Today we bring you another community interview!
Xennon Song is the resident Machinist on our community, with a great repertoire of glamours and styles. As a proud male hyur like myself, and since we share a love for Ivalice, I wanted to know more about how he goes about creating new glamours and what inspires him, but also know more about his routine and experience with XIV.
So read on Eorzea Collection's exclusive interview with Xennon!
Hey, Xennon!
To start us off, can you tell us more about yourself?
Hey there!
I'm Xennon and I reside in Phoenix. I'm a 32-year-old Game Developer from Wales, UK. I currently live in Germany working on Star Citizen. Deutschland ist awesome!
As for hobbies, I don’t think I have that many, really. My biggest would be Brazilian Jiu-jitsu which I’ve done for years now. Aside from that, weightlifting, games, books and so on.
I also have the best cat in the world!
How long have you been playing FFXIV and what drew you to it?
I started FFXIV way back in 2015. My girlfriend lived in Texas, US, at the time and I in Manchester, UK.
We started playing as it allowed us a means to adventure together, be closer and have dates battling Forest Fungars in Gridania. When we finally moved in together, we started to take the game more serious and here we are.
For the record, she's much better at it than I! I'm terrible at endgame content and panic a lot (laughs).
What is your favourite thing about FFXIV?
My favourite thing is how Yoshi-P seems to really like anything done by Yasumi Matsuno. I'm a huge fan of Matsuno's Game Design and fantastic narratives.
As I have progressed through FFXIV over the years, I've noticed how a couple of additions from Matsuno's previous titles made their way to XIV.
Heavensward saw the introduction of Palace of the Dead from Tactics Ogre, along with the Valerian & Lvl60 i250 sets.
Stormblood gave us the Return to Ivalice raid based on FFTactics, but also Xenobian, Farlander and lvl66 armour sets again from Tactics Ogre.
Shadowbringers, again, has plenty, but you get the idea.
I really like this, as FFTactics and Tactics Ogre are two games from Square Enix I'd LOVE to see more of.
Were you always as invested in glamour or did that interest develop over time?
This is something that literally goes back all the way to Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn for me, and into other games like Knights of the Old Republic. I wanted to look unique from others, to make me feel like the star of the narrative I’d embarked upon.
I also play Star Wars: The Old Republic for its campaign story and I seriously wish FFXIV's glamour plates worked more like theirs. You can literally glam anything regardless of Class or Faction, and you can look so unique and different. I'd say it's very rare in that game to see similar glams wandering around.
For FFXIV, I chose Archer as my starting class. Who wouldn't, right?
I pictured myself looking like Aragorn from Fellowship of the Ring, prowling through Gridania and making a name for myself.
Alas, that wasn't the case.
I was draped in Actons or had leather harnesses that made me look as if I was part of a bondage show, and back then you didn't have Glamour Plates! Just prisms, which you unlocked so far ahead. It was a difficult time (laughs).
That experience scarred my character vanity pretty bad, so much so I levelled a warrior and had that as my main until I unlocked Dark Knight!
What about in your everyday life, are you as fashion-conscious as you are in-game?
I think I'm still a little vain. I used to be terrible for it, but I've calmed down as I've grown older.
I do like Jackets far too much, though. I used to have over 30 leather jackets (laughs)! Thanks, student loan!
I sold most and have cut back a lot.
Can you walk us through your process of creating a glamour?
For my glamours, they tend to revolve around the chest piece.
I'll sit for hours going through XIVStyle, my retainers or the market board looking for things that will fit.
I tend to just do one glam at a time as I have burned out before.
Do you have a go-to glamour or gear piece?
This is where I may or may not differ from others.
I have a specific look that I try to reach with each patch release: Light armour, collars and very little head gear. The reason being that I love the Han Solo / Balthier / Clint Eastwood gunslinger characters, who are cool, smug, confident and will get the job done (except Han, who never paid Jabba back, I guess). So, shirts with big collars is a must (laughs)!
It's a look with each patch I push to further reach. So, where many others make lots of different glams, the truth is, with me, I'm trying to perfect one and post my attempts along the way. Obviously, I have had other glamours that are different but the fore-mentioned is my goal.
What about a favourite in-game colour?
Wine Red has no competition.
- Xennon Song, 11/05/2020
We know glamour is the true endgame, but is it your main focus in the game or do you mix it up with other activities as well?
My girlfriend does a lot of the endgame content and I’m trying to dip my toe into that area of the game to be able to join her.
I've been frantically trying to better myself at Machinist, as I've mostly only played tank. However, it's really stressful and strangers don't often encourage you (laugh). It's certainly something I'm looking to improve upon.
Other than that, I just idle in Limsa and play a few performances here and there.
Or just stare at the market board so intensely hoping that the Melee DPS item you're hovering over will suddenly change to "available: ALL CLASSES”. I legit do that…
If you could wish for one thing in FFXIV, what would it be?
No class restrictions on glamour plates. There are so many crafter gear jackets I want for my Gunbreaker and Machinist!
If I can have my jacket fixation here, it'll help me stop in real life.
How did you first find out about Eorzea Collection?
I first discovered Eorzea Collection when I was google-searching for Armour Sets. This might have been in 2016? I don't think we could even submit glamours at the time. I used it to mark out what I felt was cool and would then farm.
I've been here since, but was a massively late comer to the Discord EC channel as I didn't know what to expect!
What do you love the most about Eorzea Collection?
Edeon's pink Battle Apron.
I also equally love the Discord gang. Everyone has been very friendly and willing to help me progress not just with glamour items, but also with the Photography aspect.
I wasn't a photographer at all, but I could easily identify that a basic grasp can go a long way in helping you show off your glamour to its best.
It's the only Discord Channel I just chat freely in too!
I'm truly amazed Nya hasn't blocked me for feedback pestering (laughs)!
What about Eorzea Collection, if you could wish for one thing, what would it be?
I have no clue what I would change in Eorzea Collection, simply because Edeon is acting upon all the suggestions.
If I could wish for one thing, I guess maybe a monthly highlight via race and gender, based on the hearts system or the choosers preference.
It's no secret in the glamour game that females and specific races heavily outweigh the others. It would be nice to see more variety, get some exposure, and the more I talk about this, the more I feel like I'm campaigning for glamour equality!
Still, I think it's a nifty idea which could even extend beyond EC too. Looking at you, GPosers (laughs)!
Thank you so much for your time, Xennon!
Do you have any closing remarks?
Well first off, I want to thank Rena Nox for the monthly pledge and allowing other patrons the chance to look smug on the front page! Rena didn't have to share the front-page cover, but chose to, which is awesome!
Huge thanks to Edeon and Nya and the Gang, for always putting up with my pestering and questions (laughs).
Also, Sami Saevus and the Novum FC for letting me use their studio and helping me better myself at the game.
You can find me on Phoenix, EC Discord or just on the EC website wearing a Machinist jacket somewhere.
Lastly, thanks to my beautiful girlfriend Ahrin, who's been with me from the start on this adventure. 