If you are given a chance to reimplement the "personality" system, how would you do it?

[Guy.9207]

I have been thinking about the roleplay side of things and adding flavors to dialogue (and possibly more), and it reminds me of the personality system that were more or less removed back in 2014. While I would like to see it returned, I can't help but wonder if there could be a way to improve or even rework the system, or if it even needs to be brought back at all.

[Gehenna.3625]

Uhm, what is this personality system you speak of?

[Guy.9207]

1 hour ago, Gehenna.3625 said:

Uhm, what is this personality system you speak of?

Personality system here

[Chichimec.9364]

Sorry Op but given all the things in GW2 that need some work, the personality system wouldn't even make it to the bottom of my list. "Forget it; it's a waste of time and developer resources" That's my vote.

[Gehenna.3625]

3 hours ago, Guy.9207 said:

Personality system here

ahh right, I'd forgotten all about that. That system never made sense to me 🤷‍♂️

[Danikat.8537]

I'd like them to do something like Elder Scrolls Online's personalities (but not tied to the cash shop) where your character's personality changes how they act - how they walk and stand and sometimes their idle animations. Some of theirs are a bit too over the top, like pantomime versions of the personalities, but the more subtle ones are nice, and if it was tied to the personality system and therefore free I think they could do that. (I've often suspected the ESO ones are so exaggerated because most of them are paid unlocks, so they want to make sure you can't possibly miss when someone is using one.)

Although I'd want it to be something you unlock through the personality system then can turn on or off, not a permanent change. I wouldn't want my character looking permanently angry during happy scenes or whatever.

Edit: And yes of course this is not something I expect them to actually do and would be a low priority if they ever did. Not that I think the people designing a system like this would be responsible for bug fixes or balance changes or whatever is allowed to be considered a priority, but I just think it would be a nice thing to have.

Edited April 11 by Danikat.8537

[Garrison Storm.3046]

Given the complexity of what was included, and the summary from the link provided above:  "Since then, this mechanic has little to no presence in the game and doesn't produce any noticeable gameplay effect", it seems to be a lot of effort invested with very little return.  

While it's not something that I particularly care about, I can see the appeal for those who are into the roleplay aspect of the game.  

Maybe something a simply as a series of consumables; tonics or whatever, could provide temporary personality effects/animations to satisfy those who are interested?

[Antycypator.9874]

Completly pointless "mechanic" that does not affect the gameplay. It's something only Roleplayers could care about, but roleplaying is more than just statistics.

[Noidea Incognito.9607]

I think it was primary meant as an extra layer of illusionary choice for the  Roleplaying yes. 

It would be an entirely different matter if they implemented it in a way, that; you and everyone around, could visually see this "moral Status".  

like an small icon(red fist etc) beside the characters name or that the face has a permanent alteration that changes based on your current good, bad, neutral level.

For instance; Evil actions would result in the characters face darkening  around the eyes , the higher the evil level the darker it gets and the more the eyes get bloodshot with vein.

Or a permanent debuff icon with flavor text telling your current moral status. Your characters name in a specific color like red for evil...

idk, there are many solutions to show a character's Moral stance without the need for an complicated system;

for instance: 

3 possible morale stances: Good, Evil, Neutral.(each has 5 tier levels) 

(10 segment progress bar for each Stance. If the player reaches 10 points in one Moral Stance it increases one tier; the Higher the tier level, the more profound the visual effects on the character will be to reflect the choices made.   Either this is a perma or temporary effect)

Picking Evil: +2    Good & Neutral become: -2     

Picking Good: +2    Evil & Neutral become: -2     

Picking Neutral: +2 Good & Evil become: -2      

To make this system more interesting gameplay wise:  Moral Weekly/Daily,    specific npc would affect the moral stance; like killing Rabbits/Deer would increase Evil,  Ressing would increase Good.  JP Chest would increase Neutral, etc etc..

[Gwynnion.7364]

I thought the system was a cute idea for an MMO but it's sooooooo far down the list of things I'd want worked on at this point.

[Obfuscate.6430]

I didn't want to choose "forget it" but in terms of work involved to re-implement it, it seems overwhelming.
As it stands, it's just a bit of flavor.
The original development team was deeply ambitious: they wanted your choices to have impact on your character and the world around you but it seems it is just too difficult to implement and maintain through the years.

I feel that the original intent was to give players certain dialogue or action options exclusive to their character personality choices, and then have npcs react a certain way to them based on the personality results.  (A charming character might get a more helpful response  from a certain NPC than a dignified character would ) Your personality would eventually change depending on which dialogue you chose in your personal story/interactions with npcs.  (if you were normally dignified but chose charming responses, your character would eventually become charming. ) There is still evidence of this in various parts of the world when you choose certain options.

Ultimately it didn't culminate in to anything but I think it still adds flavor here and there. 

 

[Dawdler.8521]

On 4/12/2024 at 1:21 AM, Obfuscate.6430 said:

The original development team was deeply ambitious: they wanted your choices to have impact on your character and the world around you but it seems it is just too difficult to implement and maintain through the years.

And then they probably realized players dont give a kitten because the core of GW2 is just a plain MMO not an MMORPG.

If anything it's only gotten "worse" with story NPCs now spewing out random wordsallad for minutes. I'm sure some players will care, but for the other 99% of the playerbase any moral choice would just be clicking randomly to get it over with.

[Gehenna.3625]

29 minutes ago, Dawdler.8521 said:

And then they probably realized players dont give a kitten because the core of GW2 is just a plain MMO not an MMORPG.

If anything it's only gotten "worse" with story NPCs now spewing out random word salad for minutes. I'm sure some players will care, but for the other 99% of the playerbase any moral choice would just be clicking randomly to get it over with.

I wholeheartedly agree with both points. 

[Balsa.3951]

i like the idea anet will not do it.

only way this can be fun implemented is baldurs gate 3 style. with a dice system.

 

[Lucy.3728]

As for a personality system: I want to be called by my name and not just as commander or way finder or whatever.

I have a name, not just a title.

But not even in text it is used.

 

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

Not everything is meant to succeed. When I start a new project, I go for several different features for the first preview. Then wait for the feedback which ones are worth to continue and which should be scrapped. For a game like SW:ToR, which was basically a clone of another MMORPG with a really really well done paint-job, it was a wonderful addition. But for a unique game like GW2 with countless of features, elements and themes ... it was an overkill that only overcomplicated the system.

Imagine it like cooking a dish. There is a spice-rack on the wall with tons of different flavors. If you use every single one of them, the dish is ruined. Although every spice is meant to enhance it.

GW2 has reached its limits with story flexibility quite early. But it was totally fine. Because of the other features. ToR on the other hand, used to carry half of the story with the personality system. That consumed loads of resources and forced the development team to pretty much write every story-line three times, even quests. With multiple endings.

[Astralporing.1957]

I'd get rid of personality system as a system, but retain the overall flavour of having different responses to things based on different approach. And i'd sprinkle in some additional flavour options based on your race and class (those do happen already from time to time, but are extremely rare).

Notice, that's not just about different ways of approaching a goal. Sometimes i'd really, really like an option to be able to express how dumb i think an idea narrative forces me along with is. Even if that were to change nothing.

[Azure The Heartless.3261]

I would keep the [dialog that offers you a chance to adjust a personality stat] bit, and the [some dialogue options are only available or appear if you're high in a certain stat] bit. I'd also add some dialogue options that negatively affect a specific stat once it is below a certain threshold, so that you can effectively zero that stat out if you so choose.

I'd add, on top of this, 5 to 10 second long idle animation adjustments per race, that are different based on which specialized personality trait you currently have. 

Edited April 15 by Azure The Heartless.3261

[Helliwolf the KrimsonKnight.6523]

I never realised it was removed. I've been making dialogue choices based off this for years! 😖

[starlinvf.1358]

On 4/11/2024 at 4:53 PM, Garrison Storm.3046 said:

Given the complexity of what was included, and the summary from the link provided above:  "Since then, this mechanic has little to no presence in the game and doesn't produce any noticeable gameplay effect", it seems to be a lot of effort invested with very little return.  

While it's not something that I particularly care about, I can see the appeal for those who are into the roleplay aspect of the game.  

Maybe something a simply as a series of consumables; tonics or whatever, could provide temporary personality effects/animations to satisfy those who are interested?

if it made farming easier, you’d change your mind in a heart beat. intimidate mobs into dropping more rare mts

[starlinvf.1358]

23 hours ago, Astralporing.1957 said:

I'd get rid of personality system as a system, but retain the overall flavour of having different responses to things based on different approach. And i'd sprinkle in some additional flavour options based on your race and class (those do happen already from time to time, but are extremely rare).

Notice, that's not just about different ways of approaching a goal. Sometimes i'd really, really like an option to be able to express how dumb i think an idea narrative forces me along with is. Even if that were to change nothing.

they do that.  but it has to go nowhere, because players get jealous easily.  during LW4 theres a a couple of story missions that give you options if you’re an engineer. in the end you get extra turrets in a fight, that don’t help much. 

designing really good scenarios end up causing people to meta game it. imagine people demanding only one class to do a world boss.  thats how low the IQ bar is for pugs. 

[Astralporing.1957]

1 hour ago, starlinvf.1358 said:

they do that.  but it has to go nowhere, because players get jealous easily.  during LW4 theres a a couple of story missions that give you options if you’re an engineer. in the end you get extra turrets in a fight, that don’t help much. 

designing really good scenarios end up causing people to meta game it. imagine people demanding only one class to do a world boss.  thats how low the IQ bar is for pugs. 

That's why i was talking about flavour text on responses only. With no other consequences beyond your satisfaction (say, due to, when playing an Asura Engineer, being able to tell taimi that yes, you do understand all that technical stuff and she should not treat you as if you were good only as a foot key).

[CelticFay.8351]

I'd replace the personality system for something that has more meaning and to have NPCs making references to that more often, for example in humans it could be ethnicity (Krytan, Elonian, Canthan or Ascalonian). In the missing sister personal quest you get asked your ancestry to decide how your sister looks like but other than that it isn't mentioned anywhere else

[Garrison Storm.3046]

3 hours ago, starlinvf.1358 said:

if it made farming easier, you’d change your mind in a heart beat. intimidate mobs into dropping more rare mts

Not sure how intimidation (or any character trait) should logically impact the quality of the drop?  But sure, I agree in theory... if there were consequences to these selected traits beyond cosmetic/roleplaying, then that effort would have to be evaluated versus the reward... however I'm not convinced that any result from Anet would be a game-changer in that regard.  

[Eloc Freidon.5692]

What they had at launch was actually interesting, but it wasn't for a game like this considering how they develop content.