Why is glamour the end-game?

[ReynTime]

Because iLvL sync and vertical gear progression are a thing. And at the highest iLvL you can be (or second highest) you will be dragged into a lower iLvL in almost every content, even newest patch stuff. So equipment isn't really much of an endgame goal unless you're a dedicated savage/ultimate raider. And even then you will not have anywhere to use the stats from that gear.

[Penthea]

That's interesting. I would have thought the opposite since there are a few people showing off their glamour in the signature for what I presume is for bragging rights, but I guess they don't represent the majority.

Some people just like showing off a set they like the look of. It rarely has to do with any prestige.

[MoonPhaseAlpha]

"Glamour is the true end-game".

Housing = The true end game content of XIV.

[Kyrj]

You can only raid so much until everyone has everything and PvP in this game is laughable at best (right up there with verminion or w/e that garbage game is)
So it's glamour farming.

[Shofie]

It's just a huge appeal of many MMOs. Customizing your appearance as much as possible. Since XIV likes to lock a lot of cool dyeable glams behind ex/savage content, there are plenty of people who will do that content just for a glam (or mount).

[kaynide]

It more or less boils down to having little constructive to do at endgame.

For some it’s about a look they really enjoy and want to get right whether it be color scheme or cosplay or whatever.

For some, they really really think other people are jealous or have some other need to show off to other players...think of it like buying an obnoxiously loud and expensive sports car.

Others still just enjoy collecting.

It very much mirrors real world fashion.

[Dzian]

That's interesting. I would have thought the opposite since there are a few people showing off their glamour in the signature for what I presume is for bragging rights, but I guess they don't represent the majority.

The older glamours are often popular not so much due to legacy or anything but because many of them are much simpler taste wise.

Newer glamours are often so "busy" and full of accessories, capes and full length coats on every single job that in many cases don't even feel terribly thematic of the job or role. And many are also quite gender biased as well. casters for example the gear is nearly always a feminine design. Long coats, skirts and frilly cuffs etc..

The older stuff is a lot simpler and arguably more elegant as a result and this in turn makes it easier to work with and find a hat that goes well with your top or pants etc.. thats what makes it more popular I think.

That's interesting. I would have thought the opposite since there are a few people showing off their glamour in the signature for what I presume is for bragging rights, but I guess they don't represent the majority.

Prestige doesn't existin this game, which is another reasosn glamour is considered the actual endgame.

Nothing else holds any value or significance.
Bust ya behind off to clear savage and get a cool mount... meaningless as people will just innevitably roflstomp it unsynced..
That cool piece of gear you got.. will be thrown away next patch and replaced with something else of a higher ilvl.
Titles, Minions, Achievemnets Other trophies all exactly the same....

It's a big reason such a huge portion of the playerbase doesn't even bother trying a lot of the content.. because nothing holds any prestige or value. even the gear is just throw away junk which then means the content is unrewarding.

Gear especially is all just throw away trash (outside of any glamour value) which is why so many players still dont even bother melding materia... Why meld it when ill just throw it away and replace it...

You may remember the white ravens fiasco. and the uproar that caused... Completely destroying the significance of a trophy item by just dishing them out..

[Bright-Flower]

Glamour is certainly the endgame for me.

After raiding in WoW for so many years I'm...disillusioned with the loot treadmill. Gearing up so you can tackle the raids so you can gear up for the next tier and the next then expansion reset rinse repeat. Getting gear to increase my power just doesn't feel rewarding anymore.

I am however, a roleplayer and giving me new outfits to use? Or even just outfits I wouldn't wear in RP but are cool to look at and run around in? That will get me to do content that no ilvl increase would. I ran copied factory an ungodly amount of times over several months collecting sets there for example. Whether I like a glam or not will decide on if I actually farm a full set of a new wave of tome or normal mode raid gear, or if I just do the raid once for story.

For those of us that don't do savage/ultimate content, glamour is a more tangible and meaningful reward than getting numbers on our gear.

[RotoLoto]

are there really people who do content in this game for the sole purpose of using the rewards of the content for glamour? Or is this some inside joke that I'm not getting?

It's both.

[Keramory]

It's a symptom if lounging in town or FC most of the day and waiting for quick to do instances. Outside of Savage or the newest trial, really if you're not grinding the newest tomes (which come by quick enough) there isn't too much more to do.

That and gear is strictly linear and easy to obtain so showing it off isn't much within itself. The only exception I saw really was Eureka gear being shown off for a hot minute.