Do Nords facial features need rework?

tomofhyrule · January 15

I think a lot of this comes down to preference. I know I loathe those 'beauty' mods people tend to make for games like Skyrim or whatever that remakes every person into the equivalent of a Bratz doll, or gives any medieval/fantasy universe Kim K's skincare/filler routines.

However, I know some people are into that, so you do you. Just keep it out of my game pls.

I like in ESO how each race does have recognizable features even though they can be anywhere on the slider triangle (I wasn't a fan of how every human race in Skyrim looked too similar), but it's still possible to sculpt them decently if you're going for a specific look. I have two Nords - both brothers - and the younger one does have a fuller face, but neither is going too far on the 'Heroic" end of the spectrum since that ends up looking a bit overboard.

I will say that I'm hardcore on character creation though, and one of my main things is to really play with the sliders until I find something I like on PTS first. And then I put it down and look at it the next day, and refine from there. It really helps get a face you're comfortable with.

But if you are uncomfortable with the extremely heavy jaw, best to stick to points on the slider away from the 'Heroic' side. I actually never go pure one point or another since they all end up a bit caricature-y, but even minor changes can radically change the face. And of course, that's before you even get to the sliders to tune things. And don't forget about the incredible effects that different eyebrows/markings/hair/beards can have as well to make your characters look totally different.

Holycannoli · January 15

Nords look better than altmer. Female altmer look like Amy from Kitchen Nightmares.

Syldras · January 15

Holycannoli wrote: »

Female altmer look like Amy from Kitchen Nightmares.

I have no clue who she is, but the should be proud that a whole fantasy race is modeled after her

AnduinTryggva · January 15

I also was quite disappointed when I discovered the character editor in ESO and how narrow the modification possibilities were.
For me the best character editors I have experienced is that of Dragon Age Origins and Mass Effect. You could really create a face that felt unique and distinctive.
Here in ESO it looks to me that the most decisive decision with respect to looks you can make is race which fixes major features of your face with only some limited "fine tuning" provided by the sliders.
I also think it is worse for female faces. They almost all look pretty much like small variations of one face.

Alas, I don't think they will change anything on that.

Sakiri · January 15

Cheeks too wide. That's my problem.

In Skyrim I only mod the body and textures, hair. I also almost exclusively play Nords. Mine are fabulous.

I don't mod faces.

Holycannoli · January 15

Syldras wrote: »

Holycannoli wrote: »

Female altmer look like Amy from Kitchen Nightmares.

I have no clue who she is, but the should be proud that a whole fantasy race is modeled after her

She shouldn't be proud of anything lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5O7TRTpesM

NotaDaedraWorshipper · January 15

AnduinTryggva wrote: »

I also was quite disappointed when I discovered the character editor in ESO and how narrow the modification possibilities were.
For me the best character editors I have experienced is that of Dragon Age Origins and Mass Effect. You could really create a face that felt unique and distinctive.
Here in ESO it looks to me that the most decisive decision with respect to looks you can make is race which fixes major features of your face with only some limited "fine tuning" provided by the sliders.
I also think it is worse for female faces. They almost all look pretty much like small variations of one face.

Alas, I don't think they will change anything on that.

You and I seem to remember the character creator in DAO and Mass Effect very differently. I do not remember them that fondly or good for unique and distinctive

Syldras wrote: »

Holycannoli wrote: »

Female altmer look like Amy from Kitchen Nightmares.

I have no clue who she is, but the should be proud that a whole fantasy race is modeled after her

She's a despicable person, but at least her self-importance suits an altmer.

Araneae6537 · January 15

No need for the mud slinging! Let’s agree that additional options in character creation / customization would be great (to me, ESO is already the best game in this regard, but I’ll always love more) and different people like different aesthetics and for looks or lore or any number of reasons, enjoy playing different races and that’s a good thing!

ArchangelIsraphel · January 16

Araneae6537 wrote: »

No need for the mud slinging! Let’s agree that additional options in character creation / customization would be great (to me, ESO is already the best game in this regard, but I’ll always love more) and different people like different aesthetics and for looks or lore or any number of reasons, enjoy playing different races and that’s a good thing!

I agree with this. As passionate as I am about ensuring that Nord characters (and other races) remain as they are so that existing characters do not get destroyed, I wouldn't mind additional sliders so long as they don't disrupt what already exists.

I'd be quite the happy camper if we could also go in the opposite direction of the OP's request and also add more muscle/increased options for wider jaws ext as well. I wish we could make nord ladies as buff as Lyris!

Aztrias · January 16

As an irl Nordic I think male Nord faces tend to look a bit weird and off.

Sheezabeast · January 16

Ya all need to spend more time in character creator. Some of you clearly just hit randomize until you find one you consider hot enough.

Minstrel9806 · January 16

spartaxoxo wrote: »

They are the best looking of the Elder Scrolls games...

I still believe Skyrim is unsurpassed for most of the races design wise (except maybe Altmer and Dunmer), this is especially true for Orcs.
They don't look bad in ESO but they're too tame looking in my opinion, a little cartoony (still better than BG3 half-orcs and Oblivion orcs for sure).
Skyrim nailed the orc look for me, they had more evident elven traits and you could make them look from somewhat civil looking to nightmarish.
Some more tusk options and a "brows horns" option in ESO could've definitely helped.

One thing that ESO did better than other Elder Scrolls games tho is the difference between the body and height of each race

SpacemanSpiff1 · January 17

nords do have a lot of face.

Sakiri · January 17

Sheezabeast wrote: »

Ya all need to spend more time in character creator. Some of you clearly just hit randomize until you find one you consider hot enough.

I spend enough time to get disconnected already and you want to spend more?

Aztrias · January 17

Nords looked way cooler in Skyrim, no contest imo

ESO:

Minstrel9806 · January 17

Sheezabeast wrote: »

Ya all need to spend more time in character creator. Some of you clearly just hit randomize until you find one you consider hot enough.

Character creator can only do so much to the overall design of a character (in this game at least).
ESO faces have obviously been designed to cater to a wider audience rather than just Elder Scrolls fans, so they went for a more cartoony less realistic look and they needed to keep them somewhat lower poly too for obvious reasons.
This game was made by a different company too, so art direction may vary.

Character creator is somewhat limited too considering there's quite some options missing for the player that for some reason the NPCs have. The infamous Black haired Altmer come to mind. Wish they included some of the "recessed hairline" Elven hairstyles for Elves too, just for variety.

For reference:

Maotti · January 17

Absolutely not, my 7 identical Nords look perfect for me. Please don't make them look different after all these years.

Rowjoh · January 18

Nords ?

you must mean Orcs !

r34lian · January 18

Minstrel9806 wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

Ya all need to spend more time in character creator. Some of you clearly just hit randomize until you find one you consider hot enough.

Character creator can only do so much to the overall design of a character (in this game at least).
ESO faces have obviously been designed to cater to a wider audience rather than just Elder Scrolls fans, so they went for a more cartoony less realistic look and they needed to keep them somewhat lower poly too for obvious reasons.
This game was made by a different company too, so art direction may vary.

Character creator is somewhat limited too considering there's quite some options missing for the player that for some reason the NPCs have. The infamous Black haired Altmer come to mind. Wish they included some of the "recessed hairline" Elven hairstyles for Elves too, just for variety.

For reference:

Is this skyrim ? Which mod ?

amig186 · January 18

r34lian wrote: »

Minstrel9806 wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

Ya all need to spend more time in character creator. Some of you clearly just hit randomize until you find one you consider hot enough.

Character creator can only do so much to the overall design of a character (in this game at least).
ESO faces have obviously been designed to cater to a wider audience rather than just Elder Scrolls fans, so they went for a more cartoony less realistic look and they needed to keep them somewhat lower poly too for obvious reasons.
This game was made by a different company too, so art direction may vary.

Character creator is somewhat limited too considering there's quite some options missing for the player that for some reason the NPCs have. The infamous Black haired Altmer come to mind. Wish they included some of the "recessed hairline" Elven hairstyles for Elves too, just for variety.

For reference:

Is this skyrim ? Which mod ?

It's 100% this mod: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/24273

Branzo · January 18

Nords are just very high T so they have huge jaws.

My Nord has the most Angular face you can get it and he looks good with the haircut I got with him.

Minstrel9806 · January 18

r34lian wrote: »

Is this skyrim ? Which mod ?

The textures are modded yes. I was talking about the hairstyle this elf has.

Syldras · January 18

Branzo wrote: »

Nords are just very high T so they have huge jaws.

If that's the case, most of them should be (near) bald.

Shara_Wynn · January 18

I don't see anything wrong with the Nord facial features. They can look quite gentile.

Aztrias · January 18

Rowjoh wrote: »

Nords ?

you must mean Orcs !

ESO Nords are just pink Orcs without Tusks

...orcs look better too.