A Commentary on MCH Aesthetics

As a MCH main, one of my bigger, non-gameplay related criticisms have often been the fact that we, being shoehorned into the "Aiming" category along with BRD, generally lack proper aesthetics when it comes to gear. On one hand, consider the fact that most Aiming gear caters to the BRD aesthetic, as they've simply been around longer. No issue there, but for more MCH-oriented gear, we look like pirates. Like cowboys. Like fancier craftsmen (referring to the Eso gear, but as Machinsts technically ARE craftsmen, this still makes sense).

Consider the fact that Skysteel technology is a derivative of Garlond Ironworks technology, an Eorzean equivalent to Garlean Magitek, thanks to Cid. While firearms are not new technology in Eorzea, Magitek/aetherically-powered firearms are, and thus we are literally using cutting edge weaponry. From an aesthetic standpoint, our gear and weapons should reflect that. I'm all for variety, naturally, but why wouldn't a Machinist be wearing something like Ironworks/Carboncoat clothing/armor almost by default? I'm aware the concept of the Machinist as a combat specialization is "Ishgardian homeland defense for the everyman" (taken straight from the job quests), but the other side of MCH job lore is adaptation of current and new technologies, not just for combat, but Eorzean technological advancement (at least on the Garlond Ironworks side of the house).

Fact is, we're coming up short visually. We either look like Bards, or we look like other gun-wielding archetypes, neither of which really lending well to the idea that we are both combatant and cutting edge craftsman. My suggestion was once to distinguish us through "X Gear of Sniping", but with future jobs (and possible future loot tables) in mind, this could prove problematic, not to mention simply making more work for your design teams. And while other jobs don't get special treatment outside of signature/artifact gear, they still often fit within the job's aesthetics whereas we do not.

That said, all I can ask, formally, is that going forward into 4.0, please consider these important factors: Machinists are not Bards. Machinists are not archers, nor pirates. Machinists are craftsmen who have adapted some of the most advanced technology of their world to date in order to both use for combat and for the sake of technological advancement itself (Aetherotransformers, Manacutters, etc.). We are Gunners, ranged damage dealers utilizing magic technologies (ironically) for physical damage and batlefield support. We currently do not reflect our technological prowess/mastery/inclinations all that well in what we do, how we do it, or even the way we dress, and we very much should.

Thank you for reading this to this point if you have. And enjoy your day :)

Please, please, PLEASE do not give MCH a separate gear set from BRD the way that melee jobs are separated (and please DO keep them lumped together the way that Casters, Healers, and Tanks are combined). As someone who likes to play a wide variety of jobs, it's already a pain trying to keep everything geared up.

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Originally Posted by Gokuhan

Please, please, PLEASE do not give MCH a separate gear set from BRD the way that melee jobs are separated (and please DO keep them lumped together the way that Casters, Healers, and Tanks are combined). As someone who likes to play a wide variety of jobs, it's already a pain trying to keep everything geared up.

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Agreed, though I don't think at any point they specifically said they want to split gear up between BRD/MCH like our melees are - just they want more Aiming gear which reflects MCH aesthetic beyond just cowboyesque/pirate-y kinda things - like how bard has a lot of.... "bard" aesthetic (that dreadful jester set... and then some other not-so-terrible wandering minstrel-esque type sets). Which is okay in my book - BRDs would get it too, and it'd just open up more glamour opportunities for both classes, just like how Monk and Ninja both have shared sets that still have a specifically "ninja" feel or "monk" feel.

I feel like BRDs and MCHs can potentially have gear made that suits both of their standards. I mean hell, look at the ironworks set, looks like something that'd be made for MCH but it's been around long before them. I wouldn't mind if they added more outfits that looked like formal soldier uniforms or something (along the lines of the field commander's set/company tabard), I feel those could work perfectly fine for both. Unfortunately it's too late to make gear suggestions for 4.0 since it's probably pretty much done and they're just adding the finishing touches as we speak. Who knows though, maybe they'll surprise us.

Yes, to clarify, I wasn't saying split BRD/MCH gear up as that would complicate drops/loot tables, but I was definitely saying create more gear that suits a "true" MCH aesthetic.

I'm kind of a gun nut, and while I don't mind the design of many of the MCH muskets/carbines/longarm pistols, too many of them look like ornate antique firearms rather than "modern" (at least for Eorzea) firearms, powered by an Aetherotransformer. I'm not expecting SE to suddenly give us modern military-grade firearms, but they're missing a grand opportunity to reflect the idea that MCHs are gun wielders using cutting edge technology to support combat on the battlefield. I personally would like to see less ornamentation, but more functionality. Perhaps a scoped gun (again SE: you put a scope on a bow once, why not a gun?) might have more crit/accuracy while one with a stock (or both scope and stock) might offer more det/SS, much like how the 2 variations of PLD shields tend to lean toward different stats/stat weights.

All in all, I simply see opportunity for SE to do it bigger and better with a job largely criticized for visuals and aesthetics, and I say why not?

I'm gonna start my post off by saying that they aren't likely to add more gear classes since NIN, in fact that they lumped MCH and BRD together suggests the opposite. With that said regarding aestehics. I feel like Lore issues might be involved. MCH is a relatively new and experimental Job, using technology appropriated from Eorzea's enemies (Who in turn appropriated it from Allag). And as such the materials for more "fitting" armor would lie in either Allagan ruins, made by Garlemald or Made by the Ironworks.

That last part? The only gear for them that can be crafted is Crafter gear, and that is more due to the fact that all the other crafting/gathering gear is made that way. I don't think they could be obtained so "easily" as a DIY project lorewise, since that particular brand is associated more with engineers than weavers.

Why bring that up despite the fact that Machinists are engineers? Because put simply they don't make their own armor. The people of Sunsilk Tapestries, and The Leatherworker's guild (mostly the former) do. And because Machinists are a new job and Lominsan musketeers don't have access to the cutting edge tech the machinists use, they are less common than Bards. To add, the materials for such aethesics are likely to be rare and likely not something that the two guilds can use easily. Until at earliest we are able to get the materials from Galemald (unlikely to happen soon), or Cid/Jessie for some reason decide to supply Sunsilk Tapestries (One of the companies owned by Lolorito IIRC).

There is also another issue of the specifics of the aestethics. Green Camo? Possible, but unlikely given the relative timeline? Something akin to TRON? The Allagins only gave that to their weapons and the outfit would seem more fitting for a nightclub then the battlefield. Something closer to what Garlean troops wear? Unlikely to happen unless we Infiltrate. Garlemald, bar the one outfit we wore to disguise ourselves. Something like the Ironworks gears? Well, see the end of the above paragraph. Crafter Gear? Well that's not usually Class locked.

As for the more ornate designs, I assume that's becuase Garlemald likely has a monopoly of the "Modern" equipment.

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Originally Posted by ThirdChild_ZKI

Perhaps a scoped gun (again SE: you put a scope on a bow once, why not a gun?)

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there's a scoped gun iirc, http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...m/fdef3555ed5/

but yeah we need more aether/magitek derived-looking mch weapons and i hope by 4.0 they change it so that little lunch box changes with your weapon model

Ah, the Darksteel Blunderbus. Put a stock on that and lose the unnecessary "loop" on the handle and that would be my favorite weapon design along with the knifelocks. I would like to see more like that in the future. As for the Aetherotransformer, the "lunch box" if you will, ideally I'd love to see it get the same treatment BRD quivers do, possibly with different sizes/shapes even.

On the animation side of the house, it's always irked me that our weapon arm is so static when running. I've said it before that given the implied weight these weapons would have, running with it at a "low ready" position is impractical and would slow you down. Holding it up like we do in the readying position we take during a cast, orthe weapon change pose would not only look better but would be more practical overall. And when you consider they changed the BRD's casting animation from reaching for an arrow to a long draw of the bow, it makes me as "why not update MCHs too?"

Storm Lieutenant's Musketoon

THIS is an example of a well designed longarm firearm, and now that I've seen it, it's my absolute favorite design! I'm resisting the urge to switch GCs just for that!

Take note, SE: Follow THIS design/form factor as a strong basis for future weapons! Hell, give me an Ironworks-like version of this with an attached scope (AND DYEABLE), and you've won my heart!