MELEE GEAR CONTEST WINNERS

[Elamys]

Worth noting that 2 more winners were Japanese if you count the hair design contest winners.

Only the Furniture contest, with it's 100 winners, had non-Japanese winners as far as art/design contests go.

A couple of times is a coincidence, it's firmly in the 'pattern' territory now.

This is what I was noticing. I get it's a JP game, but there are plenty of amazing entries from non-JP designers. Even the majority of the runner ups tend to be JP artists, for all of the art contests. If you don't intend on ever picking a winner from a different region, just restrict entries to JP players and be done with it. It's worth noting this current housing contest is region-separated (not sure if the other one was), otherwise I'm sure we'd be seeing a preponderance of this too.

The melee set is really boring and doesn't really fit the feeling of the game. It took me a bit to even comprehend that it was supposed to be a skintight body suit, and not that they were just half-naked. I do like the ranged one though.

[Yshnal]

Worst thing about the melee winner is that it's going to make really obvious the female's flat booties (which supposedly were changed from the normal, proportional ones on 1.x to make it easier to make "more quality gear faster", even though, to this day, 1.x armor remnants even take into account tail slots, unlike post 2.0 ones). There's a reason as of why they're so fond of capes and the likes, even when they clip so damn terribly (especially with tails), and when we're so tired of them already, especially healers and tanks. I'm ready to see a cape or some other kind of accessory attached to our backs to hide the back, lol.

However, we might be lucky and they might make them a bit "bulkier" on the back, like the spring bottoms or Lyse's pants. But I'm not going to keep my hopes high on that.

[Iscah]

Can we stop complaining about how the mage version will be a long skirt/coat before we've even seen it?

In any case it's not uncommon for mages (or at least casters) to share the same costume model as ranged DPS, so that may well be the case here as well.

Perhaps they could try to resolve these issues by making more all-class-glamour versions of items? Then people can choose to mix-and-match long skirt or open front for all classes.

And ultimately, as much as people complain about the tendency towards robes for mages - what's the alternative? Stop doing it and go too far the other direction, so people who do want a traditional "mage in robes" get nothing new that looks specifically like mage gear?

[BillyKaplan]

what's the alternative? Stop doing it and go too far the other direction, so people who do want a traditional "mage in robes" get nothing new that looks specifically like mage gear?

That's a hyperbole and you know it. It wouldn't kill or even hurt anyone too much if every other gearset they tried to shake things up from the robes and give us something different (and they have before, though obviously not everyone would like them necessarily).
you know what's still some of my favorite caster and healer sets? Yafaemi. Dat Disco gear. So SE can very much give casters and healers something that isn't a skirt in disguise when they want to. They just need to want to more when a contest isn't involved (and even then they altered the design so some of the more interesting bits were removed in favor of lots of fabric covering things).

[Ramesses]

Excellent... I get to glamour into Raiden from Metal Gear.

[Hestzhyen]

Can we stop complaining about how the mage version will be a long skirt/coat before we've even seen it?

In any case it's not uncommon for mages (or at least casters) to share the same costume model as ranged DPS, so that may well be the case here as well.

Perhaps they could try to resolve these issues by making more all-class-glamour versions of items? Then people can choose to mix-and-match long skirt or open front for all classes.

And ultimately, as much as people complain about the tendency towards robes for mages - what's the alternative? Stop doing it and go too far the other direction, so people who do want a traditional "mage in robes" get nothing new that looks specifically like mage gear?

More all-class glamour items would help, certainly. But like Billy said there are already so darn many robes for people who want them that it's time they start to make non-skirt/dress gear more often. I hope the contest winners this round don't get modified too much since it would open up opportunities for more unique glamour combos. I mean, I'm not really a fan of the aesthetic for the melee winner, but I'll take just about anything that isn't more of the same at this point.

[Alleo]

I am not a fan of the melee one and I do wonder how it will look in the game and what SE will add to it too. (Since the caster set was changed a bit)

I do like the ranged one, just wished that the female version was not so much different. Why cant we have sexy pants as a female too? T_T I dont always want to wear a skirt. Also no cape on the female set either..but still much better looking (imo) then the melee ones.

Honestly seeing all these entries I wonder if SE should not just put alot of the runner ups into the game too. Seemingly the fans (IMO!) have been a bit more creative and a lot of these do at least look good on paper.

Still wished that we would get to vote on them too. I know that the hairstyle contest was a bit strange but maybe they should just not make the rule that only one thumbs up count and just let the one win that has the most. Or if they cant or want use our winner they would still see what part of the community wants in style.

[shao32]

I guess I'm in the minority that loves the melee set, I can't wait to see the tank vesion specially if have similar helmet and boots to play with it.

[Iscah]

That's a hyperbole and you know it. It wouldn't kill or even hurt anyone too much if every other gearset they tried to shake things up from the robes and give us something different (and they have before, though obviously not everyone would like them necessarily).
you know what's still some of my favorite caster and healer sets? Yafaemi. Dat Disco gear. So SE can very much give casters and healers something that isn't a skirt in disguise when they want to. They just need to want to more when a contest isn't involved (and even then they altered the design so some of the more interesting bits were removed in favor of lots of fabric covering things).

If it's hyperbole, so is the "nothing but robes and skirts" complaint in the first place, and also overlooks that there are themed sets where all classes get similar long robes.

(And there are plenty of sets similar to the Yafaemi gear in terms of being open-fronted and with pants underneath.)

Let's go through Stormblood. (going through the Eorzea Database Lv61-70 gear list.)

Underneath a cut because it got super long.

Lv60: Bloodhempen sets (dyeable version of late-HW dungeon gear)
'Tribal' look with chestwrap, feathered skirt, shorts and sandals.
(Melee classes get a rather bulky bolero-and-skirt over pants)

Lv61: Ghost Barque
Casters get a recolour of the Wind Silk Coatee set (which dyes rather nicely: permanent black shirt with dye-colour edging).
Healers get the Bloodhempen melee set.
(Ninjas get the "Star Velvet Himation" mage set. Strikers get tanks' Chivalric Coat and skirt)

Lv62: Ruby Cotton (recolour of HW Lv60 'Valerian' sets)
Casters get long wizard robes.
Healers get what is far too much a "woman's dress" even on male characters, and short shorts. An odd design combination.
(Tanks have a full skirt. Dragoons have long front-and-back drapes.)

Lv63: Shisui sets
Swimwear for everyone. The mage sets do include long sleeves (though from memory, so does the tank set), but the actual swimwear isn't any less revealing. Female casters don't even get a skirt. I don't know how these translate to the male versions.

Lv64: Kudzu robes
Long robe and skirt underneath. Dyeable version of Orthodox/Dravanian designs that fitted with Heavensward's high fantasy setting.
(Tanks/dragoons get midlength skirts.)

Lv65: Nomad's robes
Long robes for all classes, not just mages.
Loose pants underneath that are different to what we normally get.

Lv66: Serge sets
A short tunic/shirt, pants and knee-length boots. Melee gear has full-length skirts.

Lv67: Yanxian Dogi
Armoured kimono and hakama. Other classes had shorter armour and pants.

Lv68: Gazelleskin sets
Ragged open coat for casters (shared with ranged DPS)
Closed midlength leather coat/robe for healers (shared with tanks)

Lv69: Valerian Priest
A dress for female characters, or robe for male characters.

Lv70: Arhat Dogi
Long leather coat/robe and skirt for mages. (Also a sleeveless version for samurai, who probably wanted the sleeved version but there's that awkward crossover with monks sharing the gear.) Hakama underneath, just looks like a skirt from the icon, probably hidden on mages but visible on ninja/ranged that get them combined with shorter tops.

Ala Mhigan
Long coats and strappy pants for most classes.
Caster shares its design with ranged DPS
Healer shares with ninja

Skallic gear
Casters: long coat and sarouel
Healers: short tunic-with-tabard and pants (of the "magically turns to shorts on females" variety)

Indigo Ramie/True Griffin (dyeable World of Darkness gear)
Robes with flared sleeves and open front. Skirts and long sandals underneath.

Farlander gear (redistributed Castrum Abania Valerian sets)
Short tunic with cape, and pants. Previous Valerian mage robes go to ranged & ninja.

Rabanastre
Midlength robe/tunic with pants and boots

Lost Allagan
Open coat and pants. Most classes got something similar.

Genta/Genji gear
Armoured samurai robes for all classes.

Bonewicca gear
As much discussed. Casters have tabard and fancy cape. Healers get a half-skirt and strappy shirt. Meanwhile tanks and ranged get full heavy skirts attached to their chestpiece.

Royal Volunteer's gear (redistributed Filibuster gear)
Mages get previous melee gear. Casters get a longer 'skirt' (jacket tied around waist) while healers get just the short military jacket and 'tool apron' for lack of a better term.

True Linen sets (dyeable Void Ark gear)
Long robes, pants, long boots. Tanks get a dress chestpiece and a full-length skirt underneath.

Ridorana Lighthouse
Odd 'apron' sets for mages. Are these based on character gear in the Ivalice games?

Ryumaku gear
Long Japanese armoured robes for all classes. Mages (and melee) get pants while tanks and ranged get skirts.

Diamond gear
Only mages get long coats

Rakshasa gear
Long Japanese robes or coats for all classes. Mages get pants while melee classes get hakama.

Scaevan gear
Only mages get long coats

Omega gear
All classes get 'tailcoat' armour designs.

Or the short version:

Lv60: tribal chestwrap/skirt/shorts for both. ---------------------------------Skirts for melee.
Lv61: shirt/pants for caster, long skirt (over pants) for healer
Lv62: robes for mages
Lv63: swimwear for all
Lv64: robes and skirts for mages-------------------------------------- skirts for tank/dragoon
Lv65: nomad robes and pants for all
Lv66: tunic/pants.---------------------------------------------------------- Skirts for melee.
Lv67: kimono/hakama for mages
Lv68: long coats and pants
Lv69: robes for mages
Arhat: robe/coat and skirts for mages -------------------------------- (shared with some melee)
Ala Mhigan: robes for all
Skallic: long caster coat, short healer tunic
Indigo: flared open coat, skirt and sandals
Farlander: short tunic and pants (melee gear).---------------- Mage robes for ninja/ranged.
Rabanastre: midlength tunic and pants
Lost Allagan: open coat and pants (for most classes)
Genji: Samurai robes for all classes
Bonewicca: unusual shirts. Pants. Unique footwear.
Volunteer: military gear (melee)
True Linen: robes for mages.----------------------------------------- Robe and skirt for tank.
Ridorana: aprons and pants
Ryumaku: Samurai robes for all
Diamond: coats for mages
Rakshasa: Japanese robes/armour for all
Scaevan: coats for mages
Omega: tailcoats for all

red = mage robes
orange = samurai "robes", etc.
grey = other classes in robes
blue = not robes

It's not as simple as "mages always get robes". The other classes get them too, sometimes when mages get different things.

And the "everyone in samurai armour" gear sets throw out the count on top of that, because it looks a robe (though technically isn't) and in any case they're not putting mages specifically in robes.

I could keep going back through the gear list. There are short tunics, the Valkyrie shirts, the semi-armoured Eikon corselet for casters, the Plague Doctor coats, plus all-classes glamour items like the Proto Ultima mesh, Uwagi #55, crafter/gatherer gear... and I haven't even got past the Lv60 part of the list.

Yes, there's an imbalance towards more robes and long coats for mages (as there should be in my opinion), but it's not guaranteed, especially on themed sets. The Shisui sets are not different for mages. Nomad robes only vary between short and long sleeves. The Sky Rat harnesses and Rainbow Shirt sets are identical across all classes.

There are less options but there are not no options. People keep talking about mage gear as if there are only one or two items that aren't full-length robes, and it just isn't the case.

I'm just tired of seeing everyone complain about things before we've even got them.

[Aylis]

I guess I'm in the minority that loves the melee set, I can't wait to see the tank vesion specially if have similar helmet and boots to play with it.

I seriously like it too, jut because its something new and different. The ranged set is nice but it feels standard and something to be expected and not really different. I like variety.