History Main / DesignItYourselfEquipment

** Given that the ''labo garage'' is basically a programming system in and of itself, people are already starting to come up with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0MtrXgvbt4 their own games and other such things]] involving it, with one player managing to recreate the first ''UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch'' game, 'ball', in it.

** The ''VideoGame/{{Battletech}}'' 2019 video game took its system from ''Mechwarrior Online'', with the addition of adding a fourth weapon type slot for support weapons.

* ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' allows you to modify your characters' guns by attaching barrels, scopes, and extra magazines. This can lead to some ridiculous designs, though they [[InformedEquipment don't actually appear that way in the game]]... thankfully.

* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'' plays with this somewhat, even more so in its 2008 expansion ''Entrenchment'', with the ability to highly customize starbases. Ships and economy buildings are stock, however.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'', ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' allow you to create and edit Gummi Ships.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' have a forge to create weapons. Basically, it lets you take a generic weapon, choose a colour for it, and mess with its stats. Each increase in a stat raises the price. The more important the stat, the more the price goes up. For whatever reason, [[SelfImposedChallenge decreasing a stat]] below normal also costs more.

* ''VideoGame/VegaStrike'' gives player a good choice of ships and equipment for different tasks -- there's at least three viable strategies for optimization of beam weapons alone (range, DPS, DPS through shield) and some practical limitations (like hull volume and reactor's power) that avert "one is obviously better" trap even more.

* ''VideoGame/NetHack'' lets the player wish for items if they find a means of getting said wish. The trick here is that the player can also wish for modifiers to said items. Some of the more popular wishes include: [[spoiler: blessed greased + 2/+3 [[AntiMagic grey]] / [[AttackReflector silver]] dragon scale mail, 7 uncursed candles, [[CursedWithAwesome cursed]] potions of gain level, and [[MundaneUtility magic markers]].]]
* ''VideoGame/InfinityTheQuestForEarth'''s ships are based on a "non-specialization principle"; that is, any ship can be used for any purpose (although obviously some are better at certain things then others) if outfitted properly.
* ''VideoGame/RobotArena'': You must design a robot from scratch, using the parts provided by the game (like pistons and wheels and engines and of course various kinds of weaponry), paint it, decal it, and control it in a deathmatch with other robots. The trick of course was to keep the weight of the robot to a minimum, and also to make good use of the limited space inside the robot's chasis.
* ''VideoGame/LegendOfMana'' almost wallows in this trope, as the player can build weapons, armor, musical instruments (used ingame for magic spells) and even custom robot sidekicks. There exists a subset of Mana players whose sole reason for still playing the game is creating recipes for new items.
* ''VideoGame/HomeAlone'': In the Genesis and Game Gear versions, Kevin has to assemble all of his weapons other than the BB Gun. In general, the only difference is what the weapon fires or what the trajectory is. In the [[DifficultyLevels easier difficulty]], the game will automatically suggest combinations based on what he's collected so far. The harder difficulty has a few exclusive parts, and thus exclusive weapons.

* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'':
** ''Hordes of the Underdark'' gives you access to a forge at the beginning of the second act. If you've got the gold for it, you can make some pretty insane weapons, like a Keen Flaming + 7 Longsword... that's still called a + 2 Longsword, because you can't change the ''names'' of the weapons.
** The game's built-in LevelEditor takes it a step farther, allowing you to load up a character with custom-made [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One]] equipment, then [[GameBreaker import that character into a normal game.]] Want a + 20 [[FireIceLightning Flaming Frost Shocking]] [[{{BFS}} Greatsword]] that casts [[FantasticNuke Hellball]] with each hit? ''That'll'' teach those [[TheGoomba goblins]] in the tutorial level.
* ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'': The Overlord can only use weapons and armor made specially for him. While available designs and materials are limited, said items can be given special effects by sacrificing [[{{Mooks}} Minions]]. [[TooDumbToLive Lots of Minions]].
* ''VideoGame/NavyField'' features customizable World War II ships. You can change out engine, guns, torpedoes, ammo type and quantity, armor, fire control, aircraft, and crew within specified maximum limits based on weight and physical size. Of course, bigger guns have larger shells and on a tiny ship that can really limit your ammo. The guns even have a few quality modifiers for guns where an "L" gun will have longer range but weigh more while a "D" gun of the same caliber will have less range but weigh less.
* ''VideoGame/Worms4'': The player can design a weapon of their own, complete with adjustable variables such as knock-back, terrain destruction potential, and even whether or not its rounds could poison enemy worms.

* ''VideoGame/{{K240}}'': Basic ships have only HP and no weapons, as these are added onto Hardpoints, with ships having between one and six depending on size. It isn't just weapons either (of which you got air-to-air and air-to-ground types), you can also get several different types of defenses.
* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'', a turn-based 4x game, has this with ships. Ships are made with a number of interchangeable sections (3 sections for ships in the original, but the first two expansion packs added the Zuul, who have some race-specific ship types with just 2 sections, as well as [[AttackDrone drones]] [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Morrigi ships that make their fleets faster]] with only 1 section), plus each section has hardpoints to attach weapons to. There are 3 sizes of weapons hardpoints, a weapon must be the same size or smaller to fit, with smaller weapons than a hardpoint's size leading to [[MoreDakka multiple barrels]], there are also specialized hardpoints such as for missiles (which also [[MacrossMissileMassacre utilize the size system]]), drones, and beam weapons. Most sections also have checkboxes for ([[AttackReflector reflective]]) armor and engine sections have checkboxes for fuel options as well.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tanktics}}'' is all about producing [=DIY=] [[TankGoodness tanks]] from scratch and pitting them against the enemy.
%%* ''VideoGame/DrawnToLife'': In the purely aesthetic corner. It's the main gimmick.
%%* ''VideoGame/GratuitousSpaceBattles'': This is literally half of the game. The other half is watching these designs fight in the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aforementioned battles]].%%*What* is "literally half of the game"?

* ''VideoGame/ElementalWarOfMagic'' allows you to arm, armour, clothe and outfit your sovereign, heroes and your ''entire army'' to whatever specifications take your fancy. Want everybody in your LegionOfDoom to wear a fez? Go ahead!


* ''VideoGame/StarRuler'' has this for starship design. Players first set the scale of the ship (anywhere from the size of a Coke can to larger than the galaxy), then the player begins by placing a type of hull (carrier, light, heavy, etc), power plants, thrusters, weapons, armor, shields, control systems, and support equipment (such as mining lasers, repair lasers, stealth fields, etc) to the ship's design grid. Finally, the player can set default AI behaviors for the ship, such as target preferences. How many objects, their relative complexity, and the size of the ship determine how many resources are needed to build the ship. ''Star Ruler 2'' replaces the somewhat esoteric circular design grid with the ship's actual cross-sectional blueprint, and allows players to designate firing arcs.
* ''VideoGame/InfiniteSpace'' allows the player to customize their ships with a variety of weapons and modules. The nationality of your bridge module even changes the views displayed while cruising and fighting.
* ''VideoGame/MSSagaANewDawn'' breaks [[HumongousMecha Mobile Suits]] into several parts (arms, legs, shoulder armour, etc.) that can be swapped and repainted.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' allows to craft addons from broken droid parts and install them on some items.

* ''VideoGame/Aurora4X'' has a lot of this. Individual traits for most ship component have to be researched independently. Only then can you design components with those specific traits and stats. And finally you can start researching those components for use in ship design. To top it off, most components have selectable sizes, armor protection, and further traits such as sensor resolution and EMP resistance which makes every single designed component different from others of the same type. So players have to design and research multiple versions of active sensors, fire controls, energy weapons and missiles to fit on their ships to receive optimal performance. And that's not including engines, shields and other vital components. Player-designed fleets contains multiple types of ships, each ship being as complex as their closest real life counterparts.
* ''VideoGame/ChampionsOnline'' and ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' both have simply amazing customizeable costumes for the character. This can lead to some remarkably creative costumes, as well as positively eye-blinding ones. As mentioned above, however, this is purely cosmetic.



* ''VideoGame/EveOnline'': While most ships are customizable with modules, only tech-level 3 ships allow the player to swap entire sections of the ship.
* ''VideoGame/{{Forza}}'' features extensive customization on its cars, both visually and mechanically:
** Mechanically, you can swap out engines, drivetrains, and in some cases engine aspiration, or simply upgrade the existing engine. You could take a classic Dodge Charger, cram in a V10 engine from a Dodge Viper, make it [=AWD=] and chase Lamborghinis around the Nordschleife. Once you've put on your upgrades, you can then tune the car, to alter its handling characteristics. One might make first gear longer to reach a higher top speed, or reduce it for break-neck acceleration, then tweak the differential to adjust how easily the tail slides out, then adjust the suspension and anti-roll bars to induce oversteer or understeer.
** Visually, you can give most of your cars aftermarket body kits (which often affect the performance, especially with spoilers. Most simply reduce the overall weight slightly), and in ''Forza Motorsport 4'', you can give OEM body kits, such as swapping out the front end on a 1980s Porsche 911 Turbo with the front end from a standard Porsche 911, or give it the stripped down racing front end. Rims can be swapped out for hundreds of other rims (which affect the car's overall weight). The most notable feature of the customization, though, is the Vinyl Editor / Decal Editor, which allows you to place thousands of decals on your car to make liveries. A player might drive said Dodge Neon with a replica Martini livery, depict the [[VideoGame/{{Halo}} Master Chief]] fighting [[VideoGame/HalfLife Gordon Freeman]], or simply have racing stripes or go-fast stickers.
* ''VideoGame/{{Cataclysm}}'' has a grid based vehicle construction system with different types of parts able to share the same tile. With enough skill, items, and time it's possible to build anything from a scooter to a tank to a motorcycle with several large truck engines that's capable of going over 500MPH.
* ''VideoGame/RideToHellRetribution'' has a vehicle construction system, although modifying your bike does little, since there's no way to view your custom chopper in gameplay.
* ''VideoGame/{{Gimbal}}'' features an extensive ship customization system where you select a hull and tack on as parts as you can (depending on level/budget). If you wish, you can make a ship that derives its thrust from ''around a dozen Flak Cannons.''
* ''VideoGame/GarrysMod'': Spy's Customizable Weaponry (especially 2.0) allows you to customize weapons to a varying amount, most notably the AR-15 that allows you to change sights, barrel types, the HollywoodSilencer attached to said barrel, underbarrel options, stocks, ammunition types and magazines. Though an important aspect is handling, attaching items can reduce handling (which means your mouse sensitivity with the weapon) to simulate a big, unwieldy weapon.
* ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'' does this in two ways:
** Player characters can equip kits that provide powers in ground combat in addition to what they learn by leveling up. Prior to Season 9 (2014), kit powers were only available in pre-made sets, such as the Engineer's Bunker Fabrication Kit that included a deployable turret and generators to heal allies within a certain area. Post-Season 9, kits are assembled by slotting modules into a frame, allowing players to select their own mix of ground powers. Each class has its own set of available powers and cannot equip modules or frames intended for another class.
** Ships can be "kitbashed" at shipyards, assembling a unique vessel using parts (saucer, nacelles, etc.) from a family of related ship classes. This is purely visual and adds a lot of variety to what you see flying around.
* ''VideoGame/KerbalSpaceProgram'' allows you to design and build your own rockets and other craft from scratch using sets of specialized parts, letting you construct a wide variety of landers, probes, space stations, rovers... or you could forget about the whole 'space' nonsense and build jet fighters, cars, boats, submarines. With the aid of mods, even battleships, carriers and humongous mechas are possible.

* ''Videogame/EndlessSpace'''s blueprint system allows players to customize their race's starships and upgrade their performance. Different modules and weapon systems can be installed with different abilities, such as siege weapons for slow but guaranteed planetary capture, bomber storage to directly attack enemy population and infrastructure, or troop modules to directly invade and take over system in one turn with enough force. A similar variant appears in ''Videogame/EndlessLegend'', albeit for troops rather than spaceships; different types of weapons, armor, and trinkets modify the unit's stats and sometimes its abilities.
* ''VideoGame/PandoraFirstContact'', the unofficial SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'', has a less pronounced ability to customize units, but it is still incredibly useful, as it allows you to design specialized units for a given task. For example, you can arm your infantry with machineguns against biological enemies (including the native life) or with rocket launchers against armored units. There are other weapons, such as lasers, that deal equal damage to different types of enemies, many types of armor and equipment. Units can also be upgraded to already-existing templates of the same basic unit type.
* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersStarships'' has customizable ships.

* ''VideoGame/ScrapMechanic'' is a sandbox game centered around the player's ability to create vehicles of arbitrary shape, size, and complexity. You can build pretty much any kind of wheeled or rocket-powered vehicle you can imagine, and the game's Early Access status means that there's going to be more and more capabilities as the game goes through development.

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart''
** ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'': In addition to bringing back the coins from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartSuperCircuit'', the game introduces gliders, and underwater driving, introduces the option to personalize the player's vehicle, even more so than ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' (where each driver had a standard kart plus a unique kart) or ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' (where each weight class had its own set of bikes and karts). The player can select the kart body, the tires, and the glider to build the desired kart. By collecting many coins from the races in Grand Prix mode, the player can unlock a new body, a new set of tires, or a new glider to use. It is possible to acquire a maximum of ten coins in a race. As the user chooses the parts, the stats may vary according to the parts' combination, and the vehicle will work better in particular situations.
** ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' continues where ''7'' left off, and has even more variety, especially if you have all of the DLC packages. There are 37 vehicle bodies (22 karts, 6 outside drifting bikes, 5 inside drifting bikes, 4 ATVs), 21 sets of tires, and 14 gliders available for usage. The math means that there's 10,878 possible combinations of vehicle, tires and glider. It is impossible for a combination to have any stat less than 1 or greater than 5.75. Furthermore, the vehicles are not weight-class restricted, so any character can get any vehicle.
* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'' allows players to create custom magic items for heroes.
* ''VideoGame/MasterOfOrion'': You can design your own space ships. ''Master of Orion 2'' introduces [[http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Master_of_Orion_II/Warship_technologies#Weapon_modifications weapon modifications]] unlocked by advancing TechnologyLevels, and refitting of existing ships.
* ''VideoGame/MechWarrior'': The series, set in the ''Tabletopgame/BattleTech'' universe, traditionally features the [=MechLab=] which allows one to customize their HumongousMecha's weapon loadout, armor, fusion reactor, and equipment such as a JumpJetPack. The implementation of it varies heavily by game:
** ''Mechwarrior 2'' and ''3'''s mechlabs were ripped straight from ''[=BattleTech=]'' and had absolutely no limits besides tonnage and pod space, relying instead on the player's common sense to fit weapons according to mount type. Unfortunately, MinMaxing your Mech to its maximum killing efficiency usually implied ignoring any semblance of common sense, which resulted in cannon hardpoints firing missiles, missile racks firing lasers, laser arms firing flamers and even hilarious setups like cockpit canopies and ''legs'' used as weapon hardpoints -- firing whatever you'd mounted there from the ''knees''.
** ''Mechwarrior 4'' switched to a more abstracted system which removed pod space in favor of unique equipment and different amount of weapon slots (universal, or specialized ballistic, missile, or energy) on the mechs. A 'Raven' scout mech could equip a huge variety of sensors but lacked weapon space, while an 'Argus' had tons of ballistic and missile slots but almost no electronics.
** ''Mechwarrior Living Legends'' never got the Mechlab implemented [[ScrewedByTheLawyers thanks to legal issues]], but design documents showed that it would have worked fairly similarly to ''Mechwarrior 4'', albeit with fixed engine ratings per chassis and customizable weapon pods plus the obvious addition of player-usable tanks, aerospace fighters and helicopters.
** ''Mechwarrior Online'' uses a modified ''[=BattleTech=]'' system, with mechs having a limited number of weapon slots per section and equipment like electronic countermeasures limited to certain mech variants. Variants have "quirks" that benefit certain stats such as weapon refire rate or acceleration.
** The ''VideoGame/{{Battletech}}'' 2019 video game took its system from ''Mechwarrior Online'', with the addition of adding a fourth weapon type slot for support weapons.
* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarNova'': There are two ways of getting Abilities onto your weapons: Using a Core during ItemCrafting to affix a permanent Ability to the final product, and making and equipping Attachments. Through the Attachment system, you can craft different Attachments with specific Abilities, then mix and match Attachments on your weapons to get the best Abilities onto them. The fun part is that you equip Attachments by physically attaching them to the weapon through a menu that allows you to move and adjust the placement of your Attachments, and all Attachments appear in-game on your weapon's model. After an update to the EndgamePlus, you can now move Abilities across Attachments, allowing you to invoke a weapon version of RainbowPimpGear. You can take a melee weapon such as Knuckles and equip to it a rifle scope, a cat face, and a ribbon, and it'll still roll over post-game content with the right Abilities.
* ''VideoGame/PlanetExplorers'': You are able and even encouraged to design every item, weapon, apparel and vehicle yourself in an extensive 3d editor. This editor also takes in account what material you use and, in case of weapons, the shape you create your items in to generate its stats, like damage and durability. So, when you, for example, design a sword, you'd want to add sharp edges to it to increase the damage it does.
* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'': Certain games of the series allows you to customize your weapons. ''Videogame/RatchetDeadlocked'' lets you attach mods that alter your weapon statistics as well as add some secondary effects such as ChainLightning, ice damage or even napalm. ''Videogame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime'' has Constructo weapons, which are modifiable versions of the pistol, shotgun and the bomb glove that can be altered with different parts.
* ''[[https://store.steampowered.com/app/1674170/Sprocket/ Sprocket]]'' allows players to micromanage the construction of their very own tanks. Sure, you can build a recreation of an existing tank, but if you are so inclined, you can build a new tank from scratch--and it can be as sensible or as cursed as you want it to be. Tiny hull with a monstrous 152mm cannon? Sure. A rail-thin tank with a monstrous engine, no armor, and covered in machine guns? Why not?
* ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}'': Clear Sky'' and ''Call of Pripyat'' feature techs, stalkers that can tinker with your guns and upgrade them in two different trees (usually accuracy at the expense of DPS and vice-versa), and even swap its chambered caliber from NATO to Soviet (and again, vice-versa). These trees are mutually exclusive at a certain point and on, but there is potential for intermingling aspects of the two so you have the exact parameters you desire in your arsenal.
* ''VideoGame/StarControlII'': your Precursor flagship has a modular design that allows you to outfit her for any purposes you can think of, as long as you have enough Resource Units to spent on modules: a tanker able to hold enough fuel to transverse the entire map, a battleship that can mop the floor up with even Ur-Quan dreadnoughts, a mining ship able to store the mineral resources of entire star systems. Just don't forget to upgrade also the turning jets and anti-matter thrusters.
* ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'' has two forms of this:
** When you begin a new game you are given the opportunity to create your own empire and starting race. Here you can choose your races appearence, their biological characteristics and a list of names for randomly generated characters. For your empire you can choose their ethical values and their government form. You want to play as highly intelligent roaches that form a xenophile theocracy? Sure. Foxmen that live for centuries in a science focused military dictatorship? Why not?
** The empire customization is so extensive that you can spend hours [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny painstakingly recreating your favorite sci-fi civilization]] and shaping how they would work within the game's mechanics, without even actually starting a game. And that's ''without'' {{Game Mod}}s.
** You can customize your ships and space stations at will. You can first choose the parts that make up the ship/station. Then you can fill their weapon and utility slots with unlockable items, while keeping a positive power balance.
* ''VideoGame/TreasurePlanetBattleAtProcyon'' allows the player to customize ships by selecting crew and modifying the weapon mount configuration. Weapons may be refitted as long as they are the same weight class or lighter than their weapon mount, although certain weapon banks cannot be refitted, such as hull mounted guns and any special weapon. The ship's crew can also be selected to improve the ship's handling in certain areas, such as speed, maneuverability, repair rate, weapon accuracy and [[{{Boarding Party}} boarding strength]]. Refitting weapons or selecting crew costs Victory Points, with better crew and more powerful weapons costing more Victory Points.
* ''VideoGame/UltimateAdmiralDreadnoughts'': This is the core gameplay: the player designs their own warships, from hull form, to armor, propulsion, guns, fire control, damage control, and dozens of other aspects. Within each category there are a handful of options depending on the technology available. Some things are even more tweakable; particularly you can choose the caliber, number, and placement of primary and secondary guns and the thickness of armor for different sections of ship. This allows for some nice historical recreations but also allows for some ludicrous but entertaining designs that no sane naval architect would ever have proposed in real life.
* This is the core premise of ''VideoGame/GundamBreaker''. Collect a variety of Gunpla model parts, built your own machine from them, equip it with weapons of choice, and develop its stats, skills, and abilities. The end result could be anything from a SuperPrototype Gundam to an AceCustom of one of the various MookMobile Suits, or something altogether unrelated--some creative souls have managed to bring SuperRobot sensibilities into the Gundam Breaker series.
* ''VideoGame/VictoryBelles'': All equipment can be placed through an extensive research system that allows you to remove defects (called "gremlins") and add in various traits from different pieces of gear to make even the worst items at least serviceable.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'':
** This is baked into all weapons to some degree with [[SocketedEquipment the weapon mods]] system. Modding is an essential skill to Warframe, because it allows players to adapt their loadout to the many, many situations they would find themselves in, or turn a mediocre weapon into a high-power death machine. Mods do many things, such as modify crit chance or multipliers, or add elemental damage types. There are four base elemental damage types (Heat, Cold, Electricity, and Toxin) and placing two mods of certain combinations in a weapon creates secondary elemental damage types (Gas, Radiation, Magnetic, and Corrosion). This also works if the weapon has an elemental type as a base damage, meaning that adding a single elemental mod can turn a flamethrower (base heat damage) into a strange hybrid weapon that sprays out corrosive acid or radioactive fallout.
** Actual weapon building was introduced with the Plains of Eidolon, in the form of Zaws. The player can buy the plans for parts (strike, grip, and link) to be forged together by the craftsman Hok. Optimized Zaws are often compared to or exceed the damage output of comparable Prime Weapons. A ranged weapon equivalent, Kitguns, were introduced in the Fortuna update, featuring similar mechanics.
* ''VideoGame/Warzone2100'' features vehicle design from scratch fairly prominently. An advertisement from 1997 boasted over ''eight million'' different component combinations.
* ''VideoGame/WayOfTheSamurai'' brings this to the fore in allowing players to design their own daggers, swords, and spears. This is extremely important because the weapon held was the only thing determining the nameless samurai's attack and defense levels. A wide variety of blades, grips, hilts, and pommels were available to mix and match. Some were obvious sets designed to go together (such as the 'Shark' prefix-set of ''3''), while others were simply individual parts which could be put together on the player's whim. Also notable for allowing players to also choose the special attacks in their sword by determining its [[StanceSystem stance]], then using a PointBuy system to allocate any [[EvolvingAttack skills learned]] from weapons with that particular stance. Combining parts with regards only for stats sometimes made high-power weapons into the swordsmithing equivalent of RainbowPimpGear.
* ''Webcomic/WickedAwesomeAdventure'' encourages its players to design equipment out of pocketed items. This has led to unusual (and occasionally GameBreaker -- swiftly confiscated by the Duck) items like the Swear-jar F-bomb, the Vevuzela Speargun, the Brusherhang, and the Rubik's Hypercube.
* ''VideoGame/WingCommander'': The two ''Privateer'' {{spin off}}s allow you to customize whatever ship you're currently using. Especially in the original ''Privateer'', though, there's only a few pieces of equipment that are worth equipping, and the rest is just for "make do" until you earn the money to pay for the good gear.
* ''VideoGame/Wizard101'' has the option for players to merge an item's appearance with another item's stats. This is a way to edit an item in a purely cosmetic fashion, letting a player essentially choose their own look and not have to change it whenever they get new gear. This was mostly done to prevent players from having to deal with RainbowPimpGear to have the best stats.

* ''VideoGame/ChildrenOfADeadEarth' comes with a usable selection of serviceable designs, but the dev's stated objective is to see what space warfare ends up looking like after the players have had a chance to design their own creation in search of the optimum designs and tactics. And the design is ''very'' detailed. How detailed? An example: designing a nuclear reactor [[note]]Specifically, the type that's in the game is thermoelectric fission reactor, chosen by the developer due to low mass, design simplicity, and cheapness[[/note]] has you being able to choose things like materials for nuclear fuel, fuel enrichment level, fuel mass, neutron flux level, moderator material + mass, neutron reflector material + thickness, coolant pump material + fan size and rotation speed, coolant type, outlet temperature, P and N type composition of the thermocouple and the length between them + overall size of the thermocouple. And this applies to other modules as well.
* ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet3'': You can create your own power-up through the new Powerup Creator in conjunction with dozens of logic gates, microchips, tags and emitters. The Pop-it Powerup on the other hand is a portable LevelEditor which functions ''in-game''.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'': This game broke with the other sequels by letting you research add-ons for your guns. Amusingly, you can 'invent' the [[IconicItem classic weapons]] used in previous games, including: Solid Snake's SOCOM pistol and FAMAS rifle from [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidV MGS1]], Big Boss' custom .45 from ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater Snake Eater]]'', the Patriot rifle used by The Boss (the FinalBoss of ''Snake Eater''), and the Mosin-Nagant sniper rifle used by The End (also fought in ''Snake Eater'').
* ''VideoGame/NintendoLabo'':
** Players are encouraged to decorate their Toy-Con however they see fit, with officially made Customization Kits available for purchase as well.
** Given that the ''labo garage'' is basically a programming system in and of itself, people are already starting to come up with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0MtrXgvbt4 their own games and other such things]] involving it, with one player managing to recreate the first ''UsefulNotes/GameAndWatch'' game, 'ball', in it.
* ''VideoGame/ResonanceOfFate'' allows you to modify your characters' guns by attaching barrels, scopes, and extra magazines. This can lead to some ridiculous designs, though they [[InformedEquipment don't actually appear that way in the game]]... thankfully.
* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. Do you want a Nerve Gas fighter-bomber with Air-to-Air missiles and psionic defenses? A cruiser with a time-travelling particle beam, a radar facility and the ability to double as police in any harbor it enters? An espionage capable ''tank'' with drop pods, armor made from spider-silk woven steel, and extra resistance to hacking? A buggy-mounted artillery piece that launches fungal spores on enemies, with resonating armor made from alien technology and a built-in teleporter? How about a hovering fighter with psychic armor that launches psychic attacks and is extra-resistant to wildlife? In short, if you could imagine it, in ''SMAC'' you could build it. Of course custom units do cost more credits to build, and if you really go wild you'll end up with something that [[AwesomeButImpractical can take your faction's entire income to build just one of.]]

* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts'' is a game where you design and drive custom-built vehicles. You can build cars, planes, boats, hovercraft, helicopters, or even hybrid vehicles with folding wings or propellers.
* ''VideoGame/BlacklightRetribution'': This is combined with a leveling system and a surprisingly non-evil renting system to result in an insane amount of aesthetic and functional weapon customization.
* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'': Creating your own creatures, buildings, vehicles, and spaceships is the central premise of the game. In practice, only the combination of a limited number of elements on your creature matter insofar as abilities go; all other designs are cosmetic.
* ''VideoGame/{{Loadout}}'' basically revolves around designing your weapons as its main draw. It features a massive amount of options, and any of them can be used together. You want a [[HealingShiv healing rocket launcher]]? Sure thing!
* ''VideoGame/RobinsonsRequiem'': You can combine nearly everything you found in several ways in your struggle to survive. You can even create several methods to kill yourself in interesting ways.

* ''VideoGame/Warzone2100'' features vehicle design from scratch fairly prominently. An advertisement from 1997 boasted over ''eight million'' different component combinations.
* ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' features the capacity to design HumongousMecha completely from scratch.

* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed: Underground'' took ''Gran Turismo''[='s=] customization and attached it to a battleship full of angry bees.
* ''VideoGame/NavalOps'' features a ship editor called [=HLG61=]. It allows the player to completely customize every part of their warship. So you get to choose the hull of your ship(s) (anything from a submarine to an enormous drillship), the armour level, the bridge, aircraft, the weapons, smoke stacks, boilers, engines, and special systems on your ship. With this level of customization and the raw power of higher end items, making a GameBreaker ship is easy.
* ''VideoGame/GalacticCivilizations'' has ship editors in-game.
* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'' plays with this somewhat, even more so in its 2008 expansion ''Entrenchment'', with the ability to highly customize starbases. Ships and economy buildings are stock, however.

* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' has rather crazy customization options for vehicles (SWAT tank with nitro and spinners? You betcha!)

* ''VideoGame/MasterOfOrion'': You can design your own space ships. ''Master of Orion 2'' introduces [[http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Master_of_Orion_II/Warship_technologies#Weapon_modifications weapon modifications]] unlocked by advancing TechnologyLevels, and refitting of existing ships.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ascendancy}}'': You design a ship by placing components on the "deck map" one by one.
* ''VideoGame/CyberStorm'' allowed the player to customize their fleet of fighting robots, as well as oversee the training of their semi-human pilots.
* ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' introduced a Weapons Customisation feature in an update that allows players to choose a variety of different skins for each of the weapon-using powersets, some of which are unlockable, and many of which can be colour tinted. It's purely cosmetic, however.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' introduces an augment system for equipment with the mini-expansions, with special equipment also using this system being the final reward for two add-ons. Augments that are ''not'' the final add-on rewards are completely random, however. Later iterations of the latter make it easier to be persistent until you get something you like, in a manner not entirely unlike SaveScumming with a materials cost. Probably the closest to this trope would be Alluvion Skirmish gear, which have three specific "slots" for augments which you can reroll one at a time until you get almost exactly the combination you want.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' does this with the Customization feature. You can put any abilities that you have the stuff for into the weapon or armor, unfortunately the better items are ridiculously rare RandomDrops or available by bribing monsters that are beyond the PointOfNoReturn. Making these is pretty much the only way to get some abilities, like Break Hit Point Limit or Break Damage Limit outside the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Celestial Weapons]]. Fulfilling certain conditions grants you access to a merchant who sells equipment with four customization slots, allowing the player to go wild in designing their equipment (especially since there's no "Celestial Armor"-type equipment).
* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'' allows players to create custom magic items for heroes.
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders'' allows players to create custom magic items for heroes or wizards in the cities with "item forge" building. In the campaign, this results in the [[{{Munchkin}} strategy]] of spending a little while at the end of one level hitting "end turn" until you have the resources to make [[DiscOneNuke mind-bogglingly powerful weapons]] to use for the rest of the campaign.

* ''VideoGame/WingCommander'': The two ''Privateer'' {{spin off}}s allow you to customize whatever ship you're currently using. Especially in the original ''Privateer'', though, there's only a few pieces of equipment that are worth equipping, and the rest is just for "make do" until you earn the money to pay for the good gear.

* ''VideoGame/{{K240}}'': Basic ships have only hp and no weapons, as these are added onto Hardpoints, with ships having between one and six depending on size. It isn't just weapons either (of which you got air-to-air and air-to-ground types), you can also get several different types of defenses.

* ''Webcomic/WickedAwesomeAdventure'' encourages its players to design equipment out of pocketed items. This has led to unusual (and occasionally GameBreaker -- swiftly confiscated by the Duck) items like the Swear-jar F-bomb, the Vevuzela Speargun, the Brusherhang, and the Rubik's Hypercube.

* ''VideoGame/XComApocalypse'' allows to fit vehicles for your purpose -- changeable engines, weapons and other parts you can buy or build.

* ''VideoGame/WayOfTheSamurai'' brings this to the fore in allowing players to design their own daggers, swords, and spears. This is extremely important because the weapon held was the only thing determining the nameless samurai's attack and defense levels. A wide variety of blades, grips, hilts, and pommels were available to mix and match. Some were obvious sets designed to go together (such as the 'Shark' prefix-set of ''3''), while others were simply individual parts which could be put together on the player's whim. Also notable for allowing players to also choose the special attacks in their sword by determining its [[StanceSystem stance]], then using a PointBuy system to allocate any [[EvolvingAttack skills learned]] from weapons with that particular stance. Combining parts with regards only for stats sometimes made high-power weapons into the swordsmithing equivalent of RainbowPimpGear.

* ''VideoGame/Wizard101'' has the option for players to merge an item's appearance with another item's stats. This is a way to edit an item in a purely cosmetic fashion, letting a player essentially choose their own look and not have to change it whenever they get new gear. This was mostly done to prevent players from having to deal with RainbowPimpGear to have the best stats.

* ''VideoGame/{{Automation}}'' is designed to be a car company SimulationGame that embraces this to the limit. The game lets you do the next best thing to blueprinting your entire engine, top to bottom; fuel system, valvetrain, cylinder layout, compression ratio, bore, stroke, ''everything''. There's nothing stopping you from making a high-revving one-liter DOHC V8 or a torque-monster four-liter OHV inline-4 -- or, on the extreme other end, the almost-exact inline-six engine from the 1964-1/2 Ford Mustang. And that's not even getting into your ability to customize the rest of the car.
* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace3'' has one cobbling together "weapons" (read: [[ImprovisedWeapon "cutting tools to maul necromorphs to death with"]]) from spare parts.
* ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' has an absurdly expansive customisation system for your weapons, armour, suit of power armour, and even your settlements. There are over 700 different mods to change the barrel, scope, ammo, grip or stock of around 50 or so base model guns. So, for instance, you can take a standard laser pistol and mod to become a variety of different weapon, including a full-blown rifle, a sniper rifle or a shotgun; or you can change a baseball bat so it has nails in it, or give it an aluminium body with a mahogany grip with circular sawblades on the end, along with other possibilities. This is taken into ridiculous extremes with pipe weapons, as you can pick up an unassuming pipe pistol at the start of the game and gradually mod it into a mutant-killing, bullet-spewing battle rifle. With the availability of a ''whole bunch'' of mods that greatly improve the amount of components you might well end up spending more time modifying weapons than actually using them to kill the aforementioned mutants.

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart''
** ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'': In addition to bringing back the coins from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartSuperCircuit'', the game introduces gliders, and underwater driving, introduces the option to personalize the player's vehicle, even more so than ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' (where each driver had a standard kart plus a unique kart) or ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' (where each weight class had its own set of bikes and karts). The player can select the kart body, the tires, and the glider to build the desired kart. By collecting many coins from the races in Grand Prix mode, the player can unlock a new body, a new set of tires, or a new glider to use. It is possible to acquire a maximum of ten coins in a race. As the user chooses the parts, the stats may vary according to the parts' combination, and the vehicle will work better in particular situations.
** ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' continues where ''7'' left off, and has even more variety, especially if you have all of the DLC packages. There are 37 vehicle bodies (22 karts, 6 outside drifting bikes, 5 inside drifting bikes, 4 ATVs), 21 sets of tires, and 14 gliders available for usage. The math means that there's 10,878 possible combinations of vehicle, tires and glider. It is impossible for a combination to have any stat less than 1 or greater than 5.75. Furthermore, the vehicles are not weight-class restricted, so any character can get any vehicle.
* ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}'': Clear Sky'' and ''Call of Pripyat'' feature techs, stalkers that can tinker with your guns and upgrade them in two different trees (usually accuracy at the expense of DPS and vice-versa), and even swap its chambered caliber from NATO to Soviet (and again, vice-versa). These trees are mutually exclusive at a certain point and on, but there is potential for intermingling aspects of the two so you have the exact parameters you desire in your arsenal.
* ''VideoGame/PlanetExplorers'': You are able and even encouraged to design every item, weapon, apparel and vehicle yourself in an extensive 3d editor. This editor also takes in account what material you use and, in case of weapons, the shape you create your items in to generate its stats, like damage and durability. So, when you, for example, design a sword, you'd want to add sharp edges to it to increase the damage it does.
* ''VideoGame/StarControlII'': your Precursor flagship has a modular design that allows you to outfit her for any purposes you can think of, as long as you have enough Resource Units to spent on modules: a tanker able to hold enough fuel to transverse the entire map, a battleship that can mop the floor up with even Ur-Quan dreadnoughts, a mining ship able to store the mineral resources of entire star systems. Just don't forget to upgrade also the turning jets and anti-matter thrusters.

* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'': Certain games of the series allows you to customize your weapons. ''Videogame/RatchetDeadlocked'' lets you attach mods that alter your weapon statistics as well as add some secondary effects such as ChainLightning, ice damage or even napalm. ''Videogame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime'' has Constructo weapons, which are modifiable versions of the pistol, shotgun and the bomb glove that can be altered with different parts.
* ''VideoGame/VictoryBelles'': All equipment can be placed through an extensive research system that allows you to remove defects (called "gremlins") and add in various traits from different pieces of gear to make even the worst items at least serviceable.

* ''VideoGame/{{Dauntless}}'': The Ostian Repeaters are GunsAkimbo that have numerous parts, components, and accessories that can be swapped out and tailored to whatever you are fighting.
* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'''s ItemCrafting mechanic ultimately serves as this alongside a helping of SocketedEquipment. While the bonuses conferred by custom-made equipment are based on the materials used and the slot they're used it, the appearance of equipment is based on their base schematic as well as the add-ons they can receive (meaning two weapons may have the same base appearance, but differ in terms of add-ons making their overall appearance distinct).
* ''VideoGame/UltimateAdmiralDreadnoughts'': This is the core gameplay: the player designs their own warships, from hull form, to armor, propulsion, guns, fire control, damage control, and dozens of other aspects. Within each category there are a handful of options depending on the technology available. Some things are even more tweakable; particularly you can choose the caliber, number, and placement of primary and secondary guns and the thickness of armor for different sections of ship. This allows for some nice historical recreations but also allows for some ludicrous but entertaing designs that no sane naval architect would ever have proposed in real life.
* This is the core premise of ''VideoGame/GundamBreaker''. Collect a variety of Gunpla model parts, built your own machine from them, equip it with weapons of choice, and develop its stats, skills, and abilities. The end result could be anything from a SuperPrototype Gundam to an AceCustom of one of the various MookMobile Suits, or something altogether unrelated--some creative souls have managed to bring SuperRobot sensibilities into the Gundam Breaker series.
* ''[[https://store.steampowered.com/app/1674170/Sprocket/ Sprocket]]'' allows players to micromanage the construction of their very own tanks. Sure, you can build a recreation of an existing tank, but if you are so inclined, you can build a new tank from scratch--and it can be as sensible or as cursed as you want it to be. Tiny hull with a monstrous 152mm cannon? Sure. A rail-thin tank with a monstrous engine, no armor, and covered in machine guns? Why not?

* ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' features variations on this theme. All versions feature rules for designing [[CoolStarship spacecraft]], and ''The New Era'' included quite complex rules for creating custom weapons... [[ObviousBeta that tended to produce the same results every time]].

* ''VideoGame/TreasurePlanetBattleAtProcyon'' allows the player to customise ships by selecting crew and modifying the weapon mount configuration. Weapons may be refitted as long as they are the same weight class or lighter than their weapon mount, although certain weapon banks cannot be refitted, such as hull mounted guns and any special weapon. The ship's crew can also be selected to improve the ship's handling in certain areas, such as speed, maneuverability, repair rate, weapon accuracy and [[{{Boarding Party}} boarding strength]]. Refitting weapons or selecting crew costs Victory Points, with better crew and more powerful weapons costing more Victory Points.

* ''VideoGame/VictoryBelles'': Belles equipment can be placed through an extensive research system that allows you to remove defects (called gremlins) and add beneficial traits to the gear to make even the worst items you can acquire at least serviceable.

* ''VideoGame/GundamBreaker'': This is the premise of the ''Gundam Breaker'' games. Collect a variety of Gunpla model parts, built your own machine from them, equip it with weapons of choice, and develop its stats, skills, and abilities. The end result could be anything from a SuperPrototype Gundam to an AceCustom of one of the various MookMobile Suits, or something altogether unrelated--some creative souls have managed to bring SuperRobot sensibilities into the Gundam Breaker series.

* ''VIdeoGme/GundamBreaker'': This is the premise of the ''Gundam Breaker'' games. Collect a variety of Gunpla model parts, built your own machine from them, equip it with weapons of choice, and develop its stats, skills, and abilities. The end result could be anything from a SuperPrototype Gundam to an AceCustom of one of the various MookMobile Suits, or something altogether unrelated--some creative souls have managed to bring SuperRobot sensibilities into the Gundam Breaker series.

* ''Franchise/GundamExpandedUniverse'': This is the premise of the ''Gundam Breaker'' games. Collect a variety of Gunpla model parts, built your own machine from them, equip it with weapons of choice, and develop its stats, skills, and abilities. The end result could be anything from a SuperPrototype Gundam to an AceCustom of one of the various MookMobile Suits, or something altogether unrelated--some creative souls have managed to bring SuperRobot sensibilities into the Gundam Breaker series.

** ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', in addition to bringing back the coins from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'', introduces gliders, and underwater driving, introduces the option to personalize the player's vehicle even moreso than ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' (where each driver had a standard kart plus a unique kart) or ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' (where each weight class had its own set of bikes and karts). The player can select the kart body, the tires, and the glider to build the desired kart. By collecting many coins from the races in Grand Prix mode, the player can unlock a new body, a new set of tires, or a new glider to use. It is possible to acquire a maximum of ten coins in a race. As the user chooses the parts, the stats may vary according to the parts' combination, and the vehicle will work better in particular situations.