I had a crazy idea... and it WORKED!

[madpoet67]

So, I had this crazy idea for a character... a shapeshifter named Mr. Anyone... and I figured out how to pull it off.

 

Here's what I did:

 

I created a rotation bind using the bind_load_file command where each successive press of the "1" key changes my costume to the next in sequence, fires off the power in slot 1 and loads the next bind file in the sequence.

 

For example, this is the text in the file costume1.txt:

 

1 "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 1$$bind_load_file D:\coh\bindtext\costume2.txt"

 

...and so on for all 6 slots.

 

Now, because you can only change costumes every 15 seconds, when you press the key before the 15-second window is up, the costume doesn't change, but the bind file does... the result being that, when in combat, your costume changes pretty much randomly about every ten seconds.

 

Then I just went to the surgeon and made 6 completely different people.

 

Now, whenever I'm in combat, I change into different people randomly!

 

Mr. Anyone!

 

(I'm sure someone thought of this before, but I was rather proud of myself)

 

 

 

[Vanden]

That would spam the hell out of the Error channel, though.

[madpoet67]

yeah, I just ignore it.  ;D

 

 

[SmalltalkJava]

Brilliant

[biostem]

Maybe just bind it to the s/backwards key, since you don't use that as often... Jus take a step back when you want to change costumes.

[madpoet67]

Maybe just bind it to the s/backwards key, since you don't use that as often... Jus take a step back when you want to change costumes.

 

I thought about similar things, including a dedicated key like NUMPAD7 or something, but doing it on-demand eliminates the randomness created by the failed change commands.

 

I don't know if you can hide the error text channel in some way or not. It doesn't really bother since I'm too old and uncoordinated to read the chatbox while I'm in combat anyway...  ;D

 

 

[justicebeliever]

So, I had this crazy idea for a character... a shapeshifter named Mr. Anyone... and I figured out how to pull it off.

 

Here's what I did:

 

I created a rotation bind using the bind_load_file command where each successive press of the "1" key changes my costume to the next in sequence, fires off the power in slot 1 and loads the next bind file in the sequence.

 

For example, this is the text in the file costume1.txt:

 

1 "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 1$$bind_load_file D:\coh\bindtext\costume2.txt"

 

...and so on for all 6 slots.

 

Now, because you can only change costumes every 10 seconds, when you press the key before the 10 second window is up, the costume doesn't change, but the bind file does... the result being that, when in combat, your costume changes pretty much randomly about every ten seconds.

 

Then I just went to the surgeon and made 6 completely different people.

 

Now, whenever I'm in combat, I change into different people randomly!

 

Mr. Anyone!

 

(I'm sure someone thought of this before, but I was rather proud of myself)

 

That is really clever...I like...

 

You could go a step further and have different builds for the different costumes...but it would make combat quite confusing...If Mr. Anybody is on Everlasting, I look forward to teaming with him!

 

[Clave Dark 5]

I have a character like this, six completely different costumes, but being bind-illiterate* I just swap costumes every mission or so.  The idea of having her swap out repeatedly every ten seconds or so would make it extra fun.

 

*I know I could learn to figure them all out but that's too much like homework.  Maybe I could make macro buttons for all her powers and assign a costume swap to each one or something.  Or just stick to swapping once a mission because that too sounds like homework.

[Coyote]

That is a really cool idea. It makes me want to do it for a character with a colored aura, to change the colors regularly during combat.

[SmalltalkJava]

You can use bind_load_file_silent to get rid of the file load printout spam

[justicebeliever]

I have a character like this, six completely different costumes, but being bind-illiterate* I just swap costumes every mission or so.  The idea of having her swap out repeatedly every ten seconds or so would make it extra fun.

 

*I know I could learn to figure them all out but that's too much like homework.  Maybe I could make macro buttons for all her powers and assign a costume swap to each one or something.  Or just stick to swapping once a mission because that too sounds like homework.

 

“Clark Dave, where is your homework?”

....

“What do you mean your Nightwolf are it?”

....

“Well now you have to write a bind file 6 times before you can play CoX”

[madpoet67]

That is a really cool idea. It makes me want to do it for a character with a colored aura, to change the colors regularly during combat.

 

Oooo... thanks, now I have to go and apply this to another one my characters, Captain Prism!

 

[madpoet67]

My apologies for the misinformation... it's every 15 seconds, not 10. I have corrected my original post.

 

[Ironblade]

I had a character with a somewhat similar theme.  He was a time traveler and his clothes would change to random outfits from all different eras.  He had a caveman outfit, steampunk outfit, cyborg with the brain in a jar, dynasty outfit, wild west outfit, etc.

 

That was my only character that used all 10 costume slots.

[Charistoph]

I haven't wanted to do something so... extreme.  However, I did want to tie a character who used their super-buff to do a costume change for its duration, and when it reached its timer, either change back or go to a more loose or tattered version.  Think Super Saiyan on a timer.

[Flashtoo]

I need to use that for my pistols/nin/martial blaster whose power is "hammerspace" - first five costume slots are identical except for the weapons :D

[milkweasel]

Is it possible to put this into a macro so it's a clickable?  I feel like if it was macro'd it'd probably not go into the tray and replace the existing one.

 

[justicebeliever]

Is it possible to put this into a macro so it's a clickable?  I feel like if it was macro'd it'd probably not go into the tray and replace the existing one.

 

Macro's go into your power tray by default...not sure what "the existing one" is..

 

However, for this, where there is a rolling bind file being used, a Macro isn't capable of replicating the Binds behavior.  For single commands it's great, but for commands where a bind file is being loaded, it's no good.

[Shinobu]

 

I recreated an old character today, "Alting".  This character was purely for the joke aspect... when someone says they're alting, you can argue that no they're not.  >.>

 

Anyway the original character had completely different costumes for each costume slot, because... alting, duh.  So I may try this bind with that character.  ^_^

 

 

[madpoet67]

Is it possible to put this into a macro so it's a clickable?  I feel like if it was macro'd it'd probably not go into the tray and replace the existing one.

 

In addition to the macro limitations mentioned above, the primary benefit of doing it this way is that, as you level, you may change the power in slot one according to your rotation. For instance, I know that I typically respec out of the tier 1 fast recharge/low damage power eventually.

 

[Replacement]

I like this but I would suggest binding it on slower recharging/situational powers.  Something more likely to fire off every minute or so, so each form at least gets some time in the sun.

 

I'm still very proud of my Wizard character that casts a transmutation on himself to turn into a ninja and ninja run places. Sadly, his actual mechanical build became unplayably boring for me.

 

For people discussing a Macro oriented approach: if your goal is more "mode switch" then there are some opportunities to do this with macros.

 

For example, I've been wanting to build a Jekyll/Hide-esque Dominator that uses a macro to change trays between tactical and beat-down mode.  So change active tray +costume change.

[SmalltalkJava]

Yep. That is the beauty of this tip. You can put it on keys that you want. long, short. Pretty cool

[Omnicron]

I recently made Adaptabot, a robot that uses reconfiguration nanites to change his hardware specifications based on the situation. He's a SS/Bioarmor brute, and I've got macros set up which both toggle on the relevant adaptation and do a costume change. The powerset itself is set to low fx, and the effects that remain are perfect for nanites swarming out over his body to make the changes.

 

In addition, the offensive mode uses the classic "hulk smash" attack animations, while the others use the heroic animations, which helps it feel like he's really a different character.

 

Besides the three combat form he also had an aerodynamic speed form which toggles on super speed, and a dark stealth form which toggles on invisibility.

[Mister Mass]

I had a character with a somewhat similar theme.  He was a time traveler and his clothes would change to random outfits from all different eras.  He had a caveman outfit, steampunk outfit, cyborg with the brain in a jar, dynasty outfit, wild west outfit, etc.

 

That was my only character that used all 10 costume slots.

I'm stealing this idea for my /Time controller.  Thanks Ironblade! :)

[OmegaX123]

I have four characters with 'a completely different person' as at least one of their costume slots. Back before my old computer broke, I made "M2 Reborn" and "Girl Gadgeteer", both of whom have '2099' inspired costumes (given the nature of the Marvel 2099 universe, by necessity it's a different character under the mask), and M2 has also a '1602' inspired one (technically the same character, but born in a different era and therefore a different person shaped by different experiences). Also around that time I made "Mobile Armor Sigma", who is a team of young cadets from an asteroid colony in another universe, who stole a mecha to save their instructors when the enemy army attacked, but were knocked through an artificial singularity and crashed down in Paragon City.

Since then, now that I have a new computer, I've added to that list "Trinity McCullen", a mutant gunslinger whose power either turns her into or switches her with (she still hasn't figured it out yet) one of two other people when she is 'in over her head', those being "A-Bomb" Gibson, a 'nuclear man', and "Ace" Cohen, a former pilot (or at least with the memories of one) who can fly under her own power now.