Should there be a setting to disable all cosmetic items from rendering on your client?

Erickson9610 · June 16

Cosmetic items include Outfits, Polymorphs, Skins, Markings, Costumes, Mounts, Skill Styles, Mementos, Customized Actions, Personalities, and anything else that you can use to customize your character. This setting would show all players in whatever style of armor and weapons they're actually using, show them with a default mount (or some default-looking two-rider mount if they have that kind of mount equipped), disable all interactions with Mementos, and suppress any kind of effect that hides or obscures what their character or their skills truly look like. Other players would not know that you have hidden customization effects. Toggling this setting would require a UI reload to load (or unload) the assets that are to be hidden with the setting.

Advantages include:

Immersion, as players won't look out of place in the setting
Performance, as those extra assets can remain unloaded
Tactical advantage, as in PvP you can see what weight of armor and type of weapon someone is actually using. You can also see the enemy's race if they had previously hid it with a Polymorph, and maybe see what stage of vampirism they are using
Inhibits griefing, as you won't see other players use Mementos (like mud balls) on you

Disadvantages include:

Inability to show off cosmetics from achievements and purchases to every player, devaluing the cosmetics and possibly leading to fewer players spending money or playing content for cosmetics that others may not see anyway
Inconsistent experience between players
Unexpected bugs may arise in niche scenarios
If all cosmetics are suppressed, that would likely mean one's own cosmetics would also be suppressed. The alternative is to only show your own cosmetics, which would remove some of the performance gain of such a feature

LunaFlora · June 16

Yes

something like that would be useful.
i specifically want a toggle and intensity slider for the strobing/flashing effects on some Mounts, Pets, Weapons, and even some Skills.

(16-6-2025)
edited to add:
Other would likely be a better choice.

i don't want to hide everything, just the things that physically hurt due to strobing/flashing.
i am referring to the fast effects on collectibles

here's some examples:

Wealons
- Y'ffre-bound, strobing.
- Prior Thierric, big purple flash.

Mounts
- Storm Atronach and Harrowstorm
- Spellscar
- Kynareth Quasigriff and its gryphon pet
- Meridian sabre cat

Pets
- Kynareth gryphon fledgeling
- Meridian sabre kitten
- the wings on flying pets (combat and non combat), they go just a bit too fast.

Skills
- Fatecarver and Remedy Cascade beams.
- Unblinking Eye ultimate beam.
- most Templar skills' brightness are painful flashes akin to Prior Thierric weapons.

(17-6-2025)
extra addition:
a toggle to hide every cosmetic would decrease immersion.
i remain baffled how it could increase immersion to hide cosmetics which let players express themselves and also help them blend in with the rest of the game's characters.

This would include all the costumes that are also worn by NPC's and the various non-magical horses that just have a different fur pattern, colour, and thickness than the Sorrel Horse.
Default mount would definitely be the mount everyone has which is the Sorrel Horse as companions also ride that if you don't choose another mount.

Desiato · June 16

No

It's important to me that all players share the same external in-game reality to the greatest degree possible in an MMO.

I say this as someone who is as annoyed by loud flashy cosmetics as anyone else. But that's part of being in a large community. Like I'm about to drive into town and be annoyed by a bunch of other people enjoying the freedoms I'm glad they have.

ghastley · June 16

No

Some suppression may be useful, but that is not the right level. Lumping explosive mounts together with eyeshadow in a single category of cosmetics is too broad a brush.

Pixiepumpkin · June 16

No

No. Part of the reason people buy mounts, outfits, cosmetics in general is to show them off to the public. That can be in an innocent way (making their characters look like they belong in Tamriel) or that can be in a more obnoxious way (making a spider man outfit, etc). Neither is right or wrong, but they still paid real money to show their stuff off. Allowing players to turn this off defeats the purpose many might buy the cosmetics in the first place.

Secondly, regarding PVP. This gives an unfair advantage. Either everyone be obscured, or no one be obscured regarding their armor types. Balance is important and allowing players to turn off parts of the game to give them an advantage is simply not the right way to develop the game.

This is an mmorpg. I would suggest that if someone can not deal with seeing other players in cosmetics, that they are playing the wrong game. I am not saying this in a mean or snide way, but in all seriousness. If seeing other players cosmetics disturbs a person for whatever reason, then its probably best for them to not engage in that type of game. It's no different than being afraid of heights but then choosing to skydive, its probably not the right entertainment for them.

tomofhyrule · June 16

Other

I can see both sides.

Yes, some things are way too flashy (read: triggers epileptic episodes). But just a mount glowing is not the same as a mount that strobes.

Yes, things should fit in the lore. But a lot more things are lore-appropriate based on the flavor text (and the player’s personal writing) than most people want to admit - a lot of them mean “it breaks my personal lore.”

No, it is not a good idea to hide all of the stuff that costs money and essentially acts as advertising. Sure that’s consumer friendly, but developer salaries and server costs are not paid in gratitude.

No, it’s not healthy for the game to look less active. And part of that is other people being around, and being free to do what they want.

It’s obvious how this poll is going to go: all of the “I play ESO as strictly a single-player game!” people are going to come in with demands that other people and everything about them are gone… at least until they want a friend in their world. Because that’s what they want - a single-player game.
ZOS should keep this in mind when planning content: that is the group of players who are most likely to 1) buy whatever they do, and 2) drop ESO like a hot potato as soon as a new TES game releases. If ESO wants to keep continual income, they should focus more on the people who are getting other things from ESO that they can’t from a single-player TES game, e.g. group PvE and PvP.

Rungar · June 16

well since cosmetics pay for the game and keep it running i would say that is one of the worst ideas ever lol.

cyclonus11 · June 16

No

The entire game is "cosmetic".

Also the amount of nekkid people running around would be ... a lot.

Erickson9610 · June 16

Yes

cyclonus11 wrote: »

The entire game is "cosmetic".

Also the amount of nekkid people running around would be ... a lot.

For clarity, hiding one's Outfit would be the same as not using an Outfit, which shows the armor being worn in its correct style. Unless a lot of people don't equip armor at all, that shouldn't be an issue.

Syldras · June 16

Yes

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

No. Part of the reason people buy mounts, outfits, cosmetics in general is to show them off to the public. That can be in an innocent way (making their characters look like they belong in Tamriel) or that can be in a more obnoxious way (making a spider man outfit, etc). Neither is right or wrong, but they still paid real money to show their stuff off. Allowing players to turn this off defeats the purpose many might buy the cosmetics in the first place.

I'd assume they want people to admire them or something like that? Or at least leave a positive impression? Then it should be no problem at all, as the people who enjoy looking at other people's outfits would not use the option to hide other player's outfits. The option would only be used by people who dislike seeing them. So that should be no loss to the people with the colorful outfits. Unless you're saying they wear them to annoy other players who don't want to see them?

SilverIce58 · June 16

Other

Erickson9610 wrote: »

cyclonus11 wrote: »

The entire game is "cosmetic".

Also the amount of nekkid people running around would be ... a lot.

For clarity, hiding one's Outfit would be the same as not using an Outfit, which shows the armor being worn in its correct style. Unless a lot of people don't equip armor at all, that shouldn't be an issue.

Then youd just be seeing people running around in mismatched armor with monster masks, mythic armor pieces, and/or arena weapons, which I dont see how thats any more normal than seeing people in their preferred outfits.

I can see some things getting turned off fpr performance, like what LunaFlora mentioned, strobing and flashing, but body markings/Adornments/costumes and the like are unnecessary.

Pixiepumpkin · June 16

No

Syldras wrote: »

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

No. Part of the reason people buy mounts, outfits, cosmetics in general is to show them off to the public. That can be in an innocent way (making their characters look like they belong in Tamriel) or that can be in a more obnoxious way (making a spider man outfit, etc). Neither is right or wrong, but they still paid real money to show their stuff off. Allowing players to turn this off defeats the purpose many might buy the cosmetics in the first place.

I'd assume they want people to admire them or something like that? Or at least leave a positive impression? Then it should be no problem at all, as the people who enjoy looking at other people's outfits would not use the option to hide other player's outfits. The option would only be used by people who dislike seeing them. So that should be no loss to the people with the colorful outfits. Unless you're saying they wear them to annoy other players who don't want to see them?

No, the very fact that cosmetics are sold for real money with the rightful understanding that players will purchase them to "show off" is enough to nix this idea. Regardless of the purchasers motive, I could see this being a legal issue.

Attorneyatlawl · June 16

Yes

I would love toggles like the OP describes. Part of the skill factor in PvP is to recognize what skills and equipment types people are using so you can counter them. The cosmetics have gone too far in obscuring these. Also, exploding mounts with huge flashy lights are just annoying, I'd love to be able to show all mounts with particle effects as regular horses as an option.

Attorneyatlawl · June 16

Yes

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

No. Part of the reason people buy mounts, outfits, cosmetics in general is to show them off to the public. That can be in an innocent way (making their characters look like they belong in Tamriel) or that can be in a more obnoxious way (making a spider man outfit, etc). Neither is right or wrong, but they still paid real money to show their stuff off. Allowing players to turn this off defeats the purpose many might buy the cosmetics in the first place.

I'd assume they want people to admire them or something like that? Or at least leave a positive impression? Then it should be no problem at all, as the people who enjoy looking at other people's outfits would not use the option to hide other player's outfits. The option would only be used by people who dislike seeing them. So that should be no loss to the people with the colorful outfits. Unless you're saying they wear them to annoy other players who don't want to see them?

No, the very fact that cosmetics are sold for real money with the rightful understanding that players will purchase them to "show off" is enough to nix this idea. Regardless of the purchasers motive, I could see this being a legal issue.

Other games like guild wars 2 allow for it in PvP as an optional toggle, and I've heard of others. There is no legal issue, and players should be free to enjoy the game without tons of flashing disco lights from others trying to show off.

tomofhyrule · June 16

Other

Erickson9610 wrote: »

cyclonus11 wrote: »

The entire game is "cosmetic".

Also the amount of nekkid people running around would be ... a lot.

For clarity, hiding one's Outfit would be the same as not using an Outfit, which shows the armor being worn in its correct style. Unless a lot of people don't equip armor at all, that shouldn't be an issue.

So what you’re saying is:

“It annoys me to see players walking around in carefully-crafted outfits that represent their respective characters’ backstory and the player’s likes. I’d much rather see everyone in washed-out shades of red because it’s lore-appropriate that all metal is Rubedite and only Rubedite, all cloth is shiny red ancestor silk, and all leather is glossy rubedo leather. Making everyone look like they bathed in ketchup is much more lore appropriate than having any other colors at all.”

Oh wait, you just mean “I want the fat male Orcs in the Carnaval dancer costume to wear normal clothes.”
And yet, a “hide all cosmetics” button would do both of these things. Where do you draw the line? Does everyone draw it at the same place?

This is always my “but muh loooooooore” counterargument: 1) who made you the lore police, and 2) who says the person in question doesn’t have 6+ pages of fully-researched backstory on why it does fit in the lore?
For example: my next character (as soon as ZOS gives me a new Class) is going to use the Minotaur polymorph. My document with his planning is up to 9 pages, all researched based on lorebooks, and I hope I can manage to get the backstory down to 7 pages once I write it… but it’ll likely be longer. He has connections to NPCs in game and reasons for being where he is.
Granted, I have to break character a bit to get skyshards or do basic chores. His story will take him through the IC and Blackwood stories, but I need to get him skill points from other zones and dungeons and prep things like Scribing and Subclassing. Expecting someone to take their fully-built RP character apart so they can go to town to drop something in the guild store without offending someone’s sensibilities is ridiculous.

Syldras · June 16

Yes

I don't see what's so bad about giving people options.

Pixiepumpkin · June 16

No

Attorneyatlawl wrote: »

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

Pixiepumpkin wrote: »

No. Part of the reason people buy mounts, outfits, cosmetics in general is to show them off to the public. That can be in an innocent way (making their characters look like they belong in Tamriel) or that can be in a more obnoxious way (making a spider man outfit, etc). Neither is right or wrong, but they still paid real money to show their stuff off. Allowing players to turn this off defeats the purpose many might buy the cosmetics in the first place.

I'd assume they want people to admire them or something like that? Or at least leave a positive impression? Then it should be no problem at all, as the people who enjoy looking at other people's outfits would not use the option to hide other player's outfits. The option would only be used by people who dislike seeing them. So that should be no loss to the people with the colorful outfits. Unless you're saying they wear them to annoy other players who don't want to see them?

No, the very fact that cosmetics are sold for real money with the rightful understanding that players will purchase them to "show off" is enough to nix this idea. Regardless of the purchasers motive, I could see this being a legal issue.

Other games like guild wars 2 allow for it in PvP as an optional toggle, and I've heard of others. There is no legal issue, and players should be free to enjoy the game without tons of flashing disco lights from others trying to show off.

1. Contrary to your name, you do not know if it could result in a legal issue, and neither do I. But there are precedents set regarding consumer rights and it's well establishe and beyond argument that human beings purchase things to show off to other people. Cosmetics in a video game are no different and if that is the intended purpose of the purchase but actually has no effect then I could see issues being raised. At the very minimum a request for refunds based on false advertising.
2. In PVP it would have to be an all or none thing. You either balance it with all players being seen, or none. Else you give an advantage as I already pointed out.
3. I should be able to play the game without seeing your characters full stop, but am I going to be allowed to? Probably not and for good reason as it goes against the idea of what the game is in the first place.

tomofhyrule · June 16

Other

Syldras wrote: »

I don't see what's so bad about giving people options.

Funny thing about people having options and ZOS though…

We all had the option to convert to Account-wide achievements, right?
We all had the option to use the Class-set styles on any character since it’s just cosmetic and anyone who doesn’t like it doesn’t have to, right?
We all had the option to fight in new 4v4 BGs along with the old 4v4v4s, right?
We all had the option to use the new UI over the old one, right?

ZOS has burned us on optional things one too many times. And despite every time the PTS is all on the “please make this optional!” train, it’s never done.

Even when it is really an option, it’s still coerced. After all, we totally have the option of using Subclassing or being memetically uncompetitive compared to others. Or, for people who are tired of Subclassing debates, we have the option of playing a werewolf build or being able to use anything else in game like cosmetics, scribing, or even be more than a joke in the first place.

SilverBride · June 16

I would like a setting to disable all cosmetic items of other players from rendering on my client. But I would never want to block my own cosmetics.

cyclonus11 · June 16

No

Erickson9610 wrote: »

cyclonus11 wrote: »

The entire game is "cosmetic".

Also the amount of nekkid people running around would be ... a lot.

For clarity, hiding one's Outfit would be the same as not using an Outfit, which shows the armor being worn in its correct style. Unless a lot of people don't equip armor at all, that shouldn't be an issue.

There are characters (particularly stuff like crafting and mule alts) that are not wearing armor. I may or may not be speaking from experience here.

ESO_player123 · June 16

cyclonus11 wrote: »

Erickson9610 wrote: »

cyclonus11 wrote: »

The entire game is "cosmetic".

Also the amount of nekkid people running around would be ... a lot.

For clarity, hiding one's Outfit would be the same as not using an Outfit, which shows the armor being worn in its correct style. Unless a lot of people don't equip armor at all, that shouldn't be an issue.

There are characters (particularly stuff like crafting and mule alts) that are not wearing armor. I may or may not be speaking from experience here.

You should see my main without a costume: Slimecraw + armor in all colors of the rainbow (because I randomly change color of a random channel on a random piece of armor every time "Change outfit" endeavor appears). I bet that will help with immersion if my costume gets disabled.

Unless, of course you propose hiding the colors too. That would make one dull picture.

Alaztor91 · June 16

Yes

I don't really see the issue with this being an option in the Graphics Settings. The game already has the ''Show Additional Ally Effects'' setting for some stuff like ground dots in PvE to help with performance, so this would follow a similar logic.

I don't really know how much of a performance boost you would gain by rendering other players/mounts nearby as a ''default model'' in this game, but I have seen a similar setting used in another MMORPG(different engine) and it helps quite a bit when there are like 50+ players fighting.

TheMajority · June 17

Other

I want a setting that make everybody disappear completely so that I don't have to see them at all when I do my quest in a delve or city. Other games got this so I don't see why ESO can't too.

bmnoble · June 17

No

I don't see how seeing everyone in miss matched Rubedo/Rubedite red gear would make the game more immersive.

I like seeing what other people have done with their characters it makes the world feel more alive.

ArchMikem · June 17

Other

I just want an option to replace all Apex and Radiant Apex Mounts with game standards. Just for immersion sake.

noblecron · June 17

Other

I wouldn't mind some sort of setting where you could disable player effects. Gw2 has worse flashiness than ESO and has such a setting that works great. For those that don't mind they can keep the setting active to view flashy mounts and such and for those of us that don't like it can have a setting to shut it off

reazea · June 17

Yes

Yes. Way too much focus on cosmetics in this game when the focus should be on the combat and game play.

spartaxoxo · June 17

Yes

Yes, a performance mode would help people in Cyrodiil, on lower end machines, and trials with performance.

It would also let people who dislike all the flashy cosmetics to enjoy towns more.

The more people that can play, the more money they can make to do other stuff. There's a reason that performance modes exist in other games.

spartaxoxo · June 17

Yes

Syldras wrote: »

I don't see what's so bad about giving people options.

It doesn't personally benefit me! /S /joke

In all seriousness, I do think that ZOS talking a lot about resources when it comes to Cyrodiil have made people apprehensive about supporting things. I think there's some merit to it.

That said I support a performance mode because it would also help people with serious medical issues. And I personally prioritize performance and safety over other gameplay issues.

DreamyLu · June 17

Other

As long as it's a setting and we can ignore it, I don't care. I would myself not used it (so it's a no basically, but I'm flexible since it remains an option).

JimT722 · June 17

No

The op's version of the game did exist. looted gear and your crafters styles were important. the only mounts were horses and style parlor or outfits wasn't a thing.

I haven't cared about my appearance under outfits for i don't know how long. the vast majority of cosmetics seem to be tied to the store in one way or another since the release of the crown store. the game is so far removed from a version that it would make sense in. I really can't see them doing this. though, i'm not really against it. good luck.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Should there be a setting to disable all cosmetic items from rendering on your client?

Should there be a setting to disable all cosmetic items from rendering on your client? 127 votes