Potential adjustments to mentor system icons

[Zamte]

The mentor system as it stands now has some issues. One of the biggest ones in my opinion is that we have a lot of people who are becoming mentors just so that they can have the crown next to their name to show off. A discussion came up on reddit and I posted the suggestion I had made to some free company members, and it was suggested that I report it here for discussion.

I think first the crown needs to go. Crowns are a mark of royalty, and I know many players just want the status, and won't mentor. So here's the suggestion: Change the crown into a little watering can. New players are marked with sprouts, and a watering can is used to help plants grow, and that is exactly what mentors are here to do. It's also not a fancy symbol people will desire for sake of showing off. It's a symbol which has meaning to those of us who want to help our sprouts grow, but isn't relevant to people who don't share that spirit.

[Zamte]

I'd also really like it if there as a differentiation between crafting and battle mentors. The switch to a watering can would enable this fairly simply with palette swaps. Combat can could be red, crafting could be blue, and a person who meets both sets of requirements could have a purple one which combines the two. This gives mentors a symbol which fits with the new players they're here to guide and allows more information to be portrayed at a glance.

[Blitzace]

I'll help people when ever they need it, i remember having the mentor status in XI, wasn't considered anything special unlike here. I had it on the first day untill i realized how many people just did it for "show" I always enjoyed helping people in XI. a little less in XIV but thats a different story, But in any case i rarely have the mentor on since it isn't being used for what it should be used for.

[PotatoWafflez]

I agree that the Mentor icon should change, a watering can isn't a bad idea at all.

I'd like to throw in another alternative though, and that's for a tree or a plant as we were all Novices at one point.

I was going to add more to this post but it felt like I was going off topic as this is mainly just about the icon and not the system as a whole so I shall leave it at this.

[Niwashi]

I'd like to throw in another alternative though, and that's for a tree or a plant as we were all Novices at one point.

Being a mentor is about more than just having grown past the "sprout" stage yourself, though. It's (when used correctly) for those who are actively trying to help new sprouts to grow. Plants aren't exactly the most maternal of living things, and I don't think trees or other plants really do much to help the younger saplings or sprouts around them. I think if we want a symbol for helping sprouts to grow, we'd need to look to gardening, so I like the watering can idea better.

[PotatoWafflez]

Being a mentor is about more than just having grown past the "sprout" stage yourself, though. It's (when used correctly) for those who are actively trying to help new sprouts to grow. Plants aren't exactly the most maternal of living things, and I don't think trees or other plants really do much to help the younger saplings or sprouts around them. I think if we want a symbol for helping sprouts to grow, we'd need to look to gardening, so I like the watering can idea better.

I suppose that is true I guess I was caught up more with that idea/imagery that anyone in theory has the potential to grow into a mentor, but I would have to agree with you, after thinking about it more gardening is probably the better theme to work with.

I can still dream that they might use both if they add a "middle step" between novice and mentor though. :P
Sense of progression and all that no one wants to be a sprout forever even if they feel they have much more to learn, as I've seen a few Novices be upset that they are "forced to graduate" as it were from the network, would be nice if they could opt in for more help if they wanted.

[S-r-ex]

Agreed on fixing the mentor icon, the watering can is great! At least half the people I've seen wearing that crown are either whiny or completely quiet. At worst they instaquit once they see Aetherochemical in their roulette.

[Canadane]

Why not just make it a big ugly 'M' like XI had it?
I've gotten a few jokes about the crown going well with my name, but my name and a just that. It isn't a title!
I'm there to help, I don't need a flashy icon.

That isn't to say a watering can is a bad idea. It's cute, I like it!

[Eydir]

I like the watering can idea a lot! That would be adoreable, really.

[nexas506]

This is adorable. Watering can has my vote