It seems to me there is a very simple fix to this, make craftable armour which you tailor with selectable styles and dyes, common to rare etc. This would add to the crafting system immensley and at the same time allow people to make or buy just the right style or colour which suits them. It would make 1,000 craftable items as diverse as 10,000 and not impact on dropped items which would retain their look and status to other players.
Blood.
The whole issue with transmorgs to me is identity. From my perspective, I think 70% about PvP, the other 30% is exploring the game and getting items to kill other people. Simple as that.
that being said, I like to see unique items that someone is wielding or armor they are using. It creates immersive gameplay, not some warrior running around with a straw hat weilding a ice cream cone.
If you guys on the PvE servers want it, fine. But leave it far far far away from PvP oriented servers.
Regardless I think it kills unique identity and what people have earned in gameplay rather than some lame cash shop items or trying to look like a caster as a tank. Even if the customs or transmorgs are in context, it still hides identity. To me that is done in almost every child/kid oriented game to make money, that doesn’t deserve a place in such a detailed world such as this. My 2cents.
Ill say this, about the only thing that would be acceptable to me is armor/cloths dyes that aren’t neon, etc.
This is a shame. I haven't had a game since EQ that made me interested in what others wore. Nothing pops, and everybody uses the wardrobe functions to look "special", which just makes everyone look the same. If the point of having wardrobe customization options is because you like to be noticed, then I truly do believe it has the opposite effect. Everyone in fancy clothes they aren't actually wearing will just be swimming in a sea of other indistinguishable fancy clothes. And if being noticed wasn't the point, people wouldn't be having a problem with others having the ability to toggle it off.
LOTRO had a wardrobe function, and I spent a long time getting my outfits just so. And man, I looked damn good. Know how many people stopped and commented, or asked what I was wearing? A whole lotta zero.
But stroll through the EC tunnel in an ugly mismatch of random, identifiable gear? Guarantee you get noticed.
I have mixed feelings on this issue.
I like for my characters to look the part. That is, to look armored, or like a ruffian, or full of colors. It depends what class I am playing and how I want to present them.
Keywords here are; "how I want to present them".
This is a highly biased thing and everyone has their own ideas of how they want their characters to look.
For example: I'm playing a rogue.
If I play as a human rogue then my idea of a rogue is more of a ruffian and a brawler. Someone with half mail, half leather jerkin, dirty worn boots, a shortsword on the side and wielding a pair of clubs to intimidate or beat money out of someone. A straight up henchman.
However, if I am playing as a dark elven rogue then I have a different idea of what a rogue should be. Then I'd be wanting dark leather, soft shoes, a hooded cloak. A pair of daggers and vials of various poisons, sleeping agents and other concotions. Someone who wants to slip in unseen, take your things and leave and if you catch them they'd rather see you dead and disappeared than beaten, bloodied and too afraid to speak up (as would be the case with the human rogue).
Again, these are my personal and biased ideas of what a rogue is. So for the same class I have two very different ideas of how the rogue would look, dress, behave and be presented.
To achieve this it has usually been about finding the right gear and clothing, and more often than not there has not been a very good selection of items in the form of items with stats on them. Also the various items with stats on them are also very often not part of a set and mostly have random looks, which makes your character look absolutely idiotic both when it comes to style of the items as well as their colors.
That is when having cosmetic items where you can find items that make the character look the way you want it to look (whether it's the brawling human rogue or the unseen dark elven rogue). Or at least you can find a close approximation towards your idea of how you want your character to be presented (closer than any random world dropped items would anyhow).
Another issue with the stat items from the world is that you might have an item with good stats but looks like garbage, and an item that looks awesome but has garbage stats. So which one should you use? Some would say go with the looks if that is what you prefer and don't worry about the stats... others will literally flame you for such an idea, or even not want you in a group or raid if you aren't maxing out your stats.
Now this might sound like I am very pro-cosmetic items.
But the drawback with the cosmetic items as I see it is that first off it's a huge "lets add a cash shop" thing.
Secondly, and more importantly, it also removes a lot of that sense of accomplishment in the game. By that I mean... you spend two months in dungeons to get all the items for a completed set of armor that makes you really stand out and look great. You are really happy about your armor and now you can really strut around the town and let everyone see that "hey, here's a person who really put time into this game" and to inspire that "man, I want a set of armor like that too!!". Then as you round a corner there's like 25 other players looking just as good, or even better, despite being 30 levels lower than you and they haven't even been to a dungeon. Instead they got all their good looks from a cash shop, or from cosmetic items in some form.
So what cosmetic items do is really take away that "That player looks awesome. I want to be like that player too", and thus it snuffs out that inspiration and motivation that new players would get from watching higher level players in awesome gear.
Heck, I still remember in EQ1 when I saw the first bard in full set of blue lambent armor, and his friend shaman in a full set of totemic armor. I knew right away (I was a bard back then) that I had to get a set of blue too. It motivated me, inspired me and kept me going until one day I had a full set myself and I was super proud of it (cause it did take some effort to get it).
With cosmetic items you remove that whole effort part, the motivation and inspiration. And you replace it with... what? Pay 10$ for a full set of parade armor? Pay 20 gold to an enchanter to transform your items into some awesome looking ones even though you are just wearing sandals and the skin of a sheep you killed an hour ago?
I'm torn.
I want my characters to look the part, but I don't really want cosmetic items in the game.
Solution is for the developer (and by that I mean you girls and guys sitting in the artist chairs) to make lots and lots of great looking items that are world drops and ways for us to look amazing.
This may be a bit blunt. I am happy there will be a sytem like Transmog/Glamor/Deco-Slot because thats system alone brings me back to the game. Seeing drops and random people wearing something i think is unique makes me want to get it. Im happy to see other peoples creativity with their avatar and most importantly if i dont like how someone acts or dresses or conducts themselves I can simply walk away.
So if my hours to days worth of work on my appearance bothers anyone; whether it be from the time invested at character creation or time afterwards collecting wardrobe and memories ... If you dont like it, walk away.
Reading these comments is great. A few people really understand both arguments. For me i guess i just dont have enough time to address the other side. Which is fine i am a bit calloused to it. *shrug*
#offtowork
-Todd
kreed99 said:I can see it now. Everyone on raid required to turn on or off custom armor toggle. Now you can instruct them to run to the green ogre. Its an added step that i personally dont think needs to be there, but the consensus was made before my time. So i can deal. Its all good.
Except in your example chaos would still ensue as everyone is now unrecognisable even by their close guildmates.
Told to "Quick! Get to Balbo and help his group!"
"Right! I can't see him!"
"He's in the black chainmail! Go Go Go!"
"No that's his cosmetic look. What's his armor actually look like?"
"Nevermind - his group wiped. Go help Damodred"
"Er... What does he actually look like?..."
Switching off cosmetics/tranmogs/costumes etc silly.
I want to point out that people are using several terms like they are interchangeable and I don't think they are.
I may not have the 'real' or 'official' definitions, but I think there are several concepts and I'm going to try and describe them.
I believe they shouldn't be all covered by the same conditions: -
Transmogrification
I can't even remember what game this stems from but I believe it means when a particular item has its appearance permanently changed. You take one item, apply a procecss of varying cost and complexity depending on the game and from then on it looks like another item no matter where it goes. If you replace that item and want the new one to look like the old you have to apply another transmog to the new item.
Cosmetic
Cosmetic items are not directly worn, rather they 'override' the look of a particular item 'slot' in your inventory. An inventory will have a second (or more) 'set' of item slots like the basic ones in which cosmetic items can be placed. No matter what it worn in the inventory slot, the look of the cosmetic item is seen. Cosmetic items are usually bought and not dropped from monsters. Sometimes they are earned in questing (often 'faction' based).
Cosmetic items can also include non-functional pets and visual effects. Historically (in various MMORPGs) they are often outlandish or even ridiculous.
Wardrobe/Costume
Similar to cosmetic items, wardrobe or costume items 'override' the inventory item appearances. The difference is wardrobe or costume items are made from items you have previously won and worn and choose to 'add' to your wardrobe. This often 'consumes' the item in question. You will thus slowly 'grow' a wardrobe of earned 'looks' in the various slots at the cost of not being able to sell or pass on those items.
Personally all I want is the Wardrobe. I'm happy for it to consume the items you add as well. Transmog would do, but would be very annoying if item upgrades are going to be happening regularly.
disposalist said:Except in your example chaos would still ensue as everyone is now unrecognisable even by their close guildmates.
Told to "Quick! Get to Balbo and help his group!"
"Right! I can't see him!"
"He's in the black chainmail! Go Go Go!"
"No that's his cosmetic look. What's his armor actually look like?"
"Nevermind - his group wiped. Go help Damodred"
"Er... What does he actually look like?..."
Switching off cosmetics/tranmogs/costumes etc silly.
Turn names on! lol. I tease, but ya.... I sometimes run old models on eq1 and it can be a tad confusing, but generally speaking i've not had any issues finding an ogre unless they use illusion item. I mean everyone on the TLP servers has a DE mask anyway so i just use names.
kreed99 said:disposalist said:Except in your example chaos would still ensue as everyone is now unrecognisable even by their close guildmates.
Told to "Quick! Get to Balbo and help his group!"
"Right! I can't see him!"
"He's in the black chainmail! Go Go Go!"
"No that's his cosmetic look. What's his armor actually look like?"
"Nevermind - his group wiped. Go help Damodred"
"Er... What does he actually look like?..."
Switching off cosmetics/tranmogs/costumes etc silly.
Turn names on! lol. I tease, but ya.... I sometimes run old models on eq1 and it can be a tad confusing, but generally speaking i've not had any issues finding an ogre unless they use illusion item. I mean everyone on the TLP servers has a DE mask anyway so i just use names.
I get what you're saying, but in a raid the nameplates are a mess of overlayered text.
Either way, it's a definite negative of the cosmetics switch. I'd rather not have them at all than the weird confusion of people looking different to different people at different times.
disposalist said:kreed99 said:disposalist said:Except in your example chaos would still ensue as everyone is now unrecognisable even by their close guildmates.
Told to "Quick! Get to Balbo and help his group!"
"Right! I can't see him!"
"He's in the black chainmail! Go Go Go!"
"No that's his cosmetic look. What's his armor actually look like?"
"Nevermind - his group wiped. Go help Damodred"
"Er... What does he actually look like?..."
Switching off cosmetics/tranmogs/costumes etc silly.
Turn names on! lol. I tease, but ya.... I sometimes run old models on eq1 and it can be a tad confusing, but generally speaking i've not had any issues finding an ogre unless they use illusion item. I mean everyone on the TLP servers has a DE mask anyway so i just use names.
I get what you're saying, but in a raid the nameplates are a mess of overlayered text.
Either way, it's a definite negative of the cosmetics switch. I'd rather not have them at all than the weird confusion of people looking different to different people at different times.
Yea but you can still have other things to solve this problem other than forcing everyone to see appearance gear. A lot of games have it so you can mark players in a raid with a symbol over thier head. a star, !, skull, ect. It's only visible to those in the raid and no confusion on who you asre suposed to be looking for.
disposalist said:MauvaisOeil said:Transmog (or Xmog) is a term that was added in Wow during cataclysm era for the purpose of changing how you looked.
For you to know !
Thanks yeah I vaguely remember it in WoW. Was it permanent and per-item as I describe?
No it wasn't permanent. It was bound to the item but could be undone and required you to have the item in your bags/bank. Now the apparences are all stored and you can apply them from a menu even if you sold the item years before.
In GW2 the item skin system WAS (I think it changed now) made so you keep the appearance of one of the two items, and the stats of the others. That sucked bad TBH because you would allways waste some appearance in the process, and sometimes you ended having to choose between to items you liked..