[Suggestion] Cross Armor Weight Transmog

[Morsheira.6102]

Given we've ground to near a halt regarding the Addition of Armor Skins (Specifically given the team has decided upon the Outfits route over armor skins). I propose in the name of being able to Maintain the high level of Customization we used to welcome with open arms, that we be able to Transmog appearances across Armor weights.Many Guild War 2 players value the ability to stand out from the others and create their own look. And since the skins are already made and tested and ready to go, I do not see how allowing cross class transmog will do anything but encourage that creativity. I also see it taking less time and resources to make that small change than it would to create whole new pieces.

Thoughts?

[Thar.9465]

That's long overdue in my opinion. Outfits have already annihilated the distinction between weight class looks since every mesmer can walk in full plate and guardians can fight in light robes. I don't see a single valid reason why it shouldn't be done. This alone would add more options for customization than hundreds of outfits or numerous new armors.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

It’s unlikely they’ll ever have mix and match among armor weights. They’ve said the different weights are incompatible.

Curtis Johnson(snip) When we started looking at bringing more of the clothing back into armor with mix and match styles there are some fundamental incompatible things between weight classes (part of how we set up every armor to allow many dye channels and styles per piece). There really is no way at this point over six years since we started development to make absolutely everything work together. (snip)

[SmirkDog.3160]

The only reason I can see it being difficult is that each armour weight isn't designed to match with pieces from other armour weights. This can cause clipping, seam problems, and just Look Bad. So they would have to either change pieces to match all weights or only include ones that are already fine.

I don't think that mix-and-match is going to happen, but it would be nice to able to sort of 'toggle' whether your character uses skins for a certain weight class. Obviously your actual armour stats are the same, but like a Warrior could toggle to use light armour skins instead of heavy, y'know.

[Zeivu.3615]

There was a time long ago when a toon to could 'preview' different armor types simultaneously. It was a fucking mess. I can see being able switch between cloth, leather and heavy rig setups, but what you are asking for just isn't reasonable.

[starhunter.6015]

An this is the reason we was given outfits.

[Morsheira.6102]

I can see where people are coming from in regards to concerns about clipping. But there are already lots of pieces that clip with each other within their own Armor Classes, so I really see it as being 'nothing new'. Odds are (like within the same armor class) people will simply avoid the worst clipping situations and put together what they themselves find aesthetically pleasing.Now if they didn't have any clipping issues I could see your point, but as things currently stand, well, I really don't see that being a make or break.

[Ojyh.9842]

It's called transmutation and it was there before the transmog of Blizzard. I know it's not important, but I find annoying that the "big guys" sort of take all the credits for themsleves by imposing their own terms.

Anyway I think it's a bad idea. I hate the fact that the professions are losing their identity, partly because of outfits and some elite specs that don't always respect the profession theme. I also kind of dislike that there are more and more skins that are compatible with every armor class.I really hope it won't happen. Equipments in this game are unrealistic enough, and crazy stuff from the gemstore visually pollute the game already. So can we keep a little bit of consistency please ?

[Ayrilana.1396]

@Morsheira.6102 said:I can see where people are coming from in regards to concerns about clipping. But there are already lots of pieces that clip with each other within their own Armor Classes, so I really see it as being 'nothing new'. Odds are (like within the same armor class) people will simply avoid the worst clipping situations and put together what they themselves find aesthetically pleasing.Now if they didn't have any clipping issues I could see your point, but as things currently stand, well, I really don't see that being a make or break.

So because there are already some issues then that gives way to add a bunch more?

What’s to stop players from later on demanding Anet to fix these?

[SmirkDog.3160]

@Ojyh.9842 said:I hate the fact that the professions are losing their identity, partly because of outfits and some elite specs that don't always respect the profession theme.

I don't agree with your main point, but if that's what you want, then no other heavy armour profession should be allowed to wear the Mistward skins, and no one but the elite spec that it's for should be able to use the unique collection skins they get to unlock.

[Morsheira.6102]

@Ayrilana.1396 said:

So because there are already some issues then that gives way to add a bunch more?

What’s to stop players from later on demanding Anet to fix these?

I see it more as picking our battles. Both clipping and the ever growing lack of Customization. However I am of the mind that I will happily take and work with clipping issues, if it allows me more of the freedom to be able to make my character as they appear in my minds eye.In an ideal world, we'd have both. If I had a choice, we'd have both.

All I'm saying is the clipping doesn't strike me as a make or break issue as we are already working with it. Not that we should embrace and love the clipping and not ask for them to get around to fixing it.

[Cuddy.6247]

@"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:It’s unlikely they’ll ever have mix and match among armor weights. They’ve said the different weights are incompatible.

Curtis Johnson

(snip) When we started looking at bringing more of the clothing back into armor with mix and match styles

there are some fundamental incompatible things between weight classes

(part of how we set up every armor to allow many dye channels and styles per piece). There really is no way at this point over six years since we started development to make absolutely everything work together. (snip)

Different weights are incompatible but I don't see why you couldn't select a specific "weight class" - wearing medium skins on a guardian, for example.

[Sylvari.2953]

@"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:It’s unlikely they’ll ever have mix and match among armor weights. They’ve said the different weights are incompatible.

Curtis Johnson

(snip) When we started looking at bringing more of the clothing back into armor with mix and match styles

there are some fundamental incompatible things between weight classes

(part of how we set up every armor to allow many dye channels and styles per piece). There really is no way at this point over six years since we started development to make absolutely everything work together. (snip)

"to make absolutely everything work together" - But we don't want everything to work together. We can mix-n-match every armor weight in Rift and some have really bad clipping issues, yes. But people always find armor pieces that work well together... We'd come up with nice combos in GW2 as well. Edit: I want to use Sneakthief pants and Gladiator top on my Salad Guard, it'd be niiiice, no clipping at all. ;)

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

@Cuddy.6247 said:

@"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:It’s unlikely they’ll ever have mix and match among armor weights. They’ve said the different weights are incompatible.

Curtis Johnson

(snip) When we started looking at bringing more of the clothing back into armor with mix and match styles

there are some fundamental incompatible things between weight classes

(part of how we set up every armor to allow many dye channels and styles per piece). There really is no way at this point over six years since we started development to make absolutely everything work together. (snip)

Different weights are incompatible but I don't see why you couldn't select a specific "weight class" - wearing medium skins on a guardian, for example.

Dye channels was one problem mentioned. I don’t think they really specified but as a possible problem, medium chest dye channels extend to the ankles and heavy stops at the waist (some medium armor appears to stop at the waist but I gather the armor is still there below, it’s just very short). So trying to put armor with dye channels that extend to the ankles onto a UI slot where the dye channel stops at the waist may be impossible without numerous bugs.

Just speculating here but another possible problem, the dye channels might not cover the same areas across weights. If, for example, heavy dye channels are ABC and medium Dye channel crosses those borders then (as an example of what I mean) medium A might be the areas A and part of C on heavy, medium B might be a mix B and part of A on heavy and so on. Trying to put medium armor on heavy armor UI where the dye channels for the two don’t cover the same areas is likely also to cause bugs.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

One thing I’ve seen discussed before that might be doable is “armor outfits”, where each char still wears its armor but has two “armor outfit” wardrobe panels of the other two weights. On those panels, for example, a heavy armor could place medium armor skins on the medium wardrobe panel, which will have the appropriate dye channels, etc and be able to toggle it on or off like an outfit. Same goes for light armor which will have its own light armor wardrobe outfit panel. There will be no mixing across weights but it would allow each char to wear “armor outfits” made of armor of the other two weights.

[Leo G.4501]

@Zeivu.3615 said:There was a time long ago when a toon to could 'preview' different armor types simultaneously. It was a kitten mess. I can see being able switch between cloth, leather and heavy rig setups, but what you are asking for just isn't reasonable.

Were there any pics?

[Leo G.4501]

@Ojyh.9842 said:Both clipping and the ever growing lack of Customization.

This sounds rather like an oxymoron. Are they taking away options? How can a lack of something grow?

[Morsheira.6102]

As the only major additions to our appearance options are Outfits, yeah, the ability to be original without wearing the same things as we did, in the same way at launch is dwindling. You can only be so original wearing the same thing as everyone else with a different colour scheme.

[Rasimir.6239]

@"Morsheira.6102" said:I can see where people are coming from in regards to concerns about clipping. But there are already lots of pieces that clip with each other within their own Armor Classes, so I really see it as being 'nothing new'.I think you are severely underestimating the amount of clipping they are talking about. Take a closer look at the skins available to the different armor weights and you will see that the seams between e.g. leg and body armor are placed differently, so mixing them might make you end up with a substantial part of your body simply going missing because the body skin you choose ends at a much higher seam than the leg skin.

Of course you can always say "leave it to the players, they'll figure out what they can live with", but in this case it's not only about everybody's own tolerance but also what other people see. I'm usually pretty relaxed about what other people do in their playtime, but even I don't want to end up in a game where you have "incomplete" or grossly disfigured (due to mis-matching body part models) characters walking around (and let's face it, if it's possible people will do it, if only to annoy others).

[Zeivu.3615]

@Leo G.4501 said:

@Zeivu.3615 said:There was a time long ago when a toon to could 'preview' different armor types simultaneously. It was a kitten mess. I can see being able switch between cloth, leather and heavy rig setups, but what you are asking for just isn't reasonable.

Were there any pics?

It was early beta/post beta. I didn't keep any. If anyone has kept their photos, feel free to show them, though it is pointless.