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New blood elf model gallery
At long last, the new blood elf models have finally appeared on the patch 6.1 PTR. These are still a work in progress according to Blizzard. All of the faces are still using similar geometry, but new faces are slated to be added in a future PTR build. In the meantime, you are encouraged to give Blizzard your feedback on the new models and animations on the forums (US feedback thread, EU feedback thread). Want a preview of how the models are shaping up? Check out our new gallery below!
Patch 6.1 PTR - New Blood Elf Models Incoming
We've been waiting for new blood elf models since Warlords of Draenor was announced, and now we finally know when we're getting them. Patch 6.1's PTR will have the first look at the blood elf of the future, soon to be the blood elf of the present. These are very definitely works in progress, so there are things to keep in mind - currently all male blood elves have the same facial geometry, for instance. But you can hop on the PTR yourself and take a look right now. To my eye they don't look very different, just improved. But what do you think?
The Queue: 7 days
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. I've had myself convinced that my road trip to BlizzCon began on November 4. I checked my intinerary this morning and realized it starts November 2. There's a bit of panic happening, people. It's okay, though. I'll just let Taylor Swift's new album loop a few more times. That'll fix it. Jalamenos asked: How will gems and enchants work on WoD gear? Changing stats according to spec is great but I would really rather not have agility gems on my healing gear.
New 3DS XLs incoming, including NES-styled model
Three new Nintendo 3DS XL models will launch in North America by the end of this year, Nintendo announced today during the GameStop Expo in California. The red-and-blue Super Smash Bros. Edition Nintendo 3DS XL will hit store shelves first on September 19, commemorating the launch of Super Smash Bros. on October 3. The retro-inspired NES Edition Nintendo 3DS XL follows on October 10, featuring an NES controller design on its lid. Finally, the Persona Q Edition Nintendo 3DS XL is set to arrive alongside Atlus' dungeon-crawling RPG Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth on November 25. The NES Edition and Persona Q Edition 3DS XLs will be available exclusively at GameStop. All upcoming 3DS XL models are priced at $199.99. [Image: Nintendo]
Artcraft shows off male and female trolls
The latest edition of Artcraft is upon us, this time bringing us updated male and female troll models. Though this Artcarft is somewhat scarcer on the model details -- though it does talk about how the troll's tusks are a particular challenge -- it makes up for it by packing in two new new character models. Though Senior Art Director Chris Robinson comments that "showing both genders together gives you a more cohesive visual story," male and female trolls still have significantly different looks, with the males hunched forward while the females stand upright. Still, like with all the updated models, this refresh gives them a lot of extra detail and character. See below for more images or check the Artcraft post itself for full details.
Warlords of Draenor: Orc posture updates potentially on the horizon
There are a few really iconic design choices in World of Warcraft that have always been a hallmark of the game. Big arms, huge shoulderpads, that sort of thing. One of the items on that list is orc posture -- orcs have a hunch. They've always had a hunch, unless you happened to be an important orc NPC. Player models have always been slouched over, because for some reason, orcs just don't have proper posture. But there may be some changes to that on the horizon, according to a couple of tweets made yesterday by Senior Art Director Chris G. Robinson. Regarding Orc posture, want to add upright orcs eventually but that won't be part of this update, no guarantee or eta. If/when we introduce- - Chris G. Robinson (@artofcgrobinson) August 3, 2014 Robinson went on to clarify that this is not something that will be out at the launch of the expansion -- and it might not be something that makes it to the game at all. But it's something that Robinson definitely wants to attempt to tackle in the future. And although this is one of those things that many players have expressed an interest in seeing, Robinson was quick to clarify that if this change does in fact see the light of day, it will be as an option, not as a default setting. So those who are fond of their hulking hunched brutes can continue to play them just as they are. It's interesting, however, to see that these kinds of changes are definitely being thought about. And it does make me curious as to whether or not we'll see other options regarding posture or even things like height or body options added in some day, like the ability to create wizards with wizard builds instead of barbarian builds. If nothing else, maybe we'll see the male trolls suddenly discover what their female counterparts have known all along -- life is a lot more enjoyable when you exercise the option to stand tall.
Warlords of Draenor: Claws of Shirvallah cat form datamined
New female tauren aren't the only shiny new player character models this week -- our friends at Wowhead have datamined the new druid cat forms that will go along with the level 100 talent Claws of Shirvallah. The talent allows druids who take it to cast all non-damaging druid spells while in cat form, and the half-humanoid half-cat model is a visual indication of the talent's hybrid nature. The animations are fluid and certainly make the model look intimidating. The worgen snow leopard version is my favorite, however, I do wonder if the models will be available in all the same color variations of the normal cat form models, or if the colors displayed are the only ones. While I can appreciate the skill and care put into these new cat form models, I'm not entirely feeling it, at least not yet. I just can't imagine my druid looking like that! Fortunately, it doesn't seem as if the talent is really relevant to my personal playstyle -- Lunar Inspiration seems more my speed -- but I can see how it may be very important for PvP'ers in particular. What about you? Are you going to grab Claws of Shirvallah at level 100? Is the model part of the reason why or why not? Check out Wowhead for the full 3D models of all four forms in their modelviewer, as well as video of the new forms in action.
World of Warcraft shows off revamped Tauren ladies
As Warlords of Draenor approaches release, the art team behind World of Warcraft continues finishing the revamped models for the game's races. The latest race to get a revamp is the female Tauren; while male Tauren have been in the beta client for quite some time, players have until now seen only quick shots of what the new female model would look like. Now you can see her in all her glory, and even at a glance it's a massive improvement. The original model was extremely angular and low-detail due to the technology available when the game was first made, but the revamped model has much more definition in her fur and body shape. The only big silhouette change is a shrinking of her hands, with the official design blog calling the original model's hands "out of control." Take a peek at the official preview for more details on the updated ladycows.
New female tauren model
The latest artcraft post has been released on the WoW official website, and it previews nothing less than the new female tauren model. This model update in particular has been highly anticipated, because the old female tauren models are...well, they're not all that expressive, are they? Fortunately, their blank bovine stares are all set to be a thing of the past. The new models take full advantage of newer texture-rendering capabilities, featuring gorgeous detail in the fur, a full range of facial expressions, and far more natural-looking hair. In addition, their hands have also been scaled-down, as Senior Art Director Chris Robinson notes that female tauren hands were particularly huge, even by WoW standards. Head on over to the official site for the full preview, it's well worth your time.
New human male model revealed
Blizzard has just revealed the revamped human male model, coming in Warlords of Draenor. Like previous reveals, the new model's increased fidelity is immediately obvious. The work done on his facial structure will be appreciated, too -- though he does bear a striking resemblance to Tarzan. In the reveal, Art Director Chris Robinson also mentions that select work-in-progress models will be hitting the Warlords of Draenor alpha in the near future. The final versions of those models will be revealed on the website.
Warlords of Draenor: Artcraft provides first look at new female draenei
Just the other day Artcraft revealed the new male tauren models--complete with animations and videos--and today they're at it again with a sneak peek at the (real) new draenei female model. This is a quick look, as emphasized in the post itself, because the model has yet to be sent to the animation team. As a result you'll notice her posture in this preview is quite different from the draenei model we know and love. That will change once the animation team gets a chance to properly rig and pose the model, but for now we're getting a glimpse of a work very much in-progress. At first glance, the new draenei model doesn't seem as different from the old one as the tauren or orc models, for example, but this is to be expected. The original draenei (and blood elf) models, implemented in Burning Crusade, were a significant step up from the models of classic WoW. That being said, there's marked improvement in these previews. The hair, the detail of the leg musculature, and in particular the hands all give our beloved draenei much more depth and finesse in the body. The curvature of her head-tentacles is also much smoother and more realistic-looking. This is a nice upgrade from the current draenei, and I look forward to seeing more.
Blizzard working on new models of humans and orcs
We heard back at BlizzCon 2011 and shortly after that Blizzard was working on new models, particularly the dwarves. But we haven't heard much more beyond that, just the occasional drop that it's something they'd like to do but need to do it right, since so many people are attached to their characters. Today in an interview with Buffed.de, Ghostcrawler had the following to say: Ghostcrawler and Buffed.de buffed: I think the last time we talked about it you said the designers were working on the Dwarves. Is it still Dwarves or are other races already being worked on as well? Street: They've been working on the Dwarves and then the Humans and Orcs. We feel that if we can do the Humans and Orcs we can probably do all the races. It may not be the kind of thing where we turn them all on at once -- it may be a gradual rollout. It just depends on how long it takes. buffed: Then we will hope that we get to see them during the Mists of Pandaria era. Street: We'll just have to see. source So it looks like humans and orcs are being actively worked on now, and we may see a gradual rollout of the models. And if Blizzard does go with that gradual rollout, in my opinion, the chances of a new model or two coming out in MoP is quite high. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Ford SYNC AppLink gets rolling in ten new models, still just three apps deep
Back when we gave Ford's SYNC AppLink a test drive in that little green Fiesta, we got word that the Mustang was next in line to receive the service. Well, earlier this year, the auto outfit Linked-up the Mustang and now it's rolling out the application for 10 new 2012 models, including the F-150, Fusion (Hybrid and otherwise), Super Duty, and Expedition. It also says it's got a slew of developers lining up to bring hands-free control of their apps to AppLink. For now, though, no matter which SYNC-enabled beast you boast, or which OS you're rocking (BlackBerry OS, iOS, or Android), you'll be riding dirty with just two linked apps at most. Full PR after the break.
Darkfall dev diary talks new UI, quest content, and more
Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras returns with another activity report on the Darkfall Epic Blog, and the focus is fairly broad. He touches on the dynamic quests and lore-driven events we mentioned last week, as well as upcoming world optimizations that include aggressive wildlife based on location and time of day, new monster families and epic mob encounters, and improvements to both player character models and monster animations. Those of you who haven't been able to get past Darkfall's unique user interface will also have reason to give the game a second look in the near future, as Flambouras states that Aventurine has decided on a new GUI framework and tools. "These should yield a vastly improved user interface. The next phase for the GUI is the architecture and adapting the current GUI functionality to the new framework," he says. Other notable items include the mention of a completely new environmental sound system as well as an in-game political map which will feature clan associations, vendor and bank locations, and various other resources. Check out all the details on the official Darkfall blog.
Patch 3.3.3 PTR: What we've seen in the last 24 hours
Patch 3.3.3 hit the PTR last night, and if you weren't following WoW.com throughout the night, it's very likely you've missed a lot of patch news that has scrolled off of our front page already. For your convenience, below is a roundup of all of our Patch 3.3.3 coverage from the last day or so. Enjoy! Patch 3.3.3 PTR patch notes Cull Stratholme faster than ever before Early Cataclysm models/doodads Other new models and mounts Major changes to the auction house and game economy Patch 3.3.3's raid buff changes The patch's new achievements User Interface updates Trade Frozo the Renowned your Frozen Orbs for crafting items Death knight class changes Shaman class changes Warrior class changes As the patch progresses, there will be plenty more where that came from. We'll be sure to keep you updated and if you've seen something that we haven't, don't be a stranger! Let us know via our tip line.
Patch 3.3 PTR: Jaina gets a makeover [Updated]
It looks like Blizzard's art team is continuing the work it started with the key characters in World of Warcraft lore by updating their in-game models. This time, it's Lady Jaina Proudmoore who's getting the royal treatment by getting a new model that shows off more realistic armor textures -- and I mean some form of armor, not just sproingy cloth -- as well as a unique, somewhat snooty face. This comes after Jaina's noselift and slight belly-baring in Patch 3.1.The new face looks to have higher resolution than that of normal human female player characters and could be indicative of the new graphics to come with the Cataclysm (e.g., this matches the higher resolution Worgen and Goblin masks that were unveiled some time ago). This leaves a few more bosses, most notably Thrall -- who's still wearing Level 30 greens -- to get the makeover treatment. We know that Baine Bloodhoof is replacing Cairne, so the latter probably won't be getting a new model. It's interesting to see who else gets a nice makeover. The higher resolution, multi-angled sweet stuff after the jump.UPDATE: Zarhym says that the update to Jaina comes at a perfect time as she and Sylvanas Windrunner (updated for Wrath of the Lich King) would play key roles in Icecrown. He also reveals that "other heroes" or key figures in Warcraft lore will probably get the same upgraded graphics to give them a more distinctive look.
