Curious old "riding elekk" skins

[Wain]

In the database, in the standard (non riding) elekk folder there's a bunch of unused mount skins. They don't fit the wild elekk model, the basic riding model or the new paladin mounts, but they *do* have the same format as the elite elekk mounts, except it looks like they're wearing cloth rather than armour.

I copied them to the mount folder and this is how they look on the elite elekk mount. The fit isn't 100%, but it gives you a good idea:



The main thing that gives away they weren't intended for this model is that the tail has no texture. Other than that, some of the textures just don't seem to "flatter" the model shape all that well, as if they were designed for something a little bit different. There *is* a riding elekk model listed in the folder where they come from, but it doesn't seem to work for me.

Does anyone know the background to these? Maybe they were an earlier version of the mount which was scrapped...

Interesting, anyway

[cowmuflage]

That purple one sure is purple!

[Lupis]

Oh wow, a shame they were scrapped (if that's what happened), they're gorgeous.

[SpiritBinder]

Yeah agreed, they look really nice. Even if they are a little dated now, the concepts/design and the colours are beautiful, I especially like the 1st 3. Though I have a feeling I've seen somthing similar before....

[SpiritBinder]

Ahhh there it is, just when I thought I was going a bit crazy, it's the TBC Draenei Pack Animal concept art.

[Wain]

Wow! Well remembered

So they go all the way back to the concept art, but were never implemented!

What a shame. I have a feeling if the mount was better proportioned for them, they'd look pretty nice. There's just something not quite right about them on a mount of that dimension, like they're stretched in the wrong ways, but only a little.

[SpiritBinder]

I'm guessing it was for this model or something originally?



And it looks like they did get it on it at some point.

[Wain]

Aha! Yes it looks far less squished like that. More like I imagined it was meant to be.

[Wain]

That's not quite the basic riding model, though. There are definitely other bumps on it. I presume that's what the non-working other model is in the elekk folder. Darn. Would be nice to get it working. They look quite nice.

[SylviaDragon]

Huh. I hate the elekk mounts in game, they just seem big and boring to me. I collect them for the numbers but never use them. But these guys actually look pretty nice. I like the cloth/armor on them. I hope they revive some of these concepts for WoD as I wouldn't mind having one or two of these guys in my rotation. Love the colors.

[Vephriel]

Huh. I hate the elekk mounts in game, they just seem big and boring to me. I collect them for the numbers but never use them. But these guys actually look pretty nice. I like the cloth/armor on them. I hope they revive some of these concepts for WoD as I wouldn't mind having one or two of these guys in my rotation. Love the colors.

Agreed, those models are much more interesting! I like the elekk in concept only really, but that artwork is really gorgeous and I wish they'd turned out more like that.