What do you like about the current art direction of this race?
I like that they are incorporating a variation of elves that are more connected to the earth visually. Its a fresh and bold take on elves that aren't incorporated in most fantasy games.
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
I don't know that I would lean so heavily specifically into the horns. If they're connected to nature, why do they specifically look like elk? Could there be other animalistic variations for the elves? If it's done with with subtlety it won't conflict with Tulnar.
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female?
I really like the way Steven reveals these and is open to feedback both positive and negative. Keep that up.
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female?
Some type of variation of elf outside of elk-like. It would be cool if there were other animalistic sliders for all pyrai characters.
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mwpate42Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
I absolutely love this design. I think it's a great deviation from the traditional elves you'd find in other mythos or even their Empyrean cousins. Being a wood/forest elf I'd expect to have wild, unruly aspects displayed in my appearance, be it horns, hair, ears, etc. If I could offer one critique then it would be to have some wild eyebrow options, maybe some that resemble crooked branches/vines.
I think she looks pretty and as someone who can't seem to play races I think are ugly then that is good for me.
Are those really horns? It looks more like she is sporting wood. That would be better than horns, because then we could have leaves, flowers and vines as accessories..
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AtamaMember, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
Are those really horns? It looks more like she is sporting wood. That would be better than horns, because then we could have leaves, flowers and vines as accessories..
I really like the direction. I think the horns should stay as an option but allow sliders to get rid of them to adjust them anywhere from zero to full on stag. Same with the ears, allow them to be fully adjustable.
Really I think the direction of your races is fantastic (this one is not something id play but, its unique and interesting - therefor good). There is no way to satisfy everyone. The only way is to have a super robust character customization so that everyone can tweak your base to each person's likes when they build their toon.
I dont think the horns are bad per say. Not my style but, it might be for someone else and that's ok. The only solution is not limiting the sliders when it comes to customization. The ability to have a ton of variety is what will keep things good for the long haul. More variety the better.
For far to long and in far to many games the races have been rather boring. I'm really glad and appreciative of the effort to bring something interesting and unique to the table. Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see the Tulnar that's the race for me... I hope.
What do you like about the current art direction of this race?
I really like the current direction of the race, the "stylised" feel & "quality" to the art is really appealing to me, this and the Vek almost feel a cut above the rest, just my opinion. Love the unique
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
I really cannot fault the race this early in its concept, i'd like to see more in game images.
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female concept?
I thought the bust is really cool, i thought to myself i cannot wait to get my hands on this race and the vek in
the character creator to test it out. Was a bit dissapointed that the character creator wasn't ready in time but hey, we will wait as long as we need!
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female concept?
I'd like to see the horns able to be made bigger or smaller, i actually quite like that they are a defining trait, the other elven race will have more traditional elven features right? I'd like to also see perhaps some botanical shapes for their face paints / markings.
While I know I'm repeating several people, I think it's necessary to add to this; This race, and this STYLE is such a significantly better direction to go, it will last so much longer, it's appealing, it is UNIQUE and it has life in the eyes and features and skin textures. Everything about this is leagues above the human models and some of the other races.
I would suggest reconsidering this style direction for all models and offer as many options for each of them as possible. This is SO different from the more realistic looking humans with heavy texturing and blank dead eyes. Please go with something like this!
I like the branch-like horns and larger ears. It feels very in line with a race that lives among the trees. The people throwing hissy fits over them not being Generic Boring Elf v92619 are just weird.
The features of the concept art are incredibly fragile looking though. If they’re going to be a sort of fae, then I’d hope that’s reflected in their racial stats as well. It’s always weird to have a frilly delicate faced race with tanky passives. Options for more bark colors or species I suppose would always be good, along with ways to dim the horn structures into shorter ones or have them as platelike portions of the brow, jaw, or cheekbones.
A cool thing would be season-specific looks for the branches/horns but even to me that seems way out of scope given everything else that needs working on
Yikes there are some mean comments about the Py'Rai.
So here's my two cents. I love what they're doing with it!
Please, do keep trying to do something different and unique with the races that we don't see in other fantasy games, no matter how vocally some people object.
I'm not following and wanting to play and suggesting what I want to see in Ashes of Creation for the same old generic, unchanged humans-dwarves-elves-orcs nonsense.
Those games exist, they're everywhere, and they're a dime a dozen. If people don't want to play something "new and unique", there are about a million other games they can go to. (That said, this is also why I'm hoping we might see some AVIAN TULNAR in the future, even if they're flightless! NO OTHER MMO is doing bird people as a playable race! Not one!)
My feedback on the Py'Rai itself: I like it. Its probably not going to be my go-to race (because I'm waiting on Tulnar), but I like everything they're doing with it. Matter of fact, I could say that I wouldn't mind seeing it go more extreme away from the traditional "elf" look.
Particularly, the model we got to see gives me a few different vibes. Wood elves, certainly, and I quite like the integration of trees/plants/roots into their design, including the root/barkskin!
Something else I noticed that I liked quite a bit was that the Py'Rai female model has an almost feline quality to it. Not like a furry, mind you, just the bone structure and shapes and subtle details. They're very cat-like, if cats were humans. If the Py'Rai are going to be some version of "Nimble forest elves" who stick to/around trees and the like, I find the slight cat-like (and maybe mischievous?) touch very fitting! Please don't abandon that.
I think it really hits the nail on the head for giving them their own charming identity once you stop trying to look at it from the perspective of "What this completely made-up fantasy race you can technically do anything you want with """"should"""" look like" and poo-poo'ing designers who want to go for a fresh take on an old (and overused) concept.
My AoC Wishlist:
-Avian Tulnar (topic video)
-Dwarf-to-tallest race heights for Tulnar
-Crows/ravens for Falconers
-AC:O & AC:V type aerial scouting for Falconer
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lightangelMember, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
I was pleasantly surprised by the Py'Rai reveal.
When Steven said they wanted to "push a little more on the unique side" I was like "Uh oh.... what are we in for?"
But then once they showed it, I was like "Dude, I could totally see my main character being this race. Show me MOAR!!"
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ZekethephoenixMember, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
What do you like about the current art direction of this race?: I like the aesthetic and wasn't expecting literal forest elves. It was certainly out of left field.
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?: I like the antlers made of wood but I feel like this race is a little too close to GW2's Sylvari.
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female concept?: I think some of the races are a bit too inconsistent so far on fantasy style. Ashes needs to establish an art style that matches everything else. Some creatures look cartoony, but then we have the playable races looking uncanny valley.
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female concept?: Skin colors/textures/patterns, Antler options/removable, Flowers that grow from the antlers based on seasons.... Also Either make the elves eyebrows long as hell or normal like humans, even if that's the middle of the slider size, it just looks too thick at the bottom compared to the points. Maybe go with a more WoW-like night elf eyebrow.
Personally, I really love the horns/antler design choice! It fits with their architectural style and the whole vibe we've seen from them so far, everything ties in nicely. Their features are well sculpted, and I enjoy the style of ears, it's more unique than the generic fantasy elf type ears.
I'm seeing lots of calls for optional horns, but I don't really think that should be a choice, seeing as how they are a defining characteristic of the race. Doesn't make much sense to be able to turn them off to me.
One other thing I can think of that would be pretty cool would be to have a tree bark type texture on the skin (I can already see a bit of this on the existing model). It'd be pretty cool if the age of the Py'Rai contributed to the progression of "Bark-ification" and all the trees in their home were the elders of their race. Dunno seems like a cool tie in to me.
Overall really loving the direction for the Py'Rai!! Definitely going to be a hard choice between them and the Tulnar!
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shakaconMember, Phoenix Initiative, Royalty, Kickstarter, Alpha One
I love the look! The antlers are a first for me to consider having on my avatar, but they look so natural on her that I don't mind them at all. Steven had mentioned that we would have numerous looks for the antlers, so I am hoping that we will be able to make them small or make them crown like for those of us who are not used to antlers. So, although I love the new look overall, I do agree with the others that something needs to be done with the ears...they are a focal point and really should be just a small piece...little point ears peeking from her hair is more my style. Incredibly well done on this girl....kudos to those who had a part in her creation...You are incredibly talented!
I could simply ramble about how much I love them so I'll use the questions as guidance.
What do you like about the current art direction of this race?
I love all of it. I love having antlers of sort for wood elves as decor, so seeing that the choice was to make them a part of nature with branchlers (someone used the word and I loved it) that bloom in certain seasons is fantastic. The war paint look is also a huge plus for me.
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
Not at all. I actually love it
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female concept?
I think as it gets refined and out of the initial stages its going to get even better. I love the direction its going, I love the lore implications attached to it.
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female concept?
Wide range of hair colors to match or compliment some of the flowers on their branches since they have a plant like emphasis. Blondes, Reds, Strawberry blondes, black, browns. Also I'd love to see different kinds of tree bark for the Branchlers in their customization!
I like the general aesthetic, hopefully we get several different horn styles with the ability to adjust their scale. The ears however, don't fit with the rest of the model. I feel they are too big, or perhaps I'm simply not a fan of the shape of the ear. Ultimately that is my only concern. The model gives me Sylvari vibes from GW2 which I love - they are unique. I think it would be cool to have options that represent more "forest" - similar to Sylvari. Skin colour changes that react to day/night or climates, etc. Imagine an elf that thrives in a frozen forest and has features that glow a frosted hue during winter seasons!
I actually love the entire design. If this is what we get a release I'm definitely maiming py'rai. I've seen a bunch of people asking for optional horns and what not. But you want class diversity.
I for one hope you double down on this design. Looks amazing
As a side note, the news that Py'rai nodes would have a grove-like aesthetic is amazing.
Personally, I don't care for this Py'rai female model. I was hoping to play Py'rai but this made me a bit doubtful. I would prefer to see drastically toned down features: the antlers, eyebrows, ears, skin designs, and facial skin texture is way too much going on. If there was a half-elf looking option in the customization then I'd be interested in seeing that. IMO the current model is way too 'busy.' The distinctiveness is cool, though.
Russian players are watching you.
Why not introduce a system of changing the appearance depending on the class being studied? For example:
If you start the game for the race of Pirai, there will be no horns.
If you choose an Archetype (class), there will be no horns.
If you select the archetype (class) magician, the horns will appear and will have a magical look and some animation.
If you choose the Pathfinder archetype (class), the horns will have a curved shape from the face to the back of the head and a small size, so the horns will not cling to branches when moving through the forest (this is the rationale for curved horns). I hope you understand my train of thought.
This will allow players to know in advance the appearance of their character, whether he will have horns or not, and what kind of horns he will have. Let me know if you don't understand or want to know more Discord ZiZi#2011
Honestly, this character model I think looks great. It is unique and I thought it had the feel of a lot of culture behind it and mystery. I do think that based on what I'm seeing in the feedback is that your going to have a large group that loves it, is indifferent or hates it. It would be smart to allow the character customization to include the horns or leave them out. Maybe this race has two primary looks, but does not have to be two races. I believe giving the players a more traditional look of the race and the unique twist Ashes gives it, would add flavor to the world. Please allow these customizations.
Again though, I personally think its great. I don't plan to play this race as a main but I think
Concept looks great,
love the Horn idea, for horns pls a loot of vairetys like from small barely visible to rly obvious big ones ^^ maybe also with a broken horn option, and with adjustable colors? and some horn designs that take this wooden/ leafe asthetic but on the basic shape of different animal-horns?
Ears .... maybe customisable to the point that if ppl dont like these big ones to make them smaller/shorter or to angle it closer to the head
Skin wise maybe give optoin to make it more or less wood like at areas or be able to choose where these wood like elemtents can be at (example not only on the sides of face but also only towards horns or around the forehead entirely going towards the eyes in a pattern) and some different color adjustments as well with ligher and darker options
the accecories are interesting would be interesting if that could be implemented but dunno if that not too much?
Hairstiles would love some open loong hairstiles, but also fitting would be some braided / half braided looks.
I like the face, I can even get behind the stealth-bomber ears which I assume will be customiseable anyway in the character creator. It's just those antler-horns. Why with the antler-horns?! Yeah, they might live in the forests, but that doesn't mean that they've suddenly become part-tree. The antler-horns are the kind of thing you'd sell in the cosmetic store for people wanting to further customise their character look, not the kind of thing you'd force on the whole race.
I love the direction. I say stick to your guns with the horns, many more awesome models that can come from that feature that will change some minds once seen, imo. I second some folks that have mentioned going even deeper into the tree vibe with a "slider-like" approach. We need customization, but that doesn't mean we need the ability to take away core defining features of a race. That slider should allow smaller horns, but not take them away. And on the other end of the slider, "if a Py'rai stands still long enough can you be sure you weren't talking to a tree?". Lore-wise, it could simply be their attunement to nature that is slowly, on a generational level, morphing them into "tree-people".
I had no expectations on what the elves would look like in AoC so I was blown away. I'd just love to see more of the different combinations that can be made to the Py'rai appearance, I think the horns are great but I see a lot of people not wanting them so yeah I would say just made them a toggle for if people want them or not. A toggle for the eye brows being wood too would be cool.
The antlers came by surprise, but not unwelcome. I'd like to see a female Py'rai with blooming twiggs.
I have 2 issues though:
- eyelashes,
- jewelry, especially in right ear; It's ok if it's just for player customization but I don't think that suits race concept, aside from looking awful(at least for me).
Comments
I like that they are incorporating a variation of elves that are more connected to the earth visually. Its a fresh and bold take on elves that aren't incorporated in most fantasy games.
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
I don't know that I would lean so heavily specifically into the horns. If they're connected to nature, why do they specifically look like elk? Could there be other animalistic variations for the elves? If it's done with with subtlety it won't conflict with Tulnar.
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female?
I really like the way Steven reveals these and is open to feedback both positive and negative. Keep that up.
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female?
Some type of variation of elf outside of elk-like. It would be cool if there were other animalistic sliders for all pyrai characters.
Are those really horns? It looks more like she is sporting wood. That would be better than horns, because then we could have leaves, flowers and vines as accessories..
They are branches. Py'Rai also have bark skin.
Really I think the direction of your races is fantastic (this one is not something id play but, its unique and interesting - therefor good). There is no way to satisfy everyone. The only way is to have a super robust character customization so that everyone can tweak your base to each person's likes when they build their toon.
I dont think the horns are bad per say. Not my style but, it might be for someone else and that's ok. The only solution is not limiting the sliders when it comes to customization. The ability to have a ton of variety is what will keep things good for the long haul. More variety the better.
For far to long and in far to many games the races have been rather boring. I'm really glad and appreciative of the effort to bring something interesting and unique to the table. Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see the Tulnar that's the race for me... I hope.
the character creator to test it out. Was a bit dissapointed that the character creator wasn't ready in time but hey, we will wait as long as we need!
I'd like to see the horns able to be made bigger or smaller, i actually quite like that they are a defining trait, the other elven race will have more traditional elven features right? I'd like to also see perhaps some botanical shapes for their face paints / markings.
I would suggest reconsidering this style direction for all models and offer as many options for each of them as possible. This is SO different from the more realistic looking humans with heavy texturing and blank dead eyes. Please go with something like this!
The features of the concept art are incredibly fragile looking though. If they’re going to be a sort of fae, then I’d hope that’s reflected in their racial stats as well. It’s always weird to have a frilly delicate faced race with tanky passives. Options for more bark colors or species I suppose would always be good, along with ways to dim the horn structures into shorter ones or have them as platelike portions of the brow, jaw, or cheekbones.
A cool thing would be season-specific looks for the branches/horns but even to me that seems way out of scope given everything else that needs working on
So here's my two cents. I love what they're doing with it!
Please, do keep trying to do something different and unique with the races that we don't see in other fantasy games, no matter how vocally some people object.
I'm not following and wanting to play and suggesting what I want to see in Ashes of Creation for the same old generic, unchanged humans-dwarves-elves-orcs nonsense.
Those games exist, they're everywhere, and they're a dime a dozen. If people don't want to play something "new and unique", there are about a million other games they can go to. (That said, this is also why I'm hoping we might see some AVIAN TULNAR in the future, even if they're flightless! NO OTHER MMO is doing bird people as a playable race! Not one!)
My feedback on the Py'Rai itself: I like it. Its probably not going to be my go-to race (because I'm waiting on Tulnar), but I like everything they're doing with it. Matter of fact, I could say that I wouldn't mind seeing it go more extreme away from the traditional "elf" look.
Particularly, the model we got to see gives me a few different vibes. Wood elves, certainly, and I quite like the integration of trees/plants/roots into their design, including the root/barkskin!
Something else I noticed that I liked quite a bit was that the Py'Rai female model has an almost feline quality to it. Not like a furry, mind you, just the bone structure and shapes and subtle details. They're very cat-like, if cats were humans. If the Py'Rai are going to be some version of "Nimble forest elves" who stick to/around trees and the like, I find the slight cat-like (and maybe mischievous?) touch very fitting! Please don't abandon that.
I think it really hits the nail on the head for giving them their own charming identity once you stop trying to look at it from the perspective of "What this completely made-up fantasy race you can technically do anything you want with """"should"""" look like" and poo-poo'ing designers who want to go for a fresh take on an old (and overused) concept.
-Avian Tulnar (topic video)
-Dwarf-to-tallest race heights for Tulnar
-Crows/ravens for Falconers
-AC:O & AC:V type aerial scouting for Falconer
When Steven said they wanted to "push a little more on the unique side" I was like "Uh oh.... what are we in for?"
But then once they showed it, I was like "Dude, I could totally see my main character being this race. Show me MOAR!!"
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?: I like the antlers made of wood but I feel like this race is a little too close to GW2's Sylvari.
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female concept?: I think some of the races are a bit too inconsistent so far on fantasy style. Ashes needs to establish an art style that matches everything else. Some creatures look cartoony, but then we have the playable races looking uncanny valley.
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female concept?: Skin colors/textures/patterns, Antler options/removable, Flowers that grow from the antlers based on seasons.... Also Either make the elves eyebrows long as hell or normal like humans, even if that's the middle of the slider size, it just looks too thick at the bottom compared to the points. Maybe go with a more WoW-like night elf eyebrow.
I'm seeing lots of calls for optional horns, but I don't really think that should be a choice, seeing as how they are a defining characteristic of the race. Doesn't make much sense to be able to turn them off to me.
One other thing I can think of that would be pretty cool would be to have a tree bark type texture on the skin (I can already see a bit of this on the existing model). It'd be pretty cool if the age of the Py'Rai contributed to the progression of "Bark-ification" and all the trees in their home were the elders of their race. Dunno seems like a cool tie in to me.
Overall really loving the direction for the Py'Rai!! Definitely going to be a hard choice between them and the Tulnar!
What do you like about the current art direction of this race?
I love all of it. I love having antlers of sort for wood elves as decor, so seeing that the choice was to make them a part of nature with branchlers (someone used the word and I loved it) that bloom in certain seasons is fantastic. The war paint look is also a huge plus for me.
Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
Not at all. I actually love it
What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Py'rai female concept?
I think as it gets refined and out of the initial stages its going to get even better. I love the direction its going, I love the lore implications attached to it.
Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Py'rai female concept?
Wide range of hair colors to match or compliment some of the flowers on their branches since they have a plant like emphasis. Blondes, Reds, Strawberry blondes, black, browns. Also I'd love to see different kinds of tree bark for the Branchlers in their customization!
I for one hope you double down on this design. Looks amazing
Personally, I don't care for this Py'rai female model. I was hoping to play Py'rai but this made me a bit doubtful. I would prefer to see drastically toned down features: the antlers, eyebrows, ears, skin designs, and facial skin texture is way too much going on. If there was a half-elf looking option in the customization then I'd be interested in seeing that. IMO the current model is way too 'busy.' The distinctiveness is cool, though.
Why not introduce a system of changing the appearance depending on the class being studied?
For example:
- If you start the game for the race of Pirai, there will be no horns.
- If you choose an Archetype (class), there will be no horns.
- If you select the archetype (class) magician, the horns will appear and will have a magical look and some animation.
- If you choose the Pathfinder archetype (class), the horns will have a curved shape from the face to the back of the head and a small size, so the horns will not cling to branches when moving through the forest (this is the rationale for curved horns). I hope you understand my train of thought.
This will allow players to know in advance the appearance of their character, whether he will have horns or not, and what kind of horns he will have.Let me know if you don't understand or want to know more Discord ZiZi#2011
Again though, I personally think its great. I don't plan to play this race as a main but I think
love the Horn idea, for horns pls a loot of vairetys like from small barely visible to rly obvious big ones ^^ maybe also with a broken horn option, and with adjustable colors? and some horn designs that take this wooden/ leafe asthetic but on the basic shape of different animal-horns?
Ears .... maybe customisable to the point that if ppl dont like these big ones to make them smaller/shorter or to angle it closer to the head
Skin wise maybe give optoin to make it more or less wood like at areas or be able to choose where these wood like elemtents can be at (example not only on the sides of face but also only towards horns or around the forehead entirely going towards the eyes in a pattern) and some different color adjustments as well with ligher and darker options
the accecories are interesting would be interesting if that could be implemented but dunno if that not too much?
Hairstiles would love some open loong hairstiles, but also fitting would be some braided / half braided looks.
I've also taken to calling them 'branchlers' now, too! Intrepid: Please make this canon lore!
I have 2 issues though:
- eyelashes,
- jewelry, especially in right ear; It's ok if it's just for player customization but I don't think that suits race concept, aside from looking awful(at least for me).