|
July 2007 Monthly Collectable Item Critique |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This month's collectables are the Mecha Form, Fire Flower, and Enchanted Strings.
 Oh, Gun-damnit...
They did it. They took another popular idea (two, infact) and turned it into an item. People have been wanting Mech-suits and even musical instruments for a while now, though recently a bit quieter. Now that they are finally here, will they be able to match their want with what they offer or fall flat on their face?
A Robotic Disguise
The Mecha Form gives us not one, not two, but three different robotic options for us to mess with! At the time of typing this review, the rumor is that the default mode is to be a "gimme" mode where we will be equip with all of the parts of one of the mechs. However, that mode was glitched like hell when I began writing this. My only hope is that it will be fixed soon after this post goes public.
The first and probabably most requested mode is the VXS-Alpha model. Here, the Mecha Form is designed after the mechs found in any Gundam universe, Power Rangers saga, and even in the Powerpuff Girls Z anime (minus the Mojo Jojo theming). The colors are straight up black and white, and more of than not, dominated by black. There are some yellow accents, but not enough to offer any kind of balance to the overal color scheme. To make matters worse, you can't really use each of the pieces individually very well, mostly due to the bulk of the item rather than the color. Just how bulky are the pieces by themselves? Well, let's just say they make the Damascus Armor look slim. That being said, you can probably get away with using the Wings or the Legs that are offered from this model. However, keep in mind that because of their unusual shapes and sharp angles, you'll be fighting against it more so than using it to your advantage. Hell, the wings already make you look like a walking around with a piece of the Hubble on your back!
In a nod to the newest movie about giant robots, the VXS can transform into a jet. Or so the promotional picture says. Frankly, it looks nothing like a jet or anything that could be a jet in any kind of sci-fi show, animated or not. This is due to the fact that the legs end up looking more like tank threads rather than engines colding missle launchers that are held underneath the plane. The plane itself also doesn't look like a plane unless you really stare at it for a while. It probably has something to do with what piece transforms into what; it may be because of the angle our avatars are facing. Either way, the transformed mode of this item sucks.
The final robotic set in this suit is known as Neko mode. Here, you take on the popular alternate mech-suit known to most as a cyber cat. This isn't the kind of Cyber Cat made popular by Samurai Pizza Cats (though, I wish it was), but rather a more sleek and sensual version. The black and white color scheme has been traded out for a more silver look for the top and a dark purple for the legs. Unfortunately, the design of the overall suit doesn't match that of the promotional art. The legs in particular end up making what would be a nice and streamline costume bottom heavy and bulky. Then again, the fact that it is a three-jointed leg just makes it awkward looking when you couple it with the sci-fi astronaut space suit looking top. Much like the VXS, Neko does have a few alternative modes, but none are very useful. The design of the additional hardware you can wear with the top and bottom actually hurt it, particularly the mode known as Paw Protect. That version turns what would be a nice and sleek shirt into another bulky robotic top. Another oddity in Neko's alternate modes is the addition of a Full Visor mode that blanks out the face. As a result, your Neko mech cat ends up becoming yet another faceless robot, which is rather disturbing. I really wish they went the way NASA did with their space suits and made the full visor look like something you would actually use similar to the gold sun sheild real life astronauts use.
Like any true "Make your own mech" set, you can mix and match the parts between the three modes rather easily. However, trying to create an outfit from this mixing and matching that isn't bulky as hell is a streach in itself. You're better off just getting what you need for what you want. For me, I occationally like the idea of walking around like a mecha suit, but more than likely I will only use it for that futuristic top offered by the Neko suit. That is if I can find a pair of pants that look good with it.
Bottom line, for something that was in such high demand early on in my time on Gaia, this mech just sucks. It's too bulky, has limited flexibility and compatibility with exisiting items, and relies way too much on the other parts of their sets to make any of it look good. Still, if you can find a use for it, even if it is for something as simple as another pair of back wings for your collection, you can probably find some use for it.
Magical Melodies
We already have guitars from Heaven and Hell, but since then, there has been a demand for more realistic musical instruments ranging from acustic guitars to classical instruments to high school band instruments. The avatar artists have answered these demands with the Enchanted Strings.
Basically, you get three instruments with a few extras. These extras are mostly the addition of a musically themed background emitting from the instrument you are carrying or playing at the time. Supposibly, there is a subtle change in the color of this magical background, but I was unable to see this in my monitor. The only changes to the background that are obvious is the formation of the swirls.
The instruments by themseleves are pretty standard. Finished wood with nearly-invisible strings and anything else needed to play them, such as the bow for the violin. Normally, this would hinder what can and cannot match the instruments. Not such the case this time given popular contemporary culture. People with the violin option can dress as formal or informal as they want, mimmicing professional classical concert headliners or grade-school students showing off for their overbaring parents. The hand-held harp can be used in mythical costumes of cupid or other nympths as well as those who like to dress up as my favorite RPG Class, the bard. The guitar can be worn with almost anything from an unplugged punk rocker to a new age hippie and back to your ever-popular college hottie who can win all the girls over with his brooding looks and soft melodies of passion.
Like the last set of guitars, this also has the option of being held on our backs. Nothing really to write home about here, but I do find it strange that there is a mode where you can turn on the background while the guitar is on your back. Is the guitar that magical that it plays by itself even when you are walking? Then again, given how many backgrounds we now have simply for decoration or accenting, I can see why they had this option.
The odd-men-out of this item are the G-Clefs. For those of you that don't know anything about reading music, you'll recognize the G-Clef as the treble clef. More often than not, this is where the bulk of the music is written, be it melody or counter melody. The bass track has its own clef, incidentally named the bass clef. That's all you really need to know as far as that goes. What I don't like about this mode is how stupid it looks. You get a choice of either silver or gold clef ears. That's right, your ears end up turning into ugly ears that resemble the treble clef. I can see it working on the G-Bot's various masks, but that's about it.
Overall, the variety in insturments and the option to turn on and off the background makes this item very versitile in a surprising way. As a hand-held item, it offers more than just one instrument with two different positions. I mean, what other hand-held item lets you pick which string instrument you want to play? Each are constructed in the same way and often from the same materials, so thematically, the options make sense. But avoid the damn ugly clefs at all costs!
Pyro Plant
Ah, yes, the Fire Flower. The trademark of the Super Mario franchise second only to probably their warp pipes and mushroom power-ups. Gaia now has its own version of the flower, only this time it has a tropical theme! Some could argue that this is the counter to the Yokai's Treasure, and I would personally agree that it is given the options available. However, given how different cultures can be as far as their theatre arts goes, there could be several more "counter parts" to these two just like how there are several different versions of the same Halloween set given out by Jack.
The first two modes of the fire flower are essentially alternatives to pre-exisiting items. The unusual thing about this is that the items are not rare, and price for them have not really gone up any. I'm talking about the Decorative Daisy and Flower Crown. (The second of which can be argued as rare given how the giftboxes are being distributed, but for the most part demand for it hasn't changed from my observation.) As an alternative to the Decorative Daisy, the Fire Flower is actually better in many ways, mostly in aesthetic and accent. It's not too big to be overwhelming, but yet bigger than the Decorative Daisy to be easily seen at a glance. As an alternative for the Flower Crown, it offers more volume that kind of makes the head a little top heavy but thankfully is less saturated in the reds. Both go great with the Grass Skirts, which are now wearable by male avatars!
The second pair is a volcanic wig of sorts. The basic design of this mimics that from Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room Garden, also known as the pre-show. Your head pretty much turns into a volcano, and you have the option of eruptting or not depending on temperment. As far as a wig goes, it will no doubt be the least popular out of everything the avatar artists have thrown our way. However, if you can find a hat that covers all but the bangs, you can fake your way into having the first real two-tone hair style... if you don't mind having brown with red highlights, that is. Hats, bandanas, and head wraps with a high brim seem to work the best, like the Elf Hat.
The next set is a pair of Tiki Masks with a firey feature: you can wear the mask by itself or on fire! Upon closer inspection, the mask itself isn't on fire so much as it is just decorated with extra Fire Flowers around the rim to make it appear to be on fire. Put on the Elemental Hair for a really nice combination if you feel like you can pull it off. However, much like the Yokai's Treasure, the mask suffers from cultural stigmata. You will be hard press to use the mask in something other than an island tribe outfit or some kind of island volcano god/dess.
Next up is the classic Fire Staff used by fire jugglers at those tiki tourist luaus at places like Sea World and heavily visited tourist spots on the islands of Hawaii. Your avatar may not be able to juggle the staff, but you can hold it in a select number of poses. Of the select poses, I find it odd that you cannot hold it by your side with your foreground hand. You can do it with your background hand, but the foreground hand must be raised up in a full extension. Why is that? On female avatars, it looks correct and offers another faked twirling pose. On male avatars, it just looks like the avatar is handing off a flaming baton. It is questionable how to use this hand-held item outside of yet another island costume, but the mind does race with possibilities such as a fire-weilding gladiator or some ancient dragon-worshiping ritual dancer. Personally, I'd break out the redneck-looking Guppy hat and dress up like some redneck who's famous last words were "Hey, yall! Watch this!"
The last option this fantastic flower has to offer is a firey cloak. The bottom half of the cloak features the Fire Flower in a decorative pattern similar the flower patterns found on Hawaiian shirts, only with the taste and aesthetics of a Japanese landscape. Pure Polinesian, if you will. As the design travels up the cloak, the leaves turn into flames and the petals turn into sparks, creating a nice transition between fire and flower. The cape is lined on the inside with a blood red trip and a gold collor band around the top. The red matches the red found in the Yurei's Robe with no problem, but offers a rather odd looking layering when it comes to the armless sleeves of the ghostly dress. While this strange cropping can be easily fixed with just a simple repositioning of the hands or the addition of an item that blocks the awkwardness, the same cannot be said about some of the larger wigs that flare out for one reason or another. The top portion of the robe seems to love to snip off any hair that travels pass a certain point, creating equally odd hair styles with some of the wigs we have come to love like the female version of the Wing Wig found in the Mythical Hair set. Other outfits would include mostly thoughs of the same island motiffe. Or you could pretend it's your beach towel.
I would be lying if I didn't say that this is how Monthly Collectables should be done. The way the Fire Flower is set up, there is something for everyone and none of the different modes rely too heavily on the others in order for you to enjoy the entire set. There is enough here to construct a unique avatar without having to compromise theme or even color despite how much red and orange there is in the tiki mask alone. Out of the three, this is the best item for the month. And that's something I've not said in a long time.
Us users may not know what we really want until we get it...
And even after we get what we demand, chances are they are not what we wanted in the first place. Suggestions are not a bad thing, but being too specific in the suggestions can kill an idea upon execution. Still, there are surprises waiting for us in the wings. Thsoe surprises could very well be the things we users would love to have or even find the most use out of when compared to how often we love and use the items we wanted and begged for.
That being said, I can only hope that we get more items knocked out of the Frequently Suggested Items list, as well as some items none of us even thought up.
 Zeek Slider · Wed Jul 18, 2007 @ 02:11am · 4 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
