The Farstrider and Highborne thread actually ended up suggesting something like this as well, just calling it ‘tab’ rather than template.
I’d love to see a template for both these, then, if Moria has the time to spare. Farstrider template for Blood Elves and Highborne template for Night Elves.
As a matter of facts they also suggested High Elves as a template for the Void Elves, but that was already made.
I think the point Sindorea was trying to make is that Wildhammer and Bronzebeard dwarves are also the same race after all, with just different features which come from different clan/affiliation rather than genetics.
So if the ‘subrace’ templates work for dwarves, they could maybe better be called ‘subtype’ and be applied for both genetic or cultural differences depending on whatever makes sense for the specific race:
Gilgoblins and Ankoan, both were allies in Nazjatar anyway, Ankoan use the Night Elf skeleton but they’re hardly elves.
I need to be able to play Ankoan I swear lol.
Broken would be a great addition for this feature.
The male model from WoD should be fine as a starting point to work with. For the female the basic Draenei model could be used but changed. With new textures much can be done, as we have seen during BFA (Blood Trolls, Zandalari and Kul Tiran Druid forms).
Truth be told, however, I feel that in this case it does not really work as well as with the dwarves and trolls, for two reasons.
The tattoos are not actually in game so I had to draw them on…
Tattoos alone do not seem enough to make a separated template.
With the dwarves and trolls it feels different because they are known different clan/tribes, famous as such. Maybe I am biased though, loving dwarves as much as I do. And trolls are easy because of the different skin colors.
Also, I tried, failed and gave up the Highborne mockup because I could not find any truly Highborne-looking night elves in the youtube videos from alpha and I felt that attempting to simulate more extra customization not actually in game went beyond the objective of this thread.
In order for it to make sense, appropriate customization would have to be added to the game first.
Unfortunately however I could not find a full-screen screenshot of the new character creator displaying a naked Void Elf with fair skin and blue eyes.
Not having Alpha access sucks, as I can only get as far as photoshopping screenshots from random youtube videos to make my previews. I’d need help from someone with access be able to do better.