LU19 means you can be a level 1 monk... wanna see?

[Gaige]

<div>So I was intrigued by a lot of the LU19 changes, but mostly with being able to be a lvl 1 monk.  We had a few discussions in the monk channel wondering just how you'd look when you got to the island.</div><div> </div><div>Wanna see?</div><div> </div><div><img src="http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/4708/class8ef.jpg"></div><div> </div><div>Here is my Froglok all ready to choose his adventure class... which you now do as part of character creation.  He is thinking about being a monk... but ended up going conjuror instead.</div><div> </div><div><img src="http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/1674/monk8vq.jpg"></div><div> </div><div>No worries, our diligent friendly frog has found a monk on the Colony of the Queen for you!  Why look at that, she is wearing the "Monk Harness" which of course sucks and has no stats... but why, it has the vaunted and loved graphic that the gi of the ashen disciple has.  Interesting is it not.</div><div> </div><div>My thoughts?  I would've loved this when I was a newb, but now... after waiting almost a year to get the most prized gi graphic into the game and even available to players, I must admit I'm a bit put off.  But oh well.</div><div> </div><div>This got me thinking though... I wonder what those <strike>losers</strike> I mean bruisers look like fresh off the boat?</div><div> </div><div><img src="http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/3198/bruiser5td.jpg"></div><div> </div><div>Well a lvl 1 bruiser looksl ike he just finished Acts of War or beat the hell out of Lord Nagalik, that's what he looks like.</div><div> </div><div>/shrug</div><div> </div><div>At any rate a bruiser starts off with a knuckle, and a monk starts off with a fistwrap, not to mention the rather spiffy high end appearances <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div><div> </div><div>So this leaves me to wonder... with all the gi graphics being available at or before lvl 25... how can a lvl 60 monk/bruiser who has put in a lot off work stand out....  Oh I know... we're <font color="#9933ff">purple.</font></div><div><font color="#9933ff"></font> </div><div>Oh and for those guardians who are peeking into my thread and say I've never played one... YOU'RE WRONG!</div><div> </div><div><img src="http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/1663/guardian2dl.jpg"></div><div> </div><div>Meet Duuh... my lvl 3 Guardian!!  Man I tank great... <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></div>

[Junaru]

Wow I didn't think they were releasing this that soon.So do you still get the same "Fighter" skills or do L1 Monks have Monk skills?<div></div>

[Gaige]

<div></div><div></div><blockquote><hr>Junaru wrote:Wow I didn't think they were releasing this that soon.So do you still get the same "Fighter" skills or do L1 Monks have Monk skills?<div></div><hr></blockquote>Monk skills.  For instance, when I dinged lvl 2 on my bruiser I got ignore bruises, the first heal.<p>Message Edited by Gaige on <span class="date_text">01-12-2006</span><span class="time_text">01:47 PM</span></p>

[Rrawl]

<div></div>What a disappointment it's going to be for all those new brawlers, who get the best looking armor in the game on the newbie Isle and then later find they're stuck looking like a druid.

[RyanTSi]

<div>i was fooling around on the test server last night, and i really love the whole new system and the new IoR is really cool too.</div><div> </div><div>i dont see why they didnt just give the gis a different color or something for the newbs since they can easily do that, like with the DD gi or this one that the npc in eldaar grove wear now. ruins all the fun of getting a gi for the higher levels.</div><div> <img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/regulatez/EQ2_000114.jpg"></div><div>ive always wanted to see this gi but bright orange with white socks....kinda like real shaulin monk's</div><div> </div><div> </div>

[Rapinis]

So they removed the character progression?Hmmm, i thought that was pretty neat and gave me something to achieve..Id rather they start new characters at lvl 10 (if you have a high level character) over this old system of creation<div></div>

[Kichigai Daidoji]

<div></div><p>why does SOE keep dumbing down there games?</p><p>whats wrong w/ character progression?</p><p>they did the same junk in SWG w/ the NGE got rid of all the different professions and totally dumbed the game down and made it more FPS so the average hyperactive 16 year old [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] w/ an attention span of a gnat will spend his parents money on this game</p><p>why cant they just leave stuff alone.</p>

[Kichigai Daidoji]

<div></div><div>idi0t is an expletive?</div>

[Sandheaver]

they didn't get rid of any final professions, they only got rid of the roadblock steps that got in your way to that final destination. <div></div>

[Gaige]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>RyanTSi wrote:<div>i was fooling around on the test server last night, and i really love the whole new system and the new IoR is really cool too.</div><div> </div><div>i dont see why they didnt just give the gis a different color or something for the newbs since they can easily do that, like with the DD gi or this one that the npc in eldaar grove wear now. ruins all the fun of getting a gi for the higher levels.</div><div> <img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/regulatez/EQ2_000114.jpg"></div><div>ive always wanted to see this gi but bright orange with white socks....kinda like real shaulin monk's<hr></div></blockquote>I agree.  I like this gi graphic if they'd just leave the socks white.  I'd love to see it in dark grey or black.  /shrug 

[Kondul]

<blockquote><hr>Kichigai Daidoji wrote:<div></div><p>why does SOE keep dumbing down there games?</p><p>whats wrong w/ character progression?</p><p>they did the same junk in SWG w/ the NGE got rid of all the different professions and totally dumbed the game down and made it more FPS so <b>the average hyperactive 16 year old [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] w/ an attention span of a gnat will spend his parents money on this game</b></p><p>why cant they just leave stuff alone.</p><hr></blockquote>And right there, I believe you answered your own question. <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[masoninc61]

so will higher lvl players be able to get these gi's?<div></div>

[Persi]

<div>They've been making the gamed dumbed down, and newb friendly to appeal to more age groups. :smileysad:</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Orontes</div><div> </div><div>Assassin on Unrest</div>

[Sandheaver]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Persis4 wrote:<div>They've been making the gamed dumbed down, and newb friendly to appeal to more age groups. :smileysad:</div><div> </div><hr></blockquote>Troll somewhere else, please.</span></div>

[Colossaltitan]

<div></div><div></div>Pretty lame how Gi's like the Ashen Disciple, or Fabled ones off Nagalik (that some people still sport around in for simply the look) are now obtainable by level 1's.<p>Message Edited by Colossaltitan on <span class="date_text">01-13-2006</span><span class="time_text">01:48 AM</span></p>

[Idoru]

Hope they don't dumb down the game too much, I haven't played SWG in a week because it got dumbed down, and it was my bread and butter for the last 2.5 years.<div></div>

[Kronadin]

<div></div><p>Well, the changes sound very cool and appealing... but they're only for the very low-level range. It will indeed be disappointing that after level 10 a monk will no longer be able to look like a monk. Ok, at level 20 - 30 you have the AQ to look monkly again, but then after level 30 it's druid-looks all the way. :smileysad:</p><p>With this cool new system, they better add Gi's to the loot tables across all level ranges.</p>

[Deathspell]

<i>- The Alpha test for the new character progression changes is now on the Test server in order to ensure existing below-20 characters will function properly.</i>Perhaps above-20 changes will follow afterwards?<div></div>

[Kaleyen]

<span><blockquote><hr>Colossaltitan wrote:<div></div><div></div>Pretty lame how Gi's like the Ashen Disciple, or Fabled ones off Nagalik (that some people still sport around in for simply the look) are now obtainable by level 1's.<p>Message Edited by Colossaltitan on <span class="date_text">01-13-2006</span><span class="time_text">01:48 AM</span></p><hr></blockquote>No freakin kiddin.</span><div></div>

[Rapinis]

Well there are pro's and con's to this system so i guess we cant all attack itIve created a monk and a SK, doing the first 10 levels over (and even 10-15 seem pretty much the same) gets boringIve created a ranger and a dirge, doing the first 10 levels over gets boringIts nice to start a "monk" and have "monk" abilities right off the bat........you can complain about it all you want..but when you make a new toon you will love the new system..Sucks for me b/c i just created my brawler and did the first 10 lvls of "fighter" over again<div></div>

[diamondma]

<span><blockquote><hr>Deathspell wrote:<i>- The Alpha test for the new character progression changes is now on the Test server in order to ensure existing below-20 characters will function properly.</i>Perhaps above-20 changes will follow afterwards?<div></div><hr></blockquote>=P what changes?</span><div></div>

[skidmark]

<span><blockquote><hr>Kichigai Daidoji wrote:<div></div><p>why does SOE keep dumbing down there games?</p><p>whats wrong w/ character progression?</p><p>they did the same junk in SWG w/ the NGE got rid of all the different professions and totally dumbed the game down and made it more FPS so the average hyperactive 16 year old [expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] w/ an attention span of a gnat will spend his parents money on this game</p><p>why cant they just leave stuff alone.</p><hr></blockquote>While I agree no death penalty is dumbing down the game, I don't think this change is.I have two characters 20+. I started others but got so tired of doing the same ole cr@p with the same abilities that I stopped playing the others. The archetype system was a great idea, but poorly implemented. Why does a necromancer have to summon a centipede for a pet? A "true" necro that is between 20 and 23 has to use that same tired centiped graphic for its tank pet. Pretty lame if you ask me. Why are paladins and SKs identical through 19th level? Makes no sense.I played some on the test server yesterday, it is much improved. The newbie island for evil characters is crawling with Tunarian scouts. The quests seem to foreshadow the coming PvP and conflict between the cities.Of topic kind of, but you will soon be able to mail items and coin between Freeport and Qeynos.</span><div></div>

[Ili]

<div></div><p>I've been one of the biggest advocates to Monks and Bruisers looking like Monks and Bruisers all the time, and instead of like Druids, but yeah...</p><p>After finally getting the Ashen Graphic, a look I've wanted since the first time I went to Eddar Grove, and now, any level 1 noob can look like that, it's a little... unfair. Yeah. That being said, the nixing of the class/subclass was a *wonderful* idea, and it's especially good for Brawlers. Reason being is that when I was a newbie, I didn't want to be a 'fighter'. Running around with a sword and a shield was exactly what I *didn't* want to do. In addition, there's no real difference between a Bruiser and a Brawler as far as animations and such, so it makes each class feel new and different. I'm pretty sure nobody here was psyched about being a Fighter. This is the sort of thing that will attract new people to the game, and is a good idea.</p><p>-Ilina</p>

[kerra]

<div></div><div></div>I have been away a while but it's good see that nothing has changed. Short end of stick meet my monk :smileytongue: No but really, I would have loved to start off the island actually looking like a monk and I hope this is a sign of a lot of changes to the look and feel of the monk class.<p>Message Edited by kerra on <span class="date_text">01-13-2006</span><span class="time_text">08:55 AM</span></p>

[Cirth_Beer]

hey ! i want this noob gi ! <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><div></div>

[SkarlSpeedbu]

<div></div><div>Hey Gaige, is it true now on the new level 1 guardian they also issue a box of tissue?</div><div> </div><div>LOL sorry had to throw one punch.  I play a guardian, love to play a guardian, so I am allowed heh.</div>

[Cusashorn]

<div>Now when you say "Isle of the Queen", do you mean they're creating an entirely new pair of zones to start out on? No more Isle of Refuge, but a completely new designed set of starting zones?</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>They better give the current player base some sort of compensation for anything we have to miss out on this now.</div>

[x0rtrun]

You don't have to miss out. Just start an alt. I plan to start one when all these changes go through. With all the old world zone updates and all the other various changes, I'd really like to re-experience the old content. I've been mentoring a lot, and the updated dungeons are a blast. It's a good time to be a noob.<div></div>

[JudyJudy]

<div></div><p><em>Think I'll start an monk alt as well - this time going straight AGI and see how I turn out at the higher levels.</em></p><p><em>Well...  And for the ashen-looking gi that we get at level 1 - even though I spent forever and a day hunting for, choregraphing friends together (that didn't mind the ashen disciple faction hit) and praying the named would pop for the actual ashen gi itself, but hey...</em></p><p><em>Perhaps T7 will be kind to us and a new gi design will be released.  :smileywink:</em></p>

[Cusashorn]

<div>Yeah but I don't want to start an Alt. I'm a quester and would like to return to the newbie isle just for the sake of completing any new quests that may be there, if possible.. (well, of course it's possible, but not likely they'll do it..)</div><div> </div><div>I don't care about the rewards. I just want to do it.</div>

[Gaige]

<div></div><div>Its still the isle, there is no boat ride, and all the npc's and quests are different.  You can also be at least lvl 8 on the isle.</div>

[DarkerApprenti]

<div></div><div><font size="1" face="arial">hey Gaige, this is the yellow Gi I was talking about the other day. Am I to take it the monk starts with the Ashen Disciple look while a bruiser starts with the Blood Drenched Gi / Gi of Madness look? Are there any choices or is the decision made for you at creation pretty much? Cheers.</font></div>

[Gaige]

<div></div><div></div><p>LoL I'm daydreaming.</p><p>Message Edited by Gaige on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">12:48 PM</span></p>

[RyanTSi]

<div>they should just give bruisers there 20 AQ gi, since that grafic is no longer in the game anymore.</div>

[Colossaltitan]

Agreed... I guess.I don't agree with a level 1 sporting around in a Gi at all really.

[FelthLightbring]

<div></div><p>If this system would have been in place from the beginning I would have been a monk from the beginning. I didn't realize how much fun a monk was until I realized how much my SK sucked.  I agree that the game has had a bit of "dumbing" down since launch, and I can see why SOE is doing this, it is not to insult all of us hardcore players, it is to bring in a greater audience from other games where "ease" has been a staple since their launch.</p><p> </p>

[Nerwen]

<div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><span>Gaige:Where did you see this?  I have scoured every board I can think of, and can find no reference to this changing.  I made a monk today after the patch, and still got the white gi that I got originally.  I am crossing my fingers that this is the gi that makes it into the live game, as the AQ gi is not nearly as nice.   The Ashen Order gi ought to be the baseline for what a gi should look like, and I could certainly see why they are trying to use this gi on the newbie isle.  For the new player who wants to start a monk, seeing the monk for the first time in this gi really does give a feeling of, "Wow!  I am a monk!  This is so cool!"  And boom, they are hooked.   (I know that I was when I tried the newbie isle, and I already play a monk.)Part of the problem, as I perceive it, is that there are not enough gis in the game to start with, and another part of the problem that I perceive is that they are trying to institute a new color structure for monk gis.I forget what the structure was, but white was for newbies.  Ideally, both the AQ graphic and the Ashen Order graphic should be made available for newbies, and before the level of 10.  I still say that the Ashen Order graphic should be instituted as the baseline and the AQ graphic should be obtainable elsewhere in the game.At level 10, the next color in the series should be implemented (I forget what it was... maybe orange?)  and again, a couple more gis ought to appear in the appropriate color for that tier, one AQ graphic, and one Ashen Order graphic.  Perhaps one could be a "quested" gi while one could be a "rare drop from tough boss mob" gi, but the idea is to ensure that any monk who wants a gi can have one with a reasonable amount of effort (ie., one treasured, and one legendary.)At 20, we have the armor quests and a new gi color - yellow.  Since this AQ gi is (obviously) quested, it would be nice if there was an additional yellow gi of the "rare drop from tough boss mob" variety, and if this new gi used the (recolored!) Ashen Order graphic.The 30, 40, and 50 level range ought to follow this same sort of progression: each new tier should have a couple of new gis available, and each of the new gis should be in the appropriate color for their designated tier.In the high 50's, however, I think that additional gis should appear (at least one.)  Currently I am only aware of 3 basic gi graphics in the game - Ashen Order, AQ gi, and Blood Drenched Gi.  (I know there are other gis, but the pictures I have seen have given me the impression that they are using the same graphic, just recolored.)  In the 50's, your character has seen the world, accomplished quite a few things, etc, and ought to have more choices available insofar as appearance goes.  Of course the color progression would still be whatever color was appropriate for that tier.In the 60's, there ought to be several gi's available, including new ones added to the game specifically for this tier, and they should all be very nice ones.  No one should mistake a level-6-gi for a level-60-gi: at level 60, you are the best at what you do, and your gi should show it.  There ought to be a variety!Moving on to raiding monks, there ought to be amazing graphics available for them.  These are people who work their tails off, take the biggest risks, and deserve the biggest rewards.  A raid gi ought to have a jaw-dropping, eye-popping, oh-my-stars-what-is-he-wearing graphic.  It ought to say WOW!!!!!  The Ashen Order gi graphic, in my opinion, is not good enough for a raiding monk.  They ought to have the best!    (I say this as a non-raider, so please feel free to take it with a grain of salt.)This system (which is what I sincerely hope is the type of thing that SOE is working for) would accomplish something that I think is very important: all monks ought to look like monks!  (BTW, this applies equally well to other classes - all swashbucklers should look like swashbucklers, all shadowknights ought to look like shadowknights, etc.)  No one should ever mistake a monk for a druid, or, for that matter, for anything else other than a monk.I also have heard the argument about no player-crafted gis, or that not all monks should have gis.  I could agree with that argument if there was other, non-gi-but-still-monkish gear available.  If tailors cannot make gi's, how about generic-martial-arts-styles pants and tops?  I don't necessarily have my heart set that my martial arts gear must be a gi, but I do have it set that it must not be the same as a druid's!As far as the actual Gi of the Ashen Order, something should be given to the monks that have gone to the extensive trouble to acquire this gi for their own.  My preference would be to see the gi recolored to the proper color for its teir, and handle the recoloring in the same way that they handled the AQ recolored gis - have an NPC from whom you can buy the new gi, as long as you have the old one.  That way these monks would have two gis and could wear whichever one they liked better. The new, recolored gi should only be available to those monks that have obtained their Ashen Order gi.Anyway... I am rambling.  Character appearance is an area I feel strongly about.  I sincerely hope they keep the Ashen Order graphic for the newbie isle, but will settle for the AQ one (with some disappointment) if that is what they change to.  But I love starting out a monk that looks like a monk and would say the same thing even if they gave newbie monks the graphic for my current yellow AQ gi (which was an extensive pain to get and took me more than a week of very solid play, though I cannot compare it to the Ashen Order camp as I have not yet gotten high enough to try it for myself.)ThanksJen</span><div></div><p>Message Edited by Nerwen on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">03:55 AM</span></p><p>Message Edited by Nerwen on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">03:59 AM</span></p><p>Message Edited by Nerwen on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">04:00 AM</span></p><p>Message Edited by Quasimm on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">12:51 PM</span></p>

[Bulzie]

Why can't they add Player made Gi's to the game?  Has that been brought up on any of the forums?  Might be worth a shot to get more options for Gi's.<div></div>

[Bladewind]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Bulzie wrote:Why can't they add Player made Gi's to the game?  Has that been brought up on any of the forums?  Might be worth a shot to get more options for Gi's.<div></div><hr></blockquote>ad nauseam (i am one of the principle offenders there)

[Gaige]

<div></div><div></div><blockquote><hr>Nerwen wrote:<div></div><div></div><div></div><span>Gaige:Where did you see this?  I have scoured every board I can think of, and can find no reference to this changing.  I made a monk today after the patch, and still got the white gi that I got originally.  I am crossing my fingers that this is the gi that makes it into the live game, as the AQ gi is not nearly as nice.   The Ashen Order gi ought to be the baseline for what a gi should look like, and I could certainly see why they are trying to use this gi on the newbie isle.  </span><hr></blockquote><p>Apparantly I'm psychic.  Realistically I wish wishing and/or guessing.  At any rate logged in to test a second ago to see 19b stuff and...</p><p><img src="http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/2245/monknewbgi1sb.jpg"></p><p>So you start with this gi in white (the lowest ranking) when you finish your 20ish quests you get this same gi in a higher ranking color...</p><p>In other words it makes sense lore wise, and it preserves the Gi of the Ashen disciple as a more high end, and thus earned, graphic.</p><p>Message Edited by Gaige on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">11:30 PM</span></p>

[Cirth_Beer]

<div></div><p>[expletive haxx0red by Raijinn] the aq gi look like bleh ....</p><p>Back in my drood suit so ...</p>

[Nerwen]

<span><blockquote><hr>Gaige wrote:<div></div><div></div><blockquote><hr>Nerwen wrote:<div></div><div></div><div></div><span>Gaige:Where did you see this?  I have scoured every board I can think of, and can find no reference to this changing.  I made a monk today after the patch, and still got the white gi that I got originally.  I am crossing my fingers that this is the gi that makes it into the live game, as the AQ gi is not nearly as nice.   The Ashen Order gi ought to be the baseline for what a gi should look like, and I could certainly see why they are trying to use this gi on the newbie isle.  </span><hr></blockquote><p>Apparantly I'm psychic.  Realistically I wish wishing and/or guessing.  At any rate logged in to test a second ago to see 19b stuff and...</p><p>(Photo removed by me)</p><p>So you start with this gi in white (the lowest ranking) when you finish your 20ish quests you get this same gi in a higher ranking color...</p><p>In other words it makes sense lore wise, and it preserves the Gi of the Ashen disciple as a more high end, and thus earned, graphic.</p><p>Message Edited by Gaige on <span class="date_text">01-18-2006</span><span class="time_text">11:30 PM</span></p><hr></blockquote>I am still patching, so I haven't seen yet, but that is <i><u>awful</u></i> and if true (and yes, I am certain it is true) it is a crushing blow.  If the AQ gi looked as good on females as it does on males, I would have no objections whatsoever (in fact I would still be thrilled.)  However, on females the AQ gi looks like jogging pants - and polyester jogging pants at that.Furthermore, because there are so few gi graphics in the game, I must now play my character through to <u>level 51</u> (or thereabouts, I forget the exact level of the Ashen Order gi but it is up there somewhere) before I will be able to acquire a gi I really like.  Yes, the AQ gi is acceptable, and is a huge improvement over what was present in the game before.  However, it fails to inspire that hooked-at-once feeling of "WOW!" that I think SOE is probably trying for on the Island, where they are showcasing their best stuff.I will reiterate: there need to be more gis in the game, and you shouldn't have to wait until level 51 to be able to obtain to obtain gear that you love the look of.  SOE needs to entirely lose the AQ gi polyester-jogging-pants graphic, or else revamp it so that the female version looks as good as the male version.In short, I was absolutely going to start a new monk when I saw the gi that 19a offered.  Now that they have swapped it to the polyester jogging pants... meh. And that is a feeling that I am sure SOE <i><u>doesn't</u></i> want to inspire on the newbie island, which should be hook-you-at-once thrilling from the getgo (that is the point of the island, after all.)Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span><div></div>

[DarkerApprenti]

<div></div><font face="Arial"><font size="2">Even though the AQ graphic isn't the best, especially with that huge brown cummerbund looking belt, I still prefer that over looking like druid (no offense to druids, just want to look more the part is all) any day of the week. I think it's good that SOE is at least <i>trying</i> to do something for the brawler classes. It's not all that we hoped or dreamed but...would any game fulfill the hopes of such a creative crowd? Let's face it gamers are one bunch or imaginative / creative people and the "suits" at SOE may not be.I have a feeling that the Ashen Disciple Gi will also have various colors to it as well...note NPC in Eldar Grove in yellow. Also, having not played the test version, I imagine that the Gi of Madness / Blood Drenched / Gi of the Disciple graphic will make another appearance at some point as well. Just speculations of course but I'm going off their track record here (reusing graphics). Rember, it wasn't even that long ago people didn't even believe that a Tier 6 fabled Gi existed (except for Gaige hehe).</font></font><p>Message Edited by DarkerApprentice on <span class="date_text">01-19-2006</span><span class="time_text">02:57 PM</span></p>

[Gaige]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Nerwen wrote:<span>However, it fails to inspire that hooked-at-once feeling of "WOW!" that I think SOE is probably trying for on the Island, where they are showcasing their best stuff.  <font color="#ffff00">This I disagree with.  While the island should be compelling and the classes unique, they shouldn't showcase their best stuff here... or else players will be disappointed with the rest of the game.  The point is you love the Ashen graphic (as do I... I fought months just to get it in game lol) so to just give it to you right when you start makes everything else you get later just... /blah.  If you want it, you'll work for it.  Just like everything else.  Regardless of the graphic you're wearing, you definately feel like a monk right off the boat, and that was never the case before... and not only that you look like a monk... whether or not you like the look is opinion.  Mine of course is that the Ashen graphic should be reserved for the high end.</font>And that is a feeling that I am sure SOE <i><u>doesn't</u></i> want to inspire on the newbie island, which should be hook-you-at-once thrilling from the getgo (that is the point of the island, after all.)  <font color="#ffff00">I agree, and it does this very well now.  That doesn't mean newbies should be handed the best stuff/appearances in game though... some things need to be earned.</font>Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span><hr></blockquote>

[Nerwen]

<span><blockquote><hr>Gaige wrote:<div></div><blockquote><hr>Nerwen wrote:<span>However, it fails to inspire that hooked-at-once feeling of "WOW!" that I think SOE is probably trying for on the Island, where they are showcasing their best stuff.  <font color="#ffff00">This I disagree with.  While the island should be compelling and the classes unique, they shouldn't showcase their best stuff here... or else players will be disappointed with the rest of the game.  The point is you love the Ashen graphic (as do I... I fought months just to get it in game lol) so to just give it to you right when you start makes everything else you get later just... /blah.  If you want it, you'll work for it.  Just like everything else.  Regardless of the graphic you're wearing, you definately feel like a monk right off the boat, and that was never the case before... and not only that you look like a monk... whether or not you like the look is opinion.  Mine of course is that the Ashen graphic should be reserved for the high end.</font>And that is a feeling that I am sure SOE <i><u>doesn't</u></i> want to inspire on the newbie island, which should be hook-you-at-once thrilling from the getgo (that is the point of the island, after all.)  <font color="#ffff00">I agree, and it does this very well now.  That doesn't mean newbies should be handed the best stuff/appearances in game though... some things need to be earned.</font>Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span><hr></blockquote><hr></blockquote>Fair enough.  I wouldn't necessarily disagree with your argument.  I think my real objection is that gis are so few and far between that there is very little possibility to earn any new ones - not because they are too difficult to obtain, but because they are not there at all!  I do remain hopeful that the idea of different-colored gis for different-level monks means that more gis will be added into the game for every tier, which would go a long way to answering most of the things that I object to. Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></span><div></div>

[Jessyme]

<div></div><p>They made a few changes to the gi for female monks.  The brighter picture is how it was when I first got to Queen's Colony, the second picture (with that fantastic pirate ship!) is how it is as of 1/20/06 on Test.</p><p><img src="http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4373/xaerinimonk9ir.jpg"></p><p> </p><p>The new fringes, clasps and the drawstring on the pants are nice changes in my opinion.  I prefer the wristguards from the first one due to the lovely scroll work design and the fact that it shows off tattoos on the hands.  But overall, I am pretty impressed with the gi's.  Kind of has a country western feel to it.</p><p>It will be interesting to see what other changes might be coming.</p><p>Quijana</p><p>Lost Coast Privateers, Nektulos</p>

[Gaige]

<div></div>That gi on the right has always looked like that.

[Rapinis]

Whats the deal with this whole "i dont want to look like a druid" deal?Dont all plate wearers look the same?<div></div>

[Jessyme]

<blockquote><hr>Gaige wrote:<div></div>That gi on the right has always looked like that.<hr></blockquote><p>Hmmm. Interesting.  I guess I must have started my monk on a bugged day or something to get the picture on the left.  I'm glad to hear it though . I really like that Gi!</p><p>Quijana</p><p>Lost Coast Privateers, Nektulos</p>

[Cyan]

I think the changes we will see with LU19 (regarding appearance) will please most every EQ2 player.  They are finally trying to make us look distinguishable like we were in Everquestlive.  It was always easy to know exactually what classes were in your group hopefully they will achieve that.One would think they would have learned by now that we all want to strive for something whether it was that cool epic weapon or a unique appearance.  I don't think we should all get wrapped around the axle that the high end players won't look cool I'm sure they have something planned. <div></div>

[Xxooo-Coav]

<div></div><blockquote><hr>Rapinis11 wrote:Whats the deal with this whole "i dont want to look like a druid" deal?Dont all plate wearers look the same?<div></div><hr></blockquote><p>All the plate wearers looking the same has no bearing on whether or not a monk wants to look like a druid. ....</p><p>Good chance that mystic really doesnt want to look like a Guardian, but you would have to find that thread in the Mystic forums.</p><p> </p>

[x0rtrun]

The problem with classes looking the same isn't limited to monks. But you're on a monk forum, where monks complain about looking like druids. :p4 types of armour for 24 classes means that someone's gonna end up looking like something they shouldn't.Clerics and paladins are pretty similar in their origins and looking similar isn't as weird as a martial artist tank looking like a tree hugging priest... ya know?<div></div>

[Nerwen]

I think I am not fond of the graphic for the AQ20 gi because I play a female and the gi isn't nearly as nice on a girl.  Here is a comparison:<img src="http://www.freehost.ag/baerenwurm3000/monk.jpg">OK, this is in yellow because it is a comparison of the AQ20 gear, but the models are the exact same for the island, only in white.  If the female gi actually matched (or even resembled) the male gi, I would be absolutely thrilled.  As it is, I don't like the female version nearly as well as the male - I want to have wrapped ankles, short gloves, and bicep bands like the male does.  I really, REALLY wish they would change this gi for the females to look more like the gi that the males wear.  This was one of the big reasons I really mourned the loss of the Ashen Order gi graphic on the newbie isle, because its general form (with its wrapped ankles and wrists) most closely matched the male AQ gi (which I liked)  - and because the alternative female gi looked cheap (and still does!)  Notice how the pants are recycled mage pants?However, it is still a vast improvement over what we had before, so even though I still struggle with the tendency to whine, it is big step in the right direction, and one of which I wholeheartedly approve.   Hooray for more gis!Jen <img src="/smilies/b2eb59423fbf5fa39342041237025880.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><div></div>