Turn off cosmetics

I found some old discussions from several years ago about turning off cosmetics, nothing definitive. Figured I'd bring it up again since it's been a while.

One thing I loved about 'old school MMOs' is being able to see people's gear and know they earned it. If I'm not mistaken, I think Intrepid is taking a 'halfway' standpoint by locking cosmetics to 'equivalent tiered' gear. So you at least have to earn a piece of gear of equal value to then apply the cosmetic. It would still be nice to be able to turn off others' cosmetics so you can see the gear they ACTUALLY have equipped.

What's everyone's current view on being able to disable cosmetics in the settings?

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Endowed

Amen.

Garren

That's tough because what if a player Wants to be recognized by their cosmetic. If I have a black cosmetic set that I want to use for night time pvp stealth will I lose that if other players can just turn off cosmetics. For that matter should you be able to turn off dyed armor?

Tryol

Trust me when I say this: I absolutely despise cosmetics. I even hate the concept of transmogs, but...
I don't think this is a good idea.

If Intrepid gave us this option, turning cosmetics off would instantly become the meta, since being able to see players' exact gear gives you an undeniable competitive advantage. (Something something players will optimize the fun out of the game.)

If turning off cosmetics (including transmogs) was the meta:
1. It could severely reduce Intrepid's income from the cosmetic store, as the strongest incentive for your average player to buy a cosmetic, is to look good in front of others. (One could argue that some care more about looking good for themselves, but I'd be surprised if this was more common.)
2. It could make the transmog system almost completely useless. Potentially ruining the game for players who consider fashion to be the "true end-game".
3. It could cause issues with the 100k+ people who bought exclusive cosmetic packs, knowing that they will be able to show off their cool items to others. I don't even want to think about the PR and legal shitstorm this would unleash on Intrepid.

This would be a dream come true for you, me and many others, but a nightmare for Intrepid and the majority of players.

arkileo

superhero6785 wrote: »

I found some old discussions from several years ago about turning off cosmetics, nothing definitive. Figured I'd bring it up again since it's been a while.

One thing I loved about 'old school MMOs' is being able to see people's gear and know they earned it. If I'm not mistaken, I think Intrepid is taking a 'halfway' standpoint by locking cosmetics to 'equivalent tiered' gear. So you at least have to earn a piece of gear of equal value to then apply the cosmetic. It would still be nice to be able to turn off others' cosmetics so you can see the gear they ACTUALLY have equipped.

What's everyone's current view on being able to disable cosmetics in the settings?

Supposedly the best cosmetics will still be earned in game, so seeing them will still let you know they earned them.

Like Garren and Tyrol said, a shitstorm would ensue if you could turn off cosmetics.

Endowed

Miss-Charge-it-Credit-Card-Womens-Size-8-12-Costume_9138f977-e5e8-4166-9a1a-ac330840fba5.3b4bcb14c8ee4096a25716c0a3de37c0.jpeg?odnHeight=640&odnWidth=640&odnBg=FFFFFF

Just show them like this.

Endowed

Garren wrote: »

That's tough because what if a player Wants to be recognized by their cosmetic. If I have a black cosmetic set that I want to use for night time pvp stealth will I lose that if other players can just turn off cosmetics. For that matter should you be able to turn off dyed armor?

So cosmetics can be a actual in-game "win/advantage" scenario.

Interesting.

Dimitraeos

Not of fan of the idea. If cool skins are hard to earn, then showing it off as a form of progression should preserve the value of said skin.

When you transmog your gear to look a certain way, you do it because you're projecting an outward appearance, at at least in part thats what motivates most people chasing skins. Knowing that people might not see it, lessens the rewarding social feeling of showing that off.

They just need to make sure there are really cool skins that are earned through hard work or challenge in game.

Otr

Seeing other people's cosmetics doesn't make me want to buy the same cosmetics.
I would buy them just for my character, to add variation, if it is immersive.

My concern is that players what so much to have certain cosmetics and the developer to sell them, that the world immersion gets destroyed. I would pay a bit more just to get my immersion back.

Taleof2Cities

Dimitraeos wrote: »

When you transmog your gear to look a certain way, you do it because you're projecting an outward appearance, at at least in part thats what motivates most people chasing skins. Knowing that people might not see it, lessens the rewarding social feeling of showing that off.

This is the correct answer.

The whole point of cosmetics is showing off your appearance. Allowing players to toggle your appearance waters down that achievement (or purchase).

Endowed wrote: »

So cosmetics can be an actual in-game "win/advantage" scenario.

Interesting.

Cosmetics aren’t pay-to-win … no matter how much players try to bend logic otherwise.

You can look up the definition of pay-to-win online.

Endowed

Taleof2Cities wrote: »

Cosmetics aren’t pay-to-win … no matter how much players try to bend logic otherwise.

You can look up the definition of pay-to-win online.

He literally said it was for an advantage.

Aszkalon

superhero6785 wrote: »

I think Intrepid is taking a 'halfway' standpoint by locking cosmetics to 'equivalent tiered' gear. So you at least have to earn a piece of gear of equal value to then apply the cosmetic.

It would still be nice to be able to turn off others' cosmetics so you can see the gear they ACTUALLY have equipped.

Don't you mean "Transmogs" ? Because no matter if a Skin is a (Shop)-Cosmetic Skin, or a Skin from another Item on the actual Item you wear,

what You mean when shutting things off is the Possibility to simply see the normal Gear of that Person without anything transmogged onto it, right ?

Because why stop only at Cosmetics ?

This would be really hurtful though, if People could have their Cosmetic Looks only during a certain Level Range

be it Item-Levels or Character-Level.

unknownsystemerror

Ahh yes, the once or twice a year post from some broke boi whining about turning off cosmetics. Not happening, but if it makes you feel good to vent, go for it. Cosmetics don't give any advantage, if you bothered to do your research before posting, you would know that. You are still able to gain all "threat assessment" that you will need from a simple mouseover. While costumes can be applied from level one, individual skins you need a matching item type to skin, thus satisfying the "but, but, but, their should be restrictions on level for use!" And for the "buh, mah mershun!" twits. Intrepid has gone to great lengths to avoid making stuff that is out of character for a high fantasy medieval magic containing game. While you will absolutely have your tiny mind shattered by an ice tower in the desert, at least you won't have a panda in a BMW drive by and spray you with an AK47.

Kilion

I think that being able to disguise your gear as a different armor class through cosmetics is a bad idea. This is entirely my personal preference, not what I expect Intrepid to put into the game so moving on I will discuss where I went from here on:

That being said, I am absolutely aware that this discussion has been going on for so long that change in the system will only happen if it turns out to be broken during the Alpha 2. So what I would like to see is dedicated tests of the transmog/cosmetic system. This could be done through organised PvP events with and without transmog available in the combat zone.

Here is what I think would be a compromise many could live with:
Option 1: In non-PvP zones (I guess Freeholds & Nodes that are not sieged) everyone should see the applied cosmetics/skins/transmogs of everyone. In areas where PvP events take place, skins should not be applied to the characters of other players we see, while we ourselves can still see ours.
Option 2: If Intrepid defines skins/cosmetics as an "in world" thing rather than a feature for players, there could be items that allow players to see the actual gear someone is wearing, this would mean that player would need to use time, effort, ingame money & a gear slot (missing out on potential stat gains through a different gear piece) to negate the effects of the "visual enchantment" that is the skin/cosmetic, making this feature part of the risk-reward / trade-off system underlying Ashes.

Side note:
I think there is one scenario that I haven't thought about until today: What if skins and cosmetics could only be applied as sets? > In such a scenario I would be less worried about cosmetics as they'd be much easier recognizable as a cosmetic.

Hinotori

There is no stopping the divine judgement.

Saabynator

superhero6785 wrote: »

I found some old discussions from several years ago about turning off cosmetics, nothing definitive. Figured I'd bring it up again since it's been a while.

One thing I loved about 'old school MMOs' is being able to see people's gear and know they earned it. If I'm not mistaken, I think Intrepid is taking a 'halfway' standpoint by locking cosmetics to 'equivalent tiered' gear. So you at least have to earn a piece of gear of equal value to then apply the cosmetic. It would still be nice to be able to turn off others' cosmetics so you can see the gear they ACTUALLY have equipped.

What's everyone's current view on being able to disable cosmetics in the settings?

The idea is interesting. But for the sake of Intrepid, I would probably not. Some people buy cosmetics for themselves, some buy them to look cool infron of others. I think there is an argument to be made, that the sales would be lower, if people could turn it off. I want Intrepid to earn big money doing this. I said in another thread earlier. AoC, is the last big, old school mentality MMO, that is made with love, for players. If this becomes a success, this will get seen and copied. Other studies might get money to make good MMOs again, because the business world is able to see a profit in it. It might just be me blowing it up, but I really do belive this. I have played MMOs consistently since UO beta, and I have seen the decline in quality.

Zahie

I say no to this, it's an MMORPG. For me, character looks is an important part of the RP part. It doesn't matter if it's paid cosmetics or earned the hard way in game, it's still a way to express my character. You suggestion takes away the fun with that and the feeling of everyone playing in the same world and seeing the same things.

Effah

Not gonna happen i think. intrepid is still here to make money.

Veeshan

Should be an option to toggle other people cosmetics to be disabled when outside of freeholds and Nodes

Xeeg

As much as I agree with the OP, we are far too deep in the game design to disable transmogs.

At this point the best solution is likely to make it such that no one can know what someone is wearing unless they tell them, and all we see are their transmogs.

Because if clicking on someone's nameplate and inspecting them gives them an advantage, that is such a lame gameplay loop. It should never be to someone's advantage to do something cumbersome, lame and boring. And it is the game designer's job to make sure that's the case.

The incentives to do things that give your character an advantage in the game should always be "the fun part" of the game.

Githal

Cosmetics wont be removed since this brings money. But i would be good as long as the cosmetics apply only to Caravans skins/ freehold buildings skin/ boats skins (but the skin should still make the type of the boat recognizable) / For guild halls and stuff like this

And i am against cosmetics for: armor and weapons / mounts / skins that completely change the design of something that makes it unrecognizable on first sight and you have to check description to know what it is

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