New Character Models Discussion - Update! Fem Gnome Faces

[Vephriel]

Really hoping they decide to do that as well. I know at first they said no, but later it sounded as though were more open to the idea, though it was still undecided. Just one free customization for each character, I'd even be alright if they limited it to something like 5 per account, I don't know.

I agree that even if they keep the feel of a certain appearance, there might be a new one that looks even better...and I just don't really want to buy dozens of recustomizations.

[Lisaara]

Agreed Veph. I personally think they will cause of how different the faces look.

[Rhyela]

Wow! She looks amazing! I really appreciate how they made her look realistic and not idealized- she looks really... real, I guess. Like a human that could actually exist. Especially adoring her silhouette, she has hips! She has ribs! She has arm muscles and legs muscles! Her breasts even look realistic. Props to the model designers, I'm pretty dang thrilled with this.

This is everything I just said to my husband. I am also hoping they don't give everyone only one face option. Personally, I think that'd be an enormous mistake considering that all of the races they're redoing have more than one option currently. I can't imagine them thinking that taking that away would be a good idea. However, they did give pandas and female worgen only one facial option, so who knows.

[Kintsugi]

I really doubt they'd stick us with one face to choose from I think they meant that as "one (of the) face option(s)"

[Nachtwulf]

Also, realize that the 'faces' are skin maps. Technically, ALL the faces we have today have the same "face" since the base polygon shape (even with pandaren/worgen) is identical from avatar to avatar. The reason people really notice that pandaren and worgen "have the same face" is because the skin map is being applied to a much more dramatically modeled underform as opposed to say humans, where it's flatter and much less obvious. The physical polygons of the 'face' don't change whatsoever for any race... (except undead where the application of additional code lets you remove the jaw, and anyway that's a different change called "features" not the actual 'face' option) ... instead, careful alterations of the map projected onto the featureless polygons of the head give the illusion of a narrower nose or squinty eyes or wrinkles or whatever. If you look at, say, the nose of a human male in profile, you'll see it doesn't change at all no matter what face you pick, it just -appears- different because of how the maps are painted.

Worgen and pandaren are the same way... but rather than devoting a whole lot of time to trompe l'oeil painting, they focused on fur patterns since those are the most obvious from any distance.

[Myrrmi]

But then there are Goblin, with their wide array of chin/nose/ear shape differences between faces. So it could be done...

[Nachtwulf]

The chin/nose things are 'additive'... and if memory serves are attached to the ear options. So they're basically like the straps/missing jaw/face holes in undead. They aren't part of the actual "face" options.

Yes, it could be done, but it would be, as it is in the goblin and undead races, a separate option from what they're calling "face" which is just the flat skin.

Edit: Also, people are whining up a storm that the female human is "not sexy enough" as it is. Why would they go to extra lengths to make them (arguably) even less sexy by giving them a pointed chin or a hooked nose?

[Sukurachi]

Edit: Also, people are whining up a storm that the female human is "not sexy enough" as it is. Why would they go to extra lengths to make them (arguably) even less sexy by giving them a pointed chin or a hooked nose?

But that's why the Alliance keep Night Elf women around, isn't it?
I thought Human women were for tailoring and cooking?

[Ana]

Ohhh the human is amazing.. Stop tempting me to return darn game

[Snowy]

Ohhh the human is amazing.. Stop tempting me to return darn game

Same. The new models are one of the only things tempting me back. It's not enough to actually make me start playing again, but enough to make me want to.

[Rhyela]

Also, realize that the 'faces' are skin maps. Technically, ALL the faces we have today have the same "face" since the base polygon shape (even with pandaren/worgen) is identical from avatar to avatar. The reason people really notice that pandaren and worgen "have the same face" is because the skin map is being applied to a much more dramatically modeled underform as opposed to say humans, where it's flatter and much less obvious. The physical polygons of the 'face' don't change whatsoever for any race... (except undead where the application of additional code lets you remove the jaw, and anyway that's a different change called "features" not the actual 'face' option) ... instead, careful alterations of the map projected onto the featureless polygons of the head give the illusion of a narrower nose or squinty eyes or wrinkles or whatever. If you look at, say, the nose of a human male in profile, you'll see it doesn't change at all no matter what face you pick, it just -appears- different because of how the maps are painted.

Worgen and pandaren are the same way... but rather than devoting a whole lot of time to trompe l'oeil painting, they focused on fur patterns since those are the most obvious from any distance.

I understand that and that's all good and well, but what I meant was stuff like eyebrows, nose, mouth, etc. Right now, the only complaint I have for the new human female model is that her eyes have a "surprised" look to them. They just seem a bit bulgy or something. If you look at the current faces below, I always tend to use the top right one. It just has a slightly sterner look. Some of the mouths are wider (top left), or the noses are different, or the eyebrows are more or less arched, etc. And maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me, but I think that there are differences in eye shape and size (be it ever so slight). All I mean is that right now, all of these options are tied to "face", so I'm hoping we still see the same variation in the new model.

[Kayb]

I know the models are all the same and the skin textures are what makes them different. When I say 'one face' I mean 'one skin texture'. I really hope they give us more than just the one. Cause none of my toons who exist as the races already previewed look anything like said previews :\

And the female human's eyes probably only look that way at this point because she's not yet animated. I would bet she'll have eyelid animations that would counter the doe eyes

[Vephriel]

Yeah, don't worry about the wide-eye look, they specifically made her face as neutral as possible as a "base" so that the animators will have more room to work with to create expressions.

When developing the base model we keep the expression on the face as devoid of emotion or expression as possible, as that allows our animators a greater range of motion when they start posing and morphing the face into different expressions. If we were to put any amount of expression—even a slight smile or mildly angry eyebrows—in the base model, that would carry through to every animation, and we'd end up with some very confused-looking characters.

[cowmuflage]

When ever making a modelsheet or base model it's best to be as neutral as possible.

[Sukurachi]

I thought only pandas started out neutral?

[cowmuflage]

I thought only pandas started out neutral?

Oh you!

[Sukurachi]

I thought only pandas started out neutral?

Oh you!

I try

[Rower]

They really look good! I'm impressed so far with the new models.

BUT I really hope that they finally fix the "no legs under robes" issue, because it's really terrible on some races (even on pandaren, sigh...)

[Rhyela]

Yeah, don't worry about the wide-eye look, they specifically made her face as neutral as possible as a "base" so that the animators will have more room to work with to create expressions.

When developing the base model we keep the expression on the face as devoid of emotion or expression as possible, as that allows our animators a greater range of motion when they start posing and morphing the face into different expressions. If we were to put any amount of expression—even a slight smile or mildly angry eyebrows—in the base model, that would carry through to every animation, and we'd end up with some very confused-looking characters.

Ahh, thank you Veph! If it had been mentioned before, I missed it, so I apologize.

[Quiv]

BUT I really hope that they finally fix the "no legs under robes" issue, because it's really terrible on some races (even on pandaren, sigh...)

OH GOD IVE NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE