Vanity system feels more complex than it needs to be...

[Mixxy]

It's a tad complex, but all things considered I'm grateful it wasn't worse. I'm not saying it couldn't be improved, but I want to know what games people are playing that have these flawless vanity systems because of all the games I've played with vanity systems, XIV is one of the least restricting, though probably one of the more complex ones.
At least its not like TERA (and I think Aion?) where you have to destroy gear. Expensive gear, mind you.

[Mihana]

At least its not like TERA (and I think Aion?) where you have to destroy gear. Expensive gear, mind you.

Yeah, I remember TERA. Though in comparison even for that game there were "alternate" pieces of gear in some cases that looked like the more powerful gear. Not much I think but there was. But again it's not really based on the availability of said gear but the whole process used just to project that gear. When they spoke of vanity I had envisioned a simple system where you just dropped a piece of gear into a separate window that sort of "overwrote" your current appearance. I'm not saying other systems are perfect either but it's over complicating features like this that generally turn people off from using them. And technically the armor is sort of "destroyed" anyway when you think about it. Say you craft a specific piece of gear that's incredibly hard to make. According to the patch notes using it in a projection will effectively bind it to you anyway. Stat-wise it could be totally useless but it means you cannot sell that piece off to somebody else, or in the case of a Free Company, share it for your friends to use.

Essentially it destroys it from entering the market ever again and just takes up a slot in your inventory or retainer until you decide to either throw it away or sell it to a vendor. Not as harsh I know but in a way it still exists here too.

The same reason Ventures and Atmas go into your inventory instead of into your currency tab and key items; incentive to buy retainers.

This was my thought as well, which actually, I had hoped trying to avoid saying.

[Lilysparkle]

When they spoke of vanity I had envisioned a simple system where you just dropped a piece of gear into a separate window that sort of "overwrote" your current appearance.

If you ever play Age of Conan, this is precisely how it works. It's a seprate vanity tab, that has an identical layout of slots, and each one with a tick box, with an overal tickbox right at the top. So you had absolute maximum control slot by slot, and still the option to remove/hide cloaks/helms on top of it.

I think the OP raises amazing points and I agree with them, especially the one about a Grade 5 prism not being retroactive for lower lvls. It seems very intentional to make that area of the market (those particular set of materials) important again. I think it's also cheeky that while they are "Master" recipes, they are only lvl 30 in actuality. ;x They're not lvl 50, they're lvl 30 like the dyes. Despite all that, I'm fairly satisifed with it, like the OP. It *could* have been worse I think.

[NorthernLadMSP]

And this is why I'm now completely 100% no longer excited for these vanity slots. So much unnecessary time/work/gil spent for something that should really be very simple.

I had no problem with glamours being a level 50 quest, but the rest of it is totally unnecessary.

I will just end up sticking with whatever my character is wearing. Very sad glamour system, IMO.

[FoxiLady]

It's a tad complex, but all things considered I'm grateful it wasn't worse. I'm not saying it couldn't be improved, but I want to know what games people are playing that have these flawless vanity systems because of all the games I've played with vanity systems, XIV is one of the least restricting, though probably one of the more complex ones.
At least its not like TERA (and I think Aion?) where you have to destroy gear. Expensive gear, mind you.

FFXIV *skinning* is the pits and the cost of buying all the bits if you cant craft them is going to be horribly expensive Tera and Aion I could skin my gear every second day if I feel like it for a minimal amount of effort and currency. Skinning on every other game Ive played is a simple and easy process not like this huge ugly cumbersome thing we have been given on FFXIV. In fact even though I have all crafts at lvl 50 I cant even be bothered to use this vanity system I will just continue wearing the butt ugly armour the game offers.

[Naunet]

but I want to know what games people are playing that have these flawless vanity systems because of all the games I've played with vanity systems, XIV is one of the least restricting

Rift, WildStar, soon to be GW2 with their incoming revamp. None of them restrict what armor type you can use. The first two have simple wardrobe slot set ups where you can equip any armor type as long as you're the right level for it and both have ticky boxes to hide or display each individual armor slot. Saying XIV's is the least restricting is nonsense.

Honestly, the only reason I can think of that they did this (and why they made ventures and atmas inventory items) is because they want to put pressure on players to buy the new retainers. Sleazy as hell.

I'm just pretending the whole system doesn't exist, except maybe to glamour my staff so I don't have to see the ugly glow anymore.

[Jonjon]

It's a tad complex, but all things considered I'm grateful it wasn't worse. I'm not saying it couldn't be improved, but I want to know what games people are playing that have these flawless vanity systems because of all the games I've played with vanity systems, XIV is one of the least restricting, though probably one of the more complex ones.
At least its not like TERA (and I think Aion?) where you have to destroy gear. Expensive gear, mind you.

EQ2 for one.

@OP damn what a cluster.