Replica Armors

[trousers]

Some of us have been asking for a Social Version of OTAF and Sent armor for years to aid in Roleplaying.

Now that these armors have been created, is it going to be possible to obtain these from ARK Events for participation? If not, should we also expect all of our future requests for social improvements to have a dollar amount attached to them?

[Towerblock]

Ooooooh, now this is a pretty slick idea. Doubly so, should newland militia socials be added as well.

[Lylith]

I've seen those AI Social packs handed out as rewards for costume contests on DNW a few times, so I'll say give it a year or so and you'll probably be able to get some of those social packages from events, albeit very very rarely.

Then again....it's a very nice cash cow for FC so it may be completely different in this case.

[Leileena]

Do note that the shop even contains ICC armor. It has been said before that the ICC are too powerful for players to impersonate. Apparently the rules go out the window as soon as it involves payment.

[Saetos]

And the OTAF/Sentinel armors apparently have no side requirements.

[FoosballX]

Ummm players have affiliated with the ICC before. and I would have to disagree with being too powerful. I would say Omni-Opts and Reform are far more powerful and people play them all the time.
Besides armor does not make the character so. I mean you can get DB armor but you still can't say you're in the DB.

I'm really wondering so can we expect Christmas drops, or will we have to pay for those items this year as well?

[Pheats]

There are currently no plans to award these items as events rewards, if at any time we do decide to give these out it would be funcoms decision.

Our stance on things such as playing ICC has also no changed, we cannot support such characters and our character interaction with such characters would be limited.

And as stated by foosball, armour does not make a character, unless your character sets themselves up as a member of otaf/sentinels or such, wearing the armour will be seen as more of a costume or disguise than actual armour by the events characters, this is especially relevant to factions wearing the other factions armour.

That isn't to say you can't use them to enhance your characters role, but do not expect slapping on some armour to be enough to fill in your entire characters story.

[Redesine]

armour does not make a character, unless your character sets themselves up as a member of otaf/sentinels or such, wearing the armour will be seen as more of a costume or disguise than actual armour

Surely the only information you have when meeting a character is their appearance. Anything else - like assuming that they're wearing a disguise - is metagaming.

[trousers]

Surely the only information you have when meeting a character is their appearance. Anything else - like assuming that they're wearing a disguise - is metagaming.

Owned.

[Pheats]

True, but looking at their gear you can draw a few conclusions.

For example if their an omni-tek character walking up to you in sentinel gear your not going to think "ahh sentinel" your going to think "hmm someone dressing up as sentinels now?"

Or if a neutral in otaf gear walks up to you in the middle of old athens your not going to think "Oh look a single omni-tek trooper here in the middle of a clan city" your going to think "Why is this guy dressed like this and when is the polite time to shoot him?" (at least if your a sentinel clanner yourself)

And then when they start chatting to you your going to come to more conclusions.

It all comes down to setting and situation, Im just saying that if you approach an LTC or events character in full kit having never met them before theres a chance their going to assume your not what you look like.

Specially if its full otaf geared person approaching someone in the middle of old athens or sentinel in omni-hq.

If they turn around and say no its not a costume/disguise and start playing their character to fit the equipment that's all fine and dandy but they could potentially also play the same character in a clown suit, it may be more humorous but it comes down the same.

On the other side if someone wearing full sentinel kit on an omni character walks up starts talking about the last OAM meeting and how they love shooting clanners they won't be able to say their a sentinel because their wearing the armour, no ones going to believe that and such will think they went to a local costume shop and got themselves a little confused.

[trousers]

True, but looking at their gear you can draw a few conclusions.

For example if their an omni-tek character walking up to you in sentinel gear your not going to think "ahh sentinel" your going to think "hmm someone dressing up as sentinels now?"

Still a metagame situation because you're going, "Oh, look at the Omni." Last I checked we don't have the word tattooed to our foreheads.

Stop encouraging Metagaming, Mr. Director!

[Pheats]

That again comes down to what your character is, generally people have accepted that certain people would have ways of checking details like that, may not be everyone nor work 100% (people could still argue that their not and just a glitch) but its still something thats available, it would be hard to say its not allowed completely when every npc does it automatically.

Also you'd note that non of the actual reactions mentioned their factions, just what you see may have confirmed your stance of disbelief/belief. In fact if you removed the faction comment from any of them the assumption should still be valid.

The faction would just make the situation even less likely, an omni wearing sentinel gear walking up to you in tir will still be getting attacked by the sentinel guards, and of course sentinels wouldn't really walk up to anyone in any zones where an omni wouldn't get attacked by the guards, any encounters around newland for example would probably contain a lot more shooting on the sentinels part.

If a policeman walks up to me in real life if there's things that don't generally fit about him then I'd probably want to see confirmation before I believed he was one that's just the way impressions work, clothes don't make the person the person makes the clothes!

[Kintaii]

Still a metagame situation because you're going, "Oh, look at the Omni." Last I checked we don't have the word tattooed to our foreheads.

Stop encouraging Metagaming, Mr. Director!

Last I checked Omn's pop up as blue dots on the minimap. With the advanced nature of the technology level in the AO universe, saying that a character can detect faction via their built-in HUD overlay and NCU isn't exactly a stretch.

Being able to detect an Omni or a Clanner from a glance isn't metagaming any more than a piece of weaponry being able to detect what faction is holding it is metagaming.

[Leileena]

Still can't say I like the idea though. Allowing people to, without any effort, wear armor that used to be something very difficult to get is not cool. Allowing them to do that for the laughable price of 100 coins which is extremely cheap compared to a lot of other items in the shop makes me quite sad when I consider the effort I put in my chars for all those years. Allowing them to do this for armor their faction normally would not ever be able to get... I just don't have words for it.

Sure, I won't take a RPer serious if it's a clanner in OTAF armor, but that doesn't make this any less of a ridiculous situation.

Damn... I remember a time where everyone in AO had equal chances, not depending on the chances they had in their real life. Playing computer games, to me, is a way of escaping from reality for a moment. Now reality comes right back and slaps me in the face when I log on and see a dimwit powergamer in ICC armor. Good job guys, good job.

[trousers]

Pheats gets the points here for having a clue.

[Zeephonz]

So what happens if I roll up as a neutral dressed in ICC gear? They're white dots on the map, just like the NPC's.

Is that OK?

[Zeephonz]

There are currently no plans to award these items as events rewards, if at any time we do decide to give these out it would be funcoms decision.

Thi$ option $urely ha$ gone out the window now that they're for $ale?

Would be kinda rude to hand thi$ $tuff out when other$ are having to $pend their dollar$.

[Pheats]

They may dress up as ICC and RP as ICC however I am afraid we cannot support their characters in any official capacity, the effect the ICC can have on rubi-ka is just far too great.

This organization could easily completely disrupt the balance of power on rubi-ka and change how everyone's characters are even just indirectly as they could basically control the storyline.

As such, while your free to make ICC characters, we cannot support them officially as doing so would have too great an effect over other players and funcoms storyline.

I hate putting up such rules but when it comes down to it, its funcoms call and its their storyline and its understandable they wish to remain in control of it.

Not supporting them is at least better then trying to dictate absolutely everything that character can say and do.

Is this right? Is this wrong? I can't say, its just how it currently is. It may change it may not but I do not have control of that.

As for the items reward option going out of the window, it may have it may not have, these social versions have only just been made so events couldn't have done anything about it, it is up to funcom to decide whether they wish to allow for alternate ways to get these outside of purchasing or not.

[FoosballX]

I honestly really don't see how someone playing an ICC guard would cause much damage at all. That person wouldn't really have anymore power then someone playing Omni-pol.
Even if someone was going around playing and ICC guard, which is about all they could really do. They still really wouldn't have much authority on anything.
Honestly I think Events/FC not allowing neutrals to affiliate with the ICC is pretty weak. Again I'll say, I feel most of the Omni depts are far and away more powergamable then the ICC would be.

Honestly I just think it's going to suck when pretty much most of the new social armor is going to be able to be bought instead of achieved through game. I'm glad the browser didn't come out before Halloween. Odds are Christmas is going to suck pretty bad.

OH and before anyone comes and runs to defend FC *coughs* Kintaii *coughs* Means already flat lied to the community about selling power, so as of right now anything coming out about the future of AO will be believe after it's done.

[Lylith]

You know what really irks me? Back when the social tab was introduced someone from FC (I think it was Means) stated that no one would be able to wear armor/items locked to another profession or side. Back then the decision was explained by wanting to keep the visual differences between the factions/professions.
Guess that changed now that money is involved...