Question and concerns about the vanity sytem..

[ZohnoReecho]

inb4 vanity disabled in instances.
SE should just add e vanity toggle together with the system, so if you don't wanna see it you will not.

[ItzKris]

Can we have a GM give us a response on this?
I would really like to see their stance on it.
If anyone has any info, can you add it.

[cosmicprincesscthulhu]

Personally i like the idea of the vanity system, i dont mind people running around in bikinis. My first run through copperbell was with a naked guy with a pumpkin head i found it hilarious.
Though i can see why people wouldn't want it even after a while it could get old so i guess having a button that lets you choose weather you see peoples vanity gear or not would be the way to go in appeasing both sides.

[gr4yph03nix]

I'm not a programmer so I could just be talkin out of my bum here but I would assume a toggle button would be too much of a load on the servers having to constantly queue(right word) up 2 sets of gear for everyone in an area. I think the only plausible way would be to create non vanity servers for people that are all pent up on not seeing stuff like that and I highly doubt that is something SE would do.

That being said I am personally looking forward to it. I can empathize somewhat as I occasionally get in a mood where I don't want to raid with goofy looking setups. When those moments happen just have to group up with people that share those concepts.

[Ildur]

SE should just add e vanity toggle together with the system, so if you don't wanna see it you will not.

I agree. That would also solve the issues of people using the vanity system to hide their PvP gear (though PvP gear is stupid, but that's a discussion for some other time). It also means that the 'purists' who cannot suffer White Mages using chainmail or whatever don't have to see other people's trampling over FF's "traditions". No need to disable vanity during instances, either, since that would defeat the purpose of a vanity system. Just put a toggle in the options if you want or not to see other people's equipped vanity gear.

The last thing I have to say is about dyes:

[Tlamila]

The last thing I have to say is about dyes:

PVP sets. Dyable reskins. Isn't this one of them?

[LioJen]

It's not so much about immersion breaking, as it is about breaking the artistic identity of the game. FF games all have a distinct aesthetic style to them that the whole game follows, and as a result the games have a unique look and identity that is instantly recognizable. You can look at ANY character from FFX, and know that their clothing style is from Spira. Same thing with nearly every FF, and it was one of my favorite things about XI's armor and clothing designs. Despite being very different amongst each other, the armor sets in XI all followed a similar design philosophy and they all looked like they belonged in that world. While every character was not a special snowflake donut steel, at least they all looked like they were residents of Vana.

Right now XIV is painfully short on such a design philosophy and letting everyone run around in completely out of context and unrelated costumes will only hurt its identity further.

In a way this is a result of the game design (and society in general) shifting toward a more individualistic mindset where everyone has to be unique and special and be able to do everything by themselves. Whereas older games like XI had everyone look similar because the game was focused on being in a group, and the group looked appropriate together. You were part of something larger than yourself, rather than being the center of your own little world away from every other player.

As far as the vanity system goes, I would prefer they simply design better standard armors and revamp the dye system to allow us to mix and create an outfit which still fits the atmosphere and identity of the world of Eorzea. Don't break the identity of the game and the world and turn it into every other fanservice-based paperdoll MMO. It's already suffering from being generic as it is, the least you could allow SE is to keep its artistic dignity. If you didn't want to play a character who looks like they come from Eorzea, why did you play a game set in Eorzea?

[Tlamila]

As far as the vanity system goes, I would prefer they simply [B]design better standard armors and revamp the dye system

Ditto, I'd much rather they make everything dyable...what's the point of having vanity system while almost nothing is dyable? You create a much bigger diversity with dyes, since armor styles themselves aren't many.

[Naunet]

A wardrobe system does not equate to "fanservice-based paperdoll MMO". Don't be silly.

[Ildur]

Oh no! How terrible! Our players are THREATENING our MAGNIFICENT and HOLY artistic vision! Woe is us! We cannot suffer the players to express their individuality in our game! Everyone must ABIDE and OBEY our artistic vision! 'cause it's holy and stuff!

Honestly, speaking of threats to the "artistic dignity/identity" is something that talentless hacks use when their work or a work they like is criticized and they don't know how to defend it. But I'd like to point out that a vanity system will in no way harm the artistic integrity of the game at all. It's just allowing your players to use the assets you give them (clothes) in new combinations. The artist is still who gets the last word on what models and textures to create the game. The only difference is that the player has the ultimate word on what his character will wear. And if you don't like his combination of clothes? First: the Artist made it, so it's still artistically coherent and consistent with the rest of the game, even if you don't like that particular combination. Second, you can ask Squee to add a toggle so that vanity gear doesn't show up for you. That way you can live in your silly bubble where the Artist's vision is not corrupted by anyone else's vision.

Also: Tlamila, yes. Some people pointed out it's a PvP gear. However, I'd like to point out it is ALSO the "unique" mage clothes from the Sastasha/Copperbell/Tam-tara dungeons. Except the version there is undyeable.