Costume based Opportunities - Shapeshifting

[Tath99]

Hi All,

 

The introduction of Aether Particles and the return of Halloween costumes, to me, have sparked my curiosity into the possibilities of shapeshifting heroes.  How far away is Homecoming from making shapeshifters a playable reality?  How would it work?

 

• Could / should shapeshifters see the introduction of new origins?
• Could / should a story (lore) be created to explain their appearance?
• What powersets do you imagine?
• What concepts spring to mind, when you think shapeshifter?

 

Werewolves, Aliens, Magic-word transformations, Power-stealing, all spring to my mind.  Is this something the community at large would like to see?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2022 by Tath99

[Sanguinesun]

Technically HEATS are already shape shifters and already matching your "alien" consideration on that.  I get you're wanting though: for there to be perhaps a Shifter power set(s) or the like and I think there's one on a non HC server that an owner made but I cant remember.

 

Since creating new animations is alot of work it'd probably have to be relegated to using existing skins and sets.   So with that said, what then would be the goal and benefit outside of aesthetics and roleplay? How would such be balanced within the roles and current play so that they would neither be too powerful nor too underwhelming but yet still be a welcome choice for players while teaming or solo?

 

Lore to be quite honest is the last thing to worry about.  There are plenty of ways to justify that.  Fiction in this world setting is plenty flexible.

[Starhammer]

I think the Benevolabs permatemp costumes are a great new tool in our costuming box, but nothing about "shapeshifting" really necessitates new ATs or powersets. Not saying there couldn't be a powerset, just that it doesn't seem like a great focus for development resources for what is essentially a mix of aesthetics and placate 😕

[El D]

There actually was a planned Epic Archetype based around animal shapeshifting back on Live - The Primalist. It never got finished and likely never will be, given just how much work it would take to rig up animations and attacks for two separate beast skeletons (on top of all the work it already takes to design powersets for the normal human models x.x).

 

As far as Origins go, I don't think any more are necessary. The five the game has already cover a wide gamut of concepts, and making a new one would require adding in an entire subset of DOs/SOs. Really, most of those listed character concepts are things that can be done via the existing costume creator and P2W powers as is.

 

Regarding lore, if it's for a shapeshifter enemy group, absolutely they deserve some background lore. If it's for a powerset or an archetype? No thank you. The HEATs/VEATs already have AT-specific storylines and they're kind of obnoxious - much as I understand the reasoning of tying an epic AT further into the setting of the game, it also defeats the game's overall aspect of 'Make your own character with these building blocks.' If we do get a Shapeshifter AT (be it animal forms, stretchy powers, w/e) it should just be its own thing. No special plot line needed.

[Tath99]

Let me clarify what I think the scenario could be.  Akin to Peacebringers & Warshades:

 

• A costume change allows the creation & deployment of new power trays.
• New powersets could be created which exemplify a new alien race, a werewolf, etc.

Let us say you decided to make a Werewolf shapeshifter set.  Your character at creation is a skinny normal Joe in human form.  Activate the set and skinny Joe becomes a different model / size / costume.  All Shapeshifter sets might be a Secondary set, representing their physical / mystical / natural / scientific qualities.  eg.  Toughness, Resistance to Immobilize, Regeneration, etc.  The option might be to leave the opposite set open for powers from another archetype.

 

Thereafter you have a template for introducing new alien races and concepts.

[InvaderStych]

This has given me ideas.

 

BRB, looking up synonyms for "The Constable."

 

 

[Six-Six]

I have a couple of these shapeshifters. After playing PBs, I stumbled upon this harebrained idea of mine:
 

 

[momentarygrace]

2 hours ago, El D said:

There actually was a planned Epic Archetype based around animal shapeshifting back on Live - The Primalist. It never got finished and likely never will be, given just how much work it would take to rig up animations and attacks for two separate beast skeletons (on top of all the work it already takes to design powersets for the normal human models x.x).

 

The animations and attacks, at least some of them, exist in the animations for Beast Master pets... wolves, lions/panther, larger version dire wolf.

 

I never heard of the Primalist, I love this idea.

[biostem]

You can sort of pull this off already, through costume change and power tray binds - you'd just have to limit your power selection on each tray to fit the theme.  For instance, imagine an ice/martial blaster, who used the ice attacks in 1 form, the melee attacks (+ fighting pool) in another, and another form that used an APP or PPP as its main schtick.  You could recolor other powers to fit with that form's specific look, to fill in other areas as needed...

[Player2]

Shapeshifting with meaning:  the costume powers from the Benevolabs Hologram stuff should come with buffs, like the Defense, Offense, and Survival buffs of the P2W Vendors.  Basically it would be a semi-permanent buff so you don't have to keep paying for it (especially costly at higher levels), but have it so it doesn't stack with the P2W Vendors so people aren't getting double bonuses.  Each costume type available could be purchased with one of the 3 buffs, and since you can only wear one costume at a time you wouldn't be running around with all 3 buffs at all times like you can anyway if you just decide to pay for it with influence.  But if you wanted to make shapeshifting count, you have 3 different costumes and shapeshift in a different form depending on the buff you need/want more.

 

Given the value of the individual Prismatic Aether Particles and it takes 10 per costume (at tier 1), I think just being able to change your appearance to look like a fixed pre-existing NPC type is pretty weak.  Granted, it's desirable for some... maybe very much so.  But overall, it's a novelty that it purely cosmetic and serves no real purpose other than to give people prizes to grind for.  Again, if that's something that someone wants, that's fine for them.  But I'm not especially impressed by all those NPC costumes on PCs.  Maybe if we had even basic customization of those costumes like in AE's creator when you can do at least a little bit of color change on pre-existing NPCs, but no... cannot change costume while in costumed form, so you get the same stuff that everyone has and that kind of dumbs down the player creativity aspect of a game where one of its most defining features is its expansive costume design system.

[Xiddo]

On 10/11/2022 at 11:18 AM, Tath99 said:

Hi All,

 

The introduction of Aether Particles and the return of Halloween costumes, to me, have sparked my curiosity into the possibilities of shapeshifting heroes.  How far away is Homecoming from making shapeshifters a playable reality?  How would it work?

 

• Could / should shapeshifters see the introduction of new origins?
• Could / should a story (lore) be created to explain their appearance?
• What powersets do you imagine?
• What concepts spring to mind, when you think shapeshifter?

 

Werewolves, Aliens, Magic-word transformations, Power-stealing, all spring to my mind.  Is this something the community at large would like to see?

I saw a couple of the costumes by @Troo and @Yellowjacket using the new shrink + bobble head costume hologram... And it made me wonder if - in the pipeline - there's a size/shapeshift set in works. I appreciate YJ's toon might've reminded me of the Marvel toon. But it's been talked about before, I think another server has something to do with size... It might be like a temp EMBIGGEN power for a costume contest or something. But I'd love an Ant-Man/ Giant-man set: +Def +Acc +global KB +Rec +Rech when small, +Res +global KD +Dam +Regen -Rech when big.
 

[Tath99]

2 hours ago, Xiddo said:

I saw a couple of the costumes by @Troo and @Yellowjacket using the new shrink + bobble head costume hologram... And it made me wonder if - in the pipeline - there's a size/shapeshift set in works. I appreciate YJ's toon might've reminded me of the Marvel toon. But it's been talked about before, I think another server has something to do with size... It might be like a temp EMBIGGEN power for a costume contest or something. But I'd love an Ant-Man/ Giant-man set: +Def +Acc +global KB +Rec +Rech when small, +Res +global KD +Dam +Regen -Rech when big.
 

 

Absolutely.  I completely agree!  Something like this would be an inventive and fun addition to the server.

 

Lore Opportunity: (Someone recovers DNA from the dead Hero Atlas making these powers possible.)  😉

 

 

[Pyriold]

Looks like TSpy has the primalist.