Originally Posted by
EnigmAddict
I'm not sure I follow. How it would remove current looks? As far as I understand this system, picking a preset like Highborne on the night elf screen or Farstrider on the blood elf screen only brings up the relevant options that fit that group, it doesn't prevent you from making anything, if you want options that are not a part of the Farstrider, they're available on the default blood elf, however don't expect the default blood elf to have Illidari options or DK undead options because those aren't normal blood elves.
Let's imagine that tattoos were part of the Farstrider look for blood elves. Clicking Farstrider would load a template image that had all the key Farstrider features, presumably you would do this after selecting your class, so on hunter you would see the Farstrider icon, on rogue too, once you've clicked those. You probably won't see it on the mage class, however that doesn't mean you can't give your mage tattoos.
The sub-race options just helps you identify or play a certain group, it doesn't limit your options, it also helps highlight what group is native to some of those features you pick, and gives you a starting narrative audio about the group... I mean that'sh ow I envision it.
there would be some exceptions, for example you won't be able to select red eyes and translucent skin of the dark ranger /dark fallen if you select Paladin asa class, because red eyes are part of that particular sub-race group.
and while you have options like Illidari there it really is only available on the Demon hunter class. The warlock class would have the option for a default blood elf and an Illidari. you will be able to select blue eyes on your default blood elf, but that blood elf won't be a Quel'dorei, the blood elf narrative would load on the starting cinematic not the high elf horde audio.
As far as I am understanding it, the point of these is not to restrict at all, but to organise options and present existing fantasies that have established lore, it helps players immerse further, both those who are aware of the lore and especially those who are not, so their options can have a purpose even if they were not aware that tattoos on blood elves generally meant Farstrider if they were this way or Illidari if they were that way not ot say a default blood elf couldn't have some of those - he could have been raised Farstrider clan but had a talent for magic and switched to it later in life etc.. it gives you a lot more freedom but also gives you options to understand the sub-groups and sub-races that your race
Please elaborate further. Whiles Nightborne are a type of night elf, the night elf selection screen won't have the Nightborne option available at all, because Nightborne are on the horde, the Night elf would have the Highborne option available though because of the Highborne night elf group, on the Highborne option, they could conceivably have a thin model option, which is not a Nightborne but a Highborne that is as thin as a nightborne (it's copied the nightborne model and switched the ears to night elven, with accompanying night elven skin tone options and hair colours ).
The Nightborne you would select on the horde side of the screen, it will have the option for Nightborne default, Nightfallen, Highborne (the Nightborne version) and Valewalker - on the Highborne version and Valewalker (still on the horde side) you may have the option for a bulkier model which is again a copy of the night elf model, on this model you can adjust the ears to have either the nightborne default one or the night elf one, but which ever you choose, the character is a Nightborne or one of the Night elves allied with the Nightborne which is why you have the option to make this adjustment - the idea is that some of the Nightborne have been healed by the Arcan'dor to have night elven ears, some nightborne never lost the night elven ears (like Elisande and Aluriel), but in addition some Night elves on the broken isles are allied with the Nightborne, like Valewalker Farodin, the Val'sharah refugees that moved to Suramar in 7.0, and the Moonguard in Suramar - this is why you have an option to use a night elf model on the Nightborne, it could be a nightborne or an allied Night elf, just like the void elf can be a racial void elf or a blood elf/high elf who's moved over to the alliance to study the void or (whatever motive you make up)
Having a narrative audio file for each sub-race preset helps players to understand the options that are there and why they mean. I expect the Highborne and Valewalker option on the Nightborne selection screen would have an opening narrative that explains that some Nightborne have been healed further by the Arcan'dor and some night elves of the broken isles are allied to them seeking to heal or restore their people. or related to their work - like the Valewalkers would be mainly balance oriented druid /nature types, including mages more focused on arcane effects on nature and the theme of balance, so the Valewalker narrative would focus on that rather than on joining the horde which would be the narrative of the default Nightborne.
I would hazard a guess that players would be familiar with a lot of the options, but they'd still need some introduction or opening narrative to flesh them out.