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

[Replacement]

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.

 

I suddenly find myself wishing martial arts had even more alt animations. This got me thinking of a martial artist with several duplicate outfits, where only the animations change - could be fun. Representing changing stances over the course of fights. Maybe if I come up with a build that uses Fighting tree as well...

[Alarion]

For those unaware of costume change emotes, the following is from City of Heroes / City of Villains Technical Reference Guide at www.Shenanigunner.com. Lots of really good stuff about the game.

 

Quote

If you want to have more control and actually see your change emote, you can use a slash code, which again can be bound to a key or macro for convenience… or even a rolling macro or bind for variety:

/cc_emote 1 ccSalute  or  /cce 1 ccHowl

The emotes used for costume change are special, begin with ‘cc’ and can only be used for this purpose; regular emotes can’t be specified and the costume ones can’t be used on their own. All of them include sound effects. The choices, which are mostly fairly self-explanatory, can be found in the Costume window menu (where you might look for updates and changes), and are as follows: 

 

ccBackFlip Do a backflip and land in your new costume.

ccCast Make a Dr. Strange/Constantine spell cast to change.

ccConfettiThrow Throw a giant burst of confetti from your pocket and change.

ccDimensionShift Spread into multiple dimensions and reassemble changed.

ccDrinkFormula Drink a flask of formula to effect the change.

ccEnergyMorph Crouch and fire off an energy burst to change.

 

and many more. 

 

[Grasshopper]

I'm going to have to learn binding and then do this, I think.  

 

I've been playing a time/gravity character that by storyline has problems occasionally with rewritten personal history as a result of his time distortions, leading to him suddenly rearranging into some other appearance.  I've had to trigger it manually, which is ever so klugey.

[Bionic_Flea]

Just to throw extra fuel on the fire . . . start working on more bind files to use for all the Halloween costumes you're going to get next month!

[Lines]

This is a cool idea! I might try a character themed around the four elements and have them change between elementally-themed outfits as their relevant power is used.

 

Would just need to figure out a build that makes use of the elements through pool powers and epic pool powers.

[Lost Ninja]

On 7/20/2019 at 11:02 PM, justicebeliever said:

 

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.

You could do it sort of by changing trays with each press, but I think it'd be hard to use.

 

So something like:

/macro <name> "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 1$$gototray 2"

Tray 2 would then have a similar macro in the same slot:

/macro <name> "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 1$$gototray 3"

etc.

But I think bind_load_file is almost certainly easier to deal with.

[boggo2300]

54 minutes ago, Lost Ninja said:

You could do it sort of by changing trays with each press, but I think it'd be hard to use.

 

So something like:

/macro <name> "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 1$$gototray 2"

Tray 2 would then have a similar macro in the same slot:

/macro <name> "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 1$$gototray 3"

etc.

But I think bind_load_file is almost certainly easier to deal with.

Thats pretty much how I handle my Khelds shifting between Human, Squid and Lobster, each form gets their own primary tray 😄

[Lost Ninja]

9 hours ago, boggo2300 said:

Thats pretty much how I handle my Khelds shifting between Human, Squid and Lobster, each form gets their own primary tray 😄

Me too. I also used to use it on my MM for summoning and buffing.

[Ry]

You're an absolute mad lad.

 

(Thats British for "well done!")

[Sister Corruption]

I really like this idea. I decided to go with a color changing hero. Every time I hit Aim (She's a rad/rad corruptor), I've got it macro'd that her costume and powers change to another color of the rainbow. I give you Rainbow Might:

 

What I don't know is if it's count as 'automating gameplay' to set up a macro that would send the command to the client for her to change costumes every 16 seconds. That way she'd cycle while just hanging around, not just while actively fighting.

[Ironblade]

4 hours ago, GotMedieval said:

I really like this idea. I decided to go with a color changing hero. Every time I hit Aim (She's a rad/rad corruptor), I've got it macro'd that her costume and powers change to another color of the rainbow. I give you Rainbow Might:

Nice concept and a sharp costume.

[Saiyajinzoningen]

On 7/17/2019 at 10:07 PM, madpoet67 said:

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)

 

 

 

perfection

[Shred Monkey]

I see this was necro'd from 2 years ago.... but I do have something to say on this anyway.  Here's my really easy way to do this.  I have it set up to change costumes everytime use buildup.

 

I use the "r" key to cast build-up which is altslot 4.    

 

/Macro cc1 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 1$$powexec_tray 2 5"

/Macro cc2 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 2$$powexec_tray 3 5"

/Macro cc3 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 3$$powexec_tray 4 5"

/Macro cc4 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 4$$powexec_tray 5 5"

/Macro cc5 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 5$$powexec_tray 6 5"

/Macro cc6 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 6$$powexec_tray 1 5"

 

Put these 6 macros in tray 5 slots 1-6 in order, make 6 costumes, click one of the macros once to write the bind the first time and you're good to go. 

 

(note, you can hide tray 5 after it's set up)

[Saiyajinzoningen]

On 2/14/2023 at 5:03 PM, Shred Monkey said:

I see this was necro'd from 2 years ago.... but I do have something to say on this anyway.  Here's my really easy way to do this.  I have it set up to change costumes everytime use buildup.

 

I use the "r" key to cast build-up which is altslot 4.    

 

/Macro cc1 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 1$$powexec_tray 2 5"

/Macro cc2 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 2$$powexec_tray 3 5"

/Macro cc3 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 3$$powexec_tray 4 5"

/Macro cc4 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 4$$powexec_tray 5 5"

/Macro cc5 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 5$$powexec_tray 6 5"

/Macro cc6 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 6$$powexec_tray 1 5"

 

Put these 6 macros in tray 5 slots 1-6 in order, make 6 costumes, click one of the macros once to write the bind the first time and you're good to go. 

 

(note, you can hide tray 5 after it's set up)

 

how does this work exactly? (press R?) i dont have much experience with macros. I tried to use the ops method but it kept spitting out ARG errors so i modified it to look something like 

 

1 "emote none$$cc 5$$pow_exec_slot 1"
CTRL+1 "powexec_alt2slot 1"
SHIFT+1 "team_select 1"
ALT+1 "powexec_altslot 1"
2 "emote none$$cc 0$$pow_exec_slot 2"
CTRL+2 "powexec_alt2slot 2"
SHIFT+2 "team_select 2"
ALT+2 "powexec_altslot 2"
3 "emote none$$cc 2$$pow_exec_slot 3"
CTRL+3 "powexec_alt2slot 3"
SHIFT+3 "team_select 3"
ALT+3 "powexec_altslot 3"
4 "emote none$$cc 3$$pow_exec_slot 4"
CTRL+4 "powexec_alt2slot 4"
SHIFT+4 "team_select 4"
ALT+4 "powexec_altslot 4"
5 "emote none$$cc 4$$pow_exec_slot 5"
CTRL+5 "powexec_alt2slot 5"
SHIFT+5 "team_select 5"
ALT+5 "powexec_altslot 5"
6 "powexec_slot 6"
CTRL+6 "powexec_alt2slot 6"
SHIFT+6 "team_select 6"
ALT+6 "powexec_altslot 6"

 

so now i change costumes every 10 seconds during combat rotations but its not really random 

(also thanks)

 

[Marshal_General]

Tag for future reference.

[Shred Monkey]

2 hours ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

 

how does this work exactly?

 

 

It boils down to this... I'm creating a bind that rewrites itself everytime it's used.  I have 6 costumes, so it's going in a through cycle of 6 different binds before it repeats back to the beginning.

 

I'll try to explain my method a little more detailed since I know someone is now interested.

 

1.  Put the power you want to trigger the costume change in the 2nd tray position 4.  If you want to use a different location change the "powexec_altslot 4" part of the below macros to a different location.  I use this slot because it's where I want my build-up power to be.

 

 

 

2.  Decide what key I want to activate that power (I use the "r" key, but anything will work).

 

Create these macros, changed as desired.  

 

/Macro cc1 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 1$$powexec_tray 2 5"

/Macro cc2 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 2$$powexec_tray 3 5"

/Macro cc3 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 3$$powexec_tray 4 5"

/Macro cc4 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 4$$powexec_tray 5 5"

/Macro cc5 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 5$$powexec_tray 6 5"

/Macro cc6 bind r "powexec_altslot 4$$cc 6$$powexec_tray 1 5"

 

and then load these macros into tray 5 like below:

 

 

Note 1: /cc 1 is a command to change to costume 1.  /cc 2 changes to costume 2, etc. 

Note 2: /Powexec_tray 2 5 calls the power in tray 5 slot 2.  Also note that tray 5 can be hidden and it will still know what's there.

 

3.  Click one of the macros to write the bind the first time.

 

What happens is this:

 

Lets say you just ran macro cc1.  This will create a bind for the R key.   This does nothing by itself.  The action takes place when you then press R.

 

Now.  You press the R Key.... 

 

The R key will:

call the power in altslot 4,

change to costume 1, 

call the power in tray 5 slot 2 (which is macro cc2)

macro cc2 will overwrite the bind for the R key with a new bind that calls out costume 2, and it runs the macro cc3.

 

Again.  You press the R Key.... 

 

The R key will:

call the power in altslot 4,

change to costume 2, 

call the power in tray 5 slot 3 (which is macro cc3)

macro cc3 will overwrite the bind for the R key with a new bind that calls out costume 3, and it runs the macro cc4.

 

Again.  You press the R Key.... 

 

<repeats, but incrementing which costume is called and which macro gets called until you get to macro 6 which directs back to CC1.>

 

 

As others have noted, you can only change costumes every 15 seconds, so if you click the key it will cycle forward, but the costume remains the same.   I chose buildup as my trigger because it's got a longish cooldown and so I won't be using before the 15 seconds is up.  Although sometimes I do hit it more then once and cycle past a costume or 2.  

 

Hopefully that helps.  Once it's set up it's actually pretty simple and it's bulletproof.  If you do a respec you'll have to set your macros back into tray 5. But other then that, you can forget it's there, and it just works.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Shred Monkey

[Saiyajinzoningen]

is 6 costumes the limit?

[lemming]

1 hour ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

is 6 costumes the limit?

Ten slots available.  You can either access them via Main menu -> Costumes (K)

or by the command /cc 0 thru /cc 9

[lemming]

5 hours ago, Shred Monkey said:

 

It boils down to this... I'm creating a bind that rewrites itself everytime it's used.  I have 6 costumes, so it's going in a through cycle of 6 different binds before it repeats back to the beginning.

 

I'll try to explain my method a little more detailed since I know someone is now interested.

 

 

Note 1: /cc 1 is a command to change to costume 1.  /cc 2 changes to costume 2, etc. 

Note 2: /Powexec_tray 2 5 calls the power in tray 5 slot 2.  Also note that tray 5 can be hidden and it will still know what's there.

 

Costume slots are Zero thru Nine in total.   You need to use /cc 0 for your first slot.

[Saiyajinzoningen]

i meant in the context of using this macro bind rewrite whatchamacallit but ill assume no. ty so much 😁

[Shocktacular]

Okay, now I've GOT to try this.

Thanks so much!

[lemming]

1 hour ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

i meant in the context of using this macro bind rewrite whatchamacallit but ill assume no. ty so much 😁

No reason you couldn't expand it to use all ten slots

[Shred Monkey]

2 hours ago, Saiyajinzoningen said:

i meant in the context of using this macro bind rewrite whatchamacallit but ill assume no. ty so much 😁

I don't know if there's a limit on the number of macros a character can have.   But you can do anything, not just change costume.  I wouldn't use it to cycle powers because you can easily get out of sync if you press the key faster then powers activate and/or come off cooldown.  I also wouldn't use it to say something every time you use a power because as cool as it sounds, it eventually gets annoying (I've done this in other games... even with 10 different really cool phrases, it gets old).

[Saiyajinzoningen]

19 hours ago, Shred Monkey said:

I don't know if there's a limit on the number of macros a character can have.   But you can do anything, not just change costume.  I wouldn't use it to cycle powers because you can easily get out of sync if you press the key faster then powers activate and/or come off cooldown.  I also wouldn't use it to say something every time you use a power because as cool as it sounds, it eventually gets annoying (I've done this in other games... even with 10 different really cool phrases, it gets old).

 

Dude I really don't know how to thank you for such a simplified process so uh 100+ pts to Gryffindor or whatever your house is.

Im playing a shapeshifter who doesn't have control over the shift so random shifts work perfectly for this chars theme.

on a side note, would there happen to be a similar way to also add SG mode costume in the mix, for alternate colors per shift? 

[kito]

Instiped reading about half way into page one and love the idea. Not sure if it has been brought up but you can get extra costumes slots 7/8 I think. You change costume #1 and do the extra costume mish to the outher side saving costume 1 into a slot you can never see again. Ik a few people have use this before. Idk if it's still around but if it is you could add in a few more random costume into your rotation.