A Make-Over & A Half...

For me the new character models is a massive feature of Warlords of Draenor and something that I'm really looking forward to. Up until recently we've been getting odd images here and there but this past week has seen two fairly substantial releases - images female Orc model and the female Dwarf is now available to view on the WoD webpage. (I expect most people are aware of both of these releases by now but I've been away since Monday).



Mrs Orc
The female Orc model was revealed in the latest Artcraft blog by Chris Robinson. Personally I've always considered playing an Orc if I were to roll Horde but much like the Human models I thought they were in need of a make-over. It was the sausage fingers and tree-trunk legs that bugged me most and I'm glad to see they've gone!

I have, or atleast had, a low level Orc that I played through the starting area and I gave her the mohawk hair style so I was really glad that they featured that hair style a lot in the new art images. Something that I noticed people talking about on the comments was the shaved texturing and this has since been commented on by Chris Robinson:

I guess I'd never really sat and thought about whether these bald patches would be created by shaving (i.e. female Orcs can grow hair all over their head) or that it's a case of that individual is unable to grow hair in that area so there's no hair follicles and thus no shaved stubble. But if I had to go with one or the other I'd prefer there to be some texturing and that my Orc lady wasn't bald in certain regions.

But for me the highlight has to be the selection of different facial expressions! I just love the kissy face and well she looks quite adorable. Before I felt Orc's were fairly unemotional and no I don't mean they were just grumpy - more blank. Clearly that's going to be changing and we'll be seeing both the lighter side and the hardcore warrior side of them which I think will be super.

Another thing people have been talking about is their eyes. Now I think they look fab now that you can actually see them! However, it seems some people think they're too big which I'm honestly not sure I agree with that. I think when compared to the old sunken pin-prick eyes they are fairly large but proportionally I like them.

I guess what I'm saying is I love the new female Orc and to date I think she's my favourite character re-vamp. There's a fair chance I'll start leveling one in the near future in prep for her new look.

Mrs Dwarf
The female Dwarf is still a work in progress but a few stills and a turn-around model are now up on the 'net. I have a level 39 Dwarf Boltzy and I'm fairly happy with how she looks. Yes, she needs a bit of work but generally I feel the Dwarfs (at present) look much better than the Humans & Orcs. Again though the fingers are a bit too chunky for my liking.

When I finally got around to see the new models still I guess I was somewhat shocked. Not in a 'oh noooo that's hideous' way but more a 'not what I was expecting'. I think she is the most cartoon-ish looking model to date but I'm a little unsure if this is just a result of the very graphic facial expressions.

I also had this overwhelming feeling that I'd seen this look somewhere else before and it didn't take longe before Princess Fiona sprung to mind...

I think it's the nose that is the largest similarity between the two but generally I get this slightly more cartoon-like feel that I'm sure many other's are noticing. Having sad this I don't think this is necessarily a bad move on the part of the artists but only time will tell. After all the Pandaren look very different to the older models and I think this new-look dwarf will fit in with them quite well.

The one thing that concerns me most of all about the new female Dwarf model is that what is undoubtedly my favourite thing about them may be lost... and that is how their boobs bounce as they run! Honestly it makes me laugh every time I play mine and I don't want to see it removed but with that new metal-looking bra I don't know what'll happen... Maybe I'll tweet Chris Robinson and ask him sometime.