What to do if you can't get the perfect outfit?

unitzeta

See, I'm a graphic designer in real life, and I get very, very picky about how my character looks. Especially in the arms.

There are pieces that are FANTASTIC. And then, there are pieces that... aren't so much...
For example, the Rock Feet trump the living heck out of the Rock Bracers.

And the Holo Hex bracers don't stand alone well.

So, how does one get their costume looking right?

Let fans design some pieces.

Heck, I'd do it. Just teach me how. I take to design programs well.

So, Cryptic... What do you use to render? what do you use for bump maps and for diffuse painting? Huh? Lemme at 'em, lemme make the game a little more awesome.

I've got some ideas for Heavy and Light variations of the Ancient Armor.

chaoswolf820

unitzeta wrote: »

Let fans design some pieces.

Dongs. Dongs everywhere. Big ol' floppy man-parts all over the place.

This is what you will get. Just ask the devteam behind SPORE.

rokurocaris

I agree, to a point. While players creating whole new pieces would likely lead to more negative than positive results, there is a very simple way to multiply the options in the costume creator using only bits of existing costume pieces:
Kitbashing them; cutting of the additional bits and attaching them to other pieces, creating new ones in about the easiest way imaginable. :cool:

mensar

unitzeta wrote: »

See, I'm a graphic designer in real life, and I get very, very picky about how my character looks. Especially in the arms.

There are pieces that are FANTASTIC. And then, there are pieces that... aren't so much...
For example, the Rock Feet trump the living heck out of the Rock Bracers.

And the Holo Hex bracers don't stand alone well.

So, how does one get their costume looking right?

Let fans design some pieces.

Heck, I'd do it. Just teach me how. I take to design programs well.

So, Cryptic... What do you use to render? what do you use for bump maps and for diffuse painting? Huh? Lemme at 'em, lemme make the game a little more awesome.

I've got some ideas for Heavy and Light variations of the Ancient Armor.

Let's not let fans design some pieces.

I can see submitting some artwork concept for the devs to consider for future costumes. But if you can't put together a costume based on what you have because you're missing something you don't have.. well, go get it?

unitzeta

rokurocaris wrote: »

I agree, to a point. While players creating whole new pieces would likely lead to more negative than positive results, there is a very simple way to multiply the options in the costume creator using only bits of existing costume pieces:
Kitbashing them; cutting of the additional bits and attaching them to other pieces, creating new ones in about the easiest way imaginable. :cool:

like in Spore? A Spore editor for Champions would be soooooo awesome...

But yeah... We can't have everyone submitting stuff. That would be second life.

But at the same time, I feel that if I actually did do some work, good work, submitted it, and they said flatly "no", I would be kinda pissed.

thesithkiller360

Short Answer: use Photoshop.
Long answer: Well, ya Know, the CO Character designer is rich, but NOT infinite. The Designer in this game is really limited by the parts that are In the creator, meaning you will Not be able to say, create your own stuff in 3D Modelling Tool-Application, and import it, basically the game's engine would have to expand and sort of bend in order for it to work.
If you Want to create the Character- try SL. It allows almost(!) anything to be Done in there, including importing your own models and textures just as you created them.
Edited: Oh, the Only problem- SL is Not a game.

bobgreenwade

I don't think that everyone should be able to just upload stuff willy-nilly. That would, if you'll forgive the awful rhyme, be just plain silly. It certainly would lead to a massive update file every week, to say nothing of the disturbing material that chaoswolf predicts.

On the other hand, I do think it would be good if we could occasionally have people submit costume set designs, either modeled or drawn. An annual contest or something of that sort could lead to all manner of cool stuff.

rokurocaris

unitzeta wrote: »

like in Spore? A Spore editor for Champions would be soooooo awesome...

Not exactly. I'm thinking about the kind of program modders use to create new game elements. I used these for games like Freedom Force and Fallout 3/TES 4 Oblivion.

As stated above, players actually doing that is not a good idea. I just meant this most basic way of modding; changing what is there instead of creating something completely new, would already be enough to greatly increase the amount of costume pieces.

hyperstrikecoh

What do I do?

I find that kicking, screaming, crying like a little baby and breaking things...while not very effective at solving the problem...are quite cathartic...

rokurocaris

hyperstrikecoh wrote: »

What do I do?

I find that kicking, screaming, crying like a little baby and breaking things...while not very effective at solving the problem...are quite cathartic...

What has that comment to do with anything? No one is throwing a tantrum here.

jasinblaze

Speaking as an animator/designer myself, use what you have until something better comes along. your vision will never be prefect for you while using someone else's parts. But you can make some great costumes with what you have. i actually enjoy the challenge, even though it can be like trying to build a medieval castle with space Legos. perfect is a myth anyway. just make some great costumes and have fun with it.
That being said, show us what you got, make some kick*ss costume we can all get behind.

rokurocaris

jasinblaze wrote: »

i actually enjoy the challenge, even though it can be like trying to build a medieval castle with space Legos. perfect is a myth anyway. just make some great costumes and have fun with it

I really hate it when people speak of completely unnecessary limitations as "challenges". I certainly don't feel "challenged" by the fact that I can't wear Integrated Shoulders chest wear over a Sci-fi Jumpsuit, for example. Or by the fact that I can't wear even the smallest bracers over even the most tight-fitting Long Gloves. Or, on this topic, by the fact that I can't have those interrestingly edged boots and gloves without silly looking bat wings or lightning bolts attached to them. :rolleyes:

-I- could fix these issues, given the tools and some time to learn how to use them. People who are already used to working with them could probably fix them faster.
Obviously, no one at Cryptic has the time or even just the intention to fix them, so I would greatly welcome the opportunity to "do their job".

However, uncontroled modding of an online game comes with just too many dangers. And sadly, Cryptic does not even have the manpower to have someone looking at the suggestions anymore.

jasinblaze

Roku, i was responding to the original post.
yes there are silly limitations that should be done away with.
with the exception of the dual texture pieces (cloth/metal 90's example)
every piece should have 3 textures or more. and yes all the silly limitations should go.
but the original post wasnt talking of the tailor protocol but of the design of the part.
it can all be improved but perfect ain't gonna happen. besides who's perfect would it be.
i do like the challenge however. unlikely synergy is a great reward.

pion01

What do I do when I can't make the perfect costume?





I weep uncontrolably for hours into a carton of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream followed by self-flagillation with a barbed cat o nine tails in a boiling shower.

vorshoth

I was considering suggesting something like this a while back, with a different bent to it.
My idea would've been that we have a Stickied Thread somewhere in the forums where players submit links to ideas for costumes, preferably ones they've drawn themselves, although linking to other people's work, referencing it correctly and saying 'as inspiration for' such and such, could work.

For example, if I drew a boot design I would like on my characters, I could scan it, then put it up on that thread.

Never got around to posting the suggestion since I was too lazy at the time and forgot about the notepad file in my iPod where I had saved the initial draft of the suggestion.

daisolaar

If you think about it, a lot of items we have currently would be far more awesome than they are now, if only a few tweaks were made to them. Like seperating the glow effects on the Tesla torso armor, making the Robot Eye accessory compatible with Hats/Helmets, or fixing the useless positioning on Mechassassin's Gun Arm. It's little things like such that can really make or break a character concept.

twg042370

Unless Cryptic pays you, it's not your job to make the game for them.

meedacthunist

Also, unless Cryptic pays you, it's not your thing to make concept art for them. And good concept art isn't cheap. Do it for free and you're giving them free IP.

battybattybats

Have design contests. Then the designs entered get checked by devs for approval which cleans up all the problems raised by the idea of players making rude designs.

End result is that the designers get free extra work done by the fans, the fans get the pieces they really want, the game gets bigger and deeper and yet the company retains sensible editorial control.

Win/win/win... nopthing but win!

Signed.

bobgreenwade

battybattybats wrote: »

Have design contests. Then the designs entered get checked by devs for approval which cleans up all the problems raised by the idea of players making rude designs.

End result is that the designers get free extra work done by the fans, the fans get the pieces they really want, the game gets bigger and deeper and yet the company retains sensible editorial control.

Win/win/win... nopthing but win!

Signed.

And for the contest winners, the deal could be made even a tad sweeter if they get ALL of the winning sets unlocked account-wide for free. If nothing else, that would certainly be an incentive to create something really good.

tdits

There's a Steam version of this game, yes? Why not use the Steam Workshop, or make your own Steam Workshop like service. The Workshop produces some pretty good results.

kadark

I wanted a catholic priest collar for one of my alts, but I dunno how I coulda done it...so I'm all for this!