Character Creation Options!

[Abriael]

APB's customization is that deep for a reason. There are no more than a maximum of 100 people per instance, allowing a steep increase of the memory footprint for each character. The game simply isn't a full fledged MMORPG, as much as a larger third person shooter.

[Cairdeas]

APB's customization is that deep for a reason. There are no more than a maximum of 100 people per instance, allowing a steep increase of the memory footprint for each character. The game simply isn't a full fledged MMORPG, as much as a larger third person shooter.

Its also running Unreal which can't really take that many people on screen at once.

[Abriael]

Its also running Unreal which can't really take that many people on screen at once.

Technically the engine can, but not with that level of detail. When there were big fights in APB the lag was unbearable even with powerful computers.

If you want to see incredible amounts of customization, then Second Life is the place to look at, with the ability to directly upload textures and 3D models and such. Of course, just as in APB, there's a area-based population limit.

Certain things simply aren't for MMORPGs, until server/networking technology evolves quite a lot.

Having different body morphs for a character body is pretty cool and would be possible in a MMO RPG. Same goes for tattoos, and many other things.

Tattoos increase the memory footprint a LOT if they're done in a vectorial designer like the one in APB. If they're not, and only a limited number of designs is allowed, I'm quite on the fence about their inclusion, considering that it would possibly *increass* the clone effect instead of decreasing it. This without mentioning that considering the fact that FFXIV isn't exactly a "show a lot of skin" MMORPG, their priority isn't exactly high.

Body sliders have the usual problem. The more variations for the body, the more animations need to be generic in order to accomodate them.

Any kind of texture uploading (IE: flags) would require direct moderation (IE: employees that check every file that's uploaded and remove inappropriate content) and even more, server->client downloading (that would increase the data flow, and with that the lag) and that's why MMORPG developrs shy away from it.

[Randis]

Yes but APB game mechanic and qualities are of no concern here, its’s not the topic. Fact is however that they have some neat customization options that could inspire. I am not interested in APB as a game at all, my interest here is in FF.
Having different body morphs for a character body is pretty cool and would be possible in a MMO RPG. Same goes for tattoos, and many other things.
Creating new textures for all of your cloths would be overkill of course however designing your own flag for your LS would be realistic.

[Soukyuu]

Texture uploads are overkill, imho.

I don't see how different body morphs would increase the memory footprint though, since it's just one model in memory with different transformations applied. Storing a scene graph doesn't cost that much and has to be done in case of presets too, just that with variables there are potentially more paths in it.

As for animation, i don't know how a slider system would affect them. But since they motion-captured them for one type of body but still have some presets, maybe it doesn't affect it that much?

[Nephera]

Texture uploads are overkill, imho.

I don't see how different body morphs would increase the memory footprint though, since it's just one model in memory with different transformations applied. Storing a scene graph doesn't cost that much and has to be done in case of presets too, just that with variables there are potentially more paths in it.

As for animation, i don't know how a slider system would affect them. But since they motion-captured them for one type of body but still have some presets, maybe it doesn't affect it that much?

You have to factor in clipping.

[Cairdeas]

Texture uploads are overkill, imho.

I don't see how different body morphs would increase the memory footprint though, since it's just one model in memory with different transformations applied. Storing a scene graph doesn't cost that much and has to be done in case of presets too, just that with variables there are potentially more paths in it.

As for animation, i don't know how a slider system would affect them. But since they motion-captured them for one type of body but still have some presets, maybe it doesn't affect it that much?

APB has one of the largest character customization designers for a MMORPG.

One of the biggest downsides is it can take up to 10 minutes for you to sync with another player so you actually see "Them" and not a Placeholder noobie avatar.

I know one time it was so delayed syncing the data that I was running in crew with 4 "Newbie" looking players because their character information refused to sync, it was worst the Texture pop in.

[Soukyuu]

Clipping of hair is happening already, so it doesn't matter if the system stays preset-based or changes to slider-based.
Maybe I am oversimplifying things, but like i said, i don't see much difference between implementing new presets and making a slider (to create presets on-the-fly). You have to scale the clipping points for different presets, just like you have to scale it for sliders.

[Agastya]

They hyped this up so much, that it was going to be great etc... but really this would have been great when ffxi came out in 2002... But now almost 10 years later it sucks.

Can I please have more than 8 hairstyles to choose from?

Can I please be able to modify my ass and boob size -.-?

Can I have a slider for the height, instead of choosing weather I want to be tall/tallest/shortest etc... ?

In fact can I have sliders for everything... From face to body and everyhing in between?


Can I choose colors for my underwear? Maybe even have a couple different styles?

I know people really want the battle and content problems fixed and I'm not saying I want this to be number one priority, but I just want to point out that this area... Is severely lacking. 1 out of 8 of the same race in FFXIV has the exact same haircut. Seriously, Eorzea needs a new barber/hairstylist. . . /cry

I completely agree with you here, we need a lot more options, i've suggested they should do a "[dev1035] tag" Character creation/customization in gameplay section:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...on-Yes-please.

[Chrees]

I completely agree with you here, we need a lot more options, i've suggested they should do a "[dev1035] tag" Character creation/customization in gameplay section:

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...on-Yes-please.

It would have to be [dev1038], as 1035 was for targeting, 1036 for the addition of exp/sp/loot to sidequest mobs, and 1037 for enhanced battle effects. But even then, making up your own dev tags is never a good idea.

That being said, I completely agree! I hope they give us some more info. on this soon!