Appearance Tab Please

I don't agree with Yoshi that its really that difficult to allow players to have a look they like. There are simple solutions that plenty of MMO's have utilized. One of the more simple ones is an appearance tab. There are already systems in place that work in a similar fashion, so I can't see it being that hard to implement.

Allow us to take gear that we like the look of and "Strip It" of all stats. From here on out this item is for appearance only and would be placed in a new inventory tab that takes up no slots.

Add duplicate of the GEAR tab for appearance only. This allows you to set up clothing that will appear in the place of the actual stat gear you are wearing. So you can customize to your hearts content. In the normal gear tab add a checkbox to set APPEARANCE GEAR on or OFF.

Then add dying NPC in with a simple "Paint Bucket" feature that allows you to re-dye armor (Trim, Color 1, Color 2 etc).

What this does is allow a much greater range of appearance control (You can build a look based on all gear available to you in game). You can still restrict some styles from working on some jobs/classes. Compared to many systems should be fairly simple to implement.

That would be amazing

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Originally Posted by Vesper

I don't agree with Yoshi that its really that difficult to allow players to have a look they like. There are simple solutions that plenty of MMO's have utilized. One of the more simple ones is an appearance tab. There are already systems in place that work in a similar fashion, so I can't see it being that hard to implement.

Allow us to take gear that we like the look of and "Strip It" of all stats. From here on out this item is for appearance only and would be placed in a new inventory tab that takes up no slots.

Add duplicate of the GEAR tab for appearance only. This allows you to set up clothing that will appear in the place of the actual stat gear you are wearing. So you can customize to your hearts content. In the normal gear tab add a checkbox to set APPEARANCE GEAR on or OFF.

Then add dying NPC in with a simple "Paint Bucket" feature that allows you to re-dye armor (Trim, Color 1, Color 2 etc).

What this does is allow a much greater range of appearance control (You can build a look based on all gear available to you in game). You can still restrict some styles from working on some jobs/classes. Compared to many systems should be fairly simple to implement.

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I've always liked games with this system. hated it when I worked on making my character look cool then I'd have to sacrifice looking cool for better stats.

Also, looking forward to the dye NPC, fairly sure he's already been announced before. won't have to keep training my alchemy just to make pink clothes anymore.

How about adding some trophies slots in the 'appearance' tab too so any super special trophies we got from doing awesome stuff could be warn as a way to say "Yeah, I went there and killed it to death!"

I like this idea.

Oh, wait. I was thinking of a different system, Sorry.

Chibi you have so many posts, I hate seeing you signature on threads its too large. I literally saw your signature every other reply in a few threads today and you put up over 100 posts. Also, most of your posts are a novel... sorry :D

I don't care for this idea, and I'm sure for them (SE) it would be overly complex to implement.

Yeah, Konachibi posts a lot. That's why i sometimes don't read her posts. It just takes too long. =)

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Originally Posted by Rinoa

Yeah, Konachibi posts a lot. That's why i sometimes don't read her posts. It just takes too long. =)

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This is the reason my friends sometimes deter from calling me on the phone. Konachibi phonecall = large telephone bill. And calling me when I'm drunk is grounds for hell to break up from the grounds and engulf the world in fire and brimstone!

Also, sorry you don't like my sig, I made it to look positive with it's abundant positive appearance, somewhat comical comment and bright colours. Don't worry, I change it every week :p

I have to say that I'm not a fan of applying this idea to FFXIV. Have seen the idea in other games, sometimes it works okay, sometimes it is a mess.

I guess I just prefer seeing people that are wearing heavy armor to ... well ... LOOK like they are wearing heavy armor. Rather not see hordes of Mi'qote in bikinis and Roegadyn in santa outfits battling Ifrit.

Yes, I understand the concept of putting in restrictions, but making a "bug free" system that doesn't allow people to exploit a weakness to get to unintended consequences is another pile of work on someone -- and that someone could be designing / implementing new content.

I don't like that idea at all...

It just doesn't make sense! If you use a hauby, your character should look like he is wearing a heavy chainmail and not a bikini, otherwise how do you justify the high defense?

Looks are important, sure, but a consistent universe is even more important.
The dye NPC is all we need really.


the dye NPC is a much better idea: you keep the original look of the gear but you can choose its color.

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Originally Posted by Arondight

I don't like that idea at all...

It just doesn't make sense! If you use a hauby, your character should look like he is wearing a heavy chainmail and not a bikini, otherwise how do you justify the high defense?

Looks are important, sure, but a consistent universe is even more important.
The dye NPC is all we need really.


the dye NPC is a much better idea: you keep the original look of the gear but you can choose its color.

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You already can now, it's just a pain in the ass XD

This idea was a spectacular feature in DCUO in particular. I am astonished as much as FFXIV promotes its bueaty and graphics that it does not have a feature similar.

I say to those of you who speak out against it, that you truely speak out of ignorance if you have not experienced it in another game.

im all for an appearance modifier.
+1

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Originally Posted by Coglin

I say to those of you who speak out against it, that you truely speak out of ignorance if you have not experienced it in another game.

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I did experience it while playing Aion. It works for some game genres, but not for others. Just because it worked (for you) in DCUO, does not mean that it would be appropriate here in FFXIV. At the very least I would like to see where they are going with this new "gear customization" theme, before completely separating the gear appearance from the gear stats.

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Originally Posted by Amineri

I did experience it while playing Aion. It works for some game genres, but not for others. Just because it worked (for you) in DCUO, does not mean that it would be appropriate here in FFXIV. At the very least I would like to see where they are going with this new "gear customization" theme, before completely separating the gear appearance from the gear stats.

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Well your welcome to your opinion, but if your going to post against it, would you mind at least giving a logical reason to support your perspective?

Never saw the need for this feature in any MMO I've seen it in, and don't see the need for it in XIV, if you want the look of wearing a certain item the solution is simple; just wear it?
Then when you go into battle, simply equip whatever "best in slot" gear you want.

Last time I checked this was a mmo RPG, not Second Life...

Personaly I'd rather time be spent on making actual content, new gear, new features, fixes of currernt issues etc, then to have a feature which we already have a function to emulate in game atm.

I'm surprised all the immersion people haven't torn this thread to pieces yet.

I'm on the fence about this, but I know I'd enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by Coglin

Well your welcome to your opinion, but if your going to post against it, would you mind at least giving a logical reason to support your perspective?

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Since you ask so nicely ... sure! :)

The first part is primarily just that it is my personal preference. Much like I like the color green, but cannot give a logical reason supporting my like of this color, neither can I give a logical reason supporting my personal preference. ^-^

Now, I can hear the counter-argument : "If you don't like appearance tabs, then you don't have to use them!" To a certain degree, that is true. However, I DO have to deal the consequences of seeing OTHERS make use of the feature. Seeing a Lancer running around wielding a giant fork does impact on my view of the game world, whether I choose to make use of such a feature or not. Even worse, seeing fulled armored gladiator in a Santa Suit. :p

But, that is merely personal preference. It doesn't really count for a lot, except in my recording my personal "vote" on the matter.

Now, what did Yoshi-P have to say about this:

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Originally Posted by Bayohne

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Originally Posted by Naoki_Yoshida

Within MMORPGs, being able to individualize a character is a very important element that makes people continue to play for long periods of time.

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Originally Posted by Naoki_Yoshida

However, individuality is a really difficult theme for developers.
Especially with equipment, the appearance and the stats need to be inextricably linked.

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Now, from a purely mechanic sense, it is clearly not the case that appearance and stats need to be linked. I'm granting some amount of "Lost in Translation" here, and am thinking he is saying that appearance and stats should be linked in his view. Games like DCUO, Aion, and the upcoming game Secret World show that item appearance can be unlinked from item stats.

However, DCUO and Secret World are different genres (superhero and modern), and the inclusion of this game mechanic in Aion very arguably made the setting feel "less fantasy". Whether you think this is a "big deal" or not is a matter of personal preference, not right or wrong. However, it is Yoshi-P's vision that will guide us here:

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Originally Posted by Bayohne

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Originally Posted by Naoki_Yoshida

When trying to allow freedom for both performance and appearance, it becomes very difficult, because the concept of classes must also be considered for battles.

In order to allow all gear to be equipped freely based on appearance with no worries about performance, every item must have the same stats. The following is an extreme example.

If a mage wearing full-plate armor is able to continue to cast spells with ease while being attacked by numerous monsters, I think there is something wrong. In addition, a third person watching this scene will not be able to distinguish whether the player is a mage or warrior. The individuality of the character itself will increase, but the individuality of warriors is lost. It is even safe to say that this game will not feel like an RPG.

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Bold added for emphasis.

Final Fantasy is a fantasy setting. This means that there are certain conventions, a theme to the world that the development team is trying to establish. This in turn requires certain limitations on the completely free expression that you are shooting for. Other settings may not require them (e.g. superhero, modern), but Yoshi-P and the development team feel that the FFXIV setting does need them.

To use a very crude analogy, a person has freedom of speech (in the U.S., anyhow :D), but that freedom does not extend to slander, or the ability to yell "Fire!" in a crowded movie theatre.

So, if SE were to allow the separation of the gear appearance from stats, they would lose their ability to maintain the sense of visual theme that creates their vision of Final Fantasy XIV.

This is something I feel is extremely underrated in terms of visually personalizing your character. It would add a whole other level of incentive to obtain gear. In terms of FFXI, the empryean stuff looks cool and all but if I had my way I'd wear a bronze cap, bronze harness, bronze mittens, bronze leggings, and the pants with fishing skill on them. There's just something about that set that says to me, "This is what my mithra thief should look like."

EDIT: I don't think most people would be against certain limitations. Like if your class/job isn't listed on the equipment, then you can't use it as pure visual equipment.

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Originally Posted by RabidSquirrel

This is something I feel is extremely underrated in terms of visually personalizing your character. It would add a whole other level of incentive to obtain gear. In terms of FFXI, the empryean stuff looks cool and all but if I had my way I'd wear a bronze cap, bronze harness, bronze mittens, bronze leggings, and the pants with fishing skill on them. There's just something about that set that says to me, "This is what my mithra thief should look like."

EDIT: I don't think most people would be against certain limitations. Like if your class/job isn't listed on the equipment, then you can't use it as pure visual equipment.

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They could always design clothes that only going into the appearance tab too, so you'd have as mix of using already existing clothes plus special 'cosmetic' clothes that would be obtained by some means or another.

'course that would increase production times since they'd have to make the 3D models for that stuff too.

Head Slot > Brass Preserves
Chest Slot > Sheepskin Harness (Grey)
Legs Slot > Sheepskin Subligar (Grey)
Shoes > Sheepskin Leggings (Undyed)
Gloves > Fingerless Sheepskin Gloves

You are now steampunked (b'.')b

I agree with the Idea. Right now we dont really have nice looking gear... But in the future, who knows.
I'd love to have a princess look with silk gloves and glass shoes for my mithra. But if the whole thing has 0 stats, damn.

Plus, I remember in FF11 how much that would've rocked. I loved some AF's, but you outgrew them and where gimped if you still used it whole after some point.

Appearance Tab would rock.

I never liked appearance tabs. If you want a certain look there is little stopping you in this game, but stats/etc. from gear shouldn't be abstracted if you want the + whatever from the hat you should actually have to wear it.

I like the idea, but to an extent. Keep armor and what not the same - but add an appearance tab for "costumes" and events items that can be worn as an appearance instead of the armor you have on underneath. Sort of like the system Guild Wars had.

People need to stop thinking stupid **** like turning a hauby into a bikini would happen if the system would be implemented. Obvious ones like having to use the SAME PIECE (bikini and hauby are two different slots and types of equipment) as well as the obvious fact that there would be restrictions so you couldn't change plate into cloth or other dumb idea's like being able to use event gear as armor appearances.

Appearance tabs give more individuality as well as making your character more defined! A bigger ratio of current and future armor's would be used (for stats or appearance rather than just combined) of all ranks and types if this was implemented. With this in mind there's no way an appearance tab would hurt those that don't wanna use or disagree with with it... not counting a vast majority of course that never minds their own business, and it's always about what "he" or "she" is doing xD

Id rather not have a feature like this.... Would rather just have the developers make all gear look "cool" so we dont have to have ppl want this kind of feature

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Originally Posted by Sypherblade

Id rather not have a feature like this.... Would rather just have the developers make all gear look "cool" so we dont have to have ppl want this kind of feature

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Art's subjective and nothing will please everyone... so this makes no sense o.O ... another reason for appearance tab, and some gear just connects with people or it becomes personal for em... goes hand in hand with a higher ratio of used equipment old and new regardless of rank I stated in last post. If you don't like an OPTIONAL feature then you simply don't use it ... this is the hardest thing for people to understand xD Ignorant for anyone to say no to it because of that, pleases both crowds where as other way does not (Cept as I also said, it doesn't please the people who don't know how to mind their own business and it's all about what other people are doing xD... baaaaaah ... was that a sheep?! LoL). Too many benefits to pass up, but atm this obviously shouldn't be a priority^^ Something great for the future of the game to be added :P

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Originally Posted by Misha

Art's subjective and nothing will please everyone... so this makes no sense o.O ... another reason for appearance tab, and some gear just connects with people or it becomes personal for em... goes hand in hand with a higher ratio of used equipment old and new regardless of rank I stated in last post. If you don't like an OPTIONAL feature then you simply don't use it ... this is the hardest thing for people to understand xD Ignorant for anyone to say no to it because of that, pleases both crowds where as other way does not (Cept as I also said, it doesn't please the people who don't know how to mind their own business and it's all about what other people are doing xD... baaaaaah ... was that a sheep?! LoL). Too many benefits to pass up, but atm this obviously shouldn't be a priority^^ Something great for the future of the game to be added :P

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I am perfectly fine with optional systems.

How about we make the appearance tab optional in the sense that I can turn it off, so that I don't see the gear in your appearance tab? That way you can make yourself look just how you want to look (for yourself), and I can see the game designers vision of the world.

OP I didn't see this thread until now. I couldn't hit the Like button hard enough.

I'll support any "Wardrobe-esq" functionality in so far that the changes only affect your vision of your own character and no one else's. There is no reason to force a feature like this on people who don't want it, so don't.

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Originally Posted by Amineri

I like the color green.

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Me too. I like green.

I guess the rest we just see it differently.

No... i liked when i see someone and know whats his Job and Level back in XI..
in XIV i'd only recognize if he's DoW or DoM or DoH, but nothing specific :|

so i wouldnt like to see someone wearing Hauby with a Mage Stats :/

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Originally Posted by Amineri

I am perfectly fine with optional systems.

How about we make the appearance tab optional in the sense that I can turn it off, so that I don't see the gear in your appearance tab? That way you can make yourself look just how you want to look (for yourself), and I can see the game designers vision of the world.

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I can see it being optional. Then everyone in the game can be happy, those that want tabs (Me) and those who don't want tabs.

AND FYI, if implemented the way I envisioned it. If you DON'T have an item slotted in your appearance tab it would default that specific slot to whatever you have in your normal gear tab. So if you have a full suit of armor on and only "Bikini's" in your appearance tab, you would still be seeing the armor of your main gear as it automatically covers the bikini. The bikini issue would be a non issue.

The other issue with a lancer running around with a fork.. well this is for armor only, maybe I should have specified. I guess it would be cool to allow weapons to have this "feature" as well, but I was mostly thinking clothing/jewelry... not weapons.

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Originally Posted by Vesper

I can see it being optional. Then everyone in the game can be happy, those that want tabs (Me) and those who don't want tabs.

AND FYI, if implemented the way I envisioned it. If you DON'T have an item slotted in your appearance tab it would default that specific slot to whatever you have in your normal gear tab. So if you have a full suit of armor on and only "Bikini's" in your appearance tab, you would still be seeing the armor of your main gear as it automatically covers the bikini. The bikini issue would be a non issue.

The other issue with a lancer running around with a fork.. well this is for armor only, maybe I should have specified. I guess it would be cool to allow weapons to have this "feature" as well, but I was mostly thinking clothing/jewelry... not weapons.

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In regards to tanks in bikinis, an appearance tab with an on/off toggle would probably be best, then it'd be down to the player as to whether their clothing shows as their armour or their cosmetic clothing. Since you can examine a players gear you'd be able to tell if a tank was in relevant tank gear or not even if they were showing the clothes in their appearance tab, that way you'd know if someone was actually suited to tanking or if he thinks he can get in whilst wearing useless cloth or leather gear.

I'd like the option though, I spend a lot more time doing crafting than battling and crafting gear is a teenie bit on the dull side. If I could be running around in something more casual like perhaps a leather jacket and pants like some kind of biker chick then I'd feel much happier, or maybe a cool black dress with frills, or a myriad of other things a miqo'te would look cool running around in. :p

Comedy cosmetic appearances for weaponry wouldn't be so bad either, like having a weapon slot in the appearance tab that changes your weapons appearance to something else. So a musketeer could change their flintlock to a water pistol or a Lancers lance to a mop or something, just for laughs. Sure it may take some of the seriousness out of the game but at least it'd be something to give you a giggle.

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Originally Posted by Konachibi

In regards to tanks in bikinis, an appearance tab with an on/off toggle would probably be best, then it'd be down to the player as to whether their clothing shows as their armour or their cosmetic clothing.

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Your idea, while a good one, is not the same as mine. You appear to suggest having an on/off toggle for the player that is displaying their cosmetic gear.

I, on the other hand, am suggesting an on/off toggle for the player that is viewing. For example, if I were to set my toggle to "off", I would not have to view anyone else's cosmetic gear, and would instead view their actual gear. That way those of us that tire of the "joke gear" don't have to be visually assaulted by it constantly.

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Originally Posted by Amineri

Your idea, while a good one, is not the same as mine. You appear to suggest having an on/off toggle for the player that is displaying their cosmetic gear.

I, on the other hand, am suggesting an on/off toggle for the player that is viewing. For example, if I were to set my toggle to "off", I would not have to view anyone else's cosmetic gear, and would instead view their actual gear. That way those of us that tire of the "joke gear" don't have to be visually assaulted by it constantly.

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That's a very good idea. I suppose after a while it would get annoying seeing all the testosterone driven teenagers running around with their Hyur in skimpy clothing. XD

No, I don't agree with OP.
And I don't like games with Appereance tab, where you can't understand who is infront of you.
But I think, if we could choose amoung huge amount of gear. Just need more options, more hats/helms, more gloves etc. I guess mostly everyone would be happy.

I don't think an appearance tab is right for a game like this where equipment means more than just a flashy, shiny sword or gigantic pauldrons that shoot beams of light into the sky.

As with FF11, FF14 has a very particular style where I can honestly say there's not a single garish or ugly piece of equipment which really isn't the case with a majority of other MMOs. I really don't think there's any need for an appearance tab. It ruins the glory of showing off the equipment you've worked so hard for if you can just slap on any old equipment you've picked up before. It's optional, but it still sets a precedent where people *can* put anything on.

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Originally Posted by Haledos

I don't think an appearance tab is right for a game like this where equipment means more than just a flashy, shiny sword or gigantic pauldrons that shoot beams of light into the sky.

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Spotlight pauldrons, you heard it here first folks :D

I like the idea of both the appearance tab and the dye'n npc, but I don't really see them adding the appearance tab. The dye'n npc is alot more likely though (much later down the road of course), they could just make it where you trade the armor piece/pieces along with the color dye you want to use, that way it would'nt make alot of items already in the game worthless and let crafters still be able to craft dye's.

I'd like SOMETHING like this, but not exactly.

What I would like is something like what Guildwars 2 or Aion has, where:

You are wearing Piece A, you LOVE the style of this piece, but you get a new, better stat piece of gear (Piece B) for your class which looks horrid.
Through the arts of magic (typically requiring an item) you are able to take the stats from Piece B and can mix them with the style of piece A.

Now, before people start saying: "You're thinking of the Materia system", I'll say they're quite different.

The new materia system is allowing us to take old pieces of gear and mix them with the NEW piece, not allowing us to adapt the style but only the stats from the previous gear.

This system would allow us to conserve the style we like while being able to use the gear we need. It would also help the economy because it would be yet another item for Crafters to make and sell.

Essentially, it is what the OP is saying, however I feel like the OP's idea would make it so that you would end up seeing Mages wearing Heavy armor (like they can now), which would kind of ruin it for me.

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Originally Posted by HiPotion

No... i liked when i see someone and know whats his Job and Level back in XI..
in XIV i'd only recognize if he's DoW or DoM or DoH, but nothing specific :|

so i wouldnt like to see someone wearing Hauby with a Mage Stats :/

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Just like you could tell if someone was wearing a Whalalarararar Turban.....

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Your idea, while a good one, is not the same as mine. You appear to suggest having an on/off toggle for the player that is displaying their cosmetic gear.

I, on the other hand, am suggesting an on/off toggle for the player that is viewing. For example, if I were to set my toggle to "off", I would not have to view anyone else's cosmetic gear, and would instead view their actual gear. That way those of us that tire of the "joke gear" don't have to be visually assaulted by it constantly.

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I support the OP's idea mixed with this one. Let people be who they want to be. Let people see the game as it was designed.