Adding Legacy Tattoo to Mog Station

[Preypacer]

But, if they really believe that the tattoo is a “reward” for “suffering through 1.x”, then they are going about it all wrong and never had any love for or faith in the game nor the team behind it.

Awesome post, Aldora, and I agree with the entirety of it. This bit, in particular, stands out as I've had the same kind of feeling when I see people referring to these things as a "reward for playing such a horrible game". I mean, if that's how they sincerely feel about it, then that's how they feel about it.

It just seems like such a cynical point-of-view, that does kinda miss the point somewhat.

There was far more at stake for SE in that move (to rebuild the game from the ground up) than for any one of us. We stood to lose a shoddily developed MMO. SE stood to lose much, much more, financially and otherwise. So, continuing to support it, and subscribing when it was re-enabled, was our show of faith in SE and in Yoshi-P and his team to turn it around... at a time when most people, by their own admission, wouldn't go near it.

The things we've received in terms of Legacy Status on our accounts, are SE's way of saying "Thank You for standing behind us when you had every right to walk away, and not even we would have blamed you if you did". Everyone who continued to play and pay a subscription during 1.x quite literally, and in all humility, helped make 2.0 possible... not only in terms of sub-fees paid, but in terms of showing them that, yes, we believed in what they were doing, and were there to support them with our time and our money.

Maybe those who weren't there, or who don't place much value in such things can't appreciate that, but it's very, very significant.

It's literally a case of standing by someone when they're down, and everyone else just wants to keep kicking them. Make no mistake, there were many, many people who took great joy in kicking SE over 1.0's failure. Some still haven't stopped.

Now, as for the so-called Legacy mark. There's some things I haven't really seen touched upon in this thread (though I also haven't read every post, so it may have been covered elsewhere)... That is, the significance of the mark in the world's lore.

That mark is not just a "tattoo". The WoL were not whisked away from the Carteneau Flats to some aetherial tattoo parlor for 5 years. We have been branded... by Hydaelyn if I've got my lore completely correct. It's not like there was some Calamity After-Party where we all high-fived each other, saying "Whoah! That was insane! Man, I hope Louisoix made it out okay... That old dude's alright. Hey we should all get the same tattoo to commemorate the moment!".

That mark is indicative of us having been there at the end, fighting to protect our home from certain destruction, and having been warped away at the moment we would have otherwise been obliterated. That party of Adventurers in 'End of An Era' represents us.

To further illustrate this, the introduction for a 1.0 character to 2.0 was not the same as a new character's. A new 2.0 character is just arriving in Eorzea, on a wagon, with a pair of silent twins, and a rather chatty traveling merchant. 1.0 characters are returning to Eorzea, and are teleported in, on a road somewhere in the Shroud. We see the changes around us, and react, before proceeding to walk back to civilization.

Some NPCs react oddly to us, swearing we look familiar somehow. The way the original story arc ends is different for us as (spoilers here) Hydaelyn lifts the veil that kept people from remembering us all that time.

When a NPC begins talking about the Warriors of Light, and how they created that title, etc... They are referring to those who were there in 1.0.

When Kan-E-Senna speaks of us being "as the Warriors of Light" and not being left to our fate again... They're referring to characters from 1.0 and our disappearance among the destruction.

Now, I know (or at least hope lol) all of this is common knowledge to most/many...

The point I bring it all up is to illustrate that the WoL from 1.0 are not just some "convenient plot device". They are an integral and important part of Eorzea's history and everything that took place leading up to and including the Calamity. Their existence is a significant part in 2.0's storyline.

All of that is symbolized in that mark that 1.0 characters have branded on them.

So, for SE to turn around and say "Oh, okay... we'll just let anyone who wants it have that same mark" would be dismissing and undermining a substantial part of the world's lore and somewhat recent history. It wouldn't make sense in a lore context. It would be a lie for a character created in 2.0 to be wearing the brand of someone who survived through the events of 1.0, because they didn't go through it.

Of course, in a more Meta-sense, that brand denotes 1.0 players as having been there and gone through all that. It makes them stand out (when you can see it anyway) and you know what? They should stand out.

Symbolically, just as the characters stood by and fought for Eorzea through all its trials, so did those who continued to play and pay a subscription fee for 1.x despite all its problems, and the mere promise of a reboot that could well have failed a second time.

I know there's a lot of people who don't care about all that and just want it because it looks cool. Well, in the face of what that mark represents, in-game and out, I hope people can take a step back, look at it objectively, and realize that well.. "wanting it because you want it" really isn't a compelling reason to overturn or ignore all of that lore/significance. It might not mean anything to you, but it means a lot to many others.

Now, as for adding actual tattoos of other designs to the game? Absolutely, yes. And don't even add them to the cash shop. Screw that. Mak e them available through the Aesthetician. All for that.

[Seig345]

[...]

To further illustrate this, the introduction for a 1.0 character to 2.0 was not the same as a new character's. A new 2.0 character is just arriving in Eorzea, on a wagon, with a pair of silent twins, and a rather chatty traveling merchant. 1.0 characters are returning to Eorzea, and are teleported in, on a road somewhere in the Shroud. We see the changes around us, and react, before proceeding to walk back to civilization.

[...]

I did a little digging, because while both my characters were from 1.0, and have the tattoo, they still went through the same new-character carriage ride. Apparently, you had to have completed the Castrum Novum quest in 1.0 before the final data save in order to receive the intro that mimics the characters returning in the opening video of 2.0. There's also some small dialog where Minfilia recognizes you from before the Calamity, and consoles you and suggests that you might one day be able to lift the veil. I haven't heard any more than that. Given that the group of people who completed Castrum Novum is inevitably smaller than the group of 1.0 characters overall and, possibly, smaller than the group who qualified for the Legacy Campaign, I'm not sure how far they bothered/would bother to take that branch.

Honestly at the time I was just farting around leveling up on stocked-up leves in 1.0, so while I was in Eorzea at the time, I wasn't "there" at the end. So I ended up with the tattoo and legacy membership, but no special intro, because instead of getting whisked away for 5 years, I guess I was just chillin' in the Black Shroud or something with the NPCs. ;p

Edit: Basically, even though I have the tattoo, got to experience FFXIV's 1.0-1.x era, and qualified for the Legacy Membership perks, there's still something that even I missed out on and can never go back and get, and... I'm fine with this. Honestly, I was curious about the intro back at launch, but loved the game too much to give it a second thought after a day or two.

[Gilraen]

When I started ARR (Again, collectors edition, did the beta, the whole nine yards) I noticed that I already had a pre-saved character creation template to choose from. It said 1.0, and it has the original character design I had for 1.0. However, I've never actually reused this character creation template, so here is my question: If I create a new character using that 1.0 character data template, will it automatically have the tattoo?

This is tricky to answer... if you're loading a pre-created template at the new character creation screen then no. If you're clicking an existing character and it's sending you into character creation then yes, maybe.

[Kallera]

Cash shop needs to stay the hells away from my beloved spine plug tattoo.

[DracotheDragon]

the fun thing is they would only do this if they put other means to get the Collectors items, pre-order items, and the fan fest outfits.

for the CE and pre-order that you CANNOT get in game is the gryphon the helmets Cu sith and google plush (other means to get this is by buying other items)
the Coerul and fatchocobo do not count now because there is a in game way to obtain this

the omg outfit was a exclusive to those JUST going then they threw it to people who bought a MUCH cheeper twitch stream code,

lets not think off all the exclusive minions from the meny different physical items.

in short, the ONLY way i could see this legacy tattoo is if all the other exclusive minions items and outfits were put in the omg station as well

[Ashkendor]

Some NPCs react oddly to us, swearing we look familiar somehow. The way the original story arc ends is different for us as (spoilers here) Hydaelyn lifts the veil that kept people from remembering us all that time.

Interesting. I didn't know that there was a difference in the story for Legacy and non-Legacy characters apart from the opening sequence. So basically, for Legacy players, Eorzea's champion makes a triumphant return, branded by their experience but otherwise none the worse for wear. For us newer players, the old WoL just... never came back. They were whisked away on that day on Cartineau and nobody has seen them since. Since the Legacy WoL doesn't "return" in the MSQ of a new player, Hydaelyn never lifts that veil and they don't remember who the WoL used to be. In their place a new hero rises up, etc etc. It's all very tidy. I like it.

[Kerwin]

FFXIV 1.0 was a magical time. I would say no to giving out the tattoo to someone who didn't experience that era. Sorry if this seems blunt.

[Dree-Elle]

All you had to do to know about it was care about the game.

And own a PC. I still have my preorder reciept for the PS3 version of 1.0. I wonder how many others got screwed out of Legacy status on that point alone... We were forced to wait three years for our version of the game, after the promise to bring it to console was broken. We got no compensation whatsoever for this, and are still routinely treated as a second-class playerbase.

[Lexia]

And own a PC. I still have my preorder reciept for the PS3 version of 1.0. I wonder how many others got screwed out of Legacy status on that point alone... We were forced to wait three years for our version of the game, after the promise to bring it to console was broken. We got no compensation whatsoever for this, and are still routinely treated as a second-class playerbase.

Really no promise was broken as the did bring out the game to PS3, but what you saying is even though 1.0 was a mess and got shut down and remade for a reason they were still suppose to release it to PS3?

[Arrik]

snip

I'm not sure how correct the Castrum Novum thing is. I was a 30 archer without a job stone at the time 1.0 ended and i pretty much never left the Shroud. CS's 2 and 3 of the quest Coming to Gridania for Laura are teleporting back into the Shroud (the road looks similar to in front of Amdapor) and talks about the battle and my Au Ra has the carriage ride and talk about the Shroud.

Edit: I also wasn't playing during the final weeks.