Potential new hunter pets in WoD

[Wain]

The other thing to keep in mind is that whether they're in one family or two is not a big issue. Even if we play with them and still think it's silly that they're separate, at the end of the day they're both still tameable by the same hunters. And it's not like this new family is at the expense of dragonflies, they changed their concept on those LONG before this happened.

The one thing that did really sadden me in his tweet was:

This model isn't used

... in reference to the other new chimaera model. The creepy, more reptilian one. That, to me, seems a waste of quite brilliant art. I hope it's slated for some time in the future. If you look at the textures on it, they seem much higher quality, more finely detailed, than that of the hairy rylak, and the overall look really says "Draenor" to me. I really hope it makes it in eventually.

[SpiritBinder]

That, to me, seems a waste of quite brilliant art. I hope it's slated for some time in the future.

Nooo, don't be silly, it won't go to waste, it'll be $25 US, coming soon (TM) to a Blizzard Store near you!

Ok ok.. I'll stop being bitter and bitchy, but it's only cause I love the game to much dammit! <.<

[Qraljar]

Sorry, but I just gotta facepalm here.



First the Hook Wasp is moved to the Wasp family because it is too similar. Only to be replaced by a Chimera with a new name that is somehow not a Chimera anymore even though it is?


And after making them a new family, they don't even try to add one extra model so it has some diversity? All for some arbitrary reason?


Sorry, but I just can't. I'm still bothered that they scrapped the Dragonflies. Especially given that we'll probably never get Dragonflies again.


And then this. A new family on an animal that already had its own family. Okay, that's a bit silly, but that's one thing. But then we have the more reptilian model that could and should easily be added to the Rylak family. But it isn't for some reason. What happened to model variety? Do they want to have families with only one model? I don't get it. I just don't.



Sorry. I completely disagree with their latest decisions.

[Aettis]

The other thing to keep in mind is that whether they're in one family or two is not a big issue. Even if we play with them and still think it's silly that they're separate, at the end of the day they're both still tameable by the same hunters. And it's not like this new family is at the expense of dragonflies, they changed their concept on those LONG before this happened.

The one thing that did really sadden me in his tweet was:

This model isn't used

... in reference to the other new chimaera model. The creepy, more reptilian one. That, to me, seems a waste of quite brilliant art. I hope it's slated for some time in the future. If you look at the textures on it, they seem much higher quality, more finely detailed, than that of the hairy rylak, and the overall look really says "Draenor" to me. I really hope it makes it in eventually.

That is true, but it just feels wrong. Getting 3 new families is much less exciting and fun when one of them is just an updated older family. I guess I'll have to wait and see. Maybe it's abilities will warrant more excitement, but right now I'm still highly disappointed. Part of me wants to make a post on the official forums showing how nearly identical the new and old chimeras are, VS our other families(ravagers, boars, basilisks, serpents, wolves, etc).

[Wain]

Wait till beta opens and we can say they've been tamed and playtested thoroughly If people still think it should be a chimaera then at least we come from a position of experience

[Wain]

I updated the post with the ravager, hook wasp and fire/shadow wolf images, now that the patch is finally available.

One interesting thing to note. This is actually a later patch than the one where MMO-C first publicized the fire and shadow wolves, and they've changed. The fire skin is now WAY less saturated. It would almost look acceptable on a regular wolf except that the contrast is still very high. Presumably they intend for their appearance to be controlled mostly by model effects, but I'm not yet seeing any special effects on the models. I guess we wait and see

Here's how they look currently (click to see larger images):



The fire version of the Frostwolf Pup has also changed dramatically but in this case it's now a wine colour, which seems odd. I know I'm not confusing it with the shadow skin as that's also present and is a darker and bluer colour. Here's how they look now (the first is fire):




Their models are likely also meant to have fire / shadow effects, which haven't been added yet.

[Equeon]

I think the major reason of disappointment is that most people (including myself) were about 75% sure that "Rylaks" would be included in the whole "older families getting new models" promise.

With Hook Wasps now considered part of that category, our hopes soared at the thought of Dread Raven pets or something entirely new - only to be shattered by the confirmation of the new chimera models as the new family, and further dampened by the fact that the awesome "reptile chimera" is not a part of that family.

I agree entirely with Qraljar's points... we complainers may sound entitled and/or bratty, but we were content with "3 new families plus a bunch of awesome additions." Now it's really more like "2 new families, minus some of the things you thought you were getting."

But for now all we can do is just wait and see. I still have faith in Blizzard's choices, and feel that they will ultimately make it up to us.

[Vephriel]

Right now I am a little disappointed I suppose, but beta isn't even here yet so I think we'll have lots of time to make suggestions and see how things look for ourselves. I'm really happy the new chimaera models will be tameable (though I do hope they change their mind on the reptilian one because it is amazing). I'm sure there's still time for them to change their minds, and hopefully they'll choose a new family since I feel like we have plenty of options available that don't feel like an overlap of a pre-existing tameable species.

I just have a hard time understanding why they wouldn't select something else when there's still so many beast types out there that would be refreshing and new rather than limiting one of the three new families to something we already sort of have.

[seiferzero]

I think the major reason of disappointment is that most people (including myself) were about 75% sure that "Rylaks" would be included in the whole "older families getting new models" promise.

With Hook Wasps now considered part of that category, our hopes soared at the thought of Dread Raven pets or something entirely new - only to be shattered by the confirmation of the new chimera models as the new family, and further dampened by the fact that the awesome "reptile chimera" is not a part of that family.

I agree entirely with Qraljar's points... we complainers may sound entitled and/or bratty, but we were content with "3 new families plus a bunch of awesome additions." Now it's really more like "2 new families, minus some of the things you thought you were getting."

But for now all we can do is just wait and see. I still have faith in Blizzard's choices, and feel that they will ultimately make it up to us.

completely agree..
I don't understand, in every xpac we had much more new families and models, and now i feel like they understimate our request as pet lovers... they have so many unreleased families!
and stop with spirit cats...hell, someone tell muffinus to check the forum and read our point of view! I know there is no beta yet, but we don't need beta when someone tell us "now we have 2 real new families and some additions vs the 4-5-6 new families AND additions of the previous xpacs).....

[Nachtwulf]

To be fair, we got porcupines (new family) and silkworms (new model, old family) long after beta started... so I still have hope things will spread out a bit.

[Wain]

Yeah, that's something to remember. We're still in closed Alpha. I've never seen so much info and publicity so early in testing before, normally it doesn't get this intense until beta. So I think it's creating a feeling that beta is already happening but with none of us in it.

I'm sure we still have ages and we'll see a lot of revisions to pets before we're done. At this point in MoP testing I don't know that we even had one new family out.

[seiferzero]

A little OT (please remove this post if you want), do you have a thread (not this one: http://forums.wow-petopia.com/viewtopic ... rance+buff ) that lists all the special effects that do not require an exploit to get? I mean as the corpse scarab of naxx that have a black echo effect and it lasts forever and can be tamed normally. thankyou!

[Shinryu Masaki]

One interesting thing to note. This is actually a later patch than the one where MMO-C first publicized the fire and shadow wolves, and they've changed. The fire skin is now WAY less saturated. It would almost look acceptable on a regular wolf except that the contrast is still very high. Presumably they intend for their appearance to be controlled mostly by model effects, but I'm not yet seeing any special effects on the models. I guess we wait and see

Here's how they look currently (click to see larger images):

Hmm this is interesting. Maybe they could be used for physically solid Spirit Beasts then? I know lots of people are a bit tired of cats and wolves but if they're solid instead of ghostly, I wouldn't mind it at all, since right now only Loque and Skoll are solid.

[The Insect Man]

It's only a shame there's no real world model to base a dragonfly model on. Oh, no, wait...

[Xota]

One interesting thing to note. This is actually a later patch than the one where MMO-C first publicized the fire and shadow wolves, and they've changed. The fire skin is now WAY less saturated. It would almost look acceptable on a regular wolf except that the contrast is still very high. Presumably they intend for their appearance to be controlled mostly by model effects, but I'm not yet seeing any special effects on the models. I guess we wait and see

Here's how they look currently (click to see larger images):

Hmm this is interesting. Maybe they could be used for physically solid Spirit Beasts then? I know lots of people are a bit tired of cats and wolves but if they're solid instead of ghostly, I wouldn't mind it at all, since right now only Loque and Skoll are solid.

Opaque would be a bigger (and more welcomed by me) change than not cat/wolf. While I hope there's more (opaque) spirit beasts released over the expansion, these two would be a good start. Later ones could be from different families.

[pawprintedheart]

I agree with Xota. I'll take having another opaque spirit beast over a different kind. I'd love to get both, but I'll take these wolves being more solid any day of the week over getting yet another spirit beast I can hardly see just so I can have it be a different animal. -sigh- Wish it were both ways though.

I find it weird they're seperating the chimeras butttttttttttttttttttttttttt lol I'm not whining because at least their tameable and have a ground animation.

[SpiritBinder]

Ok, here is my newest tin foil theory re. these possible spirit beast puppy skins....

Maybe it's not actually two wolfs, but one.... made of both Shadow AND Flame, a Model that changes colour and alternates between both elements.

It's completely possible, they have the tech for it, and they like the idea. Just saying.....

[Vephriel]

Ok, here is my newest tin foil theory re. these possible spirit beast puppy skins....

Maybe it's not actually two wolfs, but one.... made of both Shadow AND Flame, a Model that changes colour and alternates between both elements.

It's completely possible, they have the tech for it, and they like the idea. Just saying.....

Hmm, interesting theory! Especially with a zone called Frostfire Ridge. I still wish they'd move away from animal types that we already have in the Spirit Beast family, but if we get more opaques I'll be a bit happier.

[SylviaDragon]

more wolves? Meh. color changing spirit beast? hell yeah I can get behind it. *makes tinfoil hat and joins you.*

[Wain]

Ok, here is my newest tin foil theory re. these possible spirit beast puppy skins....
Maybe it's not actually two wolfs, but one.... made of both Shadow AND Flame, a Model that changes colour and alternates between both elements.
It's completely possible, they have the tech for it, and they like the idea. Just saying.....

That's an interesting idea. The only thing that may not work to that is that they're developing them as entirely separate models, not one. The faerie drake is just one model. I'm not sure if they'd go as far as morphing between models on a pet. Maybe.

It's interesting that "shadow" seems to be a common theme in the names of beast colours for this expansion. Even a wolf and hippo mount have a version named "shadow", even though their colours (unlike this shadow wolf!) seem to be natural-looking dark ones. I'm not sure what the link it, but maybe it's either Gul'dan or the Sargerai (bad draenei).