Hallowe'en every day of the year - no thanks!
by Eric Vice 
Sep 13th 2007 at 6:00PM
We talk a lot about the features we want in the game. What about the features we don't want? I don't know about anybody else, but I've been watching the news surrounding the release of Everquest 2 Update 38 with horror. Read with me from the press release."Upon reaching level 20, you'll be able to access new appearance item slots on the inventory window! Have favorite pieces that are an important part of your style? You can now keep wearing them for looks while continuing to upgrade your primary gear!"
Are they out of their freaking mind?! Sure, I like to look good as much as the next player, but let's shift to World of Warcraft for a minute and consider the ramifications of such a change in our world, especially to our PvP-loving brethren. Do you really want to go into a battleground or an arena match and see a paladin standing there smiling at you buck-naked (perhaps wielding a Pitchfork, and wearing overalls for effect) when in fact he's actually wearing a full Tier 6 set?
Rattlesnakes have a rattle for a reason. Cobras have their distinctive hood for the same reason. You should be able to look at a player in-game and be able to with some degree of certainty be able to assess their threat to you. I don't think it's such a wonderful idea to allow people to masquerade around as noobs when in fact they may count themselves among the best-equipped players in the game. How many times do you actually target somebody or mouse-over them to see their class? So if you see a dwarf in a robe you think priest, right? If a change like this was ever implemented in World of Warcraft, that could be a deadly assumption. I've got nothing against the Orbs of Deception and Savory Deviate Delight and other such items. Their effects are temporary, and easy to spot. Hallowe'en should be contained to one day of the year.
You may wonder why am I freaking out over this when it's not even something going in World of Warcraft. I'm freaking out about it because this is a novel idea that I think will catch on in the MMOG genre. As Blizzard looks to add hairstyles and other cosmetic changes in the future, Sony has approached the same issue from an interesting and novel direction. This is one direction I hope Blizzard never takes. What things do you hope Blizzard never introduces in the game?
[Special thanks to Olandu from "Guardians of Azeroth" on Gnomeregan for being my photo model for this article!]
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, News items, Features
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Dave Sep 13th 2007 6:16PM
I'd much rather see "epic" armor tints. It's not a totally stupid idea to want to be able to colorize your gear is it? How hard would it be to design 8-12 shades of colors to tint armor with, and you'd have to farm up the mats for each piece and all that.
Kinda how UO did it, but with less options. Everyone in UO mostly did the same thing...
Tabards are one thing, but it'd be sweet to see a guild in all crimson armor or something after a boss kill, like a real army would have..
Eric Vice Sep 13th 2007 6:19PM
Dave, I agree with you 100%
Morag Sep 14th 2007 2:55AM
Overall I think this would be a good thing...
Who cares if a peron LOOKS like they are wearing lv12 gear. The game should be skill based, no gear depended like most people see it. If you go into a 5v5 and start looking at your gear and start making moves on that... you sir need to learn2play ~
Kal Sep 13th 2007 6:26PM
The simple solution would be to have whatever cosmetic affects not work in PvP. Probably the easiest thing to do is simply make it so that all horde see through alliance cosmetics and vice-versa. This would fix it for all pvp environments while being 'correct' almost 100% of the time for anyone who cared.
Alternately, make it so that you could see yourself that way but choose to see others either as they are or as they represent themselves.
It really should be trivial to do; if they implement it so you can see an outfit instead of your armor or whatever, they can easily implement it to not show that instead based on all sorts of options. I'd personally prefer the choice to see people or not, but really there are a lot of ways to make this work and make people happy in pvp.
Ryan D. Sep 13th 2007 6:39PM
Does it even matter? If someone goes into the arena or a battleground in full tier six or decked in greys, are you going to fight them any differently? If you see a warlock in full Malefic, are you going to just quit? If you're not giving your best in this game, or generally, you just don't deserve to win.
If someone has earned all that, and -doesn't- want to show it off, that's their problem, I guess? The last thing I would suggest is that I want fewer features in WoW. As long as it doesn't cause UI bloat, and given the nature of something like this, I don't know that it would, I'd say bring it on.
daleri Sep 13th 2007 6:41PM
I would not have believed there were people who liked WoW's Clones or Clowns approach to character appearance if I had not read it for myself. Eq2's new appearance customization feature is one of the better ideas I've seen in the MMO world recently and I wish they had it in WoW. It would add new value to some of those green armor pieces as people try to complete sets. And how much would my Warrior love to be able to pull his full Scarlet Crusade set out of the bank @ 70 and not be gimped.
Junzim Sep 13th 2007 7:06PM
As an RP PvPer I'd love such a function.
Junzim looks badass in his Arena set but I'd rather he looked more "hordey". I'd love to use the HWL staff :)
That said, only my server would be good for it as just about every RPr has a set of 'RP Gear' he keeps with him to look the part :)
Anteia Sep 13th 2007 7:34PM
Actually, I'd LOVE something like this. As a warrior, I spent most of my time pre-guild in a plain tabard just so my horribly mismatched armor wouldn't show. I've even caved on certain advantages in the past on some of my characters just because those new pair of boots would look so god-awful ugly I couldn't stand it. I know Simutronics' upcoming MMO, Hero's Journey, intends to implement a design where people can extensively create their clothes and just upgrade them as they go. I'm sure they'll have special pieces only available off raids and quests, but this lets you actually RP that the family sword was really passed down and it's your partner instead of "Oh.. uh... yeah.... I had to get rid of that. This huge green one had better stats..." Besides, like someone mentioned earlier- are you just going to run away if someone is that better geared than you in a BG? Hardly- and if you try, you'll wind up dead anyway. In a PVP realm, it'd mean you'd have to pick fights very carefully. It would hardly affect those who WANT to show off their epics, because they'd still have that option. If I want my character's clothes to match and look like I'm wearing level 25 clothes when I'm 70- what difference does it really make to anyone else that I don't care about bragging rights and prefer to look less tacky? I'd give -anything- right now for shoulders to be able to be made invisible along with helms and cloaks. I've yet to find a pair of shoulders for anything not-cloth that doesn't look stupid on anyone. (except orc males. Naturally.)
As far as the actual topic on hand- I really hope WoW NEVER adopts the idea that FF had that in order to get on certain realms, you had to have a friend in the realm pay game money to get you a pass. It's an incredibly stupid and irritating idea, and it's what has prevented me from EVER considering returning to that game.
Surly Sep 13th 2007 8:14PM
I personally would love that idea. Nothing worse that hating to wear an item that is a tremendous upgrade, but looks absolutely hideous. Not everybody loves all designs. Have you seen the druid's or mage's T6? Who wants to look like a totem pole or a neon tower? Especially compared to the relative coolness of the previous Tiers. And there are probably folk that think the T6 are great, but each to their own, which is what that feature would allow.
As for the pvp, as one poster said, turn it off for pvp (bgs and arena) or who cares. Serious pvp'rs may, but I for one don't change tactics just cuz i see the warrior in Arena 2 vs Arena 1 etc. Sure I know he's going to hurt more, but that's about it. And mainly, it's the shoulders (and somewhat helms - if shown) that give it away. If they were in all Arena 1 except for the shoulders, you'd have to be really paying attention to notice the difference.
KaonNemesis Sep 13th 2007 8:29PM
Best. Idea. Ever!
I'd absolutely love something like this! I'm sick and tired of my characters looking like some pastel mix 'n match from Dr. Seuss' worst nightmare...
Calous Sep 13th 2007 8:41PM
You know the players who hate ideas like this? The pvp bitches that only attack when they know they can win. Oh look hes not 70! easy kill! They need this in pvp to balance out all the weak pvpers from praying on the lower levels and under geared.
PeterBeck Sep 13th 2007 9:08PM
I for one would love to have a feature like this, since there's been a lot of sets that looked good on my character that I had to sadly break up in the name of better tanking stats. Sigh, I remember the wonderful look of my night elf in near full battleforge armor, all black and red ornate design, with an added white silk shirt for a swashbuckler style.
In PVP it can cause a bit of confusion, not so much your example of a pally in tier 6 appearing naked, but more when faced with a ?? player you could normally tell what their lvl range is by the gear they're wearing.
But yeah, as a plate wearing tank who sometimes drools over the cool designs of cloth gear (and in post 40 cases, mail gear, including mail kilts), this concept appeals to me.
Heliconius Sep 13th 2007 9:18PM
I agree about colour options.. and/or accessories that have no stats.. like ink, hair cuts or piercings, that'd be fun. Or, how about changable weapon enchant colours? But I want to be able to see the gear people are wearing.. straight up.. enough said.
Snailking Sep 13th 2007 9:36PM
My favorite thing back in Ultima Online was wearing *cosmetic* gear over top of my armor. It's also the main reason I prefer Morrowind over Oblivion.
jpn Sep 13th 2007 9:46PM
i disagree...i think lots of people would like this.
Pzychotix Sep 13th 2007 9:56PM
A good concept, though not very original.
Most new Korean MMORPGs actually live on this concept. People will pay sacks of money for cosmetic stuff over there.
I'm sure many will enjoy the same over here.
Orestes Sep 13th 2007 10:36PM
1. The idea of being able to put more aesthetically pleasing armor to use without sacrificing stats appeals to me greatly.
2. I'd love to see what that type of cosmetic change would do to the gankfests like STV and Hillsbrad... nothing like going for an easy kill and getting annihilated for your troubles to instill some manners.
Karl99 Sep 14th 2007 3:21AM
You know I would love this kind of feature just simply have it auto turn off when you enter an arena or BG I dont think it would have that much of an effect on world PvP and it would make the game infinatly more enjoyable for those of us that really would appreciate this. IMO too much is made bland in this game because of over competative players.
Heraclea Sep 14th 2007 12:53AM
I would love something like this. One drawback of getting better and better gear is that, especially for plate wearers, it tends to make you look like a Salvador Dali fire hydrant. I'd rather have the benefits of the piece without the bat wings on the shoulders, if possible.
I used to run more battlegrounds than I do now, and when I did I always took a stack of Noggenfogger with me. That gave me an excellent chance of concealing my armor. Orb of Deception is also handy in that regard.
patriciavandijk Sep 14th 2007 1:38AM
I would love this in game. My main is a warlock and as a tailor i wear the shadoweave set. The set is very good ofcourse and it seems to me that every warlock/priest or mage on my realm is wearing the same uniform. I dont like it that I stand in the bank in Shattrath City and see 2 or 3 other characters wearing the same cloths as me. I want to be diffirent in real life so I want to be diffirent in game!