People sacrifice good gear for "fashion"

[Roughgalaxy]

We'll from what I understand, clothing/gear is pretty darn bland right now. wearing pretty things in combat may not be the best idea but if you survive (and this game is painfully easy, so you should) then what's the big deal?

[Bokuhn]

You could also play a game that already has that... and save yourself some prayer.

I don't understand what you're saying.
Why is that all you can do?

To have a sense of pride and achievement in the gear we wear..
But I can only pray since the majority want everything on (Easy Prey) mode

[Mireille]

yeah but it can cause everyone to suffer specially if tank is doing it and besides it removes anything special about wearing higher rank gear. Any lowbie could wear r50 gear.

I said this before in a similar thread. The ability to wear gear above your level, but with reduced stats is similar to what happened to gear in level sync parties in FFXI. If the difference was great enough you lost all the positive stats period, and you did at times see people wearing their AF (lvl 60) in Valkrum Dunes parties (lvl 15- 20) because they didn't want to buy new gear for a single pt. As long as the stats are reduced appropriately there is no reason to restrict a players ability the wear gear except for the concept of earning the 'right' to wear something that looks really cool, like Byakko's Haidate or Kirin's Osode, by attaining a specified level. Personally I find the idea that you can't put on a shirt because you aren't the right level absurd. In contrast the idea that you can put on an item that you have yet to learn how to use fully and use it with limitations makes sense. Think of it this way, just about any kid can pick up a hammer and nail two pieces of wood together, but that same kid can't use that hammer as effectively as a carpenter without going through an apprenticeship where he/she learns how to use the tools of that trade. If you don't like the idea of partying with people who don't wear gear at their level then don't party with them.

I can't speak for other servers, but on Mysidia almost no one sells gear levels 1 -20. You have no choice but to buy level 20 gear at level 1 unless you use your starter gear, or you know a crafter and don't mind buying the 107 mats it takes to make that bronze scythe from scratch.

Level Sync is something I would like to see return. I have a bigger problem with grouping with rank 35s to do 30 leve when I am rank 25, than I do with the 30 archer wearing 39 gear... oh wait that was me XD

[kaboro]

Something I don't really understand is the growing desire people have to looks "fashionable" rather than have better gear. It's pretty shocking how many people just tell me "I'm wearing this because it looks better" even though they are well aware of gear being better for them that doesn't look so stellar >.<. Stuff like this can really make a party suffer and it's quite selfish so I ask why? Why is this allowed? Anyone else relate?

Well, i got a piece of armor that is way better than what i have now, but when i put it on, i found out with horror that it was...underwear. So instead of running around in gay and ridiculous looking undies, i chose to keep my old junky armor.
Other games solve this problem by having the so-called appearance slots. Namely you equip the nice looking armor in the appearance slot and it will show you wearing it, but your good armor will be equipped in the normal slot and thats the one that will count for your stats. Both EQ2 and Vanguard use this system and i like it.

[Luhy]

It's because gear doesn't matter in this game. Maxing your stats doesn't matter either. They're changing everything, so while you can, take off your shirt when you fight wolves and be a man.

[Nuru]

Well, i got a piece of armor that is way better than what i have now, but when i put it on, i found out with horror that it was...underwear. So instead of running around in gay and ridiculous looking undies, i chose to keep my old junky armor.
Other games solve this problem by having the so-called appearance slots. Namely you equip the nice looking armor in the appearance slot and it will show you wearing it, but your good armor will be equipped in the normal slot and thats the one that will count for your stats. Both EQ2 and Vanguard use this system and i like it.

There was actually a suggestion made about Appearance Slots not too long ago. Going to have to dig a couple pages, but still, I think its a good idea. That way, you don't have to sacrifice stats for fashion. There were a lot of goofy-looking armor combos in FFXI, WoW, and some other MMOs.

[Shai]

To have a sense of pride and achievement in the gear we wear..
But I can only pray since the majority want everything on (Easy Prey) mode

So then requirements won't matter.

You're proud you got to 50? I got to 50 on 4 jobs now. I have friends who blow that out of the water.
Pride in your Rank is a little silly in a game that's so ridiculously easy to hit the cap.
Rank requirements wouldn't give you the satisfaction you desire.

You want NM gear that you have to actually earn through a difficult fight that can't be bought out of a bazaar, I think.
Based on your explanation, that is.

[Seif]

Honestly in any other game like XI I'd agree 100% with the OP but just LOOK at some of the gear.

I had a fit when I noticed my BF choosing looks over stats for his THM but then I saw the other option; a potato sack and that shut me up for good.

I just recently did the same thing when I noticed only good gear for my Highlander MAR was a pair of TIGHTS! No way in hell am I going to run around in those.

Also would color be too much to ask in some gear? Even when the gear is supposedly blue or pink it still looks brown. It's a bit depressing really.

I know from experience that art direction for games is not easy but in cases like this I'd like to advise the art team that the shape and materials of these items is enough to convey the feeling of place and time.

Even the potato sacks could look amazing if there was some colorful crest insignia embroidered on it:

http://www.zam.com/Im/Image/187928.jpg

[Seikninkuru]

What a stupid complaint. You are upset because people are playing how they want and not how you want, LMAO.

[TirionCrey]

I can totally see the reason for wearing stuff that "looks better" rather than being beneficial for your class. The only reason I don't care about what people wear right now, is cause equipment doesn't matter. Stats do nothing, Attributes do nothing, you could run around naked and get hit for 100dmg more than someone else wearing full set of gear.

As soon as that shit gets fixed though and I see people running around in equip that "looks good" rather than being beneficial for their class and they want an invite for whatever(PT grind, NMs etc), they can f**k off and find someone else that let's them leech their stuff.