I don't like the idea of making presumptions about the lore at all. People here seem to be presuming that cross-breeding between the different races is possible and then putting restrictions on which races can cross-breed with which based on further presumptions.
None of this seems rooted in science. Just because a species has a common ancestor doesn't mean they can create offspring, and it never has. And it's difficult to say which of FFXIV's races are more "divergent" than others.
You just can't introduce rules to the lore that aren't there. If you're going to pretend that cross-breeding is okay, it's all or nothing. It's wrong to hate on Roegadyn/Lalafell half-breeds just because they aren't bending/breaking the lore as "realistically" as you are.
And to those saying it's just fantasy and we shouldn't be paying attention to real-world standards for cross-breeding, I think that stance is even more wrong. Both the person who is making up rules and the person who is making up rules based on real-world science are committing the same fallacy. The only difference is that the presumption of the person who uses science is at least able to be reasoned in a discussion about it.
Simply making up rules for convenience in the lore with absolutely no basis is very polarizing in a roleplay community where we're all agreeing to accept one canon so that our characters can exist and interact together without conflict. It's a social contract.
Until there is an official word on something that isn't covered in the lore, I believe a more polite stance to take is to just not do something that the lore doesn't cover. It's also a more reasonable stance, because the lore could change, and then you'll either have to stick to your guns or retcon months of roleplay.
I don't think making lore rules "by community consensus" is wise.
EDIT:Â So something that sorta bothered me in this thread was that nobody was citing sources for mixed clans or mixed races in the lore or from dev comments. Maybe it's common knowledge, but for someone like me who's still trying to learn about the lore, it sounds like heresay.
Luckily, some folks were already discussing the topic in this thread, and someone posted a really helpful source!
There's no restrictions mentioned regarding which races can cross-breed (not even with regard to Lalafell, unfortunately), so it looks like open season on that idea. It's probably a trope that should be used sparingly, but it's certainly something to consider.
None of this seems rooted in science. Just because a species has a common ancestor doesn't mean they can create offspring, and it never has. And it's difficult to say which of FFXIV's races are more "divergent" than others.
You just can't introduce rules to the lore that aren't there. If you're going to pretend that cross-breeding is okay, it's all or nothing. It's wrong to hate on Roegadyn/Lalafell half-breeds just because they aren't bending/breaking the lore as "realistically" as you are.
And to those saying it's just fantasy and we shouldn't be paying attention to real-world standards for cross-breeding, I think that stance is even more wrong. Both the person who is making up rules and the person who is making up rules based on real-world science are committing the same fallacy. The only difference is that the presumption of the person who uses science is at least able to be reasoned in a discussion about it.
Simply making up rules for convenience in the lore with absolutely no basis is very polarizing in a roleplay community where we're all agreeing to accept one canon so that our characters can exist and interact together without conflict. It's a social contract.
Until there is an official word on something that isn't covered in the lore, I believe a more polite stance to take is to just not do something that the lore doesn't cover. It's also a more reasonable stance, because the lore could change, and then you'll either have to stick to your guns or retcon months of roleplay.
I don't think making lore rules "by community consensus" is wise.
EDIT:Â So something that sorta bothered me in this thread was that nobody was citing sources for mixed clans or mixed races in the lore or from dev comments. Maybe it's common knowledge, but for someone like me who's still trying to learn about the lore, it sounds like heresay.
Luckily, some folks were already discussing the topic in this thread, and someone posted a really helpful source!
Quote:Can different races crossbreed?Â
Answer: Yes, but it is rare...and often difficult due to cultural differences, etc. which is why you don't see it often. The lore team has informed me that there will be future quests/events that touch on this and other issues, such as love and marriage.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/threa...post490835
There's no restrictions mentioned regarding which races can cross-breed (not even with regard to Lalafell, unfortunately), so it looks like open season on that idea. It's probably a trope that should be used sparingly, but it's certainly something to consider.
