Artcraft—The Spires of Arak

[Fenixdown]

They should call it "The Spires of We Could Have Designed This For Flight, But We Didn't Because We Hate You".

[Failmuffins]

When the zone was originally revealed, I was expecting more sheer canyons and cliffs - something like the original Thousand Needles turned up to eleven where we'd be questing above the clouds, with the ocean far below us.

Still looks good though, I'm looking forward to seeing the Arakkoa.

[Sainur]

meh.

/10batsandfrogs

[Chasavaqe]

The detail on the ground looks absolutely amazing.

I'm hoping that the sky is still in development... I really like how the yellow/orange sky in the concept art looks, and I'm hoping it's implemented as well... The one that's in now is a little bland compared to the amazing details going on down below.

[aoussar123]

Quite underwhelmed when you compare the in-game images to the artwork. Of course, it will never ever look like that, and while the zone looks cool enough, i'm a bit disappointed by the color palette and the hight of the spires. The colors look much more vivid in the artwork, and the spires are HUGE. In the game, they look like small generic hills you have everywhere and the colors look bland and uninspired.

Oh well, still looking forward to WoD

[OneSent]

They should call it "The Spires of We Could Have Designed This For Flight, But We Didn't Because We Hate You".

Why bother? You'd just fly over it all and see only the tops of trees and the upper-half of the spires?

Ever flown over Ashenvale before? Exactly.

[Difuid]

Quite underwhelmed when you compare the in-game images to the artwork. Of course, it will never ever look like that, and while the zone looks cool enough, i'm a bit disappointed by the color palette and the hight of the spires. The colors look much more vivid in the artwork, and the spires are HUGE. In the game, they look like small generic hills you have everywhere and the colors look bland and uninspired.

Oh well, still looking forward to WoD

The video was of the proof of concept that it can be made... but yes, the spires should be humongous in the final version.

The colors were good the concept art looks like sunset and everything is tinted orange and purple.

[Deleted]

They should call it "The Spires of We Could Have Designed This For Flight, But We Didn't Because We Hate You".

Standing in a dense forest, seeing these spires with a society that is a sinister looming threat above you, and walking around on the ground among the outcasts is a totally different feeling than flying above and looking down on them. How is that hard to understand?

[Mellrod]

I think it's amazing how easy blizzard makes this stuff look. I bet it requires long nights awake and all sorts of planning. I also love how their method of designing a zone is ALOT more different than what many people's assumptions have been in the past. Blizzard definitely knows what they're doing better than any of us when it comes to designing the look of their world unlike i see alot of people saying. Although everyone has their artistic tastes, I just wish people would be more open minded.

Also for the less observant, those spires aren't going to be small like that in the final version for anyone wondering. If you read the article they talk about two methods - using 3D props to create spires or using the terrain editor. Basically, all you need to know is that both methods are very hard to pull off without looking weird, and the work shown here is just a test to see if the spires are possible using the terrain editor method apart from the props one. One has to assume they are testing both methods to see which one is better and more polished. I haevn't seen both methods, but after seeing a screenshot of a gross gray spire awkwardly sticking out of the ground in this zone, somewhat similar to BEM, i would go with the terrain method. I'm sure they are planning on making them alot taller though.

[Sargiean]

Standing in a dense forest, seeing these spires with a society that is a sinister looming threat above you, and walking around on the ground among the outcasts is a totally different feeling than flying above and looking down on them. How is that hard to understand?

Personally, I think flying above something offers a much more complete and whole perspective over the design then being limited to small bits on the ground. You call this 'sinister' I call it 'underwhelming'. I'd like it much more if there were ledges/caves that were only accessible via flight. That would add another dimension to the game. At this point though, you're either for or against flying and there's not much either side can say they haven't already said.

OT: I think the zone looks decent, but I do agree with some posters that say the 'spires' are more like small hills then what the concept art reflects. I was thinking the spires would be similar in size to mountains you see in the storm peaks, or blackrock, or even mt. neverest.

[Zyranthian]

BETA!!! Oh, no, wait ... just more pointless information and some random JPGs. Such fun.

This isn't MoP, no early beta with hundreds of thousands of invites going out, they've said this in many interviews. Even when beta does start it'll be much smaller in scale, more like BC and Wrath betas, so odds are good you'll never get into it anyway. Learn to live with disappointment.

[Morgomir]

Anyone see how big those trees are compared to a character in those tree concepts? Damn those are gonna be some big trees and spires.

[cptaylor38]

Anyone see how big those trees are compared to a character in those tree concepts? Damn those are gonna be some big trees and spires.

I feel it will be very similar to the Mantid places beyond the wall in Pandaria. About the same scale ratio. I have a feeling A LOT of the zone is going to look very similar geographically to those places with the exception of the spires and the textures/atmosphere used.

Which I wouldn't really mind as I like giant trees in fantasy and real life. But I'm hoping it will be slightly different. The color palette and textures almost seemed a bit like Redridge to me. Which seems a little odd and dull compared to the concept art.

[Kaleredar]

Why bother? You'd just fly over it all and see only the tops of trees and the upper-half of the spires?

The spires look pretty darn small to accomodate for the fact that you can't fly.

This zone easily could have been like storm peaks, but with giant twisted spires instead of mountains, and arrakoa overlooks instead of titan buildings.

But so far, it's kind of looking like... desolace, with pointy rocks jutting up. It's not a slight on how Blizzard is designing the zone; they're doing so fine. It's a grievance on how they have to restrict their development because they have to constantly remind themselves every little valley and spire will be a detriment to travel and not an accentuation like they would be if you could fly.

Ever flown over Ashenvale before? Exactly.

Actually you fly THROUGH ashenvale. Next to no one flies over the treetops. Funny how that works. ANd funny how that, after running through ashenvale for over half a decade, I was not too bent out of shape about being able to fly over it.

And who cares; if I want to fly over ashenvale, I should be able to. If you want to scamper around on the ground you're more than welcome. That you hold yourself to the pace of how others manage their time is a personal issue, tbh.

[arcaneshot]

Actually you fly THROUGH ashenvale. Next to no one flies over the treetops. Funny how that works.

I don't know where you get the idea that "next to no one" flies over the trees because it's more convenient than having to dodge a tree.

[Kulthar]

i could happily watch the vid's of the guys makin this ... 100 times more interesting than the motorbike drama queens show.

[Laylriana]

i could happily watch the vid's of the guys makin this ... 100 times more interesting than the motorbike drama queens show.

I enjoyed this video. I like watching the game being created. In last week's Azeroth Choppers the best part of the show was the guy creating the environment of WOW.

[acf]

When the zone was originally revealed, I was expecting more sheer canyons and cliffs - something like the original Thousand Needles turned up to eleven where we'd be questing above the clouds, with the ocean far below us.

Still looks good though, I'm looking forward to seeing the Arakkoa.

I share this expectation and agree while that would have been amazing, what we are currently being shown is not bad either

[Tirilka]

Wait, is this a real, honest, dark night?!
Or it's just my wishful thinking?

[Nexxius]

I really love the look of it. Reminds me of if Terrokar and Blade's Edge had a baby.