The mystery of the missing Ulduar models
by Matthew Rossi 
Jun 20th 2009 at 3:00PM
As you can see from the older post, there was an alternative two handed mace model, two more 1h sword models, another crossbow model and an alternate gun model as well. You may not love all of them (our own Alex Ziebart felt that the crossbow model lacked) but you have to wonder, why does every Ulduar gun, crossbow, mace and 2h sword look identical? Why are there only two one handed sword models when there could have been four? Are these models coming in a later instance or are they just there to dress up some NPCs? I actually think that the sword model alternative rocks pretty hard. I realize the mace says 'aspect' instead of 'ulduar' meaning that it might be intended for a later Chamber of Aspects instance, but even so, there was clearly a lot of work making new gear for Ulduar that didn't even get used outside of some NPCs. Any opinions on why we got one model for most drops in Ulduar instead of using some of these?
Filed under: Items, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Instances, Expansions, Raiding
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
neillium Jun 19th 2009 11:43PM
I'd say that there is a great possibility for them to be used later. If not, they just got lazy and threw all Tje stats on to one model to save time. Who knows!
Arashikou Jun 20th 2009 4:58PM
I'm confused... a lot of people are accusing Blizz of being lazy here, but I don't understand why. The hard parts of making the items have different models are already done: They made the items, balanced the stats, and they modelled the model. Given that they models are already made and the items people wish they'd been used on are already in the game, how is it laziness not to have used the model? I could understand the charge if people were saying "Damn, I wish Blizz would make some more models to use for Ulduar gear!" but not for "Damn, I see Blizz went to the trouble of making some models that I wish they'd used for Ulduar gear!" Asking out of genuine ignorance: How is it easier/lazier to make the model and then not use it?
It seems to me like the only reason they would not use these is if they meant not to use the model - they intended it to be for NPCs only or for a future content patch.
Dajobe Jun 20th 2009 7:36PM
this sword was never intended to drop. if you go on a private server and morph into something with a badass server on retail WoW you will be missing the sword because its a different model (to support abilities such as disarm)
so yeah this sword was made for an NPC to wield not u
Dajobe Jun 20th 2009 7:39PM
Sword* not server :P
neillium Jun 20th 2009 8:34PM
I'm not repremanding them about not having the models release or whatnot, I know it's a lot of work and that is why it could just get pushed to the side or not done at all. The guys at Blizz have their hands full. I'll gladly take whatever stats they can throw on to whatever models.
lightning4 Jun 21st 2009 12:08AM
Yeah... the 2h sword looks like it could've been Vold'rethar. It still could be.
And honestly, I think that mace fits Yogg Saron much better than the two maces that currently drop from him. (25 man and 10 hard).
Maybe blizzard will take notice and change the models for us. Who knows.
Matchu Jun 20th 2009 3:05PM
This appeared on my RSS feed like 10 hours ago :S
Anyway, it's disappointing 4 swords all share the same model. Possibly they ran into design issues with them. But still, it'd be nice for some slight differences between them (same one texture's gold, one black etc etc)
smcn Jun 21st 2009 1:17PM
RE:RSS, same! For a second I thought I might have clicked "keep unread" in greader.
RE:Models, it's very possible they weren't happy with the way they scaled down or up with the different races and didn't have time to fix them when it was released. I wouldn't be surprised to see the models change in 3.2.
Maus Jun 20th 2009 3:18PM
Although the 1h swords look fucking AWESOME, I do feel they lack identifiability with any of the ulduar bosses except maybe XT-002, Mimiron and Leviathan.
Maybe that's why they scrapped the designs, as they cant really be attributed as drops from any other bosses due to their extremely hand-crafted and robotic looks.
Also, Leviathan already has a tanking sword, so :/
Still, it would be awesome for a secondary tanking sword option to drop from mimiron hardmode or somthing, the weapon models look badass.
paintbuster0001 Jun 20th 2009 5:03PM
Observant players clearing naxx would also notice that in the DK quarter the mounted death knights use the t8 model. And that was before the patch was released. I hope blizzard isn't shoving the wow design to the side in favor of Diablo 3 and SC 2 and getting lazy.
I also agree, those 1h sword models look pretty bad ass, especially the second one. I can only shake my head and /sigh at the rather ugly ones we tanks are stuck with.
Tyras Jun 20th 2009 6:09PM
Starcraft 2's been made for ages...
They just haven't bothered to release it =/
accountmule1775 Jun 21st 2009 3:06AM
Perhaps those models will be used for legendary DPS/tanking weapons later on? That wouldn't surprise me, knowing Blizzard, and it would explain why they haven't been used yet. Perhaps they planned to make a "Shard of the Ancients" or something like that instead of the shards that drop for the healing mace, and depending on who threw the shards at Yogg, the weapon would come out differently?
Gaurisk Jun 20th 2009 3:46PM
It can't be the old BC-era culprit of laziness; they've clearly already done the work to create the models.
My guess is that Rossi has the right of it, and that these are earmarked for use in content still to some.
defkon Jun 21st 2009 3:19AM
MMO-Champ data mines the PTR files. As the title points out: public TEST realm. You cant believe everything will be true in the live game.
Lostno Jun 20th 2009 3:56PM
I am thinking Lazy or bug, seems an extreem waste to only add a sword an NPC will use.....and the idea that they are putting in a model now for use later alse seems very counter productive....
my vote is lazy and/or rushing the product out the door
perderedeus Jun 20th 2009 4:02PM
I think someone or something was rushed, and this was the result. The art department probably has a list of assets they need to make... Ulduar-themed swords x 3, Dragon Aspect-themed maces x 2, etc. So they make that many. Then it's up to the programming or even itemization team to link it all together and.. well.. it doesn't always happen. Hunters have had Aspect of the Dragonhawk for many patches now, and what graphic is used? A placeholder. Same with the sound. Will it ever get updated? Maybe.
Schopa Jun 20th 2009 4:22PM
its most likely that theyve adopted a new pattern for creating items, like in naxx you would see the DKs (the ones that strangulate) in what is now the t8 armor, so its possible that youll see the models used on ulduar npcs found as drops on future bosses
frag971 Jun 20th 2009 4:26PM
Maybe for a Caverns of Time instance? or one of the closed doors in chamber of aspects...
jyorore Jun 20th 2009 4:32PM
Ever wonder why when you load a web page, it loads faster the second time?
Ever wonder why you lag so bad in crowded areas?
When you have to load 20 different swords it takes longer than loading 20 swords with the same model. They probably did it for lag reasons as well as with their goal of everyones armor looking more 'polished' and less clownish.
Sorro Jun 20th 2009 4:52PM
I just noticed today that there were some leather shoulders that reused the Druids T8 model. I can't recall ever seeing a Tier model reuse before (except for arenas where it was intentional).