add them, without issue.

Is their narrative one which would be well-received, by Alliance and Horde alike? That's debatable.
Is the fact that they currently share a model with an existing group a hurdle that is unique to them? Absolutely not.

It's amazing how bent out of shape people get when it comes to the utilized model for High Elves, considering that both Trolls and Humans (and partially Tauren) are singular racial groups which are represented in-game by 3 distinct models each. All despite being one racial body.

[Arrashi]

You want to talk about others' supposed lack of empathy with that signature? Haha, fuck you.

To be fair, his signature sums up entire topic pretty nicely.

[Syegfryed]

You're entirely missing the point of all of this.

The models utilized by the Zandalari Trolls, up until Mists of Pandaria, were identical to the Darkspear Trolls. The only thing that distinguished them, in-game, was their use of language and cultural peculiarities -- which is the exact same situation High Elves are in, presently.

It seems that many people are conflating the question of whether Blizzard should/shouldn't implement playable High Elves with the question of whether or not they could add them.

Is their narrative one which would be well-received, by Alliance and Horde alike? That's debatable.
Is the fact that they currently share a model with an existing group a hurdle that is unique to them? Absolutely not.

It's amazing how bent out of shape people get when it comes to High Elves, considering that both Trolls and Humans (and partially Tauren) are singular racial groups which are represented in-game by 3 distinct models each. All despite being one racial body.

i mean, its not the same situation, not in any kind of scenario

The Zandalari used he same darkspear model, but always another color, meaning they were all different despite the language, the elves were the same said many times, you want they different? like the kultirans? you are asking for a big retcon

other races with 3 models had more than 1000 years like trolls humans and taurens to be different, not 10 years.

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You want to talk about others' supposed lack of empathy with that signature? Haha, fuck you.

you are proving that is right

Thank you for summarizing your post.

thanks for understating what you are so quickly

Aight, hold up shawty. There were high elf NPCs in Stormwind in 2004. Horde race, my ass.

and in 2018 they are not playable yet uh, what an ass

Guess you'd know all about that with your shitty memes and faux victim complex.

yeah your elf lovers know well about victim complex

[Deleted]

Really cool to see the different concepts that comes up in this thread. Good work. It can really make myself picture my High Elf in Azeroth.

[Andromedes]

yeah your elf lovers know well about victim complex

Says horde fanboy.. Burning legion did this, mannoroth did that, Everything in cataclysm and mop was Garrosh's and only Garrosh's fault, i didnt do anything. Yeah yeah, we know, you poor misunderstood orc. You just want to live in peace or something.

[Syegfryed]

Says horde fanboy.. Burning legion did this, mannoroth did that, Everything in cataclysm and mop was Garrosh's and only Garrosh's fault, i didnt do anything. Yeah yeah, we know, you poor misunderstood orc. You just want to live in peace or something.

blame blizzard

[Fyersing]

The Zandalari used he same darkspear model, but always another color, meaning they were all different despite the language

You surely see how ironic it is that your stance on this is that while the only visible distinction was pigmentation, it's still perfectly understandable that their model would be changed later in the interest of creating visual distinction (to follow narrative distinction), when this is exactly the situation High Elves are in relative to Blood Elves?

I mean, this is literally your statement with the names swapped:

"The High Elves used he same Thalassian model, but always lighter colors and always different color eyes, meaning they were all different despite the language"

the elves were the same said many times

I'd be curious to learn about just how this notion became so widespread, that unique models are inherently denotative of evolutionary divergence.

There are quite literally five distinct models for humans, three of which will be playable come BfA (Humans, Kul'tiran Humans, Forsaken Humans, "Thin Humans", and "Peasant Humans"). These aren't new species, there isn't any evolutionary process going on -- these are people who enjoy a unique depiction because their cultural distinctions and political circumstances demand a unique depiction. The same is true of Trollkind.

you want they different? like the kultirans? you are asking for a big retcon

The same people from Kul'tiras who, for the last 13 years, have been depicted exactly the same as every other human -- the only visual distinction being the color of their tabard? As your position seems to be that HE's aren't possible because they aren't visually unique, relative to BE's, it's peculiar that you'd ignore the fact that two of the groups you've mentioned as part of your justification were in the exact same situation at their own inceptions.

other races with 3 models had more than 1000 years like trolls humans and taurens to be different, not 10 years.

This statement is built around the presumption that the only justification for a unique model is following an evolutionary divergence -- which isn't a very defensible assertion, seeing as there are at least three instances whereby groups have been ascribed new models and yet remain (within the narrative) biologically identical.