Why are cosmetics so restrictive?

[RyuujinZERO]

Square's art direction simply knocks it out the ballpark for MMOs; which is fantastic because as we all know, the real end-game of MMO is creating a unique and awesome look that suits your character.

However, as a tank, I find myself stuck having to choose between either heavy pauldrons, flanchards, spikey metal plating, or fluffy civilian clothing and underwear; with no middleground. And I know I'm not alone, a black mage I spoke to recently was lamenting that he could not wear plate armour to create more of a battlemage look; and I really can't see a good reason why they can't. Even Paplymo wears plate gauntlets, and Yda plate greaves.

It's quite apparent that the developers don't care about "maintaining immersion" as the reason, because I can glamour my full plate to look like a bikini - but apparently I can't glamour it to look like a lightweight leather chestpiece from the "Maiming" or "Scouting" pools.

This is especially exacerbated by the launch of Stormblood, where they seem to have really doubled down on the "All pauldrons, flanchards and spikes" look for tanks, with only 1 new set featuring none of those 3 (And that swings so far the other way it ends up in bikini territory), yet gave a whole new wardrobe of varied and interesting looks to the other roles; even the DoL/DoH stuff this expansion is class locked.

Simply put, I don't understand why Square insists on locking content behind arbitrary limits for no clear reason in a sub-based game... anyone?

tl;dr - See title

EDIT: It's also come to my attention that apparently the Chinese FF14 servers have access to universal cosmetic versions of some restricted armours that we don't too. Which is a rather odd disparity

[Kallera]

They seemed to double down on this by restricting even the doh and dol leveling gear, an even worse direction than hw, which was worse than arr, and has gotten worse ever since Yoshida took the reins.

This is an unneeded , and undesirable direction to take. I enjoy using certain pieces out of fashion, to having it all be locked into only a certain discipline will not make me look like the latest tank or the far eastern samurai. I do not like having my choice of clothes being dictated via restrictions. If I want to run around Eorzea, I want to choose what I want to wear. if I want to tank in a bliaud and fringe boots I don't see why that warrants restrictions of similar looking gear for me to tank in. I clearly do not want to look like a far eastern samurai, nor do I want to look like a tin can all the time.

[Naunet]

Yup. All the glamour restrictions are ridiculous and play a huge part in making it an unfun feature.

[KisaiTenshi]

Yup. All the glamour restrictions are ridiculous and play a huge part in making it an unfun feature.

They're probably more about trying to restrict people from creating confusing glamours. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to not allow a tank to glamour light armor, but yet the any-class costume gear can. It's just kinda arbitrary.

The compromise I'd suggest is simply drawing that line at the weapons.

[RyuujinZERO]

They're probably more about trying to restrict people from creating confusing glamours.

I'm not sure how much more confusing it'd be than a tank wearing a bikini, or a healer in a chocobo costume - Both of which are entirely acceptable glamour choices in the current build of the game.

It goes without saying that weapon glamours shouldn't be a thing... a dragoon with a monk's glove would look crazy goofy; though the idea of a lalafel rogue dual wielding a pair of behemoth king greatswords is not without merit. /s

[White_Wolf_X]

I'm not sure how much more confusing it'd be than a tank wearing a bikini, or a healer in a chocobo costume - Both of which are entirely acceptable glamour choices in the current build of the game.

It goes without saying that weapon glamours shouldn't be a thing... a dragoon with a monk's glove would look crazy goofy; though the idea of a lalafel rogue dual wielding a pair of behemoth king greatswords is not without merit. /s

[Kallera]

practicality went out the door a long time ago. It is the entire point of glamour to wear a piece that doesn't offer the same looks and protection as the piece that you are wearing, yet retaining the stats of the equipped piece.

It is literally working as designed to be wearing gatherer gear or swimsuits as a glamour when playing as a fighting class. That goes for civilian and novelty pieces too.

There is a certain hypocrisy when the prior freedom to glamour these pieces gets taken away in future pieces, simply a sad attempt to permanebtly take choices away for people to look the same in the first few weeks.

[Naunet]

They're probably more about trying to restrict people from creating confusing glamours

I can't think of a single glamour that is "confusing". It's easy to recognize any job based on weapon and skill use.

[KisaiTenshi]

I can't think of a single glamour that is "confusing". It's easy to recognize any job based on weapon and skill use.

Would it be more confusing to see a tank wearing a bikini, or a tank wearing a DOL gear set and fighting with a sledgehammer and pickaxe?

I can understand locking the weapons to that of the same type. I don't see much point in locking the costume gear let alone the DoW/DoM gear. If anything locking the accessories is just ridiculous since these are objects you don't even see on players unless you're zoomed in like all the way. Chances are they have to lock certain types of gear to a gender, race or role because the animation sets just don't exist for those gear. Perhaps all animations work on the bikini and costumes because they have no "bendable" parts to them.

[UnstablePersonality]

They're probably more about trying to restrict people from creating confusing glamours. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to not allow a tank to glamour light armor, but yet the any-class costume gear can. It's just kinda arbitrary.

The compromise I'd suggest is simply drawing that line at the weapons.

See, as long as they don't allow people to change weapons into other things..I don't see how it'd be confusing really? glamour has no real effect on how the job plays.