Character Creation in Elite: Dangerous
- Thread starter OneViGOR
- Start date
can't see any point in it until you can get out of your seat and wander about, i hope they leave it out until the expansion so they get time to work on it rather than just putting in something of no use right now.
Only read the first page of this thread.
Think it would be good if we could have some skills in the game to start with. Like good at trading or good with flying.
Simple stuff that could help mould the way we play. Not masses of level based stuff. Just a nice little starter. Like +5 per cent to ship speed or +5 per cent to profit.
It could really round out the way we play from the off set and get us thinking about a path. Not meaning magic user, healer, warrior but just a nod towards what we fancy. And something that would never get in to the realms of game breaking mini maxing.
Or perhaps a skill system where you get better at stuff the more you do it.
Fire accurately and get a bonus to accuracy.
Sell computers lots and get a bonus to technology deals.
That kind of stuff. In very small doses that wont tip the balance but will define a character in the long run.
Think it would be good if we could have some skills in the game to start with. Like good at trading or good with flying.
Simple stuff that could help mould the way we play. Not masses of level based stuff. Just a nice little starter. Like +5 per cent to ship speed or +5 per cent to profit.
It could really round out the way we play from the off set and get us thinking about a path. Not meaning magic user, healer, warrior but just a nod towards what we fancy. And something that would never get in to the realms of game breaking mini maxing.
Or perhaps a skill system where you get better at stuff the more you do it.
Fire accurately and get a bonus to accuracy.
Sell computers lots and get a bonus to technology deals.
That kind of stuff. In very small doses that wont tip the balance but will define a character in the long run.
Dont like this idea, Elite is about YOUR skill not your avatars skills.
I think for the initial release, a fairly simplistic placeholder avatar generator will do: Male/Female/Triple-eyed Alien, a few 'build' options, skin and flight suit colour.
However, for the expansions, a *lot* more will have to be done. Height for example: with Oculus Rift, wandering about is going to seem pretty weird if you're used to being > 6' and your avatar's eye-level is at 5'.
Some of us do this now!
However, for the expansions, a *lot* more will have to be done. Height for example: with Oculus Rift, wandering about is going to seem pretty weird if you're used to being > 6' and your avatar's eye-level is at 5'.
That's why we should all wear onesies and gel our hair in the future
Some of us do this now!
Changing height (or anything that moves the joints on the skeleton) is the hardest thing about character customization.
Suddenly your animations no longer line up with the ship's controls, or ladders, stairs, chairs, handholds etc when leaving the ship.
This is why in games like arma (and star citizen for that matter) everyone is the same height
There may well be ways around this, but we'll have to wait and see if FD have anything planned.
I think DB did mention gravity on peoples homeworld affecting their height at some point in the kickstarter.
Playing any game is escapism.
My skill does not equal my fun.
" Elite is about YOUR skill not your avatars skills." says who as my old nan would say before they took her fale teeth away. I think that's what it mean to you but not everyone agrees. People also find fun in games that dont involve personal skill.
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Sounds good. Until you realise 40 hours in that your characters skills are wrong and you'd have more of an 'edge' if you re-rolled and threw away everything you've done up to that point. The skills would have to have a minimal effect to the point that there is no advantage (in combat say).
[PirateMinMaxer1]: "Damn, did you see me destroy that guy!?"
[PirateMinMaxer2]: "Yeah, I bet he took +5% to trade profit AND 5% fuel effeciency. Noob."
Or... A new player starts a game, creates their perfect avatar, smiles contently and clicks next - to be confronted with a skills screen which talks about skills which they have little or no knowledge of in game.
For a lot of people the next step will be:
1) Alt Tab
2) Google "Best skills for elite dangerous"
3) Alt Tab
4) Enter values regardless of what they thought prior to step 2.
Min/maxing. Personally I'd rather leave it to player skill backed up with experience / knowledge of how the game works.
That seemed really negative, it wasn't meant to be. Interesting idea, just one I can see perhaps causing a few problems.
Not a problem for single player of course... For single player offline mode it might be a really nice idea (once you knew what you enjoyed in Elite).
Edit: Just read you specifically said about not min/maxing. But giving any kind of edge to say flying skills would start people doing just this.
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If your avatar was somehow incorporated into the communications even as a static image during text or voice chat then I could see a use for a creator before the player can leave their vehicle.
Don't know if they have created a character creator for one of their other titles. Probably couldn't be reusable if the game was published by a third party. And I don't think it's worth the extra man power at this stage in development.
Don't know if they have created a character creator for one of their other titles. Probably couldn't be reusable if the game was published by a third party. And I don't think it's worth the extra man power at this stage in development.
Ideally, this level of detail
I've played SWTOR and the creation was OK for a MMO, on release something like that would be fine IMO (considering the time required for development of something greater). I suppose it's possible that on release we may simply see the option for male / female and your name. I'd rather that and have the rest of the game 'right'.
However, when the expansions hit I'd like to see a LOT more detail.
I played around with EVE a little and was really impressed with the character creator there. It would be superb to create truly unique characters when we are able to explore stations and the like.
I'm in the group of people that take far too long creating characters for games (before the extra hour for a name), but I find it really interesting to see the very differing views here.
However, when the expansions hit I'd like to see a LOT more detail.
I played around with EVE a little and was really impressed with the character creator there. It would be superb to create truly unique characters when we are able to explore stations and the like.
For reference this is the Zoo Tycoon video released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XODg0buyOM
Which immediately had me imagining terrorising other commanders on a station as I use my £20 micro transaction golf buggy to great effect
I for one don't think this would add a lot. The reputation system and the complexity of interactions with the various factions will achieve a lot of the same gameplay advantages in a more seamless, invisible manner.
Not that I think it's a terrible idea as such, as long as it was subtle and not an obvious +5% to trading skill thing, but I just don't think it's necessary. Also adding a modifier to flying or combat ability seems just wrong.
Remember that Rainbow Six game that let you use a 360 camera to model your own face for multiplayer? Better of course.
I'll take that please
If not, please have female commanders day one. Two reasons. 1. To obviously NOT exclude women and 2. I don't particularly care to see a bunch of male butts all over the place.
I'll take that please
If not, please have female commanders day one. Two reasons. 1. To obviously NOT exclude women and 2. I don't particularly care to see a bunch of male butts all over the place.
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Please...NO SKILLS.
Just having your own skills should be enough to gain enjoyment - and what "skills" would there be? Flying, fighting, trade..and how would they work?
The other space game I play is heavily into skills, and I can kind of understand it as the only way you travel is point and click, and the only way you fight is by orbiting, or from a distance using drones and missiles.
I can't see how "skills" could be implemented fairly in a flight sim like Elite.
I suppose there could be some room for advanced "flight computers" (very, very, very expensive) that might give an edge and could be set to either flight or fight (as a Behavioural Scientist type, it would be interesting to see how a "fright" setting might work, but I digress)...
But that would be the limit IMO, and probably unnecessary...hmm maybe larger ships might benefit most from this????
yes eve character creator is one of the best things in this game, if not the best. It would be wonderful to have an equivalent of that in Elite Dangerous and it will eventually be of use unlike in eve where you can only use your avatar in your quarters which doesn't bring a lot to the game (!).
I'm personnaly against any kind of skill systems in Elite Dangerous as I think the gameplay should rely on actual player's skills. But the idea of clothes having functional design and unlocking some features could be explored. Maybe the helmet that saves you from a breached canopy could be optional for instance, and could have varying durations depending on certain tradeoffs.
Was the plan that eventually that you'd be able to walk around other places too?
It seemed a huge amount of development for what was essentially creating a second avatar (after your ship).
I think it was successful either way, it adds to immersion for those that want it, making it as rich an experience as possible.
Yup i meant something subtle. it's not necessary but it could give the game a little more flexibilty for people with a liking for game like deus ex or even borderlands 1 and 2. Where you had a few points to spend on your character orthere was some development related to the way you play. nothing extreme, just a little tweaking. So if youve got three commanders for instance, they are a little different to each other. Rather than them being totally defined by equipment