Why can't we get a character creation?

[Muaxh03]

I'm a new player to ARPGs, the WASD movement and general quality makes me very excited about this game but my only issue or nitpick is the character creation.

I've asked around on Reddit and whatnot and far as I know every class can wear and use every weapons if they have the required points for it, like a ranger can use a sword and wear heavy armor. So first I thought they couldn't give us character creation because they probably made heavy armors to fit only warrior model for example but that's not the case so why can't we have a basic character creation?

Even presets for classes would be nice, 2 preset for each class maybe. I've got downvoted on Reddit for asking this and the generally the answer was no one cares, or you won't see your character under armor, which they're right in some aspects but character creation is important for me any many others, also armors look different on woman characters etc. and to RP it would be nice to have.

I think this is the same issue as WASD on Diablo 4, all "long time" players hated the idea and mocked people for wanting it but outside of that "long time" players, new players wanted it and PoE2 announced that they were doing it and Diablo 4 added WASD movement as well. I think the same is happening, people that don't care or used to non existing character creation on PoE hate the idea of character creation for literally no reason, it would be just a basic game mechanic that people would appreciate, especially new players.

I've watched a lot of interviews about the devs of PoE2 and in one of them they explained that there isn't many humanoid characters so they don't have any reason to use resources to build a character creation. This is completely fine, but we should meet in the middle my idea of fixing this is a preset system, you click on the character and select from 2 different models with this you don't have build a character creation but can provide variety so every warrior class is not the same dude running around. Other method could be let us choose our class and model differently, for example, let me pick ranger but after that I can choose to play as the druid model.

TL;DR: As a new ARPG player, I'm excited about the game but disappointed with the lack of character creation options. every class can use any armor and weapons, so why not have at least a couple of presets per class for more variety so every warrior class won't be the same dude running around. I believe character customization is important, especially for new players to the genre. The devs mentioned limited humanoid models as a reason for the lack of options, but a simple preset system could offer more variety without requiring extensive resources or a paid mtx options to make more money.

Edit: To people that think it's useless because you don't see your character when wearing armor, your characters' size, length, gender etc. affects how they look on you, so that's why it's important to have some way of character creation or customization, here's a class comparison for the same armor from the devs 00:19 https://youtu.be/q7AcUwU2QUI?si=fmEGOxmcVjqspeO9&t=19

[=PALMITu ☯∞☯]

It's to make development faster. MUCH faster.
It's not that simple as to make two 3D models to pick from the start.
For that they will have to do a lot.

It is not in the game cuz as devs they don't need to focus on something that need to have multiple versions, like male and female walking cycles, are different, and GGG wouldn't do the same as the rest of aaa devs and make everyone walk like a man to cut effort and push agendas.
So they would have to have at least 2 variations of the same thing for each class and each interaction cuz they wnt 2 bodies for everything character's related.

Imagine, Each class at least 2 bodies, each class 2 rig systems, 2 animations for every movement even with the same goal, even if some animations were shared, in the end it's extra work to put all together, which in the end doesn't change anything substantially in the gameplay experience, which is the focus of POE2 now, game will be packed with content.

And nobody sees your face directly anyway, so...
It's better to expend time and make another monster than to create versions of the same thing that has not much impact on gameplay experience.

If your appearance affected the world, it would be cool, imagine making an ugly char to scare mobs, hahaha, Not there yet.

BUTT, Who knows, maybe later on when everything is established. Big effort is required.

If it had that, it would be cool, yes, but it doesn't and I don't care.

It would be easier if there were skin versions of the characters for the base model, with no difference in the major choices, like gender, but with different skins for the same class, so that one player looks a bit different from the other... But I think even that is being designed and done through armor and items.

Or maybe just a system of body proportions, different for each player, some tall, some short, etc... but that would be a system that would limit how armor is made... a possible rig nightmare to the rig devs.

This was definitely discussed in the GGG meeting room. 100% sure.
The game is BIG, so much content.

If it's not in the game, it's because it's not necessary for the game itself... since it doesn't change much the gameplay, the story, etc... I see what the designer said there.

That's what I think, since I study how games are made for years, that's what it seems to me.

No money for trivial stuff.
Gameplay first,
Many classes and stuff as possible.

A solid foundation and methodology to build future content.

[Sexcalibur]

Originally posted by Muaxh03:

I'm a new player to ARPGs, the WASD movement and general quality makes me very excited about this game but my only issue or nitpick is the character creation.

I've asked around on Reddit and whatnot and far as I know every class can wear and use every weapons if they have the required points for it, like a ranger can use a sword and wear heavy armor. So first I thought they couldn't give us character creation because they probably made heavy armors to fit only warrior model for example but that's not the case so why can't we have a basic character creation?

Even presets for classes would be nice, 2 preset for each class maybe. I've got downvoted on Reddit for asking this and the generally the answer was no one cares, or you won't see your character under armor, which they're right in some aspects but character creation is important for me any many others, also armors look different on woman characters etc. and to RP it would be nice to have.

I think this is the same issue as WASD on Diablo 4, all "long time" players hated the idea and mocked people for wanting it but outside of that "long time" players, new players wanted it and PoE2 announced that they were doing it and Diablo 4 added WASD movement as well. I think the same is happening, people that don't care or used to non existing character creation on PoE hate the idea of character creation for literally no reason, it would be just a basic game mechanic that people would appreciate, especially new players.

I've watched a lot of interviews about the devs of PoE2 and in one of them they explained that there isn't many humanoid characters so they don't have any reason to use resources to build a character creation. This is completely fine, but we should meet in the middle my idea of fixing this is a preset system, you click on the character and select from 2 different models with this you don't have build a character creation but can provide variety so every warrior class is not the same dude running around. Other method could be let us choose our class and model differently, for example, let me pick ranger but after that I can choose to play as the druid model.

The real question is… why do you absolutely need one?

It’s insanely pointless in a type of game your character is geared from head to toe and where the monetization is cosmetics

[Muaxh03]

Originally posted by Sexcalibur:

The real question is… why do you absolutely need one?

It’s insanely pointless in a type of game your character is geared from head to toe and where the monetization is cosmetics

I just want it, that's a simple answer.

Just like there's cosmetics that you can buy I want more customization of my character, armor look different on different characters, height, size, gender etc change with characters even if you don't see your character you can still tell that it's your character and you know that it's your character. I just don't like the feeling of every class being the same character. Another reason is to RP.

[Shiiru]

Originally posted by =PALMITu ☯∞☯:

It's to make development faster. MUCH faster.
It's not that simple as to make two 3D models to pick from the start.
For that they will have to do a lot.

It is not in the game cuz as devs they don't need to focus on something that need to have multiple versions, like male and female walking cycles, are different, and GGG wouldn't do the same as the rest of aaa devs and make everyone walk like a man to cut effort and push agendas.
So they would have to have at least 2 variations of the same thing for each class and each interaction cuz they wnt 2 bodies for everything character's related.

Imagine, Each class at least 2 bodies, each class 2 rig systems, 2 animations for every movement even with the same goal, even if some animations were shared, in the end it's extra work to put all together, which in the end doesn't change anything substantially in the gameplay experience, which is the focus of POE2 now, game will be packed with content.

Easier solution, just allow players to use the currently available character models independent of the class. Models, animations, and sounds already exist. Each of them have fairly unique silhouettes which can actually be seen despite being fully armored.

Originally posted by Sexcalibur:

The real question is… why do you absolutely need one?

It’s insanely pointless in a type of game your character is geared from head to toe and where the monetization is cosmetics

As above, and they could monetize unlocking alternate base models same as buying an armor cosmetic.

[Avine]

Can't even see your character most of the time, no point.

[Mortiaris]

Why should we need creator with so many armors and mtx...Most mtx are invicible, plus characters are some lore preset, thats why game have lore. Not like diablo with female paladins.

[m99noble]

all these no character creator people sound like no wasd people.
"old system work just fine. Dont need it in my ARPG. Play Fortnite instead!"

Like yall literally use the same argument lines as the no wasd people xD.

[Muaxh03]

Originally posted by m99noble:

all these no character creator people sound like no wasd people.
"old system work just fine. Dont need it in my ARPG. Play Fortnite instead!"

Like yall literally use the same argument lines as the no wasd people xD.

Exactly lmao, I'm sick of responding to them. "I don't want it so no one should have it" mentality is insane. This should be studied or something.

[Shiiru]

Did some searching, there has been a comment from the game director on character customization.

TL;DR: Full customization is a no. Different models has potential.

Reddit post from around 10 months ago. First comment from NegativeFrags.

I personally don't particularly want to implement the full on character editor that a lot of games have.

We don't currently have anything like that, and it's something that would take a huge amount of work. It's also something that I don't think would have a huge payoff for us. You tend to immediately cover your character up with armour after all.

I think the reason that a lot of games even get away with the dev cost of it is because they use the same tech for creating NPCs in their game world as well. If you need to create hundreds of human characters, and you want your game designers to be able to do that, then an in engine character editor can make that happen.

But this kind of thing goes against our philosophy in some ways.

When designing a town we prefer to have 4 characters that say 40 things, rather than 40 characters that say 4 things. I like a small town, with a few characters where we have room to explore the characters individually more, rather than having a giant sprawling town with a bunch of forgettable NPCs.

That said, we will probably eventually have MTX's that swap the entire character out for a different one (which we would then also have voice acting for). If we did that, we would likely start to alternate gender versions of all our character classes since that is something that I think quite a lot of players would like to have.

Source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PathOfExile2/comments/18jspcf/gender_selection_and_character_customization/

[Muaxh03]

Originally posted by Shiiru:

Did some searching, there has been a comment from the game director on character customization.

TL;DR: Full customization is a no. Different models has potential.

Originally posted by Muaxh03:

I've watched a lot of interviews about the devs of PoE2 and in one of them they explained that there isn't many humanoid characters so they don't have any reason to use resources to build a character creation. This is completely fine, but we should meet in the middle my idea of fixing this is a preset system, you click on the character and select from 2 different models with this you don't have build a character creation but can provide variety so every warrior class is not the same dude running around. Other method could be let us choose our class and model differently, for example, let me pick ranger but after that I can choose to play as the druid model.

Yeah like I mentioned on my main post, we should meet in the middle and have different models at least.

[m99noble]

Originally posted by Avine:

Can't even see your character most of the time, no point.

you cant even see your whole outfit most of the time. is there a point to wearing different clothes/outfits? Id argue yes. In the context of cosmetic value.

[Protean1]

They could put alternative faces, hair, etc. in the cash shop.

Alternative body types get tricky, depending on if the cosmetics they're going to sell in PoE 2 are going to be class-agnostic (like PoE 1) or class-specific. Class-specific cosmetics tend to look better, because they are tailored to fit a particular model. A robe that was intended for a tiny Witch can often end up looking goofy and stretched-out on a bigger character, and big, bulky armor intended for bigger characters ends up looking ridiculous on a tiny Witch, for example.

[CroDanZ]

You do "character creation" via your equipment and different skins. ;)

[Muaxh03]

Originally posted by CroDanZ:

You do "character creation" via your equipment and different skins. ;)

Why not have a normal character creation too?

[Kao]

Would love M/F, stature and hair cut/color. Those you can see, espcially if you like to hide helmet like I do.