I like the idea of being able to tweak the colors and effects of a Power and then save the settings as a sort of template or theme for that character. Then as I gain powers I can just reapply it and tweak it from there instead of starting over every time. Did CoX have something like this after we got Power Customization?
I also like the thing CO does with their CC where the colors you select appear at the top of the window, making it easier to remain consistent as you change different parts of your character.
I've stayed out of most of the 'Costume Request' threads because I don't even know where to begin with what I'd like to see. However this feature I think would be a good idea.
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I remember when Star Wars was cool...a long, long time ago...
I don't remember CoH's CC having a "persistent pallette" that stayed up while working in the creator. That would be an excellent addition, though. I do recall having to remember the "coordinates" of the colors I was using on the generic pallete. DCUO limits your pallette to 3 colors, I'm sure nobody would like that here (me included.) But it does give you an easy reference while you're working. If Champs has something like that then, dang it! we should have it, too! I'd like to have room for 6-8 different colors in my "working pallete".
I would like every article of the costume to have 5 colors (even if some of them are just piping/boarders or lights or whatever)
We can always double up on a color to make our costumes 'simpler', but it's impossible to make a pattern 'more complex' than how it began.
I had a lot of success in CO by only using two colors on some of the more complex four-color tights patterns, so i know that the core concept would provide players greater product for the resource investment.
in that same vein, I have been pushing an idea since beta testing of COH:
the ability to layer tights patterns.
by allowing us to (functionally) combine and mix-n-match tights patterns, a smaller base set of patterns would provide dramatically more 'punch'. (The addition of 1 new tights pattern would provide as many new costume options as there are current patterns multiplied by the number of color options each pattern has)
the inclusion of these two functions would dramatically effect the costume landscape, providing an unprecedented level of costume customization for no greater resource cost than traditional costume design options.
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[i]....Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars...[/i]
I would also like to be able to add effects to certain parts of the costume. I know we can take insignias and slide them around the costume so why not effects like lights, flames, and smoke. CoH did something similar with auras but they were limited to full body or hands for the most part. I would like to have glowing lines like something from tron or Aang's tattoos when he is in the avatar state.
I'd like any costume piece or logo/SG symbol to have a selectable material, even if it's just radio buttons for different specular appearances like cloth, plastic/latex/paint, leather, and metal with dull and shiny versions of each. A separate material selection for each color zone would be nice, so Brass Monkey can have an enameled B on a polished brass background, for example.
The different material settings should work the same across all costume parts. Rather than materials being created separately for every single costume piece as they have been in the past, the costume artist picks a default from one of the 10 or 20 (or more?) basic, named, colorable materials. The player can override the material in the costume designer, making a shiny metal shield look like dull metal, or leather, or wood. This way different costume pieces from different sets can look like they are made of the same kind of cloth or metal or whatever.
If this idea becomes a material library system that's broad enough while still being user-friendly, I imagine it will save the art team a great deal of time whenever they create new art assets.
dont forget 'cutout' as a 'material' option for emblems....
i totally love the idea of 'movable aura effects'.... but the avatar ang thing made me think of the option to make patterns, or parts of patterns 'glow'
..which brings me back around to 'underlying skin/body types'
things like 'stone skin' or 'reptile skin' were staples of cox..... but I want to see 'glowing skin' or 'translucent body'.... as if the character is made of enegy or suffused with radiation or demon flame (once you add a matching flame aura to head and hands ;P)
what good is my awesome looking containment suit, if it's just containing a normal old person in it :-/
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[i]....Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars...[/i]
I acutely mention that in another thread a while back. There are tons of heroes that aren't made of flesh and bone. Having a option to make the character translucent like a ghost or having a body made of pure energy of some sort is something I would defiantly want to see.
and being able to have named villains with those looks would also be a huge plus.... very genre, and it would be unique to this project :D
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[i]....Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars...[/i]
DCUO has the "multi-dimensional starry field" available. That is SO cool as a costume element.
I really like the idea of a "materials library" that's mainly just specular effects, or low relief textures applied to flat (tights) pieces.
I know there's a KS level already for something like this, but some day, I don't know how, or when, I hope the developers put more of the tools in OUR hands. Give us an on-line tool and a tutorial for creating actual "skins", just for the tights pieces even. You know, just the multi-color gemoetric divisions for the tights base-layer. Then let us submit our designs.
I can see how this would become a flood pretty quickly, but so what? Now you pay administrative rates to manage the flood, rather than design rates to come up with new designs in house. Make it a contest! You could put calls out for particular themes. The Devs post up their top 10 picks based on whatever criteria, then the community votes on their top 3 faves. if yours gets accepted, you get to use it exclusively for 6 months or something and an exclusive badge. Then it gets rolled out in the costume creator with the next update. This could be going on constantly with several new patterns/pieces available every update.
Think how quickly we could be expanding our options using this model. Put your slavering fans to work for you!