Discussion: Issue 12's Improved Character Creator
By
5th_Player,
Posted on: 2008-03-31 10:19 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
This is just a thought I had, so I'll throw it out there. Not saying what's being done isn't cool (It's very convenient, both the streamlined costume selection and showing stats during character creation), but here it is: Is there a point where the information we're getting is too much? I kind of feel like we're venturing into finding out who the "man behnd the curtain" is, so to speak. Does knowing every little piddling detail about everything really make such a big difference in the average player's enjoyment of the game? I know there's number crunchers, and they're gonna love it (probably...some might not like having their stat-geek status lowered when anyone can get their own info), but doesn't making this game more mechanical or mathematical by showing numbers all the time kind of demystify things too much?
I know, I might be overreacting a bit. But think of it this way: People love hotdogs. If you kept reminding them exactly what ingredients are in it, and how its made, would there still be as many who love them? Would they love them as much? Too much information can ruin a good thing.
Anyway, the interfaces look cool. Can't wait to give them a test drive. Thanks for the info.
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So long as costume pieces aren't somehow lost or disabled in this set setup, all well and good. I think that is something that has to be double and triple checked just to make sure things don't get lost in the aether. 
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Wow. Character generation for those obsessed with the statistics, but completely lazy about costume design. It's like the anti-City of Heroes.
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Not really, I tend to use a costume set as a base (justice, stealth) then add bits on top from other sets to customize it.
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I am thinking the PVP community will enjoy the "IN PVP" aspect of the powers selection screen
I love the scalable factor here. I assume that the numbers presented are using the BASE stats at each level.
I know i am going to enjoy seeing the % chance for in the powers.
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Was this even listed in the features for I12? Color me impressed 
*hugs Jay*
Costume set button!!!
*dies happy*
Wow, that's a pretty freakin' sweet addition.
This is a horrible feature that unfairly penalises City of Vill--
Oh, wait, wrong thread. Looks neat
Doom.
Yep.
This is really doom.
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Was this even listed in the features for I12? Color me impressed
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Sure, this comes under the heading of "numerous quality of life improvements." Just because the only things they told us about the first time we heard about it was sortable contacts and customizable power trays didn't mean that was all we were going to get. 
New story arcs coming soon (ARC IDs will be aded when I finish the arc):
So, you want to join the Hellions? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
Sparks & Steel (level 5-20 Heroic arc)
and
So you want to join the Skulls? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
Very nice, I can't wait to see what some of the Costume Sets look like. Maybe some free costumes for i12, hmm?
Looks great, this will cut down on the hour or so I spend in creation... well, maybe not
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"Show PvP Effects"!
Gives even casual PvPers like me a better understanding
Wow! Moar infoz and it's not even thursdays!
OMFG!!! That is incredibly awesome! Just looked through all the screenshots. I12 is the bestest issue evar!
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I know there's number crunchers, and they're gonna love it (probably...some might not like having their stat-geek status lowered when anyone can get their own info), but doesn't making this game more mechanical or mathematical by showing numbers all the time kind of demystify things too much?
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Anyone who'd like to continue relying on vague, subjective, contextless, internally inconsistent, frequently outdated descriptors like "Heavy," "Long," "Minor," "Medium Slowish," "Fair-to-Middling," "Longer than Medium Slowish," "Summery Breezish" and "Like the Sound of One Hand Clapping" is perfectly welcome to do so.
As for stat geeks, everyone can get their own data now. City of Data's been around for five issues. (Understanding the data, now...)
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This is a horrible feature that unfairly penalises City of Vill--
Oh, wait, wrong thread. Looks neat
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Yeah, Villains get the short end of the stick again! 
There's a Werewolf option on those character sets, but still no Wolf Tails. Boycott character creation until Werewolves get tails!!! Stand up for your Cano-Hominid cousins!! Lycanthrope Power NOW!!!
j/k, looks great
So, Jay, Wolf Tails? Please? Wolf Tails are Sexy, and Jay is Sexy, so Jay should make Wolf Tails, right?
New story arcs coming soon (ARC IDs will be aded when I finish the arc):
So, you want to join the Hellions? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
Sparks & Steel (level 5-20 Heroic arc)
and
So you want to join the Skulls? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
OOoh this is great..I hate shuffling around in the character creator looking for costume pieces!! I also like the real number feature, great addition for casual players, like myself who aren't so "math centric". Actually the in-game numbers we have right now helped me a ton in understanding what the heck forumites were talking about sometimes!!!
My level 50 Dominators:
Madame Mindbender 50 Mind/Energy
Fly Agaric 50 Plant/Thorn
Nate Nitro 50 Fire/Psi
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Well be entering closed beta testing in the near future, so stay tuned for that announcement on the City of Heroes website!
[/ QUOTE ] Note that they didn't say soon. And the teaser today is on Monday....
Possible Closed Beta starting either this week or next week? 
In the Arena of Logic, I fight unarmed.
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This is just a thought I had, so I'll throw it out there. Not saying what's being done isn't cool (It's very convenient, both the streamlined costume selection and showing stats during character creation), but here it is: Is there a point where the information we're getting is too much? I kind of feel like we're venturing into finding out who the "man behnd the curtain" is, so to speak. Does knowing every little piddling detail about everything really make such a big difference in the average player's enjoyment of the game? I know there's number crunchers, and they're gonna love it (probably...some might not like having their stat-geek status lowered when anyone can get their own info), but doesn't making this game more mechanical or mathematical by showing numbers all the time kind of demystify things too much?
I know, I might be overreacting a bit. But think of it this way: People love hotdogs. If you kept reminding them exactly what ingredients are in it, and how its made, would there still be as many who love them? Would they love them as much? Too much information can ruin a good thing.
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As far as I can see, the 'real numbers' aren't being forced on anyone who doesn't want to see them. Your hotdog analogy is perfect: the list of ingredients is available to anyone who wants to see them. That doesn't stop people from enjoying hotdogs nor is reading the ingredients a requirement for eating hotdogs.
I think think these improvements look great! One small request though: Can the various costume selection menus be alphabetized, please? It makes it *much* easier to find the costume piece you're looking for instead of having to scan through the entire list.
Gothika (Grav/Kin) Marionette (Ill/Rad) Terra Firma (Earth/Storm) Alana Dale (Arch/Nrg)
Iceblink (Ice/Dark) Fantasia (Mind/Fire) Shadow Minx (Claws/Nin)
--Virtue
Huh. These are some appreciated and nice improvements to CoH. Will also let me figure out real quickly how VEATs work hopefully and let me decide which route I want to take.
EDIT:
I should note that the costume sets option is gonna rock too. I suspect I'll be starting most of my new costumes from there from now on, then modifying.
More i12 info! All looks good.
Thanks for the update LH.
-Stygian
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All looks good as far as QoL improvements go, now how about the ability to "organize" our character selection screen? (IE by name, level, origin, affiliation, etc)
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Do you mean as an option? Personally, I would want to keep how my character selection screens are organized. I have one server where the characters I created alternate hero, villain, hero, villain because I did that purposely.
But, I can see how being able to organize the character selection would be appealing to some.
Very nice update!
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Woot! Looks great. The "costume sets" feature is alone worth advertising I 12 as a great update.
Very nice. The costume thing seems like a pretty minor timesaver, but the numbers interface looks good, and the fact that you can scale the thing is wonderful. I just wish one of the screens showed how it deals with a really complicated power (like, say, Fiery Embrace or Carrion Creepers).