scumble on 11/4/2006 at 12:13

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The variety of faces in Oblivion is excellent, but something I wonder about is why it has been customary to put modifying the actual body off limits. Variety in physical appearance would make a big difference to the "realism" of the game world.
On one hand, I suppose there's a thing about the possibilty of making female characters with huge breasts (though that can always be limited to something sensible), with some apparently implied sexual gratification with such characters (Lara and Aida *ahem*), but that somewhat ignores the wider possibilty of variation in character bodies. We have differences in height, but some people are likely to be a little rotund, particularly the counts and countesses. Part of how you recognise people has to do with physical appearance, so why not allow it to be changed? Some people are fat and ugly, others are thin to an unhealthy looking degree. Old people start to sag and hunch over, they don't have the body of a 25-year old.
Perhaps it's just a lot more work to implement total character customisation, but it does seem like there's some implied standard that computer game characters are supposed to have idealised body types.

But, I think if such a system were implemented it would be much easier to recognise characters on sight, rather than having to walk up to them and check the info text more often than not.

RyushiBlade on 11/4/2006 at 21:54

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The problem with body alteration lies in the current method employed by Bethsoft for equipment. Bodies and armor, as far as I can tell, still remain fairly segmented. One of their 'fixes' (I assume) is combining pauldrons and not allowing clothes to be worn under armor.

If we want to see body customization, two things must take place: First, a rework of the character display. Everything needs to be able to actively blend together like clay, not stuck together like lego blocks. Next, a way to morph the armor and clothes with the body must be devised.

In my personal opinion, slight variations in height and weight shouldn't interfere too greatly with any armor or clothes textures. If you try to make a 600 pound guy, then of course the texture will look stretched. But adding on 20 or 30 pounds probably won't.

I hope Bethsoft doesn't releave ES:V for a good, long time. They should rework almost everything; not to say everything is bad, but even the 10 out of 10's can be made better with time.

twisty on 12/4/2006 at 00:35

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I spent close to two hours :o.

scumble on 12/4/2006 at 09:40

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That probably is the sticking point, and much work would have to be done to get armor to mould to any body shape.
I imagine in a few years we'll be seeing real-time cloth simulations, which would make clothing easier to "fit", as skinning would probably be redundant then to a certain extent. I think the robes look a bit poor because they are effectively solid shapes, with a solid bottom so that you can't even see your character's feet. If it was all real time, now that would be impressive. Flowing robes that don't appear to be supported by a frame.

PeeperStorm on 13/4/2006 at 04:00

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Yeah, and then they couldn't sell the game in a whole bunch of countries. Countries that are major markets, but have laws against games that might potentially depict violence against children.