Limited character customization (why?)

(Djean) #1

Hi forum,

Yesterday Brink came out here in Europe and so I had a conversation about it with a friend of mine who also owns the game.
We both like the game very much (although we can’t play online yet due to connection time outs), but let me cut to the part what this topic is about.

At a point in our conversation we wondered what the reason was for removing all the colour options we used to see in some older game footage when the game still had the radial menu (of which I also wonder why it has been removed).

We agreed that all the final outfits are really cool, but don’t seem to allow as much customization as we had expected. Each piece of clothing comes in a dozen different textures with predefined colours. Didn’t this game use to have the option to combine these for yourself?

And why only the orange and green hair colours for the Resistance? Did Security steal all red, blue and purple away? Would those colours really conflict that much with the game?

We also thought it was funny in an ironic way that Unreal Tournament 3 (which we played a lot) even allowed for character customization in ways Brink doesn’t, like independently choosing torso and arms and symmetry options for the shoulder plates.

So now my question is: if the models, textures and colours are there, why did Splash Damage decide to limit the options to only a dozen of predefined combinations?

Luckily the cosmetics don’t affect the gameplay, which still rocks like a tapir.

(Artheval_Pe) #2

For some of the limitations, I think that their idea was actually to give enough identity to each of the factions, and that means making sure that security and resistance characters doesn’t look the same. Moreover, in order to keep the art style of the game cohesive, they could not really allow people to simply go nuts with colors and have characters looking like rainbows or like it’s mardi gras.

However, I also do think that more variation could be nice. It would be cool if they could for exemple add more different faces in the free DLC.

(Bakercompany) #3

I still think this is leaps and bounds beyond anything of recent. I’m very pleased.

(Skunkee) #4

I agree, not enough customization.

(0xT1) #5

I also wished the color wheel was still available, theres some outfits that I like that don’t have matching colors with some other piece of clothing I like.

On the other hand, maybe they do match, I have terrible taste.

(boozee84) #6

me too, it’s fine the way it is.

(Waldo) #7

The in-game character version not being as lively might be a bigger issue to me than custom colour options.
Still a minor gripe though.

(Djean) #8

@Skunkee
Simply stating that it’s “not enough” is a bit too easy. Like Bakercompany I’m still very pleased. But it did turn out to be less then I thought was planned and would’ve easily been possible given what they showed before.

@Artheval_Pe
You have a good point there. I think they wanted to keep the suits recognisable. But even then they could’ve worked with distinct, restricted colour palettes like I thought they already had. People would be able to go nuts within those restrictions and it’d still look good. So I still don’t really get why they decided to go this far.

About the free DLC: I’m personally hoping for some more clothing. (I can’t change my faces anyway.)
I don’t really mind the preset texture-colour combinations per se, but without the real freedom of texture and colour it does feel kinda restricting having only a dozen jackets and pants to choose from.
I think I had expected about twice as much.
Still, only combining jackets and pants (which make up most of your outfit) already gives you over 13k possible combinations (although some will probably not look too good).

(Djean) #9

Just to clear something up: this is not about it being fine or not. That’s a matter of opinion.
This is about the result being different from what I expected and my question: why?

(Psi Brain) #10

I would liked to of seen some class specific clothing.

(Djean) #11

@Psi Brain
But wasn’t the whole idea of Brink that there is no difference for the classes in appearance and weapons?
How would you want it implemented anyway? You make one guy, so how would he change according to his class?
I think the changing gloves are enough. Anything else would go against Brinks philosophy.

(Gamer2Gamers) #12

Unique Security Characters (not counting minor tint variations or body types): 4,530,240
Unique Security Characters (not counting minor tint variations but including body types): 13,590,720
Unique Security Characters (including minor tint variations, but not body types): 15,775,119,360,000,000
Unique Security Characters (including minor tint variations and body types): 47,325,358,080,000,000
Unique Resistance Characters (not counting minor tint variations or body types): 4,530,240
Unique Resistance Characters (not counting minor tint variations but including body types): 13,590,720
Unique Resistance Characters (including minor tint variations, but not body types): 18,307,441,152,000,000
Unique Resistance Characters (including minor tint variations and body types): 54,922,323,456,000,000
Total Unique Characters (including minor tint variations and body types: 102,247,681,536,000,000

anyone remember that, was that a lie or what?

(SIiced Bread) #13

It’s counting **** that you can’t change once you add them. Tattoos, skin color, and voice.

Pretty limited. Those numbers have to be dreamed up. But I guess they feel good about miss promoting the product.

I will never buy another SD game. Honestly, they aren’t producing a gamebreaker…they produced a brokengame.

Fair well…Battlefield has TONS of active enviorment and teamwork…that’s on BF2 lol. Can’t wait for BF3.

(Bakercompany) #14

It still kills me people are calling this limited compared to what?

When you get up on a guy (on Xbox anyway) all of the features translate and can be seen.

I just don’t see anything wrong with the customization. And whats wrong with permanent tats and scars? Mine are =D

(Djean) #15

@Bakercompany
Limited compared to what I came to expect based on early footage and claims by SD.
Like I said: its still great, but not as much as I expected.

But let’s not bash SD in my topic. I like the game and thank them for it.
I just want a question answered.

(tokamak) #16

The answer to your question is that Brink is a highly stylised game and they wanted players to customise within that style and not break the art direction with too many choices.

We also thought it was funny in an ironic way that Unreal Tournament 3 (which we played a lot) even allowed for character customization in ways Brink doesn’t, like independently choosing torso and arms and symmetry options for the shoulder plates.

UT3 has far less ways to customise characters in. Each ‘character’ has about four uniforms in which you can mix and match, which severely limits the range range of possibilities.

(thedukey) #17

color wheel + added options in future DLC would remedy things really.

(DouglasDanger) #18

wasn’t this color wheel based on the radial menu, which was all the same content, just presented differently?

(DemiGod) #19

I want to begin by saying that I do appreciate any and all attempts to include customization in a game. Brink has done a good job in opening various opportunities for a player to customize their own look but I’m afraid that it falls short of what, I believe, should have happened. Perhaps we’ll get lucky in the DLC that is anticipated to release in June.

I was anticipating a much more diverse customization system. When I saw trailers and footage from the creation system in videos, I expected something more along the lines of APB.

I think the artwork is by far one of the most unique styles that I have seen in a long time. The ability to create a unique player, however, is not applicable. When you choose an item to customize, you only get to pick from a prefab style. I would have really enjoyed the ability to create unique styles to each of these items. Perhaps different shades or color combinations that I would have chosen myself. This often allows clans to have unique looks while being able to share a trademark or logo specific to their clan. This is especially pertinent when choosing scars and tattoos. I looked through them and I was not impressed with any, really. Scars nor tattoos. Some of you may like them, but I would have really like to have been able to make my own - even if it were to combine pre-made options, like in Need for Speed: Underground.

The weapon accessories fall short as well. I would have liked to choose the style, color, shape, etc of the gun, the clip, the barrel, and everything else.

Perhaps yes, customization is not priority at this point with what seems to be a variety of issues that the community wants to be dealt with. However, I believe that I am not alone in wanting a more generous and satisfying customizing experience. I think that in my 10th online game, another player made the exact same look as I had, down to the colors and everything - and with the lack of choices, I’m sure it didn’t take long.

In games that allow for deep customization, I relish in the availability of options and the ability to create the unique character that I strive for. This can take a long time. I like people to recognize me for my presence in a game. I think a unique appearance can not only help distinguish oneself, but also intrigue or intimidate an audience. Especially if, in addition, you can kick some major ass.

Oh, and a level designing tool set would be nice too. :T

SD has created quite the game here, and I hope that they continue to refine this possible masterpiece. It will require some work, however, not just a band-aid fix for a few issues.

DG

p.s. For those saying “compared to what” - this isn’t a comparison to games where you can’t change anything about how you look. How about APB? Whether a game is a MMO or not doesn’t matter - the tools to design your character in that game were the kind that you could actually call innovative and way above par. I wouldn’t normally bag on Brink because of this if it hadn’t been marketed as such.

(PillowTalk) #20

I think a lot of it was removed from the base game to be added later in DLC.