I would guess they are going to make them more alien and less elvish, and perhaps emphasize the plant nature with more details.
The reason they are doing the redesign is to take full advantage of the GW2 engine (compared to it's capability earlier in development) with a refreshed concept one of the ANet artists came up with. So I think we can assume it will be more elaborate and visually interesting.
I want to protect the people in this thread from disappointment, so I'm gonna say the following:
The Sylvari are gonna be green, photogenic elves with plant bits taped on.
That's okay! The rest of the game will still be cool. But the Sylvari, IMO, have been set up to disappoint. Now maybe this Dociu guy (who I like) can surprise me, but I gave that like a 30% chance of happening, no more.
Supposedly they are being redesigned to something more interesting/elaborate. If anyone can make an interesting race, I'd have to say it's ANet. Even if it's not amazing, I am certain it will be an improvement at least.
They're going to look like the sunflower from pants vs zombies and you're going to like it.
No one would argue with you on that.
If they did the whole song and dance when you /dance, it'd be even better.
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SarksusATTACK AND DETHRONE GODRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
I'm already getting this game for its gameplay innovations and I won't be too disappointed regardless of how the sylvari turn out but yeah, they're already elves wearing plant pants and I doubt they're going in the direction of making them more elven or human like so chances are good that they will be made more abstract.
Edit: I'm actually really impressed that ANet is doing something at all. Most companies, and people, would at most recognize a problem but be crippled with anxiety over changing too much so far into development. ANet recognized that the sylvari are a comparatively weak component in the game universe and they're fixing them.
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CorehealerThe ApothecaryThe softer edge of the universe.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
I look at the effort they put into the frog people and say to myself: "If they can make a compelling and interesting backstory and design aesthetic for a bunch of frogs, I look forward to seeing what they can do with plants".
Maybe it will be green coloured elves with plants taped on, maybe it will be something else. We'll know when we know. Regardless of this, I'm still getting the CE pre-order and will do whatever it takes to get beta. And i'll probably try Sylvari eventually unless the redesign wows me.
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SarksusATTACK AND DETHRONE GODRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
I will eat bull penis for a spot on the beta. Inside of me is a raging storm of excitement that is only barely contained. I need this game. I will experience every piece of it, plant pants or no.
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Burden of ProofYou three boys picked a beautiful hill to die on.Registered Userregular
I look at the effort they put into the frog people and say to myself: "If they can make a compelling and interesting backstory and design aesthetic for a bunch of frogs, I look forward to seeing what they can do with plants".
Maybe it will be green coloured elves with plants taped on, maybe it will be something else. We'll know when we know. Regardless of this, I'm still getting the CE pre-order and will do whatever it takes to get beta. And i'll probably try Sylvari eventually unless the redesign wows me.
Yeah, I really liked their approach to the hive-mind species with the Skritt. Easily the best Rat-Men since Warhammer.
When I had first heard about the Sylvari I was kind of hoping for something similar to this:
edit: not quite as mean-looking, but the whole "human-shaped plant" thing is what I wanted. Not elves with a flower in their hair and a couple of leaves on their shirt.
I guess one of the problems with a design like that is they still need to have a strong silhouette so they can be recognised at a distance. I think we'll see fewer plant details (i.e. branches), but I'm betting they'll change their skin from green-tinged to something more bark-like.
I'd kinda like it if they looked like the Dryads from warhammer fantasy.
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CorehealerThe ApothecaryThe softer edge of the universe.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
Making a plant race that's fit for MMO playable action is harder then it looks. How much plant is too much plant, and how little is too little? And that pesky armor question.
What I'd really like to see is sylvari running a gamut with "elf" and "gnarled plant-creature" extremes. As Flay points out, a distinctive silhouette is important, so I don't know how practical this would be, but it would satisfy the largest possible number of players. To some extent we've already seen something like this with the charr, who have a pretty broad cute <--> savage gamut -- though a lot of that seems to be sexual dimorphism, which I'd rather the sylvari design didn't lean on.
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Burden of ProofYou three boys picked a beautiful hill to die on.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
when I think of female Charr, cute isn't the first word that springs to mind
I'd like it if they went to the extreme of not having mammalian based sexes for a plant creature. A redesign could focus on that and do well in my book.
I'd like it if they went to the extreme of not having mammalian based sexes for a plant creature. A redesign could focus on that and do well in my book.
But then you won't have conventionally sexy characters.
Why is a distinct silhouette important for a race in GW2? The whole purpose behind that idea is so that a player can quickly make decisions based upon what they can expect their enemy to do. Because GW2 is class-based, race doesn't have as much as of a gameplay impact (although the races do have different racial skills, but I doubt those skills will make a stronger difference in playstyle than the class-based skills).
Supposedly they are being redesigned to something more interesting/elaborate. If anyone can make an interesting race, I'd have to say it's ANet. Even if it's not amazing, I am certain it will be an improvement at least.
I know, I just think that their end design is gonna fit the same description. But I've revised my estimate to 50/50 that they'll be cool.
You know what else I hope is cool? The atmospheric sounds. I watched those youtube concept art videos and the background sounds they added to them made them that much more evocative. In fact I'm gonna go watch them again...
They looked kinda like they do now expect with much better plant hair, adjustable barkyness/shinyness when it comes to the skin and detail options that decide how much foliage you have on your character.
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The reason they are doing the redesign is to take full advantage of the GW2 engine (compared to it's capability earlier in development) with a refreshed concept one of the ANet artists came up with. So I think we can assume it will be more elaborate and visually interesting.
Steam (Ansatz) || GW2 officer (Ansatz.6498)
The Sylvari are gonna be green, photogenic elves with plant bits taped on.
That's okay! The rest of the game will still be cool. But the Sylvari, IMO, have been set up to disappoint. Now maybe this Dociu guy (who I like) can surprise me, but I gave that like a 30% chance of happening, no more.
Supposedly they are being redesigned to something more interesting/elaborate. If anyone can make an interesting race, I'd have to say it's ANet. Even if it's not amazing, I am certain it will be an improvement at least.
Steam (Ansatz) || GW2 officer (Ansatz.6498)
No one would argue with you on that.
If they did the whole song and dance when you /dance, it'd be even better.
Edit: I'm actually really impressed that ANet is doing something at all. Most companies, and people, would at most recognize a problem but be crippled with anxiety over changing too much so far into development. ANet recognized that the sylvari are a comparatively weak component in the game universe and they're fixing them.
Maybe it will be green coloured elves with plants taped on, maybe it will be something else. We'll know when we know. Regardless of this, I'm still getting the CE pre-order and will do whatever it takes to get beta. And i'll probably try Sylvari eventually unless the redesign wows me.
Yeah, I really liked their approach to the hive-mind species with the Skritt. Easily the best Rat-Men since Warhammer.
edit: not quite as mean-looking, but the whole "human-shaped plant" thing is what I wanted. Not elves with a flower in their hair and a couple of leaves on their shirt.
I guess one of the problems with a design like that is they still need to have a strong silhouette so they can be recognised at a distance. I think we'll see fewer plant details (i.e. branches), but I'm betting they'll change their skin from green-tinged to something more bark-like.
"Naw dog I got dexterity grubs they don't stack."
"Shit is gross, dude."
"Dog you ain't lived til you've put a handful of grubs down your pants."
Being a plant is not a requirement for this activity.
But then you won't have conventionally sexy characters.
I wouldn't mind it though.
Anyway, we are two weeks away from GW1 anniversary. Last year we got Elementalist on that date. This year? :winky:
Steam (Ansatz) || GW2 officer (Ansatz.6498)
Wouldn't be bad if they looked like the Sylvan from the DAOC Shrouded Isles expansion:
http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/daoc-si/ss-02.jpg
Humanoid, but not just an elf with bewbies and some berries tossed on its shoulders.
I know, I just think that their end design is gonna fit the same description. But I've revised my estimate to 50/50 that they'll be cool.
You know what else I hope is cool? The atmospheric sounds. I watched those youtube concept art videos and the background sounds they added to them made them that much more evocative. In fact I'm gonna go watch them again...
After a few beers, they start to look pretty good, though.
I read that as bears.
That's cause you are channeling your Inner Norn
Charr are just Norns in fursuits
They looked kinda like they do now expect with much better plant hair, adjustable barkyness/shinyness when it comes to the skin and detail options that decide how much foliage you have on your character.
Steam (Ansatz) || GW2 officer (Ansatz.6498)