Image Designer Archive
Thread: State of the Profession: Image Design
Rilawyn wrote:
This is the first time that this has been possible in any MMORPG.
Hmm false... it can be done in EQ and that is at least one other MMORPG before SWG.
Jaela wrote:
I would like to see a poll among our community that would choose thetwo most important issues under bugs,,,and then two on the wish list,,and see if we could condense our request to the developers into something that might actually make it into a patch,,and as those issuesare added or fixed we just have another poll,,
As it is now ,each profession has so many "small" bugs and endless issues on the wish list that I think the developers are swamped,,and simply overwhelmed with lists that cant all possibly be dealt with in one patch
Maybe if we ourselves identified a priority for the patch ,,,we wouldnt have to trust that the developers would make a good choice,,or simply omit us,,
Perhaps what you were looking for was forour correspondent to offer us a rough draft of the State of Image Design letter she's going to present to the dev's and then ask for feedback from the ID community here before she presents a final draft? Like all the other correspondents did? Maybe even ask folks here to vote on what our top five concerns are for our profession? Like the other correspondents did?Maybeyou'd like for our correspondent to understand that the wholeconcept behind this State of Profession deal was meant to encourage playerdiscussions in these professionsforums? Discussions that she would then draw information from in a fair and concise manner, acting as liaisonfor us?
Whoops! I think it's a little late forthat.
Here's to hoping we have better luck next time.
Rilawyn wrote:
Bugs - The following is a list of known bugs with the Image Design profession.
- Twi'lek eyebrows can not be modified.
- Twi'lek ears can not be modified.
- Male torso size can not be altered.
- Rodian female hair color is missing.
Note that these have been added on Test Center. We should see them in the next publish. - Kwee
So thats why I could never seem to make a male character "skinny" even when muscle and weight was on 0! There's a torso slider! *relieved* 
Thanks for letting me know Kwee, at least now I can tell them to come back to me after the next patch if they want to be skinny.
Kwee wrote:
Note that these have been added on Test Center. We should see them in the next publish. - Kwee
Yay! Some fixes! Still nothing on that darned default hair color bug though? Boy they must have to tunnel to the ends of the galaxy to find where to fix that darned bug!
I don't care what profession you choose--you GRIND--you're going to be master of that profession so fast it will make your head spin (crafting professions).
Please do not punish role players, casual players and those players who do not have real life friends in game that will sit and click, click, click.
On a side note, it would be nice if the correspondent would come to the community for feedback/opinions before inputting a "state of the profession". (i.e. as on other profession forums)
Still not a Master Image Designer 
A master image designer can modify everything about you except your gender and species. There are also a few exceptions which will hopefully be fixed soon, such as Twi'lek ears, baldness, and giving someone that chose no markings at creation a face tattoo.
Skill Gain Issues - Recently, I have receivedseveral private messages and in-game emailsfrom both veteran Master Image Designers, and newly created Image Designers about skill gain. This was an issue that also came up back in July. I never thought it was too easy in the beginning, but after talking with several people, and testing it myself, I've been swayed to believe that the skill gain might actually be too fast, after all.
Rilawyn wrote (shortly after becoming the correspondent):
Players are saying the Image Design skillgains are too fast. Personally, I think they are fine. I power-gamed my skillREALLY hard (honestly, about 10 hours a day), and it still took abouttwoweeks.
If you did not think it was too easy back in July/August, then why did youinclude it in theonly other list sent to the devs you have ever shown us? As you said it was discussed and the vast majority of ID'ers felt the experience, while possible to be ground out quickly, was fine. After you included it in your list anyway, we assumed it must be your personal belief, and there were comments that it wasnotable that those very few supporting that exp be slowed down were those who had powerground their way toMaster Image Designer. The reason the majority of us did not support slowing down the experience is that we neither had the time nor the inclination to grind out ID and do nothing else. Many of us have casual playing styles or casual playing times and have taken a very long time to get to Master. Some of us are not there yet.
I personally took two months and it would have been much longer if FishWan hadn't partnered up with me for most of it and added some fun to the grinding process (because really that is the only way to advance) with her interesting conversation
That said, I do agree that with the added help of musician/dancer buffs the ID grind has become even easier. What to do? Really a toughie. Doubling the exp needed for example would not do. Powergrinders would get Master ID in two or three days instead of one or two?
In beta there was much talk of getting a ton of experience for changes made to clients but then that would make powerskilling up on a friend VERY easy. Really that would be ideal but implementing it would be difficult. It has been suggested that any given change only be possible to give to a person once a week. That would certainlymake grinding difficultbut then what of customers that like to have their hairstyle changed every other day? Kwee changes her makeup with every outfit
My proposal: Restrict a change of any type tobe allowed only onceper day.Possibly also restrict the number of changes allowed per character each day, nothing drastic, still allowing for a drastic makeover. This would greatly slow downmost powergrinders andat the same time providereward formodifying realcustomers.Each change would of course have to give SIGNIFICANTLY more experience than it does now. The experience would have to be balanced between how many customers a casual player can work on in a small period of play time, and how many friends a power gamer could do every modification onover a large period of play time on any given day. Ideally, powergrinding would still be possible but not lighting fast, and casual players would still be able to get to Master ID in a reasonable amount of time.
I'm glad you are allowing us the chance to discuss this issue before re-submitting it. I do wish you had done the same with your bug/wish list. We were given no chance to help prioritize as other profession forums have. Half of the items on your wish list I have never even seen mentioned on wish list threads on our forum.
Hereisa flaw with my suggestion (I'm sure there are more)...with only one accepted change possible per day, friends would not be able to give advice on changes. Perhaps temporary preview changes could be offered for public viewing? Anyway just a few ideas No easy answer for our issue 
Kwee's the best 8)
Well, my main issue with image design xp is not so much the legitimiate way of grinding, it's the possibility of afk macroing through the skill tree, which has been stated to be possible now. If that is in fact possible, it needs to be fixed immediately, or we'll experience a flood of clueless image design bots who'll ruin the business entirely for every serious image designer.
Only thing i dont agree with is the idea of only one change a day on the customers, i think that will hurt us more then help us and casual players. in other mmorpg's it takes players months to get to a level equal to master in swg. Casual players even longer. IMHO swg was aimed more towards casual players because they can master in a matter of weeks image design and some other professions. While yes, power gamers can master faster, but thats they way they want to play they will get bored and drop the profession and pick up another one. If we did one total change on a character once a day that would be equal to only allowing a player to buy one weapon a day from a weaponsmith or one outfit a day from a tailor, etc etc. It would not be fair to the other players who wish to change their characters hair for example to match the outfit they want to wear to a party that afternoon, and then want it changed back to normal afterwards. Maybe a 30 sec timer on our side between changes would be better then a whole day. If they did do something like a whole day on the customers side for image design, i honestly would not do image design anymore. i would just be a tailor and go one with it. Just my 2 credits here.
Master Image Designer
Novice Tailor 3/3/4/0
The problem isn't that it's too fast, it's simply that you HAVE to "grind" to get anything good. I usually like to roleplay my skills, such that i don't dance AKF or reply on macros heavily. But when i came to image design, it has been SOOOOO hard to get people who want me to redesign their image. I usually have to beg, so that when i do finally find a willing volunteer, i end up "grinding." So much for the roleplaying . . . Then, when i finally made a new level, what did i recieve for all my efforts? ONE HAIRSTYLE! One pathetic ugly, never to be used, hairstyle! Grrrrr . . . only the craziest of people would shave their scalp and wear one braid down the center . . . *sigh*
Xazias wrote:
Only thing i dont agree with is the idea of only one change a day on the customers, i think that will hurt us more then help us and casual players. in other mmorpg's it takes players months to get to a level equal to master in swg. Casual players even longer. IMHO swg was aimed more towards casual players because they can master in a matter of weeks image design and some other professions. While yes, power gamers can master faster, but thats they way they want to play they will get bored and drop the profession and pick up another one. If we did one total change on a character once a day that would be equal to only allowing a player to buy one weapon a day from a weaponsmith or one outfit a day from a tailor, etc etc. It would not be fair to the other players who wish to change their characters hair for example to match the outfit they want to wear to a party that afternoon, and then want it changed back to normal afterwards. Maybe a 30 sec timer on our side between changes would be better then a whole day. If they did do something like a whole day on the customers side for image design, i honestly would not do image design anymore. i would just be a tailor and go one with it. Just my 2 credits here.
Master Image Designer
Novice Tailor 3/3/4/0
I agree with you Xazias that would suck,I almost didn't post my idea at all for that reason but the only other alternatives going through my mind were icky and no suggestions had been made yet Do you guys think the general gist ofit is something that could bemodified to work? Something to discourage ID'ing the same person or couple of people over and overand over again.