Blizzard issues transmogrification system clarifications
by Mathew McCurley 
Aug 18th 2011 at 8:00PM
Many players had questions, however, about the minutiae of the system. Will players be able to convert weapons to legendary skins that they have completed or found? Will there be alternative ways to find cool set items without having to go back to the old content and farm for it? What about some of the gear that isn't available anymore or hard to get? Can we use silly items with the transmogrification system? Blizzard's Kaivax and Zarhym took to the forums to issue some clarifications on these questions and more.
Players will need to have both items, the item to be worn and the item to be used as the model, for transmogrification to work. There will not be free presets of gear to choose from, so you will need the pieces you want to wear in the transmogrification process. Also, Blizzard is exploring new, alternative ways to distribute older gear like the death knight starter armor and the old dungeon tier sets. Blizzard also wants to respect the hard work of the artists, so we may not be able to use silly items, such as fish that are daggers and what-not. Hit the jump for lots of blue posts.
Legendaries will not be eligible for transmog
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it will be nice to see the old armor sets again, and glaives and so on.
everyone has some item they like a lot for aesthetic reasons but have had to put it in their bags as it is no longer "viable".
it's good we have this option to make use of that gear once again without it being a dps/hps loss. just think, thunderfury with the stats of the tank sword off beth'tilac! :p
it will be nice to see the old armor sets again, and glaives and so on.
everyone has some item they like a lot for aesthetic reasons but have had to put it in their bags as it is no longer "viable".
it's good we have this option to make use of that gear once again without it being a dps/hps loss. just think, thunderfury with the stats of the tank sword off beth'tilac! :p
You will not be able to transmogrify using a legendary item as either the source or the recipient of a change.
Transmog will launch with conservative rules
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Time to farm my twill set again
Time to farm my twill set again
This system is going to launch with fairly conservative rules, so that we can get it up and running as soon as possible and make fun improvements down the road. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that we'll eventually allow transmogrification to use the twill set or [insert your favorite item here], but probably not for the initial launch of the feature.
Alternative ways to get items that are no longer available
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This basically punishes Lore Masters for doing all the quests already. In order to get the look I want, I'm going to have to reroll DK and start over again to get my quest / starter gear?
*sigh*
This basically punishes Lore Masters for doing all the quests already. In order to get the look I want, I'm going to have to reroll DK and start over again to get my quest / starter gear?
*sigh*
We would like to offer some alternative ways to get favorite items that are no longer available, such as perhaps the dungeon tier sets or the DK start gear. This is something we will expand over time – not every favorite item will be immediately available at launch. But we'll keep a list of items that get requested by the players and work to get them in someday.
Picture shows Sulfuras, shouldn't be Sulfuras
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Sulfuron Hammer
Does not look like Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros, bad example to post up there buddy.
Sulfuron Hammer
Does not look like Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros, bad example to post up there buddy.
You're correct. He should be wielding Sulfuron Hammer, and is clearly holding a Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros. In any case, he is not holding something other than Sulfuras, Hand of Ragnaros. Legendaries will always be identifiable on sight.
You need both items to do transmog
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1. If we have already had, and destroyed, gear to make bag space in the past. Will there be ANY way for us to avoid having to refarm the gear, or, will closer to release will the "Must have" restriction be changed into something else?
1. If we have already had, and destroyed, gear to make bag space in the past. Will there be ANY way for us to avoid having to refarm the gear, or, will closer to release will the "Must have" restriction be changed into something else?
No, it's necessary to have both the item you want to make look like something else, and the item you're using the 'look' of.
You can transmog an item as many times as you want
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2. Will we be able to transmorgrify (? is there a tense!?) items more than once, like a hair cut, or is it a once and done deal?
2. Will we be able to transmorgrify (? is there a tense!?) items more than once, like a hair cut, or is it a once and done deal?
You can swap around the looks of items as much as you want. There's a gold cost associated with using it, so that's your only limitation (aside from which specific items can be used in the process).
No "free presets" for gear
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3. Will there be other preset items that we aren't required to have, but can chose from just to give us access to this feature? (Also, like the hair cut) Just a few items that may interest us, but aren't necessarily from previous teirs. Perhaps an NPC outfit that falls into our armor class?
3. Will there be other preset items that we aren't required to have, but can chose from just to give us access to this feature? (Also, like the hair cut) Just a few items that may interest us, but aren't necessarily from previous teirs. Perhaps an NPC outfit that falls into our armor class?
I'm not sure what you're asking? Will there be "free presets" to choose from? No you must own the physical item you're using the look from. Whether that's completing a quest, killing a boss, or buying it from a vendor.
Silly model weapons may or may not be eligible for transmog
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t4 or t6 with stylin' purple hat and Dual Dark Herring.
t4 or t6 with stylin' purple hat and Dual Dark Herring.
Well, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but...
We have an obligation to players and to our hard working artists to keep the game from looking too silly. I know looking ridiculous is fun for some players, but World of Warcraft was established with a design that the game overall kept its silliness in check. That's one of the reasons we resisted adding a feature like Transmogrification for so long.
So weapons that look like fish, for example, probably won't be available as source items for Transmogrification, even if one is technically a dagger and has stats. There are a handful other weapons with "silly" models (such as frying pans, brooms, etc.) that may or may not be allowed -- it's still under discussion.
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back! Filed under: Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Luotian Aug 18th 2011 8:06PM
I've been wondering what the artists think about all this. They put a TON of work into each and every set (regardless of what people say about reskins and recolors that still takes a lot of time). I'd be hurt if all my work was simply going to be painted over. Glad they're trying to keep that obligation to them.
MusedMoose Aug 18th 2011 8:10PM
I dunno. If I was an artist and realized that people would be using something I did long ago again, instead of just ditching it when something with higher stats became available, I'd be pretty stoked. ^_^ Besides, there will always be people who want to show off their current-tier gear, so I don't think anything will go completely unused by the player populace.
Calaana Aug 18th 2011 8:43PM
I kind of want them to see the work go down the drain - if it does, then it wasn't a good job by them. This feature will show popularity of a visual style in a very visible way, and let the artists see common popular elements. "Oh, most paladins are going around in robe armour" "Warriors adore the horns instead of skulls look.. hmm" "Warlocks all wear hoods that hide the faces.." etc, etc. If one of the sets is suddenly never seen again, that would mean it was only ever worn for stats. I hope by this the artists will have a better idea of what we actually like, and the future sets will be even better.
Jyetie Aug 18th 2011 8:39PM
I think it's quite the opposite.
Their work will be immortal (in the WoW sense of the word) because, even after the tier has passed, people can still "wear" the gear they worked so hard on.
If anything, they should be happier about this. It's bringing life back to nearly every item they've created.
Wanna wear your old T1? Sure. What about that dungeon drop you've held onto for the last three expansions? You've got it.
WoW just got a lot more artsy.
Noyou Aug 18th 2011 8:50PM
@Jyetie
Totally agree with you. The only complain should be the legendaries. I don't have one and I probably never will but if you were lucky and persistent enough to have done so then by all means you should be able to rock it. So you would see prolly a couple dozen people walking around with an item, don't you do that now anyways?? I'd rather see 20 '69 mustangs than 20 honda accords ;)
Noyou Aug 18th 2011 9:05PM
I'm with you there Dril. I'm sure they do on their private servers. If they don't want you to use something, don't make it. If they put it out there it should be fair game.
Sleutel Aug 18th 2011 9:36PM
Any game artist who would whine about a player choosing to reskin their appearance out of a piece of armor that artist designed is missing the point.
I play this game to have fun, which should mean customizing my own appearance to what *I* want it to be. Being forced into some small subset of gear because an artist I've never met and never specifically requested the work of might get their feelings hurt? Honeyplease. It's like saying that if you go to a show featuring the work of multiple artists, you have to buy something from each of them, so that nobody feels bad that you don't like what they created.
Real artists wouldn't be trying to force their work on anyone who doesn't want to look at it. No one appreciates your genius? Design something they'll want to wear. Don't give me this kindergarten-level simplistic "everyone is special and their work is equally good" BS. MMO gear artists should be trying to design the kind of equipment that players will WANT to wear--not being prima donnas who throw tantrums if someone who pays money to play the game doesn't appreciate their aesthetic.
styopa Aug 18th 2011 10:05PM
Seems simple: if your artwork was appreciated, people would be converting to it.
If you did a minor reskin of some lvl 14 green, recolored it, and claimed it was cool, why should anyone respect that - I'm looking at you, all of the WotLK gear that looks exactly the flippin' same.
Blazing Rain Aug 18th 2011 11:32PM
I just want to know if I can transmog a mace into a sword. I know you can do it with guns/bows.
Jonisjalopy Aug 18th 2011 11:47PM
I understand why legendaries can't be copied to other items, but using the art of one and putting new stats on it sounds like what this system was built for.
Therinor Aug 19th 2011 4:01AM
"I play this game to have fun, which should mean customizing my own appearance to what *I* want it to be. Being forced into some small subset of gear because an artist I've never met and never specifically requested the work of might get their feelings hurt? Honeyplease."
But this didnt bother you all these years that your choices were based on the stats, not look? I mean, unless you're an avid RPer who runs around at 85 in lvl 40-theme-armour, it seems pretty early (2-3 days after the news came out) to already complain that your choices are limited, when this system has just been announced.
If this is so important, how did you cope with there not even BEING much of a choice all this time?
To a certain degree, you have been forced all these years, and now that there WILL be more choices, which should be rather good news if those kind of personal choices are so incredibly important to you, people already complain.
Its incredible to me that now that this system is being worked on, people already complain about limitations (I am actually glad about it, because I dunno whether I wanna see half the raid wearing invisible cloaks and robes or slap the boss with fish), especially when Blizz says "fairly conservative rules, so that we can get it up and running as soon as possible and make fun improvements down the road".
What they DO talk about much more specifically is silly stuff like the fish, broom, pan etc. Is THAT what is bothering you?
weepixie Aug 19th 2011 7:14AM
For me, the issue is about respecting player's individuality. For example, a druid friend of mine recently professed hating every single druid tier set ever, while I love tiers 6 and 8, another druid friend loves 1 and 2, while another is gaga over tier 3. We're all different, and this allows us to express that. It doesn't have anything to do with disrespecting the artists. If they believe that (the artists OR blizzard) they're focusing on the wrong thing.
The artists shouldn't ever stop working on creating new and fun/awesome/unique gear just because a large percentage of the 12 million players out there want to wear something else that was beloved to them. There are still millions of players who really like the current tier, whatever that may be. This is a lot of people. In fact, I think it would inspire artists even further, such that they really ponder why people choose/love sets and strive to create new sets that will become favorites. I'm sure they already do this, of course, but I would think that the transmogrification system will further challenge them creatively. This is healthy and exciting!
I have 4 22-slot bags of gear that I have kept over the years and I'm really, really excited that I get to "wear" some of them in something other than RP-runs of old world content. And this will also solve (for me) the problem of the creation of a tier set that doesn't include robes for resto druids (/sigh at having to farm the heroic t11 chest to match the t12 shoulders and not have to wear the t12 non-robe chest). As if!
;)
Sharlatan Aug 19th 2011 7:21AM
I LOL'd so hard at the blue comment about 'silly' items.
Lets look shall we. A scope which fires critters. World enlargers, shoulders several times the size of your character, a hat that looks like a squid, 1 handed weapons longer than my character is tall. Flaming shoulders..
Seriously, this is retarded. The game is already ridiculous. Let people wear what they want.
Personally I want to go back to low level questing greens, where the weapons and armor looks simple and functional, not stupidly ornate and impractical.
Mycroft Aug 19th 2011 8:17AM
The option for wearing "invisible cloaks" has been in the game for a long, long time. Interface, Display, uncheck Show Cloak. I did that for a while on my druid, when the healy vp (now jp) cloak looked terribly ugly next to my t11 Lightning Bluejay set. I also unchecked Show Helm, as I still have the ugly-as-sin zandie 353 facemask.
Coco Aug 19th 2011 9:07AM
maybe they should have thought about being "too silly" when they, you know, actually coded in a dagger that looks like a fish, or a mace that looks like a shovel... or any of the handful of poop quests... or the /silly command, or...
Matt Aug 22nd 2011 5:29PM
For everyone saying that the game is already silly enough, and using that as a solid argument why Blizzard should let loose the flood gates and allow maximum silliness: I disagree. The quote itself even says that they like having silliness in WoW - it's part of what makes WoW so fun; That said, there are limits to how silly they want to be, and I think a lot of players (at least myself) would grow awfully tired of seeing droves of players dressed in ridiculous gear. Fighting with fish sounds funny, but I don't really want to see that on a daily basis.
When blizzard originally made those items, they made the stats exceptionally inferior knowing that no player would wear it while Raiding, PvPing, or running dungeons in seriousness. I'm completely fine with this staying the same.
incoming00 Aug 18th 2011 8:08PM
while leveling a worgen tank, i loved being able to tank with the top hat on, but when it was replaced, i removed the option to show helm. i really hope i can use Transmogrification to wear my top hat again :D
Amaxe Aug 18th 2011 8:09PM
I thought it had to be like to like (cloth to cloth. leather to leather etc.)
Cephas Aug 18th 2011 9:23PM
Amaxe is correct, also the Top Hat is classified as Miscellaneous and doesn't have any stats so no one will be able to use it for transmogrification.
Amaxe Aug 18th 2011 8:08PM
Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like the Transmogrifying gimmick is limiting itself to a smaller and smaller field of interest. The declaration of limited content is disheartening.
I've never personally gotten a legendary before, but if I had one I sure as hell would have wanted to transmogrify it, and I think those who have them have a right to gripe if they choose to.
Now I can see some limitations are reasonable (dual wielding fish for example) and we obviously don't want a guy in T12 looking like he has level 1 gear. But I do think these limitations as described sound like they restrict too much.
My $0.02