Character Creation

[mmorpeegee]

Check out some of these vids, (full screen them!). Pretty impressive I'd say!

http://www.pcgamer.com/previews/guild-wars-2-beta-character-creation/

[Loampounder]

Looks like a good standard characterization with more choices (hair, clothes, etc.). I never really understood the need for sliders such as eyebrow height, nose width, etc. The GW2 process looked to have some good features like bodytypes and accessories.

Do the questions add anything other than backstory?

[Fozzik]

The questions set up some of the branches / plot / characters for your personal story...the solo RPG side-quest which lasts throughout the leveling curve, and tells your own personal version of the over-arching world narrative. There will be choices throughout the game that permanently affect how your story will play out for you, and they start right in character creation. The idea is to reconnect people with the concept of developing a character...not just an appearance. The motto that plays at the end of every opening cinematic is, "This is MY story..." Most people never even consider their character's backstory when starting a new MMORPG, and I think a big part of the "RPG" experience is lost without that depth.

I think the character models are some of the best I've ever seen. They are very consistent in style, highly detailed (chest hair and small blemishes like moles and freckles, along with the depth to the skin), and extremely well-lit.

My only gripe is that some of the idle animations are a bit over-done or too fast. The characters themselves are beautiful. Oh, and I also am not a fan of some of the skimpier outfits...I think the "fantasy nightclothes" concept is a little over the top in certain cases, and really shows a double standard between the sexes with some of the armor sets. Luckily, there will be a wide range of choices, and female characters won't have to be stuck in metal bikinis or trampy miniskirts with garter straps unless they want to be.

[mmorpeegee]

Yeah I couldn't help but notice the borderline bondage gear, so much male orientation in gaming lol. Although I think a lot of the stuff will appeal to girls too, some girls like making sexy characters too so at least it gives the freedom. The graphics sure are nice though, they look so natural, and a lot less doll-like than they were in the previous generation of games. Like you said, I noticed some freckles and stuff and they just look so good. Nice to see hair improving too, huge leap forward from the combed cream cheese look that we used to get.

The backstory bit was my favourite though, it reminds me of the good old days of gaming when RPG's were made for people with brains, unlike modern games which are made for people to spam their X button and watch showers of blood explode all over their screens.

The wierdest thing about this game for me, is that the first game (Guild Wars 1) gave me the impression that it was just a straightforward action game. It was heavily instanced, not really a real world, your character was always attached to the ground - you couldn't jump etc.. But this sequel puts more effort in to being a proper old school RPG experience than even Vanguard did, or anything else. And yet it does it while trying lots of new stuff too. Hope it works out. Hope it hurries up too!

[Loampounder]

The questions set up some of the branches / plot / characters for your personal story...the solo RPG side-quest which lasts throughout the leveling curve, and tells your own personal version of the over-arching world narrative. There will be choices throughout the game that permanently affect how your story will play out for you, and they start right in character creation.

That sounds great.

[ForestWhitakerEye]

The questions set up some of the branches / plot / characters for your personal story...the solo RPG side-quest which lasts throughout the leveling curve, and tells your own personal version of the over-arching world narrative. There will be choices throughout the game that permanently affect how your story will play out for you, and they start right in character creation. The idea is to reconnect people with the concept of developing a character...not just an appearance. The motto that plays at the end of every opening cinematic is, "This is MY story..." Most people never even consider their character's backstory when starting a new MMORPG, and I think a big part of the "RPG" experience is lost without that depth.

I think the character models are some of the best I've ever seen. They are very consistent in style, highly detailed (chest hair and small blemishes like moles and freckles, along with the depth to the skin), and extremely well-lit.

My only gripe is that some of the idle animations are a bit over-done or too fast. The characters themselves are beautiful. Oh, and I also am not a fan of some of the skimpier outfits...I think the "fantasy nightclothes" concept is a little over the top in certain cases, and really shows a double standard between the sexes with some of the armor sets. Luckily, there will be a wide range of choices, and female characters won't have to be stuck in metal bikinis or trampy miniskirts with garter straps unless they want to be.

Kristen Perry setting the record straight on the double standard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dbYAJ_oK1-E#t=525s

[Fozzik]

Kristen Perry setting the record straight on the double standard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dbYAJ_oK1-E#t=525s


*shrug* Sounds about like what I would think they would say...of course they aren't going to put armor in the game that they think sucks. Of course they are designing gear that THEY think looks good. The whole "functionality" test is a joke though...there's no way in the world you could convince me that some of those outfits are in any way functional...other than the function of looking sexy.


I'm totally fine with skimpy outfits, as long as I don't ever have to wear them. I personally don't like my female characters to wear that sort of thing...I generally like a more functional, realistic look to armor regardless of gender. The problem that a lot of games have is that because of the way gear is acquired, people end up being forced to wear stuff they don't like for a large part of their journey.

I think GW2 is doing a great job in that regard, providing players with currency of various kinds that they can use to buy the gear of their choice. They are also offering transmutation stones within the game that allow you to use the stats of one piece with the look of another. Hopefully those two will combine into a game world where I never have to show my skin unless I want to.

[mmorpeegee]

I'm gunna make my mage look exactly like this:

http://floppingout.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/borat.jpg

[Fozzik]

*goes to wash out eyes with bleach*

:eek:

[perfect]

I'm gunna make my mage look exactly like this:


No.


Tried to hide it behind [spoiler] tags. How comes those no work, Fozzik?

Don't make me remove your image posting rights, mmorpeegee.

[mmorpeegee]

Mwhahaha, well that'll teach them for assuming people will only make skimpy girl clothes! I will be sorely disappointed if there are no flourescent yellow man thongs.

[Fozzik]

Tried to hide it behind [spoiler] tags. How comes those no work, Fozzik?

Don't make me remove your image posting rights, mmorpeegee.

It would appear we have no spoiler tags. =/

I'll look into it more in the morning.

[AsheMan]

I approve of Borat's swimsuit. You guys are such prudes.

[mmorpeegee]

I approve of Borat's swimsuit. You guys are such prudes.

A double thumbs up to you :D

[dabble]

Mwhahaha, well that'll teach them for assuming people will only make skimpy girl clothes! I will be sorely disappointed if there are no flourescent yellow man thongs.

The term you are looking for is Mankini ;)

[Fozzik]

Who's got a banana hammock and two thumbs? THIS GUY.

I think on some people we'd call that a thong... but on Sasha Baron Cohen it's a "wrong".

[Fozzik]

Spoiler tags are working now. Enjoy!

[perfect]

Spoiler tags are working now. Enjoy!

Excellent. Thank you.

For those of you that care (http://www.silkyvenom.com/forums/showthread.php?p=357684#post357684) about Spoilers.

[mmorpeegee]

The term you are looking for is Mankini ;)

Lol there is actually a term for it already? :D

p.s. back on topic, anyone heard back about this beta yet? I wanna play :cry:

[Fozzik]

I think they are dealing with the total lord-of-the-flies style meltdown that the community is having over the traits system...so it may be a bit before we get any more news (or they might end up pushing back the beta to redo the system... AGAIN).

No system is ever going to make everyone happy, and I hope if nothing else that ArenaNet doesn't slow their schedule because of this. As usual, 90% of it is a few outspoken people on the boards endlessly arguing, I think in general people are willing to wait and see.

To me, it seems crazy that people would be willing to just give the benefit of the doubt and assume the best on something like the cash shop (which truly has the potential to break the game for a lot of people), but are totally unwilling to trust ArenaNet at all when it comes to something like the traits system...which the developers seem to feel is going to work well.

Personally, I think the traits system sounds okay, and I think I understand what they are trying to do with it.

[mmorpeegee]

Lol Lord of the Flies. Glad I'm avoiding all that drama but yeah, I hope it doesn't cause a delay.