9.0 General Discussion

[Yarathir]

This is my point. Mechagnomes were a massive miss and it's taken up space for another race that many more (not everyone obviously) people would be excited to try out and play. Mechagnomes are underwhelming and should've just been added as additional options for original gnomes in Shadowlands. Gnomes are underdeveloped and adding all of those options would've at least set them for the long-term. The lore however is a different beast to tackle.

I don't know. Despite my qualms with mechagnomes, they are somewhere in a development limbo between reskin race with extra options (a la dark iron, mag'har, etc.) and their own model like vulpera.

I don't know if they could've just been offered as a customization option to gnomes. Maybe, arguably- thinned down a little. Best would've probably been to 1. have ankoan instead of mechagnomes, or 2. Have them fully mechanized.

Ankoan use the night elf skeleton, but they are their own species (if you ignore the unplayable Jinyu) of deepsea samurai fish people. That is a different fantasy from a night elf. Especially if you give them a few unique anims like for vulpera.

Mechagnomes like in Wrath of the Lich King, or even a new type of robot gnome, would've offered a different fantasy from regular gnomes or gnome amputees.

That's the important thing for me. It offers something new, not just more of the same, or the same but more EXTREEEEM.

[EbaumsTipster]

Imagine thinking I'm worked up when you're the one screaming because I think allied races are a poorly executed concept.

I'm worked up over fucking idiots on this fanbase thinking their opinions are good argument points. You're worked up over gnomes.

At least I'm mad about actual people.

[Yarathir]

This isn't even an argument about Mechagnomes. Imagine being so worked up over a couple ARs that you dismiss the entire fucking concept. Doesn't matter that now base races are getting extra options to compensate: just throw the system away or make MY choices!

You aren't getting High Elves, Broken or Vrykul. EVER.

High elf skin tones will probably end up being a customization option for void elves, which the high elf fans still will be unhappy with because "I can't be a level 60 high elf paladin." That's what I believe.

I could see broken happening, too. They'd work well alongside Horde mok'nathal.

Vrykul, idk. Seems like they wanted kul tirans to be the stand-in vrykul. The kyrians seem to use the female vrykul skeleton, by the way.

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Adding unpopular races every so iften is a given. What matters is rather that Blizzard creates races that fill a niche that a decent chunk of players are interested in. And now that Shadowlands is adding far more customization, not making ARs that couldn't simply have been options for the base model.

Good ARs would be things like Velves, Kul Tirans, Vulpera and Zandalari.
Bad ARs would be other races like LF Draenei, Mag'har orc, Trashgnomes and Highmountain Tauren.

I'd have to disagree with void elves. But I get your point: they couldn't have been made a customization option for an existing Alliance race so for Alliance players, they offer something "new".

Dak iron didn't feel as raw a deal because they came with mag'har. Both those options seem relatively equal in what they offer. Though yes, in hindsight, with Shadowlands, they could've been a customization option for base races.

[Jamie081]

I don't know. Despite my qualms with mechagnomes, they are somewhere in a development limbo between reskin race with extra options (a la dark iron, mag'har, etc.) and their own model like vulpera.

I don't know if they could've just been offered as a customization option to gnomes. Maybe, arguably- thinned down a little. Best would've probably been to 1. have ankoan instead of mechagnomes, or 2. Have them fully mechanized.

Ankoan use the night elf skeleton, but they are their own species (if you ignore the unplayable Jinyu) of deepsea samurai fish people. That is a different fantasy from a night elf. Especially if you give them a few unique anims like for vulpera.

Mechagnomes like in Wrath of the Lich King, or even a new type of robot gnome, would've offered a different fantasy from regular gnomes or gnome amputees.

That's the important thing for me. It offers something new, not just more of the same, or the same but more EXTREEEEM.

I guess it depends how much Shadowlands expands the customisation options for the original races, but I feel like people would've been much more blown away if mechagnome options were available for regular gnomes rather than being justified as an allied race. They are still just gnomes like you say but with a lot of customisation. That level of customisation with Shadowlands would be great.

I'm being very optimistic for the additions we get with customisation in Shadowlands!

I'm worked up over fucking idiots on this fanbase thinking their opinions are good argument points. You're worked up over gnomes.

At least I'm mad about actual people.

You're really angry, calm down and go play your mechagnome the other 2 people who play them. You also jump to conclusions implying I want high elves etc. For the record, I don't.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

You aren't getting High Elves, Broken or Vrykul. EVER.

They said the same about Classic WoW...

But here we are. Don't say never about any kind of feature or new game, you may end up wrong.

[Sondrelk]

High elf skin tones will probably end up being a customization option for void elves, which the high elf fans still will be unhappy with because "I can't be a level 60 high elf paladin." That's what I believe.

I could see broken happening, too. They'd work well alongside Horde mok'nathal.

Vrykul, idk. Seems like they wanted kul tirans to be the stand-in vrykul. The kyrians seem to use the female vrykul skeleton, by the way.

It seems like Blizzard at the very least tried to retroactively fit the Kul Tirans into the Vrykul slot when pressed, seeing as they confimred Drust to be Vrykul, and Kul Tirans to be part Drust.

Problem is more that players wanted Vrykul, not Kul Tirans. And while i like Kul Tirans as a concept, it still isnt Vrykul.

[EbaumsTipster]

It seems like Blizzard at the very least tried to retroactively fit the Kul Tirans into the Vrykul slot when pressed, seeing as they confimred Drust to be Vrykul, and Kul Tirans to be part Drust.

Problem is more that players wanted Vrykul, not Kul Tirans. And while i like Kul Tirans as a concept, it still isnt Vrykul.

Players just have to cope with not getting what they want. Which is against the zeitgeist of the times, where consumer demands need to be met.

[Yarathir]

I guess it depends how much Shadowlands expands the customisation options for the original races, but I feel like people would've been much more blown away if mechagnome options were available for regular gnomes rather than being justified as an allied race. They are still just gnomes like you say but with a lot of customisation. That level of customisation with Shadowlands would be great.

I'm being very optimistic for the additions we get with customisation in Shadowlands!



You're really angry, calm down and go play your mechagnome the other 2 people who play them.

Oh yeah, I do see us getting some new customization options alongside adding more to the existing ones.

But I feel like a lot of the customization will come from separating stuff out, too. For example, eye colors will be their own slot instead of being connected to faces. Hopefully, goblins will get their ear and nose styles separated from their chin styles, too, and so on.

And of course, I expect there to be some new customization slots, too. Like jewelry for night elves. But I'm not sure if I'd expect mechagnome limbs level of work.

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Players just have to cope with not getting what they want. Which is against the zeitgeist of the times, where consumer demands need to be met.

Well, I mean, Blizzard doesn't develop games to show off to their proud grandma. They create a product to cater to players.

[Sondrelk]

Players just have to cope with not getting what they want. Which is against the zeitgeist of the times, where consumer demands need to be met.

Honestly, i think the problem wouldnt have been as pronounced if it wasnt for the fact that Horde seemed to get everything they wanted.

Tauren horn customization and tribal tattoos? Check.
Brown orc? Check.
Zandalari? Check.
Vulpera? Check.

[EbaumsTipster]

Well, I mean, Blizzard doesn't develop games to show off to their proud grandma. They create a product to cater to players.

Honestly, i think the problem wouldnt have been as pronounced if it wasnt for the fact that Horde seemed to get everything they wanted.

Tauren horn customization and tribal tattoos? Check.
Brown orc? Check.
Zandalari? Check.
Vulpera? Check.

Oh, I know, but what are the Alliance going to do about it?

[Jamie081]

Oh yeah, I do see us getting some new customization options alongside adding more to the existing ones.

But I feel like a lot of the customization will come from separating stuff out, too. For example, eye colors will be their own slot instead of being connected to faces. Hopefully, goblins will get their ear and nose styles separated from their chin styles, too, and so on.

And of course, I expect there to be some new customization slots, too. Like jewelry for night elves. But I'm not sure if I'd expect mechagnome limbs level of work.

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Well, I mean, Blizzard doesn't develop games to show off to their proud grandma. They create a product to cater to players.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm really hoping Night Elf males get some bushy beard and antler options. Blizzard did them so dirty with the WoD model update.

[Gurmech]

Sheesh, getting kinda heated in here.

[Yarathir]

Oh, I know, but what are the Alliance going to do about it?

.. Nothing? Probably stop playing if they're unhappy about it.

[Dracullus]

Sheesh, getting kinda heated in here.

Typical mob waiting in front of Walmart for Black Friday or some shit. It keeps geting delayed, so they start fighting each other ;D.

[gcsmith]

Oh, I know, but what are the Alliance going to do about it?

I mean, in blizzards defense, is there a reason to focus on alliance races when they all race change to horde for raiding anyway

[Yarathir]

I'm not gonna lie, I'm really hoping Night Elf males get some bushy beard and antler options. Blizzard did them so dirty with the WoD model update.

Oh yeah, they better do. But I dunno if I could stand to play a night elf male, no matter what options they get.

Their model and proportions are all kinds of whack with the lack of hips. The DH skins made them somewhat acceptable.. so maybe if they add newer skins?

[Jamie081]

Typical mob waiting in front of Walmart for Black Friday or some shit. It keeps geting delayed, so they start fighting each other ;D.

Some people just need to go outside I guess.

Oh yeah, they better do. But I dunno if I could stand to play a night elf male, no matter what options they get.

Their model and proportions are all kinds of whack with the lack of hips. The DH skins made them somewhat acceptable.. so maybe if they add newer skins?

Omg have you noticed as well that their skins are really low quality? The DH ones look way better you're right. If Nelf males looked like vanilla concept art I'd play one.

[Yarathir]

I mean, in blizzards defense, is there a reason to focus on alliance races when they all race change to horde for raiding anyway

I'm not really a raider. At least not high end enough for it to matter whether my faction dominates raiding because of a racial ability imbalance from years ago.

The first time I felt compelled to really play anything Horde side was when Zandalari were introduced, and 1. I never expected Zandalari to be playable before the BfA announcement. And 2. If Zandalari were ever to be made playable, they'd have been Horde from the get-go in my mind..

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Some people just need to go outside I guess.



Omg have you noticed as well that their skins are really low quality? The DH ones look way better you're right.

Yes. Their skins are atrocious. Male darkspear trolls suffer the same problem. Just compare their models to their female counterpart. Specifically (and I know it's weird to pay attention to it, but still) their toes.

Not all model updates are equal. Night elf males and troll males probably have it the worst. They almost look like they are Cataclysm-level.

[Queen of Hamsters]

At least the Alliance didn't get the horribly realized playable "Nightborne".

On topic: Another day gone bust in terms of sweet sweet datamine-overload...

Some people just need to go outside I guess.

... What is this, "out-sidé" which you speak of...?

[ercarp]

I'm putting all of my figurative money on tomorrow having something juicy in terms of Alpha-related news.