Gemstore, Maps and Npcs

[hugo.4705]

How those three are linked between them? Good question. Why if Npcs you see around maps wear cosmetics from the gemstore? Outfits, BL chest weapons, mount skin, an instrument or unique armor pieces?

 

Before going further, some may think that this old evon is selling in fact "appareances" or "displays" that like wall papers simply change things by pasting over them. Or illusions/ holograms.

 

I prefer thinking another way, that evon, is wandering around Tyria to find exquisites and exotics fashions and creatures. Implying that those mount skins are existing creatures, and that outfits are created by stylists and armorers of a specific faction.

 

Am I thinking of locations added to cover each existing gemstore cosmetic? Not necessarely. It can be few npcs, like a duo wearing it and giving some basic lore if you talk to them. Who here doesn't remember those soldiers in HOT with their famous lines "That's quality armor!" "Thanks. Take a look!", those mists warrior wandering in LA on warclaw, or those citizens flying with their witch brooms? The musicians in amnoon casino? The elite lore Npcs of PoF, like that holosmith in the fields?

 

It would be basically the same here. Seeing a peacemaker in dynamic exo suit patrolling on exo raptor... a curiosity stand npc in the grove asking who would ride a mordrem wolf... some kids trying to be the best wizards near the entrance of DR... some lion guard wearing privateer bl weapon set.

 

It doesn't mean they have to look like crappy dealers, running toward any players they spot.

But they can attract attentions and in same time add diversity in npcs that are copy paste of each others: It will attract attention, to see that some of the nobles of DR aren't wearing the same blue dress as others but instead nobles outfits on gemstore. Seeing some awakened wearing the awakened outfit or that idea incubation lab gate keeper wearing that space marine outfit.

 

I'm pretty sure, see them after reading me as "Ads Signpost" but it makes sense to me, that those persons living in Tyria, being aware there is a black lion trading company, may buy goodies from them too. And it would that abberant to see a charr in black citadel playing metal bass along its two friends or a girl in hoelbrak playing flute. But even about bringing diversity, see arcane council, they are wearing clothes similar to the lesser importants npcs around there. See the wedding attire outfit, it looks more ministry than wedding, especially the male version. But anyway you get the idea.

 

We do have that Npc in black lion vault for the weapons, but do you think it is a life, is it efficient to push more players to buy them? No. If he wants to sell its weapons, it has to travel around, maybe with a dolyak like all those merchants in grothmar did to bring their stuffs.

 

Sure it is, placing under spotlight the cosmetics sold by the BLT Company, but it also may bring diversity of Npcs, more lore regarding those items. They are so many names that scream to have something associated to them... "Queensdale academy outfit" "Inquest exo suit" (Thinking of guards of rata sum inquest station wearing it) "Shrine guardian" (near ruins of ancient civilizations?) "Lunatic guard outfit" "Gallant lightbringer"

 

Even mounts, could be found, shown as peaceful hiding in unsuspected places or near certains settlements. (Imagine a traveller going from brisban wildlands to field of ruins.. by foot!)

 

So that's it, not necessarely a swarm of them everywhere. Imho, graphics are one of the big pros of guild wars 2, the artworks, the maps looks, loading screens, dialogue backgrounds in personnal story... why not showcasing even more pieces that are originally made from artworks all around tyria, showing a kind of recognition to thoses item designers, and in same time, giving more lores to us, story and lores lovers?

[Randulf.7614]

I have no objections to NPC's wearing gemstore skins, as long as they are dyed to levels that are sensible and not hot neon pink. They don't need lore or any extra dialogue, but maybe the odd 'cosmopolitan' NPC in Lions Arch or Divinity's Reach could be interesting. It would be fun seeing NPC's change their look over time as well. It would have to be kept to sparing use though

[Danikat.8537]

There are already some NPCs who use gem store items. For example there's at least one NPC in Lion's Arch going around on a broom (and not just during Halloween), various chef NPCs wearing the chef costume from the gem store, some of the Olmakhan on Sandswept Isles use gem store skimmer skins, and I'm sure I remember seeing kodan (possibly in Bjora Marches) riding the Dzalana Ice Scale raptor. Some of the Sentinels in the Dragonbrand wear the Sentinel outfit from the gem store too. Oh, and lots of Pact soldiers use the Pact Fleet weapon set, which is one of the black lion sets.

 

I'm sure there's other examples too, those are just ones I remembered while writing this post.

 

There's also still some NPCs wearing combinations of town clothes which are impossible for players since they became outfits.

[hugo.4705]

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

> There are already some NPCs who use gem store items. For example there's at least one NPC in Lion's Arch going around on a broom (and not just during Halloween), various chef NPCs wearing the chef costume from the gem store, some of the Olmakhan on Sandswept Isles use gem store skimmer skins, and I'm sure I remember seeing kodan (possibly in Bjora Marches) riding the Dzalana Ice Scale raptor. Some of the Sentinels in the Dragonbrand wear the Sentinel outfit from the gem store too. Oh, and lots of Pact soldiers use the Pact Fleet weapon set, which is one of the black lion sets.

>

> I'm sure there's other examples too, those are just ones I remembered while writing this post.

>

> There's also still some NPCs wearing combinations of town clothes which are impossible for players since they became outfits.

 

It has to checked, but chefs, sentinels and pact soldiers already had those skins way before those skins were released on the gemstore imho. I do agree on sandswept olmakhans and bjora kodans. If you stay in core maps, it is rarer, firstly, you will see no npcs using mounts. So no mount skins showcases. Secondly, essentially commander krewe is using some outfits, or even lunatic guard/sentinel wearing one for the sake of saying it. (Yes I noticed the broom npc)

As example, see that lunatic guard outfit, the lunatic guard have been here since launch (2012), somehow, it came on gemstore only the 27th october 2015.

But we can do an exercise going into each map and counting how many gemstore skins we see, not a lot.

 

I think you do have a point, we see more of those kind of gemstore skins on latest LS maps.

 

To continue on the subject, I noticed an effort from the gemstore team to try to give some context or fluff when making a gemstore news release page. Some turn of sentences and infos in the gemstore disturb me: For the mounts skins it is called "mount adoption" and they come from a "stable" on some outfit pages they say they are "commisioned" for those factions. Even the name of the items. I just think it is weird to have no lores behind them, but maybe it is just me.

[MidnightX.6294]

No thx. We already having enough fps-dropping stuff on playercharakters .

[Veprovina.4876]

If it's paired with lore, then yes.

 

Otherwise it would seem to me like i'm being coaxed to buy something as in *"Look at this, looks so nice, doesn't it? You can buy it in the gem store! You wanna look cool like this right? Only 2400 gems (or something)!"*

 

If there's lore attached to that outfit, then it's justifiable because who doesn't like more lore about something.

[Teratus.2859]

I think it really depends on the items.

 

For example I wouldn't want to see NPC's with odd costumes being dotted around the world that don't really fit.. like the Satrborn outfit for example.

 

I would be all for NPC's wearing outfits with some new lore behind them and I do think Anet has done the right thing with out companions getting new wardrobes from time to time and they selling those outfits on the gemstore.

 

But I don't want to see this with every outfit, some of them just don't quite fit in with the open world.

That said weird outfits like Starborn could work if they were promoted in content like Fractals and I wouldn't have a problem with that at all.

Just keep the open world clean of odd NPC's with strange out of place outfits.

[Westenev.5289]

Npc's already wear gemstore skins. I mean, the boss of the new fractal wears shrine guardian outfit, in fact!