Consolidated Power and Weapon Customization Thread
By
Aett_Thorn,
Posted on: 2007-09-08 16:38 in Suggestions and Ideas
Personally i'd like custom sounds for sonic.
Stuff like wolf howls, cat noises, horror shrieks(maybe),explosions, musical notes etc.
Musical characters would be <3
Well, as a point of hope, consider this: while full power customization is still in the wings, what if they did something like consolidate all of the sprint powers into one power with a roster of selectable options, like the weapon customization? That way, a powerset would already have set animations and colors, you'd get a smaller selection than full customization, but you'd at least finally be able to have something that wasn't automatically the same as everyone else. Sprint: select slide, dash, rush, color-bubbles, etc. Not to diss folks that want to keep their different dashes all lined up in their fourth power tray...
Electricity: blue or red, ala Mu. Blasts in general probably have several permutations. Most healing effects are glows of various kinds. Granted this is more complex than simply a new model (as in weapon customization) but it offers a compromise that might be less of an overhaul to the entire character storage system.
well since the switch over to the nc norcal studios and the now complete transfer to nc is in the works...moving studios and such...hopefully they will have more time and people to decicate to see how this feature can be implemented. I am excited also about issue 11 and came back with another free trial to see if i like it.
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well since the switch over to the nc norcal studios and the now complete transfer to nc is in the works...moving studios and such...hopefully they will have more time and people to decicate to see how this feature can be implemented. I am excited also about issue 11 and came back with another free trial to see if i like it.
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It certainly makes PC somewhat more possible, though the results of the staff expansion are probably quite far off, since they're still hiring lots of people according the Now Hiring page. Alot of those positions are art related though.
Heroes
Dysmal
Lumynous
Sam Steele
Pluck
Wile
Slagheap
Pressure Wave
Rhiannon Bel
Verified
Stellaric
Syd Mallorn
Villains
Jotunheim Skald
Saer Maen
Jen Corbae
Illuminance
Venator Arawn
Taiga Dryad
Tarranos
**Edit** Oops, posted this in the wrong place.
Virtue:
Miserya - 50 EM/ELA Brute (Perma-shelved)
Adriana Rayne - 42 Katana/Dark Scrapper
Cyberpulse - 26 Super Strength/Willpower Brute
Steel Heart - 24 Invuln/Super Strength Tanker
I think I had a fantastic idea about this so I thought I would post it. It is hard for me to describe so just bear with me as I am not a computer programmer, just a thinker.
First off Yes the powers have many moving pixels in them that are multiple colors. Just like the fire example . These all have to be mapped into the 3D space of the game and given a color. So (I am picking an easy example that I am familiar with) for example the Radiation Blast power X-Ray Beam. This is a simple power that makes 2 lines of green energy emit from the eyes of the player and strike the center mass of the mob he is targeting. To display this power each green dot that will be displayed on the screen has to be mapped into the 3D space of the game and colored green. With weapon customization there are 8 assault rifles (6 more can be unlocked), 8 Axes (with 1 unlockable), 7 bows, 9 Broadswords (3 unlockable), 10 claws (1 unlockable), 17 Duel blades (1 unlockable), and so on. So the art department could make like 20 color modifications per power. These could all be made and could hit the main ROYGBIV colors (7) and 13 more. Now YES this would be time consuming and YES people would still complain because they couldn't coordinate the EXACT green of their blast with their eyes or whatever, but it would be a start.
Now what I have said everyone knows (more or less) but what I think my great idea is, is a way to speed up the art departments (or whoever's) creation of 20 variations (and I just 20 as an example) per power. Because every pixel has to be given both color and placement this seems like easy work that a spread sheet could accomplish. Just give it like 6-7 columns (depending on the number of colors you wanted to make per power) and start inputting the codes for the colors. In the X-Ray Beam example it could look like this
XXXX YYYY ZZZZ CCC1
Where XXXX is the first number in the coordinates mapping the beam, YYYY is the second and ZZZZ is the third. Then CCC1 would be the color code for Green. If this is the case a simple search and replace could change all of the CCC1 to CCC2 (which may be red for example). Then save as (X-Ray Beam red) and move on to CCC3 CCC4 and so on. More complicated powers that use multiple colors would be almost just as easy. An additional column would be added and the searching and replacing would begin again. This would enable the new powers to be remade with as little work as possible.
Anyway I don't know if this is how the art department colors pixels in 3D or if the engine could work like this, but it seems to me that this would be a workable solution to the problem. Then after 20 colors per powerset have been made (a couple of days work after the spreadsheets have been made) it would only be a small step to make the powersets work with every color in the CoX template.
Just some thoughts from a thinker if I am not clear enough I will be happy to try to explain in greater detail exactly what I mean.
Edit: And having the 20 banked powerset colors would also keep the "Draw Fire" code to 1 step.
So has there been a suggestion about custoization of the Martial arts power? such as change the kicks to punches?
I'd love the weapon customization to be able to extend to things like fire or ice sword. Rename the power and let you choose various fire or ice weapons :P.
We should have an AK-47 model for the Assault Rifle/Mercs and other rifle gun classes.
The thoroughbred of sin.
The elemental "weapons" aren't handled the way the actual weapon sets are....One are power effects, the others are props, essentially.
Furio--Lvl 50+3 Fire/Fire/Fire Blaster, Virtue
Megadeth--Lvl 50+3 Necro/DM/Soul MM, Virtue
Veriandros--Lvl 50+3 Crab Soldier, Virtue
"So come and get me! I'll be waiting for ye, with a whiff of the old brimstone. I'm a grim bloody fable, with an unhappy bloody end!" Demoman, TF2
I think Mace tankers should get a hand bag to use as a weapon. My character concept is "Little of lady" - I am one of the ladies wrestling over their handbags with Freak Tanks in Brickstown. The idea is that if I can hand-bag-wrestle tanks to a standstill in Brickstown, imagine what I could do in Atlas Park!
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So has there been a suggestion about custoization of the Martial arts power? such as change the kicks to punches?
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Yes, Bab said the ideal way to do it, and avoid making a new street fighting set, would be to allow people to chose from a set of animations when choosing a power. He also said that anythign like that would be far off.
You may can dig through his post history and find the comment.
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I'm gonna go into left field and suggest sets of Power animation options. Based on Origin, but can be used by anyone with the corresponding power. It would be a lot of work to new animations of each power, so I would suggest a few be released every issue and new power sets be equipped with them upon release.
"Samual_Tow - Be disappointed all you want, people. You just don't appreciate the miracles that are taking place here."
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So has there been a suggestion about custoization of the Martial arts power? such as change the kicks to punches?
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Yes, Bab said the ideal way to do it, and avoid making a new street fighting set, would be to allow people to chose from a set of animations when choosing a power. He also said that anythign like that would be far off.
You may can dig through his post history and find the comment.
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It is good to know they are at least thinking about that. I think custom animations of this sort would make a lot of people happy. A long way away is awful vague though.
I wonder if that means.
We think we can do this, we hope we can do it in 2009-10.
or
We hope one day technology and resources will make this possible.
Or
Hey listen, we get it, but it just isn't in the cards. Sorry. I gotta get back to work on that street fighting set which we actually CAN do.
Hey all,
This idea popped into my head recently and so far I can't find it suggested anywhere else so I'll throw it out here:
My understanding (which could be totally wrong) is that each power has it's own unique code where all the FX, animations and so forth are set out. The difference between 'weapon' powers and 'power' powers is a section of code that calls up a weapon model and slots it into the power animation attached to the player's character.
The recent breakthrough in weapon customization now enables us to choose alternative weapon models that can be used in the various power animations, without otherwise altering the original animation.
This made me wonder how difficult it would be to add the 'weapon code' to non-weapon power sets. Thus adding weapon/equipment/talisman models to these powersets that could then be customised through the existing weapons customisation system. It is still NOT power customisation but the popularity of weapon customisation would transfer across to other powersets quite well I think.
For example one Fire Blaster could select rayguns or wristcannon models attached to their hands as part of their power animations that would suit a tech/science origin while another player could choose from various talismans, glowing glyphs, magic rings or even a wand or staff as the source of their power.
Of course I am probably overlooking dozens of programming difficulties that the Devs have already investigated and there would be a significant amount of art/design resources required to create the new 'weapon' models so I'm not expecting this overnight, but I'd be interested to find out if it was at all feasible for a future issue.
What do you guys think?
(QR)
Hm, well. I've been looking at the Devs for a while saying they can't do power customization. And I understand why, and it's a good reason. No one wants to go through the hundred plus powers to alter each one, and more or less add several hundred powers worth of extra animations and effects.
That's a lot of work, and it's just for a literally cosmetic change.
So, I offer this:
Signature Powers
Let us make our own powers, but only four of them. There's a few ways to handle this.
The most basic is to give the players the option of replacing their Epic/Patron pool with this. There is only one pool per AT, so all scrappers get the Ranged attack/cone attack/hold/AoE Immobilize. Ect. But each player could have a different look to each.
The downside to this approach is that they'd all have to deal the same damage type. The simple fix is to have one set of powers for each damage type. You could even mix it up, the Negitive one has an AoE immobilize and the Smashing one have an AoE Stun.
There, now that's hard... but it's easier then full power customization, no?
The only thing that would make me happier would be the option to literally make our own powers. Set the damage/end cost/range/ect Have the game limit it so it's balanced. And of course, our own colors/effects/animations/ect. I don't see that happening, but hey.
I wonder if they'll reconsider their stance on this finally since Champions is slated to have it.
Virtue: The-Invictus (Blue)
The Emissary of Justice - Level 50 Fire/Fire Blaster
The Emissary of Justice. - Level 50 WP/Fire Tanker
Mesmerius - Level 50 Psi/Mental Blaster
Nucleoa - Level 50 Rad/Son Defender
i had a thought for customization...........
MM bot users, being able to choose what kind of bots they want. weather is malta, nemisis, some kind of vanguard varient, or something to that effect. the bots (or whatever you use) are the real weapons you use, not the lazer blaster that no one needs to pick up. i just think it would add a little more variety than just seeing the same old "mass-production" model bots ive been seeing the last 2 years ive been playing.
PHAT - 50 mastermind (bots/dark)
Sgt. Major - 45 corr (ar/traps)
DIRT MONKEY - 30 brute (SS/fire)
Longbow Reject - 50 crab
chiken hawk - 10 brute (ss/wp)
all on virtue
Kungfu Bunny - scrapper (ma/regen) freedom
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Hey all,
This idea popped into my head recently and so far I can't find it suggested anywhere else so I'll throw it out here:
My understanding (which could be totally wrong) is that each power has it's own unique code where all the FX, animations and so forth are set out. The difference between 'weapon' powers and 'power' powers is a section of code that calls up a weapon model and slots it into the power animation attached to the player's character.
The recent breakthrough in weapon customization now enables us to choose alternative weapon models that can be used in the various power animations, without otherwise altering the original animation.
This made me wonder how difficult it would be to add the 'weapon code' to non-weapon power sets. Thus adding weapon/equipment/talisman models to these powersets that could then be customised through the existing weapons customisation system. It is still NOT power customisation but the popularity of weapon customisation would transfer across to other powersets quite well I think.
For example one Fire Blaster could select rayguns or wristcannon models attached to their hands as part of their power animations that would suit a tech/science origin while another player could choose from various talismans, glowing glyphs, magic rings or even a wand or staff as the source of their power.
Of course I am probably overlooking dozens of programming difficulties that the Devs have already investigated and there would be a significant amount of art/design resources required to create the new 'weapon' models so I'm not expecting this overnight, but I'd be interested to find out if it was at all feasible for a future issue.
What do you guys think?
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Presuming the FX for each power aren't hardcoded, I don't see why they couldn't allow some degree of customization (along the lines of weapon customization). I'm sure we could think of at least 2-3 "styles" for each type of power, for example a hard-lined Raven-style variant for Dark as opposed to the default fuzzy FX.
While we're talking about minor graphical changes, I'd kill for a black aura that both looked black and wasn't full body (read, not body tendrils).
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I wonder if they'll reconsider their stance on this finally since Champions is slated to have it.
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remember though, Jack Emmert said it would be in the game. I seem to recall a game where that dude said a bunch of stuff would happen and it didn't. Still waiting for Skills.....
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We hope one day technology and resources will make this possible.
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Think its this one.
Types of Swords
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A friend of min was talking about wanting the abilitie to choose the color of an energy blaster's.....well blasts. Or adding a radiation blast to the list of powers.
Guardian:
Heroes-
US Captain lvl50 Blaster- Energy/Energy
Silver Centurian lvl 23 blaster- Energy/Energy
Darkrise lvl 12 Warshade
Ioh lvl 6 Peacebringer
Villians-
Threatdown X lvl 50 DB/Electric armor
Commander Bloodleg lvl 25 Crab
General Bloodfang lvl 16 AS
Why can't we have an arms dealer where you can go buy a permanent or unique weapon to further customize your toon. Is this not an idea that is long overdue or what?! Boomerangs? Whips? Cool looking rifles? I know lots of this is around but I'd like to KEEP some of the items. I have never used my blaster given to me by the Rikti ambassador because it looks kinda cool! 
This same dealer can sell you permanent travel powers as well. They could be a jet ski, jet pack, etc. Items that are not in any AT's regular power pool. Maybe have the rocket boots give you the ability to fly.
was Thinking maybe Making a Global IO Slot that in essence would allow not just power customization but...well let me explain.
Have one Slot that Changes your Damage/Buff/Debuff Element Type and Base Particle type of your Powers to reflect it. Call these your Primary Power Slot and Secondary Power Slot.
Say your a Fire/EM blaster, you like EM but Want it to match up with your Primary more, Fire IO in Secondary Power Slot and Bam, All Fire Damage with EM secondary effects.Keep all the Anims for The EM set and over lay a hybrid od the Energy and Fire, so Barrage for example could remain as the Pom Pom but layer into it a Fire Texture and perhaps Trail like with Frie Melee Attacks. Thematic explaination could be using the fire to cause a backdraft effect on your fists.
Say you like Both but want to really change things up. Primary Power Slot: Dark IO, Neg Eng with DoT (in a similar manner to Gloom). Secondary Power Slot: Psi IO, Psi Damage with Stuns, Sort of like having a Pair of Psionic Gauntlets.
Change the Particle Physics for them to have combination effects of both elements. Like the Dark slotted Fire blast Could be a Dark Hue (your choice of Colour) Flame that has that Shadow Fall Dark mist about it. Psionic EM Could be Custom Coloured With the Shiny effects of Psi.
so they are Visibly Based on an attack Type but also Visibly Have an attack damage Appearance from an added Special Effect. This would make the power Customizable while still being able to identify what sort of Power it is.
With Armour Sets the Primary Focus of the Defence would shift. with Ice for example; Slotting a Energy IO would Make its Highest Values, Cold, Shift To Energy. while Keeping secondary effects like the Slows. Making the Ice Shield Particle effects Like a Energy Shield (Keeping the Ice Base Look but adding a Energy Glow)
Dark To Fire? Shadow Fall? Ever seen heat waves off a road, using that as a basis it could be used to refract light and Conceal you. The fear Aura? Mmm become a pillar of Flame with Demonic/Ghastly Imagery in it to scare Foes.
Ok its alot of work and Pretty Vague right now but looking over all the power sets i think its a possibilty even if it cant have all elemtal types for all powers. matching each Power set with a Element Change could be an effective Delivery method to allow a huge amount of customization.
But I also dont see a reason to impliment this for Epics as they are Predesignated Powers for thier Story. Where as Standard ATs are not bound to a particular Race or Form of Training.
Yea, I heard the interview, and was like "well, thats a wash." But BAB's post today is what gave me new hope. So I will keep my fingers crossed, and say my prayers
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