Video guide: Previewing armour's appearance

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For a long time I've been worried that I don't have any good "hands on" guides for LoTRO cosmetic system on my blog. I was thinking how to fix this, but I was too lazy to make a detailed written guides for all the aspects of cosmetics. I also knew it would be difficult to explain some very basic stuff without showing the "clicking" to outfitting beginners. 

And then I got an idea - let's make video guides! This is the first and the very basic of them, focused on previewing armour pieces in the dressing room.

Previewing armour's appearance

This short guide covers:

• Previewing items from quest window or inventory
• Working with dressing room
• Linking items to chat

And now, I really need your feedback! Do you like the form of the video? The background music? Could I do anything to make it easier to understand? And furthermore, what questions would you like to have covered in upcoming video guides? So far, I was thinking about following topics:

• Using cosmetic slots
• Working with wardrobe
• Using dyes
• Installing B.D.R.X. skin ("big dressing room")
• Outfitting tips for all races
• Outfitting tips for different occasions

Most of these topics will probably be split into several videos, as I would like to keep those 2-3 minutes short.

Please let me know your opinions! And don't hesitate to follow LoTROFashion on Twitter and YouTube to be the first to know about new videos :)

Guest: Gerbag of Whitywindle

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Do you remember Gerbag's King of the Mountain outfit? For me, it's one of the most original and fitting roleplaying outfits I have ever seen. Now, Gerbag decided to share its updated version with us after including Rise of Isengard items. Behold, the King of the Mountain returned!

Chest: Scout's Weathered Leather Jacket, crimson dye (Dunland quest)
Legs: Dwarf Steel Leggings, washed (T4 crafted)
Head: Helm Of Rallying, gold dye (world drop)
Shoulders: Strong Defender's Shoulder Guards, washed (T3 crafted)
Hands: Heavy Plated Dunlending Gauntlets, umber dye (Dunland quest)
Feet: Weathered Leather Scout's Boots, umber dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Cloak of Silver Star, gold dye (store)

Do you like idea of cosmetic video guides?

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In the last poll I was interested in finding out what's your attitude to winter outfits.

According to the result, many of you still don't have any winter outfit. I hope I will be able to offer you some inspiration in the upcoming posts and I'm also linking some beautiful winter outfits which were already published here.

A few winter outfits:
Explorer of ancient ruins
Northern light
Guest: Noruivae of Snowbourn (my personal favourite)

In the new poll, I'm interested in your reactions on the first video guide I published today. Would you like to see more video guides? Let me know please!

Guest inspiration: Strider, by Lauredin of Elendilmir

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"Suddenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked with mud. A travel-stained cloak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits." 

 J.R.R. Tolkien: The Fellowship Of The Ring - Chapter 9 - At the Sign of The Prancing Pony

I already quoted Strider's description from the book once - when I made a Strider inspired outfit, which I am now almost ashamed to link (well, not only almost). Lauredin did an awesome job - his Strider inspired outfit made me feel like I was there, in the Prancing Pony, being in Frodo's place and watching disguised Aragorn warily. This is in my opinion as close to a ranger as one can get without the upcoming ranger cosmetics. Do you like this outfit too? Let us know in the comments!

 Strider in the Prancing Pony (LoTR: Fellowship of the Ring movie)

Chest: Reinforced Leather Dunlending Jacket, umber dye (Dunland quest)
Shoulders: Padded Mantle of the Dunland Soothsayer, ranger green dye (Dunland quest)
Hands: Fingerless Gloves, grey dye (Yule festival)
Feet: Threadbare Shoes of the Dunland Healer, umber dye (Dunland quest)
Back: Plain Hooded Cloak, ranger green dye (Outfitter vendor)

Wish: Courageous and noble warrior

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This outfit was wished by Vikuuta, level 38 champion of Firefoot more than two weeks ago. It is an example of outfit which doesn't contain any quest rewards - only not bind-on-acquire items, which can be crafted or purchased at any level and equipped cosmetically via wardrobe. Basically, if you have gold or good friends (or both :)), you can wear it from level 1 (more or less - after you can access the wardrobe) until level 75 and it looks pretty good in most colours.

Vikuuta asked for following criteria to be met by his outfit:

• Armour should show the metal parts, but still show the colour of the armour
• Colour of the armour:  grey (the metal), green and, if possible, some details in gold
• A helmet that doesn't show the face of the warrior
• Some big boots
• Some giant shoulder guards
• Some big gloves, too

I sent Vikuu the first design:

...and I was really surprised by his amazing reaction, he loved the initial design very much and didn't want to change anything! But I myself wasn't still confident that this outfit is something that would really make him stand out in the crowd, as he wanted to.

I played with other cloaks and gauntlets. I didn't want to change the boots, which might not be big and badass looking, but it was my purpose. I wanted to make them "disappear" and kinda compensate for the upper part of the outfit being very broad. This way, the whole body creates a V-shape so typical for well-trained warriors.

I sent Vikuu the variations of gloves and cloaks, as well as colour switch - I tried Ered Luin blue just because of the noble feeling to it. And voila - to me, it clicked absolutely!

Vikuu liked it very much also and agreed blue one is better, because it adds to the 'warrior' feeling. However, he also mentioned beautiful symbolics he wanted to express by colour of his outfit - green being the colour of courage. So in the end, we decided to show you, readers, both variations :)

It might take Vikuuta some time until he gets all the pieces necessary with the help of his friends, so he asked me to publish his outfit with screenshots of my character. I hope we will be able to update this post with Vikuuta's own screenies soon!

Please let us know you opinions on the outfit :) Do you like green or blue version better?

Final result:
Chest: Elven Soldier's Armour, Ered Luin blue/Rivendell green dye (T5 crafted)
Legs: Elven Steel Leggings, Ered Luin blue/forest green dye (Heavy armoursmith vendor in Rivendell)
Head: Strong Westfold War Helmet, Ered Luin blue/forest green dye (T7 crafted)
Shoulders: Dwarf Leather Shoulder Guards, Ered Luin blue/forest green dye (Medium armoursmith vendor in Thorin's Hall - only the one near the throne sells it)
Hands: Resolute (or Sustaining) Gauntlets of the Galladhrim, Ered Luin blue/forest green dye (T6 crafted)
Feet: Defender's Boots, Ered Luin blue/Rivendell green dye (T3 crafted)
Back: Ceremonial Wig-feld, Ered Luin blue/forest green dye (Store)

Guest: Daerundros of Laurelin

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The Spirit of Gondolin lives on in the Noldor, particularly Daerundros, who honours her mother, a member of the House of the Swallow, by donning the White Colours of Gondolin in the Wilderness. With her bow and her quiver full of the Silver Arrows of Gondolin, servants of the Enemy and any who dare to contradict this fierce Archer be wary; Her shots almost never miss.

Daerundros said about her outfit: "I wanted to create an outfit that resembles the splendour and glory of Gondolin while still retaining a slightly rusty woodland look. I was really pleased with how it turned out." Are you? Let us know in the comments!

Chest: Footman's Armour, white dye (T6 crafted)
Legs: Footman's Leggings, white dye (T6 crafted)
Head: Circlet of Adamant, default dye (Store)
Shoulders: Quilted Shoulderpads, white dye (Light armoursmith)
Hands: Gloves of the Helmingas, default dye (Isengard pre-oder)
Feet: Vibrant Skirmish Boots, default dye (T7 crafted)
Back: Elven Quiver, white dye (Outfitter vendor in Rivendell)

Guest: Hydarnes of Maiar

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A knight in a golden armour is who many little girls dream of. Shiromir managed to impersonate this in this astonishing outfit and described process of its creation: "When my warden reached level 75, I got the Rohirrim Shield and was fascinated by its design. So I decided to build an outfit, which has the same golden color and which was also inspired by the easterling warriors in the Lord of the Rings movies. A proud infantry soldier in glittering gold, marching with his comrades in close formation and fighting the hordes of the enemy."

With help of his kinship, Shiromir managed to gather various Ost Dunhoth armour pieces and put together a great selection of matching items, which is quite a challenge for golden dyed armour. Now he can fearlessly march into any kind of fight, because even a Nazgûl would be mesmerized by the glitter of his battle garb.

Chest: Blade of the West Armour, gold dye (Champion level 65 Ost Dunhoth set)
Legs: Arrow of the West Leggings, gold dye (Hunter level 65 Ost Dunhoth set)
Head: Strong Westfold War Helmet, gold dye (T7 crafted)
Shoulders: Ward of the West Gauntlets, gold dye (Guardian level 65 Ost Dunhoth set)
Hands: Gloves of the Riddle Teller, gold dye (Burglar level 75 Dunland set)
Feet: Boots of Dungon, gold dye (Captain level 65 Ost Dunhoth set)
Shield: Combat Shield of Théodred (T7 crafted)