DDO Devs: Pls allow us to change the look of Armour!

[AestorTheKnight]

DDO Devs Please allow us to change and, or, customise the looks of our Armour, Shields, and Helmets.

One week ago I purchased a suit of +5 Twighlight Mithril Full Plate from the Auction House for 5 million Gold Pieces.
"Awsome!!" I thought, "Now I will be able to start building that Full Plate Wearing Elven Fighter / Wizard - Eldritch Knight character ive always wanted to play. Safe in the knowledge that ill have a great suit of armour for him to wear when he reaches level 14. I hope it looks nice..."

But it looks like this:



"OMG!!" I thought, "That looks like a load of trash! There is no-way I would wear this armour on any of my characters..." So into the Bank it goes to take up a bank slot and gather dust. None of my characters will ever wear it as long as it looks like that. A waste of 5 million GP.

I dont want my +5 Twighlight Mithril Full Plate to look like a pile of trash! I want it to look like this:



Or something cool like that.

This at the moment is a problem for DDO! That suits of armour, shields, helmets, are not worn, but instead stashed away in the bank ot sold to the vendor because of their dreadful appearance. But this is only the start of the problem.

For a long time I held off wearing Dragontouched Armour on my Fighter Tank because I really didnt want to sacrifice her appearance and character by essentially becoming a sheep and looking just like every other character above level 16. But eventually I gave in because I wasnt willing to hold back my characters advancment for the sake of her looks. A lame trade off I shouldnt have to make. Anyways...

This is how she looks today, in Dragontouched Armour:



But this is NOT how I want my character to look. Not the image I want to look at for the many hours I play DDO every week. It does NOT suit her personality, nor her hereditry or her heraldry. This is how I want her to look:



An appearance that reflects my characters personality, her style of play, her ethics, her character!! So that she is an individual, and how I imagine her to be in the DDO World.

But instead I get to be a sheep, a clone, and look like everyone else:



Just like this guys:



Great isnt it that everyone looks the same past level 16.... Not...

Which brings me to my next point.

The Splash Screens that have recently appeared advertising My DDO



Wonder at the amazing diversity and individuality of the Citizens of Stormreach! See the Elven Wizard with an authentic elven robe! See the Bladesworn Warforge with a spiky docent! See the Halfling Sorceror with her orange robe of power! Gee they even have matching hats!! (What!? they are not all wearing Minos Legens, they must be gimped!)

Wouldnt it be nice if the diversity and individuality of appearance Turbine advertises really existed in DDO. But im sorry Turbine it doesnt... your Dungeons and Dragons game doesnt look like that!

It looks like this:



Can it be any more startlingly obvious!?

And yet Reavers Refuge and Dragontouched armour has been out for nearly 2 years now, and we the players have been asking for the option to change our armour appearance for as long, if not longer! So when is Turbine gonna do something about it? God only knows...

Some qoutes from other players on this issue:

Velexia about DragonTouched Outfits:

Lastly, please consider varying the look of the armor, possibly tying in to the enchantments that are on the armor? The Pajama Uniform look is really tiring.

Various colors, shapes, etc. Please.

Etc etc

Anyways - Ive outlined the problem. The solution shouldnt be so complicated. See my other Threads for a Solution:

Skin Customisation - Further Thoughts : http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=220468

Cosmetic Items: Q & A + Feedback : http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=241621

This is my final tirade on Turbine on the issue of Armour, Shield, Helmet, Weapon Appearance in DDO.. I sincerely hope they finally do something about it.

Thanks for reading! Discussion is welcome

[Aerendil]

Rofl, slam dunk


+1.

Been arguing this for quite a while now.
We need more variety of armours and weaponry; the ability to PREVIEW it before we buy it or put it on; and the ability to customize it afterwards.

Seriously. Everquest had this implemented with dyes about 10 years ago, as well as having 1359017507 times the equipment database.
Here everyone is in DT gear / Icy's / epic gear. All the melees have khopeshes or handwraps.
It's pretty bland.

[AyumiAmakusa]

Lol. HAHAHA. This post made me laugh so hard. If Turbine won't let us change the look of an armor/weapon at the VERY LEAST let us change the COLOUR of it. That's a good start. The same armor looks different in blue than metallic silver. And you can work on it from there.

[dasein18]

OP, like your post.
BTW the elven robe is Elven Craft Robe from GH, turn in relics and get the robe or armor. Nice for clerics before you get DT, black or blue scale, etc.

Seems like the devs are working in this direction. You can buy with TP bunny hats. I am sure they smell profit$ with the potential to buy clickies to make your armor look different.

I also have some really bad looking robes and +5 mithral plates. Of course you can wear the terrible looking easter splash armor from Minsunder. It is at least different if not the worst looking armor in the game.

[AestorTheKnight]

Thanks for your replies! And im happy it made y'all laugh! Hehe.

Yes as Aerendil stated this is something he and others have been asking for for ages! It really is about time DDO got a equipment appearance update.

Agreed with Ayumi that armour dyes would be a very good step in the right direction towards Armour appearance personalisation!

To answer Dasein18 - Glad you liked the post. For the sake of clarity, that actually isnt the Elf Crafted Robe, well not exactly, it shares the same Under Skin, but not the same Over Skin. Sorry to be pedantic, just a clarification.

But to be honest... The Bunny Hats are more of the same problem as far as I am concerned. You see too many people wearing them. Sure it might be the Devs working out the Technology to alter equipment appearances but from my point of view the Devs are wasteing time working on gimmicks when they should be trying to provide a real fix for a problem that has been in DDO for far too long now.

And the Mindsunder gear is more of the same problem. But I appreciate your words of advice, thanks Desein18

Your guys encouragement has prompted me to think about writing a definitive outline for the Appearance Options DDO "SHOULD" have implemented. Because At the moment I am concerned that the DDO devs are approaching this from the wrong angle, that of exclusive exclusive Cosmetic Items in the DDO Store. Which is NOT an adequate fix in my oppinion.

Hehehe, once again glad this made you dudes laugh!

[shagath]

Haha, that was some funny original post.

[azrael4h]

+1. This is something that should have been in the game from day one. Instead of running a scam to boost store revenue with Nerfdate 5, this would have a more pronounced effect, please pretty much everyone, and not cause lost revenue from lost players.

Which is why it won't be done, ever. It makes too much sense.

[Stermlin]

/signed

Back in the good ol days, when I was level 12 or 13, or something around there, I was running around in a +2 Mithril Full Plate that looked absolutely amazing. It was red and black and I loved how it looked on my toon. Then I finally got lucky and looted myself a set of +5 Mithril Full Plate of Fire Guard. I remember thinking when I first got it: "Sweet! Just think how much cooler this is going to look on me!" And then, depression set in. I equipped it, watching the bar load with held breath, and then, *poof* omg! I turned into a tree humper! My Mithril Full Plate was tealish- greenish and silver and just plain ugly. It looked like I lived in the trees and made love to squirrels. Well, long story short, now I have my DT and, although I no longer look like a chipmunk's *****, I am still disappointed in looking like every other TWF fighter above level 16.

/signed /signed and /double signed

[wyvernmonarch7]

!support

while developing a system for each character to 100% customize his appearance could be costly, at least allowing some customization (such as perhaps color dyes just as an example) could really make players look not all the same.

also dragontouched robes should NOT have backpacks attached to them. my favored soul is not in kindergarten

[Alabore]

But to be honest... The Bunny Hats are more of the same problem as far as I am concerned. You see too many people wearing them. Sure it might be the Devs working out the Technology to alter equipment appearances but from my point of view the Devs are wasteing time working on gimmicks when they should be trying to provide a real fix for a problem that has been in DDO for far too long now.
...
Your guys encouragement has prompted me to think about writing a definitive outline for the Appearance Options DDO "SHOULD" have implemented. Because At the moment I am concerned that the DDO devs are approaching this from the wrong angle, that of exclusive exclusive Cosmetic Items in the DDO Store. Which is NOT an adequate fix in my oppinion.

+1

I signed petitions on appearance customisation before.
I'll sign this one now.

...

I share your concerns on how they are currently implementing appearance change.
While bunny hats and tricornes proved they could alter a character's appearance on the go, they are no solution to true gear customisation.

We already mentioned it: adding shops that provide garment customisation that worked like appearance customisation works in char creation.
Maybe tied to favour or unlocked account-wide as a store option.

One-shot hair tonics felt very clunky for me.
I burnt some points. I wasn't happy. I reverted to original appearance. Regretted spending points. Stopped spending points.
And once novelty wore off, my store-bought hats started gathering dust in my bank too.

I'd rather buy or grind for a lasting service that repays itself, like shared banking, and get a customising smithy, a tailor or - the horror... - a hair saloon, than spend points on hair tonic once, and regret doing it.

[dopamine]

wow that mithril full plate is freakin ugly, i learned my lesson..don't buy armor off the AH. once bought a +5 adamantine full plate and it was purple!!
someone mentioned EQ armor dyes, that would be so great in this game..but doubt we'll see it

[Redlotusninjagrl]

Everyone is wearing dragontouched armor so I decided that I wanted to get the blue dragonscale to look different and because it is so sexy! I do wish we could customize a bit more.

[~Sandthefloor]

Perhaps they take all the looks for each type of equipment (even weapons, possibly), and there can be a Forge that will, for a price (of DDO MONEY, NOT TURBINE POINTS), let you select another look and a base color... and even a name. Kind of like Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, with its weapon forge. (While you're at it, you could maybe buy some expensive bonuses to equipment, like maybe a +2 insight to attack or a +5 misc to Disable Device )

Would bring some new looks to a group for sure.

Edit: Oh yes, lest i forget, +1 Rep to you Aestor.

[karnokvolrath]

+1

While the horse is dead....i say beat the s--t out of it.

/signed.

[AestorTheKnight]

Smooth Floors 4tw! Thanks for your post and your support Sandthefloor! I very much like the suggestion to add another Special Altar to customise appearance AND add aditional unique bonus's to Armour, Helmets Shields. This would be an excellent fix for this problem and a great addition to DDO!

I also like the idea of associating certain Prestige Enhancments / Paths with Armour appearance or customisation, as long as it does not limit the player to looking a certain way - because this would cause a bias towards a certain kind of appearance, which is not good, and would be more of the same problem.

Appearance should NOT be linked to abilities / bonus's!

Freedom of expression - individuality is paramount.

+1

While the horse is dead....i say beat the s--t out of it.

/signed.

Rofl

[ArkoHighStar]

LOTRO has had this feature since the Moria expansion, and the implementatio, is quite simple, you have 2 slots, one for looks, and the other for the effect.
I believe there are certain limitations like armor type must be similiar etc.In other words you can't have the looks of fullplate and be wearing robes for effect.

But the end result is you look the way you want and get the effect you want, and you don't have everyone running around looking the same.

[Veriden]

They're too busy swinging that nerf bat and implimenting things we don't want this update, better luck in a couple years when high level content will be added....'eventually'

[Swedishchef]

What you want the devs to stop fluffing hous K or J or what ever to acctually make something that would be fun for the players? ZOMG blasphemy.

/sarcasm off

/signed

[Myrddinman]

/signed
+1...and thanks for bringing this up again, and with hilarious and blatant pics

It seems to me that it would be a huge win for Turbine if more customization was added to the store. I cannot believe that they do not see how much money folks will drop on customization for the store, which makes me think that something is standing in their way.

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather see it offered in game and in the store, as it seems like it would be a huge plat sink as well, and could even open more options for the grind and content with cosmetic crafting and collecting.

I cannot tell you the amount of times that I bought armor off the AH and then turned around resold it seconds after putting it on. I've also swapped armor that I like better when roaming around town, to something more useful when questing.

Please Turbine...at least let us know that you are heading in this direction, as it really seems like a slam dunk to do so. You'll make tons of money and satisfy a longstanding gripe within the community.

[Aerendil]

LOTRO has had this feature since the Moria expansion, and the implementatio, is quite simple, you have 2 slots, one for looks, and the other for the effect.
I believe there are certain limitations like armor type must be similiar etc.In other words you can't have the looks of fullplate and be wearing robes for effect.

But the end result is you look the way you want and get the effect you want, and you don't have everyone running around looking the same.

Yep, EQ2 has the same thing.
For example, this is my Bard in EQ2: http://eq2players.station.sony.com/B...rrow/Aelfdane/
That armour shown in his profile is not what he is actually wearing, but what is equipped in another tab called "appearance slots".

The same goes for weaponry. Again, my Assassin over in EQ2: http://eq2players.station.sony.com/Blackburrow/Aaramis/
You'll note he is not equipped with twin katanas - those are his weapon appearance slot items.

I don't see why DDO couldn't implement something similar.
It would still require us to grind for the top gear, but at least some semblance of diversity. If we wanted to look like we had blue dragonscale on, but really had dragontouched, well then we'd still have to grind for both items in the end!

Also, with another EQ2 comparison - their auction house has a "preview" feature, like most MMOs these days, where you can shift-click and it will pop up a preview window of what your character looks like in that armour or wielding that weapon. In other words, you get an idea of what you'll look like *before* you buy the item.
Right now, the DDO auction house is a total crapshoot, as we're going in blind and bidding on items which we have no idea what they'll look like.
Even on brokers, you'll still have no clue what the armour looks like (although clicking on weapons there does offer a minor preview I suppose).

Rather than changing jump animations, or adding bunny hats, could you please work on this, which the playerbase has asked for for approximately 2 YEARS now?

Thanks.