Problem: Ugly armor covers up awesome skins. Despite having custom skins, everyone ends up looking the same.
I have two ideas for possible solutions: 1) Add armor skins to paid Minecraft accounts.
2) Allow servers to set custom texture packs for users.
Of course, it's already possible to use texture packs, but this is only a local solution to an online, multiplayer problem. While users can easily download matching texture packs, most people usually shy away from doing tasks, no matter how simple, outside of actually playing. Users and servers should be able to provide an experience to others, without requiring them to venture all over the internet, downloading and installing files. This is just merely an idea to extend an already great feature, which has been provided to paying customers.
I agree, for all the effort players go to make or acquire custom skin textures for their character, it is often for naught when they don armor. I was going to make a similar suggestion, but ya beat me to it. If I may, allow me to post my own thoughts on the idea and implementation:
Ideally this would consist of three parts:
Minecraft.net's player profile updated to allow players to upload their custom armor files.
There are 5 different armor types, and each full set requires two images (one for the leggings and the other for everything else). I think it would be good to have a preview window that can switch to display the character's skin and all armor variations.
A new Client option button: "SMP ARMOR"
In following with the standard convention, the buttons act as toggles, where the text updates to show its current setting. Default would be FALSE SMP ARMOR: TRUE - client can see others' custom armors similar to how it displays custom player skins. SMP ARMOR: FALSE - the local texture pack on your machine is used instead (as it works today)
A new server.properties entry: "smp-armor"
If servers ever get the ability to use their own texture packs, this would complement that feature. In other words, this option would be independent of the settings for using a texture pack or not. Values would be: FALSE - disable SMP armors, even if client has it enabled on their end, they won't see them on this server. (if the server has the ability to push its own texture pack, this setting would allow the server to use the texture pack's armors instead) TRUE - enable SMP armors. The client's own settings can still be set to not show SMP armor, in which case they would not see custom armors. (if the server has the ability to push its own texture pack, this setting allows SMP armors to override the server's texture pack armor)
As an added bonus, this opens up new possibilities in skin creations. Because now, a skin can have parts of the armor layers be used to complement the base skin! The first example that comes to mind would be of a Samus skin (from the metroid game series). One could use a custom armor to add shoulder plates that actually extend out from the base skin.
One thing though... does anyone know how SMP skin textures are handled? Does the client always request the skins from minecraft's player database, or does the server request the skin, cache it, and then send it to the client?
This would be a great way to to milk money off minecraft fanboys/girls like ourselves.
How so? I'm not aware of anyone having paid for new skin textures before. I guess Mojang could impliment an option to buy skin/armor, but with so many free options(after all, it's just a .png file), I doubt that would happen.
I am all for this idea. And as the servers already support custom skins I don't see why they couldn't add custom armor as well.
I'd prefer to create an outer-layer skin rather than fully replacing the defaults. Rather than any uncolored space on the armor appear clear, it would show the default color of the armors' material. That way, if you choose to, your armor can show as much, or as little, of the armor's color as you like. Then people can decorate or completely cover over their armor as they see fit.
I'm not a game designer/programmer, but the idea seems simple enough that it should work. Once the proper changes are made, players would simply need to upload another .png file with their designs.
I have two ideas for possible solutions:
1) Add armor skins to paid Minecraft accounts.
2) Allow servers to set custom texture packs for users.
Of course, it's already possible to use texture packs, but this is only a local solution to an online, multiplayer problem. While users can easily download matching texture packs, most people usually shy away from doing tasks, no matter how simple, outside of actually playing. Users and servers should be able to provide an experience to others, without requiring them to venture all over the internet, downloading and installing files. This is just merely an idea to extend an already great feature, which has been provided to paying customers.
Ideally this would consist of three parts:
SMP ARMOR: TRUE - client can see others' custom armors similar to how it displays custom player skins.
SMP ARMOR: FALSE - the local texture pack on your machine is used instead (as it works today)
FALSE - disable SMP armors, even if client has it enabled on their end, they won't see them on this server.
(if the server has the ability to push its own texture pack, this setting would allow the server to use the texture pack's armors instead)
TRUE - enable SMP armors. The client's own settings can still be set to not show SMP armor, in which case they would not see custom armors.
(if the server has the ability to push its own texture pack, this setting allows SMP armors to override the server's texture pack armor)
As an added bonus, this opens up new possibilities in skin creations. Because now, a skin can have parts of the armor layers be used to complement the base skin! The first example that comes to mind would be of a Samus skin (from the metroid game series). One could use a custom armor to add shoulder plates that actually extend out from the base skin.
One thing though... does anyone know how SMP skin textures are handled? Does the client always request the skins from minecraft's player database, or does the server request the skin, cache it, and then send it to the client?
How so? I'm not aware of anyone having paid for new skin textures before. I guess Mojang could impliment an option to buy skin/armor, but with so many free options(after all, it's just a .png file), I doubt that would happen.
I am all for this idea. And as the servers already support custom skins I don't see why they couldn't add custom armor as well.
I'm not a game designer/programmer, but the idea seems simple enough that it should work. Once the proper changes are made, players would simply need to upload another .png file with their designs.
BTW, 1st post on MineCraft forums!