PTR Hints: More ARs coming?

[Zmagoslav]

That's where the "BFA DK" allied race will plant it's banner.
Haven't you noticed how they reffered to them as "allied race"?

The unlock scenario will probably involve us going to ICC to save the lich king, upon which he decides to bolster our forces with new DKs.
These new DKs will get the new scenario that was datamined; and probably start at level 50 (post-level-crunch)...

[The Butt Witch]

Friggin ogres. Who the fuck wants these ugly fat fucks?! They want to RP as themselves in the game, or some shit.

Literally give me anything other than ogres!!!!

[Akutare]

Tortollan… they have a rep and they balanace the concept of a Pandaren by letting you pick your side. Of course, I don't think anyone's asked for or desires one. Disappointment for everyone.

[Alanar]

I've heard this will be the new AR for the Alliance:

Peter pan sex doll imo.

[Fewane]

it should be ogres, there is no better race to join horde in any scenario.

Heh, my first thought was "Please, no ogres, wouldn't care a bit to play one", but the immediate second thought was "Whoh, would look so cool to have Ogres running in the same battle lines in Alterac." Suddenly hyped for other people getting to play ogres.

[Yarathir]

Pretty easy way around that: the toy uses the old model. If they are the new AR they will get a new model.

This. You can go to Suramar now and turn into the Nightborne disguise that uses the NPC model. Doesn't keep you from a playable Nightborne race, though.

Plus, Orb of Deception has always given you the ability to change to an opposite faction race. Orb of the Sin'dorei changes anyone into a Blood Elf. Mark of the Ashtongue turns anyone into a Broken.. y'know, despite the fact that they might still be on the table as a player race.

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it should be ogres, there is no better race to join horde in any scenario.

I am of the belief that Ogres should come with Arakkoa and be a full race.
Mok'nathal, however, could be a good Allied Race, using the Kul Tiran rig.

[VinylScratch]

Tortollan… they have a rep and they balanace the concept of a Pandaren by letting you pick your side. Of course, I don't think anyone's asked for or desires one. Disappointment for everyone.

Blizzard has already stated they're not likely to do another neutral race in the future given how poorly it panned out for Pandaren.

[Yarathir]

Jinyu or the Ankoan. Imo the Ankoan look more badass.

Agree. I would go with the Ankoan over the Jinyu. They're basically the more badass big brother of the Jinyu.

But they could give us face options to look like Jinyu and kill two birds with one stone.

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Blizzard has already stated they're not likely to do another neutral race in the future given how poorly it panned out for Pandaren.

I still don't get that. How were Pandaren badly received because of their neutral status?

Most people bitched about them because "wah wah kung fu panda people lol" or the fact that their ingame language is a literal meme.

[Syegfryed]

Heh, my first thought was "Please, no ogres, wouldn't care a bit to play one", but the immediate second thought was "Whoh, would look so cool to have Ogres running in the same battle lines in Alterac." Suddenly hyped for other people getting to play ogres.

im pretty sue there are people who don't like or will not play then, but it is time to throw a bone, we already had enough races to cover people who don't like then

I am of the belief that Ogres should come with Arakkoa and be a full race.
Mok'nathal, however, could be a good Allied Race, using the Kul Tiran rig.

Blizzard make it "clear" that there will not be al"full" races anymore, just allied for now on

And since vulpera is a new one entirely, i think ogres will do fine.

moknathal would not fulfill the ogre bill, cause they are just another clan( who i would say is an asspull like void elves if they become playable) Ogres can use kul'tiran rig just fine.

[Manariel]

Ankoan and Jinyu (or Mogu for that matters) would require a lot of rework to become playable AR considering their models. I'm against neither, but Ive a hard time picturing Blizzard working on those so late in the expansion.

I don't know, maybe I'm just pessimistic and cynical but I'm not even sure Vulpera and Mechgnomes wrre planned from the start. Still, Ankoan warrior/rogue would be a real incentive to finally pay some buck and play 8.2 !

[Syegfryed]

I still don't get that. How were Pandaren badly received because of their neutral status?

mostly because they have no identity

[VinylScratch]

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I still don't get that. How were Pandaren badly received because of their neutral status?

Most people bitched about them because "wah wah kung fu panda people lol" or the fact that their ingame language is a literal meme.

I dunno, your guess is as good as mine. I never had a problem with neutral races but apparently Blizzard thinks a lot of people did.

[CaptainV]

Since Calia is confirmed not to be joining the Horde its all but confirmed Lightforged Undead will join the Alliance which means im going to lean on the horde getting San'layn.

Other possibilities for the Horde would be:

- Gilgoblins are a high probability, on account of their race design and asthetic.
- Mok'nathal/Ogres are another one.
- Rajani Mogu.

[Yarathir]

I have a hard time picturing Ankoan as allied race.

It would be an improvement in regard to Alliance new races (AR or otherwise) being tied to existing lore, the jinyu here, but I don't think they have much appeal.

The Mogu on Horde, I could see that happening, since it would be the equivalent of the VE in terms of skeleton sharing between factions. And since they would be a lot more detailled that just recolored BE (because normal HE were banned somehow) it would fit with the tradition of more care being given to Horde races and stuff.

They certainly have more appeal than Amputee Gnomes.

I'm sure there's enough to like in Samurai Deepsea Fish People. It gives us an aquatic race, another non-pretty race, which is overdue for the Alliance, cool possible customization options like different bioluminescent patterns and colors, a possibly array of fish faces, specifically faces of deepsea fish, fin structures as options. And there are plenty of people who like the Samurai aesthetic.

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I dunno, your guess is as good as mine. I never had a problem with neutral races but apparently Blizzard thinks a lot of people did.

It's really weird. Do they just figure "Pandaren weren't super popular so neutral races aren't a good idea"? Because I've not ever seen anyone complain that Pandaren are bad because they are neutral.

[Manariel]

They certainly have more appeal than Amputee Gnomes.

I'm sure there's enough to like in Samurai Deepsea Fish People. It gives us an aquatic race, another non-pretty race, which is overdue for the Alliance, cool possible customization options like different bioluminescent patterns and colors, a possibly array of fish faces, specifically faces of deepsea fish, fin structures as options. And there are plenty of people who like the Samurai aesthetic.

Indeed.

I really don't understand why or how Blizzard came up with the whole concept of the playable Mechagnomes, in design and story...

Then again, it probably rests mostly on the Alliance devs during 8.0 who fucked up by making Kul Tiras a human only zone instead of seeding potential AR in a zone like the Horde devs did in Voldun with the Sethrak and Vulpera. But on average, Alliance dev seems to really like the blander, less interesting elements of the Alliance lore the most...

Regarding the Ankoan, I guess they could be the first race without sexual dimorphism in WoW ? I don't know how the devs would sell it to playerz however. Double the number of heads/tattoos and the like ?

[Yarathir]

Indeed.

I really don't understand why or how Blizzard came up with the whole concept of the playable Mechagnomes, in design and story...

Then again, it probably rests mostly on the Alliance devs during 8.0 who fucked up by making Kul Tiras a human only zone instead of seeding potential AR in a zone like the Horde devs did in Voldun with the Sethrak and Vulpera. But on average, Alliance dev seems to really like the blander, less interesting elements of the Alliance lore the most...

Regarding the Ankoan, I guess they could be the first race without sexual dimorphism in WoW ? I don't know how the devs would sell it to playerz however. Double the number of heads/tattoos and the like ?

I don't really know either. The Mechagnomes/Junker Gnomes were hinted at as early as Blizzcon, if I recall, but still.. they just felt kinda shoehorned in. Like they just needed something. I mean.. Mechagon is cool, I just don't really care for the Mechagnomes themselves. One thing I see as a positive now, though, is the fact that "Pants don't work on x race so they can't be playable" is now a totally dispelled notion, considering Mechagnomes show no gloves, no boots and only a diaper for their pants, unless they wear a robe.

Personally, I would've taken the Ankoan to go with the Vulpera in 8.3, since they seemed more even. All the Ankoan really need is a workable basemesh, which- I mean.. they kind of have.

Sadly, I can't dig into the texture folders to see how their models were unwrapped. I would assume the NPC way, where they just put a seam in the middle of the head, then texture one half and mirror it across to the other, rather than unwrapping the whole head, since it's more efficient if you don't plan to make them playable.

But even then, it wouldn't be a colossal job to re-unwrap just the head if need be. And hell, who knows what they've got prepared in their database? A forward-thinking Blizzard could've been working on a player model for Ankoan, Sethrak, Mogu, whatever, since patch 8.0, 8.1 or 8.2 and we just wouldn't know because they wouldn't have had a reason to put it in any patch yet.

As for female Ankoan.. If they become playable I do expect some level of dimorphism, maybe just a little more slender, more defined hips, but hopefully no fish breasts, lol.

That made me think.. Ankoan are based on Anglerfish. Sexual dimorphism for them is insane. Look it up if you didn't know yet.

[benting]

That doesn't make any sense? If you have the allied race, then DK will be available to you. Why would DKs (a class) have a racial banner?

[Mirishka]

I've heard this will be the new AR for the Alliance:

Zero chance.

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Indeed.

I really don't understand why or how Blizzard came up with the whole concept of the playable Mechagnomes, in design and story...

Then again, it probably rests mostly on the Alliance devs during 8.0 who fucked up by making Kul Tiras a human only zone instead of seeding potential AR in a zone like the Horde devs did in Voldun with the Sethrak and Vulpera. But on average, Alliance dev seems to really like the blander, less interesting elements of the Alliance lore the most...

Regarding the Ankoan, I guess they could be the first race without sexual dimorphism in WoW ? I don't know how the devs would sell it to playerz however. Double the number of heads/tattoos and the like ?

Its almost like different people have different preferences... shocking, I know.

[Manariel]

Beside Anduin's fan, it is well known that Blizzard depiction of the Alliance isn't well liked by even the rest of the Alliance players I think.

[Zyrinx]

I hope they pause for something actually cool from shadowlands.