Guild Wars 2

I was pretty convinced that it is supposed to be the other way around, with Norns towering over everyone.
But in-game, Charrs are quite a bit bigger!

Well your impression of what it is supposed to be is wrong. That simple. Charr were always big.

From at least what I saw from the few times charr and norn interacted in GW1 was that while norn were taller (at least in the sense of being more upright), charr were definitely larger and more massive.

Evalia.7103:

I was pretty convinced that it is supposed to be the other way around, with Norns towering over everyone.

Based on what?

Norn are taller, Charr have more mass. The tallest Norn is taller than the tallest Charr, but the tallest Norn is not more massive than the most massive Charr.

Asura.

Its not the size that matters, its how you swing your sword

You can tell how big a character is compared to another of a different race by the size of their greatswords.

I made the largest sized norn and charr, but while the norn is physically large (structure), the charr is just big and very imposing.

Also — I don’t know if anyone else has realised yet or not, but large builds of certain races (charr and norn in particular) have limits in their physical size, based on what profession they create. As an example, my norn was made the largest possible size, but next to the same norn as a warrior or a guardian, it’s not only shorter but thinner… compared while armourless. There’s a very obvious size difference.

Are you sure you didn’t just select a different body type? Different skeletons can put the head slightly higher or lower (so can physically increasing the size of the head). Assuming all things are equal, class shouldn’t make a difference in your maximum size.

But wasn’t the talk that Norn’s are Mythical Giants, and were scaled down for in-game purposes? ;-)
Also:

I made the largest sized norn and charr, but while the norn is physically large (structure), the charr is just big and very imposing.

Also — I don’t know if anyone else has realised yet or not, but large builds of certain races (charr and norn in particular) have limits in their physical size, based on what profession they create. As an example, my norn was made the largest possible size, but next to the same norn as a warrior or a guardian, it’s not only shorter but thinner… compared while armourless. There’s a very obvious size difference.

That is false, I have plenty of characters to compare. The only differences are, as follows: height slider, body type, face features/head size. Class doesn’t influence the size, except for the armor type of course.
What I’ve got from in-game models, Charrs are both more massive and taller when standing upright(for example, during Staff #4 Empower – Guardian), as well as wield bigger weapons. However, particle effects appear to be smaller on them(such as Fire Shield)

Evalia.7103:

But wasn’t the talk that Norn’s are Mythical Giants, and were scaled down for in-game purposes? ;-)

Are you possibly confusing this with good ol´ Lupi? Cause that is the only time I have read anything like this.

Algreg.3629:

Evalia.7103:

But wasn’t the talk that Norn’s are Mythical Giants, and were scaled down for in-game purposes? ;-)

Are you possibly confusing this with good ol´ Lupi? Cause that is the only time I have read anything like this.

The Jotun beside the tooth of Jormag talks about how the Jotun and Norn where part of the giants. They where present before the humans arrived.

Yargesh.4965:

Algreg.3629:

Evalia.7103:

But wasn’t the talk that Norn’s are Mythical Giants, and were scaled down for in-game purposes? ;-)

Are you possibly confusing this with good ol´ Lupi? Cause that is the only time I have read anything like this.

The Jotun beside the tooth of Jormag talks about how the Jotun and Norn where part of the giants. They where present before the humans arrived.

but the word giant has been applied to many big anthropomorphic life forms in the fantasy genre and mythology, from “ogre” to skyscraper size.

Norn simply aren’t as big as they were in GW1.

Min height female human vs norm (let’s just say max height)
http://oi57.tinypic.com/5yu6b6.jpg

In GW2 even a max height norn wouldn’t look that big compared to a small human.

Tamryu.5978:

Norn simply aren’t as big as they were in GW1.

Min height female human vs norm (let’s just say max height)
http://oi57.tinypic.com/5yu6b6.jpg

In GW2 even a max height norn wouldn’t look that big compared to a small human.

wow, I did not remember it being that extreme… well, that is a giant girl indeed.

http://www.guildwarsinsider.com/in-game-character-heights/

As mentioned: Charr are a bit higher if they stand upright. But that’s scarce (Guardian Staff 4 and /laugh emote for example).

Kaiser.8504:

You can tell how big a character is compared to another of a different race by the size of their greatswords.

“Greatswords” …

I give to you this picture, of my Norn, standing next to a Charr.

Norn are taller.

Arrion.2185:

I give to you this picture, of my Norn, standing next to a Charr.

Norn are taller.

That Charr is not a max-sized NPC for sure.
Neither is he standing upright.
What does this picture prove?

We should go back to the initial question: it actually makes no sense, there are numerous questions you could ask; why are elephants taller than rhinos, or why are macaws taller than budgerigars. It’s nature and evolution.

We can now make an analogy. The ‘nature’ in game terms would be the developer, and they decided so.

Algreg.3629:

Tamryu.5978:

Norn simply aren’t as big as they were in GW1.

Min height female human vs norm (let’s just say max height)
http://oi57.tinypic.com/5yu6b6.jpg

In GW2 even a max height norn wouldn’t look that big compared to a small human.

wow, I did not remember it being that extreme… well, that is a giant girl indeed.

I’m pretty big myself. Twice the height of this human in fact.

Smallest asura ftw !

Shifu.4321:

Algreg.3629:

Tamryu.5978:

Norn simply aren’t as big as they were in GW1.

Min height female human vs norm (let’s just say max height)
http://oi57.tinypic.com/5yu6b6.jpg

In GW2 even a max height norn wouldn’t look that big compared to a small human.

wow, I did not remember it being that extreme… well, that is a giant girl indeed.

I’m pretty big myself. Twice the height of this human in fact.

You’re still not AS big sadly. Also look at the skill challenge NPC that’s right in that area. She’s bigger than you are. Biggest Norn in the game for whatever reason :/

Arrion.2185:

I give to you this picture, of my Norn, standing next to a Charr.

Norn are taller.

You are wrong.

Have your Charr /salute while next to him. When tallest Charr stands up straight next to tallest Norn, Charr is slightly taller. Only when /salute-ing though. Obviously they don’t stand upright like that so they appear shorter.

Tamryu.5978:

Norn simply aren’t as big as they were in GW1.

Min height female human vs norm (let’s just say max height)
http://oi57.tinypic.com/5yu6b6.jpg

In GW2 even a max height norn wouldn’t look that big compared to a small human.

Well my female human ele is as short as possible and female norn as tall as possible are twice her size roughly. Soooooooooooooooo there is difference.

Travis the Terrible.4739:

Tamryu.5978:

Norn simply aren’t as big as they were in GW1.

Min height female human vs norm (let’s just say max height)
http://oi57.tinypic.com/5yu6b6.jpg

In GW2 even a max height norn wouldn’t look that big compared to a small human.

Well my female human ele is as short as possible and female norn as tall as possible are twice her size roughly. Soooooooooooooooo there is difference.

Difference, yes, but not as much difference as there was in GW1.

Genetics.

(screw flanders)