They look worse because of limitations and because they wanted for people to being able to play the game even on a potato PC, just look at how everquest 2 looked (it failed against wow, because not every pc could run everquest 2). Mark Kern said that they made half the texture for a model and then mirrowed the other side because then the full texture could’ve had less definiton.
If they had the oportunity to create the new models when vanilla was in development, I have no doubt they would’ve opted for the new models.
I missed the old night elfs, much better faces. <3
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That’s kinda missing the mark of both the discussion and the entire point of Classic WoW.
Classic WoW is the way it is because the original models are what is authentic to the game. There is no other answer than that. We can wish in one hand and crap in the other; you tell me what fill first.
Regardless of that the point of this discussion is to why the old models trick the mind into making the game look better than it really is; this is why I linked the videos because I thought it was a very interesting phenomenon where the old models in their own way look superior even tho they’re actually worse if you get up close and actually look.
Specifically when you’re playing the game, not when you’re there zoomed in up close inspecting your character model…
False, new models look objectively better
they look great when they’re not moving and you’re not actually PLAYING the game, but when you are playing, the old models actually look more realistic and better…
I think it has to do with the animations and lack of detail that the old models do better.
Then again if you’re the kind of player who plays all zoomed in, then I can understand why you like the modern models… That would make sense, but if you’re actually trying to keep an eye on the whole battle field then the old models actually look better from a “zoomed out” frame of reference.
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As far as my brain filling in the gaps I can see that as partially correct, but not completely. I can say for a fact the new textures look too perfect. They look closer to action figures and a lot of personality has been lost. The parts that get filled in by my brain are things like freckles (which I always thought my old char had, but the new models dont), but what isnt my brain filling in the gaps is the change of textured feel to a putty one and the general expression and vibe of their animations. So no, the new models aren’t better and they feel less fitting to the WoW universe for me. They feel empty while the old ones felt like a real attempt at demi-realism.
I vaguely remember seeing more complex and demi-realistic models for alpha, but blizz wanted to simplify that design to run on more computers. Would’ve been nice to see how the new models would’ve come out if those old ones had been implemented instead.
Since the new models are so much worse, maybe blizz will consider redoing them in the original classic vein with the real textury feel to them and more personality. I’m not surprised some people think the new models look better though.
I remember reading somewhere that most people dont value detail. They just gloss over everything. That might explain why the newer more putty looking models appeal so much. Because details arent as important so they do things like really exaggerated movements that make the characters look more ‘actiony’ but to anyone paying attention it really destroys the immersion.
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You are correct in that the motions and responsiveness of the old models in the original game were good, like really good. After playing a few months I became viscerally connected to the actions and spells.
When the updated models came out, the visceral connection was not as strong somehow. I think that is why some of the vets were not happy with the new models, besides the differences in styling.
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That is indeed what I am talking about. Because I have always played range classes and avoiding being hit is the name of the game for me, I have always played zoomed out as far as the UI would allow me.
Because of that the animations and the general appearance at a distance is what mattered most.
Whatever the new models do at the same max UI distance the old models did better. You’re right about the over exaggerated animations, they’re horrible and look tremendously fake.
I think you’re spot on with the immersion, and that the new models do break that immersion, because even if the old models were not 100% realistic, they still managed to be close enough that it could fool your mind into thinking you were actually there in the world.
The new models do not do this for me; I am constantly reminded by them and their animations that I am just playing a video game.
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The title of the thread says that old model look better, and they do on the sence that vanilla players like them more since that’s how the game looked when the game was good for them.
They don’t look better and if you ask any dev, they would tell you that given the oportunity they could’ve made the models maybe not like they look today but still better, since they were limited by technology and couldn’t reach the result that they desired.
I work as an artist for card games and sometimes videogames, when I started many years ago I was limited by the hardware I had.
Now that I have better computer and tablet, I look at my old designs and I realice that I could’ve made them better but I was limited by hardware and deadliness, sometimes created by the lack of better equipment.
read a little more than just the title my friend, there is a lot more too it than just the title.
Right. Sorta the same here. A lot of the time I spent early on was pretty zoomed out and a lot of the animations were better. And less…important…I remember my night elf being more…jigly. especially with targeted spells. Hahaha.
Overall though I really genuinely like the old stuff more. I’m willing to sacrifice graphical fidelity if it means better style. The biggest reason I’d oppose putting new models in would be because it’s supposed to be a museum piece, BUT the second biggest reason is the tiny hope they’d consider giving us models based on classic IF they made new content AFTER classic. Obviously classic should remain untouched though.
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Absolutely agreed.
If they go with some additional models for a “expansion after Classic” kinda thing (not talking TBC here at all)
But a real authentic level 60 cap expansion for Classic that does not replace it, then sure in that they can do something with the character models and I will understand.
I only ask they keep the animations, and increase the detail level of the original models because I preference their vastly superior animations.
They could add the modern models into the game as an option not a toggle but a solid option for those who want to select them in the same way you could select a face or race or something…
That would be simply put “more options” and I am fully in favor of that (that was not my idea but my brother’s idea; I only borrowed it).
That IMO is the best option and what Blizzard should have done in modern WoW this way every one can have and be seen as whatever they want to be in game.
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I like the old orc ones better. They just look meaner and more savage for some reason. And like all of the graphics in Classic, they look surprisingly good for as old as they are, especially at 1440p.
The new ones look campy, like something out of a Disney or Pixar cartoon. Not sure how to describe it. They just look less serious and fearsome, designed to appeal more to children than adults.
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My biggest issue with the new models is they place the shoulder armor way off to the edge of the shoulder. In Classic it was much closer to the neck which looked better since there weren’t HUGE gaps between the armor and your head. Plus while mounted the shoulder armor sits at really weird angles.
You can notice it most on UD, can’t believe it hasn’t been fixed.
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Also in addition to the shoulder gear, look how the cloaks move… it’s un natural on the modern models.
Also how they hold the weapons, and how the helms fit… Many of the Vanilla helms are too big for the character model making you look… kinda ridiculous.
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That’s true man, helms are freakin huge now hahaha I really miss the old models. I wish the ingame option actually was the old ones rather than the new just reskinned.
The modern version of my original characters is so bad I had to remake my original characters with the modern models because they changed the beards, hair, etc way too much.
Someone link these photos. I was looking up twilight cultists for this character’s mog and saw two with old and new human models.
The one using the new human model looks like a disney character in drag dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood.
And somehow the facial hair on the 2004 model looks much better than the 2014 model.
vignette.wikia.nocookie. net/wowwiki/images/7/7f/Twilight_Stonecaller.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090906233616
wow.zamimg. com/uploads/screenshots/normal/447051-twilight-cultist-cowl.jpg
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WOW the human male modern models is HORRIBLE…
That’s the face only a mother could love… (er the artist)
The confirmation bias is strong in this thread.