Rak'Shiri changed colors

[Nahth]

I can sympathize with all of you who are upset over this colour change, as I posted over on the thread about Duskstalker;

"I personally am less than thrilled with this development. When I first joined WoW, I found the spotty black panther cats and thought that they were the most beautiful things I had ever seen. When I made my troll huntress, I knew I had to have one. However, I knew first, that rare spawns were occasionally better than regular ones, this being back in 2005 when this did happen, and on top of that, I didn't want to wait until level thirty to get one from Stonetalon. Upon the discovery of this cat, I knew I had found the pet for me.
I had an epic adventure running my level 12 troll over to Darnassus to get Duskstalker, and she has been my best and only stable companion ever since. And now she is reskinned to a snow leopard?? Personally, I would rather have a crazy black with white spots kitty than a (sort of) regular white with black spots.
I am deeply attached to my cat, as I said I have had this very same one for five years now, with no abandoning and retaming or anything. I am not looking forward to retaming a regular spotty black panther and pretending that it is the same cat I have had for these five years. Even when I quit and rejoined she was still there, waiting for me. I value her more than my actual character.
Oh well, I suppose all things change with time. I am happy for all the people who wanted this skin, congratulations to you all, but keep my kitty, her name is Lirael, in your thoughts, because I will miss her very much. Goodbye my lovely Lirael, it's been fun T_T"

It doesn't seem like this is the right way to implement these changes, since a lot of people are upset about losing their treasured buddy, perhaps instead they could create a new ID number for the new variations, and simply make the old ID number no longer available? In this case, all those of us who have pets they value can retain their old skins, while those who want the new skins will be able to access them, like what they did with the Spirit wolf, the Grimtotem Spirit Guide still has his ID number, and is therefore still a wolf, while the new spirit beast has a different ID number.

[Tilo]

I'm not displeased they did this as others are, just makes the NElf riding starting tiger more available to others right? That's a good thing for those who wanted it, true it's not ''the'' pet you once had but shy'rotam will have to do; glad I kept my q-log open just for that.

[Albain]

I'm not at ALL displeased about these changes. I'm /thrilled/.

Anyone who has these gorgeous rares live have plenty of time to find an easily located identical skin, and if they keep them into Cataclysm, they'll get a much harder to locate and uniquely skinned pet. They're not losing the time they spent trying to find their perfect companions, they'll still have them - in an even more hard to find look than before. Until now, it's been impossible to tell if your white-spotted black cat is Duskfang or some generic kitty all over - now it's impossible to ever claim they're identical.

No longer will hunters have to camp for hours or days for a cat that looks EXACTLY like some other easy-to-find cat just over the ridge. Now they're unique. Now they're the special snowflakes.

[Tahlian]

But that's the thing...every single other starter pet skin is on a commonly available creature. They stuck the night elf starter pet skin on a rare spawn. That hardly makes it any more available than if they'd decided to give it to a spirit beast.

As I said in the Suggestions forum thread, to be fair, give the white tiger skin to Shy-Rotam, King Bang, or to the plain old Frostsaber cats in Winterspring. Then it'll be as equally available as the other starter skins.

[erwil]

I'm quite happy with the changes.
And i'm not a developer so I don't really know how hard it'd be to get rid of the old cat and replace it with another mob but with different ID, but I don't quite see them going that far with these mobs (I could very well be wrong).

I'm quite looking forward to my kitty Shadowclaw growing into this beautiful silver striped beast as well as my Dusky shedding her baby fur to show her true colors. :3

[Lisaara]

But that's the thing...every single other starter pet skin is on a commonly available creature. They stuck the night elf starter pet skin on a rare spawn. That hardly makes it any more available than if they'd decided to give it to a spirit beast.

As I said in the Suggestions forum thread, to be fair, give the white tiger skin to Shy-Rotam, King Bang, or to the plain old Frostsaber cats in Winterspring. Then it'll be as equally available as the other starter skins.

They cant give it to Shy cause then the blue skin would be extinct.

[Vephriel]

But that's the thing...every single other starter pet skin is on a commonly available creature. They stuck the night elf starter pet skin on a rare spawn. That hardly makes it any more available than if they'd decided to give it to a spirit beast.

As I said in the Suggestions forum thread, to be fair, give the white tiger skin to Shy-Rotam, King Bang, or to the plain old Frostsaber cats in Winterspring. Then it'll be as equally available as the other starter skins.

They cant give it to Shy cause then the blue skin would be extinct.

No, they give it to Shy and then Rak'Shiri goes back to the blue skin.

[Tahlian]

What Vephriel said...and probably nicer than I'd have been able to say it, since the impending "death" of my best girl of five years has me more than a little bit upset.

[Nahth]

I was not trying to suggest that they not implement these changes, I think that it's fabulous that they are making more models/skins available to us as hunters, but I'm not sure it should be at the expense of those pets that are valuable to us, and was trying to think of an alternative that would help make more people happy. Probably people have tamed King Bang would be upset with the change to their pets as well, so therefore maybe a different approach is needed.

Until now, it's been impossible to tell if your white-spotted black cat is Duskfang or some generic kitty all over - now it's impossible to ever claim they're identical.

No longer will hunters have to camp for hours or days for a cat that looks EXACTLY like some other easy-to-find cat just over the ridge. Now they're unique. Now they're the special snowflakes.

While I appreciate this point, and it is a good one, what I was trying to say was that I simply don't like the new look. Nor does it matter very much to me that other people can't tell if my kitty is a rare or not, I didn't tame her to have a unique look, I tamed her because back in the day, rares were slightly better, as I said. It was a perfect combination for me of my favorite skin, and a better than average pet. Now that pet damage has been normalized, I understand this is no longer revalent, but, as I said, I am deeply attached to my kitty, and don't want her to change. I do want more skins available to hunters, and I approve of these changes, don't get me wrong. And I understand that not everyone feels this way towards their pet as I do, I was just trying to explain my point of view.

[Lisaara]

I like the change and I'd rather they stick with how they're going with it.

[Arisia]

((I posted this over on Mania's blog, but wanted to repost it here, as this current "hey, lets screw up the skins of a lot of pets that hunters have tamed in the past and might currently have!" thing Blizz is doing is starting to tick me off))

I admit to nearly bursting into tears when I read about the whole skin change, until I hosed myself off and read it through again and realized that I was safe, selfish though the thought is. See, when I joined wow all those years ago (and yeah, it was YEARS ago– I joined WoW about 6 months after it began) I fell in love with Hunters because of the pets after just one moment of playing. The tigers in particular made me happy. And then, I took my wee Nelf Hunter into Lagforge and saw HIM next to another Hunter… the most AMAZING tiger EVER… and it was BLUE.

When I got to the right level, I spent, and am not lying here, 16 hours a DAY, for THREE WEEKS sitting trying to catch Rak’shiri. Cutting a long story short, he was tamed out from under me, I had a meltdown, logged out… at 1 in the morning I logged back in to move my toon back to Lagforge when I saw two Hordies taming the while lion– and there was a BLUE TIGER they were just letting alone.

They helped me tame him (sometimes Cross faction is lovely) we all danced, I got my wonderful and amazing Merlyn and the universe was perfect– my Night Elf hunter has never STOPPED using Merlyn. I didn’t care if *the* raid pet was a TRex, wolf or hell, an emu– if they wanted Aerye, they took Merlyn.

The thought of my beloved blue tiger being another color nearly killed me. No, I don’t want to retame my cat– he’s been Merlyn the blue tiger for over FIVE YEARS; and say what you will, pixels are not pixels are not pixels…

I was set to implode violently… hell, no lie here, I would have DELETED Aerye WITH her *blue* tiger before Cat if I’d not read it over and realized that he was safe. I honestly feel for the hunters who’ve had their Rak’Shiri, knowing that they too might have loved and adored their BLUE tiger, just to get a white one come Cat… sometimes it does mean JUST that much.

I get it, things change, but hell, a few weeks back when the Warlocks had that change where the NAME of their minions were messed, THAT was undone-- and hell, their pets all look alike! Even if you aren't on a RP server, you choose your pet for a reason, and they become damn important to you. If Blizzard wanted to make new skins, place them on NEW DARN BEASTS. Pick one of the many pathing about and go "POOF- YOU, cat who paths code lines 2,095,321 - 2, 107,374 YOU are now THIS skin."

Leave the pets we've CHOSEN for the way they look or because they appealed to us ALONE. ::growl::

[Sasrei]

Umm.. Yes NE's have these as a starting pet.. but you have to start with one, all us old NEs (yes.. old I said it!) won't have it, only those who make a new hunter so I dont get the whole.. but NE's have it so its less special.. well.. Shy has the same color and in Cata is up all the time as a mob so really, the skin will be even easier to get for those who dont feel like camping for Rak, or doing the quest line.

I understand that you love your kitty (I love mine too the blue skin I love.. not sure how I am about the black skin) but I am glad atleast the skin is out there for those who dont roll as a new lvl NE, us horde like kitty. *nod nod* And unless.. you know we kill your NE and then try and hit tame on your cat.. but then again it despawns when you die so.. hmmm.. dilema I forsee.

So.. I see both points cause.. I love my aqua kitty, but intriqued at the same time. I like unique rares, and thats what Rak was before for the alliance unless you had a nice horde to help you before they implemented it for everyone.

I think what they wanna do is have all the rare kitties be unique, before we just had Araga.. now we can't find Araga but have all these new awesome unique rares! I am inlove with the golden one.. and maintain hope lol.

I wonder if blizzard will make it so that old skin stays the same.. but I kinda doubt it..

[Astratia]

Help Save Rak'Shiri and possible other pets!
-points to link in signature-

[Niabi]

I am not thrilled about the change myself but so long as I can retame the skin elsewhere for my Draenei Huntress, I will make peace with the situation and cope.

I just wonder how many other hunters I will have to compete with to regain my aqua skinned cat on Shy-Rotam? A slight inconvience but oh well, tis the way of the hunter I suppose.

With that being said, I'm very happy for all my fellow Non-Night Elf Hunters and Non-Newbie Night Elf Hunters that wanted the new unique white saber model.

[Lisaara]

I guess I dont see the big deal. It's not like the minty skin is gone. just tame Shy-Rotam. Had they removed the skin, I'd see why hell would break loose.

[Golden]

I guess I dont see the big deal. It's not like the minty skin is gone. just tame Shy-Rotam. Had they removed the skin, I'd see why hell would break loose.

The thing is... A lot of the people here have bonded with the individual mob, and not the skin in general.

As an example, I've had my Ghost Saber since trial. I have never abandoned her, and never will - just the thought of abanoning her even for a short moment would break my heart, and I'd feel like a part of my old friend would be lost forever. Even though the look is common, it wouldn't be my Usva.

Now imagine the same happening to you, but you wouldn't have the option to retame the same old mob, but rather be forced to tame another mob, albeit identical to the one you'd abandoned. It wouldn't be the pet you originally started with, just a cheap look-alike.

[Lisaara]

Well then it's still Rak'shiri, right? Just he got in a fight with the bleach jug....and lost. XD

[Kalliope]

It's different when it's your pet, Taluwen. Some just aren't meant to change in that way.

[Lisaara]

I've had Rak'shiri before. I just didn't click with him. I may get him back though now he's a white tiger skin.

[Mindsprocket]

I don't think it would help to just change other pets. If you change Shy the people that have her will be upset, if you change King B the people that have him will be upset. That really seems unfair to me (don't change my pet, change someone else's pet!). It would also be a lose/lose situation for Blizzard since they'd still get the same complaints, just from other people.

I think it would be far more reasonable to give the new model a new ID so that the pets that are already tamed don't change. I just don't know how feasable that is at this point. Afterall, Rak isn't the only one that changes. It happens to a lot of different pets. And considering the workload Blizzard already has on them to get Cata done on time, creating new IDs for so many mobs may be too much.

Still, asking for a new ID seems like a better (and fairer) solution than just shifting the problem over to another NPC and thus to the people that have it as a pet.

That said, I do think that the white riding tiger would make more sense for a more common mob (since it's the starting pet for NEs) and that the mint model should be kept for the rare (i.e. Rak).