Can we maybe not change ARX cosmetics on-the-fly, please?

[Riverside]

Not sure what exhaust colors have to do with space cats.

I'll ask TJ.

Spoiler

It all sits under the more general heading of immersion. I generally find most players break character in some way, I accept it as part of the emergent multi-player experience of Open play.

That others will be able to change their livery at will doesn't bother me, although if they were to do it regularly I might form an opinion on them based on that as I would with any other behaviour they exhibit.

Just needs a bit of tolerance. I occasionally meet people who take exception to a simple o7 Cmdr (intended as a respectful greeting). I'm not going to stop doing it, although I may greet that person a different way if I remember to (Wheaton's law), and won't worry too much if I don't, because it is their position that is extreme not my own.

 

[Screemonster]

Just needs a bit of tolerance. I occasionally meet people who take exception to a simple o7 Cmdr (intended as a respectful greeting). I'm not going to stop doing it, although I may greet that person a different way if I remember to (Wheaton's law), and won't worry too much if I don't, because it is their position that is extreme not my own.

lmao what

if people in the 3300s have text communications they're going to do the exact same things we do with text communications, and that includes smileys

 

[WR3ND]

I think I got it. Someone thought exhaust colors were unimmersive, therefor needing to apply ship cosmetics in a station is bad.

 

[Winterwalker]

Not overly keen on this either. I know paints don't affect gameplay, many will like the convenience, if you don't like it don't use it and I know immersion is a dirty word.

World integrity isn't though .. and for me there's an obvious logic to changing paints in a station. In space it's less obvious** so for me please at least make it that changing paint in space removes wear and tear, to 100% paint .. that should probably apply all the time to be honest.

** If I'm spacewalking - with a can of Cuprinol - I can dig it but nano-paint is a bit on the thin side as far as lore goes for me; if it's that easy why not stealth paints, 100% invisible to the background 100% the time?

It's something akin to the Instant Ship Transfers idea this, makes me wonder sometimes if FD remember that integrity maketh the imaginary world.

edit: It's even more befuddling to me when after all this time we finally get an in-game way to earn the paint, paint gets meta'd out of the game. Um.

 

[S3B4ST13N]

I personally enjoy games that have "fixed" designs; like an RPG character whose facial structure/body etc you can setup once, and the only customisation you can do after that is their hair and beard styles and colours. As such, I don't like the idea of being able to change my ship design without the need for a station; and no amount of ret-conning could make this work without sounding tacky (cough telepresence cough).

I can see my way past decals maybe... actually, let me give it some thought... my Cmdr could EVA and spray on a decal. Though, he'd need a specialised spray-paint can that somehow avoids the paint coming out at supersonic speeds, prevents it from insta-freezing and basically just stops it acting like a miniture frag cannon against the hull..... Ok I don't think I can suspend my belief here either.

That said, whether it's in the game or not doesn't bother me. Let people play how they want to play, and let me play how I want to play. As long as we don't affect each others experience, all good.

Perhaps Frontier could implement a setting "Customisation can only happen at stations" - Default: OFF. Players can then setup their own game rules.

 

[CrazyH0rse]

Maybe to have the capability, you should be required to have a Painting Limpet Controller, and the required stock of coloured paints... and it should take some time... depending on how many limpets you have doing the work - and if you're interrupted for any reason, your ship looks ridiculous

 

[S3B4ST13N]

Maybe to have the capability, you should be required to have a Painting Limpet Controller, and the required stock of coloured paints... and it should take some time... depending on how many limpets you have doing the work - and if you're interrupted for any reason, your ship looks ridiculous

And, just for added game play.. the limpets explode, creating a "cloud" of paint through which the player must fly their ship.

Space Paint Wars, coming Soon™

 

[Druner]

I've heard this will be part of the update introducing the ARX currency system for cosmetics.

I've actually rather enjoyed cosmetics being a part of game-play in the game, needing to go to stations to change them around.

Here are a few key points for me:

Learning to recognize ships by sight on expeditions and the like. This includes things like fleet roster pics. https://www.distantworlds2.space/fleet-showcase​

​

Looking forward to coming back from the black to pickup my gold squadron trophy and apply my Distant Worlds 2 decal. A bit of extra wind in my sails, and an element of reward for the undertaking.​

​

And of course the obvious, changing a ship's appearance out in the middle of nowhere, including things like ship kits, doesn't make much sense contextually in the game.​

So, yeah, I'd prefer the application of ship cosmetics remain a compelling part of game-play than something applied frivolously with no in-game context supporting it.

Thanks.

"Everybody should not have convenience because i don't like it"

I belive this is the same mindset that bought us transfer time for ships and modules in a game that already is a big timesink.

No sir, your idea is less than ideal to say the least.

 

[Spaceman Si]

Why not start the game at a screen where you can choose whatever ship you want, paint it however you like, load it up with whatever weapons and modules you like, and then choose which star system you want to be in?

Because convenience is king, is it not?

 

[Druner]

Why not start the game at a screen where you can choose whatever ship you want, paint it however you like, load it up with whatever weapons and modules you like, and then choose which star system you want to be in?

Because convenience is king, is it not?

Oh, hello mister hiperbole.
You know what i meant.

But sure go ahead, why not put a free elite status or a "press to win" button in your argument?

 

[Spaceman Si]

Well, no, not really, it's just a logical extension of the argument rather than hyperbole.

Part of the appeal of the game for me is that rewards take time, though that is much less obvious than it used to be. I got a real kick out of being away in the black for 12 months, and finally docking at my home port with a sand-blasted paint job that only then was I able to refresh. There are still things that I haven't done, 18 months later, because they take time - and that is a good part of the appeal and longevity value in the game, for me. I even have a paint-job that I've not yet applied, because I don't have the rank for the ship it is relevant to.

I know I could just ignore the ability to apply new paint anytime and leave it until I dock, but it somehow represents another little chip away at the game's ethos, as others have said. Relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, I suppose

 

[Riverside]

"Everybody should not have convenience because i don't like it"

I belive this is the same mindset that bought us transfer time for ships and modules in a game that already is a big timesink.

No sir, your idea is less than ideal to say the least.

I was opposed to ship transfers completely (before they were introduced), I was against the idea of module storage (and transfer) too. So naturally I voted for delayed but cheaper ship transfers over faster but more expensive.

As did 70% of the playerbase (that expressed a preference). People overlook that stat.

 

[Druner]

Well, no, not really, it's just a logical extension of the argument rather than hyperbole.

Part of the appeal of the game for me is that rewards take time, though that is much less obvious than it used to be. I got a real kick out of being away in the black for 12 months, and finally docking at my home port with a sand-blasted paint job that only then was I able to refresh. There are still things that I haven't done, 18 months later, because they take time - and that is a good part of the appeal and longevity value in the game, for me. I even have a paint-job that I've not yet applied, because I don't have the rank for the ship it is relevant to.

I know I could just ignore the ability to apply new paint anytime and leave it until I dock, but it somehow represents another little chip away at the game's ethos, as others have said. Relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, I suppose

Minor, really minor.
And as you said, you can ignore it.

And yes that whas a hiperbole, and not a rational extension in any logical way.

Jump from cosmetic stuff that does not affect gameplay to entire ships and modules.

In any way. Your commander magically respaw in a habitable part of the galaxy when you blow up 22thousand ly away, the "ethos" of the game is flawed from the get go.

Its a game for christ sake.
People these days, i swear...

 

[Druner]

I was opposed to ship transfers completely (before they were introduced), I was against the idea of module storage (and transfer) too. So naturally I voted for delayed but cheaper ship transfers over faster but more expensive.

As did 70% of the playerbase (that expressed a preference). People overlook that stat.

And i discovered today that most elite players are a very curious bunch of people.

Huh, you learn something every day.

 

[Firebeard]

It's just a slave, flying a canister, holding a paint brush out a hole in the side.

Why did i get an image of Dave Lister there

 

[Druner]

Why did i get an image of Dave Lister there

Or Bob Ross.

 

[Firebeard]

Or Bob Ross.

Bob Ross painting a happy tree in a spacesuit on the side of Red Dwarf definitely needs to happen!

 

[Druner]

Bob Ross painting a happy tree in a spacesuit on the side of Red Dwarf definitely needs to happen!

"I'll paint another thargoid, becausr everybody needs a friend"

 

[Sensei Jacksama]

Guys theres an experimental technology called Paramagnetic paint that when an electrical current is applied can change its hue. It's not available to the public yet but is being experimented with by Nissan. 1,300 years from now well have perfected it. There. In game lore for paint changing without docking.

 

[WR3ND]

Guys theres an experimental technology called Paramagnetic paint that when an electrical current is applied can change its hue. It's not available to the public yet but is being experimented with by Nissan. 1,300 years from now well have perfected it. There. In game lore for paint changing without docking.

Not sure what that has to do with the OP exactly though. I'd prefer the game not be hand-waved away for the sake of convenience.

Fine if that's what floats some of your boats and all that, but it's kind of a shame that's what some people's takeaway from this thread is.