Mods are a contentious subject within the FF14 neighborhood, being that they are towards the phrases of service. Simply in case, let me caveat my explainer of this pleasant mod with the assertion that I do not use it, and that I received these screenshots from an unnamed pal.
In a broader sense, I am usually towards mods that affect your gameplay, akin to those that brought about a fuss throughout the Dragonsong’s Reprise (Final) controversy final yr. (opens in new tab) We do not want a World of Warcraft-style arms race between developer and modder.
Nevertheless, some mods add such nice options that I am shocked they don’t seem to be part of the core expertise, such because the Orange Steering Tomestone mod (opens in new tab), which is accessible by way of the Dalamud plugin.
Ultimate Fantasy 14 is ripe for in-jokes, with a beloved story and a large world to discover. One of the best social elements of the sport come from sharing that story with others, and this mod permits you to take action by leaving a tangible mark within the recreation world.
The Orange Steering Tomestone brings the charming meme nonsense normally relegated to Twitter and Discord into Eorzea. It really works shockingly properly, permitting you to see different gamers’ messages, fee them, and design your individual.
One of the best a part of this mod is within the presentation itself; it could’ve been simple to simply copy Darkish Souls or Elden Ring’s belongings and name it a day. As a substitute, the mod makes use of a customized set of runes that do not look misplaced in Ultimate Fantasy 14’s world in any respect.
The mod has just a few choices for phrases. There’s all the library from Darkish Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne, however there’s additionally a customized pack stuffed with objects and NPCs from Ultimate Fantasy 14 itself.
Because of the present lack of an exploration zone, I’ve discovered Ultimate Fantasy 14: Endwalker to be a little bit of an isolating expertise up to now. This mod—if I used it, which I completely do not—patches that gap so properly that I am astounded it is not a function for the bottom recreation.
Finally, Ultimate Fantasy 14’s large draw is a communal, episodic saga that all of us participate in. Having the ability to depart pleasant graffiti on the world of Eorzea appears like a logical subsequent step. In Darkish Souls, these messages carry vibrancy and gallows humour to a grim world. In Ultimate Fantasy 14, they make an already-vibrant world simply that bit brighter.