1525: Through the Maelstrom

Final Fantasy XIV gets its second major “big patch” next week, and my Free Company and I are looking forward to it a great deal. Like the previous big update A Realm Awoken, Through the Maelstrom, as it’s known, not only adds a bunch of new content, but also some tweaks, refinements and additions to the game system as a whole.

Top of the priority list for many players is not any of this new content, however; it’s a simple addition known as Glamours, otherwise known as the game’s long-awaited vanity system.

For those unfamiliar, a vanity system in an MMO is pretty much what it sounds like: it’s the opportunity to customise your character’s appearance however you see fit rather than being restricted to the default appearance of the equipment you’re wearing. There are pros and cons to both approaches: having gear with distinct appearances means that you can quickly and easily judge at a glance roughly what level (and class) a particular player is at, for example, but it does mean that everyone has something of a tendency to look the same, particularly at high level. Conversely, a vanity system allows players to look however they want at the expense of that visual shorthand that says “yes, I am an average item level 80 Black Mage ready for some hot Binding Coil of Bahamut action”.

On balance, in a socially-centred game such as an MMO, the opportunity for players to express themselves as they see fit is probably the best in the long run. After all, an MMO character is an extension of yourself, your avatar in the virtual space, and something you’ve worked hard to develop over the course of many weeks and months — so why the hell shouldn’t they look and dress how you’d like them to? There’s nothing stopping you wearing the distinctive “uniform” of your class if you still want to, of course, but with the presence of a vanity system you can take that step away from the herd, too.

I haven’t fully decided on the outfits for my various classes as yet, though my rough “theme” is that I want my character to look more feminine. (She is a lady, after all.) Mage gear in particular isn’t terribly flattering, being all baggy robes, hoods and silly hats, so I’m contemplating a new black mage ensemble for her in the form of a slinky, sexy black dress (or, more accurately, skirt and top combo that looks a bit like a slinky, sexy black dress) and some dainty gloves, set off by a nice pair of shoes that don’t look too ridiculous. I’m keeping an eye out for items that might fit the bill as I’m playing, and I have a feeling that the cloth “All Classes” items typically worn by crafters as they’re levelling may just fit the bill nicely — though I’ll probably stop short of the high-level ones that incorporate a garter belt on the outside of the incredibly snug skirt. Sexy, yes; impractical, uh, yes.

In short, yes, I have been thinking about Amarysse’s new Eorzea Spring Collection far more than I perhaps should have been. And later in the week I’ll be able to implement it, take her out into the dungeons and rack up the Player Commendations for my fetching ensembles. That or get a torrent of questions from people asking why I’m wearing crafting gear as a black mage. We’ll see!