Dwarves are last added faction, and I presume team now works hard to remove bugs mainly from this faction and firstly trying to improve graphical/soundsets/model/etc in Dwarven faction. Because of that, I am starting this discussion.
So I am concern about Beornings.(I know that their main building will be added in Lothlórien faction, so, in some way, they (I mean, their race) will be part of Lothlórien faction, so I start this before Lothlórien is added in beta, and because of Dwarven Powers Meni this also concerns dwarven faction, so now is good time for their improvement.) Totally agree with Tienety about Lore aspects he introduced earlier in topic:
http://en.modding-union.com/index.php/topic,31046.0.html , and no doubt team will change that.
(About Beorn/Grimbeorn switching.
)
Currently in game we have Grimbeorn's model which is used for Beorn:
This model will probably be used for Grimbeorn in Lothlórien faction, and I must suggest new model for Beorn. (Anyway, Grimbeorn's model doesn't fit in Beorn's description.) In PJ's Hobbit:DoS movie, Mikael Persbrandt was acting Beorn (In human form), and we got next representation:
I really don't like this look in general, there wasn't beard,(full beard) color of hair was wrong, etc. (I can't say that I didn't like some details like that crazy back fur.
)
Anyway, concerning human form model from book we have next:
"He is a skin-changer. He changes his skin; sometimes he is a huge black bear, sometimes he is a great strong black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard. ...
Later in book text: Standing near was a huge man with a thick black beard and hair, and great bare arms and legs with knotted muscles. He was clothed in a tunic of wool down to his knees, and was leaning on a large axe".Perfect matching of this description (In my opinion):
So while I was analysing description from book, I found that current Beoringer's model from game (almost completely) fits that description:
I am not suggesting taking this model for Beorn (This is global Beoringer's model, but in general maybe this model should get another hair/beard colour, because black is reserved for Beorn, maybe dark brown/brown/light brown...), I just want to say that Beorn's hair and beard must be black. Also he must be physically greater than other Beorings in that summon power. This ascertainment is justified from other part of book text:
"Through many generations, the descendants of Beorn were like him skin-changers, able to take the shape of a bear. Some of Beorn's descendants were grim like him and even "bad", but none of them matched Beorn in size and strength".Anyway, he isn't one of the main characters in the book, but he is central figure in this "Beornings" race, so he deserves some good model (About Beornings: they are race which shares their ancestry with people of Rohan and people of Dale. They were just taller and stronger. It is presumed that they belong to third Edain house, House of Hador. Links:
http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Beorning,
http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Beornings).
I also suggest same look like Tienety suggested becase I think this look is nice and only change it needs is real
BLACK beard&hair and maybe just tunic when we speak about clothes:
But maybe it would be nice to dispense cape (For diference in relation to the other Beornings, and current human form model of Grimbeorn) and to nicely done that clothes. (Tunic from third spoiler.)
Of course weapon stays same: Great axe, and nice area splash/knockback damage.
Weapon suggestion:
or
On first picture is design of axe which is used in movie. On second picture is some design I found interesting.
Now we come to the point why I posted this comment. That is mainly because of BEAR FORM.
I really find current bear model in game poor. I am not trying to offend anyone or to blame, I know that is model of bear from vanila and it existed from
BFME I, also know that team worked on that model already, added attack and other things, I am not ungrateful kid or some troll here. I am just looking for improvement of bear form, picking/making some new model for Beorn/Grimbeorn/Beornings Bear Form.
Current look in game:
They look like cute confused group of bears.
If this model is hard to improve then maybe you could create new unique model for Beorn/Grimbeorn bear form? (Other Beornings can stay a group of teddy bears.
)
Currently in game Beorn is using also Grimbeorn's bear form:
I agree about that fur colour for Grimbeorn's bear shape. Don't know why, maybe I simply connect that colour with appearance of Grimbeorn at Tolkien Gateway :
http://www.tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Grimbeorn, and simply to say I find that silver/gray colour of fur unique for him.
But when we speak about Beorn's bear form, he needs to be Big (Gigantic)
Black Bear!
More text from book:
"I cannot tell you much more, though that ought to be enough. Some say that he is a bear descended from the great and ancient bears of the mountains that lived there before the giants came. Others say that he is a man descended from the first men who lived before Smaug or the other dragons came into this part of the world, and before the goblins came into the hills out of the North. I cannot say, though I fancy the last is the true tale. He is not the sort of person to ask questions of."Great and ancient bears were his forebears.(Maybe!) Enough for me. Anyway, this isn't only description of his gigatic size and power. Saving that description for later.
Now lets see some of movie interpretations/appearances of this bear form:
This was nice bear shape, but not too much information about colour, in first picture colour was indefinably in that light reflection, second also, just it was in middle of night, no soo much light. On first picture we see that muscular shape, stong build, on second a lot of scars, eye colour.
More pictures:
Ok, here we see that almost black fur colour.
And here we see this is muscular, fat, very big bear with lot of scars. Its colour is dark, almost black. I must say it fits in that gigantic description with black fur, which was represented by Tolkien himself.
All of those pictures were from PJ's movie Hobbit:DoS.
Now lets take a look at last description from Hobbit book, it is epic description of Beorn when he arrived at battle:
"In that last hour Beorn himself had appeared no one knew how or from where. He came alone, and in bears shape; and he seemed to have grown almost to giant-size in his wrath. The roar of his voice was like drums and guns; and he tossed wolves and goblins from his path like straws and feathers. He fell upon their rear, and broke like a clap of thunder through the ring. The dwarves were making a stand still about their lords upon a low rounded hill. Then Beorn stooped and lifted Thorin, who had fallen pierced with spears, and bore him out of the fray. Swiftly he returned and his wrath was redoubled, so that nothing could withstand him, and no weapon seemed to bite upon him. He scattered the bodyguard, and pulled down Bolg himself and crushed him. Then dismay fell on the Goblins and they fled in all directions. But weariness left their enemies with the coming of new hope, and they pursued them closely, and prevented most of them from escaping where they could."Epic description deserves epic picture:
or something like this one:
If we take a look at PJ's third Hobbit movie, we will find some similarities between bear's look in movie and on that epic picture (Colour similarity.) :
And for the end, picture which is, in my opinion, perfect size and colour example:
Now on the basis of the above, Beorn like main character in his race deserves new model or new look shape of some already existing model: New human form model which should be unique and bear form model which he will shares with Grimbeorn (Beorn's bear form model will be larger and black, Grimbeorn's slightly smaller and gray-silver in fur colour, but it is important that comparison exists). If this modification is not possible on current bear model, maybe it is not bad idea to try with modification of neutral warg model which is nicely built in muscular form.
Also wargs already have some nice animations, movements which are not so different from bear's ones. In my opinion, warg model is very similar with bear model, bear is just larger with greater muscular legs and there is hump in both cases:
Nice example is Shaku's indomitable warg. That model could be used in experimenting:
This warg is already similar size of neutral bear model:
So, it will be nice to try with modification of this model. One more reason is that cute teddy bear face form current model:
that should be modify to be more grim and fierce:
Or
This is also one of the reasons why warg's model could be used. Main disadvantage will be in impossibility of using front legs like bears do (In attack), but that would be minor problem in comparison with current bear look, in my opinion. Bear's model also should have possibility of trampling enemies for longer period of time (Afer all, it is bear, it must be stronger that any kind of horse/cavalry unit) and Beorn's/Grimbeorn's bear form should be able to unroot/fell the threes in his path (Beorn's bear form is huge, size of smaller mountain troll or normal mountain troll
).
Team, is this possible? (C'Mon, I am looking on that Radagast sledges model with all that rabbits and I don't think there is something you can't do.
) First question, is it possible to do better modification of existing bear model? If not, is it possible to add new model for bear form? If not, then what about modification of warg model? Is possible to add some front legs usage in attack with warg model? (Like current bears have in game) What do you think about this?
(If this isn't possible, than I hope you have enjoyed reading this post.
)
And:
Beorn is watching you! He is waiting for new model! 
