The Queue: Character models, pirate, and princesses
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today.
Today, we pull a bundle of questions from Twitter.
@Ronin_Silegna asked:
Why do you think that certain faces on the new models don't match the old ones?
The improved geometry on the new character models poses some problems, I imagine. Previously, the faces were all painted on, while the new faces are fully modeled. It's the difference between giving an artist a blank canvas and a molded one. An artist can use a suite of tricks to give that canvas the illusion of being something other than it really is. When you go to the molded canvas, the same tricks don't work. You can make some really good looking stuff, but you can't perfectly reproduce the old one. Similar, but not identical.
Given the facial structure of the new models is vastly different than the old ones in some cases, you're not going to be able to recreate what we had. I'm particularly disappointed in the human female faces -- very few of the best faces from the old models exist in a recognizable form anymore. The models are certainly cool looking, but I feel they've lost the spirit and range of idle emotions they had before. The cool-looking angry face doesn't really exist anymore. They've made attempts to reproduce it over the course of the beta, but in my opinion, it turns out looking really bizarre on the new facial features. The new human female, by default, has very sharp, happy features. Trying to force a happy face to look angry results in something strange and unpleasant.
Human female models appear to have the largest volume of negative feedback on the beta forums, too. They're just ... different.
thistinsoldier asked:
Quick one, or maybe not so much... I am currently at war with the Steamwheedle Cartel over some miscommunication about the Bloodsail... (Damn Insane in the Membrane...) Am I gonna be screwed out of the Draenor Steamwheedle Expedition faction, or will it provide an easy way to repair my good standing? Or will it annul my efforts to make nice with the Bloodsail?
You'll be fine. The Steamwheedle groups on Draenor are considered their own faction for gameplay purposes. They have their own rep bar and the atrocities you've committed upon their people on Azeroth aren't relevant.
@Blacktonn asked:
what would you suggest a level 90 that has only done preliminary mists dailies do to gear up for the new xpac?
There's nothing better than the Timeless Isle for gearing up quickly. You're going to have some trouble there if you're in the most basic of starter gear, but grouping up with a friend will overcome that.
@saskiarastout asked:
Why does no one ever acknowledge Calia Menethil and Tess Greymane's existences anymore?
Calia Menethil's continued existence is questionable at best and the Greymanes in general just haven't been relevant. I can't recall any direct references to Calia in World of Warcraft. There are fan theories, but no more than that. It might be safe to assume she died when Lordaeron fell. And if she was still alive ... safe to say she isn't getting Lordaeron back. She has no power anymore.
It'd be cool to see more of Tess Greymane, though. While Gilneas has also fallen, we have seen in-game hints that the Alliance still sees reclamation as a possibility. It probably won't happen due to game mechanics, but it's a reason to keep the Greymanes at the forefront. Genn is getting pretty old and Tess is heir to the throne now that her brother is dead. There's potential for fun character growth there.
@DECk_37 asked:
Do you think a future expansion could have new lore that is not related to anything that's already established? Brand new lore.
That entirely depends on your definition of "new lore." If you want something absolutely brand new, never before hinted at or discussed and totally dissimilar from anything established in the setting ... probably not. I'd find that weird, personally. Stories don't come from nowhere. Mists of Pandaria is the most "new" thing we've had -- given we knew absolutely nothing about Pandaria prior to going there ourselves -- but it still had foundation in the setting through Chen Stormstout.
I'd much rather they mix up which characters are in the spotlight more often rather than throw out the entire setting to do something else. They have an enormous cast of characters but use very few of them.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column. Leave your questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer 'em!
