Blizzard Launch World of Warcraft Character Model Series, Artcraft - A First Look

Blizzard have launched a new series of articles entitled Artcraft - A First Look, covering the updating of current World of Warcraft character models. Written by Chris Robinson, senior art director, the series gives us an inside look at the process involved in the revamps, discusses issues they are addressing and provides some insight into future plans.

The first in the series covers the human female, created by Joe Keller, senior character artist, and she already looks amazing. Below you can see the newly revamped model.

 What you’re looking at here for the Human female is a single face option and a single skin tone on the base model without any animation or posing. When developing the base model we keep the expression on the face as devoid of emotion or expression as possible, as that allows our animators a greater range of motion when they start posing and morphing the face into different expressions. If we were to put any amount of expression—even a slight smile or mildly angry eyebrows—in the base model, that would carry through to every animation, and we'd end up with some very confused-looking characters.

- Chris Robinson, World of Warcraft Art Director

The article is an interesting read for anyone who wants to know more about the process behind the revamps. For those who just want to look at the shiny photos the image below shows the contrast between old and new models.

 The new character models are likely to launch with the release of upcoming expansion Warlords of Dreanor. Blizzard have yet to issue a date for this.