Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[AOL Instant Messenger]

This seems very interesting—if they really are reworking talents, this would definitely be a great sign of things to come. Looking at it, it seems like they're separating between class and specialization-specific talents, which is an odd way of going about it. I suppose this is a very good way of both increasing the viability of mainline class abilities and maintaining their specialization-centric class design whilst returning to the old talent system. It also does connect with the suggested development of a critical UI-related project, but I am also not sure if it lines up with something that would take several months for a professional UI developer, so I'm still maintaining that's probably something else.

I really don't know how to feel about this thing. Save for the obvious, it seems like it's not wearing armor whilst armor is rendered on its counterpart. Perhaps it simply hasn't been rigged and made for armor yet, but that seems pretty implausible this late into development. Plus, certain elements like the scales on the shoulders don't look very compatible with armor. I also notice a few things that look very odd and seem like modeling errors—for one, notice the weird splay around where its legs go digitrade. It looks like a default armor mesh activated. Similarly, there seems to be something on the left breast that I think is some kind of modeling error because it shares a texture with the scales on the rest of the body.

There are a few elements that do look very characteristically Blizzard, though—namely, I do think the splayed scales on the shoulders are a very convincing impression of Blizzard's artstyle and modeling, and with so many legitimate leaks happening simultaneously it is kind of hard not to buy into this.

I am also a bit offput by the extraordinarily awkward horn models—they look crystalline in texture and material, which would normally be very cool if not for the fact that there are no other crystalline growths on the model at all. It looks more like a fancy crown. The Human model also seems strange—I think I recognize the texture on her arms as being from the generic yellow shirt item. She also seems to be wearing horns, or even a headband with fake horns on them. If the latter, it looks very awkwardly anachronistic, as does the hair style, which I also think is new.

I also generally dislike the design of the Drakthyr in general, if this really is what they're supposed to look like. Their faces are too soft—they look too much like something out of the Scalie Fandom. They also look far too dimorphic with what appear to be feminine eyelashes and sharper eyes to give the appearance of femininity. What's odd is the bodies look perfectly fine save for the apparent modeling errors I think I see (now, I'm not a modeler and have no experience 3d modeling, so this may be totally normal for this stage of development), so it makes the overly-soft features on the face far too incongruous with the model's overall body and suitably monstrous frame. All-in-all, I feel a tad offput by this and I'm not sure how to feel about it. The way the digitrade legs are done also looks a tad too similar to Worgen, sharing the lifted big toe with them.

I could theoretically buy this if this were a class transformation instead of a racial one, which would also explain why there's yet another shapeshifting race where it doesn't really look like it should need to shapeshift. It does remind me of how the Dragonmaw were trying to ascend into Drakonids during Burning Crusade, which could be similar to what these are supposed to be. However, I don't think that there would ever be a class with a transformation in the character creation screen unless there were a lot of customization for that transformation and you were often in that form. Generally, I feel underwhelmed and confused.

[Buliwyf the Omen]

I'm not looking forward to the male dragon race being epic and bamf looking and the female looking like an afterthought. The dragon version of the femworgen's deranged chihuahua

Please just let it be this.

Looking at Worgens and Tauren it wouldnt surprise me. They all look ten times better, and for Worgen even thirty times.

Lets just hope the male dracthyr... is one mean lizard.

[Cheezits]

I don't think it's that goofy honestly. Though I do think it should have no wings and a larger head.

Wait I'm just describing the, again, Drakenoid-type silhouette. Just with a less silly head.

I think they can work on the head size. However, you know 100% that casual players would bitch HARD about a dragon class without wings.

"thats not a dragon wtf where are the wings"

So they had to make a new race.

[Lazarel]

My god, this is incredible. You were behind all of these?!

But you should have used the earlier Awakenings logo for the map fake imo. Although I do love the custom border you made for the newer one.

Also, that's probably more or less exactly what the Wrath Classic logo will look like.

Bravo.

thank you <3

[Archmage Xaxxas]

Not to be rude but if the other features are good, why would that kill your hype? You dont need to play a new race if it isnt your taste. I mean probably 90% of all FFXIV players think Hrothgars look like trash.

Vulpera taking over Orgrimmar was bad enough. I just don't even want to see these things, and I was genuinely looking forward to a new race in general.

If it's these, I miss out on the new race because I have moral standards. If it's these, I have to tolerate the canon reality that they're running around Org and SW too, looking fucking ridiculous.


And why? Because they're testament to Blizzard's Fall, and that's not something I was hoping to see.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

I'm not looking forward to the male dragon race being epic and bamf looking and the female looking like an afterthought. The dragon version of the femworgen's deranged chihuahua

That's precisely what it reminds me of! It looks too defanged. It especially would be awkward after all the scandals to go back to making cartoon-tier "delicate" female races when now would be a good time to start making them look more interesting.

[Teriz]

If the class and race leaks are real...I'm actually losing all hype.

I think the race leaks are real. I'll be honest, as bad as they are, they're top tier among dragon-races in MMOs.

[Luxanna]

I personally love it.

Exactly the concept i wanted (mortal+dragon form, can be any core race) and i really like the design.

This is what i wanted too. Hope we can pick a race and have dragon features similiar to Alexstrasza and Ysera.

[Local Ardenweald Faerie]

This is what i wanted too. Hope we can pick a race and have dragon features similiar to Alexstrasza and Ysera.

Pandaren dragon people.

Please. Please, I beg you, Blizzard.

[Prenderghast]

I feel like I'm the only person that likes these dragons.

I'm gonna go ahead and say that I like them, too. I'm not actively hyped about it, but I do like it. *If* these screenshots are legitimate, I have a hunch that this is the female model and the male model would be a bit bulkier. Either way though, I don't hate the model, and I think given enough time I could get excited about it.

Hopefully they lift some transmog restrictions, though, because just like Worgen, I think these dragonbois will look best with minimal armor.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

I pointed this out and someone said...I mean I guess they're kinda translucent on the webbing? You can kinda squint see the SW flag. It's hard to tell with how LQ it is.

...I reiterate, if we get this monstrosity and still can't get full time wings on DHs and Meta flight form, that's a travesty.

Ah, that's fair. Scaleface seems to be often a little confused by what he sees (understandably, given he's probably only getting secondhand information) so it may just be an honest mistake on his part assuming he's really telling the truth to begin with. I am still a little suspicious since it seems to be far less believable than his Legion leak, where he really did act like he only had secondhand information. He gets a little too cocky in this one and acts far too overt about it. Then, the cinematic still is also very hard to disbelieve.

[Deventh]

.

About the UI thing. One of the leakers who posted the images earlier said the ingame interface & UI is getting complete overhaul.

[Buliwyf the Omen]

Vulpera taking over Orgrimmar was bad enough. I just don't even want to see these things, and I was genuinely looking forward to a new race in general.

If it's these, I miss out on the new race because I have moral standards. If it's these, I have to tolerate the canon reality that they're running around Org and SW too, looking fucking ridiculous.


And why? Because they're testament to Blizzard's Fall, and that's not something I was hoping to see.

LMFAO, imagine these goddamn lizards dancing around in Orgrimmar in a line infront of a Vulpera Squad.

My god, to think what this Game was back in the day.

[m4Zzo928]

Pandaren dragon people.

Please. Please, I beg you, Blizzard.

oh MY GOD that would be amazing!

[Niwes]

I'd kill to see the like/dislike ratio on the Video on YouTube if those pictures are not fake.

if this is real, this will create the biggest shitstorm in wow history.

[Cheezits]

That's precisely what it reminds me of! It looks too defanged. It especially would be awkward after all the scandals to go back to making cartoon-tier "delicate" female races when now would be a good time to start making them look more interesting.

I'm pretty sure this has less to do with artists sexy tendencies and more to do with basic market desires with men wanting to play big buff boys and girls wanting to be slender and pretty.

Yes, there are exceptions. But this is lowest common denominator marketing.

[Shadochi]

I feel like I'm the only person that likes these dragons.

I like them too

[SniperCT]

The sexual dimorphism is seriously pathetic at this point. If they're actually that bad I truly hope people call Blizz on how fucked that is.

I could almost deal with it if the females actually LOOKED GOOD.

I never got over the Worgen lol I only finally changed my warrior over with the changes in shadowlands and even that isn't...quite what I'd wanted. Still doesn't look feral and angry enough.

[Local Ardenweald Faerie]

oh MY GOD that would be amazing!

There is precedent; look at Lorewalker Cho's family tree in that one Horde quest.

Actually, there's precedent for every race: dragons don't really care who they disguise themselves as.

If they're limited, I will eat a piece of my pants. On stream.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Also, now that I look at it, the bottoms of the wings are a little suspect, too. I don't know what it is, but it looks like the texture might have been copied or the model based off something we already have. It does seem fairly consistent with WoW dragons, though, since they do have the same tips on the wings.



It reminds me a bit of this, too.