Can we get normal manly males ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

Never said it couldn't change, just that expecting it to not be what it's always been to date is odd. I mean, I don't expect a new McDonalds to suddenly be real food when every other McDonalds has been...well, McDonalds.

---

Have you tried McDonalds in Europe? :p

I wouldn’t necessarily say Au Ra are more manly than Highlander males. Au Ra can look great and fairly vicious in their facial features. I enjoy that but they can also look fairly effeminate as well. I’ve played a highlander male almost the entirety of my time with XIV, but it did take me a little while to perfect his look. Truly their eyebrows and the facial hair options could use some variety.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lanadra

Have you tried McDonalds in Europe? :p

---

I've never been to Europe, so that would be a neat trick, heh.

Did try a McDonalds in Japan. It was pretty good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

I've never been to Europe, so that would be a neat trick, heh.

Did try a McDonalds in Japan. It was pretty good.

---

UK-wise at least, you're not missing out. ;p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ayuhra

The fact that I can't remake Gladio in this game is a travesty.

---

The closest you could come IMO is a lizard man, but then obviously scales and horns over facial hair.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

As far as glamour goes, I didn’t see much difference with releasing more female inspired glamours than males. The only thing I can think of is the 2B outfit. The rest has been the even, some still gender locked, but I didn’t see more female glamours than males.

Dalmascan neutral
Calfskin neutral
South seas stuff neutral (pants or skirt)
Frontier (genderlocked m/f sets)
Collegiate sets (pants or skirt)
Alphinaud set and hair
New eastern glamour neutral
Flame set (genderlocked m/f)
2B (butts for everyone, yes feminine)
All southern front/Zadnor stuff (neutral)
Eden raids (some genderlocked m/f)
Nier sets (genderlocked m/f)
Neo sets (genderlocked m/f)
All tomes gear this expansion (neutral)
I probably missed some things, but I don’t think glamour was way more feminine.

I do agree that there should be more options for shorter hairstyles and facial hair, but I don’t think this expansion was overly feminine at all. I hope they decide to stop with the contest hairstyles and create some short and long hairstyles, no more medium spikey hairs please.

---

Final nier raid healing set was pretty feminine. Same with most of the eden healing and casting gear. Exarchic healing gear as well, and then yes of course the 2b outfit in which they didn’t even give us males something in return for, nice form of equality there :D

It would be nice to have some normal representation in the game since lately it's all been...minority pandering. Can't blame SE though, that's what gets the most retweets nowadays.

This is always such a bizarre thing to complain about. Every race can be masculine, Roes and Highlanders especially fit a Western view of madculinity; the "tarzan"-ness comes from glamour options which are only going to reflect your own creativity (or lack of).

The facial hair options definitely need to be expanded, though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lezard21

It would be nice to have some normal representation in the game since lately it's all been...minority pandering. Can't blame SE though, that's what gets the most retweets nowadays.

---

WHAT????!!!

/ten characters

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

I concede the casting/healing chests, but all dungeon gear except heirloom casting/healing chests are neutral, all the Ishgard restoration scrip gear is also neutral. Even all the coffers were neutral. Sorry but I still don’t see how feminine styles were dominant this expansion.

Oh also the pvp sets neutral or masculine too.

---

It might not be easy for you to see since you play a female character, but playing a male character and trying to find good glams this expansion that work as a healer and aren’t inherently feminine were pretty difficult. I was hoping we’d get a male coffer from Nier that i could work with but alas nothing. Weird too because while nier is dominantly women, there’s a fair amount of male glams they could’ve given us but i guess they thought it wasn’t worth it in the end.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lezard21

It would be nice to have some normal representation in the game since lately it's all been...minority pandering. Can't blame SE though, that's what gets the most retweets nowadays.

---

Agreed. Tired of the wasted resources on things only a small majority will use. It seems to have cost us a lot of things this expansion just from that alone. I hope 6.0 doesn’t follow the same trend otherwise...more disappointment.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

So your problem is actually with healers getting feminine glamours and you want masculine glamour, not that the entire expansion has catered to feminine style glamours. I understand. Healers do get quite a few feminine options and I agree more neutral healing gear should be added. Maybe Sage will help with that.

---

Eh i will admit the whole 2b set thing did also leave a poor taste in my mouth as i’m sure it’s obvious. Between that, the healer and caster glams being feminine yes, and the androgynous/feminine hairstyles being abundant, it’s left me quite annoyed with this expansion in that regard. There just seems to be an apparent bias in regards to it, which makes sense considering what i mentioned earlier about the main dev playing a female character :p. I just hope they add more masculine option across the board in 6.0, both in hairstyles, facial hair, glamours and so on.

I think the type 51 casting top for males was nice enough, gave more of a battle priest feel to it and wasn't quite as feminine as the caster/healer sets from the later raids.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fukuro

i know i might be reaching here, but over the time i have been playing this game, its been mostly dudes that play female characters being opposed to it (personal experience i made through friends and strangers ingame)- which i find even weirder. whenever i complained because we were repeatedly getting andro or feminine hairstyles it always went like: „go play another game, if you don‘t like it or just switch to fem miqo“.

---

Late response, but I finally had time to post it:

If it matters, I don't think you're reaching. I remember years ago when "switch to a female character" was the common response to someone who asked for more unique anything for male characters here. Female characters would get new stuff but Males got lazy recolors, a noticeably lesser alternative or nothing at all. I remember being really happy to read JPN complaining about it too, because it meant it would be taken more seriously. Seemed to have worked that time and things got better gradually.

I've been a bit frustrated I'm having trouble finding NEW things to use that fit my characters aesthetic again. If you main a Male character whose aesthetic is masculine over androgynous or feminine, the last few patches have felt pretty awful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lauront

unga bunga lore

---

I laughed pretty hard at this, and I still am. It's true though lmao.

Also realize I left Elezen out of my hierarchy... whoops! I guess I'd put them at even, maybe slightly lower than Midlander. They're so skinny.

Understandable about Hrothgar, really. For me... one of the faces they have kind of reminds me of my dad, especially if it's wearing glasses. My brain since then views most Hrothgars as, "Cat Dads." or "Panther Fathers."

Maybe I place too much importance on musculature, but a lot of old games did too for sex differentiation. Like Mystic Ark where you could play as a guy or a gal, and their main differences were that the guy had a tunic and the woman has a long dress. The guy has insanely broad shoulders with Schwarzeneggeresque arms. But if you look at their art, they're so similar that if it weren't for the dress and the girl's side braid... they're basically both women in appearance lol.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KizuyaKatogami

Tbh i can’t really see many highlander’s as masculine unless it’s like...Raubahn. All the other ones i see just look like smushed up clay faces and it doesn’t help that their actual body features aren’t that different from every other race so it just results in a weird contrast and because of not many facial hair options it looks really disjointed. Roe’s kind of fit in that same boat of they just look like someone put a smushed up face on a green body lol. They look like a less intimidating Hulk.

---

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...utora_sado.jpg
TFW you walk up to Raubahn in the quests leading up to Castrum Meridianum, and he's shorter than you...

To me your perception sounds like you look at Roe and Highlander faces for maybe all of half a second, before not wanting to look at them any more. For the most part, Highlander guys get faces that are chiseled up and meant to look "rugged," tough, and serious. A lot of them equate to ugly without adding the facial hair, sadly. Sad but true.

Roes are just Galkas where they tried redoing the faces to make them less bestial. Ultimately they succeeded, but I think Galkas looked better on average. Professor Hulk is an apt comparison, as they are just people. Goliath Weeb edition. Although, I guess, Galkas are older than 3rd Edition so... Goliath is Western edition Galkas :O

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vyrerus

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...utora_sado.jpg
TFW you walk up to Raubahn in the quests leading up to Castrum Meridianum, and he's shorter than you...

To me your perception sounds like you look at Roe and Highlander faces for maybe all of half a second, before not wanting to look at them any more. For the most part, Highlander guys get faces that are chiseled up and meant to look "rugged," tough, and serious. A lot of them equate to ugly without adding the facial hair, sadly. Sad but true.

Roes are just Galkas where they tried redoing the faces to make them less bestial. Ultimately they succeeded, but I think Galkas looked better on average. Professor Hulk is an apt comparison, as they are just people. Goliath Weeb edition. Although, I guess, Galkas are older than 3rd Edition so... Goliath is Western edition Galkas :O

---

Okay tbf...i don’t see Sado as very masculine either so it’s probably just me xD. I don’t really think many highlanders are ugly persay. A lot of them have a sort of charm to them, i just think if anything they’re the ones that need more customization options the most. Between eye brows, more facial structure options(hopefully a facelift), but yeah with facial hair they’d look much better and i say that as someone who doesn’t even like facial hair.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KizuyaKatogami

It might not be easy for you to see since you play a female character, but playing a male character and trying to find good glams this expansion that work as a healer and aren’t inherently feminine were pretty difficult. I was hoping we’d get a male coffer from Nier that i could work with but alas nothing. Weird too because while nier is dominantly women, there’s a fair amount of male glams they could’ve given us but i guess they thought it wasn’t worth it in the end.

---

The only glamour I can think of right off the bat was he AST 80 AF gear. It looks like a desert prince outfit on a male and while not strictly masculin it was one of the few outfits that worked for all males, even the bulkiest, most rugged highlanders. The rest of the dedicated healer clothes usually were robes in light colors with frisky details, usually a simple white and they dyed in a way that made darker colors look pretty bad.
Healers definitely have it worst by far when it comes to glamours on male characters.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Theodric

Given that FFXIV is an MMO with multiple playable races, there's even less of an excuse for limitations. It's been a common request for years though - and mysteriously it's often people playing and posting on female characters who seek to downplay the demand and likelihood of male characters getting some attention for a change.

Strange, that.

It's something I've noticed over the years as someone who has repeatedly requested more customisation, glamour and hairstyles made with male characters in mind first and foremost.

---

I've noticed the same. I've played a female character for a long time after I saw the lack of options for pretty much everything on a male character but it was often with gritted teeth. It's frustrating that the game has strongly leaned towards feminine/ androgynous characters from the start and the few times someone speaks up and requests more options for male characters or something more masculin gets added, it gets shot down.
It's fine if people prefer to play female but "just go fem" isn't an option for everyone. They already have a ton of options that are clearly tailored to them, having at least some options that are clearly for male characters isn't asking too much.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

I lol’d at the “irl female players” part. Look, I’m all for people having options because they like certain things, but the more manly appearance stuff like facial hair and more muscles is, IMO, a guy obsession. Irl, as a woman, I hate beards. I don’t know any woman who is like omg hot beard guy. Most guys look better without them, beards scratch faces when you get kissed, beards get food in them, not attractive. I also think the obsession with muscles is definitely a guy thing. That’s completely fine, but I think it’s funny guys think most women like these things.

I wanted to also mention that I agree healer sets can be feminine a lot of the time. The fending sets are definitely masculine or neutral though. I think I have about 5 options in about 80 levels worth of fending gear that’s actually feminine for my PLD. I think there is a gender bias going on with the healing/tanking roles. I saw the new WHM set and it does look like in the artwork that it may have ruffles in back. I don’t know if there will be a male version that’s different, but I definitely get why guy characters are upset by their lack of options.

---

A guy obsession ?
Oof.
I was about to start, but I cannot.
Y'all catch me if I fall.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

I lol’d at the “irl female players” part. Look, I’m all for people having options because they like certain things, but the more manly appearance stuff like facial hair and more muscles is, IMO, a guy obsession. Irl, as a woman, I hate beards. I don’t know any woman who is like omg hot beard guy. Most guys look better without them, beards scratch faces when you get kissed, beards get food in them, not attractive. I also think the obsession with muscles is definitely a guy thing. That’s completely fine, but I think it’s funny guys think most women like these things.

I wanted to also mention that I agree healer sets can be feminine a lot of the time. The fending sets are definitely masculine or neutral though. I think I have about 5 options in about 80 levels worth of fending gear that’s actually feminine for my PLD. I think there is a gender bias going on with the healing/tanking roles. I saw the new WHM set and it does look like in the artwork that it may have ruffles in back. I don’t know if there will be a male version that’s different, but I definitely get why guy characters are upset by their lack of options.

---

For beards i have seen everything, some girls love the stubble look and some don't. For the muscle think it's the same, some like a little and others prefer the most bulcky dudes they can find. Only the extremes are rare imo and it depends on where you live and who you encounter. So no it's not only a guy obsession.

Most healer gear looks bad on a masculine male and the most masculine you go the worse it gets. A lot of tank gear looks masculine/neutral but it's really rare to see something completly weird or ugly for females or show me. When females are put 1rst the poor masculine males loose almost always xD. At least the females can look cool even if it's tomboyish, but hey i like girls with a tomboyish look so yeah ...

Same thing for the femboys, even if you don't have your dream super feminine look. You won't look ugly.

We need manly men- manly Manderville men. Shadowbringers?

lol as a woman myself I don’t care for beards either (especially Santa Claus type ) but I’m not against them adding them in. I will say, that even though my male characters would be considered “androgynous” or “pretty”, I still struggle to find outfits for the type of look I’m going for. The hairstyle choices were even more ridiculous of a time for me. I like anime hair but these aren’t the “right” anime style. But thank god for the pvp hairstyle my main be rockin. My alt here, wearing make it rain hair, isn’t bad but it definitely isn’t my all time hair style my main would wear. Either way, I just stick to one hairstyle on my male characters anyway…. Not much choice lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ElciaDeiLinus

We need manly men- manly Manderville men. Shadowbringers?

---

What you mean to say is: We need more Godbert.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

I lol’d at the “irl female players” part. Look, I’m all for people having options because they like certain things, but the more manly appearance stuff like facial hair and more muscles is, IMO, a guy obsession. Irl, as a woman, I hate beards. I don’t know any woman who is like omg hot beard guy. Most guys look better without them, beards scratch faces when you get kissed, beards get food in them, not attractive. I also think the obsession with muscles is definitely a guy thing. That’s completely fine, but I think it’s funny guys think most women like these things.

---

uhm... excuse me, did it mention anything about beards? i was talking about hairstyles and general customization options for males xD even if i‘d mention beards, it‘s a matter of personal taste, nothing more or less and everyone has the right to give suggestions. i’ve just witnessed people being strongly opposed to it. i’ve made the experience that people shut down any suggestion, for what ever reason à la „stop crying and play another game if you don’t like it or just play female and you won‘t have that problem“ -which were mostly guys playing female characters. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i mentioned irl girls because they were always open for more customization options for males, even though they mostly don‘t play the opposite gender. some friends of me overreacted in joy when they saw male viera, even though they won’t play one. didn’t expierence the same with guys playing the opposite gender. and again i’m not trying to generalize, since most people playing either the same or the opposite gender are open for more customization options across all races and genders. it’s just my experiences i personally made so far with people that for what ever reason are strongly opposed to it! doesn‘t mean everyone reacts the same way.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

I lol’d at the “irl female players” part. Look, I’m all for people having options because they like certain things, but the more manly appearance stuff like facial hair and more muscles is, IMO, a guy obsession. Irl, as a woman, I hate beards. I don’t know any woman who is like omg hot beard guy. Most guys look better without them, beards scratch faces when you get kissed, beards get food in them, not attractive. I also think the obsession with muscles is definitely a guy thing. That’s completely fine, but I think it’s funny guys think most women like these things.

I wanted to also mention that I agree healer sets can be feminine a lot of the time. The fending sets are definitely masculine or neutral though. I think I have about 5 options in about 80 levels worth of fending gear that’s actually feminine for my PLD. I think there is a gender bias going on with the healing/tanking roles. I saw the new WHM set and it does look like in the artwork that it may have ruffles in back. I don’t know if there will be a male version that’s different, but I definitely get why guy characters are upset by their lack of options.

---

You don't know me then.

Beards are hot. Bigger the better. Needs to be well trimmed and shaped though, scraggly beards, unkempt beards, are a disgrace and make you look trashy

Facial hair is a very masculine marker. Just ask any woman over 30. Baby faced men make me feel dirty.

I chose Midlander due to not wanting an overly tall or thick character, they are more or less an average person, i like the fit of the armor on them, and don't feel like their masculinity is in any way in check, its all about how you glam and style your character, you can have a rugged lala if you want to even, but just play Roegadyn or Hrothgar if you want that stereotypical wow orc body.

Normal "Manly" males?

Whose "normal" ? Whose "Manly" ?

The West has a big problem with male physical stereotypes. To complain about a lack of Hyur-specific models that reflect those Western stereotypes in what is, essentially, a JRPG-based MMO, is humorous.

Ask for more facial hair options? No problem. Complain about the lack of "manly men" ... gods ... Here, have a look at some 'stout hearted men": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vjqfvZVReM&t=125s

I find all the playable males - sans maaaybe lala xD - reasonably manly by physique and face, and in motion. It takes little more trying than with females to find cool masculine-like glamours, but it's not impossible. Even aesthesian's editing options, when chosen to fit the glamour can make or break your masculine look.
I do agree that facial hair option could be just more, beards are so cool :) (am rl female)
Post pictures please, of "normal manly males"? Dunno, I'd love to explore what "normal manly males" means to you random people on the mmo forum. It might be that my idea average manly guy is somehow kinda lacking, because I'm so irritatingly compliant(???).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Burmecia

I find all the playable males - sans maaaybe lala xD - reasonably manly by physique and face, and in motion. It takes little more trying than with females to find cool masculine-like glamours, but it's not impossible. Even aesthesian's editing options, when chosen to fit the glamour can make or break your masculine look.
I do agree that facial hair option could be just more, beards are so cool :) (am rl female)
Post pictures please, of "normal manly males"? Dunno, I'd love to explore what "normal manly males" means to you random people on the mmo forum. It might be that my idea average manly guy is somehow kinda lacking, because I'm so irritatingly compliant(???).

---

I may not look like it, but I can grow some very hotblooded muttonchops and a mustache if I wanted to.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BaconBits

I may not look like it, but I can grow some very hotblooded muttonchops and a mustache if I wanted to.

---

Oh, I‘m sure you can!
https://i.pinimg.com/280x280_RS/9f/4...ac5f57ed10.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fukuro

Oh, I‘m sure you can!
https://i.pinimg.com/280x280_RS/9f/4...ac5f57ed10.jpg

---

Just wait until I get off work lmao.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1142_.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BaconBits

I may not look like it, but I can grow some very hotblooded muttonchops and a mustache if I wanted to.

---

You are right, forgive me pls :)
Manly for sure is about attitude too, not just physique and grooming. Goes beautifully back to my original wish; show what you mean by manly and not just tell.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Moonsprite

Sorry but clean shaven isn’t the same thing as having a baby face. Age has nothing to do with it. This is exactly why guys want beards so badly. For some reason they feel like boys if they don’t have facial hair. It’s ridiculous. You think Dwayne Johnson looks like a boy when he has no facial hair? Men look like men when they’re grown, not because they have a beard.

---

Do I think he looks like a boy? Yes.

Clean shaven = yuck

YMMV

"Normal "
What defines normal?

We need fat old ugly bastards, roes are the closest thing, but are way too bara, I'm still disappointed the fat catboys from shb opening weren't real, they were perfect.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Coletergeist

"Normal "
What defines normal?

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPZ2

Normal "Manly" males?

Whose "normal" ? Whose "Manly" ?

---

Sorry, this is not twitter, no need to feign surprise or act as if you don't know what normal means.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DPZ2

Normal "Manly" males?

Whose "normal" ? Whose "Manly" ?

The West has a big problem with male physical stereotypes. To complain about a lack of Hyur-specific models that reflect those Western stereotypes in what is, essentially, a JRPG-based MMO, is humorous.

Ask for more facial hair options? No problem. Complain about the lack of "manly men" ... gods ... Here, have a look at some 'stout hearted men": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vjqfvZVReM&t=125s

---

Oh my God not this again. Why is it suddenly a "West" thing to want a more masculine looking options? Do you know if people who aks for that are all westerners?

Strange that you automatically connect "manly men" with "west male physical stereotypes"...

Anyway, I think most people's concerned is with the lack of facial hair and masculine-haircut, not that they want to have WoW orc body.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Burmecia

Post pictures please, of "normal manly males"? Dunno, I'd love to explore what "normal manly males" means to you random people on the mmo forum. It might be that my idea average manly guy is somehow kinda lacking, because I'm so irritatingly compliant(???).

---

Funny that OP actually already did post what they considered "normal manly men"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lezard21

Sorry, this is not twitter, no need to feign surprise or act as if you don't know what normal means.

---

Perhaps "conventional" would be a better use here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Fland

Perhaps "conventional" would be a better use here.

---

Conventional would definitely be a better word here than normal. Because one can be a "normal manly man" and lack facial hair, and one could be the complete opposite and HAVE facial hair.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kozh

Oh my God not this again. Why is it suddenly a "West" thing to want a more masculine looking options? Do you know if people who aks for that are all westerners?

---

Perhaps it is because the Japanese concept of 'masculine' doesn't involve facial hair or most of the other stereotypes defined under the term "manly" in the West?

Yeah, that would be it.

Here's a clue: https://jpninfo.com/102436

Japan has pretty varied tastes where men are concerned, especially when we're talking videogame characters.

This is also the section of the forum for English speakers to post on, so naturally requests are going to come from the perspective of Western players more often than not. A region of the world where FFXIV enjoys significant and ever growing success.

With that in mind, I think it's fine for this sort of request to be put forward.