New Races a Possibility?

[StainedSilva.1726]

I for one would dig to see tengu, quaggan and Kodan making the list for playable races in future content...

 

The new classes were great and mounts in the new PoF add-on but come on, who wouldn't like some new faces in their character collection??

It would certainly get more sales of character slots :P

[Cyanchiv.2583]

I personally would like a new race, however there are several barriers to this we need to recognize. All current races have access to the personal story, so a new playable race would require the player to somehow get involved in the fight when the majority of the player's race are largely not involved, such as the tengu. Exceptions can be made, of course, but then there is the issue of taking all existing weapons, armors, and outfits and having them fit this new race, as well as the development time for all new items. Most of the equipment are not simple textures fitting over the character model, but are models themselves designed for each race specifically. Then there is the issue of voice actors, and the need to higher at least 2 voice actors for every supported language, having them voice all of the personal story and seasons as well as all future content.

 

I have seen some individuals suggest removing the personal story and other content in order to have a new race, but do we really want a new race that has less content available? At that point it seems to be something purely cosmetic that tonics already take care of.

[joneirikb.7506]

Thread is similar enough: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/37585/if-dwarves-were-playable#latest

[Endless Soul.5178]

> @"joneirikb.7506" said:

> Thread is similar enough: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/37585/if-dwarves-were-playable#latest

 

We actually see these types of threads every couple of weeks or so.

[joneirikb.7506]

> @"Endless Soul.5178" said:

> > @"joneirikb.7506" said:

> > Thread is similar enough: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/37585/if-dwarves-were-playable#latest

>

> We actually see these types of threads every couple of weeks or so.

 

I know, just figured I'd link so they could continue discussion in 1 thread, and I wouldn't have to reply in both with the same post.

[Dreadshow.9320]

Choya, Grawl and Dragons would get me to loosen the strings on the old purse for sure.

[Nuka Cola.8520]

too much work. better make an ugly looking costume and sell it for $10.

[Martimus.6027]

If you can go back to the archives, you'll see that literally every single argument these naysayers are using as to why ANet won't add another race has already been stated precisely as to why we couldn't get a new class. And yet, here we are with Revenants.

[Randulf.7614]

It was always expected a new class was going to be added as there was 1 heavy missing. I don't recall Anet themselves saying it was too much work for a new class, whereas they have issued at least 2 official posts they saying races are not something they currently deem viable. There was also no arguments that fitting in a new class to the story and linking it into our situation as the commander would be tricky. More importantly, no arguments that classes would need a lot more VA investment. VA investment is a heavy consideration given past comments from the studio about the challenges of extra lines of dialogue throughout the living world.

 

Whether a new race gets added is not going to depend on constant forum posts dragging the issue up and then arguing back and forth as everyone belittles everyone elses opinion. - they are well aware of the community feedback.

If Anet think races add to the game that fits in to how they want to do things, then like mounts, they will. They wont simply add one for the sake of it, that is pretty much assured.

 

It is highly unlikely a new race will ever be added imo, but if they do, it will be done in a way likely different to how anyone expects

[starlinvf.1358]

> @"Cyanchiv.2583" said:

> I personally would like a new race, however there are several barriers to this we need to recognize. All current races have access to the personal story, so a new playable race would require the player to somehow get involved in the fight when the majority of the player's race are largely not involved, such as the tengu. Exceptions can be made, of course, but then there is the issue of taking all existing weapons, armors, and outfits and having them fit this new race, as well as the development time for all new items. Most of the equipment are not simple textures fitting over the character model, but are models themselves designed for each race specifically. Then there is the issue of voice actors, and the need to higher at least 2 voice actors for every supported language, having them voice all of the personal story and seasons as well as all future content.

>

> I have seen some individuals suggest removing the personal story and other content in order to have a new race, but do we really want a new race that has less content available? At that point it seems to be something purely cosmetic that tonics already take care of.

 

If we're being realistic, they can forego the entirety of Pact Tyria, and create a new personal story branch specific to the expansion that the race was introduced in. But for that to make sense in the narrative, they need to make the story arcs modular in order to drop the "Commander" continuity. This worked perfectly fine for GW1, as each campaign was written and built to be stand alone, and the heroes were more supporting characters to the story around them. They can fix this moving forward, but its already too late to retroactively fix this for HOT and POF.

 

With that requirement out of the way, everything else is just adding additional man hours for art, animation and sound to port content. The only reason they wouldn't do this is the added cost.... nothing else.

[yoni.7015]

I don’t think there is need of a new races. We have five unique races, that’s enough. Anet should rather put that work in new content.

[DanAlcedo.3281]

Lets see.

The dev would need to do:

1. A New Starting Area

2. A New Story (Core)

3. New Animations

4. New Voice Lines

5. Rewrite the new story so a new race makes sence

6. Remake all the old Armor Skins for that Race

7. .....

 

Not worth the Dev time.

 

[Ayrilana.1396]

> @"Martimus.6027" said:

> If you can go back to the archives, you'll see that literally every single argument these naysayers are using as to why ANet won't add another race has already been stated precisely as to why we couldn't get a new class. And yet, here we are with Revenants.

 

Except when it comes to personal story and all of the armor skins needing to be re-done. Oh yeah, there’s also all of the character dialogue that needs to be done to match the new race.

 

New race != New Class

[joneirikb.7506]

There are ways they could reduce the workload though, don't know how popular/unpopular it would be with the fanbase though:

 

* Skip entire personal story, give them a small summary of why new race is late to the party, and joins at LS1+2 effectively.

* Skip personal city, example Tengu could just keep the gates closed to DoW and start in LA.

* Skip all starter maps, and be just redirected to someone else's starter maps.

* Use a similar body structure (example Tengu could just slightly thinner version of Charr but run upright) to avoid creating MORE clipping issues.

* All the above skipping should heavily reduce the VA costs.

* Skip all the racial armors and weapons etc.

* Skip racial skills (no big loss)

 

This means all they would have to do is:

 

* New animations (for existing skeleton)

* New voices for character's lines, and LS2+

* Small summary story (like the LS1 summary)

 

This would give you a new race, at fairly budget prices as far as it goes. No idea what the total costs would be since I'm not a developer. But I also imagine that if they did this, the forums would go into uproar about "shitty race!" etc. And honestly at that stage, I can't say that a new race would be any better than a "Kodan Tonic", except that you can color it a bit more.

[Leo G.4501]

> @"Ayrilana.1396" said:

> > @"Martimus.6027" said:

> > If you can go back to the archives, you'll see that literally every single argument these naysayers are using as to why ANet won't add another race has already been stated precisely as to why we couldn't get a new class. And yet, here we are with Revenants.

>

> Except when it comes to personal story and all of the armor skins needing to be re-done. Oh yeah, there’s also all of the character dialogue that needs to be done to match the new race.

>

> New race != New Class

 

Right, a new race doesn't require constant testing, revamping, rebalancing, debugging, updating skills, data collection, adding new skills and traits, effects animations, effects REanimations...

 

The point being, no they aren't the same but they require lots and different kinds of work. One could say that the "content" provided by a new profession is more relevent and deep compared to a new race but then I say how do you monetize a new profession? What extras requiring purchase does a new profession facilitate? Standard fare: character slot and inventory, perhaps a makeover kit. What extras would a new race facilitate? Well, it depends. If instead of taking the time to redo all the armor to fit a new race, you instead sold unique outfits for them (with some being earnable in the game), put some good options behind the makeover kit, you can even charge for the race option itself only available if you purchase the relevent expansion.

[Dreamy Lu.3865]

There has been so many threads about it already... At the beginning, I found fun to give it a thinking, but now, after all this time, knowing how low - close to zero - is the probability that it could happen (what it means technically - if possible at all - is not worth a business case for Anet), I don't see the point anymore. :/

I prefer to keep brainstorming about a new profession. At least, we know that it can happen since it was done once already (Revenant). This is less frustrating. :)

[StainedSilva.1726]

Ah well I guess we can all dream :)

 

As for kodan/tengu tonics etc, I have never seen one! That would be awesome.

 

Well Id really like a monk class again, I really enjoyed having a dedicated healer class. The druid I know is sort of catering to this, but it isn't the same, the monks had awesome animations.

[Martimus.6027]

> @"Ayrilana.1396" said:

> > @"Martimus.6027" said:

> > If you can go back to the archives, you'll see that literally every single argument these naysayers are using as to why ANet won't add another race has already been stated precisely as to why we couldn't get a new class. And yet, here we are with Revenants.

>

> Except when it comes to personal story and all of the armor skins needing to be re-done. Oh yeah, there’s also all of the character dialogue that needs to be done to match the new race.

>

> New race != New Class

 

The racial tutorials and initial quests can be totally skipped.

[derd.6413]

it's a possibility but with the amount of work and anet's lack of interest it won't happen for at least the next 2 xpacs. also quaggan and kodan will never be playable races