Dragonflight Alpha/Beta General Discussion

[Veluren]

I noticed some smoothness with some models that almost look disneyfied in a way. Especislly Nozdormu has this.

Its different to me.

I feel it's a logical conclusion of WoW wanting to stay stylized with its shaders and shapes instead of wanting to try to aim for realism. Eventually you do just drift towards cartoony or a cel-shaded-style look even if you don't really intend to. A lot of older models kinda glazed over that because they were so jagged and polygonal because of what they could work with at the time, but the smooth-overs were kinda inevitable.

I think player models are especially noticeable because of how the original models looked, trying to aim for realism on say, a human with their exaggerate proportions instead of leaning into cartoony would have look uncanny.

[Nymrohd]

I feel it's a logical conclusion of WoW wanting to stay stylized with its shaders and shapes instead of wanting to try to aim for realism. Eventually you do just drift towards cartoony or a cel-shaded-style look even if you don't really intend to. A lot of older models kinda glazed over that because they were so jagged and polygonal because of what was worked with, but the smooth-overs were kinda inevitable.

I think the issue was very particular with the gnolls because we got TWO new models. And while one stays in the spirit of the gnoll being feral, the other very much escaped from some furry visual novel. And changing Hogger to look like a plushie is such a poor choice that makes you question art direction.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I think the issue was very particular with the gnolls because we got TWO new models. And while one stays in the spirit of the gnoll being feral, the other very much escaped from some furry visual novel. And changing Hogger to look like a plushie is such a poor choice that makes you question art direction.

Pretty sure the icons for gnolls always looked slightly psychotic and like they're about to bash your brains. The old ones from vanilla.

[Nymrohd]

Pretty sure the icons for gnolls always looked slightly psychotic and like they're about to bash your brains. The old ones from vanilla.

Yup very much. It needs to look feral, almost rabid.

[Makabreska]

Yup very much. It needs to look feral, almost rabid.

It's still there:

[Makorus]

To be honest, the Dragonflight Gnoll model resembles artwork like from the Monster Guide or even concept art than the current ones does.

Honestly, they just need to give them more of a hunched back. Their posture is too good.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

At most there might be a weird miscommunication going on in the art team but I am ok with how stylized wow looks and prefer its style then Hearthstone or HOTS or whatever. Also Hogger again looks like he's about to lose his shit and crush my head in.

[rhorle]

I think the issue was very particular with the gnolls because we got TWO new models. And while one stays in the spirit of the gnoll being feral, the other very much escaped from some furry visual novel. And changing Hogger to look like a plushie is such a poor choice that makes you question art direction.

That is really just hyperbole. The old model had a terrible smashed face. Is the new one different? Sure. But it is hardly terrible. At least they look like their own creature rather then a mini-tauren. Could they better reconcile the old vs new or finally give hogger a unique model because of his fame? Sure.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Looking through all the creature models, there seems to be some issues with art style consistency.

Agreed—I don't mind the cartoonish art style, but I find the new models too "soft". I was always offput by the Drakthyr and was thoroughly convinced they weren't real when they were first leaked because of it. It's all very awkward.

[Murlocos]

A slight but very noticeable change that Warcraft art has played around with over the years is pupil-less eyes. They really went overboard with this in WC3, presumably due to some kind of stylistic choice as even characters like Thrall just had white orbs in that game. To me it feels like they've been moving away from that recently and we're seeing more models/characters with very human-looking eyes, which I don't think works for the more bestial creatures. Eyes are one of the characteristics we hone in on the most. Take the controversial worgen model update, I agree that they look too tame or outright cute with the regular eyes, but are much improved with one of the new single-color eye options they added in SL. Same applies to the new gnolls; the sage model with the milky white eyes looks more intimidating than the regular model used for Hogger.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

A slight but very noticeable change that Warcraft art has played around with over the years is pupil-less eyes. They really went overboard with this in WC3, presumably due to some kind of stylistic choice as even characters like Thrall just had white orbs in that game. To me it feels like they've been moving away from that recently and we're seeing more models/characters with very human-looking eyes, which I don't think works for the more bestial creatures. Eyes are one of the characteristics we hone in on the most. Take the controversial worgen model update, I agree that they look too tame or outright cute with the regular eyes, but are much improved with one of the new single-color eye options they added in SL. Same applies to the new gnolls; the sage model with the milky white eyes looks more intimidating than the regular model used for Hogger.

Not a bad observation at all. The pupil-less eyes do add a more alien edge to everything, whereas all eyes having pupils simply makes them seem more traditionally humanlike and consequently recognizable.

[Raetary]

I noticed some smoothness with some models that almost look disneyfied in a way. Especislly Nozdormu has this.

Its different to me.

Actually i meant that some new models have very different art direction compared to others.

There's the overly cartoony, almost pixar-esque looking models.
Smooth/soft textures, usually big eyes, brightly colored.

Spoiler: 

And then you have stuff like this:

Spoiler: 

Models with a more rough, realistic looking approach.

Furbolgs and Gnolls make a good example:

[AOL Instant Messenger]

It's still there:

I think the hunch and silhouette is generally adequate, but I think it lacks enough sharp edges on its face, especially relative to the armor. Even on the armor, only the bit on its back is actually that pointy, whereas everything else isn't quite pointy enough. The face especially lacks pointed edges, screwing with the shape language, and the teeth are too small and far-apart for them to look dangerous enough. Same with the ears—too smooth at the top, especially the cropped one. The stance is good, and the way the hood frames the face is cool, but other than that it's all still far too soft.

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Actually i meant that some new models have very different art direction compared to others.

There's the overly cartoony, almost pixar-esque looking models.
Smooth/soft textures, usually big eyes, brightly colored.

Spoiler: 

And then you have stuff like this:

Spoiler: 

Models with a more rough, realistic looking approach.

Furbolgs and Gnolls make a good example:

I very much like the second set—it's a shame that there's no coordination, because I would really like to see Blizzard permanently shift to the latter.

[huth]

[IMG]

Somebody get Koranos a therapist already.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

I see both sets look pretty cartoony if you ask me. Gnolls(or the hogger one) just look more psychotic but based on the old icon, I mean...no shocker but I don't see an artstyle change other then..... contextual difference. Yeah furbolgs might not be psychotic like gnolls are. This all feels like very....... microscopic things to be concerned about. The whole realism part that WCIII reforged(They said they went with a in part realism style which I disagree with heavily but I don't think that is the source of the game's problems).

I still feel like the stylized WC look is still here in WoW and if I noticed something was off or something the devs said I disliked, I would voice it.

[Nymrohd]

It's still there:

I mean I did say it, we get two models, one is good. This iteration of the model that you posted is solid. The other version just doesn't do the gnolls justice.

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I see both sets look pretty cartoony if you ask me. Gnolls(or the hogger one) just look more psychotic but based on the old icon, I mean...no shocker but I don't see an artstyle change other then..... contextual difference. Yeah furbolgs might not be psychotic like gnolls are. This all feels like very....... microscopic things to be concerned about. The whole realism part that WCIII reforged(They said they went with a in part realism style which I disagree with heavily but I don't think that is the source of the game's problems).

I still feel like the stylized WC look is still here in WoW and if I noticed something was off or something the devs said I disliked, I would voice it.

The devil is in the detail though. And when you are updating material, I think staying true to the original should be your primary goal.
And I felt WC3 style did not feel realistic but rather they looked like miniatures we use in wargaming/TTRPGs

[Rathwell]

I see both sets look pretty cartoony if you ask me. Gnolls(or the hogger one) just look more psychotic but based on the old icon, I mean...no shocker but I don't see an artstyle change other then..... contextual difference. Yeah furbolgs might not be psychotic like gnolls are. This all feels like very....... microscopic things to be concerned about.

Personally, I just wanted the gnolls to look a little more ferocious. Something a bit like this,

[AOL Instant Messenger]

Personally, I just wanted the gnolls to look a little more ferocious. Something a bit like this,

That honestly doesn't strike me as much better—the face is still too soft, the teeth too small and far-apar, and the expression too awkward. It looks like a children's character, and probably not even a villain. It doesn't look violent at all.

[Alanar]

It's still there:

Its not bad or something. Cant help bit see a worgen in dress up. The dangling pieces and mask screams gnolls tho.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

The devil is in the detail though. And when you are updating material, I think staying true to the original should be your primary goal.
And I felt WC3 style did not feel realistic but rather they looked like miniatures we use in wargaming/TTRPGs

Well a lot of people really got upset about Reforged's outsourcing and stuff and Blizz did confirm they went with a realistic route more then the original(I don't know why but whatevs).

Personally, I just wanted the gnolls to look a little more ferocious. Something a bit like this,

That image doesn't look that much different tbh. I dunno, I just think people are a bit ornery on this. No offense