The problem I have is that assumption of equity in the high elf aesthetic. I feel like especially with the lack of love the blood elves got they come off with the much shorter end of the stick, and cutting off debate as being based around equity in high elf stuff is just side stepping the real issues.
It feels like a way to try and cut off argument by making your opponent look bad. It’s taking the main point of contention and making one side’s wants act as the baseline and ignoring the wants of the other. “Let’s ignore the fact that I’ve had two pieces of pie already and you’ve had one, we need to divide this last piece up equally to be fair”
Argue what you want, just don’t try and force in some false equity.
That’s like saying that Wildhammer Dearves are Dwarves.
If you want more information feel free to read the thousands of comments about this that have been posted in the last two years or acquinting yourself with WoW lore.
(Observation): Void Elves received customization to achieve the High Elf aesthetic. This was the stated goal of the developers in interviews. It’s a matter of equity; they needed more options to facilitate this. They still need more options. What was given was visually impactful options that were low effort to implement. More options may be coming in the future as well. I’d even hazard saying they’re likely to come. Blood Elves were also slated to be getting options to achieve the High Elf aesthetic. For them this was a very simple addition. Both have access to the aesthetic. That is a matter of equity. Equality would’ve been just giving Blood Elves all the Void Elf options to make everything equal.
(Statement): I am glad to see you do know the difference between equity and equality.
(Commentary): Did those other races get those options? No. But that has no bearing on the High Elf aesthetic being applied to both Blood Elves and Void Elves. The High Elf aesthetic certainly does overlap with the the spectrum of human skin tones and hair colors, of course, no one will argue that, but the Developers told us outright this was about the High Elf aesthetic, not the real-world human one. That’s just a beneficial coincidence.
(Statement): The treatment is equitable, not equal.
(Observation): Disparity is literally defined as inequality, not inequity. This has been a matter of equity.
(Commentary): If you want it to be about disparity and equality, then by all means, ask Blizzard to share all customization across both Void Elves and High Elves. You can even ask them to rename both races to “High Elf,” at that point, like the Pandaren are both on the Horde. I don’t think a lot of players want that specifically, but if you want equality, then that would be the logical goal.
I mean if they gave Belfs a High Elf theme/customization and not Velfs that would be a problem considering that the High Elf NPCs and factions are almost all Alliance members or Alliance-alligned/affiliaited. You might not think it would be but it’d certainly cause a major outcry and Blizzard is aware of that.
I do find it odd that so many anti-Helfers fought on the forums for Belfs to get blue eyes as a spiteful way to hurt pro-Helfers, yet as soon as Belfs get them it’s “just an eye color nothing important”
Maybe because we have to earn Rep with them in multiple expansions, their NPCs fill our Capital City’s Mage’s Quarter and most of our Portal Rooms, all of our merchants and class trainers in old Dalaran, and one of them is literally the person who ports us to our BFA Warfronts. Not to mention High Elf NPCs like Alleria and Vereesa who are Alliance alligned and condemn the Horde.
Yeah because wanting a race that’s been affiliated with your faction, reputations, and questlines for 15+ years and multiple games is “wanting everything”. Or is it just wanting…that one thing…
Imagine if Horde had a race that was alligned with them with 15+ IRL years and in multiple expacs you had to gain rep with them and their NPCs filled your portal rooms and capital cities…and then people made fun of you for asking for them as a new race.
I don’t think Exacitor was trying to make anyone “look bad”. Did Blood Elves get short changed? Absolutely. Time and resources spent making all that jewelry that only females could use was a waste imo.
Did Void Elves come out ahead? That’s a matter of opinion. They got a copy/paste of existing skin tone assets and both Blood and Void Elves got the same blue eye options.
At least according to Ion, originally Blood Elves weren’t supposed to get blue eyes at all (I’m not sure I believe him tbh). And after that, it was decided that they would get them after all, and that Void Elves would get skin tones as well. That the devs decided to release those skin tones now rather than during the allied race customization pass seems like the spark that ignited this fire.
I have to wonder how much less the rage over the options Blood Elves got would be, if the devs didn’t give the heads up about Void Elves getting skin tones and/or they didn’t arrive until the allied race customization pass.
If you claim a right to request changes I have a right to request we don’t change or change in a unique way. You don’t speak for me. Of course it affects me, we won’t get anything but a BElf copy if you get what you want.
If someone is already happy with something why do they care if that thing gets more OPTIONAL customization
I’m already pretty dang happy with Night Elf customization, yet you wouldn’t see me arguing with someone who wants more Druidic stuff like Antlers or more Highborne stuff like Azhara’s jewlery or colors.
This isn’t a very fair take at all as the comments that are often annoyed thats the effort and option that went to BE’s in comparison. People still wanted and will be using the blue eyes, so equating it as a spite issue isn’t cool imo.
Just the same when some Horde/BE fans think Alliance just want to spiteful asking for more I wouldn’t say thats accurate.
My issue is the disparity that’s going on, and actually very much my stance as well but
Because it’s give and take. Rather than give us something unique they’ll give us a copy of something I can already play. It takes away from other options. Play a blood elf if it’s so important to you. You don’t speak for all void elves, I have as much right to an opinion as you do.
Disparity is disparity, this just sounds like a shifty way of trying to hope people don’t notice, which isn’t cool because it would be wishful thinking BE players get shafted in some way.
Honestly, the option to have it would be nice. I really don’t get why WoW seems to have the only MMO community against the concept of more customization for player characters.
I usually see the lore argument get thrown around, but since when has Blizzard not ret-conned lore whenever necessary to add something small or big to the game?
Like, guys and gals, it’s a game. Just let people have things that don’t impact you and stop arguing against it. The only reason to oppose it, logically, is pettiness.
…Said who? Where did Blizz say it’s one or the other?
It literally took them almost 0 effort to port the Belf skintones to Velfs. They didn’t even bother changing the underwear or nailpolish.
So what would be so difficult about adding a few new hair colors by changing the hue/saturation of the pre-existing Velf hair assets? I could do it in photoshop in 20 seconds and I’ve only been majoring in Animation and VFX for a month.
Also how does adding more hair colors…take away from the Velf aesthetic? Velfs would look amazing with White, Black, bright Red or Pink or Blonde hair.
Or by simply porting in the Kul Tiran hair colors to Velves since they already use the same hair texture asset?
I have multiple Belfs. I am not talking about them because this request is for Alliance High Elf customization. Which the head Art Director Ely Canon confirmed these options are for.
Head Art director on the new options: “We did have a lot of discussion about it, ultimately we might do more in the future, but for now we’re providing the option to have a few High Elf customizations available.”
And when I and many others asked Jeff Liu for natural hair colors for Velfs on Twitter he said:
“A lot of people seem to have feedback on void elves options. I’ll pass on this feedback. Thanks!”
I do find it odd that so many anti-Helfers fought on the forums for Belfs to get blue eyes as a spiteful way to hurt pro-Helfers, yet as soon as Belfs get them it’s “just an eye color nothing important” 