Now I'm not going to say where I've seen this, but I have it on good authority that it's true. The Elder Scrolls Online displays the most egregious aesthetic fault a medieval fantasy game can: character models with quarterstaffs glued to their backs

Look, I'm a wizard, right? I've got a big staff with a knob on the end. Or maybe I'm a barbarian with a big honking greataxe. Whatever my weapon, it's a hefty one. Accordingly when I'm standing at ease, not fighting anything, not running anywhere, you would think that I

- hold my walking stick lightly in my hand

- sling my warhammer casually over my shoulder

- rest the butt of my polearm on the ground

but no! Not in the world of Tamriel! Apparently my only options are to wave my wizard's staff menacingly at whatever I happen to be facing or to sheathe in the invisible forcefield generated by my spine. This is ok for a first person game where you never have to look at another player's model, but it's not good enough for an MMO in 2013. If you want to make a visually appealing world without making too many demands on players' hardware then here's a good start - make some basic idle animations that look something like real people. Thank you.

I tend to agree. In any game I play, I found it completely stupid to have polearms, staves, and other such weapons just magickally hovering on the back. With today's technology, there should be no reason for this.

I agree but this is the norm and won't be changing anytime soon, i'm actually watching it again now and i think all the animation need a lot of work.

If only warhammer online hadn't been an immense failure, natural and stylish idle animations would be industry standard even now...

Game breading ? no. But I do see your point and it would certainly be a nice to have change.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what their animation-team is capable of, and I would hope that they take the time to polish said subject before launch. However, if I'd casually be standing about in town, I'd probably just put my warhammer down on the ground and rest on the handle. Not idly put unnecessary weight on my shoulder.

It's in no way game breaking. But yes it would be nice to see it not just kind of floating on your back.

oh man if you could alternate between the two... oh man, game of the century right there...