And unemotional look at the new cosmetic system.

[Aelonwy]

Not necessarily.

Armour in DDO is much simpler and it is defined by six different values: body type, body texture, body hue, worn gear type, worn gear texture and worn gear hue.

The underlying misconception here is: we're not asking for worn gear meshes to be broken into individual bits.
They are fixed - and they come in two configurations within a given type, lighter, usually one pauldron and no greaves, and heavier, both pauldrons and full body plating.
Let me emphasise the point: we are NOT asking devs to let us pick the individual bits.

We're just asking devs to let us pick any value from the existing entries for armour freely.

The game is already broadcasting those six variables for randomly generated gear.
No added lag.
What we're asking devs is, please let us change those six values freely.

The textures in new appearance kits look nice, the mechanism as a proof of concept looks promising.
But this is not true free appearance customisation.

This is EXACLTY what much of the player base is asking for, create an ingame mechanism/interface for altering your armor cosmetically through these variables. I'm afraid the DDO store armor skins are just another step in a continuing trend to dangle the carrot we want in front of us, work on said carrot in intense secrecy and later offer us the option to pay for some engineered mutant carrot supposedly better for all and sundry. I understand they deserve to be paid for their time and effort involved in creating the game, fixing problems and making new content but this isn't the way to go about it. This is going to leave many, many players disatisfied, frustrated, and perhaps angry.

[Depravity]

the idea that one armor might LOOK like it protects more or less isnt the problem. you are actually wearing plate mail. the player should LOOK LIKE they are wearing plate mail and not princess leia's prisoner outfit. the AC has nothing to do with it. i realize this is a game about magic, but is it really that bad to try to keep an ounce of reality in the game?

There is a substance that Thorn used in The Thorn of Breland Trilogy that completely altered the appearance of her leather armor. She could make it look like a black suit for stealth, or a fancy evening dress. Being able to altar our Armor in this way is Lore appropriate. I believe it was called Shiftweave (not to be confused with shimmerweave).

D20srd time! It's a property called "glamered".

[Alabore]

you are actually wearing plate mail. the player should LOOK LIKE they are wearing plate mail and not princess leia's prisoner outfit. the AC has nothing to do with it. i realize this is a game about magic, but is it really that bad to try to keep an ounce of reality in the game?

Well, you have a point there, but we all know realism in games is just what fuels suspension of disbelief in players.

Were this a different game, I would agree armour should look like armour, robes should look like robes.
But.
But wearing armour is a non-option for some players.
And - if I may mention it - outfits look bad compared to most armour meshes/textures.

The underlying issue here is, people would like outfits/robes to look more martial.
That is why we'd like for an option to choose ANY mesh/texture, and pick what looks right on our character.

A monk/ranger might have a subdued tan suit with leather straps on arms and maybe a bandoleer with daggers.
A monk/cleric might wear a surcoat with a religious symbol.
A monk/paladin might wear a practical vest with maybe a single pauldron and a chain gauntlet.
All of them would look like cloth armour, none would look like bathrobes/pijamas - which is the real problem.

Of course, before appearance kits, we were concerned creating new meshes/textures would require a lot of dev time/resources.
So we simply asked for an option to choose individual layers, and leave it to individual taste and preference to sort parts out.
Now I am not sure where we're going with these new kits.

I realise DDO is different from LoTRO, and that goes beyond gaming style.
Somehow I feel they are still tweaking their F2P model, and they'd rather sell you fish than the fishing rod once and for good.

We'll see.

[Depravity]

Somehow I feel they are still tweaking their F2P model, and they'd rather sell you fish than the fishing rod once and for good.

It's been noted before, but they could simply charge TP for an armor reskinning token. Think astral diamonds, they could even use astral diamonds if they wanted to (with some small loss of income due to them dropping in chests). I'm willing to eat the fish they serve me, but I'll pay extra if it's not chef's choice.

[Alabore]

It's been noted before, but they could simply charge TP for an armor reskinning token

Yes, that's what I was suggesting myself over a different thread.
Charge for the one-time customisation service - not the individual skin.

I'm willing to eat the fish they serve me, but I'll pay extra if it's not chef's choice.

Again, agreed.

To be fair, I would like to see appearance kits as part of the game experience as a whole, rather than a store-only option.

You can unlock bank room with Kundarak favour.
We could have an option for exclusive skins as quest or favour rewards.

Armour/Appearance customisation could be unlocked on a server-basis like House P spells.
Or be bought as an account-wide option like shared banking.

I would like more options and variety.
On my main account I don't mind spending TP to get what I want for my chars.
But I'd like to be able to grind for extra options on my backup account too.

Devs showed us it can be done.
Now please let us have a talk with your Marketing guys, so we can pick our favourite way of paying.

[Zippo]

Well, yes, because armour appearance works differently in DDO.
In LoTRO you can pick the individual bits - gloves, boots, cloaks, and so on.
In DDO armours are composed of over-meshes and under-meshes, each with its own hues and textures.
If you truly wanted customised appearance you should be able to pick meshes, textures and hues.

Just to be clear: under-meshes are the basic model for a given armour type: robe, tabard, outfit and clean body - which provides the basic mesh/body for several armour suits from leather to plate.
Over-meshes are the bits you put over basic model for definition: pouches, shrouds, chain shirts, pauldrons and so on.
Meshes are textured and hued: the same texture can come in different colours.
These three compose an armour skin.
Several are re-used across armour types; a few are tied to a specific type, usually outfits and plate over-meshes.

This is why we'd like to be able to pick individual bits - mesh, texture and hue - to customise armour.
The new kits look promising, but as long as the three parts above are tied together, we're not really free to customise armour - just to pick a combination devs put together for us to buy.




It shows promise, but I hope they won't let the "hair tonic" mechanism get in their way.

Psssst, I've been here about 4 and a half years. I'm kind of aware how the armor is set up in the game, I have also played LOTRO and am aware of how theirs is set up being able to customize boots, gloves, cloaks, hats, etc and unfortunately we have not gotten to that point yet here at the very least being able to pick the skin of your favorite armor to apply of your current is something that would be "relatively" simple to apply. Most people here would be happy with that alone even without being able to show gloves, boots, cloaks, etc. Like I said no grand selection screen needed.

[Kominalito]

There is a substance that Thorn used in The Thorn of Breland Trilogy that completely altered the appearance of her leather armor. She could make it look like a black suit for stealth, or a fancy evening dress. Being able to altar our Armor in this way is Lore appropriate. I believe it was called Shiftweave (not to be confused with shimmerweave).

so every piece of clothing should have this magical effect? since we are on that train, we should make all +1 clubs vorpal.

[Kirlian]

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=275618

Thank you. I was trying to find him but he is like mole, must be hiding underground

[Alabore]

Psssst, I've been here about 4 and a half years.

I cannot assume join date automatically equates with familiarity with a given topic.
I'd rather spend a couple extra minutes typing out what I really mean, so I'm sure everybody is on the same page.



But now I'm wondering: what you mean with "grand selection screen"?

[Pwesiela]

Thank you. I was trying to find him but he is like mole, must be hiding underground

Under the Harbor bridge, north end, on a little outcropping.

And more like the troll in the three goats gruff.

[Kirlian]

Under the Harbor bridge, north end, on a little outcropping.

And more like the troll in the three goats gruff.

thank you

[Kirlian]

ok so i manage to get TP thank you guys for your help, and I bought few random armour kits. I put them on one by one deciding what when and where to wear. However when I decided on one particular kit I couldn't remember which one it was and mouse targeting on the kit didn't tell me the name. It wouldn't be a problem if after leaving the shop my kit changed into another one. So back to the shop choosing few more kits looking for the 'perfect one' leaving the shop bah again. did anybody else experience that issue?

NVM It's my stingy nature got me into this trouble

[hityawithastick]

so Every Piece Of Clothing Should Have This Magical Effect? Since We Are On That Train, We Should Make All +1 Clubs Vorpal.

Eberron is a high-magic setting. In a city like Stormreach, one heavily populated with nobles, it makes sense that much of the magical armor available for sale would have this ability--to allow the buyer to conform to the latest fashion.

But I digress.

I am fortunate enough to have a fairly nice armor for my main toon, but I agree--this is not what we asked for.

It IS a step closer to what we asked for.

So hold off on the dev-griefing, and politely remind them what we want. Repeatedly.

I personally will not be buying any of these kits, as none of them really can imitate my perception of my character, and thus I view them as a waste of my precious resources.

That is all.

[Zippo]

I cannot assume join date automatically equates with familiarity with a given topic.
I'd rather spend a couple extra minutes typing out what I really mean, so I'm sure everybody is on the same page.



But now I'm wondering: what you mean with "grand selection screen"?

It may have been the way I read it, but I got the impression that what was initially being described would be another big pop-up type window (think DDO store or the in game web browser) to be used to select and manage your apparel. They can rather just expand a touch on what they used for this armor re-skinning addition. Imagine a blank armor block in well I'll do it this way.



Along with that add a check box to toggle on or off the cosmetic armor.

[hityawithastick]

it May Have Been The Way I Read It, But I Got The Impression That What Was Initially Being Described Would Be Another Big Pop-up Type Window (think Ddo Store Or The In Game Web Browser) To Be Used To Select And Manage Your Apparel. They Can Rather Just Expand A Touch On What They Used For This Armor Re-skinning Addition. Imagine A Blank Armor Block In Well I'll Do It This Way.



Along With That Add A Check Box To Toggle On Or Off The Cosmetic Armor.

Yes.

This. :d

[dejafu]

Eberron is a high-magic setting. In a city like Stormreach, one heavily populated with nobles, it makes sense that much of the magical armor available for sale would have this ability--to allow the buyer to conform to the latest fashion.

Exactly. Interesting side note: The tabletop Eberron setting is only high-magic in the sense that low-level magic is common, but most of the high-level magic is still extremely rare. So city streets are regularly lit with light spells and clothes are made that can change to another appearance, but things like teleportation and raise dead are much less common.

Actually, the devs would probably save themselves a few headaches from people raising the problem of believability by labeling armor kits "glamor-weave." It answers concerns about the practicality - the seemingly skimpy looking armor protects you because the REAL armor has just had a permanent illusion cast on it. It even can be argued as a tactical move... let them think that you've got a bullseye painted on your stomach AND distract them Heck, it would also help to explain how you can switch back and forth between the appearances at will.

You've got the rights to Eberron terminology, Turbine, use them!

[Pwesiela]

For the variety naysayers:

New styles.

[Noctus]

I have 2 armours. One that is a good armour, the other is a good looking armour. Why cannot I put the good armour in the armour slot, and the cool looking armour in the cosmetic slot?

This.

[AuriliusTyr]

obviously a tremendous amount of work went into the new armor skins. And most of them look very nice. Thanks devs, and my fiance is exstatic her dark elf can finally show a tiny bit of skin.

However, Why can't i wear black dragonscale armor over my dragontouched? This is how I envisioned my character from the start. Or perhaps wearing something similar to the bladed warforged docent. But i won't play a robot.

IMAGE IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR PLAYER BASE. not your image, ours.

The costume slot would be so easy to make. And instead of the primarily negative response you are recieving from the player base, it would have made most of us happy.

But again you prove you don't care what we want.

Personally I'm getting over the combat system, which is the only thing you have going for your game atm. I will not be changing my armor graphics to any of the costumes you have shown so far. I would have spent about 5000 TP for the ability to use graphics that you allready had in game without crushing my chacaters effectiveness.

I'll instead be looking forward to the release of Neverwinter online and hopefully be moving on.

[knobaroo]

First off, I'm glad to see that I have some options for my armor skins. (thank you)
However, I would like to see a level of customization. Just give me control over the color. Really, Simply, let me have control over color. That's all I want.
I would also be happy if you would give me control over color. I have this neat ninja mask,you sold me,that looks so crappy, with my DT, that I no longer wear it.
So to recap, Great looking new skins, would make me even more happy if I had control over color.
Thanks, and also, thank you for all the new content.