» Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:03 am
Firstly, I'd like to see each race have it's own unique way of moving and standing, not just one mesh and animation for everyone that's modified slightly. Nords and Orcs should swagger, Altmer should hold their heads up high regally (or snootily), Bosmer should look light on their feet, Khajiit and Argonians should slink and sidle everywhere. Also there should be various types of clothes to fit with the various races' cultures. We've seen the stuff the trailer guy is wearing, and that looks good, but I also want elegant robes for an Altmer mage or a flashy outfit for a Redguard pirate/mercenary. Or a Buhdi. I don't even know what that is, only that it's a traditional Khajiit shirt. :/
Guess I'll copy the OP and go race-by-race with the details of what I'm hoping for:
-Men:
Breton: I feel like they should be more elfish. I know that in the lore they're no different from any other human race aside from their magical ability, but I think there should be a bit more difference for the sake of style and ease of recognition. It doesn't have to be drastic, just make them more thin and "magical looking" to make them different from Imperials. I was always confused whether or not certain NPCs were Imperial or Breton. You could tell by the voices with the men, but the women were almost indistinguishable. I'd like to be able to tell at a glance what I might be up against in a dungeon is all. An Imperial would just rush at me, but a Breton can use Dragon Skin and will probably cast spells.
Imperial: In Oblivion these guys seemed like they were the "standard white guy" race. While Bretons or Dunmer are the race that most new players should start with as their skills are pretty good for whatever you'd be doing, they also have their own niche and had a game to introduce their culture in their home province. Aside from the odd hail and a few lines about the Emperor or Divines from certain NPCs, Imperials don't feel like anything special to me. I'd kind of like it if they were to stand out on their own instead of being the jack of all trades and master of none. Personally, I noticed a lot of them looked like a few Aussies and Kiwis I know. Lore-wise Cyrodiil is supposed to be mostly forest and jungle and has mountains, so that sounds a lot like New Zealand to me. I'm not saying to turn them into something completely different from what they've been, but give them a more unique feel. Their powers make them seem like they're supposed to be attractive and charming and good at combat, so I guess have a design and personality that reflects that.
Nord: I like how they seem to be in the game already. Big, muscly, sons and daughters of the North. Now that there are going to be beards and face tattoos and stuff, I've got nothing to add.
Redguard: I think there's not much to do with them. They're pretty much an amalgam of Middle Eastern, African, and Native American (right? >_> ), so I think a design that includes dark hair and bronze or deeply tanned skin would be good. So basically keep what they were going for in the previous games.
-Mer:
Altmer: For the most part I didn't have much against the Altmer in Oblivion. Aside from their attitude, but this is about the looks. I guess if they were even more lanky and elongated, almost like the Guado from FF10.
Bosmer: I hated the Bosmer in Oblivion. So annoying. Which svcks because in lore they're supposed to be capable and really quite dangerous hunters. A player could choose to dress their wood elf in appropriate clothes, but the NPCs are the trouble. Aside from Honditar or Daenlin there are no "woodsy" wood elves in the game that I remember. The biggest problem was their voice and I hear the actors are changing a bit. So I'm hopeful for them I guess.
Dunmer: I'd like to see a return to the ashy skin tone. That's pretty much it.
Orsimer: The only change I can think of would be for them to be massive and muscular, and also somewhat deformed in appearance. They're supposed to be corrupted elves though, so making them use the same body mesh as elves at their base would be a nice touch. Just beef everything up and put on a different head. I'd also like some customizarions like bone fragment piercings, tattoos, maybe some scarification. I've seen some stuff where the teeth are sharpened down into fangs, and where the skin is scored with cuts to leave scars that resemble alligator skin. I could see the Orcs having pain threshold testing habits like that.
-Beasts:
Argonian: I think they should be more lizard-like. They should have a more reptilian body shape and be thin and graceful. They'd have to have a completely different body mesh than men/mer or Khajiits. I guess something like [src="http://www.deviantart.com/download/52062904/Iguana_Monk_by_Nimrond.jpg"][this] would be good.
Khajiit: These are my favorite race, so I feel the most strongly about them looking perfect. Firstly, please no Morrowind legs. It just really bugs me. I know a bit about anatomy, and digitigrade legs just don't work on bipedal creatures, at least not something that's similar to humanoid. We're plantigrade for a reason. That reason being that our toes can't support our full weight all on their own. Khajiit seem lighter though, so there could be a few allowances. Their lower legs would have to be thicker to stabilize the leg and the foot would have to be wider to make up for the lack of a heel. Also their thighs, pelvis, and torso would have to have a different configuration. Something more solid would be best, while keeping as close to their wiry stereotype as possible. I think they should have claws like a cat and different skull/neck shape like the werejaguar pic a few posts back. Like those pictures, they can be more muscular and thick without losing their appearance of being quick and fast.
