ArenaNet Details GUILD WARS 2 Armor Dying System

Online gamers rejoice! ArenaNet has released a blog entry detailing the innovative new armor dying system for their upcoming massive multiplayer game, Guild Wars 2.

ArenaNet clothing and armor designer Kristen Perry describes in detail the new dye system being utilized in their much anticipated sequel. Earlier this month at PAX, ArenaNet presented a playable demo that featured 96 usable colors included in the new dye system, though this was only a mere taste of the full palette. Kristen reveals that the full number of available colors will be as many as she can distinguish.

I’m guessing that means over 400 colors, but we’ll see… I haven’t created them all yet!

The original Guild Wars featured 10 total base dyes by comparison, these dyes could however be mixed to create other colors, a hobby which some players reveled in. This will not be an option with the new system in Guild Wars 2, instead, the developers will be supplying the players with more dyes than they can shake a pixelated longsword at. Another update to the system comes in the form of storage, dyes will no longer be inventory items that will cause the player unnecessary clutter, instead they will be their own separate system, dyes will be unlockable through various means inside and outside of the game. The dyes will also be sortable by hue, warmth and other attributes, as well as a "favorite system" allowing the player easy access to their most frequently used dye colors.

Each dye color will be given a unique name that describes the color. The dyes will also be grouped by the material they are most suited toward, though Kristen is quick to point out that this is not a limitation, merely a suggestion, the color "Copper" for instance, will work equally well on Cloth, Leather and Metal textures, but will be ideally be suited for Metal. She adds that new armor items that are acquired will have a standard "neutral" color set to them, cream for cloth parts, steel grey for metal and a dull brown for leather, reducing the likelihood of looking like a "clown" in your new gear.

Each armor piece will have 3 separate areas for dying and each area will have a base texture of either cloth, metal or leather, this texture will influence the final look of the dye when applied. This system will ensure that even players wearing identical armor sets will look completely different. ArenaNet is aiming to create a unique experience unlike anything that currently exists in the online realm. Guild Wars 2 is currently scheduled to enter into beta sometime in 2010 with a tentative launch date in 2011.