Neo Avatar Ideas

[amy]

Hi all!

Kelv, Daniela, and I have begun working full force on Neo. You’ll likely see us less in Eyewire but we will try to share updates periodically. We’d love to involve Eyewirers in early stage Neo development/design. I’m pleased to kick things off today with an opportunity to add to the item system.

Badges are the “items” in Eyewire; the things you earn by playing well. Neo will offer a new type of collectible won from gameplay. Items that can be worn, held, and displayed by your avatar. They could also be displayed in your profile space alongside stats. I’ve included a screenshot of the concept avatar system below. There are many, many levels of customization - bear in mind the image in this post is but one face/hair/color/jacket setup.

We need your help with Neo item ideas! What would you like to be able to wear or own in Neo? We have some 100 items/pieces of attire in the list so far but will need many more!

Themes: high technology, futuristic, organic, sleek, whimsical, magical…

Some items in the list so far:

• portable science lab
• laser
• drone
• ferrofluid
• crazy hats and sunglasses
• rocket boots
• forcefield
• cool tech (I can say no more other than some of it is inspired by lab and some of it is a scifi dream!)

What else? What tech could you imagine that might represent various elements of mapping neurons? For example, how scythes represent removing mergers in Eyewire. Or what would simply be fun to have? Any and all suggestions are welcome!

There will be a special surprise for all players whose suggestions make it into the game

Amy

[dragonturtle]

up gradable scythes/swords.

[amy]

Nice!

I’m thinking that all Eyewire Scythes will also get a special legendary scythe that you can only get by having been a Scythe in Eyewire at the time of Neo alpha launch

[KrzysztofKruk]

Whole qualities of items, like: low, normal, rare, legendary, unique, crafted, etc.
Jewellery: rings, necklaces, pendings, bracelets, crowns
Themes - different punk styles: steam, diesel, cyber
EDC: sources of light (torches, flashlights, laser pointers), headphones, watch, multitool, USB stick, cellphone, pen, notebook, compass, first aid kit
The portable science lab can be used for making some magical potions or different dyes for the clothes.
Avatars can have some stats dependent on a player stats, like strength growing up with number of points gained by a user, wisdom - number of cubes traced, speed - number of trailblazes. Maybe some other stats for advanced players (not sure, if there will be scouts and scythes in neo) to motivate normal players.
Ability to wear items can dependent on the stats the avatar has, so, for example, player wouldn’t be able to wear some items until they reach enough strength or wisdom level.
Items could be gathered not only by playing, but also in a lottery once a day or maybe every day there could be a chance to get a better item (in 7 or 30 days loop - like, in the first day, there’s a small chance to get a good item, but in the 7th day the chance is much higher and then again, in the 8th day the chance is low. Or, if a player logs in everyday, then, after 7 days, they have constantly the chance to get a higher level item, but if they miss a day, then they will have to go through the path again).

Will add more, if I come up with something.

[hawaiisunfun]

Fashion
I want futuristic neuron fashion. Like this but with neurons instead. Or, and I prefer, contour clothing, where I made a picture up (couldn’t find it on the net):

Instead of a circuit board, it’s neurons aligned with the body’s anatomy (like muscles) along with their motion (like the circles at the joints in the picture would be cell bodies instead). Some parts can be clear, like in the picture here, with the pattern as a solid against the transparent backgorund.

Quick thought: could the clothing be a badge? Like if someone hit 10 mil points, a person’s entire attire would be the badge and its color?

Tech

• mixed reality glasses to play eyewire or neo anywhere, VR capable. Has voice calling and screen share to help others out who are stuck
• hologram displaying neurons. One can flip through with a hand motion
• a physical model where people can put neuron pieces into a clear plastic brain into their corresponding locations - to see how the neurons connect in reality?
• eyewire posters - especially educational ones, like tutorial steps or advanced player tips
• nurro plush - flight capable
• portal on wall to go into the game in reality
• non-invasive neuron analyzer that acquires the physical layout of neuron’s of any brain of any being that’s alive for the neurons (including human ones) to get mapped in eyewire

[SpookyGrowly]

ooooh i think some stuff like hazmat suits and gas masks would look really cool. I also think maybe futuristic-looking hoods and cloaks for scythes would be appropriate, because, y’know, reapers and such. Or maybe kind of robotic exoskeletons.

Each player level should have specific items related to them, maybe. Regular/advanced players might have a sort of gadget that supposedly would be what they use to trace neurons. Scouts get a hood for the first time, and scythes of course get…scythes. Other things might be based on the badges that represent each player level; i.e. mods might get a skeletal bird mask (or even a plague doctor mask) in homage of the Mod badge.

I don’t know if Neo will exactly have the same player types as Eyewire but just a thought!!

[Oreliel]

If Neo is going to keep the same/similar classes (Scouts, Scythes, Mystics) it would be cool if each had a distinct look about them.

For regular players, maybe give them a simple scanner tool like this:

For Scouts I think of rangers/archers so maybe have a scanning/marking device that also has qualities of a bow (thinking of a wrist bow).

For Scythes we already the tool of choice but for Mystics I think they could either have a staff/wand (make them more mystical) or give them an upgraded verion of a scythe (double-sided sycthe for example) like this:

That’s all my ideas for now

[hwaaim]

Mystics oughta have pet Zebrafish in the background.

On the subject of hats, I would gladly wear something inspired by “The Idiot Box” in TF2.

It may only fit the whimsical theme but anything in this sort of vein is something I’d get a big kick out of.

[Iniquity]

I’d wear a television as a helmet. Because why not?

[Atani]

A jet pack? or Jet shoes? Or a flying squirrel suit?

(obvs I wanna fly xD)

[Atani]

Or maybe unlockable pets? that would be fun! Pet zebrafish and mice and tardigrades <3 I would work for a tardigrade xD

[annkri]

i am thinking you could start the game with a kind of story on how the hero did happen to start the exploration. And part of this could be that all the colours disapeared from the hero and you would have to start with earning them back one part at a time before getting any new items.

you could also earn pockets and a backpack to store the gadgets you earn. When backback is starting to get full you could do something to get a shrinking beam and antigravity backpack to be able to get more stuff.

Do not know how the game would be build up, but when you get on the highter lvls i guess there would be different tasks like completing the cells. Then you could have a requirement that before getting more stuff from playing you need the new backpack you get from completing etc

[SpookyGrowly]

yes i freaking love tardigrades

[celiad]

Thanks for the ideas guys! I’m personally a fan of cool tech stuff mixed with some occasional silliness. +1 to giant nuclear tardigrade

[amy]

These are fantastic ideas! Holoneurons are necessary!

Love the torch @KrzysztofKruk and neuroinspired athletic wear @hawaiisunfun. We definitely will make a shirt of that sort. Dani is stoked about the gas mask @SpookyGrowly. Some sort of wrist scanner is a great idea @Oreliel. @hwaaim the box helmet shall come to pass! As will some other goofy headwear like @Iniquity’s TV @Atani you will be granted flight! And maaayyyy be a category of pets in the works… @annkri great game design suggestions. A shrink gun will be necessary to keep the lab from overflowing with gadgets and gear! We do have and idea for an intro story that’s sort of high-tech scifi otherworldly but we want to flesh it out a bit more before it’s shared.

We’ve added a bunch of your ideas to the neoverse and will factor more into the game design! Thanks so much and keep them coming!

I’ll leave you with a few concept staffs by Monica Oh.

[Zakhar_Krasnov]

In Russia there is the film “Кин-Дза-Дза”(1986). Filmed in the genre of dystopia tragicomedy. One of the heroes wore such a hat. If you add it to the game, the gamers from Russia will recognize the hat and have fun

.

[hawaiisunfun]

I think I’m going to play on what you’re talking about, but upgrade it by saying maybe people could get features that help them play the game better. Like items. Idk though, but other games have that. Like maybe ability to ‘freeze’ cubes with a freezing wand or a notepad for scythe entry logs.

[hawaiisunfun]

That is so awesome that you’ll make my dream-come-true t-shirt! Totally looking forward to that. The last one looks like a tattoo, which makes the first pic one look like a tattoo. Which I think would be cool to have, like (ok, couldn’t find it on the internet again, so another drawing, inspired by 1 and 2 to form):

The silver’s supposed to be metal. If the tattoo’s not near the eye, then a gem, like the first picture would suffice, especially a speckly underneath one!

The second one inspired me to think of a neuron coming out of a cloud, maybe a neuron-lit one?!

[Oreliel]

It would be cool if there were verus competitions in Neo like we have in Eyewire with participants winning ingame items and clothes relating to the theme of the event.

[Braincrash]

• Colored aura, shine, halo or bracelet. Color(s) based on level, intensity based on points.

• Players permanently “own” parts they have contributed to. This could manifest as a highlight color in the view (everyone only sees their own version) or as a tiny 3D fragmented map hovering near their avatar.

• Avatars gain physical size with points. It would not have to be much, 2% per million? Might need to be a shrinking scale.

• Personally I like the association of scythes with removing neurons. It’s hard to improve on that. Blow up the neurons instead?

• It would be fun to for players to animate the big picture for themselves only. This could be many things but I might like to see a fuse burning along neuron paths. Would that look like lace lightning or more like burning steel wool? Have the fuse change color when jumping synapses? Associate burn length with rank?