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This topic has moved here: Subject: Hold a different weapon in your Avatar.
  • Subject: Hold a different weapon in your Avatar.
Subject: Hold a different weapon in your Avatar.
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I really enjoy the avatar you can choose which shows your guy. It's a nice add on to the forums. But...

I think it would be cool if Bungie could let us choose to hold a different weapon than the AR in our Avatars. They can pose different or whatever makes the wepaon look best but I'd like to hold something different =)

  • 12.12.2007 2:09 PM PDT
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That's not as easy as it seems.
Every single possible permutation combination of colors, classifications, and armor pieces (which is a HUGE number) is its own picture here in order to make this simple picture work.
If Bungie let us choose weapons for the picture, they probably would have to make more pictures. Much more. At least in the millions.

  • 12.12.2007 2:12 PM PDT
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Not at all CAVX. They could use layers.

  • 12.12.2007 2:14 PM PDT
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Posted by: pmpinainteasy
Not at all CAVX. They could use layers.


The basic layout of a character model avatar looks like this:
PlayerModel.ashx?p1=0&p2=10&p3=5&p4=0&p5=4&am p;p6=0&p7=2&p8=17&p9=90

The .ashx file is an image handler that pulls an image from a database.
The URL variables p1 through p9 are all different parameters given for the image.
More than likely, in this format, the images are all completely separate.

If the database had to layer every single parameter on top of each other to make that image, it would take a heck of a long time to load any forum page.

Adding a p10 parameter just would take a lot of work, especially at this point.
Because, remember, you can't just change the weapon. You also have to change the way your character is holding the weapon depending on what it is, and some weapons are bigger or smaller than others, revealing a different amount of the chestplate. Remember that shoulders and chest armor pieces are both customizable, so every single weapon would need an entirely new picture for every possible permutation combination at this point. Even if Bungie somehow layered the current pictures together, they couldn't just magically layer the weapon on because of this.

[Edited on 12.12.2007 2:33 PM PST]

  • 12.12.2007 2:31 PM PDT
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Yea that would be a lot of work but I'd still be nice lol.

  • 12.13.2007 10:51 AM PDT

Tag 'em and Bag 'em!

Posted by: My Own Religion
Yea that would be a lot of work but I'd still be nice lol.


I'd be willing to pay for it too.

  • 12.13.2007 10:56 AM PDT

一═┳︻ ImTooNinja4u ︻┳═一

Posted by: CAVX
That's not as easy as it seems.
Every single possible permutation combination of colors, classifications, and armor pieces (which is a HUGE number) is its own picture here in order to make this simple picture work.
If Bungie let us choose weapons for the picture, they probably would have to make more pictures. Much more. At least in the millions.

I think there is around 30 million different combinations.

  • 12.13.2007 11:09 AM PDT

Hi I'm RT and I like to argue!

Posted by: CAVX
Posted by: pmpinainteasy
Not at all CAVX. They could use layers.


The basic layout of a character model avatar looks like this:
PlayerModel.ashx?p1=0&p2=10&p3=5&p4=0&p5=4&am p;p6=0&p7=2&p8=17&p9=90

The .ashx file is an image handler that pulls an image from a database.
The URL variables p1 through p9 are all different parameters given for the image.
More than likely, in this format, the images are all completely separate.

If the database had to layer every single parameter on top of each other to make that image, it would take a heck of a long time to load any forum page.

Adding a p10 parameter just would take a lot of work, especially at this point.
Because, remember, you can't just change the weapon. You also have to change the way your character is holding the weapon depending on what it is, and some weapons are bigger or smaller than others, revealing a different amount of the chestplate. Remember that shoulders and chest armor pieces are both customizable, so every single weapon would need an entirely new picture for every possible permutation combination at this point. Even if Bungie somehow layered the current pictures together, they couldn't just magically layer the weapon on because of this.

Could the system perhaps only have to generate the image once (say, anytime you change your armor/color combo) and then save it (associated with your Gamertag, perhaps) such that it's available for quick retrieval?

[Edited on 12.13.2007 11:48 AM PST]

  • 12.13.2007 11:48 AM PDT
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Posted by: RighteousTyrant
Posted by: CAVX
Posted by: pmpinainteasy
Not at all CAVX. They could use layers.


The basic layout of a character model avatar looks like this:
PlayerModel.ashx?p1=0&p2=10&p3=5&p4=0&p5=4&am p;p6=0&p7=2&p8=17&p9=90

The .ashx file is an image handler that pulls an image from a database.
The URL variables p1 through p9 are all different parameters given for the image.
More than likely, in this format, the images are all completely separate.

If the database had to layer every single parameter on top of each other to make that image, it would take a heck of a long time to load any forum page.

Adding a p10 parameter just would take a lot of work, especially at this point.
Because, remember, you can't just change the weapon. You also have to change the way your character is holding the weapon depending on what it is, and some weapons are bigger or smaller than others, revealing a different amount of the chestplate. Remember that shoulders and chest armor pieces are both customizable, so every single weapon would need an entirely new picture for every possible permutation combination at this point. Even if Bungie somehow layered the current pictures together, they couldn't just magically layer the weapon on because of this.

Could the system perhaps only have to generate the image once (say, anytime you change your armor/color combo) and then save it (associated with your Gamertag, perhaps) such that it's available for quick retrieval?


You mean like how screenshots are uploaded to Bnet? Instead of the game reading the permutations you have, it simply takes a snapshot after you've made a cgange and uploads the pic to Bnet? Sounds plausible...

  • 12.13.2007 3:55 PM PDT
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So now I'm a beta tester. Let's see where this goes.

It would be nice. I know that if they did every weapon it would a lot of work, but doing just one or two more weapons (i.e. battle rifle, sniper rifle) shouldn't be too bad.

By the way: For those that don't know, the current playershot pictures is base on a lairing system that a server pieces together and adjusts the colors for based on the url points that it receives. They did not take the time to take a picture of every single possible permutation that exists right now. If you don't believe me put on your hyabusa (ninja) chest plate and look at the neck. See how the neck of your Spartan overlaps the collar of the chest plate. That's because the neck and head was laired over chest.

  • 12.13.2007 5:35 PM PDT
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Posted by: Nedge
By the way: For those that don't know, the current playershot pictures is base on a lairing system that a server pieces together and adjusts the colors for based on the url points that it receives. They did not take the time to take a picture of every single possible permutation that exists right now. If you don't believe me put on your hyabusa (ninja) chest plate and look at the neck. See how the neck of your Spartan overlaps the collar of the chest plate. That's because the neck and head was laired over chest.


That doesn't necessarily mean that the image is constructed every time the page is called. Frankly, I hope it isn't that way, because the pages would load much faster without the feature if the server had to construct and save every single picture with layers.
I'd imagine that they probably used layers to actually make the pictures (a one-time thing) so that it would be faster (although I don't know, so you could be right).

Either way, that layering process would work for weapons, because weapons don't fill the same guidelines as one another like chestplates do. They all are different sizes and different shapes, and they are all held differently.

[Edited on 12.13.2007 6:09 PM PST]

  • 12.13.2007 6:09 PM PDT
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Easier said than done. Ideas like these are creative, but when trying to implement them we find that it costs a lot of money.


and people wonder why DLC costs money

[Edited on 12.13.2007 6:32 PM PST]

  • 12.13.2007 6:32 PM PDT

I am a Floodian

I don't use that avatar, so no thnx.

  • 12.13.2007 7:20 PM PDT
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everybody is getting a little too technical I think its a cool Idea. but one step at a time. I remember when there was very few avatars available at one time now we have options including our spartan. I like shooting INNIES. lol

  • 12.13.2007 8:09 PM PDT
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[...o,o...o,O...O,O...( ),( )...*KABLOOYEE*...]

At the end of the war. Nothing remains but a few Spartans. We are the only ones left. We are the Last Defence.

Why not imagine yourself with another weapon. Your imagination can turn it into anything, hell you could turn it into a hot sexy picture of a steaming.......

  • 12.13.2007 9:58 PM PDT
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Posted by: SiNisteR KnighT
Why not imagine yourself with another weapon. Your imagination can turn it into anything, hell you could turn it into a hot sexy picture of a steaming.......pile of crap.

  • 12.14.2007 6:24 AM PDT
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The enemy of my enemy shall die next.

I know the voices in my head are not real, but they have some great ideas.

Brown chicken Brown cow!

Posted by: XEN0NAUT
everybody is getting a little too technical I think its a cool Idea. but one step at a time. I remember when there was very few avatars available at one time now we have options including our spartan. I like shooting INNIES. lol



All innies want to be out.......

  • 12.14.2007 6:50 AM PDT