We need upright Darkspear models. I understand that Zandalari are unique and a marketing pull for the expansion, and I say, let them have their hype for a while, but eventually, give us upright Darkspear models. These are my arguments:
The Zandalari’s avatar is so significantly better that Darkspear as a playable race will be left in the dust.
Besides the posture, the Darkspear model is preferable in some ways. For example, the iconic blue/green jungle troll skins, the actual (not glowing) eyes, the lack of reptilian scales, and the lankier build provides some variety.
*The Darkspear have been an iconic, impactful member of the new Horde since the beginning with a very distinct culture from the Zandalari, and deserve to have an appealing playable avatar.
I understand lorewise trolls crouching to interact with shorter races. Keep this as an animation when talking to NPCs. There is NO reason why they would walk or fight while crouched over.
Scaling the height for the upright option to night elf/Zandalari height is perfectly fine for gameplay purposes.
I didn’t defeat Zalazane not once, not twice, but three times to defend the Darkspear pride just to have abandon the race for the far more appealing upright model.
Gonna voice my disagreement, especially as someone who also plays Darkspear trolls. There’s no reason to give them this though. Blizzard had already said they considered it, and changed their mind because of the very same reasons you list here involving it being an iconic aspect to Zandalari trolls, and completely counters what the Darkspear and other jungle trolls have already established about themselves.
The Zandalari are meant to be superior in every way to the Darkspear, including society, posture, etc. They even make jokes about it, specifically the female making a crack about good posture and a jab at Darkspear / Jungle trolls. This is meant to be a clear divide, and it’s intentional. Just slapping an upright model on something so lanky won’t save the race, nor are they going to near extinction like you’re making it sound here, especially with a line like this:
The Zandalari are much more appealing than Darkspear for reasons beyond a simple posture. Can’t have everybody being upright just because the orcs got it.
I’ve wanted this since early vanilla on my troll shaman. I always hated not being able to see certain armor pieces on them that well, mostly the chest and belt. I’m for more customization with all races.
Speaking for myself, I do not need “upright” Darkspear Trolls. I enjoy the way the Darkspear troll model looks. Especially since we are getting Zandalari trolls.
I love the idle animation, the dance, and just the awesomeness of being a Darkspear troll. Now if only I could have been able to make this troll a shadow hunter, now that would have been awesome.
…You know that the hunch plays into like 75% of a male jungle’s troll’s visible personality, right? I actually don’t even see how an upright model could be anything more than utterly generic for a male Darkspear, and if this is the case than releasing them would be terrible artistically. It would be like how upright orcs don’t display a whole lot of orc personality now but like thrice as bad.
It’s always been known that the Darkspear are amongst other savage jungle troll tribes, and the difference between them and the rest are the fact that they willingly gave up a lot of their old practices (sacrifice, cannibalization, etc.) in trade for a treatise with the Horde. One of the Jungle trolls defining features has always been a hunched back, lanky arms, etc. Ever since the Zandalari Trolls have been in the game, they’ve always been extremely unique. In Vanilla - they had a very gray, flushed out skin tone up until Cataclysm where they were removed from Stranglethorn. We got a small teaser with the Rise of the Amani of King Rastakhan and Zul, but neither of which were clear nor accurate to what was to come - as they used the Amani jungle trolls models in that trailer. In Mists of Pandaria is where we saw the Zandalari trolls in their more accurate depiction. Gray, flushed out skin, upright, golden troll attire. Now in BFA - we see they are much more detailed, however, they haven’t changed all that much. Their defining features are still very much present, and are important to the race, considering they are the most prideful, and most powerful troll civilization since the fall of Zul’jin.
They are supposed to be different. They are supposed to be unique and iconic. They are what jungle trolls aspired to be, but never could.
I too would like it if my trolls had better posture, but they would have to shrink the models a bit. If the male trolls stand up properly they’d be 12 feet tall.
Personally I think Darkspears will win hipster cred once 2/3 of every server’s Horde population is Zandie druids and pallies that yell ZANDALAR FOREVER in every channel. Some people will seek refuge in Sen’jin, where our superior brothers dare not tread.
I think a toggle option addresses all this, for the people that think that the hunch is iconic and want to keep that.
Check out how the forest trolls in arathi walk, btw, they walk straight.
Again, I’m totally on board with the idea that trolls crouch down and talk to people, but it doesn’t make sense to walk or fight in a way that’s hugely impractical. It’s also just not good aesthetically as a player model.
I dont mind them being hunch. I just want them to be upright more often and dont look so stupid when they stand still. As is it right now, they look like they dont have the strength to stay up right so their back are falling. Having a cool posture while being hunch would be appreciated
I don’t see how anyone could argue against a toggle option for an upright position. Never understand how someone else having more options is a detriment to your own enjoyment of the game.
I kinda agree, but also no. Firstly, like the devs said, its part of their identity. Secondly, I think the Darkspear models look kinda silly fully upright.
But ever since the model update I always hoped for a “less hunched” model, where more of their chests would be more visible. They even added the animations for it in BFA for the guards! It shouldn’t be hard to add it to player’s models…
I also have to disagree with it. Unlike the Undead and the Orcs, Darkspear trolls have always been hunched over / squated. It suits them, and if they stood upright they would bang their heads on every doorframe in existence.
Forsaken though, let’s talk about Forsaken. Somebody go crack them guys back into shape because I would be thrilled for upright, bone-hidden Undead males.
While the hunch adds a massive amount of personality, it really wouldn’t hurt to straighten them out even a little bit. The animations exist for npcs to walk not fully upright, but less of a “I look like I’m about to fall and eat s h i t” stance. It is a shame that most chest armor/tabards are not able to be seen well on them, at least we got the shirt of transmog to help.
I just realized i posted this under the undead upright forum and i think both races deserve a better back posture
Please can we get upright or almost upright undead and Darkspear trolls. I would play zandalari but they are so ugly in the face and darkspear trolls already have upright animations so the argument about “it breaks lore” is ridiculous. theres a problem with the character design when the female is always upright since day 1 but the male is forced to be hunched at 45 degree angle. You can’t even enjoy transmog on the darkspear trolls because all the chest pieces are clipping into their own knees. They are already down bad because the darkspears cant even get boots to cover their feet?!?! Also why are non troll players posting and replying about keeping trolls hunched for the lore when people like myself who actually want to play as a darkspear can’t even enjoy the game because random alliance players feel the need to discredit a concern that a large portion of the horde player base has. Its the same reason why blizzard gave upright stances to the orcs because it creates a sense of strength. I get confused because blizzard will create countless splash arts of the darkspear trolls standing in a taller position, but in game we have to play a troll that has actual back problems to the point where their armor is clipping into each other. “ you can’t make upright darkspear trolls because they’ll have clunky animations and cant walk through doors.” and then blizzard makes a whole new troll race that is a gigachad standing at a solid 8ft tall walking through doors like a Tauren. It’s a slap in the face because it’s either blizzard ignoring us or random players who don’t even play a troll race discrediting an actual concern instead of listening to what the troll community has to say.