Estinien's new hair, is not good...

Try as I might, and believe me I have tried to like it. I... hate it. I think on its own it is a fine hairstyle. One I would likely buy on the mog station. On Estinien however? No. I think it looks terrible on him and I am unapologetic for my feelings on this.

I have been with this game since before his introduction in 1.0 and he has been my favorite character since he was introduced. I questioned the duskwight to wildwood change, I welcomed the facial change as it was a good move to do so for him. This hair, however, this hair of all things... I just cannot. For me it near ruins him, he looks terrible with it. I don't feel this is a good move for him. It frames his face poorly and makes him look overly feminine. While Estinien has ever been a very good-looking man, he has never looked androgynous nor womanly, and he does now. (I have nothing against either androgeny or feminine-looking men, just not on a well-established character)

The reasoning behind the move to a ponytail is a weak one at best, clipping. We have seen over the years since his current hair was introduced at the end of HW, dozens at the least, cut scenes with Estinien sans helmet with "Iceheart" mail. The dev team has never taken issue with his hair prior, no fans have complained nor taken issue with his hair clipping, why now? It's weak reasoning now. Years prior? Sure I could have seen it, but now? After his look is established? I don't buy into it. I have tried to believe me I have tried.
Clipping is something we all deal with daily as players with our hairstyles. It is just something that is, something that most accept as just something that cannot be changed. If we want long hair down, it will clip with some armor/clothes. I can deal with the clipping, most of us can and do. Never have I heard anyone complain of Estinien's hair clipping, and I tend to hang around many that love him as much as I do.

Everyone is free to agree or disagree. Many of those I play with have come to me and voiced disdain for the hair on him as well. We have agreed on its own it's a good hairstyle, one that many would not mind wearing at all. It just does not belong with Estinien.
Some take no issue with the new hair, That is fine, I just ask as I have been to please be respectful, and be kind.

I simply ask for the dev team and those behind this decision to reevaluate their decisions to do such to a beloved character with a large following and his fanbase, who many are discontent with it. Please consider reinstating him with his previous hair.

The ponytail is fine imo.
The bangs, however just don't work.

You cannot convince me that Mr. Won't-Take-A-Bath would do the regular hair trimming needed to maintain and style bangs.

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Originally Posted by Roda

The ponytail is fine imo.
The bangs, however just don't work.

You cannot convince me that Mr. Won't-Take-A-Bath would do the regular hair trimming needed to maintain and style bangs.

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I came in here ready to fight for Estinien but you know what as someone with bangs this is a valid point. Alien dragons and moon monsters I can stretch my imagination for, but I draw the line at immaculate, perfectly trimmed bangs. :p

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Originally Posted by Roda

The ponytail is fine imo.
The bangs, however just don't work.

You cannot convince me that Mr. Won't-Take-A-Bath would do the regular hair trimming needed to maintain and style bangs.

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Didn't he already have bangs?

Estinien has never been about not bathing. Even in HW he showed clear disgust at his armor being stained (which is a stain not flith) to the point of wanting to reforge it.

The bath thing is a tired old joke and worn, and I would respectfully ask to keep a tired meme out of this discussion as it has no bearing other than to distract from the topic at hand.

Yes, he has bangs currently, the bangs have not changed with the new hair. It isn't hard to take a knife and grab bangs too long and cut across quickly, I've done it in a pinch, it takes 2 seconds.

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Originally Posted by HollowedDoll

Didn't he already have bangs?

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Yes and i've always hated them on him!!! D;

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Originally Posted by Merrnryn

Estinien has never been about not bathing. Even in HW he showed clear disgust at his armor being stained (which is a stain not flith) to the point of wanting to reforge it.

The bath thing is a tired old joke and worn, and I would respectfully ask to keep a tired meme out of this discussion as it has no bearing other than to distract from the topic at hand.

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You wrote an essay about a character’s ponytail. Respectfully, this entire thread was a meme from conception.

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Originally Posted by Roda

The ponytail is fine imo.
The bangs, however just don't work.

You cannot convince me that Mr. Won't-Take-A-Bath would do the regular hair trimming needed to maintain and style bangs.

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I do like the take that he was annoyed with his hair getting in his eyes so he just hacked that bit off. No effort taken to make it look nice.

I disagree, the thread is about something I feel strongly about. There is nothing meme-worthy about stating you do not like something, nor something you disagree with. I stated a disagreement with a character look change.

However, if that is your opinion I will respect that, as I ask you to respect mine.

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Originally Posted by Iscah

I do like the take that he was annoyed with his hair getting in his eyes so he just hacked that bit off. No effort taken to make it look nice.

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The question this would raise is: Is he aware of the time bubble hes in then and is he betting on his hair not growing because of that? If not, bangs are the worst choice to make if you dont want hair getting in your eyes...

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Originally Posted by Vidu

The question this would raise is: Is he aware of the time bubble hes in then and is he betting on his hair not growing because of that? If not, bangs are the worst choice to make if you dont want hair getting in your eyes...

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Alternately: did he just not think this through?

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Originally Posted by Iscah

Alternately: did he just not think this through?

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You have a good point!

...a friend of mine did not think bangs through at some point in her life. Regretted it for half a year, constantly wiping hair out of her eyes, being terrified when trying to trim them herself infront of a mirror (scissors that close to eyes and everything) until it finally grew out again...
(...that friend was me... one of the worst ideas I ever had)

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Originally Posted by Iscah

Alternately: did he just not think this through?

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That seems a lot more in line with his thought process, lol. “Crap, this hair is getting in my eyes!” *takes the nearest sharp object to him (probably his lance lets be honest) and slashes through the hair*

It was probably a split second decision, he *DEFINITELY* didn’t think through the consequences past an immediate need to see thing.

OP, if you cared so much about hair and what looks good, have you seen your forum avatar? Work on that one first.

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Originally Posted by Roda

The ponytail is fine imo.
The bangs, however just don't work.

You cannot convince me that Mr. Won't-Take-A-Bath would do the regular hair trimming needed to maintain and style bangs.

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Head canon: Tataru makes him drop by the Waking Sands for a weekly trim. She knows secrets about him that make even the great Azure Dragoon tremble in his armored boots so he has no choice but to visit and also occasionally be used as a guina pig to practice her cloth weaving skills on.

I love his new hair. It seems more practical and since Estinien comes across as someone who is very practical, I think it suits him.

It was explained during one of the Fanfest panels the reason why it's in a pony tail is to avoid having it clip with his armor

I think it looks perfectly fine. In fact, I'd love to see the other Scions get more drastic appearance changes as well. It's been more than 7 years, Alphi and Alli don't still need to look exactly the same as each other anymore. We get it, they're twins.

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Originally Posted by StriderShinryu

I think it looks perfectly fine. In fact, I'd love to see the other Scions get more drastic appearance changes as well. It's been more than 7 years, Alphi and Alli don't still need to look exactly the same as each other anymore. We get it, they're twins.

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This is honestly my most prominent major gripe in character design, they've gotten rid of the twin-clothes and Alisaie is tired of being mistaken for Alphinaud, it would have made complete sense if at least one of them decided to change up the do for more obvious diffferentiation, especially since Alphi's hair itself is now available to us.

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Originally Posted by Merrnryn

The dev team has never taken issue with his hair prior, no fans have complained nor taken issue with his hair clipping, why now?

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Even though he has been in the game since HW, 90% of the time we have seen him has been in that expansion...and for most of that he wore a helmet.

SE wanted a melee dps in the Trust system so they added Estinien and he became inducted into the Scions.

Now that he's a permanent member of the Scions we're going to be seeing him all the time and because he left his life as the bitter Azure Dragoon behind he no longer wears a helmet. If SE didn't change his hair we would have A LOT of scenes with his hair clipping in the future. They clearly weren't willing to be putting that in the spotlight a lot so they changed his hair.

Anyway I quite like his new hair.

I don't think his new hairstyle is bad by any means. It caught me off guard, but not in a bad way.

I dislike his ponytail hair alot, too
I'd have rather his hair not be changed at all

Bad hairstyle designs seems to be a staple for FFXIV designers, but usually it's the playerbase that gets screwed out of the few good designs (the good hairs going to NPCs) but this time, it's the NPC's getting WoL'd by receiving a bad hairstyle
The designers seem to favour mullets or anime protagonist hairs or the same hairstyle released multiple times, only with slight variations- it is really no surprise to why they changed Estiniens perfectly fine hair to some sad attempt to prevent clipping which clearly the designers have an issue with- as noone else does.

let the man tie his hair smh it looks good.

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Originally Posted by HeyMcFly

The designers seem to favour mullets or anime protagonist hairs or the same hairstyle released multiple times, only with slight variations

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in defense of the art team, the bulk of our hairstyles from SB through SHB were designed by players that won a hairstyle contest. players voted for those mullets lol

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Originally Posted by HeyMcFly

The designers seem to favour mullets or anime protagonist hairs or the same hairstyle released multiple times, only with slight variations- it is really no surprise to why they changed Estiniens perfectly fine hair to some sad attempt to prevent clipping which clearly the designers have an issue with- as noone else does.

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...

It's literally the same hair tied back in a ponytail. How do you manage to be so unhappy about every single thing related to character hairstyle?

it could have been worse they could have given him kain's hairstyle https://image.api.playstation.com/vu...zevvsEtFbx.png

ps: if only vaan looked that good in 12 ... rather then ugh

I think he looks cool.

Did they share a picture of his in-game model that I missed? I only recall seeing his cinematic model. Considering how almost all of the Scions looked a little off in the cinematic, Estinien's in-game model may look perfectly fine.

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Originally Posted by Jojoya

Did they share a picture of his in-game model that I missed? I only recall seeing his cinematic model. Considering how almost all of the Scions looked a little off in the cinematic, Estinien's in-game model may look perfectly fine.

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He was shown a while back when he was announced as a trust (single image; I don't have it on hand) and he's on the poster.

https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/..._Endwalker.jpg

It makes far more sense for him to tie it back.

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Originally Posted by MrThinker

This is honestly my most prominent major gripe in character design, they've gotten rid of the twin-clothes and Alisaie is tired of being mistaken for Alphinaud, it would have made complete sense if at least one of them decided to change up the do for more obvious diffferentiation, especially since Alphi's hair itself is now available to us.

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Long hair Alisaie. Free the hair.

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Originally Posted by Lanadra

Long hair Alisaie. Free the hair.

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There's hardly anything there to be freed. It's 90% short with that token ponytail bit in the middle.

If they were going to go different styles I'd sooner expect Alisaie to cut it shorter. Anything else would require time for it to grow out, and it's unlikely either of the twins will be offscreen long enough in the near future. It could have happened while their souls were away in the First but they've missed that chance now.

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Originally Posted by Iscah

It makes far more sense for him to tie it back.

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I agree. I like his new hair style. It looks sharp and better than the current version, which feels unfinished to me and doesn't go well with his armor.

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Originally Posted by Lanadra

Long hair Alisaie. Free the hair.

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Oh, please, no. Let the twins use the same hair style to confuse people. :o

That cutscene where Estinien mistook Alisaie as Alphinaud was priceless. I laughed so hard through the whole dialogue. Others seemed to always be able to tell them apart, so someone got to do it (poor Estinien), at least once. :D