Guild Wars 2

Hey all,
I have a friend who would like to play GW2 but has a very real phobia of spiders. I know he would definitely get the game if we could change those models. I know people played around with Texture mods in GW1 so I was hoping if anyone transitioned it to GW2.
Any help will be appreciated.

As far as i can remember, having been a while since i used texmod, you could only change the texture applied to particular models NOT the models themselves, so a spider would still look spider-like – just localised (to your game client only) with an altered spider skin.
That aside, texmod doesn’t appear to work with GW2.

hmmm. It sounds like it wouldn’t be a texture mod, rather a model mod. I doubt Anet would EVER allow something like that as they don’t like to allow the use of ANY third party software with the game, with the exception of the overlays I’ve seen. but even then it’s not really a mod, as you have to play in windowed mode and it basically is a semi transparent window that always stays on top.

That being said, and not to down play or dismiss your friends phobia, but if they were to view it as a form of therapy, it might help them in the long run, rather then just taking the models away.

A texture mod that actually changes models would probably be something ANet would ban for. It’s highly exploitable, and I’ve seen something like that go very, very bad in another game I used to play.

Spiders are somewhat avoidable in GW2, though. There is the spider guild rush, the spiders blocking the passage to Grenth, a couple of jumping puzzles that have spiders in or near them, and a small handful of hearts that deal with spiders, but beyond that, you can avoid them (and if your friend is not totally committed to 100% map completion, they can skip those hearts/JPs). This is just off the top of my head, so there may be more, but I think most are avoidable.

I play with a serious phobia of deep water, and have no small amount of trouble in the water zones, so I understand where your friend’s coming from. It is possible to limit exposure to spiders, though, if he or she is unable to just push through it for those handful of times interacting with or being around spiders is necessary for events or mapping.

storiessave.3807:

A texture mod that actually changes models would probably be something ANet would ban for. It’s highly exploitable, and I’ve seen something like that go very, very bad in another game I used to play.

Spiders are somewhat avoidable in GW2, though. There is the spider guild rush, the spiders blocking the passage to Grenth, a couple of jumping puzzles that have spiders in or near them, and a small handful of hearts that deal with spiders, but beyond that, you can avoid them (and if your friend is not totally committed to 100% map completion, they can skip those hearts/JPs). This is just off the top of my head, so there may be more, but I think most are avoidable.

I play with a serious phobia of deep water, and have no small amount of trouble in the water zones, so I understand where your friend’s coming from. It is possible to limit exposure to spiders, though, if he or she is unable to just push through it for those handful of times interacting with or being around spiders is necessary for events or mapping.

A tex-mod only changes what the user(client side) of the mod sees not what others see and was used A LOT and allowed in GW1, so I(just from that) would ASSUME it to be allowed here as well if one was to ever be made and it worked identical to the way it did in GW1.

i kinda am in the same boat, i have arachnophobia and at times avoid spiders in skyrim.
however, the spiders in GW2 are hardly something i fear, if the spider would fill the screen in size maybe but i really can’t get scared of the ones in GW2.

The game doesn’t have too many spiders. A specific Twilight Arbor path, and some caves, and a very few in some forests.

storiessave.3807:

A texture mod that actually changes models would probably be something ANet would ban for. It’s highly exploitable, and I’ve seen something like that go very, very bad in another game I used to play.

Was is it Skyrim? =D

sorudo.9054:

i kinda am in the same boat, i have arachnophobia and at times avoid spiders in skyrim.
however, the spiders in GW2 are hardly something i fear, if the spider would fill the screen in size maybe but i really can’t get scared of the ones in GW2.

Oh, those Skyrim spiders are the worst! Caves of them! Chittering! Guaranteed to make me screw up combat. “KillAll” and job’s done. Not the point of playing the game, however.

I’d agree GW2 spiders aren’t really in the same boat, however. A little freaky, yes, and there’s maybe a few places worth avoiding or taking in friends (TA maybe, a skill point place in Timberline Falls I can think of, and the cave in Gendarren Fields).

I blame Tolkien for the fantasy gaming obsession with oversized arachnids, myself. Meh.

Porterhouse.6304:

storiessave.3807:

A texture mod that actually changes models would probably be something ANet would ban for. It’s highly exploitable, and I’ve seen something like that go very, very bad in another game I used to play.

"Was is it Skyrim?":http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/28 =D

That picture you attached is evil. *shudder*

:)

Just tell your friend that it’s a free horror game within their fantasy RPG.

Never turn down anything of the horror genre.

Porterhouse.6304:

storiessave.3807:

A texture mod that actually changes models would probably be something ANet would ban for. It’s highly exploitable, and I’ve seen something like that go very, very bad in another game I used to play.

Was is it Skyrim? =D

Nope, but that’s awesome. xD

Im Mudbone.1437:

A tex-mod only changes what the user(client side) of the mod sees not what others see and was used A LOT and allowed in GW1, so I(just from that) would ASSUME it to be allowed here as well if one was to ever be made and it worked identical to the way it did in GW1.

Perhaps they could place some restrictions, but the game I used to play allowed a mod that would replace models, just like what you’re describing, only for the client. People exploited it and used it to see through walls or gates in guild v guild matches, among other things. It eventually was outlawed, because it allowed for way too many exploits and it was causing a lot of problems.

Modding the game is grounds for ban. Unfortunately, that means your friend will simply be unable to play guild wars 2.

Only true resons against texture mods are:

1. Possible advantages (like coloring camouflaged enemies to bright colors and removing the hiding folliage/effects in COD, just imagine…)
2. Keep up the possibility to resell retextured items. But they don’t really live with this huge opportunity, no clue why, could bring a lot of happyness for us and income from them…

Wouldn’t killing the spiders be a good thing?

Can’t change the model but if something like TexMod could change the creature’s skin to have transparent legs it would look less like a spider, I suppose.
Not sure if TexMod works with GW2, but it undoubtedly has a community that can tell you.

frans.8092:

Can’t change the model but if something like TexMod could change the creature’s skin to have transparent legs it would look less like a spider, I suppose.
Not sure if TexMod works with GW2, but it undoubtedly has a community that can tell you.

Maybe changing it to the air elemental look (I think they share the same model)?

Anet is very against modding your game at all. They don’t allow mods or the use of macros (that aren’t 1 action = 1 key press). Do not risk your account for anything shady or the least bit questionable.

pdavis.8031:

hmmm. It sounds like it wouldn’t be a texture mod, rather a model mod. I doubt Anet would EVER allow something like that

That is untrue.
Anet for GW1 not only let you use use TXTMod in GW1 but it was part of the Wikki.

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Guide_to_modifying_in-game_graphics/Texmod#ArenaNet

ANET QUOTE: “ As a general rule of thumb, we don’t mind if you do things like this to make your own playing experience more fun. Some people really like to mod, and we recognize that this can often be a valuable learning tool. "

That said Anet has been very quiet about permission to use TXTMOD for GW2. I personally found it great fun to make my own armor colors, and changing the look of a town. You could even add a Happy Birthday banner in a town for guild mates to see. Though only you (or people that you gave your file to ) could see the changes.

That said you could not physically change models but simply recolor them. I think you may have been able to add a transparency map to make parts of model invisible. It has been so long I forget you could though.

PLEASE ANET let us know if we can use TXTMOD on GW2 for PVE only. It would really get the creative juices flowing!
Note that I said PVE only . While I am guessing I might want to point out that TXTMOD might be able add an advantage to PVP and WVW. This is just a theory base on no factual date. But there nay be a possibly for people to change things like make thieves visible all the time. Again, With no real data I can not confirm my suspicion, and since ANET will not speak about this even after a dozen posts we may never know.

Come on ANET let us use TXTMOD!!!!

I just googled “skyrim spiders” and got the chills lol
Your friend would be in panic and down all the time during Malrona fight

The phrase “we dont mind” does not equate free pass for modding everything. It also means that it’s on a situation by situation basis, with Anet reserving the right to ban you if you go too far or they decide to not allow it at all.

Aidan Savage.2078:

Modding the game is grounds for ban. Unfortunately, that means your friend will simply be unable to play guild wars 2.

Am not sure what your many conflicting points are Aidan. This post says you ’WILL BE" banned then the above posts says “Anet reserving the right”

I found hard facts about this topic for GW1 stating " Some people really like to mod, and we recognize that this can often be a valuable learning tool."

That said Anet is still very quiet on this topic for GW2 for some reason, as they officially allowed TXTMOD in GW1

Kypriathe.4183:

There was a mod in GW1 that let your character equip any armor in a variety of dye colours that only showed up on your screen. Maybe anet would let someone make something like that but for monsters instead?

That was the texmod program mentioned above. It does not work with GW2. Attempting to use it just results in a crash. That aside using it resulted in a significant increase to load time.

@Khisanth
Thanks for that info. I have not tried TXTMOD because of Anets silence on the matter. But if you say it does not work like it did in GW1 I will take your word for it.

Too bad. Texture modding was great fun for us creative types.

I didn’t want to make a new topic, but I am curious if using texture mods/skins has been discussed since this thread was started.

I understand where your friend is coming from and it really is a major issue. I modded Skyrim and the dragon age games (a dev actually made one for the community himself as a kindness) and pretty much every rpg with spiders because of my own phobia. When I have the option to mod them into bears or something, I do it.

Luckily for me, gw2 spiders are just below the realistic threshold for me so I can deal with the small ones just to finish map completion, quests, etc. I still get severely creeped out but I can get through it. But the large ones, specifically the one in Cursed Shore, and the skill point in Mount Malestrom do trigger the phobia badly to the point where I have to shut down the game client. Something about the camera angle and that they are on top of the character probably.

It would be great if a texture mod of some sort was usable. Even if you couldn’t change the actual models, changing the skins/texture by making them pink with polka dots might be enough to make it playable for those with this phobia.

I was told this phobia is actually a holdover from a survival instinct from thousands of years ago, but in the modern world where fantasy games are obsessed with using them, it can be a real fun killer.

That would be interesting to find out. I know that you can change the music in game for your own preferences. But allowing such a texture/model mod would likely be a major cause for abuse and cheating.

Found this post from Gaile Gray. Although it is a little vague on the matter:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/account/Policy-3rd-Party-Programs-Multi-Boxing-Macros

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/10a0qk/official_response_clarifying_the_stance_on_mods/

Has your friend seen the spiders in GW2?

I have arachnophobia too and in some games it’s a real problem (Skyrim, Dragon Age and Skyward Sword for example) but in GW2 they don’t bother me too much.

I can’t use any of the spider pets on my ranger, or the spider minis, because the idea of them following me around freaks me out too much, but fighting them generally isn’t a problem

There are a few ‘tricks’ which help even further, like tab targeting so I don’t have to click on them and keeping the camera zoomed out and overhead so they look further away. As long as I don’t accidentally swing around and get a close-up on their face it’s ok.

(And if anyone’s reading this and thinking it sounds totally irrational you’re right. That’s what phobias are.)

Danikat.8537:

There are a few ‘tricks’ which help even further, like tab targeting so I don’t have to click on them and keeping the camera zoomed out and overhead so they look further away. As long as I don’t accidentally swing around and get a close-up on their face it’s ok.

How do you manage that when you can’t zoom the camera out? I’m doing the Priory quest where you need to get the bones to light the torches and they force you to go into that tiny little alcove with spiders to get them. There is no way to zoom the camera out and they are literally in my characters face, super close up, the entire time.

As long as they are far away I can manage too. Is there a camera zoom out mod by any chance? Or a setting that keeps the camera at a certain distance?

As far as I know there are no camera mods. I definitely don’t use any.

I’m not sure if I’ve done that specific quest (I’ve only had one character pick Priory so far) but there are definitely points where it’s difficult to keep the camera zoomed out and overhead.

It helps that I normally keep the camera zoomed out to the maximum distance anyway, and I have my controls set up so I can keep one hand on my mouse at all times for positioning (both the camera and my character). If you’re used to relying on keyboard turning it will be harder.

Normally I can find at least one position where the camera is zoomed out enough, or at least overhead, so I can’t see anything that really freaks me out. (And as I said tab targeting helps too, I’m not sure if it’s the same for everyone but I can cope a lot better with seeing a spider than ‘touching’ one and clicking on one with a cursor is a little too close to touching for comfort.)

If that’s not working and it’s a short fight I’ll go the other way and settle for a camera angle where I can’t see anything, relying on the UI to see what I’m doing. If it’s a longer fight I’ll move around, kiting the enemies, until I can find somewhere with more space.

I usually just close my eyes and button mash until everything is dead. This of course, doesn’t always work, because it can be hard to find the time between when you’ve killed everything and when the next respawn is. It can be a small window.

For me it’s very much visual, specifically the movements. Putting the mouse/cursor over them doesn’t bother me at all. Having the camera overhead is definitely the biggest help. The old RPG top down camera view option made it so much easier to deal with them.