Customization Through Characterization (Visual Effects for YOUR MP Char.)

[TAO Devil]

To be clear: This is for Armor and possibly Weapon Visual Customization ONLY. The Character models will still be used.

With Personal Achievements Should Come Personal Rewards

This is a combination of Hooligunn's Accolade Idea and Char. Customization Ideas.

Recently, in many video games, there have been Perks for achieving a certain personal goal. While many of these Perks add an advantage for reaching certain levels, some add aesthetics to your character.

Aesthetics mean in Appearance only.

For the Last Installment in this Gears Trilogy, why don't we add something that allows for a closer personal link to these characters?

Hooligunn's Idea:
Gears of War is all about small scale, personal combat and that feeling of truly beating someone one on one. Based on the fact that Gears is not really a customizable game, and I doubt that will change in the next game, so we need to look to alternative ways to add our own personality and customization into Gears. Presenting my idea:


The Gears Career Record and Accolade System
Imagine being able to click on a gamertag and have a full Career Record pop up. This includes kill death ratios overall and in various game modes, time played etc - kind of like the GearsofWar.com site offers now, but in the game itself and with a little more depth. This also includes showing your Rank insignia, Rank number and total experience bar for example. You could also tab right to get the game stats from them, which is offered now.

But here's where the "Accolade System" comes in. This would show on your Career Profile, have a full list of your earned accolades on the site, and your Top 5 Accolades (as selected by you) would appear under your Avatar and such on the forums. The Accolade system is like mixing Halo 3's medal system with Call of Duty's challenge system, small images or icons with challenges tied to them. By doing certain things in game, you can earn an accolade but they don't (mostly) come easy. For example, your not going to get an accolade every headshot you get.

Here's a couple of examples of the challenge based accolades I threw together with the first one being easy difficulty, the second is medium difficulty, and the third is a tough one.


1) Waste Not, Want Not
Get a kill with every power weapon you pick up in one match (minimum of two pickups)

2) A Head of the Competition
In one match with the Longshot, get at least 3 headshots and finish with an 100% accuracy rating.

3) Team, You Can Thank Me Now
Win a 1 v 3 or more situation without using a power weapon.
So that offers a wealth of challenges for people to work towards, some easy, some very tough. And obviously a number would be next to each accolade to show how many times you've earned it. But that's not the limit to the accolade system.

You can also have various ones for each weapon, so you can put your favorite weapon (and how good you are with it) in your Top 5 accolades, showing your skill with your best weapon. That'll let people who are awesome snipers, fantastic shots with the Torque Bow or ninja grenade taggers (on people not walls!) to get their recognition and share that across their Gears identity wherever they are in the community.

Here's an example of my idea of how the weapon system would work. Please bear in mind this is purely an example system, so don't look so much at what I say, rather than the idea. Here is the idea under the Sniper Rifle progression:


Sniper Grade 1 (Bronze)
1) Get 50 headshots total with the Longshot in public matches.

Sniper Grade 2 (Silver)
1) Complete Grade 1 Requirements
2) 150 Headshots total with the Longshot in public matches.
3) Get a set amount of headshots with the Longshot in one public match with the sniper rifle. Requirement to achieve in non-Respawn modes is 4, Respawn modes is 8.

Sniper Grade 3 (Gold)
1) Complete Grade 2 Requirements
2) 300 Headshots total with the Longshot in public matches.
3) Kill a set amount of other players using sniper rifles in one public match with a headshot only. Requirement to achieve in non-Respawn modes is 3, Respawn modes is 6.

Sniper Grade 4 (Mastery)
1) Complete Grade 3 Requirements
2) Achieve 500 Headshots
3) Complete all Longshot Challenge Accolades

This method supports the many of you who I have seen gagging for Gears 1 style achievements based on weapons to show off your skill or love for that weapon.
So this system covers not only showing off your extra skill level in various areas to separate you from the crowd, it also shows your playing style and allows you to share that community wide both in the game and outside of the game. On top of this, this could be combined with a Rank system that Gears 2 currently has, and the achievement list Epic would put together to offer a true sense of achievement, personality and progression all in one.

Accolades provide the challenge, personability, and challenge progression.
Rank provides the progression and tracking of your progress in the game.
Achievements provide the general pushes and challenges for all players.

Your Career Record pulls this, along with your stats, into one location. This injects personality into your Gears gaming without modifying the core of the game based on the current system of using normal character models (rather than customizing them) and no weapon unlocking.

Combine that with the fact you could proudly display your top 5 or so accolades on the forum under your profile, and you have a real TRUE representation of how you play Gears both in and out of the game. I think that would be much better than any kind of character customization, and any kind of progression system, in terms of it's reflection on you as a player.

Proposition
For Each Personal Achievement, allow for unlock-able visual effects.

Say you Pop 3 heads with a sniper in one match. You get so many "Credits" for achieving that which would allow for purchasable customizations.

Examples:

• Armor Pieces (Sleeves, Helmets, Battle Damage, Boots, Lights)
• Clothing (Du-Rag, Bandanna, Hat)
• Tattoo's (Tribal, Arm)
• Weapon Appearance (Scratched, Chipped, Dented, Worn)
• Facial Customizations (Beards, Mustaches, Side Burns)
• Locust (Bone Necklaces, Scars, Battle Damage)

Everything would be Visual ONLY. This would add a personal touch to YOUR Gear/Locust

I think it'd be better if we had Hooligunn's accolade system, and then you win a customization option when you get a platinum accolade for a weapon. So, for example, if you get the Sniper Platinum, you unlock Sniper goggles for any character, if you get the Boltok, you get an awesome 'Wild West' Style Magnum holster, if you get the Torque Bow, you get a Quiver etc...

Since Gears 3 Forum is up, moving this here!

[TAO Devil]

Feel Completely free to propose new ideas or to bash mine as long as we don't cause a thread closure please.


Mr. President's Custom Thread

[SpasmaticMidget]

Yeah, I remember someone had a similar idea a while ago. I think it'd be better if we had Hooligunn's accolade system, and then you win a customisation option when you get a platinum accolade for a weapon. So, for example, if you get the Sniper Platinum, you unlock Sniper goggles for any character, if you get the Boltok, you get an awesome 'Wild West' Style Magnum holster, if you get the Torque Bow, you get a Quiver ect...

I'm gonna stick with this. I think it'd be better if you could tell at a glance that an opponent or teamate is particularly skilled with a certain weapon, so you could try to stop the opponent getting it, or help your teamate. Besides, you just know that every Sniper would want the Sniper reward, and every Shotgunner would want the Shotgun one ect...

[TAO Devil]

I'm gonna stick with this. I think it'd be better if you could tell at a glance that an opponent or teamate is particularly skilled with a certain weapon, so you could try to stop the opponent getting it, or help your teamate. Besides, you just know that every Sniper would want the Sniper reward, and every Shotgunner would want the Shotgun one ect...

lol. that's fine. I liked that idea as well. Mind if I add it?

[SpasmaticMidget]

lol. that's fine. I liked that idea as well. Mind if I add it?

Not at all, go for it.

[TAO Devil]

Not at all, go for it.

cool. it's in there.

[Your Devastator]

ok yes. just looks customization...BUT NO PERKS.

[TAO Devil]

ok yes. just looks customization...BUT NO PERKS.

definitely not.

Visual ONLY

[CommanderRown]

Fantastic Tao...


How's the business going?

Oops, OT!

[WhackaCrow]

I think that this could work.. but not weapons just armour I'd say. However, couldn't we also get credits or unlockable armour for campaign/multiplayer/horde progression? It'd add a whole different feel to the game than opposed to unlocking things through accolades

[CocaColaMann]

I like your idea OP ..As long as some helments dont affect Hit detection.

same goes for shoulder pads knee pads armor ect..

[TAO Devil]

bump for feedback.

[John Matrix]

I'd love to see armour and weapons that look like they're on their last legs with extreme cracks, other assorted damage, flickering suit lights and weapons readouts.. that kind of thing. There would be degrees to it obviously so you can make your character look like he's been fighting countless battles.

[TAO Devil]

bump...........

[that one guy]

I don't care what my character looks like as long as my guns kill people.

[DenyThisFlesh]

I like your idea OP ..As long as some helments dont affect Hit detection.

same goes for shoulder pads knee pads armor ect..

I could see that being a problem, but other than that I like the idea too.

[Danny_K_1]

Like the accolade and leaderboard idea but customization is just not for Gears IMHO.

[Comrade John]

I like this. +1 internets

[Sharpy]

I love this idea!
I am a fan of COD:MW2 and would love a perk system, but since you guys don't like them, and seem to know a lot more about gaming than me, I will not want one anymore, lol.

Though the visual customization idea is very cool!
I currently don't like the fact that you choose a character from the game, so this would be a cool feature to make some people happy.

What about the LED colour of guns? Would you be allowed to change that?

I personally prefer when it's ME playing, though this is 3rd person so it's hard to make as if it is you, But, along with this idea, if you could choose a character 'Base' and customize it using this system would be really cool.
I could choose Marcus
Give him goggles
Remove his Do-rag
give him a Green headband
give him a Green Lancer LED
etc etc

I hope there is no 'Colour of armour Customization' as this will ruin the darkness when people have Multi-coloured armour. Though I think the Gun LED isn't too bad.
Perhaps there could be a shade change, for example, a range of colours from Grey to Black, though this is probably unlikely to happen.

Great idea, I hope people like what I have said, and I also hope this will be added.

[TAO Devil]

bump for feedback

[FixHostLagSwitch]

+1 I think this idea has a lot of potential and is great.The one thing i hate the most is entering a private and seeing the whole team using the same character so we all look the same example,so if one of the cog/locust had the same character that i was using and they were 2-Pcing then i would get 2-p becuase they thought i was him >_>.This will be very fun to ses what type of customization people can come up with.

[Septembertopia]

As super awesome as it would be to even be able to customize your chosen Gear or Locust even make your own custom (which i believe is a thought left only for my imagination.) I cant see this making it into the game. As awesome as it is. It is rather unnecessary. Plus it would take alot of extra time to make it so one piece fits all. Say you want to put like a shoulder pad and gloves on cole where as someone wants to put the same piece on Anya. Would be alot of detail that epic would have to throw together and a lot of extra rendering im sure (as far as rendering has gone in the last 2 games anyway). Plus they would have to do all the same for both factions.

Having said that though I do love the idea. Most 3rd person games are that much better with even small options for customization. GRAW did it very simply, even having stuff that you unlocked for playing previous titles they made.

[cog143]

Can't I get bunny stickers on my cog helmet or tally marks on my lancer instead? War paint is fun, yet making yourself big before others hurts morale. Stickers are way more effective.

So when you get fragged during a game, you can keep track of your gun being passed on the field and see your helmet getting kicked around like a football.

[TAO Devil]

bump for feedback

[DAN8 KFM]

Customization is the way to get more people really into the game. The more personal you can make it towards people the better.

[SL0TH+]

I like the idea, the thread nicely put too.

I think some form of customization would give you a feel of originality so i'm all for it : ).

[yalnif]

how many threads are there in this forum now? 1000-2000? and TAO my friend, you have one of the very few nice ideas.

[SL0TH+]

how many threads are there in this forum now? 1000-2000? and TAO my friend, you have one of the very few nice ideas.

New member = new thread.

[yalnif]

New member = new thread.

yup, and theres always 10 more threads on the exact same subject.

[III Divine]

I'm all for customization...as long as I don't see a Locust wearing blue armor and a cog wearing red armor..wouldn't want the two to be mistaken for a teammate when they are not.

[CptD1s4st3r]

Cant vote because i neither hate it or love it really its an aspect of the game i just dont care about lol no offense intended awards never really bother me ill get them but if they arent in a game i wouldnt care

[alby13]

i love and support this thread. i hear about Epic giving fans what they want... i don't think these kinds of things are too much to ask.

[deathtrap]

I like it. Cutomizeable weapons or gear. Not helmets tho, because I think the charcters show be veiwable. There awesome.

[CBL Pain]

I support this idea 150%. I'd love to see character customization in Gears, as well as more in depth achievements such as a set amount of headshots etc needed to complete it.

[deathtrap]

Not set amount of headshots. I would fail.

[TAO Devil]

Not set amount of headshots. I would fail.

that's an additional idea. It would unlock certain features like "sniper goggles" or allow for greater amount of "Skill/Style" points that could be used to purchase items. Not restricted to headshots.

[deathtrap]

My thrread idea was to get some creativety in here. Yours is better tho. Im a mistake.

[TAO Devil]

My thrread idea was to get some creativety in here. Yours is better tho. Im a mistake.

I've been here a long time. I have many ideas that would be great for Gears 3 and many ideas that would destroy life as we know it.

I also know how to create threads to stand out and get responses. Give it time. All I did was surf this site for a year before I made an account.

[deathtrap]

Ive been reading stuff on earths magnetic feilds and poles.

[deathtrap]

I want some customizeable magazines. Addtional rounds!