Ok so I'm on the fence as to whether I think this would be a good idea, but I think it would be interesting if some of the perks you choose actually effect your appearance a little.

I'm not entirely sure what sort of perks would do this in a good way though, so does anyone have any ideas or opinions about this?

I feel with the technology at the institute augmentation would be very possible, but might make it a bit too futuristic , rather than retro-futuristic.

While I can see it being potentially useful / good ---- you get a cybernetic arm with some perks and it is visible, but ONLY if you get that perk (and quest to get the arm,etc) but I'm reeeeeeeeally wary of tying appearance into stats or perks in any way. If the Cybernetic Arm "look" can ~only~ be acquired by gaining the perk (and doing the mission, etc) then it looks like you could choose whether or not to get that appearance-alteration. I just know many people would rather get the perk and then just "say" that the arm is covered with a flesh-like substance so that it does not look any different than normal. Part of me agrees with the idea of preserving my chosen appearance, but part of me also wants to tell that first part of me that, hey, if you want the benefit of a built-in energy blaster and the ability to bend locks off doors then you must have the cybernetic appearance on your arm! Torn!

I don't think it would really work with perks. There will be hundreds of perks in this game. If each one or even a quarter of them changed your appearance, your character would look like a mess of physical changes on top of how you already set the character up in the beginning. Now this idea may work for a quest line or two. Say something with the institute where there will definitely be some players (specifically Computer Science majors) who definitely want to see their character turn into a cyborg. Kind of like in Fallout New Vegas there was a part where you could get robotic implants which added to your SPECIAL stats. Things of this nature may be able to be implemented by the Institute or factions like it, but not all of the perks. Either way it should only be a few things that change the appearance, otherwise it would be too saturated

No I really wouldn't want that. I did consider using a mod the NV that added a scar to your head after having your brain operated on, but since that game is mostly 1st person anyway.

I'm curious if looking at my character all the time during dialog will affect my attachment to him/her. Also wondering it blood and gore will be all over them after a battle like with DA.

Had traits been implemented, it would have been the perfect opportunity to do this.

After I go through the cc and get the look I want then I want them to stay that way.

My problem is that I spend tons of time in the CC, start the game and then realize that I would like my eyebrows just a little higher...

Man I hope there is an CC export feature so I can save designs and us others that upload theirs.

Ok so judging from what you 3 said iv come up with an idea, what if their was a quest in which you must obtain a robotic limb, but for some reason you can only pick 1 of 4 and which ever one you pick you get implanted onto your body, the perk is that limb does not cripple, but you get the option to switch between it looking human or cybernetic at any time like with your heart, spine and brain in old world blues.

Any thoughts?

Face codes would be nice. Also something like the face sculptor in Skyrim. A ghoul that's a plastic surgeon or somesuch.

No, no, no, no, no.

If there's an option for cybernetic/robotic body parts then that would make sense, but apart from that - no.

Man, that was hilariously badly done - so glad there was an option to turn that off in DA:O

I wouldn't be a fan of it. I'd rather not have appearance changes be a factor in deciding whether I want a perk or not. It would be a pity to have to avoid a desirable perk due to an undesirable change to appearance.

I don't know. Maybe increasing your strength or a perk that lets you carry more, or something that affects strength might buff out your character a little bit. Might be better than a character with 4 strength having same build as 10 strength.

But really I think what I created would be what I would like to keep. If I get a cybernetic arm I assume it would be covered by armor or clothing.

Well I still have issues with my huge burly male Orc only being able to carry the exact same amount as a skinny female Breton. Obviously with some of Bethesda's character design reality has to sit in the corner and stare at the floor.

Speaking of which we could argue whether or not the Male PC should have the same STR as the Female. Should she be able to have a 10 STR and look the way she does? Maybe she could get the Man-Perk? ... or would that make her trans?

6 Million Dollar Man? That would be interesting, I'll have to think about that!

Probably not based on perks, but as optional additions later on? Hell yeah! If I want to buy robotic arms that increase my strength stat then give me the option to have nicely finished human replica arms or more obvious mechanical ones.

I wouldn't want anybody who wants to keep their characters exactly as they were at CC to lose out on those options for the sake of appearance, but I would like the option to modify my character in such a way as well. I'd love to play a science and engineering nut who starts out tinkering with guns and armour and eventually builds himself his own prosthetics to replace his meagre human anatomy piece by piece. Seeing that evolution on the body would be phenomenal.

https://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=EoKwX5fLJ5E

How's this for a "six million dollar Fallout man"

I'm entirely for this idea, but I think it may be entirely subjective. I would love to at least have the option though, but it's probably gonna be a mod add-on, nothing vanilla.

I think it would be cool. Get a mechanical eye that makes you shoot more accurately with a sniper or lets you see in night vision. Or maybe your canine teeth would be a little bigger if you got the cannibal perk.

I wouldn't like huge changes, but something Skyrim-esk where there are minor differences, like if you're a vampire, your eyes glow.

I'm down with this idea if it's not (level)perk based. Having a quest perk or something like the medical clinic with the implants in NV

No to the perk-linked-appearance. But yes to a wide variety of customization options for the character (hair, beards, tattoos, jewelery, scars, disfigurements, body-types and possibly cybernetic body-parts).

Man... This goes back to the awful "But I want the helmet's bonus; without having to see it" lament.

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Dermal_Impact_Assault_Enhancement perk would be a cool return; if it showed on the PC, and if NPCs would react to it... but only if it shows. The deformed looks are the price paid for the bonuses, and it should not allow the benefit to come without the unpleasant appearance of it. That's what affords the bonus.

Overall, I'm pretty neutral to the idea. I will say that Deathbot changing his appearance based on the talents you picked in BL2 was friggin cool. However, that also worked well because he was an external element from your character i.e. you could see him even though you're in first person view. Given that most people would play in first person, I don't see this adding a whole lot to the gaming experience, but I'm also not against it.

Love this idea. Totally feasible since it would likely be less complex in coding the way CJ-- Gta SA protagonist-- could be body morphed

In Oblivion smaller races like Bosmer and Khajiit get lower strength, females get an extra penalty. On the other hand we sneak well.

Skyrim dumped strength into agility who sneaky girls need anyway so your female Bosmer thief is able to carry more stuff than the orc barbarian who focus on health.

On the other hand carrying heavy load over miles is not an strength skill its an endurance one.

The guys who help carry stuff up Mount Everest don't look like bodybuilding orcs, more like bosmers.