42 replies to this topic

[Victor Morson]

The excellent and generally positive Q&A session today did reveal one thing I was pretty disappointed in: The lack of custom logos. I understand the reasoning due to legal concerns, for sure, since said logos would need to be uploaded to PGI's servers (and thus become their problem) rather than being transmitted directly from the players (i.e. Source game sprays).

That leads me to this suggestion. I'm fairly certain that a lot of units really want to work some form of their custom logos into the game. Thus, I am hoping for the eventual addition of a Decal Creator.

If anyone has played CoD: Black Ops or many other games that have these, effectively they provide a whole bunch of random stickers that players can arrange and modify into their own custom logos and signatures. In addition, each sticker is a pay-for item with the in-game currency (which could be worked into PGI's F2P model effectively) so it seems like a good bet.

As players are then making images of their own - unable to upload copyrighted content even if they emulate it - this really clears PGI from the vast majority of problems associated with custom decals while still allowing players to customize their content. I was running with a nice version of the Blazing Aces logo on my Black Ops gun for a long time.

Anyway, it's a thought and I think would be a good solution for giving custom units options to represent themselves, PGI to make money and the legal and age rating risks to be minimized all in one stroke.

[Silent]

Support this 100%

It'd be nice if something like this was considered and implemented after launch. It'd also be nice if a similar system could be set up for the paint schemes of Mechs, so people could get a bit more crazy with their designs.

[RJ788]

definitely adds more pride to whatever clan you're in when u rock a unique decal

[Aegis Kleais]

I'm fine with a fee to upload and have PGI approve an insignia. It could be $X for a personal use (to accommodate their time to review/approve/host it) or you could pay $Y to have an insignia be approved for a Merc Corp, so that anyone belonging to it can use it while they're a member of that Corp.

Since MWO is MVP, we may just have to wait a couple months while they work out a system for something that many people want, but is, at its core, cosmetic.

[Soviet Alex]

I'll be happy earning a Ghost Regiment "skin" if it has to be unlocked with Loyalty Points, & a red 5-pointed star somewhere, so everyone knows it's me. Can't see too many copyright issues with that.

[Lycan]

I like your suggestion the best.

By having a predetermined set of options that the users can mix and match, PGI protects the look and feel of the game universe and doesn't have to weed through umpteenbazillion user submitted logos to remove all the inappropriate ones. Because lets face it, if they allowed complete and free access to upload any image you want to use as a logo, the number of inappropriate ones would far, far outnumber the legitimate ones.

[RedDragon]

Aegis Kleais™, on 18 April 2012 - 12:09 PM, said:

I'm fine with a fee to upload and have PGI approve an insignia. It could be $X for a personal use (to accommodate their time to review/approve/host it) or you could pay $Y to have an insignia be approved for a Merc Corp, so that anyone belonging to it can use it while they're a member of that Corp.

Since MWO is MVP, we may just have to wait a couple months while they work out a system for something that many people want, but is, at its core, cosmetic.

I don't think that will work. How could PGI find out if anything anyone uploaded is copyrighted material or not? I'd guess a system where the user can upload a decal but has to affirm that he doesn't violate any copyrights would be a better alternative. I'm thinking of sites like spreadshirt.com that make you agree to terms like

Quote

By saving a design on the Spreadshirt server, you are confirming:

• I hold the specific right to commercially reproduce this design.
  
• If, for any reason, the legal beholder of this copyright contacts Spreadshirt, I understand that he/she will be referred directly to me.
  
• I understand that illegal usage of a third party's protected design is no small offence and can result in heavy penalties.

[Aegis Kleais]

RedDragon, on 18 April 2012 - 03:17 PM, said:

I don't think that will work. How could PGI find out if anything anyone uploaded is copyrighted material or not? I'd guess a system where the user can upload a decal but has to affirm that he doesn't violate any copyrights would be a better alternative. I'm thinking of sites like spreadshirt.com that make you agree to terms like

[/list]

They're going to have to figure SOMETHING out. While I fully condone them being indemnified of any responsibility for user-submitted content like insignia, customization of one's Mech is one of the bigger cash cows that PGI has to wrangle.

[Breeze]

The Decal Creator idea is excellent, and I'd fully support it.

Building on that idea, perhaps individual players can customise their logo. But they can also then submit it to PGI's store to "register" it as an official merc/house/clan unit logo, which can then be purchased by other members. There could even be a bulk buy with discount option for established units.

[MaddMaxx]

If the current Skin mechanic has a decent Color Palette, at least we can skin (3 color camo/whatever patterns) our Mechs in the House/Corp colors close enough until a Decal creator is implemented.

Edited by MaddMaxx, 18 April 2012 - 05:24 PM.

[FinnMcKool]

this is a good idea,,,,but , even a mixed match system could come up with (if your creative) some content that wouldnt pass muster.
the DEVs will have to check it over and ok it .

what will probably happen is they will have a bunch of content that we can choose from ,

Hopefully there will at some point be a way to add our own artwork , hope for the best , prepare for the worst.

[Silent]

Just add a 'Report decal as inappropriate' or something. There's no need for the developers to check over every single decal before it makes it into the game. If somebody made something offensive or close to being a trademark/copyright infringement then people can just report it and then an admin can remove it or whatever.

[Dihm]

I think I'll /wrist if I have to try to recreate this in a decal editor.

[Listless Nomad]

I'm with you Dihm. We're going to have to sacrifice/remake a lot of art for the rangers depending on if there is a decal creator or anything really. Sad days but I understand why it is like it is.

[A11eycat]

+1, i like this idea. and, like most have already said, the ultimate decision lies with the devs.
But they will probably, hopefully, have this somewhere down the line of updates!

[Johannes Falkner]

How about something silly like using a library of actual unit icons (not just CBT but RL inits as well)? So you could have everything from the
Port Angeles Air Station Coast Guard Squadron (Rainy Ducks, I believe. The logo was definitely created by someone who lived here...)
to the Screaming Eagles
http://upload.wikime...ision_patch.svg
Or the 20th Maine (think Gettyburg)
http://upload.wikime...1/20thmaine.svg
Or even a Canadian Unit like

[Corsair114]

If we get a custom decal creator, I'd reckon there'd be a TTP of about .23 seconds.

Maybe less, depending upon how intuitive it is.

[A11eycat]

Hmmm...
It would definitely be cool and a way to distinguish a team.

[Victor Morson]

Johannes Falkner, on 24 April 2012 - 11:44 PM, said:

How about something silly like using a library of actual unit icons (not just CBT but RL inits as well)? So you could have everything from the

Because believe it or not, this stuff is copyrighted. Places like the US Marines can let games use their actual logos and often won't charge but the stipulation is it gives them total control over the IP, including the decision to have it pulled or make any change they want.

A similar recreation made in something like a decal creator by end users isn't a problem, on the other end of a spectrum. But yeah, they definitely won't include this stuff in anything made by PGI.

[Hayashi]

Aegis Kleais™, on 18 April 2012 - 12:09 PM, said:

I'm fine with a fee to upload and have PGI approve an insignia. It could be $X for a personal use (to accommodate their time to review/approve/host it) or you could pay $Y to have an insignia be approved for a Merc Corp, so that anyone belonging to it can use it while they're a member of that Corp.

Since MWO is MVP, we may just have to wait a couple months while they work out a system for something that many people want, but is, at its core, cosmetic.

I do like this idea. Perhaps after a logo is already cleared, other players can select it from the approved pool, but the first players to want certain designs will have to pay get it reviewed by the devs. And for the Merc Corp version, only members of the Corp can ever use that decal set they paid for, lending them a special flavour.

So the increased price for a Corp decal will be doubly justified by it being used by more players at the outset, and its exclusivity.

Of course, players will be subject to the restriction of not uploading copyrighted material, and if copyright owners should ever come knocking, they will have full right to pull that decal off the game permanently - and whatever costs players paid to have that decal reviewed at the outset will be permanently confiscated, adding another incentive to NOT steal other people's material.

I don't know about you, but I'd pay to have some custom designs up.

Silent, on 18 April 2012 - 08:54 PM, said:

Just add a 'Report decal as inappropriate' or something. There's no need for the developers to check over every single decal before it makes it into the game. If somebody made something offensive or close to being a trademark/copyright infringement then people can just report it and then an admin can remove it or whatever.

This could streamline the process. So you pay for the right to upload a decal, and if for any reason it breaches the terms of use, it can be removed without possibility of refund. Any decal in the available pool can be tagged to the player and time who uploaded it... and if a Merc Corp already takes a decal type, any attempts at mimicking it by a second Corp can be thereafter reported, and the second Corp will bear the cost of trying.