Gender locked race?

10 pages till we hit 200 wow

A very big thread indeed, perhaps there would be some notice taken. A little taste to come for the future I suppose if they do end up genderlocked. Or perhaps Yoshida and co are just smiling going; 'Hahahaa, look at them all worry and argue - what we got planned is going to blow their minds!' And high-fiving themselves.

Or you know, the opposite :sweating emote goes here:

To be fair, this isn't a case of hundreds of people flocking to the forum to express their outrage. It's a case of a handful of posters keeping it alive through discussion - and the occasional third party noticing the thread and posting their commentary in passing.

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Originally Posted by Melichoir

It could be orchestrated, but I dont find that likely from the practical marketing sense. I apologize for bringing that point up constantly but its important because businesses will make decisions for money purposes, broadly. This means how some of ShB and any content related to it (races, classes, etc) will be affected by business acumen. Just to recap, there are business strategies that suffer in promoting your product by not hinting at a second race in any capacity. Generating hype around a potential second new race (even if its gender locked) is a net win for them no matter how you cut it. Doing the reverse, the way I see it, hurts them. So it doesnt seem like a practical move on their part. Even with the AuRa, there were hints and etc regarding them before the full reveal. There was something notable in game. We really havent seen that for Hrothgar. And as a point, we would not even be discussing Hrothgar to any serious extent if it wasnt for the french leak. That kicked it off more than any actual thing. We could assume Devs did that purposefully, but that is a super clunky way to let players in on things. It is literally purposefully bugging out your product (read as breaking it) just to let people subtly know theres a new race? They couldve put out an ambiguous tweet about Hrothgar and that wouldve been more legit. A simple mention of them in the MSQ as an off hand comment wouldve made better bang. It just doesnt seem likely.

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One of the things I like to do even though I don't play it so much is watch Warframe dev streams, because they're so playful and casual and they leak their own stuff on accident (?) sometimes lol. Just mean to say appearing too corporate and business like even if it looks good on paper might not be as good as being playing with your fans (like RDM/SAM was before in streams and in game).

Watching Yoshi-P and Koji banter and discuss new features and maybe "slip up" with info or pictures > polished trailer with a few fancy text headlines "NEW RACE" perfectly placed in a release window order (not that I'm saying it's one or the other, both, both is good hehe). Playing with fire is exciting imo, watching something cold and calculated.. less so.

Also I would ask what about Bethesda's release of Fallout 4? That was what like 4 or 5 months before the ENTIRE game was out lol. SE could be using this new race as fire to rekindle all the other info once they're ready. So they do as you say and release stuff over time to get people in on a slow hype train and then OH BTW ISHGARD HOUSING PICTURES, FARMING, AND UH ANOTHER RACE, AND MALE VIERA, CHOO CHOO GET ON THE TRAIN - RELEASES IN TWO MONTHS LOL.

I, personally, like that the leak exists because it's been food for us to nibble on between droughts of info - and because it's vague AND not "official" we can both play around with ideas and also not require SE beholden to them. I feel that's rather smart, for a dev perspective. Keeps the train alive, at least for some people - who then help keep that train alive else where. Not a very repeatable mistake unless they keep that specific account alive though, because you'll get copycats. Once they officially release info then the train just gets stronger, assuming the news is good lol ("we decided to make Warrior a limited job" . . . nice).

So I can understand about trying to concoct the perfect storm of hype but I feel there isn't anything wrong with injecting hype at a lower level first before coming towards official pieces of release. Say if we're all unsure about Viera Male and they release them, everyone in this thread being concerned just got off a roller coaster more than if they released them together. With Ronso like race rather than people just being 100% blindsided they're now hopeful but unsure, like as if they were gambling lol, and then OH BTW LION-LIKE RACE.

Eh dunno I guess while I can see the train of thought that leads to a perfectly laid out calendar on your table for release.. I think a little chaos could actually help. Assuming the info you plan on releasing is good. That said I'm not encouraging people to break NDAs or anything, I'm speaking strictly intentional info stream (I'm not arguing for more leaks that just cause the team to be stressed/disappointed). Please follow your NDAs lol.

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Originally Posted by Melichoir

As for the Trailer, I dismissed most of it when it was showing the Amdapori Weapons. Pre-existing lore (if I read it right) points to the lion, Kuribu, and etc as being weapons specifically designed to fight against Machi black magic in the war of the magi. You could say that theyre weapons of light or white magic - and to defeat them youd have to go using dark magic. Dark Magic, Dark Knight, connect connection? Thats how I interpreted it.

Could it be a reference or a tie in to something? Sure. But do I believe it to be? No. It seems more likely to tie into the themes and story of the xpac rather than referencing a race. It's a little to opaque, even for Yoshi P and SE.

But maybe there is something to it. Could simply be we will get two new races in the game. The first race will be given to us at launch (Viera, both M and F) and for story purposes, Hrothgar will be introduced to us at a later time in the xpac. Maybe that race is locked behind an MSQ wall - you cant phantasia into a Hrothgar unless you completed a certain part of the MSQ. Wont make 100% perfect sense from a lore/story telling point, but it will push people to go further into the expansion if they want to play the new race.

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Fair enough, I mean there could also be legit lion references for other reasons and there could be a lion race AND those two items have nothing to do with each other lol. Or it's nothing at all! When I set out to look into the trailer I was specifically hunting for lion info :P. But if we just try to say shadowbringer trailer, what's being shown - we've got a new job, new areas, returning character, character job changes, some fire event, and a boat load of lion references that have to do with overcoming the light.

I think the light vs dark bit is strong too, but also consider that Lamasu and Cherub reference zodiac which could tie back into Zodiark/Ascian. On top of that people wonder how in the world did white mage get so strong (like our white magic is a joke to the old day tier stuff lol)? Zodiark vs Hydaelyn could have been what those two cities were all about, or some Ascian black vs white? On top of that where the statue was not designed after themselves but some otherworldly thing - so Kuribu isn't just some random statue guardian (maybe lol, could also just be a nod to angels XD).

Also I may be wrong but the trailer has one more bit to be added right, or is it complete now? But I do agree the lions in the trailer could just be a circumstance of the area.

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Originally Posted by Theodric

To be fair, this isn't a case of hundreds of people flocking to the forum to express their outrage. It's a case of a handful of posters keeping it alive through discussion - and the occasional third party noticing the thread and posting their commentary in passing.

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Well if you would just stop yelling at me this thread could die. . . STOP I SAID.. :) <3

We should celibate at 200 pages lol. I'll bring some Realm Reborn :3
https://i.imgur.com/iAdpVSq.png

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Originally Posted by Theodric

To be fair, this isn't a case of hundreds of people flocking to the forum to express their outrage. It's a case of a handful of posters keeping it alive through discussion - and the occasional third party noticing the thread and posting their commentary in passing.

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Tbf the fact it still got this big so quickly is a feat in of itself

I mean there's at least 247 unique posters in this thread, with an average of ~7 posts per person.
(though to be fair, there are 3 people with 100 or close to 100 posts in this one thread, and a few more with half that count, and yes just a little under half the participants do have 1 post, the other half seems to have engaged in some kind of discussion since their visit. Though, which side has more unique posters in favor of it I do not know. I'm too lazy for that.)
So I wouldn't say they're flocking, but there are technically "hundreds" of people who have participated in this thread.
But yeah... continuous bumping by an active few is typically how most discussion threads stay alive..

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Originally Posted by Roda

I mean there's at least 247 unique posters in this thread, with an average of ~7 posts per person.
(though to be fair, there are 3 people with 100 or close to 100 posts in this one thread, and a few more with half that count, and yes just a little under half the participants do have 1 post, the other half seems to have engaged in some kind of discussion since their visit. Though, which side has more unique posters in favor of it I do not know. I'm too lazy for that.)
So I wouldn't say they're flocking, but there are technically "hundreds" of people who have participated in this thread.
But yeah... continuous bumping by an active few is typically how most discussion threads stay alive..

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I'd definitely say Shippuu is one of the people who got this thread so big. I swear I see his original posts and quoted posts all throughout this. I do enjoy reading it though.

So I believe there are two distinct possibilities that could happen.

the hopeful one:
People have been asking for more customization options for a long time and this expansion will be big for that.
I noticed the viera has a new face tattoo so i'm thinking we are going to see some new expansion option in the CC.
With that they are also going to drop 2 more races and it will be the big feature of this expansion. CUSTOMIZATION.

the sad one:
Viera female/ Hrothgar males.

The Warrior of Light has also been shown to be sporting a unique stubble option in recent promotional in-game footage. More facial hair has indeed been a common request for quite some time so it is my hope that they're saving an announcement for an expansion of customisation options for the upcoming Fan Fest. It'd help mitigate any bad blood that arises from the new race(s).

I do find it a bit funny that people think a new race has to be teased beforehand, and couldn't possibly be something they want to keep a secret so that it's more of a surprise. Or even just keep it more of a secret to prevent people on stewing too much for too long on potential issues or wild speculation. The vast majority of content in new expansions is stuff we'd never seen or heard about before, almost every single new beast tribe is something that was never hinted. We didn't know about the Gnath, the Vanu Vanu, the Kojin, the Ananta, the Namazu, the Lupin, the Pixies, the Nu Mou, the Dwarves etc. etc. before they were introduced in the expansions, and almost all of them were treated as just being par the course, normal fully integrated into the settings they're from.

A player race is little different in this regard, we'll be traveling to places and will likely encounter them out somewhere where we're going. The setting will treat them like they've always been there like it does for everything else, it's only a slightly jarring situation for the players. New player races don't have to be proceeded with in game hints, and even then, both of the ones we've gotten before have set a pretty low standard of what it takes to set up before hand that it's really not at all a big deal if there's no hint or build up in game to Hrothgar coming.

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

I do find it a bit funny that people think a new race has to be teased beforehand, and couldn't possibly be something they want to keep a secret so that it's more of a surprise. Or even just keep it more of a secret to prevent people on stewing too much for too long on potential issues or wild speculation. The vast majority of content in new expansions is stuff we'd never seen or heard about before, almost every single new beast tribe is something that was never hinted. We didn't know about the Gnath, the Vanu Vanu, the Kojin, the Ananta, the Namazu, the Lupin, the Pixies, the Nu Mou, the Dwarves etc. etc. before they were introduced in the expansions, and almost all of them were treated as just being par the course, normal fully integrated into the settings they're from.

A player race is little different in this regard, we'll be traveling to places and will likely encounter them out somewhere where we're going. The setting will treat them like they've always been there like it does for everything else, it's only a slightly jarring situation for the players. New player races don't have to be proceeded with in game hints, and even then, both of the ones we've gotten before have set a pretty low standard of what it takes to set up before hand that it's really not at all a big deal if there's no hint or build up in game to Hrothgar coming.

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Lupin are NOT a beast tribe. They are a regular race that sadly did not get chosen to be playable.

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Originally Posted by DamianFatale

Lupin are NOT a beast tribe. They are a regular race that sadly did not get chosen to be playable.

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Lupin would be pretty cool, but if Hrothgar are lion based it might look somewhat like a Lupin. Maybe.

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

I do find it a bit funny that people think a new race has to be teased beforehand, and couldn't possibly be something they want to keep a secret so that it's more of a surprise. Or even just keep it more of a secret to prevent people on stewing too much for too long on potential issues or wild speculation. The vast majority of content in new expansions is stuff we'd never seen or heard about before, almost every single new beast tribe is something that was never hinted. We didn't know about the Gnath, the Vanu Vanu, the Kojin, the Ananta, the Namazu, the Lupin, the Pixies, the Nu Mou, the Dwarves etc. etc. before they were introduced in the expansions, and almost all of them were treated as just being par the course, normal fully integrated into the settings they're from.

A player race is little different in this regard, we'll be traveling to places and will likely encounter them out somewhere where we're going. The setting will treat them like they've always been there like it does for everything else, it's only a slightly jarring situation for the players. New player races don't have to be proceeded with in game hints, and even then, both of the ones we've gotten before have set a pretty low standard of what it takes to set up before hand that it's really not at all a big deal if there's no hint or build up in game to Hrothgar coming.

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Find it funny I guess but theres quite a few people who have explained why keeping it 100% hush hush probably isnt the wisest idea or likeliest of ideas. Also, not sure why youre trying to compare player races to NPCs, you know, since player races more readily affect how people spend their money in regards to things like Phantasia, or Glamours, or If they want to resub, or even join the game for the first time. You know that people tend to be very very very interested in things that affect them directly - Classes, Races, Balance, etc. Not knowing what Beast tribe is gonna be around is a lot less important to players interest by comparison.

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Originally Posted by cicatriz313

Lupin would be pretty cool, but if Hrothgar are lion based it might look somewhat like a Lupin. Maybe.

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Admittedly, Lupin wouldve been a cool player race...

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Originally Posted by Melichoir

Find it funny I guess but theres quite a few people who have explained why keeping it 100% hush hush probably isnt the wisest idea or likeliest of ideas. Also, not sure why youre trying to compare player races to NPCs, you know, since player races more readily affect how people spend their money in regards to things like Phantasia, or Glamours, or If they want to resub, or even join the game for the first time.

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I mean, considering them keeping it hush hush is pretty much exactly what they seem to be doing it's certainly one of the more likeliest ideas. If you want to keep something a surprise until it's announced, keeping people in the dark is exactly how you do it. Revealing it 3 months before the expansion launches is also more than enough time to use it to market to current players and potential players.

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You know that people tend to be very very very interested in things that affect them directly - Classes, Races, Balance, etc. Not knowing what Beast tribe is gonna be around is a lot less important to players interest by comparison.

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It's super interesting you list Classes and Balance in there, considering they're doing the exact same thing with classes that they'd do for Hrothgar currently There was no build up in game to Gunbreaker, nor has there even been any t-shirt hints or anything at to what the next class coming in March is. And Balance? We won't get any information on that until May, just a month before release like we have with every other expansion so far. So, you basically defeated your own argument.

Male Viera's please

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

It's super interesting you list Classes and Balance in there, considering they're doing the exact same thing with classes that they'd do for Hrothgar currently There was no build up in game to Gunbreaker, nor has there even been any t-shirt hints or anything at to what the next class coming in March is. And Balance? We won't get any information on that until May, just a month before release like we have with every other expansion so far. So, you basically defeated your own argument.

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Oh please, there were hints that a gunblade tank was coming. Specifically we had a gunblade-wielder tank a duty for us in the Burn in Patch 4.3 some 8-9 months ago and when that happened a bunch of people immediately figured out that was a hint at a gunblade tank class was going to be introduced. Much like how Yugiri and Thancred's fight with the Sahagin showcased Rouge/Ninja in patch 2.2 prior to its introduction in 2.4. Or how Alisaie showcased the Red Mage in her fight with the Warriors of Darkness in 4.4. Or Gotetsu showcased the Samurai in patch 4.5.....

I mean. Gaius has been in the game since 2.0. And his gunblade is garlean which is obvs different from what thancred is using. And that still doesn't give us anything about dancer. I agree with the overall premise that having no info on Hrothgar is not indicative of them not coming, as it could still be a surprise.

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Originally Posted by cicatriz313

I mean. Gaius has been in the game since 2.0. And his gunblade is garlean which is obvs different from what thancred is using. And that still doesn't give us anything about dancer. I agree with the overall premise that having no info on Hrothgar is not indicative of them not coming, as it could still be a surprise.

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Gaius has actually been in the game since 1.0. Not that it actually makes much difference to the point that he was showcasing a gunblade tank job in 4.3. After all, Alisaie has been in the game since 2.0 and her weapon is different model from the one X'Rhun Tia, the Red Mage trainer, uses. Neither of which made changes the fact she showcased Red Mage in the fight with the Warriors of Darkness.

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Originally Posted by Karl0217

Oh please, there were hints that a gunblade tank was coming. Specifically we had a gunblade-wielder tank a duty for us in the Burn in Patch 4.3 some 8-9 months ago and when that happened a bunch of people immediately figured out that was a hint at a gunblade tank class was going to be introduced. Much like how Yugiri and Thancred's fight with the Sahagin showcased Rouge/Ninja in patch 2.2 prior to its introduction in 2.4. Or how Alisaie showcased the Red Mage in her fight with the Warriors of Darkness in 4.4. Or Gotetsu showcased the Samurai in patch 4.5.....

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Gaius in that RP duty being a hint is a pretty big stretch. He showed up using animations and move's he used back in 2.0, the same animations and moves that Regula, Nero, and Fordola have also used. He's no more a hint than he was back in 2.0. We've seen all of those moves and animations for years now. Especially seeing how Gunbreaker clearly isn't based off of Garlean gunblades and has what seems to be little to do with them outside of both their weapons being called gunblades. So if that was the hint, he's been a hint since 2.0

But hey, if we want to do reaches for hints, we know we are likely to venture into Ilsabard at some point in our journeys, an area we know little about but it's where Garlemalde is so we will likely inevitably go there. We know the northern parts of Ilsabard are harsh lands with brutal winters and Hrothgar is an Anglo-Saxon name and so would likely be fitting to have a similar culture in parts of Ilsabard backed up by the lore. And we know Hrothgar were described as having "majestic manes".

Hmm, let's take a look at the map:
https://i.imgur.com/9sBWxwv.jpg

Wow...that mysterious figure sure does look like he has one very long and majestic mane...couldn't possibly be a hint.

That's right. Forgot about back then. In what way was he a gunblade tank job. He had a gunblade which he has had the entire time. If your point was valid the fight with gaius in praetorium would be foreshadowing us getting gunblade soon. He uses the same if not very similar moves in both situations. And again. No dancer.

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

Gaius in that RP duty being a hint is a pretty big stretch.

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I would argue that it takes some real special logic to say the presence of a gunblade tank in duty with us some eight months prior to a gunblade tank class's official unveiling wasn't a hint as to the class's existence.

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

He showed up using animations and move's he used back in 2.0, the same animations and moves that Regula, Nero, and Fordola have also used. He's no more a hint than he was back in 2.0. We've seen all of those moves and animations for years now. Especially seeing how Gunbreaker clearly isn't based off of Garlean gunblades and has what seems to be little to do with them outside of both their weapons being called gunblades. So if that was the hint, he's been a hint since 2.0

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Interesting critique coming from a guy who bases half his entire argument against the inclusion of male Viera on interview made in the 2.0 era six years ago. After all, if you think that Yoshida can tease his long term plans for the Viera six years ago you should have no problem thinking he can also tease a class he wants to include for that long also.

....

Oh wait a minute, that reminds me. Weren't you the one arguing that Yoshida teased his long-term plans for BLU years before it was implemented in some previous posts?

Is the plural for Viera the same as the singular? (“Look at all of those Viera!”)
Or is it “Vieras”? (“That’s a lot of Vieras...”)


eugh.

Gaius wasn't a hint at all he's literally using the generic garlean gunblade animation the gunblades we use are completely different.

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Originally Posted by Fredco191

Is the plural for Viera the same as the singular? (“Look at all of those Viera!”)
Or is it “Vieras”? (“That’s a lot of Vieras...”)


eugh.

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I believe it's Viera, my favorite quote from Jote says "Viera who have forsaken the Wood are Viera no longer!"

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Originally Posted by Karl0217

I would argue that it takes some real special logic to say the presence of a gunblade tank in duty with us some eight months prior to a gunblade tank class's official unveiling wasn't a hint as to the class's existence.

Interesting critique coming from a guy who bases half his entire argument against the inclusion of male Viera on interview made in the 2.0 era six years ago. After all, if you think that Yoshida can tease his long term plans for the Viera six years ago you should have no problem thinking he can also tease a class he wants to include for that long also.

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I said it was a stretch, not that it definitively wasn't the case. I'm of the opinion it was more likely coincidence instead of a deliberate attempt to tease a job, because as a job tease it's a pretty bad one considering he used moves and animations he and every other garlean who has a gunblade uses, so he showed us absolutelty nothing that we havent already seen before, unlike the other past job teases that have always showed something new. Of course, there also was no in game tease for Dark Knight or Machinist, nor technically Astrologian as the astrologians we had encountered weren't even the same thing we got. So they don't have the best track record for always teasing future jobs.

But hey man, not my fault you don't like what Yoshida said even if it was long ago, he stuck true on how he would do blue mage for close to the same amount of time and that was also an unpopular decision.

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

I said it was a stretch, not that it definitively wasn't the case. I'm of the opinion it was more likely coincidence instead of a deliberate attempt to tease a job

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So you really believe the developers deciding to include a gunblade tank in a solo-duty with us is while they are working on designing and coding a gunblade tank is merely coincidence? Or are you merely trying save face after having run your mouth saying a gunblade tank wasn't hinted at?

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

But hey man, not my fault you don't like what Yoshida said even if it was long ago, he stuck true on how he would do blue mage for close to the same amount of time and that was also an unpopular decision.

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Oh please, your track record when it comes to predictions as to what developers will do is somewhat lack-luster. See when I was doing a search for your posts on the BLU class I stumbled onto a bunch of old posts by you concerning Samurai and how according to you it could be nothing but a tank. Many of them have not aged well at all. For example in response to this post

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Originally Posted by ErikMynhier

STR - DRG, MNK, SAM
VIT - PLD, WAR, DRK
DEX - BRD, MCH, NIN
INT - BLM, SMN, RDM
MND - WHM, SCH, AST

And so with 2 dps, balance is restored.

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You replied

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Originally Posted by Shippuu

Balance in one category, but unbalancing in another.

tanks, healers, and dps are close to their ideal ratio of 1:1:2, the same as light party compositions. 3 tanks, 3 healers, 7 dps. Adding 2 new dps jobs unbalances this ratio, making it a 1:1:3 ratio.

Thus, adding 1 tank, 1 healer, and 1 dps actually makes it a true 1:1:2 ratio, thus balance is restored. See? I can do it too.

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Tell me something did you ever apologize to ErikMynhier for mocking him even though he was correct in his prediction as to what the devs were going for and you were completely wrong in your counter-arguments?

Hooded Yugiri NPC = Au Ra teaser
Thancred and Yugiri vs Leviathan in that really old quest = Ninja teaser
Astrologian Tower in Lower Coerthas = Astro teaser (they had a very large role in tracking dragon movements)
No Dark Knight Teasers X
No Machinist Teasers X
Alisae vs Warriors of Darkness = Red Mage teaser
Gosetsu = Samurai teaser (can't remember if he showed up before or after Stormblood started though)
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Gaius using gunblade = Gunbreaker teaser
No Blue Mage teaser (that I can remember other than the leaks) X
Tsukuyomi wielding a fan, while also having a move that somewhat looks like Sword Dance = Possible Dancer teaser?

And lastly, Fran npc in Ivalice raid (along with Tsukuyomi's rabbit ears)= Viera teaser

Gaius wasn't a teaser at all stop using that example.

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Originally Posted by NanakoLigh

Gaius wasn't a teaser at all stop using that example.

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Much like Thancred and Alisae, when he appeared to help out Alphinaud this pretty much followed their standard procedure for teasing some of the other jobs. Not every job gets this kind of treatment though.

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Originally Posted by Theodric

The Warrior of Light has also been shown to be sporting a unique stubble option in recent promotional in-game footage. More facial hair has indeed been a common request for quite some time so it is my hope that they're saving an announcement for an expansion of customisation options for the upcoming Fan Fest. It'd help mitigate any bad blood that arises from the new race(s).

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yeah that too.
I'm pretty sure we area going to get some customization updates.
to really bring attention to it add 2 more races and everyone is purchasing this expansion day 1

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Originally Posted by Karl0217

So you really believe the developers deciding to include a gunblade tank in a solo-duty with us is while they are working on designing and coding a gunblade tank is merely coincidence? Or are you merely trying save face after having run your mouth saying a gunblade tank wasn't hinted at?

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You're really overstating that it was a tank, many NPC's that are jobs that aren't tanks do tanking in scripted encounters. Do you think White Mage, Arcanist, and Monk are tanks? Because those characters tank things in scenarios all the time.
I think it's far more likely to be a coincidence, yes, because as a job tease it's a pretty weak one for all the reasons I described before. If Gaius was a job tease, then he's been a tease for it for over 5 years. With Regula, Nero, and Fordola also being teases for it.
Still a stretch.

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Originally Posted by Karl0217

Oh please, your track record when it comes to predictions as to what developers will do is somewhat lack-luster. See when I was doing a search for your posts on the BLU class I stumbled onto a bunch of old posts by you concerning Samurai and how according to you it could be nothing but a tank. Many of them have not aged well at all. For example in response to this post

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Putting aside the creepy stalker aspects, I was regretably wrong about Samurai, but that's not because my reasoning wasn't sound, but because Yoshida opted to go with his personal preferences over the way Samurai was represented in past Final Fantasy games. I trusted Yoshida to stick to honoring what past Final Fantasy games had done but instead he went with his own personal tastes as revealed here (bold emphasis mine):

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Yusuke Mogi (Lead Character Concept Artist): When I heard we were doing samurai, at first I pictured the armored warriors from FFV. But Yoshi-P preferred the simple, kimono-clad look, and so we ended up with a cultural and visual aesthetic that reflected this, with the majority of NPCs dressed in kimonos.

Q:What were you going for in choosing kimono-clad samurai over armored ones?

Yoshida: I wasn’t going for anything in particular—rather, that’s just how I’ve always pictured samurai. I enjoy the films of Akira Kurosawa,* and his samurai are always dressed that way. I think of armored warriors more as shogun or warlords, rather than what we would call “samurai.” For our international audience as well, I figured kimono-clad samurai would feel more natural to them. That might not be true for longtime FF fans, but I was also hoping to appeal to the masses and draw in large numbers of new players as well.

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So I'm actually glad you drudged that up, because see, I learned from my past mistake of believing Yoshida would follow something that made the most logical sense, but instead he opted to make a decision based on his personal preferences first and foremost. I didn't listen when Yoshida talked in interviews before about Samurai and how he always felt it was a DPS, and how his idea in his head about a Samurai was a robe wearing iaijutsu master. I rejected what he said he was likely going to do because it didn't make sense to do it because it wasn't how Samurai were depicted in the vast majority of Final fantasy games. But alas, he did it.

So that's why, when I see Yoshida say things like he'd maybe do a male counterpart for a Viera, and that he finds male bunnies weird, and that they put in lore pointing out how male viera might as well not exist to the outside world, and then completely refuse to show or even acknowledge that male viera are coming, I tend to put more merit into his words.

So it's ironic that you'd drudge that up as some kind of a "gotcha" moment, because it backfired on you pretty bad by revealing that you are the me from back then.

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Originally Posted by Karl0217

Tell me something did you ever apologize to ErikMynhier for mocking him even though he was correct in his prediction as to what the devs were going for and you were completely wrong in your counter-arguments?

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Will you?

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Originally Posted by artyport

I noticed the viera has a new face tattoo so i'm thinking we are going to see some new expansion option in the CC.

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Those could also just be racial tattoos, so don't get your hopes too high just based on that.

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Originally Posted by Karl0217

Or how Alisaie showcased the Red Mage in her fight with the Warriors of Darkness in 3.4.

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I don't think she did, actually. I went through those quests recently and I only saw her using Gladiator stance.

I think she showcases Red Mage early in Stormblood, but not before it.

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Originally Posted by redcurrant18

Astrologian Tower in Lower Coerthas = Astro teaser (they had a very large role in tracking dragon movements)

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I wouldn't count that as a teaser. It might be setting up for the story, but the whole point of the Astrologian quest is that we're trying to promote a different branch of astrology - spell-based "astromancy" rather than the purely scientific-observation variety practiced by the Ishgardians to predict the dragons' movements.

The head astrologian at the Observatorium plays a part in the AST questline, but it's also used for story within ARR as well. It's just a setting, not necessarily a giant hint at an upcoming job.

(Was it there in 1.0? I assume so. It doesn't seem like a new construction.)

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Originally Posted by redcurrant18

Hooded Yugiri NPC = Au Ra teaser
Thancred and Yugiri vs Leviathan in that really old quest = Ninja teaser
Astrologian Tower in Lower Coerthas = Astro teaser (they had a very large role in tracking dragon movements)
No Dark Knight Teasers X
No Machinist Teasers X
Alisae vs Warriors of Darkness = Red Mage teaser
Gosetsu = Samurai teaser (can't remember if he showed up before or after Stormblood started though)
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Gaius using gunblade = Gunbreaker teaser
No Blue Mage teaser (that I can remember other than the leaks) X
Tsukuyomi wielding a fan, while also having a move that somewhat looks like Sword Dance = Possible Dancer teaser?

And lastly, Fran npc in Ivalice raid (along with Tsukuyomi's rabbit ears)= Viera teaser

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So we all agree they've both teased and not teased stuff and we're all playing with likelihoods and not hard facts? Goo-- no? Oh.. dang

lol, not particularly addressing that to you Red I just liked you listed that a lot of things were teased early and some things not as much ;). Also I feel a few of those could only be seen in hindsight, since some of the changes didn't quite foment fully till after an expansion/FanFest drop (but I agree quite a few were teased early, hard, and obviously).

I think for a second race, if that will be a thing, the teaser will be in the last patch to FFXIV Stormblood, so probably announced at Japan FanFest in minor detail (and shown in some cliff hanger way in 4.X closing). To the point it might not even be in the benchmark lol. At least I'm assuming there are a few announcement points after FanFest, iirc another live letter at least. Or even more vague if the race is unlocked through the gameplay of shadowbringer, which is possible but certainly quite different.

But I would also add when someone asked Yoshida along the lines "male viera is definitely a thing right? I believe you wouldn't do that to us." he was like "the way that's worded makes me not want to answer, I'm a contrarian - read the lore it's nice and hints at what'll happen". I think while he knows the formula is important he also doesn't want to be sticking the game in a rut.. a very ying yang sort of situation lol.

While I'm very hopeful and would be VERY excited if a ronso-lion-like race was a thing I don't expect it, so luckily I only have upwards hype for that at least :). I would be sincerely confused however, if they had no male Viera and no male counterpart race haha.

Oh, yeah, but that's the issue really isn't it? Nothing like having another race step in due to one chaps personal preference. I'm hoping that's not the case and his personal preference is overruled by his fellow developers. While personal preference can be good, it can also be damaging and in most cases it's extremely noticeable.

With Yoshida, it's big red flags - while I don't expect a huge outrage, some of the things he's said in the past to do have some folks cocking a brow. I mean, I cocked a brow regarding the 'weirdness' he brought up regarding male rabbit men. Seemed a bit backwards and something that belongs in r/fragilemasculinity. I'm hoping that's not the case any longer and he's kind of put his own desires behind him. I did have some hope when the art of the male Viera was shown and obviously, he didn't want to show it, but he did anyway. That means someone on the dev team won, or rather he was outvoted.

As for 'ronso like' I feel bad for thinking this, but no... I can't imagine Ronso in this game fitting in without a huge rework of the rigs etc for them to even show a lick of emotion in cutscenes. And this game seems to go overboard with 'emotions' I suppose they have to due to the lack of voiced lines and the like. ESO had the same issue with Khajiit and Argonian, but they're more up to date - but also they don't have in-depth cutscenes which shows emotional ranges like FF14 does. Ronso would look like a stiff emotionless bundle of muscle and fur unless they do some huge work on that whole system. I mean, it sucks. But eh, limitations are limitations.

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I'm hoping we see either another Viera - a male - or a Hrothgar as an important NPC very soon.

In the end, I'm going to hope and pray that the Blufever leak is correct here and that the fact he didn't mention genderlocks. But Lion race, yeah, I have no hope in that looking too beast-like and more humanoid. I don't think they actually can go beyond that and make it extremely beast-like anyway - due to the plot? Aren't Ronso beast men? And the whole plot the Empire has is having all 'humanoid' races, become one like they once were? This wouldn't include Ronso - would it? No, they'd just be on the empire's 'kill list' because they worship primals.

If they can make a Yagudo in FFXI show emotion (mainly by using his eyes and body language), then I'm sure they can do the same for Hrothgar.

Heh, we will see!

Now, big question time as this has been bothering me and could be completely unrelated but I thought it was worth mentioning.


Who is this? Of course, I'm talking about the hooded fellow. At first, I thought they were an ascian with the hood, but looking closer the design doesn't match. Then I looked at the arms and the tattoos/bandages/scales - they actually remind me of Viera style clothing, or specifically, the male Viera concept art; the males have these type of things on their arms/wrists? Especially the bandages. The arms look 'male' to me, something about the physiology - the thickness. Especially when compared to female official FF14 art. Then there's the nose...the nose looks like a Viera's nose, small button top like. Then there's the marking on the face/neck - it looks unkempt? At first, I thought it was scarring or something of the sorts, but it also looks like fur? It also looks like they do actually have a scar going from the nose to their cheek, a slash mark like an animal clawed them.

Can Viera hide their ears in a hood? I imagine so since they can be floppy and controlled/flattened down? And then there was the other ear type I remember being discussed which Yoshida cut short before that lovely artist lady could show it.

Watch them be someone we already know, but I couldn't think of anyone so I'm extremely curious on who this chap is.

https://i.imgur.com/OZIPEp1.png

This is what I'm looking at in regards to the male viera concept art;
https://i.imgur.com/cnHUHL9.png

My only objection to your theory is that the lips look more female in that style. But given we don't know what male Viera look like, that's not necessarily a valid objection in the first place, before being a personal observation of mine. And now I'm slightly hyped.
It being a Viera at all, least of all a male one, gives more reason for them to keep that chara hooded and shaded than any other plot reason could XD

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Originally Posted by Gwenorai

Who is this? Of course, I'm talking about the hooded fellow. At first, I thought they were an ascian with the hood, but looking closer the design doesn't match. Then I looked at the arms and the tattoos/bandages/scales - they actually remind me of Viera style clothing, or specifically, the male Viera concept art; the males have these type of things on their arms/wrists? Especially the bandages. The arms look 'male' to me, something about the physiology - the thickness. Especially when compared to female official FF14 art. Then there's the nose...the nose looks like a Viera's nose, small button top like. Then there's the marking on the face/neck - it looks unkempt? At first, I thought it was scarring or something of the sorts, but it also looks like fur? It also looks like they do actually have a scar going from the nose to their cheek, a slash mark like an animal clawed them.

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You do have a blooming fantasy and while I do not critize it, I doubt a male Viera has anything to do with the expansions box artwork. I do believe its the Emet-Selch, the ascian that has yet to be revealed.

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Originally Posted by xbahax92

You do have a blooming fantasy and while I do not critize it, I doubt a male Viera has anything to do with the expansions box artwork. I do believe its the Emet-Selch, the ascian that has yet to be revealed.

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What if that Ascian's vessel is a male Viera? The two are not mutually exclusive.

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Originally Posted by Gwenorai

Watch them be someone we already know, but I couldn't think of anyone so I'm extremely curious on who this chap is.

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Funny you should ask.... we've been discussing this over in the Lore forum and there's a definite candidate.

https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...f21ac1bb76.jpg

(Well, okay, I'm one of the main people arguing for it. But still.)

Back in 4.4, when we were trying to guess who the mysterious voice might be, I suggested it might be him - mostly inspired by one of the alleged-leaks saying there would be something involving the Crystal Tower in 5.0, and the voice seemed like it would suit him.

And then we get this poster. Credit goes to Fenral for picking up on the resemblance - I'd glanced over it and assumed the figure was female, then didn't think too much more about it until he pointed it out.

So I'm looking forward to finding out what's going on!

Regardless of who it is, I don't think the robes look particularly Ascian besides the hood - which could be just to keep their identity concealed for the poster.