Engineer Backpack overriding Back items.
I actually like it the way it is: when I am using a kit, I think it’s more fun to see the backpack change.
However, I understand where the OP is coming from, which is why I support the idea of a toggle: always show the back item skin vs showing the pack from the equipped kit.
That said: OP, I don’t think you’ll get much traction on the idea by posting this in the bug forum. I recommend using the engineer forum instead (or the general forum, i.e. Guild Wars 2 Discussion).
I would assume the main reason for this has always been that GW2 was billed as a visual cue MMO, such that players should be able to tell the situation from what they’re actually seeing play out, instead of status bars from a GUI mod filling the screen.
An Engineers visual “tell” of using kits is that you see the pack and weapon. This is both for the player and opponents, if an enemy player can’t tell what kit an Engineer is in because of a backpack toggle, then that presents an unfair, albeit small advantage to the Engineer player. I’m fine with a client side fix, but against changing it server side.
Besides, any Engineer player knew WELL before level 80 that any skins such as Legendaries or Back Items would be hidden by kits, its not like it was a surprise. So to complain about something that has never been hidden is a bit silly. It would be as silly for Elementalist players who go all Conjures to complain about their Bifrost or Incinerator disappearing whenever they use Lightning Hammer or Fiery Greatsword.
See, the problem Kale is twofold.
First, conjures and kits are not equals. While you can keep conjures up almost constantly through traits, very few people use them for this. An engineer is more or less expected to be in a kit at least a third of the time in combat, since half of his regular attacks comes from kits (whereas yours comes from weapon swap). Also, there was no complaint on overriding legendary weapons when you equip a kit, simply that it override back items so you’re stuck staring at this ugly leather hobosack for 300+ hours. In a game of cosmetics, we are the worst looking class by default.
As for the tell, in pvp, you usually don’t judge by which pack the engy has equipped. You can normally guess fairly well based on what massive particle effect is going off. Gout of flame? Flamethrower. Millions of red circles? Grenade kit. Individual red circles under the engy? Bomb kit. Running away while blocking? I wonder…
The only one that’s had to tell is the e-gun, simply because its projectile is small. Similarly, why don’t other classes have to wear a brown bag whenever they use their alternate weapon? Oh right, because you can see the weapon and their unique effects!
Honestly, the only reason seems to be because anet simply does not want to, which is a shame, because it means there’s no reason to invest in any back item in the gems store or put in the time to get some of the glowing awesome things since I’ll never see it.
And to Illconceived: We’ve had a post going in engineer for nigh on a year now. Putting this elsewhere is a futile attempt to get someone, somewhere to consider giving engineers a bit of cosmetic love.