Update 40 Preview 1: Visible Cloaks Feedback Thread

[Cocomajobo]

This thread is for feedback on both the appearances and animations of visible cloaks. For full release notes on this Preview push please look here.

Helpful information about visible cloaks in this preview is included below:

• All newly looted random loot cloaks should come with a visual appearance.
• Most named cloaks should currently have a visual appearance attached to them. Not all currently do. If you find one with no visual appearance, please let us know! (As it may be one that was overlooked and yet on our docket)
• Mirror of Glammering now allows you to create a cosmetic cloak the same way you can make cosmetic items of other types.
• There is now a cosmetic cloak slot in the inventory menu
• There is a new command "/showcloak" which can be set to "on" or "off" in order to display your cloak or not.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

• If you see any animation problems at all, regardless of whether you are wearing a cloak, please let us know. Every character animation in the game has been affected by the introduction of cloaks. There are almost certainly still things that need ironing out and the more info you provide us the better shape we'll be in when U40 launches.
• As listed above, most named cloaks should currently have a visual appearance attached to them but not all have been finished. If you find any with no visual appearance, please let us know.
• Character Copies to Lamannia are not available for Preview 1.

[Gywiden]

There is currently no way to turn off cloaks as far as I can see.

Also, Legendary Scarlet Scale Cloak is awesome:

[Fenix93]

There is currently no way to turn off cloaks as far as I can see.

Also, Legendary Scarlet Scale Cloak is awesome:

what named loote is it? and where is it? in addition it isapere if there are coats in solid colors, such as full gree, full blue etc. cloacks color.

does not the / Showcloack on-off command work then?

[Gabrael]

please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!
please tell me the platinum cloak has a similar visual effect to the morningstar and orb!

please please please please, my wife will be ecstatic if so

[Gywiden]

what named loote is it? and where is it? in addition it isapere if there are coats in solid colors, such as full gree, full blue etc. cloacks color.

does not the / Showcloack on-off command work then?

The command works, thanks! I wasn't aware of the command. There is nothing on the paper doll UI in inventory though.

This shot is the legendary Scarlet Scale Cloak. I tend to like the ones that have intricate designs like this one. But. . .

Legendary Twisthallow Cloak:





Epic Platinum Mirror Cape (mostly solid):




And there are cloaks that have a simple design such as this new piece of gear, Cloak of the Mountain:

[Iriale]

what named loote is it? and where is it? in addition it isapere if there are coats in solid colors, such as full gree, full blue etc. cloacks color.

Legendary Scarlet Scale Cloak from The final vintage, ravenloft

[Iriale]

More cloaks:

Mithral Cloak of the Wolf


Cloak of the mimic


Symphony (Riding the Storm Out)


Cloak of night


Cowl of the Giant Warriors


Feather cloak (korthos cloak)

[PsychoBlonde]

I really liked all the ones I saw. I hope you get character transfers working for preview 2 so that I can actually look at the vast array of cloaks I had prepared.

[Iriale]

Envenomed Cloak


Mantle of the Worldshape


Slate-Scale Capele


Mantle of the Dragonfriend

[Iriale]

Cloaks look very nice, but in my opinion the movement is still somewhat rigid


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The white cloak is The invisible cloak of stradh. It is solid white (very similar to platinum cloak or phiarlan mirror)

[Fenix93]

It seems that on regular male glyphs it seems that the cloaks are almost stuck behind the back .. it does not seem to make good on them, someone could take a look at the cloaks of Wheloon, Storm horns and hight road (if there are Cloak named) to understand how is their appearance? Ha..ora I think about it .. but the cloaks of the iconic characters will have a single visible unic apparance?

[LeoLionxxx]

Cloaks look very nice, but in my opinion the movement is still somewhat rigid


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The white cloak is The invisible cloak of stradh. It is solid white (very similar to platinum cloak or phiarlan mirror)

Would it be possible to have this "invisible" cloak be translucent?

[HastyPudding]

I was rather disappointed that the Phiarlan Mirror Cloak was just a plain, white cloak. I expected it to have a completely metallic look so it would shine.

[Fenix93]

Wye not for tomorrow we do organize a hunting all named cloaks in the game in the beta?, we make a list here on this post by marking what you see and which nò in this way we help developers to better understand how you can improve certain "visible cloaks".

[Gabrael]

I would like the art team to consider adding to the platinum cape sum purple shiny at least resembling the platinum morningstar or orb...

[Captain_Pengie]

All the items I have seen so far are capes, are there going to be any actual cloaks as well?

How is a Ranger supposed to sit in the corner of an inn and brood properly while waiting for some naive hobbits to wander in when he looks like a kid with a towel tied to his neck playing Superman? We need some actual CLOAKS that wrap around the shoulders covering the chest and have hoods (some with, some without). i.e. all the sort of variety in cloak/cape options that you get in LOTRO.

While adding visibility to the back slot is a good move, at the moment the capes on offer for this release are just an FPS drain without actually adding much to appearance especially given the issues with them interfering with other items and not moving in a realistic manner. Cosmetics in DDO have always been second rate compared to LOTRO - I cannot stress enough just how good the LOTRO cosmetic system is (outfits, barbers, dyes, ability to dupe items for free etc) and how much better it would be if DDO just dropped its entire current approach and adopted the LOTRO model instead.

That having been said the biggest problems I have seen so far with the u40 capes are:

1. They are capes - please have many many cloak options

2. There is no way to view the visual of a cloak without actually putting it on. A method to preview the look, ideally via a LOTRO style dressing room (only in a larger window as per LOTRO Interface mod by Wicky71), is needed but lacking that the focus orb should at least show a miniature of the cloak design as it does for other items. How are we supposed to go looking for specific capes (e.g. bid for items on the AH) for a particular cosmetic visual if we don't know what they look like? Will any capes sold on via the store have a preview option? Is it up to players to catalogue all of the various capes and put them on the wiki? I hope not - something in game is needed. If this is a step in DDO taking on a more serious approach to cosmetics then a dressing room is needed (as are the other LOTROish stuff).

3. While the /showcloak is a nice option (and mine is likely to always be OFF at present) a way to click the cape view on/off via the paperdoll as per armour and helms would be better for consistency and so you don't need to remember the command. The UI was changed anyway to fit in the cloak cosmetic slot (btw, really like the change to weapon set layout) so why not change the paperdoll portion to include on/off buttons for the three elements available? We don't actually need the doll - just three buttons will do.

4. They are stiff and do not move realistically as you walk/run or stand in windy areas. Its like having a piece of cardboard tied to your neck.

5. They do not sit on top of other gear correctly. Backpacks show through as do all the overly large pauldrons and spikey armour tops etc. Weapon hilts and dagger tips (held vistani style) poke through the cape ruining any realism effect they are trying to give.

e.g.

Will add more as I find things.

Note: I just want to stress that I am not bagging the changes or the effort put in, just trying to say that SSG already has developed an incredibly good approach to cosmetics - probably the best I have ever used in any of the MMOs I've played in the past 20 years - and lessons should be learned from its success. There is no need to reinvent things and create something that is clumsy, ineffective and costs lots of store points when such a fantastic approach has already been in use and proven successful for many years. Learn from the success your colleagues instead of reinventing a square wheel.

[Graskitch]

yeah, what I noticed the most was the clipping through when you have light armor with backpacks. I am wondering how that can be fixed, because I do not think it will look good either if the cloaks stand further away from the body to avoid this clipping.

I would have liked the cloaks to fly out a bit more when you are falling, but overall the animation is nice.

I too would also like to see an option on the paperdoll to toggle cloaks on/off. the /showcloak on/off is appreciated, but yeah, it would be nice if there was a way to just touch the doll.

[Graskitch]

oh wow - I just tested the swimming animation for cloaks underwater - very nice work! yay, I was worried that it would look stiff.

[MasterKernel]

The cloaks became Visible, yay ! But you can't feed them to the Sentient Jewel any more.

[HuneyMunster]

.

5. They do not sit on top of other gear correctly. Backpacks show through as do all the overly large pauldrons and spikey armour tops etc. Weapon hilts and dagger tips (held vistani style) poke through the cape ruining any realism effect they are trying to give.

e.g.

Drow Hunter armor that has a backpack clips when walking backward or strafing. Not been able to check if Vistani fighting style backwards daggers clips or not as unable to use it on Lam atm. Jumping while standing or sneaky it clips on landing.

Race was Halfling.