Mastermind Pet Customization

The easiest way I can think of doing this is making preset models for each pet, maybe two or three more, that's adjustable in power customization. Much like how you can change Footstomp from looking like a stomp to a punch to the ground.

What I REALLY want to see though is COLOUR customization. Really, the new models can be set to the back burner if needed, but I want to be able to make all my thugs wear purple for example, so that they're flashing their 'colours'.

I'm sure if the devs hear about it they'll get to it when they can. They must have a laundry list of stuff to do already.

I just want to post what I'd like to do with the only MM I have. I have a Ninja MM and I'd just really like to be able to design my ninja henchmen with the given robe/martial arts costume pieces that have been added since MM's first came out. I dont want to make them women to be a pimp, I dont want to make them 3 feet tall...I just want to make each one look unique enough so that my henchmen dont look like twins, and dont look like your Ninja Henchmen. That is my one problem with this very unique powerset...if I'm a ninja MM and you are a Ninja MM, the suspension of disbelief is shatterd when your henchmen look exactly like mine.

Or just understand that since MMs have been introduced, weve asked for this and theyve said no.

This is not a new suggestion, heck, this is brought up at least 30 times in a 30 day span. The Devs have said no, and probably will keep saying no.

Part of this whole thing seems to be the way the game references NPC's...It makes me wonder if/when they get a way to customize NPC models used for players in granite armor/kheldian forms the same might allow mastermind pet changes.

That said, I cannot see them making 'fully customized' pets using the character costume options. That would involve the game referencing hundreds of seperate models per minion...the devs already mentioned that some of the limits for things like hammi raids and such involved how much strain 50 masterminds would put on the system. 50 masterminds with around 6 fully customized pets would equate to the same thing as 350 players.

The NPC model approach simplifies this, as the game doesn't have to see head option X, head detail1 Y, head detail 2 B, hair style L, chest F, Shoulder D, Chest detail M, Glove R, Belt A, Pants V, Boots K, Back G...the game just has to do "Zombie F." I think the compromise would be akin to weapon model customization...different NPC models, perhaps with a selectable primary/secondary color. So just as you can choose between a nemesis gun, a council gun, or several other gun models for assault rifle, your zombie mastermind could choose between a traditional zombie, a skeleton, or a civilian zombie model.

If they allowed any customization further than that, they might allow for NPC recoloring like we see in the mission architect for traditional NPC models. (Where you select a model, like a carnie, color them black and white, change skin tone, but you cannot alter the model itself.)

Okay, let's work this out. Let's say you want to have different looks for each of your henchmen. You're Thugs, to make this simple. You want each of your three Thugs, both Enforcers, and your Bruiser to have a unique look with character level detail.

That's six costumes right off the bat.

Now remember that with Mastermind powers, when you upgrade a henchman using Equip Thugs and Upgrade Equipment (or whatever), their look changes. Some added on bit of armor or aura or other do-dad. That's actually a separate costume from the original, that just looks the same with the upgrades added to it. There are two upgrade powers per set, which means you have to add three more costumes for each henchman: one for with only the first upgrade, one for with only the second upgrade, and one for with both.

So six henchmen need four costumes apiece, for a total of twenty four unique costumes for each mastermind costume.

Now remember that each costume slot on a character is able to have differently customized powers. Presumably then your henchmen would fall into this category, so each costume slot would allow you to choose unique looks for your little horde.

At twenty four unique costumes for each of five slots, that becomes one hundred and twenty costumes, plus the five for the character themselves to make it one hundred and twenty five, per mastermind. (we won't even discuss customizing the thugs in Gang War)

125, people, ain't nothing to sneeze at.

One hundred and twenty five costumes. Even if I'm wrong about how the henchman upgrade costumes work, it still ends up being a rather good sized number.

From the blow by blow...the Q&A EU thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr_Mechano MM Pet customisation is on the 'todo' list though Posi isn't sure of the priority of it.

If you're curious..you can fool around with a sort of "customization" for MM pets in AE. You can change the colors of various pets costumes and body parts. If we get customization thats my guess on what it will look..sort of an extension of power customization.

What I'd love to see is the ability to purchase NPC skins for pets. Sort of like the Halloween costumes. These could be sold as "Packs" in the NC store. For example you could purchase a pack to make your Zombes look like Vahzilok or Thugs like "Family". Heck even customize your Mercs to look like Arachnos or Longbow. I bet people would pay $$ for that especially with GR and side switching coming up soon.

My curiousity is if it would take much additional programing to give the option to just switch the basic frame from the male to the female model, leaving everything else the same?

Personally, I think the devs are afraid of seeing large numbers of girl gangs running around loose, lol

if they can't set up pet customization, what about adding in a little more variety? perhaps carnie or circus minions, or perhaps mutated deformed minions. that would have been nice on the mutation booster. perhaps just an alternate version of each of the existing minions? i don't know how many times i've heard somebody say they wished there were clown minions.



p.s.
this is my first time posting in the forums, so i hope i don't come off as sounding trollish.

Wow. Necro'd threads ftw!

As long as this is back on the first page, I'd like to agree with the (probably) 50+ people who said they only want the ability to use NPC skins on their pets.

Give us 3 options. Per set. Easy as.. well, I have no idea. But it eliminates the coding for custom costumes and colors and genders and animations. NPCs already have all of that.

Here's some very quick ideas, which I'm sure have been posted somewhere in this thread.

Mercs
Basic (as is)
Longbow
Malta

Thugs
Basic (as is)
Freakshow
Hellions (or Skuls or Outcasts... you get it)

Bots
Basic (as is)
The steampunk guys (drawing a blank on the name)
Clockwork

Undead
Basic (as is)
Vasil...Vasilo... Vasilo.. however you spell it
And there's one set of undead that run around on blue side in the teens. I always forget to take note of the enemy group, but every time I see them, I think to myself "DANG! If my zombies looked like that - with the army helmets and stuff - that would be awesome!"

Ninjas
Basic (as is)
Honestly... I have no idea.

Demons
Basic (as is)
The demons...
Imps

Wow, that is a very incomplete list. Sorry


But, more to the point, every one of those NPC models already has the animations needed for the attacks current minions get. Most also have minor costume variations within the set, that would allow for the "upgrades" to be placed on them similar to how they are now.

Eh, some of those would be annoying to work with (I.E. Most freakshow don't have normal arms and would have trouble with dual pistol animations) I was thinking more...

Mercs
Base
Malta
Longbow
Arachnos Wolf Spiders
PPD SWAT

Thugs
Base
Hellions
Skulls
Trolls
PPD (Regular, not SWAT)

Undead
Base
Vasilok
Banished Pantheon
CoT
And maybe zombies from the halloween event

Ninja
Base
Tsoo
Knives of Artemis

Bots
Base
Clockwork
Nemesis Robots
Praetorian Clockwork

Demons
Base
CoT/Infernal Demons