So now contest prizes can be bought?

[Theodric]

I don't have an issue with it. Bear in mind, some people are completely excluded from taking part in contests in the first place due to the country that they live in...and there's also a disparity between the amount of contests that are hosted in each region.

[Hasrat]

Yeah, the Itinerant Moogles have shown up periodically, previously selling the Bomb, Slime, and Cactuar earrings. And I think maybe something else.

Greater point, tho, is nothing is guaranteed permanently exclusive. And, frankly, if you're putting such a huge amount of significance on having a game item that other people don't, maybe you're taking the game a little too seriously. Other people having items that you have does not have any impact on the game for you. Play the game. Enjoy the game. Quit worrying so much about what other players do or have.

[Ilyrian]

Yeah, the Itinerant Moogles have shown up periodically, previously selling the Bomb, Slime, and Cactuar earrings. And I think maybe something else.

Greater point, tho, is nothing is guaranteed permanently exclusive. And, frankly, if you're putting such a huge amount of significance on having a game item that other people don't, maybe you're taking the game a little too seriously. Other people having items that you have does not have any impact on the game for you. Play the game. Enjoy the game. Quit worrying so much about what other players do or have.

I agree in principal - but...

An MMO needs incentive to play - to run challenging content, to differentiate yourself from the next 100 players. If you remove all incentives for character advancement (cosmetic or otherwise) you're just playing the Sims. Granted this is really only applicable to PVE content; completing the hardest content should give you enviable rewards.

What other people do in the game does demonstrably effect everyone else. If everyone has everything nothing is special. That said, the rewards for turning up and afking in a seasonal event aren't exactly 'earned' - they just show you were in the right place at the right time. So I don't really see an issue with sharing those.

But I think that's a root problem for this game - there is a competitive and rewarding MMO struggling to get out of a sea over saturated glamour and cosmetic nonsense. Yes, I know that makes a lot of people happy - and that's brilliant - but I think it dulls the actual game play of the game - which first and foremost should be an MMO with engaging content that rewards players for actually participating in it with some degree of skills vs reward. (imo)

All that being said - the people who played (and stuck it out) in 1.0 deserve their tatoos - that should never be altered. God knows they deserve them.

[Senn]

All that being said - the people who played (and stuck it out) in 1.0 deserve their tatoos - that should never be altered. God knows they deserve them.

I know it probably won't happen, but I don't really mind if they let other players obtain the tattoos. Only because I wish I could have the tattoo on my alts
Or at least let me transfer my tattoo to another character. Eh
Yeah yeah, I know it's like a symbol your character was created in 1.0 or something, don't really care. I just like the look of it.

[Doozer]

Greater point, tho, is nothing is guaranteed permanently exclusive. And, frankly, if you're putting such a huge amount of significance on having a game item that other people don't, maybe you're taking the game a little too seriously. Other people having items that you have does not have any impact on the game for you. Play the game. Enjoy the game. Quit worrying so much about what other players do or have.

It's funny that you say "play the game, enjoy the game" when what's fun for me is having an item that I earned with a skill that I have outside of playing the game that shows that I was able to win something. It's not about them not having it, it's about it not having the same worth and having someone look at my character with it and go "oh wow they must've won a contest". Now it's just another item. Rarity and uniqueness has value.

The same would apply if my real life accomplishments were given to everyone as well. I was chosen to have one of my real life photos on a soda label recently, which only less than 1% of submissions ever get. Over a million photos have been submitted in the past, and mine was one of the ~1,000 or so ever chosen. That's a big deal to me because it means my entry must've been noteworthy, which is a reflection of my skill. If every entry was used it wouldn't be an accomplishment. The same applies to the prizes I win for screenshot (and creative writing) contests.

Taking prizes and making them purchasable by anyone defeats the purpose of entering at all, if you can just buy it in a few months or a year anyway.

[Iscah]

The same would apply if my real life accomplishments were given to everyone as well. I was chosen to have one of my real life photos on a soda label recently, which only 1% of submissions ever get. Over a million photos have been submitted in the past, and mine was one of the ~1,000 or so ever chosen. That's a big deal to me because it means my entry must've been noteworthy, which is a reflection of my skill. If every entry was used it wouldn't be an accomplishment. The same applies to the prizes I win for screenshot (and creative writing) contests.

I think you’re conflating different elements of “the prize” here.

For your real life example, your photo got picked, and the prize - as you’ve described it - is knowing your photo considered noteworthy, and displayed as a winner (on the label).

If someone enters a screenshot contest and wins, they likewise know their screenshot was noteworthy, and displayed as a winner (in a “Winners of X Screenshot Contest” post). On top of that, they get a bonus prize item.

So while others can now get the bonus prize, it’s not quite the same thing as “everyone being given the contest winner’s reward”.

[ThunderGodThor]

I think you’re conflating different elements of “the prize” here.

For your real life example, your photo got picked, and the prize - as you’ve described it - is knowing your photo considered noteworthy, and displayed as a winner (on the label).

If someone enters a screenshot contest and wins, they likewise know their screenshot was noteworthy, and displayed as a winner (in a “Winners of X Screenshot Contest” post). On top of that, they get a bonus prize item.

So while others can now get the bonus prize, it’s not quite the same thing as “everyone being given the contest winner’s reward”.

Yes, exactly. As with the white raven earrings- you don't need an exclusive item to show you won, surely the memories are enough right? :3

[Doozer]

I think you’re conflating different elements of “the prize” here.

For your real life example, your photo got picked, and the prize - as you’ve described it - is knowing your photo considered noteworthy, and displayed as a winner (on the label).

If someone enters a screenshot contest and wins, they likewise know their screenshot was noteworthy, and displayed as a winner (in a “Winners of X Screenshot Contest” post). On top of that, they get a bonus prize item.

So while others can now get the bonus prize, it’s not quite the same thing as “everyone being given the contest winner’s reward”.

Except it's not about just winning and having the entry be noteworthy. Do you know which contests I won? I doubt it. And along with my real life example, I have one of the labels in my possession, which acts much like a prize or trophy. One that I can show people as proof. Anyone can say they won a contest or were chosen for something. Having the in-game item proves I won. Or at least, it did.

EDIT: The least they could do is rename the item while keeping the skin the same. 'Replica Scarf of Wondrous Wit' would be fine. And the same applies to any other possible rewards that become available to people who didn't win them.

[Mizunoko]

It's funny that you say "play the game, enjoy the game" when what's fun for me is having an item that I earned with a skill that I have outside of playing the game that shows that I was able to win something. It's not about them not having it, it's about it not having the same worth and having someone look at my character with it and go "oh wow they must've won a contest". Now it's just another item. Rarity and uniqueness has value.

The same would apply if my real life accomplishments were given to everyone as well. I was chosen to have one of my real life photos on a soda label recently, which only less than 1% of submissions ever get. Over a million photos have been submitted in the past, and mine was one of the ~1,000 or so ever chosen. That's a big deal to me because it means my entry must've been noteworthy, which is a reflection of my skill. If every entry was used it wouldn't be an accomplishment. The same applies to the prizes I win for screenshot (and creative writing) contests.

Taking prizes and making them purchasable by anyone defeats the purpose of entering at all, if you can just buy it in a few months or a year anyway.

I 110% agree with you on this, The guy you are quoting (Hasrat) seems to me like one of those people who think everyone should get a participation trophy and no one should get a trophy for actually winning because they worked harder than others and practiced or had skill. Nothing has meaning in this world anymore if everyone is handed the exact same things in life, and it amazes me that people cannot understand this as it should be common sense. Not everyone plays for the same reasons as they do. I play mostly for glamour, relic grinding, and rare item collecting, and because i love that aspect about the game and put in the extra effort to do that kind of thing i have something to show for it. When SE starts taking that away from me and giving it to everyone at basically no work or cost to them, then how would people or SE expect me and people like me to feel? The answer should be obvious really.

[Mizunoko]

Yeah, the Itinerant Moogles have shown up periodically, previously selling the Bomb, Slime, and Cactuar earrings. And I think maybe something else.

Greater point, tho, is nothing is guaranteed permanently exclusive. And, frankly, if you're putting such a huge amount of significance on having a game item that other people don't, maybe you're taking the game a little too seriously. Other people having items that you have does not have any impact on the game for you. Play the game. Enjoy the game. Quit worrying so much about what other players do or have.

Not that i don't agree with what your trying to say or that i care extremely about the rarity of my items to the point that i would ragequit, however i think the part where you say "does not have any impact on the game for you" is incorrect as you cannot determine for other people what impacts the game for them. Everyone plays games for different reasons and have fun in said game for different content or reasons. Meaning if someone does actually have fun or like the game alot because of rare item collecting than that in itself impacts the fun and gameplay for them. That in itself can mean everything to someone. As i said, you cannot dictate what is and isn't for other people. Only yourself.