Disclaimer: Purple is my favourite colour, I’ve experimented plenty and actually like Lepidoptera in reality. Any posts regarding sexuality, insecurity or anything other than genuine consideration for the subject is a sign of your own failed life and is not a reflection of me or this thread.
The Mesmer is a unique, amazingly fun and very inventive class. It’s easily one of the most interesting in MMORPG history. The F# abilities are a bit gimmicky, but are acceptable. When it’s all said and done, this class gets an A+. However, this being an RPG, the cloud of hyper-ephemeral pink and purple butterflies that my clones dissolve into breaks immersion for me. I imagine it does for plenty of other people who have just decided not to play the Mesmer. That’s very unfortunate. RPGs thrive on immersion, it’s a role playing game, the whole point is to immerse oneself into a role!
While many people are obviously amenable to the little buggers, and others outright adore them, I have yet to see any lore or symbolic purpose for them that justifies their existence. Especially for something that’s at the core of the class, I can’t just write it off as a silly ability. It’s what my clones are made of! This kind of thing irks me as it doesn’t fit. Every time I see them I just think “Why?”. What reason do they exist for? Are they part of the profession’s psychological warfare? Is this trolling made into a profession mechanic? If not than what do they symbolize? It’s like a flag has been attached to the end of my clone’s lives that says “Silly game! Silly game!” instead of “Awesome illusion magic!”
My suggestion is this: Considering some people already have FPS issues, regardless of their high end system (always happens in MMOs), why not add an option which turns off superfluous spell effects? Or give Mesmers an option in character creation or in game that turns them off? Everyone who wants the butterflies can have them. Those that don’t can do without
Obviously an enormous, burgeoning game has way more important stuff to do, probably for the next year, but that doesn’t meant this suggestion shouldn’t be made now. This also isn’t a demand to see it implemented, especially not anytime soon. Like just about everyone else,I’d rather more endgame content was added, game breaking bugs / exploits removed and FUN class tweaks made (for gods sake don’t remove the fun in order to create balance -_- That’s just a terrible path).
Maybe make the option one of a spate of graphical implements one can buy on the gem market. Give us a “spell colour palette” too while you’re at it ;3 Making the ethereal purple into orange, especially if I can make it orange and blue, would be fun
It’d probably have to be reset to default colours whenever entering PvP, but that’s fine imo.
SUGGESTIONS! WHEEE! Make some of your own, by all means, just realize any heated or antagonistic opinions or feelings you may have are a result of self loathing, because really…it’s a video game, there’s nothing to justify hatred here. Any such replies will be self-incriminating. You have been elucidated. 
P.S. For those with a kitten for leaping without properly looking: My suggestions are purely personal, aesthetic and would have no effect on anyone else. There’s nothing for you to defend. Everything would stay exactly the same for you.
“How’d that happen?”
“He doesn’t talk about it.” – Stephen Fry
(edited by Sunju.8310)