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[Player Feedback Request] Empyrean Concept Art Shown During July Livestream

13

Comments

  • AzheraeAzherae Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    Xefjord wrote: »
    One thing I think some people are not considering enough, is that Py'Rai and Empyrean Elves have a common ancestor, yet the Py'Rai have horns. I think so many people are seeing the Empyrean headpieces as "crowns" and advocating their removal when it actually makes more since as a variant of horns that evolved from the common ancestor with the Py'Rai. And when thinking of it like that, I hope they keep those unique crown like horns for racial consistency with Py'Rai and to better distinguish them from Humans. I do want to see them look more attached, but overall I like everything else.

    I'll add to this that someone at some point offered a sort of 'Halo' option (see @Westergard post above) and while I didn't think about it much at the time, from the perspective of 'Parity'...

    I think I'd like the Halo more than the Crown, because I could believe that the 'magic focuses on either side of their head' like that for... reasons... And the Nature-loving Py'rai manifested the branchlers with their magic, the Empyreans manifest the 'Halos'.

    The thing I don't 'like' about the Crowns relative to this, is that they don't currently give any feeling/indication of being magical. If they are supposed to be, and just 'shouldn't glow for various reasons', or 'only glow sometimes', no complaints, but I'm still with the:
    c4emsuchek3g.jpg


    Sorry, my native language is Erlang.
    
  • maouwmaouw Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    edited August 2022
    I like these ideas - I feel like it would make more sense (and would be more original) if the halos are less of a circlet and more of a manifistation of mana where their horns would have been.
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  • After reading a couple of comments, I have to agree with them. Please make them more magical, as they're suppose to be!. Yes, they are on the more "classic" elf type, BUT, of course, that is no reason to not make them stand out and be unique as well. In the end, they're not human!.

    I definitely would LOVE to have an empyrean with glowing tattoos and/or marks, glowing eyes, and floating halos/crowns/other "accesories". Such beautiful and amazing features!.
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  • daveywavey wrote: »
    Looks good. Just please don't make us have to glue leaves to their faces like we've had to glue branchlers to the Py'Rai. Let's have some heads that don't have to have things on top of them!

    I second this. Super important for the headgear to be entirely removable. That being said, this concept art looks absolutely incredible! The Empyrean look is definitely moving in the best possible direction. Slam dunk 10/10! :)
  • E_THE_REAL1E_THE_REAL1 Member
    edited August 2022
    What do you like about the current art direction of this race?
    Everything! You guys nailed it for both the male and the female. An absolutely perfect post-UE5 debut!

    Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
    The headgear is the only thing I'm not a fan of. I think it fits the high elven vibe well so it's ok, but that was the one thing I think should have been left out of this showcase. This however, is an extremely minor gripe. I also think I have a good guess as to why the art team chose to include the headgear. I assume it was to give them a little bit more flare. Personally, I would have gone with arcane rune face tattoos or perhaps some kind of warpaint, but the headgear does not look bad in the slightest. It's just not something I'd personally want on my character.

    What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Empyrean female & male concept?
    I thought it was really good! Can't wait to see more customization options!

    Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Empyrean race?
    Elven/arcane/runic tattoos on both face and body. Scars, warpaint, glowing eyes, and piercings.
  • The general consensus definitely seems to be against having the crown, although I do like the tie that it gives regarding a common ancestor with the Py'rai, I think it was mentioned in an earlier suggestion. But having the crown/horns be made of Mana could be a good alternative, then having it only appear when they cast magic could also work (or to appear and disappear at will on request of the player). That way you can see feasibly how those horns developed on Py'Rai as mana naturified. And it still gives an in lore reason for how they could have had a common ancestor and the High elves that want the crowns can still kind of have them.
  • What do you like about the current art direction of this race?
    I really like this, i feel like you hit the nail here. I like the ears, the high cheek bones, the pointed chin and how the eye brows meet the nose bridge.
    Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?
    I would like to see larger eyes, but i dont know if that's just me, for they seem to fit the size with the forehead.
    Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Empyrean race?
    I would like to have rounded lower jaw bone and bigger eyes. Jewelry like a jem stone between the eyes, nose rings, earrings with chains, feathers on the head fixtures and eyes that change color.
  • IzilIzil Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    edited August 2022
    Azherae wrote: »
    Xefjord wrote: »
    One thing I think some people are not considering enough, is that Py'Rai and Empyrean Elves have a common ancestor, yet the Py'Rai have horns. I think so many people are seeing the Empyrean headpieces as "crowns" and advocating their removal when it actually makes more since as a variant of horns that evolved from the common ancestor with the Py'Rai. And when thinking of it like that, I hope they keep those unique crown like horns for racial consistency with Py'Rai and to better distinguish them from Humans. I do want to see them look more attached, but overall I like everything else.

    I'll add to this that someone at some point offered a sort of 'Halo' option (see @Westergard post above) and while I didn't think about it much at the time, from the perspective of 'Parity'...

    I think I'd like the Halo more than the Crown, because I could believe that the 'magic focuses on either side of their head' like that for... reasons... And the Nature-loving Py'rai manifested the branchlers with their magic, the Empyreans manifest the 'Halos'.

    The thing I don't 'like' about the Crowns relative to this, is that they don't currently give any feeling/indication of being magical. If they are supposed to be, and just 'shouldn't glow for various reasons', or 'only glow sometimes', no complaints, but I'm still with the:
    c4emsuchek3g.jpg


    Lame designs sorry. The ashes ones are superor to this cheap RGB lights

    Also in disagreement with some comments in this thread that empyreans need tattoos. No i dont want tattoos or glowing eyes i want a clean looking elf like the ones in the pic. Tattoos shouldn't even be a mainstream thing for the race im sure there will be a lot of skins and applicable designs ingame down the road.

    If people want to look more like dark elves or drow from other universes its a REALLY bad idea to make empyreans more "angelic" than this
    Izil.png
  • Keep them beardless. Keep the hair long. Keep the ears pointy. Sharp cheeks, slender/lean frames, and an overall "holier-than-thou" outlook on anyone not an empyrean. They should all feel regal and serious.
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  • indigo7indigo7 Member, Braver of Worlds, Kickstarter, Alpha One
    I like the direction you are going with the Empyrean elves. I would love to be able to create a high elf with black hair. I don't like when options only allow lighter colors. Hopefully you'll have options for blue, green, etc...Same goes for having a range of skin colors going from dark to light, or other. I really like the crowns. It would be nice to have a system like in ESO where you can change out your headgear, like Thranduil changing his crown with the seasons. Or, even be able to hide it when you want, and not be stuck with the item you chose at creation. I enjoy being able to change out costumes and accessories at will. I like the other posters ideas of glowing tattoos, or eyes, maybe changing when in combat. Other than that, keep up the great work.
  • This is to me what a high-elven race should look like. I would however want the option to both remove and customize the headwear.
  • I like the direction they are going. The race I plan to play as.

    I just hope there are still considerable amounts of facial customization. AKA, I want to still make my elf man HOT but with long hair and pointed ears. While the long pointy nose, high cheek bones, skinny face, and slanted eyes can all be called "elvish", I want to be able to see a variety of faces, and not just the stereotypical ones.

    Love the headdress. If I were to describe the Emperean elves in one word, I would say "Elegance"
  • When I saw this, I got really excited. I was thinking of making my main character Empyrean, as I love playing elves. The style is really beautiful! I love how the headpiece sort of mimics the ear shape. I say this is going in the right direction, since it is giving that high elf fantasy look I personally enjoy.
  • What do you like about the current art direction of this race?

    - I like the strong cheekbones with thin cheeks as well as the strong brow with deeper eye cavities and feel like this could be highlighted somewhat more. I like that the facial features are stretched vertically and made longer and thinner compared to a human’s, this is key. The longer forehead, nose, jaw, and chin are definitely noticeable and should continue to be leaned into. Overall the team did a good job of balancing the fact that high elves should overall have more delicate features, but with very specific features that are stronger than a human’s.

    Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?

    - I think the ears are potentially not striking enough. I would like to see them be slightly longer and pointed slightly higher vertically. Because the Py’Rai ears already extend horizontally and satisfy that particular style of elven ear, I think the ears need to extend vertically slightly higher above the temples. Currently they are higher than the Py’Rai, yes, but a small adjustment might make them stand out more from the other races as many also have long ears which extend horizontally.

    - I feel that for the female model, the feminine features are undermining the elven features. Losing some of the sharpness in the bone structure for her cheekbones, jaw, chin, and brow is potentially leaning her facial structure too close to a human’s.

    Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Empyrean race?

    - I would like to see a lot of customization options for both the ears and the eyebrows. Because these are two of their most prominent features, I feel like Empyrean players might enjoy having decorations on their ears or eyebrows including piercings, jewelry, makeup, and plenty of customization options for the shape and size of both.
  • JustVineJustVine Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    Xefjord wrote: »
    The general consensus definitely seems to be against having the crown, although I do like the tie that it gives regarding a common ancestor with the Py'rai, I think it was mentioned in an earlier suggestion. But having the crown/horns be made of Mana could be a good alternative, then having it only appear when they cast magic could also work (or to appear and disappear at will on request of the player). That way you can see feasibly how those horns developed on Py'Rai as mana naturified. And it still gives an in lore reason for how they could have had a common ancestor and the High elves that want the crowns can still kind of have them.

    I think this a great compromise for default imo with an additional note that there should be a way to permanently have them off or on. This is the sort of thing that I think needs a lot of customization choices surrounding it due to the way Pyrai are.
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  • This is how elfs should look. Nailed it ! Can't wait to play an Elf Ranger as an alt. Good Job Dev Team !
  • GutzgoreGutzgore Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    Folks wanted Elves and they got em!

    In my opinion these look great. I don't think anything really needs to change with the art style. Just give lots of customization options of course in the character creator and lots of cosmetic options. I think this is the right direction here. No complaints.
  • HawkwoodHawkwood Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    Everyone seems to want RGB elves. Glowing eyes, tattoos, crowns. They're not angles, they're Greco-Roman. When you look at the Nikua you see they're cultural influences. When you look at Py'rai or the Ren'kai you see they're culture. And none of them needed lights to pull it off. It's a battle between Legolas as a Christmas tree, and Leonidas with pointy ears.
  • Anduin KayvaanAnduin Kayvaan Member, Phoenix Initiative, Royalty, Alpha One
    Hawkwood wrote: »
    Everyone seems to want RGB elves. Glowing eyes, tattoos, crowns. They're not angles, they're Greco-Roman. When you look at the Nikua you see they're cultural influences. When you look at Py'rai or the Ren'kai you see they're culture. And none of them needed lights to pull it off. It's a battle between Legolas as a Christmas tree, and Leonidas with pointy ears.

    So idk about that. When you look up the term "Empyrean" it means from the heavens. Steven seems to be a pretty deep thinker when it comes to lore with things meaning something deeper than just what is presented. Now with that said. I do believe the race that holds the use of essence as absolutely necessary to their success on Verra and their connection to the gods. Well I would see them being a bit more magically inclined if not Angelic in some ways.
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  • First thoughts - yup those are high elves. Thranduil dreamers will be happy. Liking the sharp angles in their features. Seems to be some concern that crowns are static - if true, I'd side with the contingent that says "optional please". Accessories should be accessories.
  • HawkwoodHawkwood Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    edited August 2022
    Hawkwood wrote: »
    Everyone seems to want RGB elves. Glowing eyes, tattoos, crowns. They're not angles, they're Greco-Roman. When you look at the Nikua you see they're cultural influences. When you look at Py'rai or the Ren'kai you see they're culture. And none of them needed lights to pull it off. It's a battle between Legolas as a Christmas tree, and Leonidas with pointy ears.

    So idk about that. When you look up the term "Empyrean" it means from the heavens. Steven seems to be a pretty deep thinker when it comes to lore with things meaning something deeper than just what is presented. Now with that said. I do believe the race that holds the use of essence as absolutely necessary to their success on Verra and their connection to the gods. Well I would see them being a bit more magically inclined if not Angelic in some ways.

    So you want angels... I want Empyrean's.

    Elf/angel doesn't equal Greco-Roman/elf. At least to us shallow thinkers.
  • ELRYNOELRYNO Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    Love the concepts, the Py'rai were smashed out of the park & if the Empyrean are meant to be their fantasy high elf kin then you have nailed it, the only thing I would say might make the difference is having the ability to customise their eyes with colour / glow, ear length & whether or not they will have standard tattoo's or if they will have their own unique set of tattoos as mentioned in earlier posts that also glow.

    I think the most crucial factor for this particular race however will be their animations & whether they give me that high elf feel when casting spells & running in particular.
  • Meh.... the fact the eyebrows don't match the colour of the hair is kind of silly, you'd expect them to be natural blondes, in any case, not the sort of people to artificially colour their hair.

    Also, they don't look.... ethereal.
    Elves should look ethereal. Not very, just a bit.

  • Arthus DawnbreakerArthus Dawnbreaker Member, Alpha One, Adventurer
    It’s hard to really see differences. I would love a live stream of comparing high elves to humans. You should be able to tell pretty easily weather they are elves or humans I would think most of the looks come down to sophistication and their stances and walks.
  • It’s hard to really see differences. I would love a live stream of comparing high elves to humans. You should be able to tell pretty easily weather they are elves or humans I would think most of the looks come down to sophistication and their stances and walks.

    The facial structure and features alone are already very different from the humans.
  • I like the crown given to them as it gives them a very noble vibe. However I hope the addition of this crown type appearance is optional and not forced as not everyone will want it.

    I'm hoping the bodies will be tall and slender, giving the true High Elf look, noticeably taller than humans. I'm interested to see what tattoo options are available for them but looking at other peoples comments I don't think they should be just regular dark tattoos for this race. I agree that it should be more like bright body paint, just not glowing or overly magical. These are elves not fairys.
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  • What do you like about the current art direction of this race?

    I think the art direction is going in the right direction, as others have mentioned the thinner face and more delicate features looks good.

    Is there anything you dislike about the art direction for this race, and why?

    I think that the male should have more feminine and "fair" features however, with the larger eyes, and more similar nose, brow and chin to the female model. Elves male or female shouldn't look "rugged" but instead fey like, untouched by the world, I don't imagine tolkeinesque elves ever aged out of their early 20's in terms of looks. I think this accentuates their differences, elves are fey they should be timeless with distinctly youthful features but ancient eyes which have lived many lifetimes.

    What are your thoughts on what was shown during the livestream for the Empyrean female & male concept?

    I think they are the best depictions of elves in a video game that I've yet seen, truly great to see something closer to the old Dungeons and Dragons depictions.

    Are there any specific Character Creator customizations you would like to see for the Empyrean race?

    Given how robust the customization is for your other races I think what you'll implement is more than enough.


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  • I personally think that this is a good direction to go in. There are a lot and I mean a lot of people who were disappointed with the Py’rai because they weren’t traditional elves (fyi I love the Py’rai!).

    I think the Empyreans are exactly what a lot of people wanted. The most important thing is diversity. I think the request for glowing tatoos and eyes can definitely be an exclusive customization option for the race but I wouldn’t force every player to have these as there are a lot in the thread that seem to not want it.
  • mobtekmobtek Member, Founder, Kickstarter
    This is a much better direction for the Empyrean elves imho, I remember the pre-alpha pics looked too human.
  • Perfect.
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