Too much woman to handle?

[K'nahli]

Out of pure curiosity dont lynch me, did anyone upon seeing the fem Au Ra for the firs time go, "YES THAT'S ME I WILL PLAY THAT"? I have a few friends in my FC and elsewhere who are planning on going male Au Ra, but I haven't heard from anyone going female.

 

Clover did upon seeing the females, I didn't upon seeing either but now we have an idea that I am REALLY looking forward to.

[Flashhelix]

Does the discredit go to SE for basing a decision based off player preference? Because I don't think somebody could really blame them for going off the preferences of their playerbase unless one held the belief that SE shouldn't listen to the playerbase on things like this.

Honestly, Mister Helix, I feel like you have not read anything I've said in this entire thread.

 

I wish.

[Berrod Armstrong]

Out of pure curiosity dont lynch me, did anyone upon seeing the fem Au Ra for the firs time go, "YES THAT'S ME I WILL PLAY THAT"? I have a few friends in my FC and elsewhere who are planning on going male Au Ra, but I haven't heard from anyone going female.

Creepy vacant eyed chicks with promised diverse customization options are my aesthetic. She's going to ride on the shoulders of her giant husband and gore people with her flippin' sweet horns. I have a crap ton of preliminary sketches to compare to the CC when it comes out and a loose backstory written up that'll be changed varying on lore. So, yeah, 100% on board with that train.

Please let us all take a moment to appreciate this description. I rocked back and forth in my chair cackling, this is the stuff dreams are made of.

[Aya]

I wish.

Here's the thing.  I disagree with you.  I do not care for the way they have characterized Female Au Ra.  I have my reasons for such, which I have expressed.  I don't think they're sinister.  I don't think they're stupid.  I don't think they've made a bad decision.  I don't think people who disagree with me are wrong.  I simply do not care for their aesthetic choice.  Will it work out? Yes, no doubt it will.  Are many people happy with it? Yes, yes they are.  Should that change my opinion? I don't really think so. 

 

I'm happy for those looking forward to Au Ra, its always good to have things to look forward to, and SE deserves all sorts of credit for coming up with content and additions that have people so excited.

[Ette]

Out of pure curiosity dont lynch me, did anyone upon seeing the fem Au Ra for the firs time go, "YES THAT'S ME I WILL PLAY THAT"? I have a few friends in my FC and elsewhere who are planning on going male Au Ra, but I haven't heard from anyone going female.

Creepy vacant eyed chicks with promised diverse customization options are my aesthetic. She's going to ride on the shoulders of her giant husband and gore people with her flippin' sweet horns. I have a crap ton of preliminary sketches to compare to the CC when it comes out and a loose backstory written up that'll be changed varying on lore. So, yeah, 100% on board with that train.

Please let us all take a moment to appreciate this description. I rocked back and forth in my chair cackling, this is the stuff dreams are made of.

 Give me the ability to make a tiny screeching dragum lady or give me death.

[Flashhelix]

I wish.

Here's the thing.  I disagree with you.  I do not care for the way they have characterized Female Au Ra.  I have my reasons for such, which I have expressed.  I don't think they're sinister.  I don't think they're stupid.  I don't think they've made a bad decision.  I don't think people who disagree with me are wrong.  I simply do not care for their aesthetic choice.  Will it work out? Yes, no doubt it will.  Are many people happy with it? Yes, yes they are.  Should that change my opinion? I don't really think so. 

 

I'm happy for those looking forward to Au Ra, its always good to have things to look forward to, and SE deserves all sorts of credit for coming up with content and additions that have people so excited.

 

cool

[MadWater]

One wonders, though, why they didn't go with the same setup as the Hyur; they have two clans to play with. Why not make "highlander" Au Ra and "midlander" Au Ra? Seems like everyone'd be happy.

 

I don't really have a dog in this fight though, because I won't be making an Au Ra. Both sides have decent arguments, but ultimately we're stuck with Square's decision.

[Brynhilde]

Well, it seems like there's plenty of interest in here at least. I admit that the fem Au Ra - as we've seen them - are not my cup of tea, personally. But perhaps I'm being hasty, and the customization options will be amazing. Here's hoping.

[Flickering Ember]

 

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM!

 

Okay, but real talk just to head off some of the witty rebuttals. I know that using humans is a poor example, but things like sexual dimorphism to an extreme degree does exist in the real world. Is it a shame that they can't give each race a dramatic height slider? Sure! But they need to keep the silhouette of each race unique and size is a big part of that.

 

Female roegadyns DO have a dramatic height slider though. It is a one foot range versus 4/5 inches. Most races and genders only have a range of 4. So, it could be done and they could really appeal to some of the minority players like myself by just introducing a variety of options in the character screen. Here's hoping benchmark doesn't disappoint.

 

That picture bothers me a little. The folks in the picture are an exceptional couple as far as humans go. They are outliers and not the norm. Everyday real life humans aren't THAT sexual dimorphic. I find that in fantasy, that dimorphism is typically exaggerated. The picture, I don't feel, makes a strong case for Au Ra. I would say using animal species who already have sexual dimorphism as norm is a better example.

[Berrod Armstrong]

 

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM!

 

Okay, but real talk just to head off some of the witty rebuttals. I know that using humans is a poor example, but things like sexual dimorphism to an extreme degree does exist in the real world. Is it a shame that they can't give each race a dramatic height slider? Sure! But they need to keep the silhouette of each race unique and size is a big part of that.

 

Female roegadyns DO have a dramatic height slider though. It is a one foot range versus 4/5 inches. Most races and genders only have a range of 4. So, it could be done and they could really appeal to some of the minority players like myself by just introducing a variety of options in the character screen. Here's hoping benchmark doesn't disappoint.

 

That picture bothers me a little. The folks in the picture are an exceptional couple as far as humans go. They are outliers and not the norm. Everyday real life humans aren't THAT sexual dimorphic. I find that in fantasy, that dimorphism is typically exaggerated. The picture, I don't feel, makes a strong case for Au Ra. I would say using animal species who already have sexual dimorphism as norm is a better example.

Accctuallyyyyy, that's pretty much the height difference between my friend and his sister, not to mention it's very similar to that between myself and some of my co-workers (Four foot nine?! GOOD LORD WOMAN). It's not all that uncommon! It's not really wise to just declare something as exceptional or an outlier without knowing for sure!

 

I do agree that using the animal species would be a better example though. It would also help them fill the 'bestial' quota. 

 

In this case, the bestial features may not be muscles, sharp teeth or claws, but simply the tail, scales and the sexual dimorphism.

[Seriphyn]

I get it, really. It would be much better if the Au Ra were used to help provide a transformative, progressive model of character design in verisimilitude by having non-standard, non-idealized body types. I'm sorry that didn't happen.

What bothers me is the degree of sexual dimorphism introduced simply to appeal to conventional notions of attractiveness: Males can be beastly.  Females cannot.

 

I don't care for that. The style of the race should make sense as a holistic whole.  It doesn't, and the reason is because they were afraid the player base would reject a beastly female.  I don't see a positive in this, though it is not surprising.

 

I'm just going to quote this for emphasis because Aya is much better at wording things than I am. This is the reason why I don't like the sexual dimorphism in Au Ra.

 

Fourthed.

 

Now, people who want to play Au Ra females...the question is if they'll still play them if they weren't all Barbies-with-Horns, but closer to the males. Same idea if people would still play Miqo'te if they looked like Khajiit.

 

My problem is that the quote from SE basically says they value fan service over artistic integrity. This may or may not set a negative precedent for FFXIV in the future. Prejudicially and unfairly, I therefore see anyone playing Fem Ra as complicit in supporting this sort of fan service and justifying SE's belief that they should cater with KAWAII first and making a realistic world second.

 

On the other hand, I suppose it's a cultural thing. FFXIV is a Japanese MMO, and complaining about the aesthetic would be like going to Texas and yelling JESUS WHY IS IT SO TEXAN HERE.

 

 

 

Personally, because I'm an absolute bellend, I'm looking forward to snidely posing the question on a semi-regular basis how Fem Ra feel about playing a race that was unabashedly and shamelessly made to cater to Victorian standards of femininity. Then again, people play the blatant fan service race (Miqo'te) without batting an eye.

 

Fighting utterly worthless battles FTW.

 

^ I'm fucking around ofc. Play who you want, and find people you will enjoy playing with you!

 

[Arelian Solin]

I get it, really. It would be much better if the Au Ra were used to help provide a transformative, progressive model of character design in verisimilitude by having non-standard, non-idealized body types. I'm sorry that didn't happen.

What bothers me is the degree of sexual dimorphism introduced simply to appeal to conventional notions of attractiveness: Males can be beastly.  Females cannot.

 

I don't care for that. The style of the race should make sense as a holistic whole.  It doesn't, and the reason is because they were afraid the player base would reject a beastly female.  I don't see a positive in this, though it is not surprising.

 

I'm just going to quote this for emphasis because Aya is much better at wording things than I am. This is the reason why I don't like the sexual dimorphism in Au Ra.

 

Fourthed.

 

Now, people who want to play Au Ra females...the question is if they'll still play them if they weren't all Barbies-with-Horns, but closer to the males. Same idea if people would still play Miqo'te if they looked like Khajiit.

 

My problem is that the quote from SE basically says they value fan service over artistic integrity. This may or may not set a negative precedent for FFXIV in the future. Prejudicially and unfairly, I therefore see anyone playing Fem Ra as complicit in supporting this sort of fan service and justifying SE's belief that they should cater with KAWAII first and making a realistic world second.

 

On the other hand, I suppose it's a cultural thing. FFXIV is a Japanese MMO, and complaining about the aesthetic would be like going to Texas and yelling JESUS WHY IS IT SO TEXAN HERE.

 

 

 

Personally, because I'm an absolute bellend, I'm looking forward to snidely posing the question on a semi-regular basis how Fem Ra feel about playing a race that was unabashedly and shamelessly made to cater to Victorian standards of femininity. Then again, people play the blatant fan service race (Miqo'te) without batting an eye.

 

Fighting utterly worthless battles FTW.

 

^ I'm fucking around ofc. Play who you want, and find people you will enjoy playing with you!

 

 

 

I was going to say that this is genuinely one of the most ignorant and idiotic things I've ever seen on these forums, and that's absolutely incredible, until I got to the end.

 

You almost got me there. Christ on a cracker.

[Nara'to]

My character Nara'to starts turning so many shades of red when he comes across most Highlander and Roeg women.  He tends to prefer them over the other races, even his own.  Though him being shy makes any sort of interaction with any pretty much impossible.  Unless of course they just happen to catch him looking then snatch him up.

 

Aside from that though I somewhat regret going Miqo'te and would use my Fantasia potion in a heartbeat.  Since I can't get a free name change as well I'm stuck with what I chose.  I love Miqo'te don't get me wrong, it just feels like because I chose what I enjoy that no one wants to associate with him because so many people show their distaste for Miqo'te in general.

 

I'd go Hyur in a heartbeat if it meant he would eventually be able to find someone to romance IC.  I just get the feeling no one likes male Miqo'te.  Especially shy ones such as him.

[Edvyn]

female highlanders shouldnt even exist imo none of the highlanders in the movies were female

[Zelmanov]

Send me all the Roegadames and Highlander Women! I am not scared!

 

in fact I find highlander women have a more aggressive fun look to them, almost wolf-like.

[Melkire]

It means, that if YOU HAVE an idea for a race, and several other people share it with you, YOUR VOICES can be heard and influence the content of your product!

 

Not if you are a minority, because the plurality almost always comes first when it comes to video game products. Deviations from this approach by big business are rare because, as stated, deviations constitute a risk as opposed to a safe and assured profit margin.

 

Don't believe me?

 

Ask yourself what happened to the space simulator genre and Six Degrees of Freedom games such as Descent.

 

The answer to that is that those genres, along with old-school arena shooters, are only coming back thanks to indie and grass-roots communities and developers and start-ups. The minority had to make themselves what they wanted, because the plurality wouldn't give it to them anymore.

 

 

EDIT: Coincidentally, this is also partly the reason why ARR's first expansion has to do with DRAGONS, because everyone likes DRAGONS and DRAGONS are COOL and DRAGONS will SELL.

[K'nahli]

Now, people who want to play Au Ra females...the question is if they'll still play them if they weren't all Barbies-with-Horns, but closer to the males. Same idea if people would still play Miqo'te if they looked like Khajiit.

 

I think that's a little dramatic to be fair. Sure, the females are pretty... but so is practically every other race out there. I'm sure that you can just as easily make an "ugly" Au Ra like you can with existing races.

 

To answer your question though, I can't say. I'm unsure if I'll even make a female Au Ra as it stands, and even if I do there's just no telling without having first seen a "more bestial" version. Possibly though.

 

I do NOT like Khajit but Firran from Archeage would have been workable. The only reason my main is a miqo'te is because my friend suggested that I make a sister character for her alt when I showed interest in playing FF.

[Aya]

I play a barbie!  That actually was the first thing Aya-Midlander got called by an FC-mate after I switched from Highlander.

[Ha'uruh Nunh]

I plan to play an Au Ra girl.  To me, their aesthetic combines Miqo'te delicate facial features with an Elezen-like body shape.  It surprises me that more people aren't comparing them to Elezen actually, because body wise they seem mostly Elezen to me.  Amusing since Yugiri was clearly animated on a female Miqo frame.

[Dogberry]

female highlanders shouldnt even exist imo none of the highlanders in the movies were female

 

Amanda Darrieux and Felicia Martins. Not in the movies, but the movies made the series canon.

[Wymsical]

I plan to play an Au Ra girl.  To me, their aesthetic combines Miqo'te delicate facial features with an Elezen-like body shape.  It surprises me that more people aren't comparing them to Elezen actually, because body wise they seem mostly Elezen to me.  Amusing since Yugiri was clearly animated on a female Miqo frame.

 

Because height-wise, they look like they're more about Midlander or Miqo'te size. I even looked at the Ishgard location video and the Au Ra female is clearly about the same size as the Midlander who passes her. Some people would prefer them to be taller. Not me, I adore contrast, but that's the reason for the complaint.

[Warren Castille]

Since reveal, male Au Ra look like male elezen with the Elephant Man disease I can't be assed to google.

[YesGood]

On the original topic, I had mixed results with Roegadyn and Highlander females. (No secret) Sigyn was pretty openly received by members of the opposite sex (and a few of the same). Siobhain, however, was more approachable to the same and only maybe three of the opposite? She wasn't a huge Hellsguard but she was pretty strict looking in her armor and such. I'm not sure if it's because certain styles of dress or look or something give people the idea that the character has a 'preference' that doesn't include them, whether race-based or gender-based.

[Flickering Ember]

Anyone but me find it ironic that the thread has become about Au Ra instead about muscular female highlanders and roegadyns?

[Aya]

Anyone but me find it ironic that the thread has become about Au Ra instead about muscular female highlanders and roegadyns?

Well it began with a quote about Au Ra so its not surprising!  And they're like.. a hot topic right now!