Guild Wars 2

So I’ve seen a few folks speculating about whether there will be new face and hair customization options available with or around the expansion. And it suddenly hit me…

I don’t know that I’ve ever really looked closely at another PC’s face in GW2.

I’m curious now. Do the rest of you look at faces?

It’s not that I don’t want faces to matter. I spent a ton of time customizing my characters when I created each one. And in plate I keep helm unchecked because I don’t want be just a faceless Illustrious skin walking around. But… When do you actually see them? And how?

I can kind of, sort of, mess around with the camera enough so that I get a good look at key NPC’s when they’re delivering lines. (Rox always looks like she really needs a hug.) But with players moving around, standing in big stacks, nameplates and particle effects and talk bubbles and health bars all over us… No way. I see players’ faces in those weirdly jarring random-other-person-in-the-party-is-the-main-character cut-scenes in story dungeons, when really all I want is to move on, and that’s about it.

What about y’all?

I redid a face today and while doing it I thought to myself that nobody will ever even take much notice of it. It doesn’t bother me since I don’t play for anyone but myself but I thought that maybe it was just a waste. Then I spent another ten minutes figuring out colours and ears. That was a smallish Sylvari. Its not too hard to see Norn and Charr faces but the smaller species can pass unnoticed, especially when you’re passing quickly from A to B.

Plus, helmets and hats.

Unfortunately the faces in this game are so similar that you stop paying attention to them.

I definitely look at faces. Always have, always will.

There will definitely be new faces, but I doubt we will get new ways of customization.

Djinn.9245:

Unfortunately the faces in this game are so similar that you stop paying attention to them.

That’s only for humans and partly norn. Every other race has distinctive faces, very easy to tell apart.

If I’m just running around, obviously there are a lot of faces I skim over.

If I’m in a party, however, I see faces in the party lineup, and if I see an interesting character who catches my eye, I’ll often make an effort to get a close look at them. I’ve got more than a few screenshots of characters waiting around for bosses, or at crafting stations, or wherever, that I passed and thought, “Hey, that’s a cool look for a character.” Face, hair, armor, weapon, dyes, etc. all play into that overall look.

Naus the Gobbo.5172:

Djinn.9245:

Unfortunately the faces in this game are so similar that you stop paying attention to them.

That’s only for humans and partly norn. Every other race has distinctive faces, very easy to tell apart.

You are correct that some races have better distinction than others. However there is really not enough distinction except in Asura and Charr. Sylvari are better than Norn and Human but not by a lot.

All of them are pretty similar. The difference between faces in each race is not that much. Humans are the worst, babyfaced teens everyone of them.

I solved my “problem” by using the gasmask.

The problem with similarity in looks is compounded by so many choosing the same looks on several of the races.

How many female Asura have the first face in the picture as opposed to the second face? Sometimes it seems like every other female Asura that I see has that first face with the rest, faces 8 and 9.

Why should ANet bother to make non cute unique faces when so few use them?

When I’m not fighting something like Tequatl (and reduce the graphics) I’m actually looking at the faces of other characters.

Nice to know that efforts are more on the appreciated side than not.

(using this thread as an example of the entire player-base, of course lol)

I have yet to see someone with a face similair to mine.

I usually check faces too if something on a character catches my eye, like a cool armor or hairstyle…. i even noticed that there is one particular female human face that a lot of people use on their character though imo it really looks bad… it’s that one some people think is “asian” (it doesn’t resemble asian for me at all) and it looks like it’s always frowning.
Anyway, i think many people are interested enough in character looks that they do check faces too.

I don’t look at others faces so much, but I create and dress up my own character’s just for me, and the face gets a whole lot of attention as such. Vanity always wins.

why the hell would i care if someone else looks at my character’s face, as long as i like it screw them.

How are you supposed to look at anyone’s face when there’s no first person and zooming all the way in is still miles away?

MithranArkanere.8957:

How are you supposed to look at anyone’s face when there’s no first person and zooming all the way in is still miles away?

Though nobody ever seems to get it, if you stand behind them and zoom in, it works. I don’t know why everybody seems to think face to face is the way to see anything without first person or screen shot mode xD

SO YES PSA:::: If you want to compare looks in gw2, stand BACK TO BACK.

Naus the Gobbo.5172:

I have yet to see someone with a face similair to mine.

Naus the Gobbo, you are hereby accused to have stolen several wintersday-presents from Divinity’s Reach’s citizens. Witnesses claim to have seen an asuran-sized, green creature sneaking around houses that then got robbed. Please follow us to headquarters for a questioning.

Seriously, your character reminds me too much of the Grinch. ^^

On Topic: I usually see other player-character’s faces when running around at the crafting-stations. When I see a character that looks interesting I stop and look at them close up. So when my character stands behind yours you can assume I’m having a closer look at your face.

You can easily tell in HotM for example, if someone is looking at your face: they just stand right next to you for 30s, then go away. Always flattering.

Lmao thought this was gonna be a thread related to the “about face” feature ingame that rotates your camera a full 180 degrees.

Inimicus.7162:

MithranArkanere.8957:

How are you supposed to look at anyone’s face when there’s no first person and zooming all the way in is still miles away?

Though nobody ever seems to get it, if you stand behind them and zoom in, it works. I don’t know why everybody seems to think face to face is the way to see anything without first person or screen shot mode xD

SO YES PSA:::: If you want to compare looks in gw2, stand BACK TO BACK.

This is pretty much exactly what I was talking about. I’ve done this with NPC’s idly while they’re talking, since I have to wait anyway, but really that’s about it.

It’s just not natural do weird camera movements to see a face, and it disrupts my sense of immersion and flow. I guess that’s why I rarely do it. I wish there was a better way- a first person view, maybe, or better yet a feature where when you click on someone you can quickly call up a big of them in the UI.

That’d be cool for seeing all the skins and weapons more too- and if it showed their current actions (so sort of like zooming in on exactly the model being rendered at that moment, not just like the equipment interface) you could see all those nifty particle effects too.

I use the back to back trick a lot to see guildies’ new alts. Mostly I see face details in RP or while at the bank or TP; out in combat areas or while running I’m zoomed out max to make sure I see as much around me as possible and avoid motion sickness from running zoomed in.

Still I like it when I see a face that shows some effort to make something different. One of my friends managed to make her human female look beautiful and elegant with an apparent age in her 30’s, none of this vacuous teenybopper look for her! I’ve seen some impressive sylvari and charr as well, ones you can pick out of a crowd without name tags to help.

Inimicus.7162:

[…]

Though nobody ever seems to get it, if you stand behind them and zoom in, it works. I don’t know why everybody seems to think face to face is the way to see anything without first person or screen shot mode xD
[…]

That is horribly annoying. And it doesn’t work if they are in front of some surface that blocks the camera. You have to do gymnastics to move the camera close enough, and you may only get a sideways view.

Doesn’t count.

I look at outfits/armor and faces in cities and in LA but while fighting, no.

MithranArkanere.8957:

Inimicus.7162:

[…]

Though nobody ever seems to get it, if you stand behind them and zoom in, it works. I don’t know why everybody seems to think face to face is the way to see anything without first person or screen shot mode xD
[…]

That is horribly annoying. And it doesn’t work if they are in front of some surface that blocks the camera. You have to do gymnastics to move the camera close enough, and you may only get a sideways view.

Doesn’t count.

like it or not, in FP you will see less then in TP with such a situation, like you said it’s practically standing with the face against a wall.