A possible way to implement Pet Customization?

[Arctique]

So, I've had this idea in my head for awhile now on a potential way to make customization for Mastermind pets more of a possibility. No idea how feasible it is in terms of actual coding, but I feel like it would at least be a much simpler solution than fitting it into the costume creator.

 

My idea is to make a / command for it.

 

Simply put, lets say it's something like "/petcostume [name.costume]" when you have a Mastermind pet targeted, the / command would check your costumes folder for a saved costume with that name, and apply that costume to the targeted pet. At least, in the case of the pets that use the same sort of human body/skeleton as players, which I think would be Thugs, Mercs, Ninjas, and maybe Zombies? For the non-human pets like Bots, Demons, and Beasts perhaps there could be a list of other alternate compatible models that the / command can check for instead of saved costume files. Like say instead of the lion pets on your Beasts MM, you want the shadow leopard model, it could look something like "/petcostume shadowleopard" or whatever the name of the appropriate file would be.

 

In the case of upgrades that change the pet's model, maybe the command only replaces its current upgrade tier when used. So if for instance you change a Thug pet's costume right after summoning it, then use your upgrade power on it, it would revert to its default "upgraded" model. But then using the /petcostume command again would allow you to replace that upgraded model with a costume of your choice as well, which would in a way allow some control over your custom pet's visual progression as well if you load slightly different costumes for each stage of pet upgrades. Like maybe for a Mercs MM you've given them costumes that have some high tech power armour, and for their upgraded tiers you replace those costumes with more bulked up versions of their armour. Assuming of course that it'd be possible to have the command memorize what costumes you applied to which of its models, which might be more of a nightmare to code.

 

There's probably plenty of issues with this that are escaping me at the moment, but at the very least I think it would require much less untangling of spaghetti code than trying to fit in pet customization into the character creation menus anywhere.

[CrudeVileTerror]

An excellent idea!  I'm not sure of where/how the technical aspect of it might operate, and there's a good chance it could cause some issues with invalid costume files causing screwiness, but I definitely approve the suggested direction here!

[Arctique]

Just now, CrudeVileTerror said:

An excellent idea!  I'm not sure of where/how the technical aspect of it might operate, and there's a good chance it could cause some issues with invalid costume files causing screwiness, but I definitely approve the suggested direction here!

I'd probably have it so that if a costume is invalid to be used by a player, it just wouldn't load for a Pet either. Maybe just give some error message saying "Costume file not valid" if you try to load one that's not compatible for one reason or another. Likewise if you try using the command to load a human costume file onto a non-human pet, it could simply give the same error text.

[CrudeVileTerror]

Given what little I know about the costume validation process, though, that's not actually a simple thing in the way the code is currently laid out.

[Arctique]

That's a fair point, there'd definitely be some fussing with messy code to get that to work, especially considering how frequently I find that a costume that should be valid is for whatever reason telling me it can't be loaded (most often due to weapon models).

 

It's definitely not something I expect to be simple but, at the very least might be easier than some other options.

[plainguy]

I believe they are working on an way of implementing it but to them it has to be perfect and complete.. Not some clunky hack or work around like some other servers have this working. 

I firmly believe that this is their way of impressing NCSoft which they are working with to some degree in the background. As per the name change of Homecoming. 
I think this is all future work for a possible shot at a new game as their really is no Superhero game out on the market of any great value.. 

It was COH then came along Champions Online but Champions Online fell apart.  

 

 

[arthurh35353]

Huh. Make some kind of weird techno-magic 'contact' like Icons/Facemaker that's only for pets. 

 

Maybe an 'image designer' contact at Icons/Facemaker. And they only allow you to open up a costume editor per type of pet. Normal humans for the gang/soldiers. Though zombie soldiers...

[Alchemystic]

Easiest way to go about it would be to have the two color options that typical power customisation allows for and have them change the colors of your chosen henchmen. Sort of how it works for customising existing NPCs in Architect Entertainment.

 

For example; for mercenaries it would change the camo of their uniform, for thugs perhaps the undershirt/accessories, and so on.

 

It's not a lot of customisation, but it fits within the scope of what the HC team could probably do right now.

Edited January 21, 2021 by Tyrannical

[dangeraaron10]

Either that or let you select between 3 to 5 preset options per minion.  Like have standard robots, clockwork, and arachnobots to pick from.  Or for human henchmen they might have different themed outfits or even a different gender (female and huge options for example)

[Arctique]

The main idea of making it a / command to load a costume file onto a pet was to let players have much more control over how they customize their pets without it requiring any potentially clunky changes to the tailor UI. Even implementing a small selection of alternate preset looks to choose between would likely take a lot more work on the developers' part for what would be a lesser level of customization.

 

It could, at the very least, serve as a temporary solution like the old /enterbasefrompasscode command did, with the / command only existing until a more elegant solution can be fully implemented like what happened with the various recent travel changes. The /petcostume command is introduced, and later down the road when a way of adding that functionality to the tailor menu itself is possible, away goes the now redundant command.

[CrudeVileTerror]

I like where your head is at, @Arctique, although I would encourage the Devs to retain your proposed slash command even after a more immersive solution is implemented as a quality of life feature.

Just make sure that any limitations which would be in place for the immersive system are baked in to the slash command from the start.  ie:  Can only use the command while in range of a Tailor.

[Dragon Crush]

Yeah, as long as it doesn't turn out to break anything (as I hear /enterbasefrompasscode had to potential to do) I'd vote to leave the currently theoretical / commands. I'm sure the bind wizards would be able to do cool things with them.

[Arctique]

7 hours ago, arthurh35353 said:

Huh. Make some kind of weird techno-magic 'contact' like Icons/Facemaker that's only for pets. 

 

Maybe an 'image designer' contact at Icons/Facemaker. And they only allow you to open up a costume editor per type of pet. Normal humans for the gang/soldiers. Though zombie soldiers...

Thinking about it, this could potentially be an alternative to having it as a / command. Same functionality of loading a saved costume onto a pet, but instead via a new NPC added to Icon/Facemaker where from a dialogue window you select which pet you want to change, and it then lets you select from your saved costume files and/or some presets what look you want to replace the pet's default with? Ideally with being able to load different costumes for the different upgraded tiers if possible in any way.

15 minutes ago, Dragon Crush said:

Yeah, as long as it doesn't turn out to break anything (as I hear /enterbasefrompasscode had to potential to do) I'd vote to leave the currently theoretical / commands. I'm sure the bind wizards would be able to do cool things with them.

I think the main reason why the / command would need to be removed after it's made redundant, would be tailor costs. Assuming the eventual replacement for it does include tailoring costs like other power customization at least. I can't imagine it'd be feasible to include an inf cost in the / command itself in some form, so even if it's only usable in an Icon/Facemaker building like how /enterbasefrompasscode is still usable near base portals... Well, why waste the inf on using the more integrated method when the still remaining /petcostume command is free? (personally i would prefer if tailor costs as a whole were just gone, but that's a whole other can of worms)

 

Though keeping the theoretical /petcostume command would open some fun options for roleplay on a mastermind, being able to change a pet's costume instantly on the fly. So I'd definitely be in the camp of not complaining if it stuck around after it wasn't needed, but also would understand if it needed to go bye bye later down the road.

[Dragon Crush]

Well once more options with the tailor are made available there could be a sort of pet flagging fee, where you dump X influence at the tailor to flag Y costume as being usable for pets and before you pay the fee the / command can't use the costume, but after it can.

I'm also thinking it'd be nice to be able to combine costume change emotes with costumes for pets if there was a / command.

[Starhammer]

On 1/21/2021 at 4:11 PM, Dragon Crush said:

Yeah, as long as it doesn't turn out to break anything (as I hear /enterbasefrompasscode had to potential to do) I'd vote to leave the currently theoretical / commands. I'm sure the bind wizards would be able to do cool things with them.

"Bind Wizard" I like that title. I need it as a badge. Maybe "Macromancer" as well.