Character descriptions
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- sanchez
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We've had this discussion many times before, and it's always largely the same. Any way you implement colours will make some people very uncomfortable, at least. But right now, you have total freedom to RP any way you like, that doesn't interfere with anyone else's concept of the game. What's wrong with that?
- BZR
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- SekoETC
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joo wrote:I am sorry, but I just completely disagree with anybody being able to spawn with unnatural hair colours. It will make Cantr seem like some kind of high fantasy game, with elves and fairies with pink hair... I also disagree with allowing people to choose a "third" gene for their hair - you cannot choose your strength, or your skills - the only thing you are allowed to choose is yout gender, but that is because it affects gameplay so much.
In fact high fantasy is very close to earth and would not allow unnatural hair colors. It's more of an anime thing.
You cannot choose your strength or skills because it affects your survival and chances of getting rich, but appearance is completely trivial, (unless people start killing off the bearers of unnatural genes). I still continue to think that this is something that could be handled in game. If your characters don't like people with unnatural hair colors, it would be completely legitimate to attempt killing them. The difference would be that hard-coding these things makes the choices permanent and visible. Also you could found communities that only allow people with natural hair colors as their members, but currently you couldn't do that because colors are "invisible" unless the player happens to reveal it in rp. Don't you think it's unnatural that you might travel with someone for years before realizing he has black skin because he forgot to emote it? Then you feel like a fool for talking about getting a tan. (This actually happened in-game, years back.)
Also, even with choosing one gene, there's quite a large chance of not getting the color you hope for.
Assuming all genes are equally common, choosing a blond gene will ead into 33% chance of getting a natural light color, 33% getting a bright unnatural color, 7% cooper blond, 7% bluish gray and 20% brown.
With the dark gene, 27% dark blue, 7% black, 33% reddish brown, 27% yellowish brown and 7% ash blond.
With the red gene, 27% distinctive red/orange, 13% reddish brown, 20% light naturals, 33% yellowish brown, 7% teal.
With the blue gene, 40% some depth of blue, 27% purple, 27% natural shades of brown and 7% teal.
With the pink gene, 33% distinctive red or orange, 7% mauve, 27% purple and 33% brown.
I still don't understand the being uncomfortable with colors aspect but people could well choose their characters to be albinos or gray-scale if they find colors offensive. The characters could also be color blind when it comes to colors of other characters.
BZR: There was a time when clothes were rp'ed. It was changed and no one complained that it would ruin their roleplaying when they suddenly realized they were naked. No, they went and made loin cloths.
Not-so-sad panda
- sanchez
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- Dudel
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I don't see the problem with a little 'diversity'. So what some people have blue hair, so what some people have brown hair. Who cares! I think it would be nice to have some form of visal repesnentation of the character. Also who says that pink and blue arn't natural hair colors in Cantr? Have you ever <i>seen</i> a character with your own eyes? Heck for all we know half the characters in Cantr are bald or albinos!
- sanchez
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I think this should be implemented. It could get SO fun!!
People don't like changes, that's why they keep the old stuff, even if it often could get much better. People will complain, people always complain. But after we get used to it, it will be as natural as having clothes in the game...

People don't like changes, that's why they keep the old stuff, even if it often could get much better. People will complain, people always complain. But after we get used to it, it will be as natural as having clothes in the game...
Jos Elkink wrote:Cantr?
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The hair color is a reflex of the body functioning and such colorations are rare probably because the elements needed for the substances that create them are rare. It is a matter of the evolution of species, those who needed rare elements to produce their structures were eliminated.
Pink and blue hair wouldn't be common in any way. However, colorations near red, black, brown or mixed with white wouldn't hurt. (Ebony Rose, Copper Rose, Amaranth, Raspberry Rose, Tea Rose and Misty Rose for pink. I don't have many ideas for blue.)
As to choice, people could choose a 'mutation' gene. Then is up to luck. And the other chars, of course.
Pink and blue hair wouldn't be common in any way. However, colorations near red, black, brown or mixed with white wouldn't hurt. (Ebony Rose, Copper Rose, Amaranth, Raspberry Rose, Tea Rose and Misty Rose for pink. I don't have many ideas for blue.)
As to choice, people could choose a 'mutation' gene. Then is up to luck. And the other chars, of course.
"Navegar é preciso; viver não é preciso"
- Dudel
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sanchez wrote:Dudel, that is exactly why this should all be left to RP.
Dudel doesn't rp color. He finds it to be annyoing having to describe himself to every new person. I just leave them as basic blobs however I do know how I wan't them to look but I would not care if this was 'smashed' to bits but I'm not a stickler for thing.
Also why should it be left to rp? If you do that then I could have a hair cacoon around my body but hey... I'm still naked? Or how about having some dumb thing like one hair?
I think some things should be limited to prevent CRB's. Thats what I see this as, a way to prevent CRB's. Of course the purists will say that this will cause CRB's somehow.
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Granattacker has previously wrote:And before someone says that this is limiting the imagination of the player, you cannot choose how someone is but you can alter it. What do you think plastic surgeons, whigs, make-up and body paiting are for? See it like that, we take off the limit plus we add dynamic into game activities. And admit it, would you ever think Michael Jackson was even human?
Self quoting! YEAH!
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- SekoETC
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If people want genes, then the selection of colors will either
1) be limited to predefined options
or
2) be calculated mathematically - which would mean that (complex) verbal labels could not be included.
I tried to make a palette that covers the colors I've seen being rp'ed in the game + several taken from hair dye catalogs found online so that it would be diverse enough for people to find something that's at least close enough to what they imagined. If that's not good enough then make another one. Or write a formula for calculating results based on RBG values. I never said it's final or that people would have to use it. It upsets me very much that you would insinuate that.
If people want full unlimited diversity, that everybody could rp what ever they want, it just does not fit in on the same page with genes. People need to pick one or the other. I have no preferences but I'd still think that any hard-coded system would be better than having to express such things in rp.
1) be limited to predefined options
or
2) be calculated mathematically - which would mean that (complex) verbal labels could not be included.
I tried to make a palette that covers the colors I've seen being rp'ed in the game + several taken from hair dye catalogs found online so that it would be diverse enough for people to find something that's at least close enough to what they imagined. If that's not good enough then make another one. Or write a formula for calculating results based on RBG values. I never said it's final or that people would have to use it. It upsets me very much that you would insinuate that.

If people want full unlimited diversity, that everybody could rp what ever they want, it just does not fit in on the same page with genes. People need to pick one or the other. I have no preferences but I'd still think that any hard-coded system would be better than having to express such things in rp.
Not-so-sad panda
- Dudel
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SekoETC wrote:If people want full unlimited diversity, that everybody could rp what ever they want, it just does not fit in on the same page with genes. People need to pick one or the other. I have no preferences but I'd still think that any hard-coded system would be better than having to express such things in rp.
Well I think thats what I was trying to say but again Seko makes more sence then Dudel does. Maybe I should just stop talking/typing.
I also think that the more things that are hard-coded then the more people will play. (IMHO)
- joo
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I have nothing against hair, eye and skin colours being hard-coded into the game. This is good, especially if it will stop people from arbitrarily choosing colours they want for their characters. It can only be a step forward if the more details about the world are established. It will give characters an identity that can be used to describe them, along with their clothing, if somebody doesn't know their name.
I do, however, have an objection to players being able to choose any element of their appearance. It is simply unneccesary and unrealistic. The only way people could consciously choose a set of colours would be if they somehow though it would suit their chosen personality, and have you ever met someone whose personality matches their natural appearance? As for people who have already decided what their characters look like, and RPd this, as I said before their character descriptions can remain blank. A complication programming-wise, but certainly not a huge problem to implement.
People can modify their appearance by dyeing and cutting their hair, by tanning or tatooing their skin, by wearing different clothing, possibly jewellrey to decorate their faces or cover them with facecloths, etc. Most of these have not been implemented yet, but they are still possible.
As for unnatural hair colours, it simply does not make sense. All through the design of the game it was made to resemble real life - there are lakes, mountains, trees; people have to eat to live; they can make tools out of bone, wood, metal, etc; they can be male or female -- so why should be suddenly depart from logic and allow people to have fantastical appearances. Nobody can be born with pink or blue hair - that is a fact, and there is no reason, besides that some players might be obsessed with manga or whatever and imagine their characters having pink hair and long pointy ears.
Edit, also, as for describing hair colour, there should be both a visual representation and a textual description. The visual representation because Cantr should never rely on anything that does not have an equivalent in text. Some players who use non-visual or portable device browsers would depend on having a text version. There should also be a swatch, just to show what the colour actually looks like so different colours can be compared with each other. People might see the colours differently if there was just a description.
Of course more natural colours than Seko has presented here can be created and described - there could be fine gradients in between, more and less saturated and bright versions (naturally white hair was left out, for example). There are also hair types: straight, curly, frizzy, etc.
I do, however, have an objection to players being able to choose any element of their appearance. It is simply unneccesary and unrealistic. The only way people could consciously choose a set of colours would be if they somehow though it would suit their chosen personality, and have you ever met someone whose personality matches their natural appearance? As for people who have already decided what their characters look like, and RPd this, as I said before their character descriptions can remain blank. A complication programming-wise, but certainly not a huge problem to implement.
People can modify their appearance by dyeing and cutting their hair, by tanning or tatooing their skin, by wearing different clothing, possibly jewellrey to decorate their faces or cover them with facecloths, etc. Most of these have not been implemented yet, but they are still possible.
As for unnatural hair colours, it simply does not make sense. All through the design of the game it was made to resemble real life - there are lakes, mountains, trees; people have to eat to live; they can make tools out of bone, wood, metal, etc; they can be male or female -- so why should be suddenly depart from logic and allow people to have fantastical appearances. Nobody can be born with pink or blue hair - that is a fact, and there is no reason, besides that some players might be obsessed with manga or whatever and imagine their characters having pink hair and long pointy ears.
Edit, also, as for describing hair colour, there should be both a visual representation and a textual description. The visual representation because Cantr should never rely on anything that does not have an equivalent in text. Some players who use non-visual or portable device browsers would depend on having a text version. There should also be a swatch, just to show what the colour actually looks like so different colours can be compared with each other. People might see the colours differently if there was just a description.
Of course more natural colours than Seko has presented here can be created and described - there could be fine gradients in between, more and less saturated and bright versions (naturally white hair was left out, for example). There are also hair types: straight, curly, frizzy, etc.
- Doug R.
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