FAQ for Customers by Kwee and n'Jessi

Q: What can an Image Designer do?

A: All facial/cosmetic/physical modifications available at character creation as well as:

• Additional ID-only hair/frill/lekku/horn/ridge styles (Bald now available!)
• Expanded color palettes (a Master has access to 256 colors in each palette). These include Eye color, hair color, spot color for aliens, and skin color
• Stat Migration: Now the only way to migrate your stats is to visit an ID (more details later)
• Holo-Emotes

Q: How do I find an Image Designer?

A:

• Tents are good places to start (see below for tent locations).
• If you don't have any luck in the Bestine, Theed, or Coronet tents, a wise next step is to check out the thread always stickied at the top of the ID forum called "Looking for an Image Designer?? ID's listed by galaxy". Add the ID's in your galaxy to your friend's list and ask if they're available when you see them online but please give them a few minutes to load in.
• Ask your local entertainers for suggestions
• Many servers have an entertainer channel or an ID channel (such as Scylla's "salon" channel). Join the chat channel and politely ask for assistance. This post has a list of the entertainer channels.

Q: What's this I hear about timers?

A: ID sessions are now accompanied by a timer that must finish its countdown before a change can go through.

• Non Master ID's:
• For cosmetic changes, the timer is 1 minute (or 30 seconds in an ID Tent)
• for body changes, the timer is 2 minutes (1 minute in an ID Tent)
• for stat migrations the timer is 4 minutes
• Master ID's:
• For cosmetic changes, the timer is 30 seconds (or no timer in an ID Tent)
• for body changes, the timer is 1 minute (no timer in an ID Tent)
• for stat migrations the timer is 4 minutes
• **CHANGE COMING SOON: There will be no timer for self-cosmetic/body changes done outside a tent
• Timers do not stack, but instead the highest timer is applied, so if you are getting a stat migration and lip color, the timer will be set at 4 minutes.

Q: What are the ID Tents for?

A: The ID Tents halve the cosmetic and body timers so that cosmetic changes take 30 seconds and body changes take 1 minute for non-masters. No timer bonus exists for Stat Migration, which is the only ID ability that must be done in an ID Tent.

Q: How does Stat Migration work?

A: You must set your stats yourself (ctrl-O), and you may do this before or during the ID session. Your stats will not move unless you see an ID. The ID will have to be grouped with you, and you must both be standing inside an ID Tent. The ID will select the stat migration option and a 4 minute timer will begin counting down. After 4 minutes (you will see the timer on your interface), and assuming you have paid for the service, the ID will offer the change to you and your stats will move instantly when you accept. For a good description of how to set your stats, see Hollow1Neville's guide.

IMPORTANT: Get your wounds healed before stat migration!! If you even have one point of wounds, your stat migration will not go through (and you find that out at the end of the session, not at the beginning).

Q: How do Holo-Emotes work?

A: There are 16 Holo-Emotes. An Expert Hairstylist has access to all of them. Whether you are given “one” or “all” there will be 20 charges. Type “/holo help” in game for instructions on use. Holo-Emotes can be set off every 30 or 60 seconds, and were described by our dev as tiny generators implanted subdermally in the scalp or weaved into hair that need time to recharge between uses. An informative site on Holo-Emotes (which includes screenshots) can be found here.

Q: Where are the ID Salons (Tents) located?

A: You can type “/find salon” in one of the following five cities to have a waypoint created for you.- Theed -5130 4260 (next to the Cantina, visible from Starport area)- Moenia 4790 -4730 (visible from the Starport and Cantina)- Bestine -1440 -3700 (back behind the Cantina)- Coronet -360 -4690 (near the Cantina and Shuttleport B)- Vreni Island -5150 -6370 (next to the Cantina)

Q: Are the tents player city placeable/architect craftable?

A: Not at this time, but we are told they will be one day.

Q: Can you change my gender or species?

A: These changes have been vetoed by Lucas Arts. Do not expect them in the future.... ever.

Q: Oo ooo, then can you make me superhumanly tall? What about an extremely large chest?

A: We can do everything available at character creation within regular character creation species limits. This means that if you’ve maxed out your height, we can’t make you taller.

Q: Can I have hair even though I’m a Twi’lek? Horns for my Human? Lekku for my Mon Cal?

A: That was an exploit that is no longer possible.

Q: I've seen a certain hairstyle on an NPC of my species. Can an image designer give it to me?

A: Not necessarily. Some NPC hairstyles are not available for players. In particular, zabrak females often have horn-and-hair hybrids that look like human hairstyles with horns added - most of these are unfortunately not available for players.

Q: What can Master ID’s do that non-Masters cannot?

A: Not much actually. Chances are good that a skilled Novice ID will be able to help you with what you need. What is found exclusively in the MID skill box: skin color, head size, torso (women), age, 32 extra colors in each palette.

Q: Where can I get more information about ID or find pictures of hairstyles, colors, holo-emotes, etc?

A: Check the links in the stickie on top of the forum. It is definitely appreciated if you have a vague idea in mind of which changes you want, particularly if there is a line. If you have no idea what you want, you might want to make an appointment so that you will have the ID's undivided attention. Aesthetic image design can take place outside a tent, so perhaps for the appointment it might be best to leave the tent so you will not be disturbed.

Q: Can I see changes before I accept?

A: Yes, you will be able to see a Before and After image of yourself. The After image updates in real time as the ID shows you potential changes. You have an option to zoom in on your face. The new ID user interface allows for multiple changes to happen in one session (before only 1 change could be made at a time)

Q: If an ID changes me, can he or she change it back if I don’t like it?

A: Yes, what an ID can do, an ID can undo, with two exceptions. ID’s without Expert Hairstylist (Hair IV) do not have access to all of the hairstyles, so if you think there’s a chance you might change your mind after accepting a new do, be sure to ask if your ID has your hairstyle as an option. Also, some colors are only available at higher skill boxes or Master. Within an actual session the ID has a “revert all” button he/she can hit if you want to start the whole process from scratch (individual changes can only be reverted by hand) but consider the time you would both lose should you choose to do so..

Q: Why am I smiling? Can an image designer fix me?

A: It’s actually your mood – type /mood none. Either that or you're in the cantina listening to music/watching dancers. Do /stopwatch or /stoplisten and you'll get rid of the funny face (and will stop listening or watching).

Q: How does ID xp work?

A: A (non-Master) ID gains experience by making a change to your character, giving you a holo-emote(s), or migrating your stats. The amount of xp is based on how long the timer is. The exp does not stack, so it would be kind to suggest an ID break up a long session into a few parts (accepting whatever has been done so far when the timer hits zero) so that they can get exp for more than one change.

Q: What are the bugs?

A: Here are a couple that have been documented, and are still not resolved:

• “You are already in the process of an ID action” bug - when one of you goes LD during a session, the ID may not be able to design you (or anyone else) until they relog.
• The UI does not always show the outfit you are wearing, but instead something you were wearing earlier. Try a relog.
• When a zabrak does not have hair, and an ID gives him hair, the hair color may not be visible to the client in the preview window, but if you accept the change, the hair color will go to what the ID has selected.

Q: Can someone practice ID on me without changing anything?

A: Not since Pub 8.1. A change must be made for an ID to get experience. IDs like to practice using eye color however, which has minimal impact on your overall apearance and is easily restored.

Q: What should I expect to pay?

A: Some image designers set fixed prices, and others do not. It should be asked up front. Price systems might be set up based on complexity of the change (higher skill required = more expensive) or time spent on the ID session. If your ID works off of tips, consider this question: if someone spent a half hour doing a custom tailoring order for you, or made you a gun upon request, wouldn’t you tip him for the personalized effort? A Pricing Guide can be found on Pani’s Lightstrider Image Designs site. A growing trend seems to be set prices for stat migration but tips for cosmetic work.

Q: Why am I being charged if ID doesn’t cost resources?

A: ID takes the valuable resource of time - think of it as on par with requesting a long and complicated custom order from a crafter. When crafters charge you for resources, even good resources are not particularly expensive to mine - they are charging you for the time it takes to find the resources, to gather them, and to craft the item. ID also takes the same number of skill points as a TKM or any other non-hybrid elite combat profession, and therefore should be as valuable as that profession.

Q: What if an ID is charging too much? I really need this stat migration.

A: Sometimes ID's will purposely charge "too much" for a stat migration, for whatever reason. Many times, however, players undervalue our time, or incorrectly think they are entitled to a free stat migration because stat migration is necessary or because they used to be able to migrate without an ID's help.

• Ask if there is a novice ID around. Novice ID's will often charge less for a stat migration. Master ID's, in contrast, will raise prices to encourage customers to seek out novices who still need xp.
• If you are truly poor, you can plead poverty and politely ask for a reduced price (i.e. if entertainer is your primary profession, or you are a new player). However, if you are capable of making the money easily, there is no reason for a discount. Master elite combat professions, or those wearing full composite armor usually will not be given a discount.
• It is never appropriate to be rude to an image designer. If you do not like the price, you can seek out another image designer.

Q: I get ID’d all the time and don’t pay for it. Why should I start now?

A: That is really up to the image designer, who has the tools to require payment. We now have a secure payment window built into our user interface. The ID’er will enter the amount they wish to be paid, and if you do not match or exceed the amount you will not be able to accept the changes. Some ID’ers work for tips and may enter a minimum tip amount or leave it set to zero and give you the option to show your generosity. If they’re not happy with your tip (for example they work with you for 20 minutes and you tip them 10 credits) they have the option of canceling the session.

Q: An ID I've never met is refusing to help me out. What is going on?

A: ID's talk to each other. If you are rude or refuse to pay enough times, ID's may hear about your reputation and refuse to provide service to you. If that is the case, apologize for your naughty ways, and hopefully the image designer will take pity upon you - but you may have to pay before the session starts.

Alternatively, if you have always been polite to image designers, it may simply be that the image designer is off-duty, or is busy with something else. Politely ask if it would be better to come back at another time, and set up an appointment. If the image designer does not answer your tells, he or she may be busy, so it is most effective to use e-mail to request an appointment.

Q: Oops I just realized I left my money in the bank, now what?

A: The secure payment window will pull money from your bank if you do not have enough on hand. Don’t fret!

Q: What is general etiquette for an image design session?

A: Ahhhh the do’s and don’ts.

• DO: be polite to your image designer
• DO: be prepared to wait if others are in front of you
• DO: make an appointment – that will ensure you don’t have to wait.
• DON’T: bombard your image designer with tells. Even better, use e-mail. He or she may be in the middle of a session.
• DON'T: send your ID a tell when you first see his/her name pop up on your friends list. Allow the ID to load into the world first, or he or she might miss your tell. Wait 2-3 minutes before contacting him/her.
• DON’T: criticize the design aspects – we didn't design them. Saying “eeew” is not nice.
• DON’T: expect the ID to come to you. If you must meet at a salon for a stat migration, it is usually up to you to go to the salon where the ID is working, not to ask the ID to fly to your closest salon. We are actually pretty busy people. Would you expect a crafter to do home delivery?
• DO work on one change until you're happy with it
• DON'T jump around between changes before you're satisfied with the one in progress
• DO: ask for price up front
• DON'T complain about pricing. If the price is too high, you can find another image designer. If you have financial hardship you can also try to politely negotiate with the image designer.
• DO: say “thank you”
• DO: recommend your friends
• DON’T: recommend jerks.

Message Edited by NJ62 on 02-10-2005 06:27 PM