Will Visual Skill Customization become a Thing?

[GuriGashi.5617]

I had a debate with a friend today about possible new mechanics for the future. He told me about visual skill customization. First I was not very convinced by that idea, but technically it has some potential to become the new big aesthetic game mechanic after the release of unique mounts skins in PoF.Some MMO‘s already utilize unique skins for individual skills or color customization, like for example changing the typical „blue“ in Guardian skills, the „green“ in Necro skills or the „purple“ in Mesmer skills to „red“ or adding animations of different animals when using skills like „Bulls Charge“ on a Warrior or „Maul“ on GS Ranger.Is there any demand for it? I can imagine it being something fun to play with as a Guardian who rather likes to run red than blue on his armor and I think, in all honesty, it would be really cool, if my animations were red too.However, I can also imagine that it would create alot of confusion, there would need to be a setting in place for people to be able to disable these customized animations if they don‘t like or get confused by them for example in competetive play. I am kind of torn on this one.If you think visual customization for skills has a low probability/doesn’t make sense to be implemented or have maybe some own ideas, what do you think will be the next big game mechanic added to Guild Wars 2, if any?

[Svarty.8019]

In competitive modes, it's important that you understand (see) what the enemies are doing, so it would require bonus workload if anybody at the company gives a monkey's about competitive modes anymore.

Having said that, I enjoyed power customization when they added it to (one of NCSoft's other products) City of Heroes back in the day.

[GuriGashi.5617]

@Svarty.8019 said:In competitive modes, it's important that you understand (see) what the enemies are doing, so it would require bonus workload if anybody at the company gives a monkey's about competitive modes anymore.

I play mostly PvP so I understand your concerns. If something like that happens there should be a setting available which offers competetive players an option to disable these visual changes. In addition to that the designers definitely shouldn‘t add the most extreme animation changes, maybe just some small details people could choose to change like color, adding sparkles etc

[Blur.3465]

@Svarty.8019 said:In competitive modes, it's important that you understand (see) what the enemies are doing, so it would require bonus workload if anybody at the company gives a monkey's about competitive modes anymore.

Having said that, I enjoyed power customization when they added it to (one of NCSoft's other products) City of Heroes back in the day.

That can easily be avoided by just having the option to turn it off.Like with mount skins.

I think it would be a great addition. I made a similar thread not so long ago.

[Substance E.4852]

Visual diarrhea is already a massive problem in this game to the point where boss fights are still just unintelligible disco raves even after several attempts to cull clutter

Any attempt to give people the ability to customize skill effects will just lead to everyone equipping the most garish and noticeable effects they can, much how they already do with auras and glowing armor

All it would do is make the game look substantially worse and lead to even worse FPS in zerg fights

[Bast.7253]

Outside of changing the color I'm not sure how much likely they would be to dive into this. I already have a hard enough time figuring out when my dodge window is finished on my staff thief due to the animation being misleading, and this happens on several different specs. So I'd think the overall animation would be pretty unlikely to change.

Simply subbing in graphics or subbing in different colors seems plausible though. In general I feel like it's not overly likely. I'm sure they could monetize it but there are countless things they could monetize that they just haven't for some reason. I.e.:

Combat tonics in the gem store.Decorations in the gem store.Infusions in the gem store.Emotes in the gemstore.

It's good they've saved these to be obtained in game, but they're usually highlight features of a patch. Even still they're pretty rare and I'd imagine there would be a lot more if they would implement them in the gemstore. I mean as it stands now, decorations are fueled by gold and infusions are most likely going to be obtained from the trading post as the luck required to get them is Powerball level. So you're essentially just buying gems to convert to gold for them most of the time anyway?

As to emotes, they'd probably have the same audience as the chairs.As to combat tonics, they're so rarely added there isn't really much to say on this front. The latest is an extremely rare drop that I've yet to actually see anybody use in game anyway.

I WOULD like to see an option to change certain skill appearances like necro minions/elementalist elementals/guardian spirit weapons/conjured weapons. But the issue here is that the abilities of these things are so tied to the animation frames that it would probably be more than just a model sub-in.

For that matter I'd love to see an item added that let you switch/copy the appearance of your mini. Maybe some high level jewelcrafting item if it ever gets updated. Obviously they'd have to be model swaps and likely wouldn't be usable in combat, but it's just something I was thinking of the other day when I was looking at my mini-Samarog. :(

[Asum.4960]

Been arguing for this as added revenue stream (instead of ruining core game(play) features like "Build Templates" with overbearing monetization) for ages.

From Ranger Pet skins to different Necromancer Minions to Guardians Spirit Weapons, Conjured Weapons, Banners etc., all the way to different colouring themes (or dye slots on custom effects) and minor visual flairs, the possibilities are sheer endless.

For PvP and WvW it shouldn't be an issue either as same with Armor skins and other shinies the option to use standard models already exists and could carry over to custom skill effects.

[Omega.6801]

probably not

[Randulf.7614]

@lokh.2695 said:probably not

Agreed. As much as Anet like to bloat their game with over the top effects, I don’t seen them adding this to the workload

[Taril.8619]

Most likely this will not become a thing.

Too much work.

Unless they utilize absolutely trashbage monetization for it to justify the work it cost coughBuild Templatescough