Cosmetics and whatever happened to the Official Discussion thread feedback?

[Aelonwy]

Back in May of 2015, Severlin opened an Official Discussion thread about how we would like the appearance of existing items tweaked to make new or improved cosmetics/items. I've been thinking about that thread and some of the new appearances we've seen on armors, helms and shields in the past year and first off I'd like to send a big thank you to the art department that has been doing such a wonderful job. Secondly, though, I'd like to send some visual aids for my own feedback in that thread. For reference my first post on that thread was #33.


http://i.imgur.com/vn5d6YG.jpg

This is my take on the Desecrated Leathers. As you can see I removed the backpurse and yoga mat and replaced them with the belts and accesories from the Drow Hunter's Leather recolored black. I also recolored the swashbuckler hat to match.

I will add a few more images today and then more as I get time.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/DXpkAfo.jpg

This is a combination of the Cormyrian Green Dragon Armor and the leaf parts of Imbued Darkleaf Banded Armor. I'm sure DDO's art department can do a much better job, especially as I had to use a wiki image to start since I do not have any Cormyrian Green Dragon Armor. What I wanted to create here was a green-leafy armor that was pretty and feminine and something I would feel comfortable wearing as a female player. I have nothing against anyone wanting to wear the more salacious Cormyrian armor already available... I just wanted something similar but less revealing.

[sithhound]

Nice

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/DEgvImb.jpg

Alright so this should be available via random gen but I've been looking for years and have yet to acquire just this combination of under-robe and collar. So I started with the Aberrant Robe and recolored just the white collar to match the robe. The image of someone facing away in the marketplace was from a screenshot I took around 2010/2011, no recoloring needed.

Note to you, anonymous person in the market place, I have hired the entire Sharn Syndicate to hunt you down, steal your robe and leave you in a dark alley. Spare yourself the grief and hand over the robe now. ;P

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/ZdLNIWG.jpg

This is a recolored version of the Quicksilver Cassock. I saturated the belt and jacket to be more violet and less muted brownish-purple and I changed the yellow-orange to a periwinkle blue. It goes extremely well with the Totemic Lavalier.

Tomorrow I will post more as time permits.

[Aelonwy]

One of my favorite headpiece/crown items in the game.


http://i.imgur.com/rTlaigA.jpg

Rainbow Assortment, the blue one is the original item for anyone that doesn't have one. I would definitely purchase cosmetics of the violet and sea green, possibly the red one. I included orange and gold to be thorough and just because I don't care particularly for those colors doesn't mean they don't appeal to others.

[Saekee]

nice changes. Can you tweak Wraith skin? That should be one awesome-looking set of leathers, black and ghostly, not browny
http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wraith%27s_Skin

[Jeoffree]

Nice looks, please also consider hair dye for druid animal form :cool:

[Aelonwy]

nice changes. Can you tweak Wraith skin? That should be one awesome-looking set of leathers, black and ghostly, not browny
http://m.ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wraith%27s_Skin

I'll give it a try when I get the time. I wanted to complete the list of items I mentioned in my posts on the official discussions thread: Armor, Helms, and Weapons; What would you liked to see tweaked for new items?

[Aelonwy]

Alright this one doesn't look as good as I'd like for several reasons.


http://i.imgur.com/sAvSLH2.jpg

Two problems. One I had to work from a wiki image because my only monk is only level 12 right now and leveling her is slow because I'm discovering that no amount of tinkering with her build is going to make me enjoy the monk play-style. Oh well. The second problem is that I was attempting to reverse the lights and darks of the outfit by using solarize then recoloring from there. But solarize had already caused a glowy effect that was unintentional to the end product. So please assume that I intended for all the bits and pieces to look as if they fit together better (same saturation/more matte). I apologize for the rough quality but it should still get across the basic idea.

I'll try to add some more images over the next few days.

[Aelonwy]

This is my take on Bloodplate and the helm I would prefer with it a red glowing-eyed Undying Gaze.


http://i.imgur.com/1DanFGw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nbuR3mh.jpg

I made the red look abit more lavish, darkened the under armor to black and grey except for the bodice which I changed from a reddish brown to match the upper pieces. I already had this random skull helm so I tried to make it match as best as possible but really I would prefer Undying Gaze with a grey (rather than yellow) skull and red glowing eyes (versus green). I do not have an Undying Gaze so I altered a wiki image, this is why the two are separate.

[Aelonwy]

This is my version of the Shroud of the Abbott, I swiped some pieces from Bloodplate, altered the neck piece, darkened the colors and in general made it more sinister. I used a wiki image because I do not have a Shroud of the Abbott.


http://i.imgur.com/egH7TCN.jpg

[Aelonwy]

A greyed down darkened version of Wraithskin. It's a little bland to my tastes; I would like it better if it had some rogue gear on it like a bandoleer, knife sheaf, etc.


http://i.imgur.com/E90TvCn.jpg

[Saekee]

A greyed down darkened version of Wraithskin. It's a little bland to my tastes; I would like it better if it had some rogue gear on it like a bandoleer, knife sheaf, etc.


http://i.imgur.com/E90TvCn.jpg

Niiiiice!!!!! thank you! Devs take note

[Saekee]

This is my version of the Shroud of the Abbott, I swiped some pieces from Bloodplate, altered the neck piece, darkened the colors and in general made it more sinister. I used a wiki image because I do not have a Shroud of the Abbott.


http://i.imgur.com/egH7TCN.jpg
sweet--great changes.

This is my take on Bloodplate and the helm I would prefer with it a red glowing-eyed Undying Gaze.


http://i.imgur.com/1DanFGw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nbuR3mh.jpg

I made the red look abit more lavish, darkened the under armor to black and grey except for the bodice which I changed from a reddish brown to match the upper pieces. I already had this random skull helm so I tried to make it match as best as possible but really I would prefer Undying Gaze with a grey (rather than yellow) skull and red glowing eyes (versus green). I do not have an Undying Gaze so I altered a wiki image, this is why the two are separate.
Great stuff! Undying Gaze helmet style has been in lootgen for a while so the unique named item could use a buff

[Nonesuch2008]

So far, the Cormyrian Druid is my favorite redesign, although the Shroud of the Abbott is quite striking. I think you could do some quality consulting work for the design group any time.

In the interim, maybe Cordo should give you an honorary title, like Official DDO Fashionista.

[junior_w]

Such awesome redesigns. I loved the Cormyrian one.

[Aelonwy]

So far, the Cormyrian Druid is my favorite redesign, although the Shroud of the Abbott is quite striking. I think you could do some quality consulting work for the design group any time.

In the interim, maybe Cordo should give you an honorary title, like Official DDO Fashionista.

Well thank you for the compliment, I appreciate it. Now that Ravenloft is being talked about maybe the fiendish styles could fit in there. I still have 6 to 8 more ideas percolating and I'm thinking of re-posting my Xoriat themed idea here just so all of them are together.

[Aelonwy]

Such awesome redesigns. I loved the Cormyrian one.

Thank you.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/afvagHv.jpg

This is a combination of the Garments of Equilibrium and the Lesser whirlwind Armor (available only in the Test dojo of Lamania). I had to use a wiki image for the whirlwind upper pieces so they're a little blurry in comparison to the under armor. I adjusted the colors of both to look better together and settled on the dark blue versus a pale blue as being too washed out. If this were to become an actual item I think it would be cool if it came with a constant blur visual effect to indicate that its kindred with the wind. The actual Lesser Whirlwind armor has leg pieces but I couldn't reshape them to the legs on the outfit so gave them up as a lost cause even though it would have been nice to include them. It would also look better if I could have removed the golden tan breastpiece and arm guards but I have no way of re-creating whatever the cloth looks like underneath.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/fHnCEbl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uYhgf62.jpg

I'm just including these to keep the collection all together. For those that missed my previous thread on the Mimic event, the helm is a random helm I recolored and added eyeballs from the Four Eyes Goggles. The Armor is Gorgon Plate, liberally recolored to resemble the environment of Xoriat quests with added eyeballs. The beholder placed on the flaming arse design (already a part of the armor) was my hubby's idea and I think its quite appropriate for the existing design element. Oh and the separate helm (the top image) was inspired by Lightbear.

I should have something new up either later today or early tomorrow depending on how much free time my kids let me have. ;P

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/fHnCEbl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uYhgf62.jpg

I'm just including these to keep the collection all together. For those that missed my previous thread on the Mimic event, the helm is a random helm I recolored and added eyeballs from the Four Eyes Goggles. The Armor is Gorgon Plate, liberally recolored to resemble the environment of Xoriat quests with added eyeballs. The beholder placed on the flaming arse design (already a part of the armor) was my hubby's idea and I think its quite appropriate for the existing design element. Oh and the separate helm (the top image) was inspired by Lightbear.

I should have something new up either later today or early tomorrow depending on how much free time my kids let me have. ;P

awesome! so xoriat!

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/fV0ilLP.jpg

So I took the Plate Armor of the Deep and the tabard of the Breastplate of the Shining Sun, and combined them. Shining Sun is bronze and Plate of the Deep is silver but I wanted a sort of champagne gold like the detailing so that's what I ended with and I made the tabard also match the cloth insets of the Deep's accessories. Now these particular colors are special to me because champagne gold and periwinkle-violet were the colors I wore on my wedding day. So this particular variation is just what I would most like to see as a Renaissance style knight/paladin type armor. However, I will be adding some alternative colors and styles for various other factions later.


http://i.imgur.com/acIHW8D.jpg

Including one of my wedding photos, you can't really see the violet over dress because it was sheer. We were married at the Texas Renaissance Festival. When my hubby chooses to use the Forums he's Macubrae.

[Aelonwy]

Clearly a variation of the above armor. I'm naming it Champion of the Sovereign Host. I'm pretty sure there are shields in the game with a symbol of the Sovereign Host but not much in the way of armor, which is odd because I'm pretty sure most people with non-iconic cleric/paladin/fvs choose Sovereign Host over Silver Flame perhaps a few go with the racial deities. All I did was adjust the colors of the armor detail, and tabard and add a sovereign host symbol.


http://i.imgur.com/Z28YeXF.jpg

[Casareena]

One of my favorite headpiece/crown items in the game.


http://i.imgur.com/rTlaigA.jpg

Rainbow Assortment, the blue one is the original item for anyone that doesn't have one. I would definitely purchase cosmetics of the violet and sea green, possibly the red one. I included orange and gold to be thorough and just because I don't care particularly for those colors doesn't mean they don't appeal to others.

Can the dev's take note of these please :D

[Aelonwy]

Saekee and a couple of others have requested a version of Ethereal Dragon Armor. There were two versions of ethereal dragons, the white ghostly one from Cannith Challenges and the more fiery-pink one of Mabar. I tried both and decided to go with the pink in order to differentiate from typical white dragon armor. I turned up saturation to get a little rainbow opalescent effects going, altered the hue and made several copies with various opacity and layered it all over a screen shot of the alt in her underwear. Hope it appeals to some.


http://i.imgur.com/Falw2gi.jpg

[Aelonwy]

Alright, for starters I have no idea what this was originally. Since I couldn't find an image of it anywhere on wiki I'm thinking it might be one of the old cosmetic armor kits that NEVER got transferred into the new BTA glamored armor cosmetics. Why they haven't made more effort to do this, IDK, seems like they're leaving money on the table to me. There must be some more hungry interns out in the world, scoop some up and put them on cosmetics.

What I did was snap a screenshot of someone in the harbor (image on the right) and alter it to colors I like (image on the left), which I noticed after the fact ended up looking sort of patriotic. I could also have made the corset black or blue and given it a more basic look. My idea though was to make something far more appealing to me on a female character than the Swashbuckling Outfit in the DDO Store. Although it looks good on male characters it ends up looking tacky on female characters mostly because the blouse is dingy and has ridiculous circus-like sleeves. The nicest thing about the store-bought cosmetic is the unique corset which though quite pretty doesn't look as appropriate to swashbuckling as this one. I also altered the colors of the swashbuckler hat to match. I will always point out that the bandanna MUST match the feathers.

So here it is a real Swashbuckling Outfit:

http://i.imgur.com/BSfNt1W.jpg

And to whomever I took this screenshot of - thanks for standing still. ;)

[Saekee]

Saekee and a couple of others have requested a version of Ethereal Dragon Armor. There were two versions of ethereal dragons, the white ghostly one from Cannith Challenges and the more fiery-pink one of Mabar. I tried both and decided to go with the pink in order to differentiate from typical white dragon armor. I turned up saturation to get a little rainbow opalescent effects going, altered the hue and made several copies with various opacity and layered it all over a screen shot of the alt in her underwear. Hope it appeals to some.


http://i.imgur.com/Falw2gi.jpg

Wow! That is gorgeous! Nice interpretation of the scales and the eye is a great touch

[Aelonwy]

Wow! That is gorgeous! Nice interpretation of the scales and the eye is a great touch

Thank you. I wished the opalescence/rainbow effect was more visible in the jpeg. You can really only see it on the boots and a little on the shoulder but in the paintshop program it seemed more prevalent/apparent. I didn't change the eye much at all, I just incised the inner iris to allow more pink from one of the color-altered layers to show through. Again, inside the art program the transparency of the various pieces looked more obvious than the final jpeg product. Does it communicate ethereal well?

[JOTMON]

Hair Dye used to color cosmetics.. or color customize existing armor ..
apparently current armors are not designed to be color changed.. but doesn't mean future ones cant be.. and customizable cosmetics couldn't be...

Break down the cosmetic to 3 area's . could even use a cosmetic template based on the LGS greenbox (replace T1,T2,T3 with base, Trim, Accents)...
Insert the cosmetic design to change the look.. Drag hair dye (or alternative colouring dye) into the appropriate icon spot to change the colour for desired area.

These are the other area's of the game encompassing pay systems I would expect to see in any MMO games.
I am actually pretty surprised to see Turbine has not invested more heavily into this aspect of the game, Player Vanities and storage are aspects that game players will pay for over and above content.
More revenue for the game gives more opportunities to expand content and add more interesting things to the overall game..as long as we keep feeding it, it has the opportunity to grow.

Opens up lots of looks for the game.. want Dark Black Armor with Gold Trim and Red accents.. customize it..
or change that red to pink. green.. whatever... something that is quick and easy on the fly.. apply hair dye (or equivalent alternative)

http://i.imgur.com/lQzJ7X1.jpg


talked about in this thread..
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/475111-Cosmetic-Armor-Colour-Change

[Aelonwy]

Hair Dye used to color cosmetics.. or color customize existing armor ..
apparently current armors are not designed to be color changed.. but doesn't mean future ones cant be.. and customizable cosmetics couldn't be...

Break down the cosmetic to 3 area's . could even use a cosmetic template based on the LGS greenbox (replace T1,T2,T3 with base, Trim, Accents)...
Insert the cosmetic design to change the look.. Drag hair dye (or alternative colouring dye) into the appropriate icon spot to change the colour for desired area.

These are the other area's of the game encompassing pay systems I would expect to see in any MMO games.
I am actually pretty surprised to see Turbine has not invested more heavily into this aspect of the game, Player Vanities and storage are aspects that game players will pay for over and above content.
More revenue for the game gives more opportunities to expand content and add more interesting things to the overall game..as long as we keep feeding it, it has the opportunity to grow.

Opens up lots of looks for the game.. want Dark Black Armor with Gold Trim and Red accents.. customize it..
or change that red to pink. green.. whatever... something that is quick and easy on the fly.. apply hair dye (or equivalent alternative)

http://www.epictoon.com/the-files-for-the-blog-123098/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/black-plate.jpg


talked about in this thread..
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/475111-Cosmetic-Armor-Colour-Change


I would luv the above, I really would, but failing them re-inventing armor throughout the game I would accept targeted cosmetic armors with multiple choice colors. ;)

[Aelonwy]

The Illusionist Garb was I think a missed opportunity. Its a unique and beautiful design, reminds me a little of the Elocator's Habiliament from the shoulder pads and quilted skirt. However, I find the original colors distasteful, those being a mixture of yellows, oranges, and burnt umber. I've recolored this version with reds, violets, royal-violet, and some rose. I think it would look better without the shoulder pads and strapping. I'm working on a sea green, teal and coral version as well. From just a random sampling of hue/saturation adjustments this particular item has endless possibilities of pleasant color combinations.


http://i.imgur.com/EkVciB0.jpg

[Aelonwy]

So here it is in Seagreen, teal, coral, and peach. If I do anymore of this item it might just be some front-wise images with the colors adjusted for every 25-30 degrees or so. I actually had to do some airbrushing of this version because the trim on the bottom just wouldn't alter to the exact shade I wanted, it was just too muddy to adjust to a clean hue.


http://i.imgur.com/j9cLCTI.jpg

I still think it would look best without the shoulder pads, chest accessory and strapping.

[Aelonwy]

Okay so here's the last on the Illusionist's Garb. The first one is hue adjustment -50 degrees from the seagreen, the second is +25 degrees, and the last is +160 degrees. Other than resizing the image and making the hue adjustments no other tweaking was necessary.


http://i.imgur.com/UlQtMkG.jpg

This robe might look nice with the shoulder pads of padded armor, or the collar and accessories of the Aberrant robe, but it has such nice details on the back that I think it would look best without anything at all.

[Saekee]

Thank you. I wished the opalescence/rainbow effect was more visible in the jpeg. You can really only see it on the boots and a little on the shoulder but in the paintshop program it seemed more prevalent/apparent. I didn't change the eye much at all, I just incised the inner iris to allow more pink from one of the color-altered layers to show through. Again, inside the art program the transparency of the various pieces looked more obvious than the final jpeg product. Does it communicate ethereal well?
Nice illusionist garb! I agree though--sans shoulder pads. But I like their practical appeal.
As for the ethereal--I think it does in the sense of being a moving, shifting set/layers of curves and colors.

[Rys]

One of my favorite headpiece/crown items in the game.


http://i.imgur.com/rTlaigA.jpg

Rainbow Assortment, the blue one is the original item for anyone that doesn't have one. I would definitely purchase cosmetics of the violet and sea green, possibly the red one. I included orange and gold to be thorough and just because I don't care particularly for those colors doesn't mean they don't appeal to others.

These are so pretty D:

[Gauthaag]

Okay so here's the last on the Illusionist's Garb. The first one is hue adjustment -50 degrees from the seagreen, the second is +25 degrees, and the last is +160 degrees. Other than resizing the image and making the hue adjustments no other tweaking was necessary.


http://i.imgur.com/UlQtMkG.jpg

This robe might look nice with the shoulder pads of padded armor, or the collar and accessories of the Aberrant robe, but it has such nice details on the back that I think it would look best without anything at all.

heh, the back of this robe is really cool, but looks really weird on male characters:) at least i never saw wizard wearing robe with open back:)

[Aelonwy]

Nice illusionist garb! I agree though--sans shoulder pads. But I like their practical appeal.
As for the ethereal--I think it does in the sense of being a moving, shifting set/layers of curves and colors.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you can tell that its sheer in places; its just not as obvious in the jpg as the psp I'm not sure why. Anyone have any other male armor they might like changed? There's only a few more items I can think to add for myself at this time.

[Aelonwy]

These are so pretty D:

Thank you. I'm sure they could make some profit with various colored Totemic Lavalier cosmetics, and it couldn't possibly take that many man hours to do it.


heh, the back of this robe is really cool, but looks really weird on male characters:) at least i never saw wizard wearing robe with open back:)

Hmmm. I can't recall seeing this on a male character as all my alts are female and my hubby doesn't play casters. Maybe I'll toss the padded armor shoulders and the Aberrant collar on a couple to give an idea of how they would appear.

[RistoffDervish]

These are great! Nice use of color.

[Aelonwy]

I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to do anything more with the Illusionist's Garb but my OCD kicked in so I had to arrange it with the standard (and prettiest) mage collar and also with the padded armor collar and pauldrons. Now this is a little rough because I cannot remove the shoulder pieces and strappings from the image so I just placed the new accessories approximately over the original to give an idea of how it would appear.


http://i.imgur.com/eokfWVn.jpg

Left is my red and violet version with the standard mage collar in dark purple, and right is the seagreen and coral version with the padded armor collar and pauldrons. Both could look quite nice, I think the standard mage collar is more feminine than the padded armor pieces, but either could solve any open-back issues for male mages in robes, assuming of course that a male would wish to wear such colors in the first place. I'm thinking a male svirfneblin with blue or green hair might look very striking in such an ensemble. ;)

[scipiojedi]

I know, I know, I said I wasn't going to do anything more with the Illusionist's Garb but my OCD kicked in so I had to arrange it with the standard (and prettiest) mage collar and also with the padded armor collar and pauldrons. Now this is a little rough because I cannot remove the shoulder pieces and strappings from the image so I just placed the new accessories approximately over the original to give an idea of how it would appear.


http://i.imgur.com/eokfWVn.jpg

Left is my red and violet version with the standard mage collar in dark purple, and right is the seagreen and coral version with the padded armor collar and pauldrons. Both could look quite nice, I think the standard mage collar is more feminine than the padded armor pieces, but either could solve any open-back issues for male mages in robes, assuming of course that a male would wish to wear such colors in the first place. I'm thinking a male svirfneblin with blue or green hair might look very striking in such an ensemble. ;)

These are incredible! I want this RIGHT NOW! Devs make it so. Take my money I want to play dress up!

[Aelonwy]

I haven't had as much free time recently but this has been percolating in my brain for awhile so here goes - Cloth of the Faithful: Reimagined


http://i.imgur.com/vk3d8fA.jpg

From left to right: Leftmost is the original, next a cleaned up less dingy, less rusty version, next a Sovereign Host style, followed by a Teal scale armored variation, succeeded by royal violet dragonscale version, and ending with a purple variation with a dark violet and copper bodice. I tried but couldn't quite get the chain to have a gold sheen which might have looked better with the Sovereign Host style and the dark violet and copper bodice one. But I figure I'm doing this thread mostly for myself and possibly if they are looking to give the art devs some ideas, so perfection isn't necessary no matter how much my OCD screams at me.

[Aelonwy]

Alright these are not cosmetic equipment but new hair dyes I've been asking for, for years. But I think some pictures of exactly what I want might help.

So this first one is an example of hair colors that are already in game:


http://i.imgur.com/rBi1Mpl.jpg

From left to right we have Thunder Seafoam (or very close to it, available for free on elves), then we have a dark green available on humans, then we have a dark blue-green available on elves... its the darkest selection in the same column as the seafoam on the appearance screen of the character creation process. I would like to purchase this color for other races as an exclusive hair dye call it King's Forest Green, or Druid's Deep Green or whatever. To be clear, its the hair color on the far right that I would like to have available to other races.


However this second one has been altered some:


http://i.imgur.com/wsl1sSY.jpg

So what I've done here is alter one hair color two ways, the center image is the original... its a hair dye called Slate (its my favorite) because its the closest to my favorite color. On the left Slate's saturation has been turned up by 15 degrees and lightened by 35 degrees. I would call this color Dreaming Dark Sky. On the far right Slate has again had the saturation turned up 15 degrees but nothing else, it is neither lighter nor darker than the original. This color I would call Underdark Violet. I would buy at least 3 of each of these dyes right away and probably end up purchasing more as I go through TRs.

Later I will add a blue variety I would like to see in game.

[noneill]

This one is really cool.

Clearly a variation of the above armor. I'm naming it Champion of the Sovereign Host. I'm pretty sure there are shields in the game with a symbol of the Sovereign Host but not much in the way of armor, which is odd because I'm pretty sure most people with non-iconic cleric/paladin/fvs choose Sovereign Host over Silver Flame perhaps a few go with the racial deities. All I did was adjust the colors of the armor detail, and tabard and add a sovereign host symbol.


http://i.imgur.com/Z28YeXF.jpg

[Aelonwy]

This one is really cool.

Thank you. I remember the first time I got Tourney Armor and was thoroughly disappointed it didn't look more like medieval tourney armor. Also greatly discouraged by anything labeled Gleaming or Shining in game.

[Aelonwy]

So this is my take on a pastel version of Royal Blue (the only blue hair dye I like). I would consider this Periwinkle Blue. Yes there are already 4 blues available from the store, none in game, they are Cerulean, Midnight, Sky and Royal. All but royal lean a little to the green, not that they are green just tinted less like true blues such as Royal. So I felt one more in that tone but pastel would be nice.


http://i.imgur.com/RTRZfHV.jpg

[HAL]

http://i.imgur.com/afvagHv.jpg

This is a combination of the Garments of Equilibrium and the Lesser whirlwind Armor (available only in the Test dojo of Lamania). I had to use a wiki image for the whirlwind upper pieces so they're a little blurry in comparison to the under armor. I adjusted the colors of both to look better together and settled on the dark blue versus a pale blue as being too washed out. If this were to become an actual item I think it would be cool if it came with a constant blur visual effect to indicate that its kindred with the wind. The actual Lesser Whirlwind armor has leg pieces but I couldn't reshape them to the legs on the outfit so gave them up as a lost cause even though it would have been nice to include them. It would also look better if I could have removed the golden tan breastpiece and arm guards but I have no way of re-creating whatever the cloth looks like underneath.

VERY nice - I would love to have this. Nice ideas in general in this thread (hint Turbine...).

[auntjobiska]

Saekee and a couple of others have requested a version of Ethereal Dragon Armor. There were two versions of ethereal dragons, the white ghostly one from Cannith Challenges and the more fiery-pink one of Mabar. I tried both and decided to go with the pink in order to differentiate from typical white dragon armor. I turned up saturation to get a little rainbow opalescent effects going, altered the hue and made several copies with various opacity and layered it all over a screen shot of the alt in her underwear. Hope it appeals to some.


http://i.imgur.com/Falw2gi.jpg

I would really, really, really love this one. And the Cormyrian Green Dragon armour. Great Work!

AJ

[Aelonwy]

Wow this took a lot more effort than I thought it would. I took the channel I'd made from the previous file and tried filling it with a rainbow gradient tool and transparently layering that over "white" hair to make rainbow hair and it looked awful. Amateurish and awful - like clown wig awful. So I tried a couple different directions and finally decided that just wasn't going to look right. So then I made about a dozen different layers of hair, one for every 25 degrees of color difference or so and incised each layer to show the next layer. I really don't know what sort of programs and tools the devs use but this might be too ambitious for every hairstyle in-game. However, something like this should be available as a unique style for Aasimar.


http://i.imgur.com/RhNOjUj.jpg

If they could make it available for every hairstyle I'd be buying them though.

[Aelonwy]

VERY nice - I would love to have this. Nice ideas in general in this thread (hint Turbine...).

Thanks!


I would really, really, really love this one. And the Cormyrian Green Dragon armour. Great Work!

AJ

Thanks!

If you have any ideas about something in-game you'd like to see tweaked just send me message and I'll take a look.

[Amundir]

I have to say, this is one of the very few times that I've read a thread on this board and in its entirety thought, "Man, Turbine, hire this person."

[Aelonwy]

I have to say, this is one of the very few times that I've read a thread on this board and in its entirety thought, "Man, Turbine, hire this person."

Well, thank you, that's incredibly flattering. I'd have to say that would be one hellish commute from Texas to Boston. ;)

[Saekee]

Wow this took a lot more effort than I thought it would. I took the channel I'd made from the previous file and tried filling it with a rainbow gradient tool and transparently layering that over "white" hair to make rainbow hair and it looked awful. Amateurish and awful - like clown wig awful. So I tried a couple different directions and finally decided that just wasn't going to look right. So then I made about a dozen different layers of hair, one for every 25 degrees of color difference or so and incised each layer to show the next layer. I really don't know what sort of programs and tools the devs use but this might be too ambitious for every hairstyle in-game. However, something like this should be available as a unique style for Aasimar.


http://i.imgur.com/RhNOjUj.jpg

If they could make it available for every hairstyle I'd be buying them though.

wow!

[Saekee]

I have to say, this is one of the very few times that I've read a thread on this board and in its entirety thought, "Man, Turbine, hire this person."

/signed
telecommute from TX

[Sunnie]

Bring back the Red Crest Outfit With Saffron Garb minus the Saffron Garb. I've seen it in the wiki, it used to be an armor kit. If you use invisibility the Saffron Garb become see through, so I know the old textures are still there.

normal version
http://i.imgur.com/CmJGjpi.jpg

see-through
http://i.imgur.com/ZYlCgyy.jpg


I tried using the button for [img] tags, and it gave me an error when I tried to link it to imgur, and then it uploaded an image somewhere and god knows where it went. Manually typing the [img] tags works fine however and adds the images to the post but they're pretty big and this forum has no spoilers so you get links instead. Anyway... BRING BACK ALL THE OLD ARMOR KITS AS COSMETIC GEAR. Thank you.

[Aelonwy]

Bring back the Red Crest Outfit With Saffron Garb minus the Saffron Garb. I've seen it in the wiki, it used to be an armor kit. If you use invisibility the Saffron Garb become see through, so I know the old textures are still there.

normal version
http://i.imgur.com/CmJGjpi.jpg

see-through
http://i.imgur.com/ZYlCgyy.jpg


I tried using the button for [img] tags, and it gave me an error when I tried to link it to imgur, and then it uploaded an image somewhere and god knows where it went. Manually typing the [img] tags works fine however and adds the images to the post but they're pretty big and this forum has no spoilers so you get links instead. Anyway... BRING BACK ALL THE OLD ARMOR KITS AS COSMETIC GEAR. Thank you.

I've been asking for years for them to convert the old Bound-to-item cosmetic kits into the new BTA glamored items. I finally got an answer on the most recent of Draculetta's DDO Players podcast. Essentially, they don't think there is enough profit to be made from converting them because apparently it takes more time/effort to do so then we think.

Regrettably, when they made choices for the original conversion I'm guessing they chose only the best sellers or the items that had the best price point for potential profit which excluded a lot of the more colorful items and most of the newest (at the time) cosmetic kits. I don't think they took into account the number of people that refused to purchase them at all because at the time they were basically one use items that cost more than some adventure packs. Had they been BTA from the start, I think their statistics and sales would have shown completely different results. I myself mostly bought the lowest cost Pale Lavender and Tan and only used them on already BTA items because of this issue.

All we can do is lobby for the return of these cosmetics. I think we'd have more luck though if we had pictures of the specific ones we'd like returned and got enough support from fellow players to show that there is interest and potential profit in doing so. Unfortunately, I don't have many pictures of the ones I'd like returned and because not enough people bought them when they were Bound-to-Item there aren't many players running around today with those cosmetics of whom to take screenshots.

The best idea I can come up with would be for Cordovan (or some other Turbine person) to take some screen shots of the various cosmetics no longer available and set up a poll where we could vote on what we most want to return. Then they could (maybe) convert the top 5 and if we purchase enough they might see that there is profit in converting more eventually.

Or they could use the art assets from those old cosmetics on new armors and make profit from mirrors.

[Aelonwy]

I've been thinking of this one for some time now. I scoured my screenshots and with a combination of Undermine and Into the Deep came up with this item. I altered an iron defender as well because I get an extra thrill when a collar (Thrall of the Fire Temple) or a docent (Shadowscale Docent) affects the arty pet with unique visuals. The base docent I used was a random gen, grey stone plate looking item, but something like Stone Exoskeleton could have been used just as well. My warforged has no body feats so composite plating.


http://i.imgur.com/txo4hBR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cPwmzEV.jpg

Certainly there could be color variations of this docent, after all there are violet and green dragonshards, the darker violet crystals in Menechtarun, yellow siberys shards. But these icy blue crystals were the only good screenshots I had and I think as a concept it comes across well.

[Aelonwy]

Real simple, and inspired by sithhound, a Xoriat Orb:


http://i.imgur.com/7CbLYyd.jpg

[Aelonwy]

On the subject of orbs... now these took a lot of time because I was trying hard to mimic the special weapon visual effects in game on orbs which don't have special effects (but should) and of course there's the issues of background and the issues of some weapon visuals not really showing up very well, etc. etc.

From upper left to lower right we have: Sonic, Electric, Flames, Frost, Acid (not much to see really), Holy, Force, Chaos (original), Enhanced Chaos (cosmetic weapon effect), Evil.


http://i.imgur.com/LvkTl1u.jpg

And some further ideas for future named orbs... the D20 (because why the heck not?), the Dragon's Eye (not just some piddly psuedo-dragon trinket), Eladrin's Blessing, and the King's Ransom.


http://i.imgur.com/YTKFqh2.jpg

I will also make this post Taanus' Suggestion's Thread that got me thinking about orbs.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/ZQ9QfYy.jpg

From upper left to lower right: A cog/mechanical type orb, the image is a combination of elements from a cosmetic docent and the battlecoin trinket. An orb of flowers, from a screenshot in Eveningstar. Purple dragonshards from the back of a kobold and a Portable Hole from the examination window. If the Portable Hole ever makes it in, it absolutely must have some unique guard type effect like enemies getting sucked in or something, because that would be fun.

I'm thinking of making one from an image of Shar's symbol however I need a better screenshot but then I think I'm done with orbs for the time being.
Again I will re-post this to the Cosmetic Orbs thread that belongs to Taanus.

[Aelonwy]

After I finish up my last orb images I'm pondering altering some character creation shots to illustrate my thoughts on what Aasimar and Tiefling would look like to me. I also have a collection of Town NPC images that I would like their fashions or variations thereof and I've been thinking about putting together a collage-like image of those. Also have some old, old images of some of the old cosmetics that have yet to be converted that I could post as a wish list. A few could use some tiny tweaks to make them more appealing or some re-combinations to make new and interesting. I have a few ideas on cosmetic pets that I would like personally but I am less sure how to go about using in-game images to create them. Oh and an image from the 10th Anniversary party with a hairstyle that I can't seem to find on any race or in the store. Hubby and I haven't played slave lords enough to acquire the Slave Rags but once we do I have some ideas for tweaking that in combination with other armors.

Anyone have any preference on what they would like to see first? Any other ideas for cosmetics? I tried combining bits of the Reaper cosmetic with a docent but even halforc/pdk body frame warps the graphic so it doesn't fit warforged frame right. I did try though, and I'm sorry I couldn't make a reasonable approximation. I really do hope they fix that for next year.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/cRUaBzc.jpg

These are the last ideas I have for orbs currently. Again from upper left to lower right: A crystalline orb made from the same substance as the crystalline scepter. An iridescent, rainbow orb created from a Wondrous Heavy Mace. An orb from the symbol of Shar and a sunny golden orb the best I could do from scratch because the visual effect for solar/coruscating is rather underwhelming in a static image.

Once again I'll post this to the suggestions thread but I'm done with orbs for the time being so any future cosmetics or visual ideas will remain in this thread.

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/cRUaBzc.jpg

These are the last ideas I have for orbs currently. Again from upper left to lower right: A crystalline orb made from the same substance as the crystalline scepter. An iridescent, rainbow orb created from a Wondrous Heavy Mace. An orb from the symbol of Shar and a sunny golden orb the best I could do from scratch because the visual effect for solar/coruscating is rather underwhelming in a static image.

Once again I'll post this to the suggestions thread but I'm done with orbs for the time being so any future cosmetics or visual ideas will remain in this thread.
"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Aelonwy again."

[Aelonwy]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Aelonwy again."




Even virtual appreciation is nice. Thank you.

[Saekee]

On the subject of orbs... now these took a lot of time because I was trying hard to mimic the special weapon visual effects in game on orbs which don't have special effects (but should) and of course there's the issues of background and the issues of some weapon visuals not really showing up very well, etc. etc.

From upper left to lower right we have: Sonic, Electric, Flames, Frost, Acid (not much to see really), Holy, Force, Chaos (original), Enhanced Chaos (cosmetic weapon effect), Evil.


http://i.imgur.com/LvkTl1u.jpg

And some further ideas for future named orbs... the D20 (because why the heck not?), the Dragon's Eye (not just some piddly psuedo-dragon trinket), Eladrin's Blessing, and the King's Ransom.


http://i.imgur.com/YTKFqh2.jpg

I will also make this post Taanus' Suggestion's Thread that got me thinking about orbs.
I feel like a rez shrine would be a cool orb but can't justify the lore

[Aelonwy]

I feel like a rez shrine would be a cool orb but can't justify the lore

Yeah the only lore I can think of for that would be someone stole the toilet paper roll from the upstairs restroom in Party Crashers. And really?! what would be the enchantments on such an orb?
+1 Tushy Comfort? I'm going to stop here because I have an eclectic sense of humor. ;P

[Saekee]

Yeah the only lore I can think of for that would be someone stole the toilet paper roll from the upstairs restroom in Party Crashers. And really?! what would be the enchantments on such an orb?
+1 Tushy Comfort? I'm going to stop here because I have an eclectic sense of humor. ;P

It is also as such in the Rushmore Mansion challenge. But I think of it as a rez/healing shrine, which could make it meaningful to divines. So something with devotion, endless faith, endless turning, etc. I don't play divines so that is my best guess. The tushy comfort could be a 'hidden effect.'

[Nonesuch2008]

After I finish up my last orb images I'm pondering altering some character creation shots to illustrate my thoughts on what Aasimar and Tiefling would look like to me. I also have a collection of Town NPC images that I would like their fashions or variations thereof and I've been thinking about putting together a collage-like image of those. Also have some old, old images of some of the old cosmetics that have yet to be converted that I could post as a wish list. A few could use some tiny tweaks to make them more appealing or some re-combinations to make new and interesting. I have a few ideas on cosmetic pets that I would like personally but I am less sure how to go about using in-game images to create them. Oh and an image from the 10th Anniversary party with a hairstyle that I can't seem to find on any race or in the store. Hubby and I haven't played slave lords enough to acquire the Slave Rags but once we do I have some ideas for tweaking that in combination with other armors.

Anyone have any preference on what they would like to see first? Any other ideas for cosmetics? I tried combining bits of the Reaper cosmetic with a docent but even halforc/pdk body frame warps the graphic so it doesn't fit warforged frame right. I did try though, and I'm sorry I couldn't make a reasonable approximation. I really do hope they fix that for next year.

There were several comments from folks during Revels that wished for a WF cosmetic as nice as the new armor kit, so there is likely some room to grow in that department. To me, there are gaps between everyday docents, midrange docents like the Templar's & the high end looks. I don't think I've seen a WF skin look anything close to looking like something out of the pages of graphic novel, but I bet there is a market for it.

I like the idea of having some of these cosmetic options in the game as a source of revenue for Turbine & you've given them *a lot* of good material to work with.

[Aelonwy]

I like the idea of having some of these cosmetic options in the game as a source of revenue for Turbine & you've given them *a lot* of good material to work with.

Well that's only true if any of them are even aware of the thread. I hope there are some dev/art dept lurkers here but who knows? I can see that lots of people have looked at my ideas but very few leave a comment so I don't even know if more ppl would like something better if it were red versus blue. I'm going to keep illustrating my ideas though, until the well runs dry.

[Aelonwy]

Due to a recent conversation in-game (and a newly met acquaintance) and an even more recent purchase I now not only know what the cosmetic on the right of the image below is... I now have my very own set of said cosmetic.


This is the Traveler's Outfit from the Traveler's Terrific Trunk. (Image on Right)
http://i.imgur.com/BSfNt1W.jpg

Now that I own one myself, I can alter it with more finesse and better screenshots. But now I have a new question. The cosmetic is unbound, does that mean it will take permanent damage and could eventually be destroyed? Is that why its called Limited in the Trunk's description in the DDO Store? I surely hope not. It doesn't appear to have any hardness or durability so I'm hoping that means its immune to damage. They ought to add a screenshot of the cosmetic to the Trunk in the store, or someone at least should add an image to wiki.

[Aelonwy]

So here is my bard wearing the Traveler's Outfit on the left and my new acquaintance wearing it on the right (in the tavern outside Wheloon). This image is unaltered.


http://i.imgur.com/pwVEtOT.jpg

Right away I have to say devs I'm feeling a gender bias when it comes to these cosmetics. Anyone else notice that the guys get a snowy white clean shirt and us girls get a dingy, yellowed blouse that could use some bleach? Its a similar situation with the Swashbuckling Outfit cosmetic from the DDO Store - guys get a lovely clean poet blouse in their swashbuckling outfit and girls get a dirty-looking shirt with ugly clownish sleeves.

Anyways, now that I can manipulate the screenshot of my own character I made this image below with a combination of the Traveler's Outfit and the belt off the waist of some chainmail.


http://i.imgur.com/5dj6Uj3.jpg

So what I did was clean the girls blouse first of all so its as snowy white as the guy's. Figures I would end up doing laundry. ;) I darkened and increased the saturation on the corset to make it a lovely crimson. I recolored the pants and bracers to make them all leather brown and changed the medallion from gold to copper. The last bit was just a personal preference since the original was such a vibrant yellow it was clashing with my bard's violet skin. With the addition of the skirt-like belt, the outfit comes away as a saucy pirate wench. If I could I would remove the backpack and bedroll but since I can't see what is underneath I would have to draw it from scratch.

[cdbd3rd]

http://i.imgur.com/pwVEtOT.jpg



http://i.imgur.com/5dj6Uj3.jpg

.

THAT is some nice work. Your touched-up version looks much cleaner (no pun intended) and more detailed.

Art department take notice.

(Gotta spread myself around a bit more yet.)

[Hipparan]

There are some nice cosmetic ideas in this thread. I would love to see some armors and more shields for the various Houses. For example, House Phiarlan armor or a House Kundarak shield. I'd really like to see some House Deneith armor and shields. Maybe some Stormreach Guard armor as well to go with the Marketplace shields and Harbor shields in the DDO store.

[Saekee]

So here is my bard wearing the Traveler's Outfit on the left and my new acquaintance wearing it on the right (in the tavern outside Wheloon). This image is unaltered.


http://i.imgur.com/pwVEtOT.jpg

Right away I have to say devs I'm feeling a gender bias when it comes to these cosmetics. Anyone else notice that the guys get a snowy white clean shirt and us girls get a dingy, yellowed blouse that could use some bleach? Its a similar situation with the Swashbuckling Outfit cosmetic from the DDO Store - guys get a lovely clean poet blouse in their swashbuckling outfit and girls get a dirty-looking shirt with ugly clownish sleeves.

Anyways, now that I can manipulate the screenshot of my own character I made this image below with a combination of the Traveler's Outfit and the belt off the waist of some chainmail.


http://i.imgur.com/5dj6Uj3.jpg

So what I did was clean the girls blouse first of all so its as snowy white as the guy's. Figures I would end up doing laundry. ;) I darkened and increased the saturation on the corset to make it a lovely crimson. I recolored the pants and bracers to make them all leather brown and changed the medallion from gold to copper. The last bit was just a personal preference since the original was such a vibrant yellow it was clashing with my bard's violet skin. With the addition of the skirt-like belt, the outfit comes away as a saucy pirate wench. If I could I would remove the backpack and bedroll but since I can't see what is underneath I would have to draw it from scratch.
classy improvement!

[FuryFlash]

All I can say is, every time I come to this thread, I'm equally impressed. So many of these could and should be actual in-game cosmetics. Good work - someone get some Turbine people in here. :)

[Aelonwy]

THAT is some nice work. Your touched-up version looks much cleaner (no pun intended) and more detailed.

Art department take notice.

(Gotta spread myself around a bit more yet.)

Thank you.


There are some nice cosmetic ideas in this thread. I would love to see some armors and more shields for the various Houses. For example, House Phiarlan armor or a House Kundarak shield. I'd really like to see some House Deneith armor and shields. Maybe some Stormreach Guard armor as well to go with the Marketplace shields and Harbor shields in the DDO store.

Thank you. I've taken some screenshots of town NPCs including some House Phiarlan fashions I'd like but I've never seen anything House K that appeals to me. Maybe because I loathe the color orange.


classy improvement!

Thank you.


All I can say is, every time I come to this thread, I'm equally impressed. So many of these could and should be actual in-game cosmetics. Good work - someone get some Turbine people in here. :)

Thank you. It makes me happy that others like some of my ideas. I tell you if even half of these came to the store I'd be buying them for my characters. I hope at least someone in the art department sees the Totemic Lavalier... that has got to be the easiest to change.

[Aelonwy]

So devs can I get the address of the NPC seamstress? tailor? The clothier? The Sewers and Dyers Guild? I've got some custom work for them. Alright so I've been threatening... I mean promising to do this for awhile, so here they are - collages of NPC fashions I would like my characters to wear.


NPC Fashions 1: Diva Archery


http://i.imgur.com/mdan05S.jpg


From left to right we have Caen Morne (Harbor Ranger Trainer), Tulip the Quip, Iaxx'nol Varrax (House Deneith Ranger Trainer) and Jackson Laws (Open Palm Inn). I have a few details to point out but let me start with this - Devs if you put a ranger cosmetic in the store with a quiver on the back and I don't care if there's some minor clipping issues it WILL be BOUGHT. So the first one on the left I've wanted since I joined the game, it has an almost Xena-like appearance, I want it just as is and I would also purchase the more armored red version beside it. The final two come in green + tan and red + tan apparently except the tan part is switched between them. The loveliest portion of this fashion is the delicate art nouveau swirls on the shoulders that just happen to match the quiver. I would love to see a female version of this outfit and possibly a dark blue + tan version. I will try to alter some screen shots to my preferences later.

[Aelonwy]

NPC Fashions 2: Rangers, Druids & Barbarians oh my...


http://i.imgur.com/5Qk6zFs.jpg

From left to right we have a good guy from the Wheloon Wilderness area, Alatra the Gatekeeper (Hall of Heroes Quest Giver), Birel the Black (Harbor Warlock Trainer), Belmont d'Cannith (House Cannith Quest Giver), and Mantakhan (House Jorasco Beetle Collector). The first one just looks to me like a decent ranger type outfit, especially if the coat is covered in patches of fur as it appears to be zoomed-in. The second and third I've admired since they first appeared in game. I'm not sure if they really qualify as druid/ranger style except the color combo of brown and forest green lean toward those inclinations. This design is so detailed with all the buttons, lacing, ties and straps it almost feels steampunk. The fourth item is clearly related to the second and third except its on a guy and has an extra layer of accessories. This makes me curious what the female variation would look like with this extra layer of accessories and also why the heck is this not available as a cosmetic already? I mean clearly an artist has put a lot of work into this piece and it has both male and female variations. The final item is very basic but who doesn't want to run around as a half-orc druid or barbarian clad only in rough furs with dangling fangs and claws? Or a mad little Talenta Halfling maybe.

[Aelonwy]

NPC Fashions 3: House Phiarlan Spies & Elven Stylists


http://i.imgur.com/EUDWJ0L.jpg

From left to right we have Kier d'Phiarlan (Twelve Quest Giver), Vigo Silverthumb (House Cannith Banker), Eriephaus d'Phiarlan, Serif d'Phiarlan and a Phiarlan Retainer all from House Phiarlan. I'm not usually this swayed by the color green but all of these outfits have nice little details that make them appealing from the swirl pattern in the fabric, to the embossed ivy that looks embroidered, to the very organic elven lines of the overall styles. What I like best about the final three images is definitely the embossed ivy... I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with these but I'd like to come up with something that uses the overall design of the first or second image with the ivy from the last images, maybe with a shoulder piece from something else.

Maybe if I can come up with something unique that still favors the overall look of each house I can post it to a suggestions thread for reaching top favor in the various Patrons.

[Aelonwy]

NPC Fashions 4: Fashion Styles of the Rich and not-so-famous


http://i.imgur.com/GCIku14.jpg

From left to right we have Lukas Pietre (Market Place Jewelry Broker), Kayla Skywhisper (House Phiarlan Collector), Kariya irVannis (House Cannith Token Giver), Serral Trevin (House Jorasco), Jovus Moonbeam (House Phiarlan) and Horus Maqueath (House Phiarlan).

I think with a few tweaks the first one could make the best bardic tunic for guys. Skywhisper's dress, is also featured on the Fatespinner and I've always wanted it... possibly because its violet or maybe because it has an Alphonse Mucha-like aesthetic. The third one has many nice details from the pattern on the fabric to the lacing and the pearls or beads on the waist piece but I'm not too keen on the shoulders, sleeves and leggings which make an other wise nice piece look a little too busy. Trevin's Robe now that is an interesting item. On the upper-left of his chest is a dragon or wyvern almost hidden in the metal pattern on what looks to be a robe made mostly of leather with decorative metal studs and embossing. He also has a dragon or possibly gargoyle belt buckle. Essentially, Trevin's Robe is a very masculine robe that I could actually see being worn to Renaissance fairs. Moonbeam on the other hand, well he's obviously been trading with the drow of Menechtarun, and if the robe's base fabric were a dark blue, violet or red I think it would be very appealing to players. The final one I include because its sort of available to players but it always has a blue blanket on top or other accessories hiding all the details and patterns of the base item.

[Aelonwy]

I'll return to NPC fashions later and my own take on them but now inspired by Saekee's Suggestions for new Risia Recipes thread, I have a holiday cosmetic.


http://i.imgur.com/0N2PpJw.jpg

I combined three different items to create this festive outfit. Rakshasa Hide, recolored to more resemble a Siberian Tiger, the Wilderness Cosmetic from the Legendary Shadowfell expansion pre-order made up the base armor and the boots off the Hardened Hide. Both the Wilderness cosmetic and the Hardened Hide boots were color adjusted to a Happy Holidays Red, and the belt from the Wilderness Cosmetic was tuned to a nice green for contrast. Hope everyone likes it.

[Saekee]

I'll return to NPC fashions later and my own take on them but now inspired by Saekee's Suggestions for new Risia Recipes thread, I have a holiday cosmetic.


http://i.imgur.com/0N2PpJw.jpg

I combined three different items to create this festive outfit. Rakshasa Hide, recolored to more resemble a Siberian Tiger, the Wilderness Cosmetic from the Legendary Shadowfell expansion pre-order made up the base armor and the boots off the Hardened Hide. Both the Wilderness cosmetic and the Hardened Hide boots were color adjusted to a Happy Holidays Red, and the belt from the Wilderness Cosmetic was tuned to a nice green for contrast. Hope everyone likes it.
The red & green make great contrasting hues while having the same timber--the white is brilliant--festive but not overtly so, hence good for year round too!

[Aelonwy]

The red & green make great contrasting hues while having the same timber--the white is brilliant--festive but not overtly so, hence good for year round too!

Thank you. Originally I had been playing around with these elements in a more monochromatic style, white on gray on darker gray with some black details for a sort of Hoth-esque fashion, but the holiday style came out surprisingly nice.

Any future NPC fashion collages will probably be Forgotten Realms based. There won't be too many screenshots of enemy NPC fashions because they are much more difficult to get close to without aggro and snap a pic while they are still standing straight and facing forward.

I think I will begin fiddling with the images from the previous collages before I post more.

[Pyed-Pyper]

I'll return to NPC fashions later and my own take on them but now inspired by Saekee's Suggestions for new Risia Recipes thread, I have a holiday cosmetic.


http://i.imgur.com/0N2PpJw.jpg

I combined three different items to create this festive outfit. Rakshasa Hide, recolored to more resemble a Siberian Tiger, the Wilderness Cosmetic from the Legendary Shadowfell expansion pre-order made up the base armor and the boots off the Hardened Hide. Both the Wilderness cosmetic and the Hardened Hide boots were color adjusted to a Happy Holidays Red, and the belt from the Wilderness Cosmetic was tuned to a nice green for contrast. Hope everyone likes it.

Wow. What a change. The Rak hide is perhaps my least favorite looks in the game, especially from behind. What you did looks great.

[Aelonwy]

Wow. What a change. The Rak hide is perhaps my least favorite looks in the game, especially from behind. What you did looks great.

Thanks. Hmm. Oddly enough despite its propensity of yellows and oranges I don't dislike Rakshasa hide that much. I actually like the bare-waist effect it has on female characters, and really I would much rather have the belly button of my characters show than the open-crotch look of so many heavy cosmetic armors. Seriously?! That was a terrible idea. On the other hand, some of the details of the Rakshasa hide come off as awkward and the gourd hanging off the belt is really only suitable for someone role-playing a drunken master. Specifically, besides the gourd, I find I also dislike the silly ankle boots with brushy socks, and that paw or tail or whatever that dangling bit of tiger hide is at the waist, hanging from the belt. I removed it from my design. But the tiger hide, and the lion's mane are actually pretty neat and it would be interesting to see more natural hides used in armor design. Mostly we just have various scales and the poor persecuted owlbears.

Now that I think of it we need a dwarven or fighter cosmetic with a pewter or bronze mug hanging from the belt.

[Saekee]

Thank you. Originally I had been playing around with these elements in a more monochromatic style, white on gray on darker gray with some black details for a sort of Hoth-esque fashion, but the holiday style came out surprisingly nice.

Any future NPC fashion collages will probably be Forgotten Realms based. There won't be too many screenshots of enemy NPC fashions because they are much more difficult to get close to without aggro and snap a pic while they are still standing straight and facing forward.

I think I will begin fiddling with the images from the previous collages before I post more.

If you need pics of any mobs, some of us can use stealth to get right in front of them.

The Hill Giants could use a little help...

My main is stuck in the heroic vow but I have a level 15 Prowler on Wayfinder for some testing. Poorly geared, but I could get close to stuff in that level range or below!

[Saekee]

and that paw or tail or whatever that dangling bit of tiger hide is at the waist
it is a good luck rabbit foot.

I can't believe we used those many years ago in high school.

[Aelonwy]

If you need pics of any mobs, some of us can use stealth to get right in front of them.

The Hill Giants could use a little help...

My main is stuck in the heroic vow but I have a level 15 Prowler on Wayfinder for some testing. Poorly geared, but I could get close to stuff in that level range or below!

I just TRed my pure rogue so she's only 6th level. Otherwise, my monk/rogue Qstaff build sucks and is still only 17th lvl because playing her depresses me, but I could probably take her to get most of the heroic screenshots I might want. I was thinking of images of the Forgotten Realms drow when I typed the above. Those priestesses have some of the best outfits in the game. No worries. I'll get the images I need when the time is right.

[scipiojedi]

I just TRed my pure rogue so she's only 6th level. Otherwise, my monk/rogue Qstaff build sucks and is still only 17th lvl because playing her depresses me, but I could probably take her to get most of the heroic screenshots I might want. I was thinking of images of the Forgotten Realms drow when I typed the above. Those priestesses have some of the best outfits in the game. No worries. I'll get the images I need when the time is right.

Can you post your build? I'm working on a monk/rogue Qstaff build for next life and I want to make sure it doesn't suck :D Cause most of my builds that look awesome on paper tend to suck in game. Something is lost in translation between the paper and the game engine.

[Aelonwy]

So this is my version of the male archer's outfit on page 4 of this thread, post #78.


http://i.imgur.com/ADb7ouO.jpg

So I made quite a few alterations although they may not be readily apparent at first glance. First off I made the brown (on sleeves and braiding) a darker, richer color, I recolored the undershirt pale gray/white, I recolored the center piece, the skirt and leggings to match the upper pieces. I got rid of the funky knee pads. I retouched the strapping and belt on the abdomen that had been either poorly painted or semi-transparent when layered over the original base armor. (Check original image for weird yellow piping line going over everything when it should be underneath.) I tried the arrow-like buckles on the boots in the image on the far right. I adjusted one to a green that appeals to me and one to a sweet dark blue. On the dark blue one I applied the quiver and its strapping, and I altered the belt at the waist to match the quiver's strapping, and used the symbol on the backside of the quiver for the buckles on the belt and shoes.

Please tell me what you guys think of the changes. I imagine this would look fantastic with the swash buckler hat or maybe that ornate golden random gen helm with the points that curl.

[Aelonwy]

Can you post your build? I'm working on a monk/rogue Qstaff build for next life and I want to make sure it doesn't suck :D Cause most of my builds that look awesome on paper tend to suck in game. Something is lost in translation between the paper and the game engine.

Most of the suckage for me is the constantly breaking staves, some of them so quickly I'm starting to feel like I'm fighting with oversized pencils rather than magic weapons. Why do neither rogue nor monk have Item Defense in their staff trees? or access at all? You'd think at least mechanic would have some idea how to use Item Defense. Also mine started out as a handwrap build that transitioned into qstaff because I don't like to fight mobs from so close we could be kissing. They need to relearn the meaning of personal space. Also Sweeping Strike sounds really good on paper but the mobs don't seem to stay down long enough to do much with it.

[Saekee]

So this is my version of the male archer's outfit on page 4 of this thread, post #78.


http://i.imgur.com/ADb7ouO.jpg

So I made quite a few alterations although they may not be readily apparent at first glance. First off I made the brown (on sleeves and braiding) a darker, richer color, I recolored the undershirt pale gray/white, I recolored the center piece, the skirt and leggings to match the upper pieces. I got rid of the funky knee pads. I retouched the strapping and belt on the abdomen that had been either poorly painted or semi-transparent when layered over the original base armor. (Check original image for weird yellow piping line going over everything when it should be underneath.) I tried the arrow-like buckles on the boots in the image on the far right. I adjusted one to a green that appeals to me and one to a sweet dark blue. On the dark blue one I applied the quiver and its strapping, and I altered the belt at the waist to match the quiver's strapping, and used the symbol on the backside of the quiver for the buckles on the belt and shoes.

Please tell me what you guys think of the changes. I imagine this would look fantastic with the swash buckler hat or maybe that ornate golden random gen helm with the points that curl.
Definitely a subtle improvement that grows with you. I personally do not like outfits that are ostentatious, since it feels like parade clothing; however, that is part of the fun for players. Like you mention, an ornate helm/hat would go well with these. One of the archer helmets that I like is on Tulip the Quip that you posted earlier. Actually, I like her whole look, I think that is great archer-style gearing.

[Rys]

I'll return to NPC fashions later and my own take on them but now inspired by Saekee's Suggestions for new Risia Recipes thread, I have a holiday cosmetic.


http://i.imgur.com/0N2PpJw.jpg

I combined three different items to create this festive outfit. Rakshasa Hide, recolored to more resemble a Siberian Tiger, the Wilderness Cosmetic from the Legendary Shadowfell expansion pre-order made up the base armor and the boots off the Hardened Hide. Both the Wilderness cosmetic and the Hardened Hide boots were color adjusted to a Happy Holidays Red, and the belt from the Wilderness Cosmetic was tuned to a nice green for contrast. Hope everyone likes it.

Awesome! I would prefer a different color (maybe some brown tones?) other than red and a different belt. It would look like a hunter then. Did you try to recreate Santa's outfit? :)

[Aelonwy]

Definitely a subtle improvement that grows with you. I personally do not like outfits that are ostentatious, since it feels like parade clothing; however, that is part of the fun for players. Like you mention, an ornate helm/hat would go well with these. One of the archer helmets that I like is on Tulip the Quip that you posted earlier. Actually, I like her whole look, I think that is great archer-style gearing.

I suppose if I wanted to make this look somewhat less ostentatious, I would remove the braiding on the abdomen entirely and replace with more of an undershirt appearance as might be seen with a man's medieval/renaissance doublet. I would also remove the skirt from the tunic and replace with leather pants. (Although I think it looks pretty snazzy for an epic level hero maybe not for a fresh-off-the-boat-clearing-the-sewers type.) I do come from a perspective of renaissance and fantasy fairs, as well as the costuming in fantasy movies some of which can be pretty outlandish. **cough cough Excalibur cough Court Jester cough Flash Gordon cough** Would you like me to try making such changes just to see what it would look like?

[Saekee]

I suppose if I wanted to make this look somewhat less ostentatious, I would remove the braiding on the abdomen entirely and replace with more of an undershirt appearance as might be seen with a man's medieval/renaissance doublet. I would also remove the skirt from the tunic and replace with leather pants. (Although I think it looks pretty snazzy for an epic level hero maybe not for a fresh-off-the-boat-clearing-the-sewers type.) I do come from a perspective of renaissance and fantasy fairs, as well as the costuming in fantasy movies some of which can be pretty outlandish. **cough cough Excalibur cough Court Jester cough Flash Gordon cough** Would you like me to try making such changes just to see what it would look like?
hi, if you feel up for it! The Renaissance garb often seen in historical paintings was really only worn by the super wealthy--those colorful clothes were very costly. I know movies tend to ignore this but like you I prefer the fantasy medieval anyway.

[Aelonwy]

Awesome! I would prefer a different color (maybe some brown tones?) other than red and a different belt. It would look like a hunter then. Did you try to recreate Santa's outfit? :)

Most of the items I used to make this especially the base Wilderness Cosmetic were already shades of brown, Rakshasa Hide is originally a combination of tawny yellows and oranges with some brown and some gold. Hardened Hide was an orangey-brown, a sort of burnt pumpkin color. I was already working on a combination of the items but in monochrome more or less for what almost looked like a Star Wars Hoth-esque costume. Saekee's suggestion thread for some winter holiday cosmetics to be added to the risia festival recipes inspired me to adjust the colors to something appropriate. We already have the cosmetic robe that looks like ice so rather than blue and white I decided to go with the colors I most associate with the holidays... white, red, green. I wasn't trying to recreate Santa necessarily but to make something holiday appropriate that would fit in well with the game. If it makes you think of Santa... maybe my cleric should eat less cookies? ;)

[Aelonwy]

hi, if you feel up for it! The Renaissance garb often seen in historical paintings was really only worn by the super wealthy--those colorful clothes were very costly. I know movies tend to ignore this but like you I prefer the fantasy medieval anyway.

Uhm I don't know about you but my characters tend to have upwards of ~250k plat. I'd say they're plenty wealthy to be dressed Hollywood fantasy style. Still I'll take a look.

[Aelonwy]

Today I have the female Archer's design.


http://i.imgur.com/UNlnXTm.jpg

Not many changes necessary. I increased the saturation to make it less gray. Added the shoulder pieces and belt from the male archer's set as wells as the buckles on the belts and boots. The only thing that might make this more appealing to me would be to replace the boots with knee-high Grecian lace up sandals... but I can't find a cobbler anywhere in Stormreach.

[Aelonwy]

Sorry I've been busy, here is the male archer costume with pants I swiped from another outfit I like... oddly enough Belmont d'Cannith didn't seem to mind. ;)
I did replace the leather braiding on the abdomen by revealing more of the undershirt. I suppose if I were the artist making this from scratch instead of the critic cobbling this together from screen shots I would have made the leather of the pants match the arms and the padding on the knees and thighs match the pauldrons and bracers. But at this point I think I've spent enough time on this one style and given some reasonable ideas of what could be done with this NPC item.


http://i.imgur.com/CqfClpc.jpg

[Aelonwy]

Three possible variations of Serral Trevin's Robe (House Jorasco), 4th image (back and front) on post 81 of this thread, previous page.


http://i.imgur.com/118vMDt.jpg

Firstly, I feel the original robe suffers (like everything else in House Jorasco) from a surfeit of marigold yellow. Frankly, looking at Fred is a relief from the garish mustards of most House Jorasco members. So really changing the colors was all that was necessary to improve this item. In that vein, I have altered the colors three ways, I think I like the middle one the best but... even now other options occur to me. So on the far left, I adjusted the leather trim to a bright crimson, the robe to black, and the metal work in all three was made silver. In the center I changed the trim to black and the robe to dark red. In the final image, on the far right, the robe is dark blue and the leather trim is a chocolate brown. I thought about what it might look like with accessories of some kind over the robe but discarded the idea because that would cover up all the nicest details of this item; those being the dragon or wyvern on the upper left area of the chest and the dragon or gargoyle belt buckle not to mention the intricate metal pattern work all over the robe.

The middle one especially would also make a nice item for the future Ravenloft expansion.

[Saekee]

Three possible variations of Serral Trevin's Robe (House Jorasco), 4th image (back and front) on post 81 of this thread, previous page.


http://i.imgur.com/118vMDt.jpg

Firstly, I feel the original robe suffers (like everything else in House Jorasco) from a surfeit of marigold yellow. Frankly, looking at Fred is a relief from the garish mustards of most House Jorasco members. So really changing the colors was all that was necessary to improve this item. In that vein, I have altered the colors three ways, I think I like the middle one the best but... even now other options occur to me. So on the far left, I adjusted the leather trim to a bright crimson, the robe to black, and the metal work in all three was made silver. In the center I changed the trim to black and the robe to dark red. In the final image, on the far right, the robe is dark blue and the leather trim is a chocolate brown. I thought about what it might look like with accessories of some kind over the robe but discarded the idea because that would cover up all the nicest details of this item; those being the dragon or wyvern on the upper left area of the chest and the dragon or gargoyle belt buckle not to mention the intricate metal pattern work all over the robe.

The middle one especially would also make a nice item for the future Ravenloft expansion.

I never even noticed the wyvern, nice. The middle seems strongest at first blush but they all grow on you!

[Aelonwy]

I never even noticed the wyvern, nice. The middle seems strongest at first blush but they all grow on you!

Thank you. That's partially why I've picked out all of these NPC fashions - to showcase ALL the minute details that make them special... and possibly striking if it weren't for the atrocious original color choices (in my opinion of course.) What did you think of the male archer version with pants? Less ostentatious? More appealing than the tunic variety?

[Saekee]

Thank you. That's partially why I've picked out all of these NPC fashions - to showcase ALL the minute details that make them special... and possibly striking if it weren't for the atrocious original color choices (in my opinion of course.) What did you think of the male archer version with pants? Less ostentatious? More appealing than the tunic variety?
Your male archer suits are a vast improvement--I still prefer the female armors in that group over the male, but you have improved it greatly. I think in general the male humans and elves have ugly faces so I tend to play female toons.

[Nonesuch2008]

The rework is very nice, but it leads me to believe that someone in DDO needs to start a tanning bed business. Ye olde elf looks a bit jaundiced with all of those darker hued outfits, which would look even better on a darker toned wearer. Maybe a plastic surgeon business too. Hey, maybe I've just stumbled onto that new plat sink that everyone has been looking for...

[Aelonwy]

The rework is very nice, but it leads me to believe that someone in DDO needs to start a tanning bed business. Ye olde elf looks a bit jaundiced with all of those darker hued outfits, which would look even better on a darker toned wearer. Maybe a plastic surgeon business too. Hey, maybe I've just stumbled onto that new plat sink that everyone has been looking for...

I hadn't thought of that... could be he's sick, he's not a quest giver so there must be some reason he's in House Jorasco. Or maybe he's a necromancer (what with all the undead heavy quests there) and he just avoids the sun.

I think they could have a decent plat sink if they introduced barbers and stylists, I know I've created more than one character whose hair style I thought looked cute until I'd stared at the back of it for a few levels. Pay X amount of plat to re-choose a character creation screen hairstyle, pay X more plat to re-choose a creation screen hair color. Even better if they added an interface so you could preview the Store Exclusive dyes and styles at this Barber NPC and if you wanted (with a confirmation screen) you could pay TP from that interface for the Store Exclusive stuff after previewing it on your character.

Then they could go with your idea and add some kind of cosmetician, for lack of a better word (period and lore accuracy), and for plat you could re-choose facial features and colors from the character creation setup and then they could introduce Store exclusive appearances? Or is that going too far?

[Aelonwy]

Your male archer suits are a vast improvement--I still prefer the female armors in that group over the male, but you have improved it greatly. I think in general the male humans and elves have ugly faces so I tend to play female toons.

Thank you. I only play female characters myself because I'm female and can't really conceive of role-playing a guy not even in PnP. Although this of course means most of my cosmetics are planned off my female characters and guys cosmetics get short-shrift just because I don't usually think about what the various armors and robes/outfits look like on the guys. Naturally, there's a sort of reversal with these NPC fashions because I can only screenshot the character on whom the style is on.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/tTELW0P.jpg

So this is Jovus Moonbeam from House Phiarlan, but the robe he is wearing can often be seen on the drow in Menechtarun. In post 81, page 5 of this thread you can see him in the original robe, the main fabric is sort of a lavender-gray. Dull, boring fabric for such an extravagant centerpiece. So all I really did was select the main fabric + shoes and increased saturation ten degrees and altered the colors from left to right as seagreen, royal blue, royal violet, and crimson. I also tried a dark acid green but it didn't look quite as well as expected. I surmise if I had altered the colors of the center decoration somewhat I could have made the dark green look good but that was more effort than the others as I would have had to separate the metal bits from the centerpiece. Personally, I really like the seagreen the best and that was unexpected as I thought initially the violet would have the most appealing color combinations.

I could see these being great on a warlock, possibly a sorcerer, maybe a drow bard. Some of the elements of the centerpiece could be used to make an eye-catching docent too.

[Aelonwy]

So here is my take on a Vulkor inspired Docent. I couldn't just think about it, OCD kicked in and I had to do something with the idea.



http://i.imgur.com/vaL83av.jpg

I used the Ancient Gemstone Docent (no body feat), adjusted it from a gray-purple to a light teal and added the bits and pieces from the Vulkor style robe above. I did have to remove a few segments, rotate some pieces, and resize almost everything to make it somewhat fit the Warforged frame. Apologies about the roughness of the resulting image, its not so easy to force something to fit a warforged from an elf. One thing is for certain, it'll never fit the elf again.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/Mt1NAnM.jpg

On the left is the original, Kayla Skywhisper (House Phiarlan Collector), her dress can also be seen on the Fatespinner. I've taken her dress and cut out the waist (courtesy of the Lost Barmaid), changed the waistband, sleeves, and bodice partially with airbrushing but also using some bits and pieces from Kariya irVannis (House Cannith Token Giver, see page 5 post 81) and added some ribbons from the Store cosmetic Pale Violet and tan Leaf Heavy Armor. I brought up the saturation, believe it or not, only 5 degrees, and adjusted the color less than 5 degrees. I airbrushed over the embroidered band on the hem and made the whites a tad lighter so more of a cream rather than pale green. I love the sandals with no changes.

The result is an exquisite belly dancer costume that any female bard ought to be fighting duels over. I could also see this being incredibly popular for succubus style tieflings when we get them.

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/Mt1NAnM.jpg

On the left is the original, Kayla Skywhisper (House Phiarlan Collector), her dress can also be seen on the Fatespinner. I've taken her dress and cut out the waist (courtesy of the Lost Barmaid), changed the waistband, sleeves, and bodice partially with airbrushing but also using some bits and pieces from Kariya irVannis (House Cannith Token Giver, see page 5 post 81) and added some ribbons from the Store cosmetic Pale Violet and tan Leaf Heavy Armor. I brought up the saturation, believe it or not, only 5 degrees, and adjusted the color less than 5 degrees. I airbrushed over the embroidered band on the hem and made the whites a tad lighter so more of a cream rather than pale green. I love the sandals with no changes.

The result is an exquisite belly dancer costume that any female bard ought to be fighting duels over. I could also see this being incredibly popular for succubus style tieflings when we get them.

as a fatespinner, it would be cool if she were always dancing. This gorgeous change you made would then really fit her theme!

[Aelonwy]

as a fatespinner, it would be cool if she were always dancing. This gorgeous change you made would then really fit her theme!

Would be nifty, but I really want the outfit more for my bard than the fatespinner. :)

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/jWBjol2.jpg

This was the Alchemist Crown before I altered it. Very simple alterations, I adjusted the color of the crown from turquoise/teal to parrot green, I added some leaves (mostly where the gems originally were on the crown) and I added a single flower taken from a flowerbed in Eveningstar. I would have preferred the Lammania Lily because I like the icon but I figure this gives the overall impression I intended.

Maybe later I will make a crown of only flowers but I haven't gotten around to laying that out.

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/jWBjol2.jpg

This was the Alchemist Crown before I altered it. Very simple alterations, I adjusted the color of the crown from turquoise/teal to parrot green, I added some leaves (mostly where the gems originally were on the crown) and I added a single flower taken from a flowerbed in Eveningstar. I would have preferred the Lammania Lily because I like the icon but I figure this gives the overall impression I intended.

Maybe later I will make a crown of only flowers but I haven't gotten around to laying that out.

nice! I think I would prefer a lotus petal instead of the strongly-contrasting red flower due to the location over the third eye.
That could be a cool Xoriat headpiece too with an actual eye there with a different circlet

[Aelonwy]

nice! I think I would prefer a lotus petal instead of the strongly-contrasting red flower due to the location over the third eye.
That could be a cool Xoriat headpiece too with an actual eye there with a different circlet

Well I could go looking for a lotus or lily type flower and make the switch. The original circlet does lend itself to many ideas... I toyed with colors before settling on this first design. One of the ideas I had for it was to change the colors as it circles the head in a rainbow-like effect, an eye or a glowing ioun stone would go well in the center of the forehead with such an appearance.

I had altered a Teraza's Sight at one point to have an eye in the center but it sits too close to the bridge of the nose to look right. However, it might have looked more appropriate if it had been more similar to the eyeball ring in Beastmaster; that is if it had an animated eyelid that opened to reveal the eyeball occasionally instead of the eye glancing around. One poster earlier suggested free floating eyeballs circling the head similar to the Elemental Victory.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/6djeKR4.jpg

I stared at the previous design and decided I really did want the center flower to be a Lammanian Lily, so since there aren't any Lammanian Lily plants in game I did my best with a lily image that looked close to the icon.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/9GuwZJL.jpg

I like this one because I love the colors and because water lillies are my favorite flowers.

[Ulfo]

Wow! I wanna both crowns for my druid! I not have any druid char currently, but I want roll one after see this beautiful handiwork! 8)

[Aelonwy]

Wow! I wanna both crowns for my druid! I not have any druid char currently, but I want roll one after see this beautiful handiwork! 8)

That's sweet. I wish it were as easy for the devs to create these cosmetics/item appearances as it is for me to photoshop them. Heck I wish I knew the art program(s) they're using I'd be willing to make more than one of these for free if it meant I could make my characters look the way I want.

[Saekee]

they look great!

[Saekee]

That's sweet. I wish it were as easy for the devs to create these cosmetics/item appearances as it is for me to photoshop them. Heck I wish I knew the art program(s) they're using I'd be willing to make more than one of these for free if it meant I could make my characters look the way I want.

/signed

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/kQjSYrG.jpg

Strictly speaking this isn't really about cosmetics but how I hope some of our choices will appear if Tieflings ever become a player race.

From left to right, all using human base, first uses skin and hair already available to human, eyes recolored red, horns from typical NPC tiefling. Let's call the first one the standard tiefling. Second from the left has skin a blue-violet close to one drow skin tone, recolored red eyes, horns from the named tiefling Carver (Multitude of Menace). As close as I could get to what a tiefling with a Night Hag ancestor might look like. Third has skin and eye color available to humans, I gave the eyes slit pupils and added white and black stripes to the normal orange hair to give the impression of a tiefling with a Rakshasa ancestor. Fourth from left, I changed nearly everything about this image, the skin tone is altered from the most red normally available to humans to make it essentially darker and more saturated, I made the eyes red, I added horns from the named tiefling Fortis (Tavern Brawl), and I used a snake scale pattern to add a scale-hairstyle. This tiefling would represent demon or devil ancestry such as Pit Fiend, Horned Devil, or Erinyes. The final image I adjusted a normal human skin tone to be magenta pink (again similar to a drow tone) and used Carver's horns to make a Succubus style tiefling.

Hopefully, we have multiple horn style and horn size options. I would prefer if the horn color matched whatever skin color we chose or if it had a separate color selection like skin/hair/eye palettes.

The visual effects of outsider ancestry can be read about in the reference books of Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Races of Faerun.

[Aelonwy]

When I get the 2nd half done, the Aasimar versions, should I post the images to a suggestions thread?

[Saekee]

When I get the 2nd half done, the Aasimar versions, should I post the images to a suggestions thread?

why not? do both

[Wizza]

why not? do both

Agreed. I love your work, and really wish we had some of these in game.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/9e6ySei.jpg

Probably my favorite race to play in pen and paper. Mostly, because I get to describe my characters as divinely beautiful. I used a human base for all images, and as much as possible used the existing character creation palettes.

From left to right: on the far left we have a Ghaele ancestry inspired Aasimar with rainbow hair and I tried to give the illusion of rainbow eyes but the detail is probably too small to notice. Second from the left Lillend ancestry results in pastel skin tones of a variety of lavender, pale violet, periwinkle, seafoam, and usually feathers or scales for hair. I used an existing hairstyle and layered feathers over it and tried for a similar skin tone to one of the drow skin tones but lighter and less dusky. Third from the left, solar ancestry, which results in golden or silver skin tone, usually but not necessarily with matching gold or silver eyes and can have feathers for hair. So this third one is an example of a Golden Solar ancestor with feathers again layered over an existing hairstyle. Photoshop on feathers is a new pet peeve of mine, its tricky, finicky effort and I don't like it. The fourth one, on the far right, is an example of Silver Solar ancestry with normal hair. So obviously the colors needing to be added to the human palette for Aasimar so far (not including art work for feathered hairstyles) would be rainbow hair (far left), pale violet skin (left middle), golden eyes (right middle), and silver skin (far right).

I would also like to point out that I think this is the prettiest set of lips for the human female in character creation but I almost never choose them because zoomed out all but one mouth seems to be frowning. Therefor, I usually choose the smiling mouth (which can be seen on the tiefling image in the previous post above) . I wish this one could be made to smile more.

Stayed tuned for Part 2.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/Jb95ZRd.jpg

I used the greenest human skin tone, saturated it a little and adjusted it to a smooth seafoam green suitable for Planetar, Lillend, or Couatl aasimar ancestry, I gave her green lipstick just because the pinks/violets looked too contrasty to me.

On the far left, I blurred out the shaved head hairstyle because Planetars are naturally bald. My reference material didn't mention if that could be passed to the aasimar descendant but I'm sure someone knows the lore better than I. On the remaining three I used the same snake scale pattern I used on the red tiefling above. On the second from the left, I allowed the green skin tone to show through the snake scale pattern and added feathers I colored in rainbow hues. The remaining two images have the scales in rainbow tones with white or rainbow feathers. These aasimar display signs of Lillend or Couatl ancestry. Obviously, this is an entirely new skin tone and hairstyle for humans. I hope I've shown that mixing and matching some of the features can result in entirely new and interesting appearances.

For reference, I used information from the books Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Races of Faerun.

[Saekee]

I wonder how much money the DDO store can pull in using your hairstyle cosmetics?

[Aelonwy]

Agreed. I love your work, and really wish we had some of these in game.

Thank you for the kind words, and thus encouragement.



I wonder how much money the DDO store can pull in using your hairstyle cosmetics?

I really didn't do anything that innovative with the hairstyles. I guess if they sold a rainbow dye+style combo that would make them some ca$h. I can't figure out why they haven't altered the Totemic Lavalier yet. It was trivially simple for me to do in photoshop and I just can't imagine it taking them obscenely longer to do in any art program. By far that is the simplest cosmetic change I've made to anything and I think it would sell on the DDO store. I can't say how many they might sell. Nor can I guess what colors would sell the best. But I personally would purchase at least a violet and seagreen, and possibly a red one. Come to think of it a Black Totemic Lavalier with glowing red bits might look pretty cool with some of my earlier fiendish re-designs.

The thing is whomever started making matching armors and helms... this person is on the right track. People interested in cosmetics, like me, are interested in creating a matching "look" or "theme" for their character. This theme might include everything from race, hairstyle, hair color, or helm, armor, even what cosmetic pet the character is paired with and possibly even the color of the DnD dice that roll on screen.

[Nonesuch2008]

I think that you are spot-on with the thoughts on themed armor sets, most lootgen combos make it look like our heroes do their shopping at the Stormreach flea market (which of course is the poor man's knockoff of the Bargain Bazaar).

Your tieflings showed an amazing variety that I really was not expecting to see, especially without the expected entry of a generic orange-skinned tiefling. We can only hope to see that kind of variety in game. One variety that I think would be striking, almost jet black skin paired with the red eyes and red or off-colored horns. DDO needs lawful evil alignment, I could have a lot of fun playing with that archetype.

The Aasimar and Archons definitely have some crossover potential in looks, especially with the feather design, and I was thinking that the silver skin would look incredible paired with a crystal ice blue eye color.

Nice work, as usual.

[Aelonwy]

I think that you are spot-on with the thoughts on themed armor sets, most lootgen combos make it look like our heroes do their shopping at the Stormreach flea market (which of course is the poor man's knockoff of the Bargain Bazaar).

Absolutely. I would say at least half of the random gen armor designs no matter the quality (magecraft/celestial etc) and quite a few named armors, for that matter, look cobbled together piecemeal by some deranged and possibly half blind armor smith. But you've given me a quest idea for my PnP group... *ruminating*



Your tieflings showed an amazing variety that I really was not expecting to see, especially without the expected entry of a generic orange-skinned tiefling. We can only hope to see that kind of variety in game. One variety that I think would be striking, almost jet black skin paired with the red eyes and red or off-colored horns. DDO needs lawful evil alignment, I could have a lot of fun playing with that archetype.

My first tiefling was what I considered a generic, standard tiefling. I could make her darker but that was the darkest human skin tone currently available and I was trying to demonstrate my planar races images with as few changes as possible. I'm hoping that the devs can see that with the addition of horns and several unique hairstyles each that mostly what they would need to do for the "art asset" portion of planar races is adjust/extend the color palettes. You are correct, your conceptual coloring of your chosen tiefling would be very striking and hopefully they give us enough variations and enough color options to mix and match a substantial variety of characters.



The Aasimar and Archons definitely have some crossover potential in looks, especially with the feather design, and I was thinking that the silver skin would look incredible paired with a crystal ice blue eye color.

That Mix-n-match potential was exactly what I was hoping to express. Maybe I didn't do such a very good job with the tieflings. Perhaps I should have shown some of them with something besides just red eyes. Perhaps the Night Hag descendant would have looked different with gold eyes. I thought about making a scaled hairstyle with horns down the center of the head like a mohawk but my first effort looked a little silly (stegosaur-like) so I scrapped it.



Nice work, as usual.

Thank you :)

[Aelonwy]

Just keeping my images together. This is the result of insomnia not expectation.


http://i.imgur.com/kEfqmXf.jpg

[mightstriker]

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to put all of these different looks together. You have serious talent, and a splendid imagination! In particular I was crazy about the mimic armor (the beholder butt - GENIUS!) and the holiday themed clothing. Loved, loved, loved the green and red with the white furs. OMG. I would actually purchase DDO store points again to have those cosmetics. What you did with the Bloodplate and helm. Drool. (BTW, I also was extremely disappointed by the Gleaming Armor and Tourney Armor when first acquired. Absolutely underwhelmed.) The Spectral Dragon armor was also masterful. Nice work!

The hair colors you posted - woman. That rainbow hair... I am pouting now because DDO doesn't have the sense to put you on contract, and have that color available NOW!!

The orbs - what a clever way to customize what your arcane caster holds.

One of the "cosmetic" issues I currently have (and have whined about it before) are the sorceress savant skins. In particular, the way my air savant sorceress appears. Or rather, doesn't appear, on account of having a tornado whirling around her which completely obscures her. Would you please use your magical talent to show DDO what a savant should really look like? I actually rather liked the effect the savant used to have, where it was more subtle. Except the earth savant had some weird clubbed stone hand... And yes. I do realize the effect can be toggled off and on, but it would use some of my precious spell points.

I agree with many of the other posters that having unique druid animal shape dyes or skins; druid, arti and necro pet options would also be amazing.

[Aelonwy]

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to put all of these different looks together. You have serious talent, and a splendid imagination!

Thank you, that's very encouraging.


In particular I was crazy about the mimic armor (the beholder butt - GENIUS!) and the holiday themed clothing. Loved, loved, loved the green and red with the white furs. OMG. I would actually purchase DDO store points again to have those cosmetics.

I can't take much credit for the beholder butt, yes I put it together visually but it was my hubby's idea. And yes he can be an evil genius. Its my hope that the art devs see these images and get ideas to add some of these to the game or the store with their own spin most likely. They have the original art files so theirs would undoubtedly be better than my photo-shopped screenshots. Also to be fair my first take on the holiday outfit didn't look like that... it was monochromatic, but I was inspired by another poster's suggestion for holiday style cosmetics to recolor it.


What you did with the Bloodplate and helm. Drool. (BTW, I also was extremely disappointed by the Gleaming Armor and Tourney Armor when first acquired. Absolutely underwhelmed.) The Spectral Dragon armor was also masterful. Nice work!

Hopefully, some of the darker more fiendish designs might get seen (by the art devs) before the Ravenloft expansion. They would fit there very well. If they could actually create Spectral Dragon Armor with the illusion of being translucent - I think it would end up being one of the most sought after items/cosmetics in the game.


The hair colors you posted - woman. That rainbow hair... I am pouting now because DDO doesn't have the sense to put you on contract, and have that color available NOW!!

I'd love to have rainbow dye available now too but I don't know how complicated it would be to fit multiple colors to every single hairstyle. Its probably more realistic for them to recolor a single hairstyle for females/males and sell it as a combo color+style. I'd work for my own cosmetics. ;) Assuming I could use their art programs of course.


The orbs - what a clever way to customize what your arcane caster holds.

Again those ideas were initially inspired by another poster's Suggestion Thread. Yes, I came up with many of them on my own but I might never have made any if someone else hadn't asked for new cosmetic designs for orbs.


One of the "cosmetic" issues I currently have (and have whined about it before) are the sorceress savant skins. In particular, the way my air savant sorceress appears. Or rather, doesn't appear, on account of having a tornado whirling around her which completely obscures her. Would you please use your magical talent to show DDO what a savant should really look like? I actually rather liked the effect the savant used to have, where it was more subtle. Except the earth savant had some weird clubbed stone hand... And yes. I do realize the effect can be toggled off and on, but it would use some of my precious spell points.

I agree with many of the other posters that having unique druid animal shape dyes or skins; druid, arti and necro pet options would also be amazing.

Do you have a screenshot of the more subtle air savant? Personally, I would prefer if the air savant effect was more like the Electrical Energy Sheath of Draconic Incarnation, but my husband like its as is so I guess it appeals to some. As to cosmetic skins for the druid, arti and necro pets; yeah that could be pretty cool. I'd much rather have some cosmetic skins for my druid herself. I mean right now you can be in bear form, summon a bear, and have a bear cosmetic pet but the animal companion can only be a wolf. I'd like to be a panther, summon a panther, have my cosmetic panther cub, and turn my animal companion into a panther too.

Thanks for the kind words. I like reading other people's thoughts and ideas. At the end of the day we all want our characters to look how we envision them.

[Blastyswa]

Back in May of 2015, Severlin opened an Official Discussion thread about how we would like the appearance of existing items tweaked to make new or improved cosmetics/items. I've been thinking about that thread and some of the new appearances we've seen on armors, helms and shields in the past year and first off I'd like to send a big thank you to the art department that has been doing such a wonderful job. Secondly, though, I'd like to send some visual aids for my own feedback in that thread. For reference my first post on that thread was #33.

This is my take on the Desecrated Leathers. As you can see I removed the backpurse and yoga mat and replaced them with the belts and accesories from the Drow Hunter's Leather recolored black. I also recolored the swashbuckler hat to match.

I will add a few more images today and then more as I get time.

They're both ugly, but you'll get basically what I'm thinking (probably, they are very ugly).

http://i.imgur.com/Hs8KRQR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7bQa9Kr.jpg

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/SI9Vb5t.jpg


Alright so this is my Spellsinger/hagglebard dressed in Lavender Spiral (one of the most attractive cosmetic skins they ever made so of course its no longer available) with my vision of a cosmetic butterfly aura that surrounds and follows the character fluttering just as they do in Vale of Twilight (which is also where I caught these specimens).



http://i.imgur.com/kyoMQ9J.jpg

And this is a circling butterfly crown similar to the Elemental Victory.


Also posted to the suggestions thread that inspired them : My wife breaks for butterflies.

[Aelonwy]

They're both ugly, but you'll get basically what I'm thinking (probably, they are very ugly).


Aaargh. My eyes, my eyes... okay I kid... :p I'll see what I can do; I'm not really into capes myself but I'll try to come up with something.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/akDBEvE.jpg

Alright, this was something I worked on some time ago but it didn't turn out the way I wanted so I redid it with some actual eye images instead of the eyeball from in-game items. Anyone who has ever seen the Beastmaster ( a fantasy flick from the 80's) will know exactly what I was trying to illustrate here. On the far left is an entirely unaltered image of my paladin wearing the crown Teraza's Sight. The following three images show the crown re-positioned higher on the forehead and thus allowing the eyebrows to show (very aesthetically important) and illustrating an animated eye opening in the center of the crown. I have no idea how possible this is... I just think it would be fun.

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/akDBEvE.jpg

Alright, this was something I worked on some time ago but it didn't turn out the way I wanted so I redid it with some actual eye images instead of the eyeball from in-game items. Anyone who has ever seen the Beastmaster ( a fantasy flick from the 80's) will know exactly what I was trying to illustrate here. On the far left is an entirely unaltered image of my paladin wearing the crown Teraza's Sight. The following three images show the crown re-positioned higher on the forehead and thus allowing the eyebrows to show (very aesthetically important) and illustrating an animated eye opening in the center of the crown. I have no idea how possible this is... I just think it would be fun.
I remember growing up with Beastmaster when it came out--was really young--and that creepy ring would open up.
Teraza's Sight definitely needs this, or something very close.

[Nonesuch2008]

Just keeping my images together. This is the result of insomnia not expectation.


http://i.imgur.com/kEfqmXf.jpg

I should have known that you would take up the challenge. ;) That's not bad, not bad at all! I could easily see it springboarding into several other cool looking variants.

And thank you!

[Aelonwy]

I remember growing up with Beastmaster when it came out--was really young--and that creepy ring would open up.
Teraza's Sight definitely needs this, or something very close.

Well I'm not saying Teraza's Sight specifically as a named item needs this treatment. I chose it because thematically it made me think of the beastmaster ring, and it has that weird ridged centerpiece that lends itself easily to being anything else more interesting or attractive. For example, I could easily see a large gem like a ruby, emerald or sapphire right there on the center of the forehead. I could recolor the entire crown green and put a butterfly/dragonfly or dragon on the center. I could make it more gold and place a sun symbol. I could make it look more serpentine and put a cobra-head on the centerpiece. This particular item is wide open to possibilities.



I should have known that you would take up the challenge. ;) That's not bad, not bad at all! I could easily see it springboarding into several other cool looking variants.

And thank you!

Cool. Your welcome. Be pretty creepy to group with someone looking like that in the Underdark. They'd be just a pair of eyes and horns in the gloom.

[Aelonwy]

I don't know if this is what Blastyswa had in mind but here goes:


http://i.imgur.com/imATwO9.jpg

To begin, I didn't change the color of anything. My alt is wearing Pale Violet and Tan cosmetic Lt armor to which I added a cape/cloak made from the Blue Dragon Scale Robe. I mostly used the skirt of the robe with a couple of chest bits and I had to airbrush some of the sides and shoulders to cover up the original belt and waist accessories. Its a bit rough because I don't have a blue dragonscale robe and had to use the wiki image for this project. There is one other way I see to visually alter this item and I may do so in the future but for now here is my first stab at a cloak.

As per usual I will also post this in Blastyswa's suggestions forum thread Capes.

[Blastyswa]

I don't know if this is what Blastyswa had in mind but here goes:


http://i.imgur.com/imATwO9.jpg

To begin, I didn't change the color of anything. My alt is wearing Pale Violet and Tan cosmetic Lt armor to which I added a cape/cloak made from the Blue Dragon Scale Robe. I mostly used the skirt of the robe with a couple of chest bits and I had to airbrush some of the sides and shoulders to cover up the original belt and waist accessories. Its a bit rough because I don't have a blue dragonscale robe and had to use the wiki image for this project. There is one other way I see to visually alter this item and I may do so in the future but for now here is my first stab at a cloak.

As per usual I will also post this in Blastyswa's suggestions forum thread Capes.

Cool! Always nice to see the work of people with more artistic ability than I. :)

[Aelonwy]

Second style of the same cloak/cape.


http://i.imgur.com/io8KRPf.jpg

Not much to say, OCD kicked in and I had to re-alter the first design to another variation in style that I could see was possible. If you look at this one for long enough you will realize what is missing from the first one. I like this one a little better but I'm not particularly into cloaks because they cover up so much of what else my character is wearing. But to each their own, I'd rather more cosmetics available and everyone could customize their character's appearance.

[Aelonwy]

OK, so this is my version of a Silver Dragon Hide:


http://i.imgur.com/Wqn4muQ.jpg

So I used Blue Dragon scale as the base item, but recolored it Silver because blue dragons of course are electricity based and white/silver dragons are cold based. The edging was gold, I shifted that to a cool blue. I added some fur bits in the boots, gauntlets and collar. I will refrain from comment on the alignment issues of wearing Silver Dragon skin.

This was also posted to Saekee's Risia Suggestions thread.

[Arktanis]

I will refrain from comment on the alignment issues of wearing Silver Dragon skin.

It was "reappropriated"

[Aelonwy]

It was "reappropriated"

Sure. Sure. I wonder, dragons are essentially magical reptiles right? Do they ever shed? Would they consider trading their shed scales?

[Pyed-Pyper]

OK, so this is my version of a Silver Dragon Hide:


http://i.imgur.com/Wqn4muQ.jpg

So I used Blue Dragon scale as the base item, but recolored it Silver because blue dragons of course are electricity based and white/silver dragons are cold based. The edging was gold, I shifted that to a cool blue. I added some fur bits in the boots, gauntlets and collar. I will refrain from comment on the alignment issues of wearing Silver Dragon skin.

This was also posted to Saekee's Risia Suggestions thread.

Very nice.

[Nonesuch2008]

Sure. Sure. I wonder, dragons are essentially magical reptiles right? Do they ever shed? Would they consider trading their shed scales?

Possiby... But no self-respecting adventurer wants to wear dragon hand-me-downs. :p

[Arktanis]

Possiby... But no self-respecting adventurer wants to wear dragon hand-me-downs. :p

Just the Stormreach Authorities that you slew 30 Zhents who wanted Silver Dragon Blood, but it was an unfortunate "caught in the crossfire" thing.

Have you ever tried to NOT hit the broad side of a Dragon? Pretty hard.

[Aelonwy]

Possiby... But no self-respecting adventurer wants to wear dragon hand-me-downs. :p

Speak for yourself :p I will gladly accept dragon hand-me-downs, now kobolds that's another matter... they can keep their grubby cast-offs.

[Aelonwy]

The first time I noticed this was at the 10th Anniversary Event.


http://i.imgur.com/DbbG94Q.jpg

These are entirely unaltered images. On the left is Petra from the 10th Anniversary Event, she was seated at a table with the other characters from the Intro animation (IIRC). Petra is obviously an elf. On the right is Rina the Keenblade, a harper quest-giver in Eveningstar. Appears to be human. Now this particular hair style seems to be available to (female) gnomes but I would like it to be available in the DDO store for females of other races too. Clearly it has been adjusted to fit some of the other races already.

[Aelonwy]

There may be others later but for now here are some images of shields in-game used as set decoration that I must ask... why not add them as shield appearances in random loot or as named items?


http://i.imgur.com/PYXUr80.jpg

On the left is a shield laying on a canvas tarp in Eveningstar. The following two are discarded on the ground in Vale of Twilight in the northeast portion, the devil-zone. In case I am mistaken, if anyone knows a named shield or has acquired a random shield of these appearances please send me a message or screenshot. The middle image especially is calling out to be recolored.

[Nonesuch2008]

There may be others later but for now here are some images of shields in-game used as set decoration that I must ask... why not add them as shield appearances in random loot or as named items?


http://i.imgur.com/PYXUr80.jpg

On the left is a shield laying on a canvas tarp in Eveningstar. The following two are discarded on the ground in Vale of Twilight in the northeast portion, the devil-zone. In case I am mistaken, if anyone knows a named shield or has acquired a random shield of these appearances please send me a message or screenshot. The middle image especially is calling out to be recolored.

I've had the same thought for shields, weapons, armor and other trappings seen in different places throughout the game. Some could certainly use a splash of imagination, but the framework is there, while others would be well sought after just as they are.

[TDarkchylde]

Love the artwork, but I want to know when SSG's going to hire you to the art department, OP. Some of these designs would not only fit perfectly ingame, but eclipse some of the other designs already there.

[Aelonwy]

Love the artwork, but I want to know when SSG's going to hire you to the art department, OP. Some of these designs would not only fit perfectly ingame, but eclipse some of the other designs already there.

That's very flattering thank you. But I think that would be very problematic. I'm originally a watercolor artist, my experience with computer art programs is limited to Paintshop, Photoshop, and a vector design program on Macs of which I've forgotten the name. In fact most of my experience is in Logo design and making people younger, thinner and more flattering for advertising purposes. Don't ask, it was an incredibly cynical job involving a lot of digital teeth whitening and wrinkle removing. I can only hope the art department is inspired by my designs.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/hUV7QcZ.jpg

So this is my take on Winterwolf Hide plus a Winterwolf Hood. I used the Wilderness Cosmetic armor from the Shadowfell pre-order and recolored it, I also removed the turtle shell and the skull on the shoulder. Then I created the Winterwolf Hood using some screen shots of my druid in winterwolf form. Later I will make a holiday version with Rudolph nose and horns but this is the first version.

I will also post this to Saekee's Suggestions thread.

[Ulfo]

As always - excellent work! 8)

[Aelonwy]

As always - excellent work! 8)

Thanks

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/wrQBqx1.jpg

Alright this is the best I could do with the poor quality images of the Rudolph Wolf. Although now that I think about it, if they just made it a template for the wolf hood they could have the regular gray and white timber wolf, the winter wolf, the spotted wolf, and nothing's stopping them from making a black wolf, red-brown wolf, or even warg style hood. Lots of Store possibilities.

As before also posting this to Saekee's suggestion thread.

[Rys]

Noooo poor wolves XD

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/bYQCs0k.jpg

Come on now... you know as well as I do if it weren't for respawns many species in Eberron would be extinct due to the predations of adventurers. :p

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/EpZe6pE.jpg

Rifling through my recent screenshots I caught sight of a fantastic piece of set decoration from the quest Disciples of Shar that I thought would make a great Orb cosmetic. It could be awkward to hold though.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/4ZwzXcO.jpg

This is Delera Omaren IV in the inside location of Lordsmarch Plaza. The image on the far left is altered only in that I redrew/repainted a portion of the robe to cover up the end of the quarterstaff she was holding. The remaining four are my alterations, mostly just color changes, and I added the little dragon/wyvern item on the neck to replace that odd elliptical object. Between the head of the original Delera and my teal version is an enlarged detail of the dragon on the front of her robe. The little dragon/wyvern came from this earlier recolored robe:


http://i.imgur.com/118vMDt.jpg

What we are probably looking at is the male/female versions of this item. I could do without the fishnet shoulders of the female version and I might later post a singular image of this robe with bare shoulders but for now I think this will do. I think making a cosmetic out of this robe would go well with the introduction of Dragonborn.

[Wizza]

Those are really pretty!

[Aelonwy]

Those are really pretty!

Thank you. :)

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/gytaOLX.jpg

This is the middle shield from post #153 of this thread. Again it is just lying on the ground in the Vale of Twilight as a bit of set decoration in the Shavarath blasted area. I've recolored it to bring out the orchid design.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/DMhOmpl.jpg

So this is my take on a real Frozen Plate, I used a wiki image of the Epic Emerald Guard as the base item then recolored it to blues, turquoise, teal and silver leaving only some bits on the arms and leather skirting as the original earth tones. Then I used bits from the sword Terror and the shield Madstone Aegis to recolor/re-texture the breastplate, pauldrons, bracers and shin guards with the icy-looking glass material. The spikes on the shoulders came from the Robe of Winter Ice. I have to say this would look so awesome on my half-orc.

This took awhile to piece together. I'm also working on some other glass/ice items including a buckler, bow, and I was contemplating a rune-arm. I will also post this to Saekee's Risia suggestion thread as the last winter themed item inspired by his thread at this time.

[Ulfo]

There is some way to add a transparence to armor pieces? At least, to ice thorns? 8)

[Friggli]

I still don't get, why you haven't yet got a job offer from SSG...

[Aelonwy]

There is some way to add a transparence to armor pieces? At least, to ice thorns? 8)

Yes, I can use photoshop to make the ice look transparent its trivially easy to do with a static 2D image. I doubt it is anywhere near as simple for a moving 3D figure.

[Aelonwy]

I still don't get, why you haven't yet got a job offer from SSG...

I'm trained on and have experience with Photoshop, Paintshop Pro, and a Mac Vector drawing program that I have forgotten the exact name, but I have zero experience with 3D computer animation or the programs used in conjunction with them. I would be more than willing to learn, and I pick up application programs easily enough but I live in Texas and SSG is in Boston. I create these images in the hopes that they will inspire the art devs to do more with the assets they already have.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/c6JOeFJ.jpg

A selection of glass, ice, or crystal shields using bits of Madstone Aegis, Axe of Adaxus, and crystals from Undermine. Take your pick, once size fits all.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/f9n8dhU.jpg

I used the Master Transmuter's Staff, recolored the red gems blue and added some ice crystals on the end - viola an Icy Staff.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/VyAgRJX.jpg

So I used a wiki image of the Unwavering Ardency Bow, its not the prettiest but it looked spiky and sharp enough for the purpose of making an ice or crystal bow. Then I used bits of the Madstone Aegis to give it the accepted color and texture. It looked too flat at first so I increased the contrast on the flames of the original bow and made the "ice/glass" layer 30% transparent and the results were pretty cool looking. Please forgive the pun.

[Aelonwy]

So I was thinking about making a runearm with a frosty look but the newest dev creation Whirling Words despite not being a frost damage rune arm looks pretty close to what I was initially imagining.

https://www.ddo.com/sites/default/files/Wordsimage.jpg

Although I was thinking about a large chunk of ice/glass fitting around the forearm with the blasting end of the runearm sticking out but the little blue crystal/ice bits sticking out was spot on to my mental image. I don't know, it hardly seems worth it to adjust any further.



I was also contemplating a helm to match the Frozen Plate I created, the three possible base items I'm looking at are:

Sacred helm http://ddowiki.com/images/Sacred_Helm_shown.jpg
Tradusor http://ddowiki.com/images/Tradusor_shown.jpg
Chimera's Crown http://ddowiki.com/images/Chimera%27s_Crown_shown.jpg

I like the open face quality of Chimera's Crown, but I could make adjustments to either of the others to make them open face too. So which of the three do you guys think would make a good base item to become a Frozen Helm to match my version of Frozen plate?

[Nonesuch2008]

I like the open face quality of Chimera's Crown, but I could make adjustments to either of the others to make them open face too. So which of the three do you guys think would make a good base item to become a Frozen Helm to match my version of Frozen plate?

I vote for the Chimera's Crown to start with, I think the shaping of it will lend itself to the design. Plus the sectioning will allow for some contrasting pieces to help bring out the design.

The ice weapons are spectacular & would look really good with a Fire Shield (Cold) effect to them as well.

Have you ever thought about using the crystals from the Shrieking Mines in a weapon or shield design?

[Aelonwy]

I vote for the Chimera's Crown to start with, I think the shaping of it will lend itself to the design. Plus the sectioning will allow for some contrasting pieces to help bring out the design.

Hmmm good point. I was leaning toward Tradusor but I hadn't thought about the metal details outlining the pieces. Thanks for the input.


The ice weapons are spectacular & would look really good with a Fire Shield (Cold) effect to them as well.

Thanks. You're right of course and I could add some special graphic effects but the first intention is to give a clear view of the design.


Have you ever thought about using the crystals from the Shrieking Mines in a weapon or shield design?

I don't remember, are those the red crystals? I like the crystals from Undermine. I love the crystals out on the Menechtarun desert.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/tFeA9HF.jpg

So here is my first take on an Ice or Crystal Crown to go with my Frozen Plate item. I used the Chimera's Crown and all in all I think it came out okay.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/mwRYE3F.jpg

In the same vein as the Ioun stones of Elemental Victory, the evil eyes of this Xoriat themed crown would rotate around the wearer's head and peer about as they do in game.

[Ulfo]

Another beautiful piece of masterwork art! I really want this! 8)

[Powerhungry]

http://i.imgur.com/wrQBqx1.jpg

Alright this is the best I could do with the poor quality images of the Rudolph Wolf. Although now that I think about it, if they just made it a template for the wolf hood they could have the regular gray and white timber wolf, the winter wolf, the spotted wolf, and nothing's stopping them from making a black wolf, red-brown wolf, or even warg style hood. Lots of Store possibilities.

As before also posting this to Saekee's suggestion thread.

I always wanted my druid in wolf form to be like the holiday winter wolves....

[Aelonwy]

Another beautiful piece of masterwork art! I really want this! 8)

What a coincidence, I want one too. :p With eyebeams to blast my enemies and see them driven before me.... and hear the lamentations... uhm nevermind.



I always wanted my druid in wolf form to be like the holiday winter wolves....

It would be funny... but what could they give druid bears to be fair? My vote would be a santa hat.

[Aelonwy]

I do not have an Executioner's Helm, neither the slave lord item nor the cosmetic helm. Can someone get me zoomed in quality images of the helm facing forward and facing sideways? Every image I've found of it is either full body with the armor or just very poor quality low ppi.

[Nonesuch2008]

http://i.imgur.com/tFeA9HF.jpg

So here is my first take on an Ice or Crystal Crown to go with my Frozen Plate item. I used the Chimera's Crown and all in all I think it came out okay.

Good color combination there, it works very nicely to bring out the relief in the design of the crown while totally fitting the icy theme.

[Nonesuch2008]

http://i.imgur.com/mwRYE3F.jpg

In the same vein as the Ioun stones of Elemental Victory, the evil eyes of this Xoriat themed crown would rotate around the wearer's head and peer about as they do in game.

I like this, a lot! But imagine how dizzy it would make you if you try to focus on it for too long...

Drink alcohol & attempt to do that at your own risk. :p

[Tumani]

Can You do a version of a human toon wearing the Wizard King armor from the load in screen...I have always wanted to wear that:)


Great work

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/mwRYE3F.jpg

In the same vein as the Ioun stones of Elemental Victory, the evil eyes of this Xoriat themed crown would rotate around the wearer's head and peer about as they do in game.

This helm shoukd give:
1) true seeing
2) bonuses to resist sneak damage (fortification bonus)
3) bonus to spot skill
4) bonus to enchantment DCs
5) blindness immunity
and so on!

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/JWCYks5.jpg

So I was playing around with Teraza's Sight again. Remember how I said this tiara had so many possibilities? Well here I have illustrated some of them. From left to right: On the left a silver colored tiara (using Teraza's Sight) and the detail from Delera Omaren IV's dress to make a Dragon themed crown. Center is Teraza's recolored gold with a ruby augment gem in the center seemingly held by gold claws. Finally, on the right is a green toned Teraza's with the Medusa's face from the Shield of Reflecting (heavily altered - mostly rotating the snakes around the face) and also flipping a copy of Teraza's to make a thicker more symmetrical crown. All of these images used details from existing game artwork proving there are a generous number of possibilities available. Oh and I also adjusted all the crowns to fit the head above the eyebrows... because covering the eyebrows is NOT aesthetically pleasing.

[Aelonwy]

Can You do a version of a human toon wearing the Wizard King armor from the load in screen...I have always wanted to wear that:)


Great work

I'll take a look. Sometimes I try things but never post them because I can't make them work or can't get them to a quality I feel comfortable showing.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/CH9nduA.jpg

Darker more gothic or just more eye-catching versions of the Lavalier.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/ZdHtFP4.jpg


This is close to what a Malicia Cosmetic would look like on a human female PC.... I shudder to think what it might look like on a guy. :p

Personally, I wouldn't want this on any of my alts but I know many, many people have asked for it. However, I can use the effort to reproduce it to make something I would like later.

Now the big question... would it be possible to get a buxom upgrade on player characters?


(Also posted to my Anniversary Event: Ideas for next year! thread)

P.S. Anyone else notice her locket actually resembles a fancy lock? Does that mean something?

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/vXTyOPQ.jpg

Re-posting here to keep my images together.

Here is my idea for an Anniversary Cosmetic Pet: Violet Kobold Shaman. Kobolds were the main theme to the Anniversary Quest and they are sort of the unofficial mascot of DDO, so in my mind a Kobold cosmetic pet makes sense. I chose Violet because its my favorite color but also so it would be different from the store-bought kobold pets. I already have the blue one which is what I used as reference. The kobold pets have been available for a long while now if not the oldest cosmetic pets. I would set the value the same as the other cosmetics at 80 favors.

Additionally, I created a gold party hat on the cosmetic kobold. This could either be part of the kobold itself or purchased in store or purchased for additional favors at the party. I used the wizard hat/pet gear as the base item and removed the brim, changed its color, and added the tassel.

It would probably be best to have the hat as separate pet gear so that people could customize any pet to be "dressed for the party". In the spirit of the event.

[Stingae]

http://i.imgur.com/ZdHtFP4.jpg


This is close to what a Malicia Cosmetic would look like on a human female PC.... I shudder to think what it might look like on a guy. :p

Personally, I wouldn't want this on any of my alts but I know many, many people have asked for it. However, I can use the effort to reproduce it to make something I would like later.

Now the big question... would it be possible to get a buxom upgrade on player characters?


(Also posted to my Anniversary Event: Ideas for next year! thread)

P.S. Anyone else notice her locket actually resembles a fancy lock? Does that mean something?

Nice work. But there are more than enough games where you can buy cosmetics to make your medieval character look like a VS model. You know that 50% of the wearers will be male half orcs, PDKs or dwarves.

As for buxom upgrades, what would you call them? Upgrade Tome of Bountiful Bosom? You might not want it to persist through TR if you are going to change gender...

[Aelonwy]

Nice work. But there are more than enough games where you can buy cosmetics to make your medieval character look like a VS model. You know that 50% of the wearers will be male half orcs, PDKs or dwarves.

As for buxom upgrades, what would you call them? Upgrade Tome of Bountiful Bosom? You might not want it to persist through TR if you are going to change gender...

I was being facetious about the buxom upgrade. I myself am buxom, its not always a picnic. I did this particular item because ppl had asked for Malicia's outfit for years. And yes there would be auditions for Rocky, Brad, and Franknfurter all over the game. Honestly, I think people would tire of it pretty quickly, after a brief but frenzied popularity.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/6N0pL0T.jpg

So this is my first stab at making a unique cosmetic, starting from Malicia's outfit and redrawing and adding bits and pieces that make it more appealing to me. Obviously, its much more feminine both in style and color and somewhat more discreet. I went with a Halloween style theme so it could be used for Ravenloft or the return of the Night Revels. The skirt was actually made from an image of Malicia's wings and the colors of the bat across the bosom were made to match. I used a celtic dragon + moon symbol for the necklace. I made the boots and tights from scratch, and drew the spiderweb pattern by hand.

[Casareena]

I love this design, more please :D It's good to look and feel feminine or sexy even in the game world rather than just clad in armour.

Take note devs!!

[Saekee]

nice--what would a male version be like?

[Aelonwy]

nice--what would a male version be like?

Working on it. I'm using an NPC appearance as the base item, its coming across as a gothic style tunic.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/kQIb7KP.jpg

Alright, so here is what the male version would look like to me. I used Lukas Pietre (Market Place Jewelry Broker) as the base item and matched the colors to my female Ravenloft cosmetic. I altered some details such as adding the neck ruff from the male version of the Swashbuckling Outfit, adding the dragon symbol onto the medallion, matching the buttons on the tunic/vest to those on the corset, completely altering the boots and gloves to match my female version. Details that did not get translated: web hosiery and the bat. For reference an image of Lukas Pietre is used on page 5, post 81 of this thread.

I think this cosmetic would appeal to male players on bards, warlocks, pale masters, possibly sorcerers. I can imagine on someone with black or dark red or purple hair and glowing eyes this would look particularly appropriate.

[Saekee]

http://i.imgur.com/kQIb7KP.jpg

Alright, so here is what the male version would look like to me. I used Lukas Pietre (Market Place Jewelry Broker) as the base item and matched the colors to my female Ravenloft cosmetic. I altered some details such as adding the neck ruff from the male version of the Swashbuckling Outfit, adding the dragon symbol onto the medallion, matching the buttons on the tunic/vest to those on the corset, completely altering the boots and gloves to match my female version. Details that did not get translated: web hosiery and the bat. For reference an image of Lukas Pietre is used on page 5, post 81 of this thread.

I think this cosmetic would appeal to male players on bards, warlocks, pale masters, possibly sorcerers. I can imagine on someone with black or dark red or purple hair and glowing eyes this would look particularly appropriate.

sweet! I think I would match that with dark violet hair dye if they have it!
This would look great on a PM or bard, like you say, although also on an assassin!

Has any dev posted anywhere in this thread?

[Aelonwy]

Has any dev posted anywhere in this thread?

Sadly, no, despite the thread reaching 11 pages now without arguments or negativity of any kind. According to the EULA, I think anything I photoshop and post here belongs to them anyway, unless that part doesn't hold up. I suspect, that as a player populace, either we are not demonstrating our desire for more cosmetics vociferously enough or we are not buying enough cosmetics to justify further work on them. If it is the first its also likely that the shrunken player populace just doesn't have enough people all focused on one thing, if the second... well there's a lot to blame there:


1. Original Cosmetics were BTItem, one use and incredibly over priced as such.
(When a cosmetic is more expensive than an adventure pack it had better not be a one use item. This made many choose not to purchase at all. I am still running into the occasional person coming back to the game that doesn't know the cosmetics changed to BTA.)
2. They altered some but not all of those BTI cosmetics to the new BTA glamored items.
(I have no idea what their criteria was for which items got brought over into the new system. However, they never brought over the rest of the cosmetics... leading to this many years later, those of us who were going to purchase glamored cosmetics have already purchased ALL/MOST the items we want from those available. Saturated Market. The art files from the unconverted cosmetics MUST still exist, unless something really went wrong, in which case giving people new choices to purchase should result in more points spent.)
3. Most of the items they chose to convert to the BTA glamored cosmetics lacked variety in COLOR.
(Not everyone wants to wear black, and even if you may want a particular character to wear black... its probably not ALL or even most of your characters.)
4. Finally, and this is subjective but many of their styles just lacked attractiveness.
(This could be either because the over gear was lopsided, asymmetrical, or covered up the uniqueness of the new original art or because the item itself failed to appeal (crotch-less heavy armor for instance).


I am doing my part to show that I support cosmetics. I have purchased no less than 8 Mirrors, I have 4 versions of Pale Violet & Tan (including docent), the Traveler's Outfit, 2 sets of glowing eyes (Violet & Blue), various exclusive hair dyes and styles (appropriately priced for one use things) as well as 4 cosmetics pets and some of their tricks (blue kobold, pink rust monster, jeweled scorpion and scarlet parrot) and some tricks for the pets I earned via MM/expansion.

I wish they, themselves, would run a poll (with images) of which cosmetics people would like to see returned next so they could be better informed to provide us with items we want to purchase.

[Saekee]

I agree. Cosmetics also do not contribute to power creep. They are great 'badges' like the champion crown.

[Saekee]

Here is a suggestion: why don't you judge a 'pageant'? Have it for males, females and warforged (three categories). Let people post screenies of their favorite outfit, and judge its appearance based on hair style, color, equipped weapons/gear (like a rune arm or shield too) and how it all flows together.

Jerry is pretty good at supporting such contests with prizes. Maybe some mirrors of glamoring for the winners?

[Aelonwy]

Here is a suggestion: why don't you judge a 'pageant'? Have it for males, females and warforged (three categories). Let people post screenies of their favorite outfit, and judge its appearance based on hair style, color, equipped weapons/gear (like a rune arm or shield too) and how it all flows together.

Jerry is pretty good at supporting such contests with prizes. Maybe some mirrors of glamoring for the winners?

Its a thought. I've never held/sponsored an event before. Would I send the winners' info to Cordovan and have him do prizes? Because while I have characters on every server most are under 10th level and don't have the wherewithal to give any valued prizes on servers other than Thelanis.

I don't know. As a forum event its limited to people that come to, and read the forum regularly, and people that know how to post a screenshot. I had trouble with that for a very long time myself. Imgur, being so easy to use really made a difference. I'll give it some thought, maybe PM Cordovan about it and see what he suggests.

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/NBRVD9v.jpg


Once again, keeping my images as together as possible. These are pseudodragon cosmetic pets to match dragonborn players with gold, blue, a darker more vibrant red, green, white and black.

[Saekee]

Congratz on the PC!

[NytCrawlr]

Woohoo! Love all of these really.

Here's hoping to some more and better cosmetics in the near future.

(Yes, I also have a mule specifically for hair dyes, don't judge.)

Also, congrats again on the PC.

[Aelonwy]

Thanks guys. Sorry I haven't added much lately family things and end of school year for my eldest is occupying a larger chunk of my time than usual. But hey, he's on the AB Honor roll and that's what really matters.

[Aelonwy]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

[Wizza]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

Sad to hear, I liked pretty much all your cosmetics. Good job on those.

[BigErkyKid]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

You were commenting on cosmetics, not selling special designs as far as I understood.

My guess: they don't have much allocated to cosmetics anymore since they can just sell us the option to create our own.

And they just turned you down gently.

Pity because your thread could be inspiration for the design of items, not necessarily just cosmetics. Or at the very least as a discussion place for what kind of looks players like and so on.

[Ulfo]

Sad to hear, I liked pretty much all your cosmetics. Good job on those.

+1, cannot say more.

Your ideas was best, Aelonwy! 8)

[Lanadazia]

not sure if this fits here..
i have posted this suggestion a few years ago. the same time the cosmetic armor/head slots were introduced.
i really like the idea of permanet cosmetic, that you can swap account-wide.

my suggestion here is: make the same for hairstyles please! i like most of the store hairstyles alot, but losing them on a eTR (and even LR? not sure) makes them pretty much obsolete.
if i had the option to purchase permanent additional hairstyles, i'd pay for it!

whether they come like cosmetic items with according slots, so we can swap them out like we want - or (if this is the easier way) -
we add them to our collection and can have them as permanent option in character creation.

also please revisit the helmet/goggles off command. it doesn't seem to work, to only display goggles, while there is a cosmetic hat equiped, even though the hat is turned off.

Edit:
how about a fashion event? Give us an editor to create own cosmetic armors, and choose the top 10 of entries. would be fun!

[PermaBanned]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.
Talk about "nice things and why we can't have them".

Your pics & ideas have been pretty sweet, it's really too bad they're for naught. Maybe they can "hire" you as an "intern" who telecommutes their work from home? Idk for sure, but that seems to me like an arrangement where they could use your designs without actually having to pay you, while allowing you to design at your leisure.

A few posts up, you highlighted some possibilities for poor financial performance of Cosmetics (excluding the Mirror), but you left one off the list: no preview. That's gotta be a deal breaker for many would-be buyers. Hopefully they get that figured out.

Last but certainly not least, grats to the Honors student!

[vryxnr]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

*I am currently swearing silently in my head a non-stop string of curses in dismay at learning this*

That sucks big time. I love cosmetics, and your ideas, and was really wishing they'd bring more life to them.

Heck - on the note of why there haven't been new cosmetics and the potential for it being because not enough people have been buying them - I was going to bring up an example of a real world business practice that is currently being implemented in my area that showed the issue (here at least) was not lack of interest, but lack of funds for the value provided (the 'trend' was showing decreased numbers of purchases and the costs kept going up to compensate for the fewer purchases, but the trend just snowballed... but when they decided to give a 50% discount to those who could show they earned less than X amount/year, and profits skyrocketed (from those discounted purchases) to more than make up for the decreasing revenue "trend" from the last few years. Showing that people do want the service, but it was simply not worth what was being charged/they could not afford it).

As for this though.... *continues swearing in his head*

I am a sad panda. :(

...but hopefully (as you have talked to them about cosmetics) they will start giving more love to them in the (near? hopefully?) future.

[Annex]

Armours and clothing from the last three years of Lord of the Rings Online clearly demonstrate that the artists at Standing Stone Games can produce very nice (realistic, restrained, symmetrical!) cosmetic items for characters. For whatever reason, Severlin does not allocate the necessary resources to DDO.

I am rather baffled that many other multi-player games sell almost endless streams of new cosmetic items but Standing Stone Games cannot. After 3 months of play my Jedi Sage had well over 100 unique outfits. One hundred! And they were pretty! And symmetrical!

I continue to purchase DDO Points in meager quantities simply because nothing in the Game Shop appeals to me. The latest dungeons offer nothing for my characters accept frustrating difficulty. We have not seen a new cosmetic outfit in years. I want to earn experience playing the game, not buying my way past it.

Severlin, please, please, please reconsider the current embargo on new cosmetic outfits.

[Hafeal]

A few posts up, you highlighted some possibilities for poor financial performance of Cosmetics (excluding the Mirror), but you left one off the list: no preview. That's gotta be a deal breaker for many would-be buyers. Hopefully they get that figured out.



Bingo. Myself and another guildie went to check out the recent cosmetics sale and I sauntered down to the House K armor shop ... no previews.

Hard to drop DDOPs on stuff you are not convinced you will like - unless its inexpensive, and even on sale it was not inexpensive enough to warrant buying v saving up for significant outlay items (e.g. Otto's, xp, slayer).

[Aelonwy]

A few posts up, you highlighted some possibilities for poor financial performance of Cosmetics (excluding the Mirror), but you left one off the list: no preview. That's gotta be a deal breaker for many would-be buyers. Hopefully they get that figured out.

Last but certainly not least, grats to the Honors student!

Probably got left out of that post (end of March) because either the store preview was still functioning at that time or had recently stopped functioning and I wasn't aware of it yet.

And thanks we're proud of him.

[Aelonwy]

Armours and clothing from the last three years of Lord of the Rings Online clearly demonstrate that the artists at Standing Stone Games can produce very nice (realistic, restrained, symmetrical!) cosmetic items for characters. For whatever reason, Severlin does not allocate the necessary resources to DDO.


That makes me sad.

[Nonesuch2008]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

Aelonwy,

I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks for the initiative & all the hard work that you put into this thread. Even if the ideas go unused by your intended target audience, I know that myself and many others have really enjoyed seeing some of these ideas come to life. There's some satisfaction to be had from that, despite the sour news on the other front, so don't think that no good has come from doing this.

And since this thread has been a winner from start to finish, and these works are definitely a positive influence on the community, I would like to nominate this thread for the Hall of Fame.

It definitely has my vote.

Thanks

[Iriale]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.
They can not legally use them? I find it weird

Sad to read this. Your ideas are great, you have artistic talent.

I think SSG would sell many more cosmetics if they created a cosmetic wardrobe like we have with pets and it exists in other games (eg, GW2) It was inventory problems which caused me to limit the amount of cosmetics I bought, and I know more people in my case.

One of the main problems of this game is that it has very impractical things. The storage system is especially horrible.

[calouscaine]

I'm willing to bet if they hired you as a concept artist they could legally use your ideas.
Then again I don't know the extent of your pms.
My understanding from posting things on forums is that they can become something like free/public domain, ie, they wouldn't be able to copy right them and use them/sell them.

The same thing typically applies to rping on forums, a person couldn't just take all of the writing and turn it into a book even with all of the players permissions.

[Saekee]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

Take comfort in the fact that so many people have enjoyed your designs. Simply because they did not make it into the game does not mean a waste of time. Many (including myself) now look more closely at the game's aesthetics, take pride in their toon's suits and pause here and there to smell the visual flowers.

[Aelonwy]

And since this thread has been a winner from start to finish, and these works are definitely a positive influence on the community, I would like to nominate this thread for the Hall of Fame.

It definitely has my vote.
Thanks

Thank you, that's sweet.


They can not legally use them? I find it weird

I'm not fluent in legalese, but I agree it seems weird.



I think SSG would sell many more cosmetics if they created a cosmetic wardrobe like we have with pets and it exists in other games (eg, GW2).

Agreed.



I'm willing to bet if they hired you as a concept artist they could legally use your ideas.
Then again I don't know the extent of your pms.
My understanding from posting things on forums is that they can become something like free/public domain, ie, they wouldn't be able to copy right them and use them/sell them.

The same thing typically applies to rping on forums, a person couldn't just take all of the writing and turn it into a book even with all of the players permissions.

I had no idea that posting them on the forum instantly made them free/public domain. Is that any forum? Is that why they cannot even make their own version of what I've created?



Take comfort in the fact that so many people have enjoyed your designs. Simply because they did not make it into the game does not mean a waste of time. Many (including myself) now look more closely at the game's aesthetics, take pride in their toon's suits and pause here and there to smell the visual flowers.

It is very encouraging that so many enjoyed my aesthetics, and imagination.

Most of my information that they cannot use my photoshopped images even with permission, because I'd be totally willing to give them free permission to use the work I've done so far comes from this Weekly Wednesday Livestream (August 2, 2017):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pj6pvpZhG8

At time marks: 39:58 and 55:17.

The only PMs I have on the subject say much the same thing without being any more specific.

[calouscaine]

I had no idea that posting them on the forum instantly made them free/public domain. Is that any forum? Is that why they cannot even make their own version of what I've created?


Since the forums are basically a public domain in most cases the answer is most likely yes. Unless ssg is bogged down some how with licensing issues for some unknown reason which restricts their cosmetic development, which seems unlikely. One can honestly only speculate on their licensing unless one of them chimes in and enlightens us.
But, on the topic of posting in a public domain forum. Basically if you post something in a public domain forum it becomes free reign for anyone to use so long as they don't try to sell it. This is why publishers ask you and make sure you haven't posted any of your books(or parts of them) on a public domain forum, because it disallows them the ability to place it under their copy right legally.
If you want your designs to be considered more over, ie if you are making more of them, might be best to pm them to the devs or some such and reach an agreement with ssg for rights to the designs. Still, I imagine you would need more than mixing and matching and re-color/texturing them, as there might be issues with that as well so far as rights/licensing is concerned.
Still, keep on trucking, you do amazing work and it would be a shame if it never makes it into the game due to a small set back.

He is correct that it's a bit complicated though. A contract for the rights to use images/designs/ideas/writing/etc is needed by a corporation in order to use it in a game/book/quest/etc. They would basically have to draw up a contract and pay you for the work in exchange to legally use what you make. Even if you say they can use it, with out the contract and a binding agreement they could still be liable for you to sue them if they used it with out one.

[DYWYPI]

Aelonwy, it is unfortunate they you'll be no longer "photoshopping" your cosmetic ideas and posting them on the DDO forums. :-(

I presume Cordovan was mostly referring to Intellectual Property. Those original designs you made are still effectively copyright of "Aelonwy (https://www.ddo.com/forums/member.php/402662-Aelonwy)" even though they were posted on the DDO public forum.

Copyright is the automatic right of the creator from the point that first 'recorded' the work in a tangible manner. SSG could not directly copy and use your designs and patterns but I'm certain they could build upon some of those ideas or themes. For example; if you created a flying Creature Companion as a Golden Spellbook with a fancy rune on its cover, they couldn't also make a similar companion with that design if it too closely resembled your design.

Intellectual Property: can have more than one owner, belong to people or businesses and be sold or transferred but it requires legal processes to transfer it. Since those images appeared on the DDO public forums. They [SSG] may prefer not to risk using those ideas; should anyone else make counter-claims, etc. If you had passed the images to SSG incognito and not posted them in public possibly they'd have easier options but would still have to follow similar legal rules.

I remember, when I co-authored a Technical book that was published in 2011, with several other authors some whom had authored books before. (We offered our work free of charge under understanding the book wouldn't be sold for profit). The publisher was using their: Program Director, Cover Designer, Editor and Technical Editor, i.e. their usual employed publishing team. However, to get around things; so they did NOT have to pay the [authors], the publisher used a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 license. :-)

[Wizza]

I would like to nominate this thread for the Hall of Fame.


Agreed.

[Cordovan]

Welcome to the Hall of Fame.

[Saekee]

Welcome to the Hall of Fame.

Congratz Aelonwy!

[Niminae]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

Well, ****. That is a bit of a crappy situation, isn't it?

I for one loved your Ioun stone eyes, and would have loved to see them in the game. I guess lawyers ruin everything, but I really have a hard time accepting that any fan created content cannot become a part of the game, even with written consent, given that Steelstar just recently asked for fan submissions (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/490402-Iconic-Scourge-Path?p=6026665&viewfull=1#post6026665) for an Iconic racial path and said straight up that it might become a part of the game if there was a player submission that the devs liked. And there was no mention of consent being asked for nor required to use any of the submissions in any way that SSG decided to use them. At all.

So, what gives here? This seems to be entirely contradictory information being passed along by different people within the same organization.

[Aelonwy]

Welcome to the Hall of Fame.


Congratz Aelonwy!

Thanks guys, special thanks to hubby, he says he bugged Cordovan politely on twitch.

[Aelonwy]

So, what gives here? This seems to be entirely contradictory information being passed along by different people within the same organization.

I've no idea Nim. Maybe because mine were picture files? Who knows, laws rarely make sense.

[Zavina]

I've no idea Nim. Maybe because mine were picture files? Who knows, laws rarely make sense.

Perhaps if you signed over all IP rights to SSG in exchange for an official acknowledgement from them (that your designs are in use). This would enable you to build up a portfolio (if you didn't have one before), that if you wanted to enter work as a graphic design artist.

as for posting things on a public domain - no posting them doesn't enter into "free access for all". I have done a lot of photography work, and I post my images on various facebook groups with an appropriate copyright sign. One day, I came across an early piece of my photos that had my name removed but someone elses emblazoned in the background of the image in faint writing, effectively stealing my copyright of it. I contacted the person who tried to claim that they had sent me a message asking "if it was okay for them to do that" (w t f?) and "i didn't reply, so they went ahead to do it". They hadn't tried to contact me, obviously. They just thought they could do that, but foolishly did it on a forum where I was a member of (as in it was the same forum, I had posted them previously (how stupid can people go!)).

Threat of a lawsuit from my attorney had those photos removed immediately, with an apologetic letter from them. My attorney took that apology and re-affirmed if another of my photos were stolen in that manner again, by them, then he would squeeze them until they screamed (so, I have a pitbull for an attorney, lol).

But the point is, is if you name/identify each image, and sign over intellectual property rights to SSG in return for official acknowledgement as an SSG concept/graphic artist (with the understanding that the images you designed will feature as part of your portfolio; remember - you are not garnering monies from the images).

Whether or not you use the images for a portfolio is by-the-by, but it would allow you to contribute and be officially recognized. For SSG's side of things, they don't have to pay you a salary; they get the work from you (and any you then subsequently sign over), which can be then used within the SSG games (whether DDO or LoTR).

[Aelonwy]

Perhaps if you signed over all IP rights to SSG in exchange for an official acknowledgement from them (that your designs are in use). This would enable you to build up a portfolio (if you didn't have one before), that if you wanted to enter work as a graphic design artist.

I've already sent at least two PMs to Cordovan indicating that I'd be willing to sign over rights to them if they were at all interested. So far all indications are that either they are not interested enough to have a legal document drawn up or that there is some other tangle beyond merely signing a contract/legal document.

[amylee4000]

I just wanted everyone to know that I'm not going to be photoshopping anymore ideas for DDO. I thought I might inspire the devs with some creative and attractive armor/robes/weapons etc but the overwhelming feedback I've had from Cordovan (mostly on twitch) and another dev without going into PM details which isn't allowed is that they can't legally use any of my ideas, even with written consent apparently. So my whole purpose for doing it is entirely negated. And worse might possibly prevent them from doing anything even close to my suggestions. :(

Thank you to everyone that glanced at this thread and gave me encouragement.

Too sad to read that, I was thinking of new ideas when I saw your post, but after reading that I think dont post it,.. thanks for your effort in the thread, But it is something that does not surprise me, since it is getting poorer the service they give to armor cosmetics or pets, for example the little effort in making companions, (see the companion rock, the dumbest thing I've seen in this game but hey.. look how jump.. lol) .. and then simply the same armor for this halloween but hey ... it's red ... come on!! ..
I have always received the same answer as soon as I have put some idea about cosmetics or I have asked in the stream, .. there are no plans to do it, the software or engine does not allow it etc ... no, no and more times not..... I do not know who will be in charge of doing this kind of thing, but the quality after Motu is very poor.
If their problems, and I understand is a 11 years old game, but either they invest in new technologies or they will have fewer players for the poor quality they offer .. and fewer players means less income .. It's just a matter of time like it happened with Neverwinter that another game of the franchise gonna be online, soon will happen with Lotro, watching games like Shadows of Mordor, or son the new series of Lord of the rings that another company offers an online game with a good quality... in short, and I hope Im wrong, I see this company a short life in the future..

[Aelonwy]

Some ideas for hats that could be adjusted for Dragonborn:

https://i.imgur.com/ex0S1MZ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NL6xyDz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/p5NI145.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2faQDc3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gwj8l8r.jpg

[Garbudo]

Just an idea, it would be really nice if we could buy a custom cosmetic armor made by our selves. I am thinking character creation screen style but with armors, this could be done with the sliders character creation uses, this would give us a crazy amount of customized armors, and building it on the character your playing so no mistakes. I could even see a 2495 point price for bundled armor, head, and cloak custom kit. Pricing seems reasonable to me anyways due the time it would take developing said system. Would also say just a single custom item 1495 points. Obviously some things would be excluded from this raid stuff mabar stuff so on

[Aelonwy]

https://i.imgur.com/OQ7fbK6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ANGSecO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BAgE3j2.jpg

[Aelonwy]

https://i.imgur.com/qm8M90g.jpg

[Aelonwy]

Better placement and multiple colors of the Wizard Hat cosmetic.

https://i.imgur.com/2QbcfWr.jpg

[Aelonwy]

http://i.imgur.com/yDG4TvM.jpg (https://imgur.com/yDG4TvM)

Better Hardcore Wings, at least they look more Hardcore.

https://i.imgur.com/BqvZT0S.jpg

Little miniature, transparent wings that could be sold in the store.

[Aelonwy]

https://i.imgur.com/75uhVmh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/te3imlN.jpg

[Annex]

https://i.imgur.com/75uhVmh.jpg

THIS!

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!

DO THAT!

Edit: Last night I was running the heroic pirates saga and two full groups ran past. There were a lot of crazy outfits and wings. Later, while trying to sleep, it struck me that DDO really has become crazy character land. Almost none of our characters look like normal citizens of Eveningstar, Greyhawke, and Stormbreach. Character outfits have catapulted well beyond Halloween, a masquerade ball, or even cosplay, becoming garish and ugly parodies of such things.

The lacy, winter themed wings above are very pretty and I would use them. Yet, I wonder how the art direction for character outfits in The Lord of the Rings Online can be so good while the outfits in DDO are so very bad. It must be intentional. At this point, I expect nothing but would like the people in the art department to let me in on the joke.

[Aelonwy]

https://i.imgur.com/PHfwKae.jpg

A flameskull orb.

Used ToEE Golden Orb of death, made it green and gave it flaming eyes.

[Aelonwy]

https://i.imgur.com/8r0ftlE.jpg

A cloak based off the Gossamer Weave but made to match the spectral weapons of Night Revels.

[Aelonwy]

One of my favorites for my main is Order's Garb.

https://i.imgur.com/m4qnFWl.jpg

I would really like a matching cloak, like thus:

https://i.imgur.com/H44Iw5S.jpg

I used a Mysterious Cloak for the border/edges of the cloak and the coloring and designs of the Order's Garb for the decorations.