to preface: i still strongly believe our character models need retouching overall. there are many clear issues with the new faces that players explained in detail on release, but there hasn't yet been any fixes addressing any of that feedback, not even for the most noticeable glitches.
one of these issues is the updated face's idle animation. it gives faces constant unnatural movement, where the expression shifts over and over between neutral, smiling, and stretched-open frown. players described this movement as a constant "mouth chewing." it's a big part of the uncanny appearance the new models have, which was frequently talked about in player feedback.
the easy fix is just to change the idle, simplifying it to only blinking. but another approach that would add so much more is a new feature: expression sets!
expression sets would be a customization option for players to choose their wizard's default expression and emotion. expression sets would change the set of our wizard's facial features — their eyes, mouth and even eyebrows.
here are the 5 expression options i imagine and how they would configure the wizard's face.
"neutral" — the default. a "blank" expression. its the fixed version of the current idle face, without the constant extra mouth & eyebrow shifting.
"friendly" — a calmer face. the mouth is a slight closed-lip smile, resembling the occasional smile that all wizards currently do while idle.
"cool" — another calmer face. the mouth is a slight frown, upper eyelid is slightly lower, and maybe eyebrows are slightly lower too.
"happy" — a more expressive face. the mouth is an open-lipped smile, not wide open, but the kind that shows some teeth (NOT in a creepy way). the bottom eyelid could be slightly raised to look like "happy" eyes. maybe eyebrows are slightly raised too.
"angry" or "intense" — the edgy face . another more expressive one. the mouth is an open-lip frown, maybe like a sneer or simply the inversion of the happy smile. eyebrows are lowered and pulled together, maybe even angled if possible, and eyelids could be lowered or slightly squinting.
these expressions dont need to be super extreme. remember that a common complaint from players with the new models was how much more "cartoony" they look. i'd hope to not make that worse by pushing expressions too far (which already happens with some existing face animations).
speaking of animations, these expressions could all share standard movement like blinking. i'm sure extra animations like those on mounts (that actually have face animations) can also be shared. but if KI wants to make expression sets really cool, they could make each expression option also give some unique face animations!
what i mean is that, for example, a wizard with the happy expression could have a different face animation while casting a spell with a wand, or a staff, or a spear, or etc., than a player with the angry or happy expression casting the same way. so essentially, expression sets could change certain default face animations to new versions unique to, and fitting with the "personality" of, the chosen expression.
remember that right now, almost all of our face animations are completely missing. this leads to that common glitch where faces freeze, often mid-blink, on mounts and elsewhere. so since animations need to be added eventually, i want to emphasize the opportunity to do so in a fun, more in-depth way!
expression sets wouldn't just fix the problem with the uncanny face-warping idle. perhaps more important is that expression sets would add a new layer of customization for players to have fun with, to really give their wizards more unique personality. please let me know your thoughts on this idea, or feel free to share your own ideas relating to this one (like other expression choices?), or to improving our player models in general. thanks for your time
. another more expressive one. the mouth is an open-lip frown, maybe like a sneer or simply the inversion of the happy smile. eyebrows are lowered and pulled together, maybe even angled if possible, and eyelids could be lowered or slightly squinting.