Visual Character Customization...

[Dunlevy]

It'd be wonderful if Turbine allowed for far greater visual customization of the characters. A few friends of mine have expressed dissatisfaction with the customization given currently. I would agree. So perhaps instead of just giving us a few nose models for instance which we can exchange with the head model, how about allowing us to select a nose then modify it with something like a sculpt tool?

Dungeons and Dragon's customization for skills and the like is already fine, it'd just be nice to see some really good looking characters; or to be able to achieve that specific look I wanted in-game.

Thanks for your consideration,

Dunlevy (AKA Khamasara)

[Dunlevy]

It'd be nice to see some response telling me if this is possible/not possible/stupid/not stupid.

[Cleitanious]

I'll start by saying DDO uses the same engine as LOTRO. This has been brought up more than a few times on the LOTRO forums and has received more than a few developer responses. Long story short, It's not possible. Maybe I can dig up a topic with a detailed explanation.

[kudesnik]

While I can agree that deeper customization is a good thing - I don't think it is essential at this point. I'd rather see other things in game, like new content, classes, races, guild housing, player housing, etc...

[Dunlevy]

Well I never expected this to get top priority, and your ideas about new content are as important if not more important. I just wish we could be more... detailed, I suppose.

[Cleitanious]

They deleted all of the old threads on the LOTRO forums.

[drakkos]

i'd be happy just being able to paint my gear.

i mean, my nice pale pink suit of mithril full plate is cute, but cute isn't exactly what i was going for.

just the option to make it flat weaponblack black would be better.

[MagicianBlade]

Certainly anything is possible, but the amount of stuff that would have to change to make changes like that, would be huge, i'm sure. So, not going to happen.

[DoctorWhofan]

with the hair colours in the Turbine store, there may be future choices later on. I am hoping.

And OP: it wasn't a bad idea, we just slammed the devs every three months with it.

[Maxelcat]

Paint. seriously. paint.

I reallllllllyyy... don't like being able to tell what level people are and what they are wearing.

NWN was pretty easy with it. all it did in the codeing was change the numbers of the primary/secondary colour.

though now that I've looked at the Armor skin quality between NWN and DDO side by side i don't think its going to be that easy...

NWN Armor skins were built from parts that you could interchange then they had a primary colour and a secondary colour. DDO armor skins look like their one painted piece with the colour pre determined.

It really depends on the back end. NWN toolset was built with that in mind. what they built, how things looked was was designed to be that flexable. the DDO back end might not be that flexable.

you have to remember. NWN was built for that modification ability. the DDO back end probably doesn't. (though id love to see it) a simple ability of changing colors/models might be millions of lines of code...

Though it would be AWESOME to have it. personal colors or even Guild armor colors? AWESOME...

But in all honesty, i rather guild housing, and a guild bank first. (though now they have shared account bank space; Is guild banking that far away?

[Waldegrave]

Firstly, as a programmer myself, I don't see how this would take a TOTAL REWRITE OF CODE. Then again, it all depends on how poorly the game is coded (i.e., if the code isn't modular at all).

Secondly, this is Dungeons & Dragons Online, folk. Do you even remember what D&D was about? It was about unleashing your imagination, having no boundaries -- making a character of your own as exact to your imagination as you wanted.

And I hear people telling me that player customization isn't important? Pah!

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Firstly, as a programmer myself, I don't see how this would take a TOTAL REWRITE OF CODE. Then again, it all depends on how poorly the game is coded (i.e., if the code isn't modular at all).

As a programmer you know that a custom nose would have to have its details stored in an individual dataset and be rendered and rerendered in each position possible. The stock bodies mean that they only need to save you as "body 1, nose 4, eyebrows 3, eyes 2", etc. Much easier to save, much easier to QA. Doesn't mean more options aren't better, but this is clearly easier programically.

Secondly, this is Dungeons & Dragons Online, folk. Do you even remember what D&D was about? It was about unleashing your imagination, having no boundaries -- making a character of your own as exact to your imagination as you wanted.

And I hear people telling me that player customization isn't important? Pah!

Um, my imagination doesn't require me to make a perfect avatar. Besides, the RP portion of this game is largely not important, its D&D stores and combat, thats about it.

[Dunlevy]

Your imagination, no offense, is not everyone's imagination.

[Waldegrave]

I always hated this about forums -- there's always a fanboy who thinks the developers can do no wrong.

As per the recoding goes, if we consider this in the element of modularity, then only a section of code would have to be patched, and I'd say I'm quite used to updates from DDO. Such modularity would allow for scalability in terms of adding such variables assigned to features, e.g., nose 1, mouth 3; an index and corresponding player data referencing it is really all it takes. I've played many online multiplayer games where new customization features were released monthly because such a simple system was used.

Furthermore, I severely doubt you even understood my point in the least. Your obvious unwarranted loyalty is evident in the fact that you're indifferent (to say the least) to your creativity and imagination being limited. How is role playing not important in a role playing game?

[Makar40]

Sorry bro, but MMO's stopped being rpg's YEARS ago. Just cause they tack RPG at the end of MMO (and alot of them dont even do that anymore) doesnt mean squat. I can call a rose a shark all I want, but its still just a flower...... DDO is not an rpg its an MMO. Its about going into a dungeon, kicking butt, grabbing loot, going to town to sell loot for plat to buy better loot on the auction house so you can go to a better dungeon with better loot.

In D&D roleplaying was great because it was run by live players where our imaginations were the limit. In DDO, the code is the limit, and in DDO the code pretty much limits us to dungeon running, and loot selling. Just sayin....

[Vormaerin]

All I know is that the Devs have consistently (both here and in LotRO) discussed art assets as one of the major expenses of new content. So discussing a major expansion of the art assets in the game is going to be slow going.

None of Turbine's games are built with that sort of character avatar design in mind. Its a non trivial amount of work to redo it. And they've indicated that they have other uses for their artists' time.

[Waldegrave]

Sorry bro, but MMO's stopped being rpg's YEARS ago. Just cause they tack RPG at the end of MMO (and alot of them dont even do that anymore) doesnt mean squat. I can call a rose a shark all I want, but its still just a flower...... DDO is not an rpg its an MMO. Its about going into a dungeon, kicking butt, grabbing loot, going to town to sell loot for plat to buy better loot on the auction house so you can go to a better dungeon with better loot.

In D&D roleplaying was great because it was run by live players where our imaginations were the limit. In DDO, the code is the limit, and in DDO the code pretty much limits us to dungeon running, and loot selling. Just sayin....

What? I mean really, what?

It's an RPG in every sense of the term. Do you even know what you're talking about? I'd be embarrassed if I made that post.

"MMO" alone doesn't define anything besides "massively multiplayer online game". The genre of this game is in fact RPG, thusly MMORPG, as in an RPG that you play with lots of people online, derp-herp.

The code shouldn't limit the player's ability, that has been my point from the beginning, but you're so amazingly wrapped up to some sense of familiarity, possibly some over-zealous 'fanboyism' (aforementioned) you're failing to see that.

Are you content with such restrictions? Do you really believe you should be? This really isn't a matter of moving on if I don't like it, as improvements and revisions are imperative.

All I know is that the Devs have consistently (both here and in LotRO) discussed art assets as one of the major expenses of new content. So discussing a major expansion of the art assets in the game is going to be slow going.

None of Turbine's games are built with that sort of character avatar design in mind. Its a non trivial amount of work to redo it. And they've indicated that they have other uses for their artists' time.

What, are you suggesting that this is a good thing?

[Vormaerin]

No, I'm suggesting it is a fact and that it isn't going to change. I'm informing you of the results of prior conversations over the last 3.5 years. You are welcome to tilt at windmills if you want, though.

[quintuss]

I would really like to see more customization options for my chars but i'd take more content and/or classes/races over that any day of the week.

The only real wish i have atm is:

PLZ INTRODUCE A FEW MORE SKINS FOR DT ARMOR!!!

The higher level chars start to look more like an army with everyone wearing the same uniform(armor model).

[Makar40]

What? I mean really, what?

It's an RPG in every sense of the term. Do you even know what you're talking about? I'd be embarrassed if I made that post.

"MMO" alone doesn't define anything besides "massively multiplayer online game". The genre of this game is in fact RPG, thusly MMORPG, as in an RPG that you play with lots of people online, derp-herp.

The code shouldn't limit the player's ability, that has been my point from the beginning, but you're so amazingly wrapped up to some sense of familiarity, possibly some over-zealous 'fanboyism' (aforementioned) you're failing to see that.

Are you content with such restrictions? Do you really believe you should be? This really isn't a matter of moving on if I don't like it, as improvements and revisions are imperative.



What, are you suggesting that this is a good thing?

Im certainly NOT embarrassed to make that post. I tried this game about a year and a half ago. Played for 2 days and quit because I thought it blew chunks. I came back due to the FTP and subbed this time because I find I like it alot more now. Im certainly not a fanboi lol.

The ship sailed on the RPG part of MMORPG a LONG time ago. RPG in a computer game format does NOT mean playing a role. It refers to the mechanics of gaining xp to attain a new level, whereby the PC gains new skills and becomes more powerful.

My post isnt about being wrapped up in familiarity. Should code limit the player? No. DOES code limit the player? Yes. Will it remain that way for the forseeable future? Yes, until technology advances to such a degree that it is able to be everything that our imaginations can be, we will be limited by code. It is exponentially harder to RP in a decent way in an MO, compared to PnP.

Anyways, I just realized that you and I are getting into an argument over the last 2 sentences of your original post in this thread, which really is kinda dreailing the thread.