I smash the screenshot button on my PS4 harder than anyone else I know. I hear the Switch's camera shutter noise constantly from how often I hit capture. Somehow, my print screen key still works, a real shocker since I take in-game photos more than anyone else I know. I love documenting my runs through just about every title I play, and I was doing it long before games even thought to give us that option built-in. My hard drive is packed with memories from games that serve no real purpose - I just like going back and looking at those things. That's why Final Fantasy 14's /Gpose action is a dream come true for me, and I wish I could take it with me into every game I play.
Remember when you were little, and the adults in your life obnoxiously made you stop and pose for pictures you really didn't want to take? Okay, now imagine, instead of your mom, it's a catgirl with a giant lance, because that's me in Final Fantasy 14. With every new patch, I corral annoyed friends into staged scenes so I can grab the perfect photo. I coach everyone to get in close, strike a pose, and make their characters at least look like they want to be there. Before anyone has the chance to run away, I swiftly type in "/gpose" (short for group pose) and start playing with camera angles and filters.
You see, Final Fantasy 14's camera mode isn't just a glorified shortcut for instantly saving a picture after hitting the print screen key. Gpose gives me real options. It removes the game's overbearing UI, presenting me with a series of filters, lighting options, poses, and camera angles. I can sit my Miqo'te down at the beach of Costa del Sol and pause time, not worried if the weather or lighting around me changes because Gpose preserves the state of the world I entered the camera mode with. I'm not rushed; I can enjoy my time getting the angle just right. If it's a little too bright, I can decrease the lighting around her and toggle options for increased saturation to give the sunset vibrant pops of color. Whenever I'm unhappy with the way my character is sitting, Gpose lets me change her position, tweaking things until I have it just right. And I've been known to do this for hours.
I have so much love for the care clearly put into Final Fantasy 14's camera options. It's not just for my solo adventures; it's an MMO, so I'm going through this experience with friends, and I want to preserve those memories. I have so many pictures from in-game firsts, like clearing new raid content with loved ones, buying a house for my Free Company, or in-game weddings to celebrate real-life love. Some of those memories are silly, some actually kind of sad, but when I dig through my screenshot folder, I always feel happy recalling moments dating back to the early days of Eorzea.
Of course, other games have camera modes too, and I've always been thankful for the feature, but as Square Enix continues to add new functionality to Gpose, it leaves me longing for better photo options in some of my other favorite adventures. I'm not alone in my love for Final Fantasy 14's camera mode, either. There's a whole community of folks out there absolutely head over heels for Gpose, and if you don't believe me - just search the #gposers hashtag on Twitter or Instagram. It's loaded with talented Eorzeans showing off their camera skills, some even taking it a step further with mods like Gshade.
I realize it's the exception, not the rule, but Final Fantasy 14's freedom to take more thoughtful photos has me longing for these options in just about everything now - even in games where it probably doesn't make as much sense. There's something really special about some of these pictures, especially when accompanied by a friend, and Square Enix has set my new standard for memorializing all of my precious moments in digital adventures.