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Author Topic: Book 12: The Outfit System and Barbershops  (Read 10020 times)
Mrbloodworth
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on: January 21, 2008, 10:08:50 AM

Quote
[21-Jan-2008]

by Ryan "Tens" Bednar

In addition to bringing you the Month of the Guardian, the Month of the Burglar, the Month of the Champion, the Ettendeep, and Angmar Revisited, Book 12: The Ashen Wastes will also go down in history as introducing The Month of Avatar Customization - as we like to call these things here at Turbine.

Now, you might be asking yourself: "Why on Middle-earth would the devs be focusing on avatar customization when they've still got Mordor to build?!"

Well, anecdotally speaking, I can't recall a single Dev Chat (and as everyone who's had to wait while I typed up an answer knows, I've done a lot of them) where someone hasn't asked for additional character customization options. In fact, the request for just an option to toggle your shoulder armour off and on has come up in every one of our last 5 European Dev Chats (big shout-out to our Codemasters players here!).

We can take a hint, so we got to work.

But, we're not just giving you the option to toggle your shoulder (and glove) armour in Book 12 -- no, we're giving you more. Much more!

Book 12 introduces two brand new Avatar Customization features to LOTRO: The Outfit System, and Barbershops.

Here are the details:

The Outfit System

The goal of The Outfit System is fairly simple: Give players complete control over how they look in the game, without impacting the gameplay benefits they gain from their currently equipped items.

With that stated, let's start off with the image below - the "flash."


Cosmetic Customization!
(Click for larger images)

 
What you're seeing above is a single character showing off their three Outfits.

Now, as of Book 11 you already have your first Outfit. The Outfit System refers to that set of items you currently have equipped. That won't be changing at all.

What we're unveiling in Book 12 is the ability for you to define two additional cosmetic appearances, called Outfits, for your character. These Outfits will override the visual appearance of your base Equipment.

Now, it's important to emphasize that these additional inventories are only cosmetic, and that your Equipment will continue to be the only items affecting your stats. With that said, once Book 12 goes live it's really up to you as to how you want yourself to look in Middle-earth.

As long as you can wear it in your Equipment, you can wear it in an Outfit.

But How Does It Work?

That's another great question! Take a look at the screenshot below:

Cosmetic Customization!

(Please note, the UI pictured here and below is still a work in progress.)

Once you've reached level 20, you'll have access to a few new tabs in your Character Journal which allow you to toggle between your base Equipment and both Outfits. In the screenshot you can see that the player is on their 1st Outfit. Any item they drag on the corresponding Outfit Slot will be equipped cosmetically, overriding the appearance of the item in their base Equipment slot, as you can see in the following screenshot:

Cosmetic Customization!

A few other things are also worth noting:

    * You must reach level 20 before you can use the Outfit System
          o This is to prevent new players from accidentally equipping their armour cosmetically since, well, that would get ugly...

    * You must meet all of the Usage Restrictions of the items you are trying to equip cosmetically.
          o For example, a Lore-master that can't wear Heavy Armour won't be able to equip Heavy Armour as an Outfit.
    * The Outfit System will be disabled in the Ettenmoors - and in all PvMP zones moving forward.
    * This is to prevent Guardians from masquerading as Light Armour wearers, since a player's silhouette is an important indicator, at range, of which class they are.
    * Equipping an item to an Outfit slot will still leave the item in your inventory.
          o This will allow you to trade those items to other players, store them in your bank, etc., although items that bind will need to be bound to you before you can equip them into Outfit slots.
    * Book 12 is also introducing a large variety of cosmetic items including, but not limited to, backpacks, quivers, hauberks, and social clothes (dresses, tunics, shirts, pants, etc.).

Barbershops

Barbershops are the other major feature we're adding for The Month of Avatar Customization. Code-named "Floon's Baby," this feature will allow you change a subset of your avatar's hair and facial options for a small fee.

You can find your local Barber at the major social center nearest to you. Talking to one will allow you to change a variety of cosmetic settings for your avatar, as you can see in the following image.

Cosmetic Customization!
As the screenshot suggests, you'll be able to change the following options:

    * Hair Style
          o We are also adding new hair styles for all races and genders
                + These will be available at Character Creation as well
                + Floon went out of his way to get these in. :)
    * Hair Color
    * Facial Hair
    * Facial Detail 1
    * Facial Detail 2
          o This is new for Book 12, and will allow you to pick a second Facial Detail for your character
                + More props to Floon here!

Floon would like to point out that having both of these systems in place opens the door for us to make even more customization options for you in the future.

So there you have it - The Month of Avatar Customization, coming soon to a Book near you!

Today's How-To: Scrambling a Thread to the Point of Incoherence in Only One Post with MrBloodworth . - schild
www.mrbloodworthproductions.com  www.amuletsbymerlin.com
Hutch
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Reply #1 on: January 21, 2008, 10:20:27 AM

Wait ... your appearance no longer needs be sacrificed to utility? (Or vice versa)

You've got your CoH in my LotRO!



(edit: lern to spel)
« Last Edit: January 28, 2008, 07:50:06 AM by Hutch »

Plant yourself like a tree
Haven't you noticed? We've been sharing our culture with you all morning.
The sun will shine on us again, brother
Bandit
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Reply #2 on: January 21, 2008, 10:52:30 AM

I mocked such a system that was implemented in EQ2, but it works great....and I love it now.  EQ2 has the level 20 limitation as well.  Doesn't really seem fair that a lore-master is still stuck with nothing but cloth, while a guardian or captain can wear the full range. But I see the issues.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2008, 11:20:58 AM by Bandit »
Triforcer
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Reply #3 on: January 21, 2008, 11:04:03 AM

WOOKIEE HAIRDRESSERS!!! RUN!!

All life begins with Nu and ends with Nu.  This is the truth!  This is my belief! At least for now...
Tebonas
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Reply #4 on: January 21, 2008, 11:26:50 AM

Wookie hairdressers you don't have to grind for.

All said and done, I'm glad I have my lifetime subscription for Lotro. They give me enough things to return to and play around with once in a while.
DraconianOne
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Reply #5 on: January 22, 2008, 06:07:26 AM

It's useless unless you can make your human toon fat.

 ACK!

A point can be MOOT. MUTE is more along the lines of what you should be. - WayAbvPar
WindupAtheist
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Badicalthon


Reply #6 on: January 22, 2008, 10:50:15 AM

Zomg.  Me wanty this system in every game ever.  WoW needs to steal this pronto.

"You're just a dick who quotes himself in his sig."  --  Schild
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome."  --  Me
Mrbloodworth
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Reply #7 on: January 22, 2008, 11:00:55 AM

Zomg.  Me wanty this system in every game ever.  WoW needs to steal this pronto.

That would break the game.

Today's How-To: Scrambling a Thread to the Point of Incoherence in Only One Post with MrBloodworth . - schild
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Tannhauser
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Reply #8 on: January 22, 2008, 07:33:38 PM

This is very good news!  I made my male elf a little TOO feminine looking.

Party members make fun of me.
Then I don't heal them and they die.
caladein
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WWW
Reply #9 on: January 23, 2008, 06:59:08 PM

Zomg.  Me wanty this system in every game ever.  WoW needs to steal this pronto.

Babershop = Wrath of the Lich King

Cosmetic Set = Too many GWAR fans at Blizzard to let go of e-peen shoulder pads.

"Point being, they can't make everyone happy, so I hope they pick me." -Ingmar
"OH MY GOD WE'RE SURROUNDED SEND FOR BACKUP DIG IN DEFENSIVE POSITIONS MAN YOUR NECKBEARDS" -tgr
Mrbloodworth
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Reply #10 on: January 25, 2008, 06:23:37 AM

Cosmetic Set = Too many GWAR fans at Blizzard to let go of e-peen shoulder pads.

WOOT!

As for the WOTLK, what feature are you talking about. Because i feel that letting people wear what ever they want would really break some of the loots appeal, and or carrot. I haven't read anything about the expansion that talks about a system like this.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2008, 06:25:15 AM by Mrbloodworth »

Today's How-To: Scrambling a Thread to the Point of Incoherence in Only One Post with MrBloodworth . - schild
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DraconianOne
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Reply #11 on: January 25, 2008, 07:34:35 AM

WOTLK: "New character-customisation options including new hairstyles and new dances"


A point can be MOOT. MUTE is more along the lines of what you should be. - WayAbvPar
WindupAtheist
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Badicalthon


Reply #12 on: January 26, 2008, 03:49:39 AM

Don't you have to own and be able to equip a thing in order to make it part of an outfit?  So whose e-peen does it step on?

"You're just a dick who quotes himself in his sig."  --  Schild
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome."  --  Me
Mrbloodworth
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Reply #13 on: January 28, 2008, 07:27:08 AM

You can "Trade" the "Looks" as in, not the real item. (If i read some of the Dev postings right, trade someone the item, they place it in the cosmetic slot, and trade the item back to you, they LOOK like they are wearing the item, as it make a cosmetic copy)

Basically, i can trade you the look of the most uber gear in the game, and you can wear it even if you never earned it. This would break some of the appeal of gear in Wow, as most of the gear is not only on a ladder of power, but on a ladder of "Looks cool".

I have noticed that a lot of the appeal in gear isn't necessarily about stats, but the look as well. I'm sure blizzard factors that in as well when placing a value on an item, for itemizations and methods of acquisition.

WOTLK: "New character-customisation options including new hairstyles and new dances"

Yep, looked that up after i said that =)
« Last Edit: January 28, 2008, 07:32:39 AM by Mrbloodworth »

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Valmorian
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Reply #14 on: February 01, 2008, 12:08:26 PM

I have noticed that a lot of the appeal in gear isn't necessarily about stats, but the look as well. I'm sure blizzard factors that in as well when placing a value on an item, for itemizations and methods of acquisition.


So, um, make it so you have to own the item, perhaps?  If I had my choice, my paladin would be wearing Alabaster plate with a normal looking sword and shield instead of the technicolor yak that he's wearing now.
tmp
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Reply #15 on: February 13, 2008, 08:26:36 PM

Basically, i can trade you the look of the most uber gear in the game, and you can wear it even if you never earned it. This would break some of the appeal of gear in Wow, as most of the gear is not only on a ladder of power, but on a ladder of "Looks cool".
If the gear is of "binds on whatever" variety, it has to be bound to the player in order to put it in the appearance slot. And when it's bound it can't be borrowed to "just get the looks" either. And pretty much everything in LotRO but the 'white' generic gear is BoE/BoP.

Basically they made sure you can only wear what you personally "earned". Or generic trash that people would already wear purely for its looks as it is.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2008, 08:30:49 PM by tmp »
WindupAtheist
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Badicalthon


Reply #16 on: February 15, 2008, 04:52:38 AM

I'd rather be wearing my level 40 helmet than the one I have now at 63 in WoW.  It's fucking terrible.

"You're just a dick who quotes himself in his sig."  --  Schild
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome."  --  Me
Tarami
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Reply #17 on: February 15, 2008, 06:14:33 AM

Just for reference, this is what my raid-geared Lore-master looks like post-B12;




I think it's very nice.  smiley

Edit: Updated with the actual gear per request. Ew. Unfortunately night had fallen when I logged back on... but you get the gist.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2008, 07:17:27 AM by Tarami »

- I'm giving you this one for free.
- Nothing's free in the waterworld.
Mrbloodworth
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Reply #18 on: February 15, 2008, 07:00:31 AM

Can we get a shot of what she is really wearing?

Today's How-To: Scrambling a Thread to the Point of Incoherence in Only One Post with MrBloodworth . - schild
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Damn Dirty Ape
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Reply #19 on: February 19, 2008, 01:41:17 PM

Why is that elf carrying a branch on her back?  Is that supposed to be a staff? When I tried out LOTRO a couple months ago, my loremaster got a staff that looked like a broom and his pointy hat had ear flaps.swamp poop   
Tannhauser
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Reply #20 on: February 19, 2008, 03:01:04 PM

If you want fashion, go to Gondor.  We are yokels up here in Eriador.  smiley
Damn Dirty Ape
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Reply #21 on: February 20, 2008, 10:21:32 AM

Is it the hat?  A lot of people hate this hat.  The sight of it angers people.  I'll tell you a story about that on the way to Mordor.
- Uncle Buck Baggins
KyanMehwulfe
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WWW
Reply #22 on: February 26, 2008, 12:13:42 AM

I've been playing the game again the last week or so, and the new Outfit system combined with all the new outfits adds such a great constant customization element to the game. You look at junk loot in a new way since it can now serve an aesthetic purpose. The new backpacks and all of the pattern hauberks look really good, too. I'm mostly still switching in dwarf-iron pieces since heavy armor in LotRO is modeled and textured so damn well, but it's nice to mix in for variety now and again.
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