There is a massive Bronze Dragon building in Thaldrazzus with closed doors, that looks suspiciously like a future raid portal.
As for the Gnolls: I don't think they fit the overall style of the Dragon Isles, and this feels more like prepping them to be integrated into a future Elwynn and Kalimdor where they WOULD fit the style.
I think they should add an "inbetween" of the casters and the default that looks a little more like the classic: hunched and angry. The regular version is great as an NPC race that you interact with, but how many Gnolls will you actually quest with?
Last edited by Cheezits; 2022-07-17 at 06:45 PM.
Actually, regarding @Nymrohd's idea about the teeth and my reservations, I think that taking from the old model could be a good idea. They already sort of did that—the yellow, blunted teeth in the front and the jagged, crooked pointy teeth off to the side is a very good way of doing it. The exposed gums, I now realize, also are important.
I think one thing needs to be clarified here—just because you disagree with it does not mean it's a bad design choice. I hate to be "but that's just like your opinion man" but it really is just a matter of how you personally interpret a gnoll should look. If you disagree with the artist's interpretation of what gnolls should look like, that's fine, that's valid, but that does not mean it's a "bad design".
Someone over on the Scrolls of Lore discord did some minor photoshop work.
Before
After
It really is a matter of just giving a larger head.
I don't understand where this "Gnolls used to very menacing and frightening" thing coming from?
The original models have like 10 polygons and 8bit textures. Things like teeth have to be exaggerated or else they wouldn't be visible at all. Case in point: People arguing that they didn't have pupils when they had pupils.
They certainly don't look "menacing" in this icon from WC3
Even in concept art they seem more "insane" rather than "menacing".
My sister pitched in, too, and she pointed out something I didn't notice—its fur is too fluffy and soft-looking. Part of that is due to a lack of contrast along the lines, and another part is because it's not short enough. If the lines of the fur texture were shorter and darker, it would look better. Hyena fur ought to be more course and shorter, and the dark lines make it look less like a well-groomed show dog. If the texture were darker and had a coarser texture alone, that also could work.
I think that the Gnoll models will change drastically depending on lighting.
It's fur is too fluffy and soft-looking based on... what?
Based on the old model?
I’ve seen people say things like the old models had matted hair or spots of blood and dirt of them which is no where to be seen on the actual models, so I think it’s mostly from people adding there imagination to vague memory’s of the old models and constructing a image that never existed.
All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride. I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade. I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done. But all I ever wanted was the truth.
Now I look at it, this model looks very good. This is a very good example of the direction I think the art ought to head in—it looks far more like traditional WarCraft to me and actually creates edges in the model that aren't curved over (notice how the ears actually look sharp). The fur texture is very good and rough, and the facial texture looks realistic without compromising on the art style.
Being able to project onto low quality models is one of benefits of having them for sure.
I think the problem is when people start to complain abased on those projections though as for the most part said projections were never actually there and likely won’t be used for updates for obvious reasons.
All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride. I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade. I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done. But all I ever wanted was the truth.