SOEside

[LostAlgorithm]

So, we recently have gotten a bit more information about the kind of things we'll be able customize. The quote below in particular caught my attention:

"Tray:We're also doing like, hood ornaments that you can put on your vehicle that will showcase games: Planetside, Free Realms, Everquest, Everquest 2. You know, little characters that you can put on your vehicle."

Really?

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

I still remember when advertisements were put into the original Planetside. At least they were pretty much restricted to the bases. It's a pity stuff like this is being put into the game. It's possible to sell customizations without turning this into an MMO version of TF2. Planetside is supposed to be about badass empire vs. empire vs. empire gameplay, not goofy customizations.

[JPalmer]

"In debate or rhetoric, a slippery slope (also known as thin end of the wedge - or sometimes "edge" in US English - or the camel's nose) is a classic form of argument, arguably an informal fallacy. A slippery slope argument states that a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant effect, much like an object given a small push over the edge of a slope sliding all the way to the bottom.[1] The strength of such an argument depends on the warrant, i.e. whether or not one can demonstrate a process which leads to the significant effect. The fallacious sense of "slippery slope" is often used synonymously with continuum fallacy, in that it ignores the possibility of middle ground and assumes a discrete transition from category A to category B. Modern usage avoids the fallacy by acknowledging the possibility of this middle ground."

[Pyreal]

I figure you have to have a current or expired subscription to those games in order to get the bumper sticker.

Don't for an instant think that Higby, Hibgy, Hickie, whats-his-face, and pals ain't looking at the TF2 shop for ideas. Hell, even I bought something from the TF2 shop and I'm a tightwad!

[LostAlgorithm]

Don't for an instant think that Higby, Hibgy, Hickie, whats-his-face, and pals ain't looking at the TF2 shop for ideas. Hell, even I bought something from the TF2 shop and I'm a tightwad!

I fully realize they probably are, it just disappoints me.

I have no problem with the goofy nonsense in TF2. TF2 was purposely designed to be goofy nonsense. I'd buy goofy stuff in TF2 if I played it more often.

Planetside 2 however took a stylized realism approach and so I feel the goofiness would be a bit out of place and obnoxious.

[ringring]

I've got a feeling I won't be buying any of those so I'm not worried at all. :D

OTOH, what is the naked laydee called on the Roll Royce.. Spirit of something ... maybe :cool:

[EdLev]

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

Calling this a logical leap of Olympic proportions would be an understatement. Not everything is a slippery slope.

Also, real-world soldiers are known for painting or sticking silly things on their vehicles. I'm not particularly bothered as long as they keep it relatively subtle.

[The Kush]

So, we recently have gotten a bit more information about the kind of things we'll be able customize. The quote below in particular caught my attention:

"Tray:We're also doing like, hood ornaments that you can put on your vehicle that will showcase games: Planetside, Free Realms, Everquest, Everquest 2. You know, little characters that you can put on your vehicle."

Really?

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

I still remember when advertisements were put into the original Planetside. At least they were pretty much restricted to the bases. It's a pity stuff like this is being put into the game. It's possible to sell customizations without turning this into an MMO version of TF2. Planetside is supposed to be about badass empire vs. empire vs. empire gameplay, not goofy customizations.

Thank you for raising awareness. I already started a thread about that here though:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?t=41196

I forgot about the PS1 advertisements, I really hope they stay away from that in PS2 but hey I guess they got to do what they got to do to keep the game going strong.

[DarkSkyes]

So, we recently have gotten a bit more information about the kind of things we'll be able customize. The quote below in particular caught my attention:

"Tray:We're also doing like, hood ornaments that you can put on your vehicle that will showcase games: Planetside, Free Realms, Everquest, Everquest 2. You know, little characters that you can put on your vehicle."

Really?

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

I still remember when advertisements were put into the original Planetside. At least they were pretty much restricted to the bases. It's a pity stuff like this is being put into the game. It's possible to sell customizations without turning this into an MMO version of TF2. Planetside is supposed to be about badass empire vs. empire vs. empire gameplay, not goofy customizations.


Ok, so lets not make this game free to play with micro transactions and charge $19.95 per month for it. That way we will see the player base drop off in about 12 months and be a dead game within 24 months.

Get real I would rather have 20,000 people playing this game for free and have micro transactions that are NOT compulsory, you have no idea yet as to what transactions will be implemented or how you can display them. Save judgement for beta.

[Graywolves]

I don't think Planetside's crowd is really interested in FreeRealms/otherSOE stuff anyways.

[LostAlgorithm]

Ok, so lets not make this game free to play with micro transactions and charge $19.95 per month for it. That way we will see the player base drop off in about 12 months and be a dead game within 24 months.

Get real I would rather have 20,000 people playing this game for free and have micro transactions that are NOT compulsory, you have no idea yet as to what transactions will be implemented or how you can display them. Save judgement for beta.

Where did I say I didn't want micro transactions again? Can you point it out to me?

I just don't want stupid micro transactions, like Free Realms car ornaments. At least that's a small example, but I can guarantee you it won't stop there, and I'm not even talking slippery slope stuff here.

[Crazyduckling]

"In debate or rhetoric, a slippery slope (also known as thin end of the wedge - or sometimes "edge" in US English - or the camel's nose) is a classic form of argument, arguably an informal fallacy. A slippery slope argument states that a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant effect, much like an object given a small push over the edge of a slope sliding all the way to the bottom.[1] The strength of such an argument depends on the warrant, i.e. whether or not one can demonstrate a process which leads to the significant effect. The fallacious sense of "slippery slope" is often used synonymously with continuum fallacy, in that it ignores the possibility of middle ground and assumes a discrete transition from category A to category B. Modern usage avoids the fallacy by acknowledging the possibility of this middle ground."

This.

and.

This thread is full of overreactions. You probably missed this. This is the type of hood ornament they are talking about.

http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/album/mp52rz6sp6/20111115_4ec2d12975d36.jpg

[LostAlgorithm]

This thread is full of overreactions. You probably missed this. This is the type of hood ornament they are talking about.

That's just one example.

I'm curious what we might find out from TB soon. He already mentioned chrome rims and colored headlights as well.

The term he used to describe the amount of customization was that they went "bat****" with it. Whether that means just a lot of really cool customizations or that they seriously went crazy and added a bunch of goofy stuff remains to be seen.

[Crazyduckling]

What a travesty. If this is going to be it, then I'd rather pay €12.99/mo., or perhaps a one-time fee to permanently disable ads.

Who said anything about in game ads? They were in PS1. Nothing has ever been mentioned about them being in PS2.

[Skepsiis]

If things are subtle like the vanu hood ornament in the picture above then they can go crazy with things like that and it would still be ok imo.

What i dont want to see is really silly stuff that looks completely out of place and doesnt fit in the game like guys running around in clown suits or a reaver that shoots missles that look like flying pigs.

The sort of thing i might buy is priority access for server queues, faster skill leveling, custom outfit logo, or maybe pay towards a vote system for a massive event or new feature/addition (think like a developement sponsorship drive where the thing that recieves the most donations gets implemented from a selection of competing ones). I doubt ill be interested much in cosmetic items unless they really grab me but i can see that a lot of people would be for sure.

[Hermes]

Are you really so naive to think that they're doing it for any other reason than to advertise their other games?

Hardly likely to be their prime motivation. :lol:

Your nit picking something to get offended about. The point is more about whether something fits in to the game or is jarring.

If it fits in with the visuals then there is zero problem here. If by some chance people are curious enough to research what a particular logo was about and find out about one of SOEs other games... where is the harm in that?


EDIT: Having caught up with some of the interview, I see more now where you are coming from. I think it all depends on how stylised the decals they might add are. They could do this right, or they could do it with the pure design goal of being for cross game advertising.

There's a happy middle ground there which I hope they are aiming for. Where as I think you are convinced the worst case is going to happen. Let's wait and see. You say naivety, I say optimism :)

[ArmedZealot]

While I do think this thread is a bit of an overreaction I would like to point out that if these were in the store I would not buy them. There is no point on spending money for a commercial.

If they come standard on free vehicles I might have a problem with this.

[Atheosim]

Immersion =/= $$$

or

Immersion = $$$?

[Knocky]

Just look at DCUO's cash shop. That game wasn't designed to be F2P. If they were going to go back to dumb ass crap like "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo" style advertising then that would be the place they tried it.

[Mechzz]

Guys, we're getting carried away about not very much here. This is the quote from the interview:

Thanks to CrazyDuckling for posting here:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?t=41120&page=9

Tray: Yeah, we can talk about it. .....So if you're talking about easter eggs, like throwbacks, those are the types of things we are talking about. We're also doing like, hood ornaments that you can put on your vehicle that will showcase games: Planetside, Free Realms, Everquest, Everquest 2. You know, little characters that you can put on your vehicle. When you somebody over, they'll see that in the kill cam.
Higby: It'll be the Vanu imprint right on their ass.

They're only talking about hood ornaments that have a game logo. Not talking about Blade-runner style video adverts on the side of Reavers or Galaxy Gunships.

[Xyntech]

Oh shit, a hood ornament that looks like something from another game.

My suspension of disbelief can't handle it.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go blow myself up with a grenade, miraculously come back to life, then go drive my hover tank around and pew pew pew at some guys dressed in blue and yellow armor, for the greater good of our lord Vanu!

[LostAlgorithm]

Oh shit, a hood ornament that looks like something from another game.

My suspension of disbelief can't handle it.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go blow myself up with a grenade, miraculously come back to life, then go drive my hover tank around and pew pew pew at some guys dressed in blue and yellow armor, for the greater good of our lord Vanu!

Missing the point there, bud. Cute attempt though.

It's not about suspension of disbelief, it's about what fits Planetside's story and style.

[Mechzz]

Missing the point there, bud. Cute attempt though.

It's not about suspension of disbelief, it's about what fits Planetside's story and style.

Surely the point is that T-Ray and Higby specifically mentioned only hood ornaments that look like Everquest, etc. logos. Nothing else. Any other suggestion is supposition and a "thin end of the wedge" argument (see post 2). Look at what they said.

I did support the argument to allow customisation to be turned off at a player's discretion. But suggesting that hood ornaments are a step too far and should not be allowed I cannot support.

[LostAlgorithm]

Surely the point is that T-Ray and Higby specifically mentioned only hood ornaments that look like Everquest, etc. logos. Nothing else. Any other suggestion is supposition and a "thin end of the wedge" argument (see post 2). Look at what they said.

I did support the argument to allow customisation to be turned off at a player's discretion. But suggesting that hood ornaments are a step too far and should not be allowed I cannot support.

Did I exaggerate in my first post? Of course, but if you think it'll stop at hood ornaments, I can just about guarantee you'll be wrong.

Ask yourself this: Does a Free Realms hood ornament make any sense in the lore of Planetside? No. Therefore it already has gone too far. Hood ornaments that advertise other SOE games are a step too far because they do not logically belong in the universe in any way. They exist simply to add a goofy advertisement angle to the game's customization.

[Sledgecrushr]

This might ba an instance of what you can find for "free" in the cutsomisation store.

[Xyntech]

Missing the point there, bud. Cute attempt though.

It's not about suspension of disbelief, it's about what fits Planetside's story and style.

Not really. It's a hood ornament. In the context of the story, it could mean anything. Maybe it's historical, since these are people from earth. I hear Free Realms is big in the year 3000.

I'd agree that something like people going around in pink sombraros is ridiculous, but considering that there has been no indication of anything remotely in that ballpark, I'd say that there isn't really anything to worry about at the moment.

If you can't stand to see a tiny little hood ornament of something slightly odd, I pity you, but I wouldn't miss you. I want the game to have as many players as possible, but I also want the game to get ongoing funding and development as well. So considering that players who can't take shit like this will be in the minority, no big loss.

Personally, I'm hoping for the ability to pay money to have custom decals put on our vehicles and shit. I want to put the thing from my sig pic on my Scythe. Now while that would make sense in the context of the game, I'm sure a lot of people will consider putting some pretty silly things on their custom decals, which will stand out a lot more than some little hood ornament.

But as long as there is some level of screening (which there would have to be anyways) for which custom decals were acceptable, I don't have any issue if someone wants to put a cartoon cat on their tank. Stuff gets painted on military vehicles in real life, and I can suspend my disbelief enough to overlook it being slightly more over the top in PS2 than it ever would be in real life.

Just keep some fucking perspective. It's not hard to justify a tank having a symbol on it. It would be hard to justify a soldier wearing bunny ears. Believe me, if they add any shit like that (assuming it isn't just some stupid event), I'll be up in arms with you.

It's just not that big a deal right now. As long as it stays in the realm of what they have currently shown and suggested, it's for the greater good of the game.

[FINALCUT]

I am much more interested in that sandwich in the picture then I am in the rest of this thread. Damn that looks good.

[LostAlgorithm]

Not really. It's a hood ornament. In the context of the story, it could mean anything. Maybe it's historical, since these are people from earth. I hear Free Realms is big in the year 3000.

Really?

Such a big deal that the military is putting it on their equipment...Despite the fact they probably haven't played it since they left Earth either.

https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTtQ97Zos3cjT0QKu9_hmFG1XkYybZWt M52sFAcD0_jgMoqCAVJBQ

If you can't stand to see a tiny little hood ornament of something slightly odd, I pity you, but I wouldn't miss you.

Aww, but I would miss you. :( So much so that I couldn't just leave over something like this.

I'm simply trying to cut this idea of goofy customizations off at the head a bit, or at least be a voice of reason against it. Doesn't seem like many others are.

It's just not that big a deal right now. As long as it stays in the realm of what they have currently shown and suggested, it's for the greater good of the game.

I disagree that it's not a big deal right now. It's much more likely that it already has gone beyond what has currently been shown. So I'm simply voicing my opinion on what I think is for the greater good of the game at a time when something might still be done about it.

[Crazyduckling]

They have to make money.

I hardly see this as advertising for other products. The last thing I am going to think when I see a hood ornament is "Oh golly gee wiz! That hood ornament looks like its from another really cool game! brb. gotta find out what it is."

Also, yes. This is an overreaction:

Does this mean I might reasonably expect to eventually see things like Froglok Helmets? Oh, or a customization that turns my ATV into a unicorn from Free Realms?! Oh, oh! Or maybe, just maybe, I can buy a customization that lets me plaster video advertisements all over my armor?!

[Tatwi]

I don't think Planetside's crowd is really interested in FreeRealms/otherSOE stuff anyways.

That's not true. I just spent about $10 in FreeRealms in the last 24 hours. Bought my eldest daughter a pink unicorn, a pink sprinkler, and a pink scare crow. I sometimes play Everquest II, but again these days it's mostly with my eldest daughter. She like to decorate and EQII is actually easier to decorate in than FR.

Anyhow, you can't really lump everyone here into the same demographic and likes/dislikes.

To the topic at hand... I hope I make it perfectly clear when I say, for the love God SOE, I hope the flying Cupid Ewoks were Lucas Arts idea. :doh:

[Kipper]

Yay! Another customization thread!

Chill pills need to be taken all round. Cosmetic customisations and in-game ads are here to bring in some revenue and keep the game from dying on its very expensive butt.

Pretty much nobody wants to see bunny ears and unicorns but personally, I'm not worried. All of the artwork we've seen so far has been bad-ass, and I don't see them stomping all over their creation by doing something so silly.... and in any case, the majority of the players can reject the inclusion of such stuff by not purchasing it - just because its there doesn't mean people will buy and use it.

As for little hood ornaments on your vehicle, again - not worried. It doesn't particularly make sense to have a naked angel thing on the front of a Rolls Royce, or a symbol that represents a propeller both BMW's and Mercedes cars if you think about it.... But its just something that's there and adds richness and diversity to the world and stops everything looking the same. (Actually, it doesn't really make sense that cars should even come in different colours at all, it doesn't affect the performance, why aren't they all still black? Maybe because people like personalising shit?!)

Also, I feel that headlights could be quite necessary for night time fighting... As long as we can cut them for stealthy approaches.

[Mechzz]

Also, I feel that headlights could be quite necessary for night time fighting... As long as we can cut them for stealthy approaches.

Ohhhh! Headlights, yes!

And I do hope the trusty old horn will make a return, even if only to the cash shop. How much would I pay to get an air-horn tune of my choice? Rights ownership issues aside, that would be fun :)

[Hamma]

mmmm.. Chill Pill. Really calms the soul.. ;)

[Khrusky]

The main thing about hood ornaments from other games is that it's either lazy or shameless advertising. There's no reason that the artists couldn't have designed a hood ornament that was an original design that looked more aesthetically pleasing than a game logo. Additionally if they start throwing out hood ornaments as rewards for buying other Sony games then that is not okay. If you happen to like another game, I'd rather you didn't wave around a statue of it. Shameless advertising by players for stuff they like shouldn't be allowed. I don't need some guy's tank that I'm trying to repair telling me about the life-changing benefits of the new shamwow. If I follow what the apologists say and simply don't partake in any of this, then basically I have a load of people who I can't help because I don't want to come close enough to them to see their crappy customisation, and that severely hampers a teamwork-based game.

Other people have said that this is minor stuff compared to the other things we accept as normal for the game, but the point they miss is that the things you accept are things with a defined internal logic. They have reasons, regardless of how flimsy they may be. A free realms logo is there solely to jerk you out of your experience, and press some other thing to buy in your face. It's basically the same as cold-calling or someone sticking a flyer to your car and I don't want it in the game, given the choice.

This isn't game-breaking, but it is a completely unwarranted nuisance.

[Crazyduckling]

I'll say this: Please. No spoilers. I don't wanna see that on a Vanny. :P

[The Janitor]

This game needs hats. That is all.

[Kipper]

Honestly, if they put in a Free Realms logo I wouldn't even know because I don't know what it looks like.

If they put in some sword or something from Everquest, I can deal with that, swords are a military type symbol, hell, TR logo is a sword.

You seem to think there'll be blimps flying around with neon advertising slogans on them. I don't think that will happen.

Chances are that stuff will be reasonably subtle and serve the purposes of allowing people to create their own unique look while bankrolling the game.

[Shogun]

if we get hood ornaments from other soe games, i will be very very disappointed, if there is nothing from starwars galaxies! the game has died some months ago, but it was a soe game, and it was the best soe game (after planetside of course).
so if soe needs to implement advertizing to their own games into planetside 2, they need to add dead old games as well, or veterans from dead games will feel neglected.

i just hope it´s not a licence problem to use starwars emblems in ps2. soe still owns some sw licence, right?

don´t add kiddy stuff like free realms and leave out the cool stuff!

by the way. some kill-sticker option for your vehicle would be cool. like the kills, movie-pilots put on their cockpit. it would be cool, to have a magrider silhuette sticker on my reaver and everytime i kill one, it gets another scratch beside it.
stuff like that would be worth a buy! funny pics from unrelated games don´t seem apropriate but i would tolerate it, as long as we get some really cool stuff as well.

[Striker KOJ]

mmmm.. Chill Pill. Really calms the soul.. ;)

Hamma, you look like the kind of guy that's taken quite a few pills and "chilled" in his day ;)

But as far as customization goes, I personally am torn. On the one hand, I agree with the camp that is worried about random objects thrust into a "realistic" setting.

On the other hand, if this game is going to have me hooked for close to a decade like the previous, I think it would be kind of cool to have some outlandish customization. It builds characters. Gives players a chance to distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd. Allows players to build even that much more of a rivalry. I would not be against a guy in a chicken suit, a la Family Guy. Who gives a damn? I think it would be hilarious.

For those who are concerned about the "lore", do you honestly think if you were stranded on a planet, unable to die, for who knows how many years, you would be worried about your uniform? People are going to get some cabin fevor. It's not like the ultimate winner of the conflict will be decided by which team has the most coheisive uniforms. We're fighting forEVER. Let me put on some Groucho glasses. Who gives a damn? I'm just going to get my head blown in and come back to life again anyway. Let me have some fun for the rest of eternity.

Costumes are going to have no affect on how "skilled" the player is, so who gives a damn how they look. You don't like someone's bunny ears? Put on your Elmer hat a go rabit hunting.

Now clearly, if the game is good, the game is good, and personally I don't NEED costumes to have fun, but I think it would be neat, and if free to play is the way to go, then let SOE make their money.

[Sabrak]

I'm playing a game set in the far distant future where SOE has long gone bankrupt (or bought out by EA), and in this fictional universe I don't want to be reminded of the games they used to have in the 21st century. It would ruin the consistency of the world for me.

Bitch please!

Haven't you read the lore of the game?

SOE still exists and has diversified.
It is now the biggest armament seller on Auraxis, providing means to kill everyone to everyone under the name of Nanite Systems.

Get your facts straight!

(And by the way, this thread sucks. SOE is gonna release Planetside 2 for FREE, let them add some ads for their others games if they want to. it's not like it's gonna pop-up on half of the screen in the middle of a raging battle.)

[Kipper]

I would not be against a guy in a chicken suit, a la Family Guy. Who gives a damn? I think it would be hilarious.

Dude, LostAlgorithm is going to hunt you down RL and torture you for ruining his free-to-download, free-to-play experience with your paid-for shit.....

[Striker KOJ]

Bitch please!
(And by the way, this thread sucks. SOE is gonna release Planetside 2 for FREE, let them add some ads for their others games if they want to. it's not like it's gonna pop-up on half of the screen in the middle of a raging battle.)

Honestly, as out of place as the advertisements were in the Sanctuaries, I gotta say they were effective. I will never forget the Old Spice brand of body wash.

"I'm two things in one..." *Whistle*

[Xyntech]

I disagree that it's not a big deal right now. It's much more likely that it already has gone beyond what has currently been shown. So I'm simply voicing my opinion on what I think is for the greater good of the game at a time when something might still be done about it.

I'm just slightly shocked at the reaction to what we have currently heard about this is all. Just makes me wonder what the reaction would be towards something more troubling.

Quite frankly, we just disagree, which is fine. Still, I can understand what you are saying about heading it off early.

For me, while it hasn't gotten to the point where it is even remotely worrying, I'm also not sure if I would even complain too much if it did start pushing past where I was comfortable with it. The game will not work as a paid subscription model. The game needs massive numbers, and F2P is the best way to ensure it has those, at launch and long after.

While I will never be okay with soldiers fighting in pink tutus (please, no jokes about our VS fashion sense ;)), I'm not going to second guess what the company needs to do to make money.

I want to just be able to play the game first and foremost, and for it to be as immersive as possible as a secondary concern. As long as the game doesn't turn into APB: Auraxis, I'll probably be pretty happy.

I say you should keep being a watchdog for things that concern you, but as others have said in the thread, just relax about it a little bit. It's probably worth talking about this and having these discussions, but it's not worth anyone getting too bent out of shape over it.

Also, I didn't mean to be flipant with you. I want you to enjoy the game without it being ruined for you. I just can't feel sympathy for those people who would miss out on the rest of PS2's awesomeness over nitpicking points, but that doesn't mean those nitpicks don't have their own amount validity as well.

Ideally, I wouldn't even put in hood ornaments myself, but F2P and customization means it's for the greater good. I'll probably pick a cool hood ornament that doesn't seem too out of place for my own sensibilities and make the best of it. That, or just avoid them altogether and pretend they don't exist ;)

:groovy: la-la-la, I can't see it, it doesn't exist, la-la-la-la-la :groovy:

[LostAlgorithm]

Dude, LostAlgorithm is going to hunt you down RL and torture you for ruining his free-to-download, free-to-play experience with your paid-for shit.....

Poor taste is torture enough, I say.

While I will never be okay with soldiers fighting in pink tutus (please, no jokes about our VS fashion sense ), I'm not going to second guess what the company needs to do to make money.

See, I don't see it as something they need to do. I see it as something they perhaps think they need to do, but really don't. I feel that the game could still be incredibly profitable if the customizations were kept more in line with the style and lore of Planetside.

Goofy, "fun" items are one way to be profitable, no doubt, but I see it as taking the easy way out and as a hit to the integrity of the IP. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I say you should keep being a watchdog for things that concern you, but as others have said in the thread, just relax about it a little bit. It's probably worth talking about this and having these discussions, but it's not worth anyone getting too bent out of shape over it.

Just because I post a lot in regards to the issue doesn't mean I'm not relaxed. I just like to dish a little bit back when people poke me, and sometimes being a little provocative is a good thing.

I'm passionate about the issue, but I'll still play Planetside 2 regardless. I just feel it'll be less of a game if they go too far with these customizations, so I'm making the point known.

Also, I didn't mean to be flipant with you. I want you to enjoy the game without it being ruined for you. I just can't feel sympathy for those people who would miss out on the rest of PS2's awesomeness over nitpicking points, but that doesn't mean those nitpicks don't have their own amount validity as well.

Ideally, I wouldn't even put in hood ornaments myself, but F2P and customization means it's for the greater good. I'll probably pick a cool hood ornament that doesn't seem too out of place for my own sensibilities and make the best of it. That, or just avoid them altogether and pretend they don't exist

Now this is a post I can respect. Thank you for posting this.

Where we differ is that I don't see these as being for the "greater good". I think they and others like you think they are, but I think the game could be better, and stronger, without them.

Nonetheless, thank you again for making a very reasonable post. /salute

[Kipper]

Everyone has the choice not to buy stupid stuff, so if it appears on the store - leave it, buy something planetsidey and ensure that those items are the profitable ones. Art resources will be put into what sells.

[Soothsayer]

I'm against anything too comedic or far removed from the militarism theme.

I felt pretty bitter when the everquest influence came into planetside and put what was already next to nonexistent development time into developing a wild west event instead of something that didn't totally disrupt my ideal planetside playtime. This is an example of what happens when you let the silly and whimsical into design decisions.

Hell, I chose Everquest 2 over WoW when that was a competition because I thought WoW's art style was terrible.

I think the team designing the customizations should look at the recent Saints Row game and take note of what not to do from there.

[Xyntech]

Well saints row is meant to be over the top, but still, the more serious they keep things, the happier I will be.

Maybe they don't need hood ornaments, but they do gotta have stuff to sell. More productive time may be spent suggesting ideas for large varieties of cosmetics that are more serious and closer in line with ps2s style. I'm not too concerned with the current direction they are taking or I would make my own list of suggestions.

At least everyone seems civil and interested in planetside 2 being as awesome and successful as possible. Always good to have threads like that.

[Artimus]

Changing headlights, rims, color pattern are all okay because I will be able to set my vehicals apart from the rest. Especially if an outfit puts alot if time into tweaking the look of there specialized vehical I am sure we will see some really unique vehicals. Even if it sticks out like a sore thumb I'm sure people will take pride in there creations.

as far as drastic tweaks like stated above. (clown suites, pig missels) would be a big no no for this game..but I'm sure you already know this. Anyways I would not mind seeing what halo reach did and tweaking the master chief armour ever so slightly but made a ton of versions :o

[Harkounen]

Just found out that tiny hood ornaments are being added to the game AND NOW MY GAMING EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN RUINED BEFORE IT EVEN BEGAN AHH-FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!! I demand full-motion advertisements to be pilot-able as vehicles.

But yeah.. tiny hood ornaments = no possible negative impact on me unless I'm bored enough to arbitrarily breed hatred to make it so :rolleyes:.

Would be nice to see "tiny throwbacks" to stuff I remember for a bit of subtle variety in the world. Not like we're gonna see giant wings on tanks or pillars of hats on infantry XD

[Xaine]

Have to agree with most of the people here.

I don't mind something like a Sword or Staff as a hood-ornament, as it could be a symbol, but even that is pushing it.

Keep the stylised realism theme in, keep the goofy TF2 stuff out. Works fine in TF2, doesn't work here.

[cellinaire]

I have to agree with the majority here.

No tinfoil hat in PS2 =)

[Xyntech]

I wonder if things like a Free Realms logo hood ornament will be unlocked by having played both PS2 and Free Realms on the same account, sort of like how some TF2 unlocks are gotten.

That's about the only way I can see that particular type of thing making sense, since I doubt a ton of people would pay for that particular cosmetic, and it seems kind of odd to just give it to everyone.

Cross promotion is always good for advertising. Maybe they could do a bit of a TF2 thing there, although hopefully extremely toned down. Like if you purchase x game on steam, you can unlock y cosmetic in PS2. Something tasteful and within the art style of Planetside would be acceptable I think.

It does seem like an area that they could get carried away very easily and end up adding some stupid shit, but I'm hopeful that they will keep a lid on it.