Skin Tones for Ylian Models

[zanzibar]

Non-caucasian humans.  Something that bugs me whenever I'm in game is the lack of racial diversity in the game in the sense of real world multiculturalism.  Everyone is white except for the Diaboli and Ynnwn.  The Xacha are a different race of sorts, but instead of being white, they're really white.  Would it be possible for the Ylians to have the option of a range of skin tones?

[Croconil]

I Like the idea of skin tones Zanzi. It would be an improvement.

Also, the issue with racism. I doubt it will be much of an issue. We have a good community here, and if anyone does do it, they can just be reported and banned/warned.

[Karyuu]

Different skin colors are definitely on the To-Do list, but I'm not sure we know how to implement such a thing yet without changing the entire texture - hair, eyes, clothes, everything.

[Under the moon]

There was talk of doing that with parameters that would change the model/texture after loading them, changing such things as size shape, colors, and textures.

Not an easy task, though, as it involves adding additional info to the meshes to accept these changes on the fly. An extremely complex rigging could do this, in effect, creating a second skeleton just for changing the shape of the mesh, rather than making it move. Basic 'poses' would change the model between fat, thin, tall, short, and muscular. These body-shape poses would not be changeable once selected. Examples of the edited animations would be: fatwalk, thinwalk, fatidle, thinidle, and such. With the proper tweeking, the same base 'walk' animation could be used for both fat and thin, but the added body ID would change your look.

[Suno_Regin]

You're kidding...

I've seen tons of player-made skins where they simply changed the color of say, an Enkidukai's fur. How hard is it, seriously, to do the same for the Ylians and impliment it?

[Karyuu]

You don't understand entirely, Suno. We can't divide textures into different parts as it was done in MB, for example. A texture is sometimes one entire thing - the clothes and fur color and eye color are all on one file. So if for example you have three fur colors (A, B, C) and also want three eyes colors (1, 2, 3) and be able to mix and match, the current system requires that we make 9 textures of different combinations of eyes and fur (A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, etc.). Then if we have clothes variations, that number grows even higher.

*edit*

This isn't to say that we can't just make random Ylian textures right now with different skin colors - we just don't have that mix-and-match-everything choice. Character variation is on the To-Do List.

[Kiraki]

That would be great!  Can't wait till it gets done, i especially miss being able to change eye colour!

[Suno_Regin]

You don't understand entirely, Suno. We can't divide textures into different parts as it was done in MB

Why can't you? Other than being able to fight monsters, the move from MB to CB seems more like a step downhill. We had customizable character colors, more roleplay, all that stuff, but when we moved it just caused more of a hault in developement.

[Under the moon]

It was a step down, or a step back, you could say. It was starting over in a better system that had to be learned from scratch.

The code is not the same, nor are the models themselves. do not assume it would be just as easy to make the same thing possible.

[Karyuu]

[...] but when we moved it just caused more of a hault in developement.

You are saying that after MB, there was a hault in development..?

Customability will be added for sure in time.

[zanzibar]

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I was going to start a new topic on this, but I feel that since there has already been discussion on this, then it would be inappropriate to make an entire new thread.  Instead, I have editted the original post to be only about skin tones.

I realize that this is on the to do list.  I also realize that new models "happen when they happen".  However, I haven't heard anyone talk about this stuff in all the time since I made this post, so I think it's worthy of bringing to the spotlight again.

[Karyuu]

There are many things we have to take care of - adding customizing of textures as we discussed in this thread would take effort off some of the more immediate issues that require attention, such as quests for example. There are things that would be "cool" to have, and then there are things people are complaining about (seemingly) all the time. So if you haven't heard about the progress of something for a while, it just means we have more pressing features that need work, for now.

[zanzibar]

It surprises me to hear that quests are a focus of attention.  A bazilion new ones have been added to the game and it's been wonderful for older players like myself who have been looking for new things to do, but Planeshift survived for quite a while in a much simpler form.

I guess it's subjective.  And like you've said, improving character model aesthetics is complicated.

[Jeraphon]

Everyone is white except for the Diaboli and Ynnwn.

Kran are blue and purple.
Nolthrirs are green.
Lemurs are pale green.
Klyros sure aren't white either.
Enkidukai are probably pink under their fur, which has various colours.

So no, not everyone is white. But the point is taken. (For a while I thought Rylour Awnnys was brown because of the lighting in the BD...but oh well.)

It surprises me to hear that quests are a focus of attention.  A bazilion new ones have been added to the game and it's been wonderful for older players like myself who have been looking for new things to do, but Planeshift survived for quite a while in a much simpler form.

I think Karyuu might be referring to the current hot topic in the general discussion, on how "flawed" the quest/NPC dialogue system is. You also have to keep in mind the departments of the developers. Right now Settings is highly active.

[Garris Shrike]

Good idea, we should also implement. well you know, theyre getting around to the "implementing" new stuff and such. Good job, devs