Concerns About Early-Level Costumes in Ashes of Creation: Immersion and Fulfillment Feedback

Dygz

hleV wrote: »

I haven't looked up all the costumes, but I do remember some of them seeming (to me) like something only a higher level character would be wearing. It's not a deal breaker for me but it does affect the visual progression. Someone mentioned "naked with a stone axe" -- yea that's what I'd imagine everyone is supposed to look like at the beginning of their MMORPG journey. Then slap some plain looking cosmetics on top of that for variety.

I wouldn't mind some progression criteria for the more extreme cosmetics that hardly belong on a level 1 character that hasn't yet progressed past hunting rabbits and whatnot, but that's coming from someone who hasn't invested any money on cosmetics for a game that doesn't exist, so I don't have any goodies waiting for me when the game launches.

Naked with a stone ax is an MMO Survivial game; not a Fantasy RPG.

Voeltz

hleV wrote: »

I haven't looked up all the costumes, but I do remember some of them seeming (to me) like something only a higher level character would be wearing. It's not a deal breaker for me but it does affect the visual progression. Someone mentioned "naked with a stone axe" -- yea that's what I'd imagine everyone is supposed to look like at the beginning of their MMORPG journey. Then slap some plain looking cosmetics on top of that for variety.

I wouldn't mind some progression criteria for the more extreme cosmetics that hardly belong on a level 1 character that hasn't yet progressed past hunting rabbits and whatnot, but that's coming from someone who hasn't invested any money on cosmetics for a game that doesn't exist, so I don't have any goodies waiting for me when the game launches.

That's why there's such strong opposition for this suggestion. All these people already bought into their pre order packs long ago and have planned on being able to use their expensive costumes right when they spawn into the game. Cosmetic skins have requirements and limitations to apply them, but not costumes. That's the loophole.

Azherae

On the other side of this, since most of those people would also be able to start early on the headstart servers, they would definitely be level 20 by the time most people ever saw them in those cosmetics.

Noaani

Voeltz wrote: »

That's why there's such strong opposition for this suggestion. All these people already bought into their pre order packs long ago and have planned on being able to use their expensive costumes right when they spawn into the game. Cosmetic skins have requirements and limitations to apply them, but not costumes. That's the loophole.

I'd say the main reason (or at least my reason) is because visual progression isn't a thing.

Kilion

I've been thinking about this for a bit and came to the conclusion that this is probably not as big of a problem as some may worry.

First step to ruined immersion:
They have to own a costume. Those seem to be exclusively part of the most expensive bundles the Intrepid Shop has to offer. We could discuss how many people did purchase such a bundle but I think with a price tag of 375$ there are not too many. I'd be surprised if they sold just as many of those bundles as they sold Alpha 2 keys, which seem to be somewhere above 100k sales. Let's just say for good measure there are 50'000 people who bought that bundle. And lets assume a total player base of 1 mio players, which I'd say is achievable for the game. That would make 5% of the players hold a costume (maybe 7 if we include the kickstarter backers).

Second step to ruined immersion:
The player has to wear the costume. While we have been told that there is no level restriction, we don't know HOW exactly costumes and skins in general are applied (to my knowledge). It could be a service in a Node of at least Tier 3, which would mean there is an implicated floor under which appliction of costumes & skins is unlikely.

Third step to ruined immersion:
The player has to encounter the custome wearing villain. Which is by no means guaranteed. I'd argue a good portion of the players owning cosmetics of some sort will be on the head-start servers. Avoiding those could significantly decrease the chance of ever meeting someone in costume.

Fourth step to ruined immersion:
Be sensitive enough to let a few people in costumes ruin the experience for you. I mean I get it, it's a bit weird that some impressively armoured knight might be standing besides the plebs who flooded from the Gates, but I don't think it is entirely out of line with the lore and therefore a matter of RP affinity.
To my knowledge almost everyone fled from Verra during the Apocalypse, with whatever they might have on them at the time. It wouldn't be surprising to find some very epic looking pieces of armor amongst them. But now those people are stuck in Sanctus, a place without magic, for thouands of years. Some of the refugees may have passed on their pieces of armor, which while staying intact gradually lost their might due to the absence of magic, only to gradually regain their strength once they return to Verra, to magic.

I am not saying this is the explanation Steven had in mind when he decided that cosmetics would be a thing in the game, I'm just saying that there are lore aligned explanations possible therefore making the entire matter of "this is ruining immersion" a discussion of perspective.