Blizzard said they are always talking about upgrading WoWs engine but dont have time or resources. Yeah, Blizzard has a lot of money but no matter how much money they have are still bound by laws of physics. Redoing the all the graphics for an MMO as big as WoW would take a lot of people a long time to do. Blizzard could hire in a ton of new people to help but would that be worth it in the end?

Also, have you people actually really looked at the graphics in WotLK? The graphics are about 2 times better than old WoW. The modeling is better and smarter and the texture mapping is in a completely different league.

One way that Blizzard could sorta upgrade is to keep the third expansion on the same level as WotLK and bring old WoW and TBC up to the same level as WotLK.

However Blizzard does it WoW will need a graphics upgrade at least once in it's lifetime and it would be better if it wasn't at the end of it.

I don't think we (general public) really understand the magnitude of server bandwidth problems a game like wow can face. Just yesterday I was reading a dev reply on the wow forums about increasing the number of debuff slots on NPCs, because of the additional class. The dev's reply was that yes, they were aware of it, but they are still looking for a good way to introduce it, because it eats up alot of additional bandwidth.

So just think for a second if they have to weight out and "figure out" how to set up a think that we players just see as an additional icon beneath the NPC when we firght them, how big impact has the bigger poly count for example.

And WoW does get better graphics every expansion, It just seems they really weight out how far they can go at any given time, probably calculating in how the minimal computer setups changed in the years since the last expansion and tweak the engine accordingly.

I would love to see the old areas be re-worked though. Yesterday I was moving through Feralas for the first time in years, and the last time I was there there were no weather effects, and my computer was somewhat worse so I couldn't have everything on full. I felt it looked really beautiful, raining and fog and those big waterfalls. It was really pretty in the WOW way. One thing I also think wow Blizz has figured out more than any other game is how to place the character inside the enviroment. The character I am controlling really feels like a part of that enviroment, instead of feeling artificially placed in the playfield.

I think there is alot left that can be done in the soundscape of the game though.

Originally posted by Moodah

I don't think we (general public) really understand the magnitude of server bandwidth problems a game like wow can face. Just yesterday I was reading a dev reply on the wow forums about increasing the number of debuff slots on NPCs, because of the additional class. The dev's reply was that yes, they were aware of it, but they are still looking for a good way to introduce it, because it eats up alot of additional bandwidth.

So just think for a second if they have to weight out and "figure out" how to set up a think that we players just see as an additional icon beneath the NPC when we firght them, how big impact has the bigger poly count for example.

I don't think their problem was quite what you think it was. That sounded like a cost effectiveness and mechanical issue. They aren't hurting for money so badly that they are splitting hairs over that, they just don't want tp put to much money and effort into it.

And skins, which I think most people mean by graphics update for old WoW, are not the same as polygon increases.

For a polygon count increase, better art, etc, I don't think that will ever happen in WoW. As you described, they are apparently trying to keep cuts into profits minimal already.

Originally posted by DeserttFoxx

It doesnt really need it, of course it wont get it. Blizzard is a sequel company, they will make WoW 2 before they revamp WoW.

FTW

its fine the way it is IMO. .. graphics dont make or break a game its the gameplay/funfactor that does. the art direction is good, same with Diablo 3. A more realistic style would be wrong directions from previous warcraft games

WoW's weakest feature is its community, and this is what will prevent a graphical upgrade.

WoW is full of slobs who can barely turn their PCs on, let alone know what spec mean or how to put together or purchase a quality PC.

The upside of this is Blizzard will always have the money to develop quality content.  The downside is of course they will often cater to the common denominator and try to make sure they include as many people as possible in the game, even if those people drag down the experience for others.

Originally posted by miichael

its fine the way it is IMO. .. graphics dont make or break a game its the gameplay/funfactor that does. the art direction is good, same with Diablo 3. A more realistic style would be wrong directions from previous warcraft games

I don't think people are talking about a different art direction at all, just improved and crisper skins and enivronments. For example, look at the WAR screen caps. Same style, but much more detailed and crisper.

As far as making or breaking the game, it absolutely does. Poorer graphics/skin details require you to put more effort into playing the game, especially after you have just played a modern release game. You just don't realize it at the time.

Originally posted by Gazenthia

Originally posted by miichael

its fine the way it is IMO. .. graphics dont make or break a game its the gameplay/funfactor that does. the art direction is good, same with Diablo 3. A more realistic style would be wrong directions from previous warcraft games

 

I don't think people are talking about a different art direction at all, just improved and crisper skins and enivronments. For example, look at the WAR screen caps. Same style, but much more detailed and crisper.

As far as making or breaking the game, it absolutely does. Poorer graphics/skin details require you to put more effort into playing the game, especially after you have just played a modern release game. You just don't realize it at the time.

WAR gfx look awful, like they took WoW and tried to make it look "mature" and failed miserably.   WoW gfx look very stylized and have a cool comic feel, WAR just looks boring.  Don't hate blizzard cuz you guys love to blow thousands of bucks on pcs to play crap like AOC.

Originally posted by ShinJezus

WAR gfx look awful,<..>

The entire subject of your post is irrelevant; it has nothing at all to do with the point I was trying to make.


I was using WAR as an example of art-direction that isn't "realistic", but the "comic book" style of WoW. While you may not like how it looks, there are definitely more and finer details in the skins and environment. WTF, exactly, do you think people are talking about when they say they want an update to the WoW models if it isn't that?
 

Graphics? Nah, why? Frankly, I couldn't give a crap, just like a bunch of people...don't give a crap. (obviously, people still play the game)

I hear the detail in Northrend looks smoother, talking about the upcoming expansion, but Blizzard is more about trying to bring more content. Personally speaking, they're doing fine in my opinion. Their only problem is that they have to many whiney customers who think that there is a, "auto add anonymous content button." even though they have a bajillion people who work on the game, the game doesn't make itself.

Graphics have to be passable, but a good game is what people want to play.

Originally posted by Narcin1

Graphics? Nah, why? Frankly, I couldn't give a crap, just like a bunch of people...don't give a crap. (obviously, people still play the game)

I hear the detail in Northrend looks smoother, talking about the upcoming expansion, but Blizzard is more about trying to bring more content. Personally speaking, they're doing fine in my opinion. Their only problem is that they have to many whiney customers who think that there is a, "auto add anonymous content button." even though they have a bajillion people who work on the game, the game doesn't make itself.

Graphics have to be passable, but a good game is what people want to play.

Here are some shots I took from Wotlk, this is from just 1 zone.

Ill let you guys decide if this is an improvement.

Nice long draw distance

Lots of stuff going on here at the allaince base

New dynamic shadows (screenshot not take in outlands BTW)

Some more screens ( not by me )

Those are some nice screen shots. It's nice to see Blizz take it up a notch. are you sure that's just from one zone? I mean, looking at the northrend map I knew the zones would be big, but that's impressive.