Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[ercarp]

Does it not depend on the race?

Not necessarily. Before Allied Races, adding a new race had this air of being an incredibly time-consuming process that required a shit ton of resources from Blizzard. So whenever a new race was added, it felt like a lot of care must have gone into their development. Then they went ahead and added like 237821058 races in one expansion.

If they were to add a new race now, I'd obviously play it, but it doesn't carry the same kind of excitement for me anymore. I'd just be left wondering why they didn't add it in a patch instead of trying to market it as a big new expansion feature.

[draugril]

They seemed to have a number issue as they were the last, if that really would be an issue, the jinju could connect to them and make it one race, with both options. Scales etc, but also the numbers.

I think any argument about population went out the window when we got Void Elves.

[therumblings]

Not necessarily. Before Allied Races, adding a new race had this air of being an incredibly time-consuming process that required a shit ton of resources from Blizzard.

That's community perception, and players who didn't know how game development worked, but that was never actually the case. And I don't think allied races diminished that, it just gave players incentive to beg for races more since now there is no confusion.

[Alanar]

I mentioned this in another thread, but...

Am I the only one who feels like a new race no longer counts as an "exciting new expansion feature"? When they introduced the concept of Allied Races and showed us they can churn out as many new races as they want as patch content, what makes adding a new race as a baseline expansion feature exciting?

And I'm well aware that most of the Allied Races were just reskins using the skeletons of older races, but that's not true for all of them. Kul Tirans had completely unique skeletons.

I think it depends. Many hope races such as Ogres or Vrykul would realy benefit having their own unique starting zone, starting lvl 1 and get the full new race package in that sense. I believe these races deserve such thing. But races such as gil goblins or taunka fit the allied race theme more as they use exciting skeletons, but on top of that they are still just goblins and tauren.

I agree, Zandalari and KUl tiran don't fit either... and makes it little harder. There was obviously more work done to these. But as many speculate, Kul tirans were the reason the zandalari trolls were delayed. I truly believe there was some switching with AR and maybe we should have gotten something else.

[Sondrelk]

Does it not depend on the race? Kul Tirans are very cool mechanically but are unpopular because le fat human.

If a race is a green human with giant mustaches and people love them they would be an "exciting new expansion feature".

I wouldnt say the problem with KT is that they are fat, but rather that the game isnt designed with taht body type in mind. They look damn good in robes, and their Heritage armor that hangs more off them instead of sticking to them looks fantastic. The problem is just that the gear in WoW has always been designed to mosstly just replace teh skin texture, rather than actually hanging of characters realistically.

[therumblings]

I think any argument about population went out the window when we got Void Elves.

As well as the argument against some races because they can't equip and transmog gear, but then Mechagnomes happened.

[Fahrad Wagner]

I feel like there's a lot of evidence that Blizzard is working on more character customization, be it in the form of allied races/subraces or just more customization for existing races. No pointers to which of the two, though.

There are some pretty big ID jumps in the character customization database tables that imply there's likely a lot of customization not currently released that was worked on before/at the same time as the customization for 9.1.5/9.2.0, so we might be seeing some of that in 10.0.

That would be most welcome. I love what they have done so far, and would love to see more!

[Alanar]

I think any argument about population went out the window when we got Void Elves.

Fair enough, but nonetheless they specifically told us that bit of information. They were the last of it's kind, therefor I just tried to find a solution and besides the jinji are just to close to not make use of that. Would also help with class options, just something I though about.

What you said is still true but, we never even heard of void elves. They were just.. there, we are talking about options who are long and forgotten almost;p

[therumblings]

They seemed to have a number issue as they were the last, if that really would be an issue, the jinju could connect to them and make it one race, with both options. Scales etc, but also the numbers. Mop jinju feel more like the caster types and ankoan the warrior type, but they look really simmilar.

Ankoan would most likely be considered just a clan of Jinyu if they ever became playable, just like Wildhammer Dwarves for regular Dwarf characters.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Maybe they'll fix their 5 different generations of character customization and categorization? Even as a dev from another field I take a look at that GUI and can't help but feel shivers run down my spine. One race has 3 things bundled into a single slider, while another an pick 2 and 1 seperately and another has each seperate and additional options on top of it. Feels like something that begs for a major design pass to bring all races to the same fidelity.

I'm glad to read I'm not the only one thinking the split of customizations is an utter mess. It's like there is no continuity/homogeneity between has been "enabled" for races apart from skin, hair, face, and eyes. All the rest is scattered sometimes in one tab, sometimes in another, sometimes available, sometimes not... it is just begging for a smooth rework.

[therumblings]

Maybe they'll fix their 5 different generations of character customization and categorization? Even as a dev from another field I take a look at that GUI and can't help but feel shivers run down my spine. One race has 3 things bundled into a single slider, while another an pick 2 and 1 seperately and another has each seperate and additional options on top of it. Feels like something that begs for a major design pass to bring all races to the same fidelity.

Shadowlands fixed a lot of this but there is still a huge amount of work to be done with the customization and race selection interface, I still think Dark Iron Dwarves are forced to pick mustache and beard together.

[Fahrad Wagner]

A new dragon race and class in the same expansion would be awesome

The Pandaria formula is a winning one!

[Foolicious]

I wish they would just hire 1 person to focus on customization for all things. Not the armor sets, but minor stuff like that cool glasses we got. The main focus would be customization and listening to the community (which customizations are most wanted aka human long beards, etc.)

Or someone that tells them that locking transmog collecting to the things your class can wear is stupid. why do i still need to run molten core on four different classes to collect cosmetic options?
Adding cosmetic items was a good step but when i still need to be able to wear them on that character and most of them are soulbind that defeats the purpose. I still need to swap covenants with my priest when my deathknight can get every item. Someone clearly didn't thought enough about that lol.

I just hope they lift restrictions for collecting stuff completely next expansion.

[therumblings]

The Pandaria formula is a winning one!

It is! I'm hoping 10.0 is the good parts of MoP, kinda like how BFA was the bad parts of MoP lol

[Alanar]

Ankoan would most likely be considered just a clan of Jinyu if they ever became playable, just like Wildhammer Dwarves for regular Dwarf characters.

Sure, which would make it even easier to just combine them under one banner and just call them Jinju. Done.

Wildhammer dwarves, would have been another flavor of the LF or Hm issue. Were right now, they feel like wasted slots and should have just been new costumization options for tauren and dreanei. They could be linked to some recruitement scenario or quest, so it makes a little bit more sense. A much cooler option would have been, you pickyour race and you have 2 or 3 options for a tribe or clan, but you are still a dwarf.
It would free a race slot, but you would still feel like you are THAT type of dwarf. 1 or 2 flavor racials could all be there.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I mentioned this in another thread, but...

Am I the only one who feels like a new race no longer counts as an "exciting new expansion feature"? When they introduced the concept of Allied Races and showed us they can churn out as many new races as they want as patch content, what makes adding a new race as a baseline expansion feature exciting?

And I'm well aware that most of the Allied Races were just reskins using the skeletons of older races, but that's not true for all of them. Kul Tirans had completely unique skeletons.

Cryptlord Nerubians would be an exciting new race. If it's just more generic humanoids, then meh.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Shadowlands fixed a lot of this but there is still a huge amount of work to be done with the customization and race selection interface, I still think Dark Iron Dwarves are forced to pick mustache and beard together.

That, and there is so much nonsense in it. Like the "two blind eyes" option is not available to every race... just why? Trolls still have no beard, jewel choices are still very poor amongst some races, some plants/flowers you can change colours, some others you cannot. Some races have scars separated from their faces, some do not. Some have extensive options of all their tabs, some have like two options in that tab only... It's quite a mess.

Don't get me wrong, I welcome all the new customisations which were added, they're fantastic, I just think we need even more, and that the UI needs to be sorted out so that it can be coherent between races, and we can have as many customisation options for one race than for another. And if it means that next expansion, humans get 2 haircuts, 5 scars and 1 beard, but trolls get 15 haircuts, 5 scars and 15 beards, then so be it. I just think every race should be "fluffed" equally, and has as many core options as possible. Some customisations of course, should remain race-specific, but only when that makes actual sense.

I wish they would just hire 1 person to focus on customization for all things. Not the armor sets, but minor stuff like that cool glasses we got. The main focus would be customization and listening to the community (which customizations are most wanted aka human long beards, etc.)

Those glasses have been my favourite thing, they're fantastic. Although, I'd argue they should have been a character customisation rather than a head transmog, so that we may wear them with some compatible helmets

It is! I'm hoping 10.0 is the good parts of MoP, kinda like how BFA was the bad parts of MoP lol

Fingers crossed my dwarven friend, fingers crossed!

[Kiria]

Hmmm interesting the Dark Ranger quest that was added then removed in BFA has been re-added and updated with 9.2.5, exciting news!

[Fahrad Wagner]

Sure, which would make it even easier to just combine them under one banner and just call them Jinju. Done.

Wildhammer dwarves, would have been another flavor of the LF or Hm issue. Were right now, they feel like wasted slots and should have just been new costumization options for tauren and dreanei. They could be linked to some recruitement scenario or quest, so it makes a little bit more sense.

I couldn't agree more, those allied races should have been customisations of existing races, and Blizzard should have implemented a flavour/lore/background selection field within character customisation. As a dwarf or an orc you could have chosen your clan, as a troll your tribe, as a human your kingdom, etc. (similar to what exists with the GW2 customisation at the beginning). Choices which would not affect your character's gameplay, but would add flavour to the story you want to create. And if a player wants to change those? Just add an NPC selling a "Elixir of Forgotten Memories" allowing you to change those traits, and voilà!

I really wish we could have those kind of customisations, this would be a low effort addition with- I think- a lot of positive impact on the immersion aspect of the game.

[PhillyCheese]

Cryptlord Nerubians would be an exciting new race. If it's just more generic humanoids, then meh.

I think they are being more creative with races, but anything without 2 legs will always be out of the realm of possibility.

Like if we get Naga they are gonna have legs for some reason.