[REQUEST] Can we have a more original race next time?

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Originally Posted by otarolgam

They... are... supposed... to... be... HUMANS.
But sorry, we're not going to be getting anything much more than humans because of the way they have to build/skin the armor for a specific body type.
AND IT'S ALL GOING TO BE HUMAN BODIES.
If you want to play something like a minotaur or whatever, go back to Warcraft.

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Well then SE can stop making new races. I'm pretty sure they've exhausted all body types now. Adding this or that onto something that already exists in the game isn't really going to scream "WOW THIS IS SO NEW" to me or anyone unsatisfied by the lack of playable choices. And no. I will not leave. I enjoy what is in the game (to an extent), but I will remain disappointed by the lack of variety with the current race options (I really wish Tanaka didn't make the current races similar to the FFXI races and then take away what made them unique).

Telling people to leave is something an MMO community should never do, by the way.

Well some people should leave if the game isn't making them happy overall.

Overall would be if the gameplay/content doesn't interest them as well. Telling people to leave because they won't be able to play as a unique race isn't what a community should do.

If someone is going to leave, ask them what doesn't interest them, see if you can find a way to interest them and if they're still showing signs of disinterest, then yeah. That's when you can tell them, "this MMO isn't for you. I tried to reel you in, but it seems there's nothing in this game that will interest you. Take care."

I want to play as a Naga, SE please!
http://i.imgur.com/GZuyoXV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kiFxw3e.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/kcMhxYi.jpg

Only problem with Naga (Despite them being awesome as hell!) Would be the leg pieces...er...lack there-of

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Originally Posted by Spy

Only problem with Naga (Despite them being awesome as hell!) Would be the leg pieces...er...lack there-of

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Ornate tail bands with composite leg/foot gear stats. Boom, done!

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Originally Posted by Dree-Elle

Ornate tail bands with composite leg/foot gear stats. Boom, done!

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Leg and Feet gear get a unique look. So now more work.

Mounts... ya.........

Mind you. Yes. I want... but as the WoW forum has proven. This is more unlikely to happen.

They're not going to make more work for themselves...

There won't be Bestial races introduced. EVER.

And why is that, Otarolgam. You say they won't, but haven't provided a source on why.
This is a fantasy game, after all. Fantasy should allow you to play as something bizarre (on that note, Au Ra are "demonkin," not dragon).

I'd love a race that floats instead of walks... the idea in my head is like a Genie.

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Originally Posted by Nestama

And why is that, Otarolgam. You say they won't, but haven't provided a source on why.
This is a fantasy game, after all. Fantasy should allow you to play as something bizarre.

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We know why they won't Nestama >_> SE knows the fanbase will shell outs money for the next brand of cute waifish girl they can be and they've decided it's better (ie makes them more money) to do that than make something unique.


I really wish they would've just made the Au Ra different between the clans like the Hyurs, maybe keep the Raen as they are and for the Xaela they swapped the proportions and the appearances (Making the girl more tougher and dragon/demon like looking and the guy being waifish and more human/hyur like). I feel like that would've been at least enough to make the difference in making the Au Ra actually feel like a unique race. If they had issues with time restraints, it'd suck but I'd much prefer them just lock the Xaela clan with promises to introduce them as soon as possible instead of "Sorry they're the same and they're not changing" sorta deal we've got.

But I'm curious Nestama, any thing you'd want with the Au Ra to make them feel more unique?

Also love the Roegadame <3 You gonna join the linkshell for girl Roegadyn on Hyperion?

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Originally Posted by Nicolepwned

I'd love a race that floats instead of walks... the idea in my head is like a Genie.

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Some dude, his name is Gramul, drew a super cute race of cloud folks. I think it's earlier on in the thread actually!

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

But I'm curious Nestama, any thing you'd want with the Au Ra to make them feel more unique?

Also love the Roegadame <3 You gonna join the linkshell for girl Roegadyn on Hyperion?

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Hmmm. Honestly their concept art would have done just fine to me. Heck, if the males had a build like in this:

http://i.imgur.com/1Kacih4.jpg

I'd be fine with them. They kinda look neat. The faces... I'd still get used to, though (unless it's similar to the concept art)

http://i.imgur.com/26pX3Ky.png

For the females, well... you already know my stance on them. Hyur-ish face and Miqo'te body. Give them a fierce face, make them taller and... I dunno, more demonic feel to them? Basically, the opposite of cute, but still good looking (well, good looking that would take some time and effort to achieve).

And yes, I've joined that Roegadame LS (I was doing stuff in Limsa and the LS leader spotted me, hahah). Only a femRoe until HW comes out, though. I loved my Roebear.

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Originally Posted by Nestama

And why is that, Otarolgam. You say they won't, but haven't provided a source on why.
This is a fantasy game, after all. Fantasy should allow you to play as something bizarre (on that note, Au Ra are "demonkin," not dragon).

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The reason most games (MMOs and games with character customization) don't do it is because doing full bestial races requires custom rigging and skeletons for the character models. MMO devs making tons of gear sets don't want that because that's work for them. And since SE already changed the 1.0 models to be more generic in shape in order to be easier to rig and throw gear on...yeah the writing's kinda on the wall.

I'm not against bestial races but I seriously wouldn't get your hopes up based on their past decisions with the races. If they're so against having to model and rig customized gear for races that they took the backsides off the female Mi'qote (a very minor change), a race with completely different body shape is unlikely.

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Originally Posted by InfiniDragon

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It's not really hard to conform a mesh(in this case, armor)to match up with a different skeleton rig. It would probably take them a month max to get it done. All they would need to do is make a rig for a beast race, weight it properly. import the animations from the current models, convert. Conform the meshes to match the skeletons and new body type and you're done. If i have a friend that can do this in his free time, i think a dev team could probably do it.

All that aside, i couldn't really care if we have a beast race or not. I am happy with the way the Au Ra turned out, if you choose to cry and make your character look exactly like the other races that is fine. But i've managed to make some really unique looking Au Ra in the benchmark and i personally am satisfied with the outcome.

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Originally Posted by Nestama

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Yeah I could definitely see the appeal to that honestly men do look super toned down from the first picture. I think the more prominent facial scales that are also irremovable are really what let the Auri men's faces look a good bit more distinct.


Honestly my only complaint to the concept art is the lack of lips, it removes an entire option (mouth/lips) and makes it so the facial emotes have to rely nearly entirely on the eyes and a really simple open mouth/clothed mouth option (I'd be so distraught if I couldn't /smirk!).

I dunno, I would be hoping for a more draconic feel (Though in this game there's hardly a difference til you state they're scalekin or voidsent) with the girls. I would've loved something more closer to the males in build, very top heavy with slightly waspish hips along with more noticable facial scales you couldn't remove (Gosh! Like a little spiky crown chin would look so cute imho). Maybe larger horns as well. I'm much more satisfied with the men in looks, but I definitely can recognize they need some tweaks, the girls are ever so frustrating for me >_> (I really wanted to play a dragon race with girls who didn't look like they'd fall to their butts if a strong breeze hit them ; ;)

Well, once you're in the Roegadame LS you don't leave it! Rae loves nabbing Roegadames to add. Both Roes looked great though, all Roes look great (Except for that one in the Titan/Leviathan quest.. Lazy lying jerk!).

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Originally Posted by InfiniDragon

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I mean, I suppose, but there's still no reason for the near lack of any changes between the Au Ra body shapes and the current ones we have (Men resemble Elezen and the girls are so close to Miqo'te it hurts) . Like, maybe they should focus on more prominent beast like features while still keeping much more humanoid in shape, such as the Mithra's nose, as an answer as opposed to completely remaking the skeletions for them. Like.. Say more scales on the Au Ra as opposed to the kind of large patches that we got, look at the thin band of scales on the arms as opposed to their feet into their ankles on the girl Au Ra as an example. I don't think there's much of a reason why they shouldn't have done more scales really.

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Originally Posted by TitaniaZero

Leg and Feet gear get a unique look. So now more work.

Mounts... ya.........

Mind you. Yes. I want... but as the WoW forum has proven. This is more unlikely to happen.

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THIS. Playable naga were requested pretty much since Frozen Throne, but it will never happen, due to the insane ammount of work it needs. Something akin to worgen would be possible, but the more exotic a race looks, the less likely they would work as playable races. Lack of legs causes problem with gear, mounts, aaaaand even a few skill animations. Monks for instance kick a lot. Both in wow and here.

Interestingly enough, they do have the Rain of Death animation.

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Originally Posted by Onikimaru

It's not really hard to conform a mesh(in this case, armor)to match up with a different skeleton rig. It would probably take them a month max to get it done.

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That's precisely why they don't do it. That's an extra month's work just for something that, according to statistics, only a max of about 5% of the total number of characters would make use of. And that's not 5% of players, that's 5% of characters made, an important statistic given most people make an alt of a new race just to have it.
Add to that they'd have to continue to rework the mesh-skeleton rigs for every piece of armor that comes out, just for this race that again, taking statistics from other games, would get very few returns.
It's all about practicality and efficiency. They're not willing to slow down development just so one race can have hooves or claws. There's a reason most of those races in other games use ridiculously simplified armor meshes compared to races with feet.
Hell even the Elder Scrolls games made their bestial races less bestial in later installments

Personally, the Au Ra remind me of Minbari.

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Originally Posted by MidnightAge

Personally, the Au Ra remind me of Minbari.

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Delenn, maybe
They don't exactly rock the whole bald thing.

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Originally Posted by kyuven

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It doesn't take an entirely different skeletal rig to make a beast like race though. Heck, while some people are asking for stuff like Naga and what not, most people seem to just want something that at least doesn't have such a human face and generic body shape. I mean, shoot as an example with the Au Ra they could've put more irremovable scales (Or at least make them an option) to add more definition to the Au Ra's face (Look at the men's chins as opposed to the girls for an example), change up the proportions so they don't feel so samey (Elezen like body for the dudes and an incredibly similar Miqo'te body for the girls), and just do something different with the race (Like making the clans physically different besides different scale colors and skin tones).

It would be more work sure, but anything new put into the game is more work, new boss fights, new zones, new mechanics, new NPC races, new mounts, and so SE won't ever do that. It'd be like saying "SE won't add flying mounts because that means every zone in the expansion will have to accommodate that and that's just simply too much work" or "SE won't add new mounts outside of horses because no one will ever use them". SE won't know how effective something will be til they take a risk, who knows maybe that new mount model will be just as popular as the old ones, but that requires putting the model into the game first.

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

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I hate to be that guy, but i have a fair amount of knowledge on the subject and depending on the body type of the new race they would most likely need a new rig. It's just how it works.

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Originally Posted by Onikimaru

I hate to be that guy, but i have a fair amount of knowledge on the subject and depending on the body type of the new race they would most likely need a new rig. It's just how it works.

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I'm not talking about like.. Arms to the floor dragging along due to their squat smaller body. Just something like "The men of this race have thinner longer arms, broad shoulders, and thicker legs". If something like that requires an entire new skeletal rig and SE doesn't want to do that, why is SE even bothering making a new race? It'd be cheaper to just give us "cosplay gear" were we could put on tails or horns.

So explain to me why Viera, another fetish race (like the damn cats that are literally EVERYWHERE) were the most popular poll option?

If people wanted different, they would've voted on something much more different than rabbit girls.

Viera had the most votes because it was the only named race in that poll. Kinda gives it an unfair advantage, as people tend to go for what is familiar, after all. If they called it a wolf race, the votes would probably be more evenly matched.

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Originally Posted by Onikimaru

I hate to be that guy, but i have a fair amount of knowledge on the subject and depending on the body type of the new race they would most likely need a new rig. It's just how it works.

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Head to toe scales wouldn't need a new rig.

On top of it, rigs aren't the difficult part, the model itself is. Hell, UV map takes longer.

A lot of the races exist in other fantasy games
Hyur = humans
Lalafell = gnome
Elezen = elf
Roegadyn = big hulk type human
Miqo'te = humans with cat ears and tails

Miqo'te being the most popular for whatever reason looks the best without being 100% human I don't know.

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Originally Posted by Evangela

the problem is... races that don't look like a human are not popular.

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This, I would never play a non Human like race. I also only play female characters when I have the choice. The races I want however are the mixed races from that poll way back when (Lala/Miqo'te) would be amazing.

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Originally Posted by Nestama

Viera had the most votes because it was the only named race in that poll. Kinda gives it an unfair advantage, as people tend to go for what is familiar, after all. If they called it a wolf race, the votes would probably be more evenly matched.

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I somehow doubt that. If they named it "Rabbit girls", I guarantee you it'd still be the highest on the list. It hurts my brain that people can't make up their damn minds.

First it's "We want Viera!", then Squeenix drops Au Ra, then it's "we don't want another human race!"

Can we just make up our damn minds as a community? Please?

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Originally Posted by Parryacg

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This community isn't a monolithic hivemind. I wanted a new race (Or at least a clan of the new race) where the girls actually look as threatening as the dudes do. SE had the option of making their fetish race with one clan and making a legitimately unique one with the other clan, but they chose not too for whatever reason. You're playing an MMO, please realize that people have different wants from the game than you.

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

This community isn't a monolithic hivemind. I wanted a new race (Or at least a clan of the new race) where the girls actually look as threatening as the dudes do. SE had the option of making their fetish race with one clan and making a legitimately unique one with the other clan, but they chose not too for whatever reason. You're playing an MMO, please realize that people have different wants from the game than you.

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I don't know, man. "Mob mentality" is a thing, even in MMOs.

The thing I'm tired of is huge parts of the community (IE any community in general) not knowing what the hell they want.

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Originally Posted by Nestama

Viera had the most votes because it was the only named race in that poll. Kinda gives it an unfair advantage, as people tend to go for what is familiar, after all. If they called it a wolf race, the votes would probably be more evenly matched.

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I actually want to point this out.
JP NA GB FR DE
Reptilian beastmen (ex. lizardmen, draconians, etc.) 12.4% 8.3% 6.9% 18.1% 10.4%
Mammalian beastmen (ex.) wolfmen, gnolls, etc.) 3.3% 7.3% 7.1% 6.2% 9.9%
Reptilian demi-beastmen (ex. a race with demonic features such as horns, etc.) 11.2% 12.5% 16.1% 9.1% 11.7%
Mammalian demi-beastmen (ex. a rabbit-eared race such as the Viera from FFXII, etc.) 24.9% 27.7% 26.1% 26.6% 31.0%
More clans for existing races (ex. greater variation in physical build and appearance) 21.4% 21.1% 21.8% 17.5% 16.2%
Races of mixed heritage (ex. Elezen-Hyur, Mi’qote-Lalafell, etc.) 26.8% 23.1% 22.0% 22.5% 20.8%

Au'ra were the third least popular choice, with JP/FR showing higher desire for a reptilian-beastmen race in comparison. I'll actually add the percentages together (Meaning I just added the numbers on top of each other). The numbers came out as (56.1 for reptilian beastmen, 60.6 for demi-reptilian race such as Au'ra). They don't seem far off, don't they. So why didn't they listen to the fans to make another Miqo'te-like race?

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Originally Posted by Parryacg

I don't know, man. "Mob mentality" is a thing, even in MMOs.

The thing I'm tired of is huge parts of the community (IE any community in general) not knowing what the hell they want.

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Mob mentality is a thing to be wary of, not something people should actively look to please at every turn without throwing a bone to those in the minority.

I've, and many folks within this thread, have stated "We wanted a more beast-like race", we know we're in the minority, but we'd prefer if SE didn't ignore us completely.

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

Mob mentality is a thing to be wary of, not something people should actively look to please at every turn without throwing a bone to those in the minority.

I've, and many folks within this thread, have stated "We wanted a more beast-like race", we know we're in the minority, but we'd prefer if SE didn't ignore us completely.

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And basically we still got a fetish race. I just find it strange that the large part of the community (IE the pro-Viera) people now suddenly don't want a human-like race in the game, which makes no damn sense to me.

I assure you, I'm against the idea of Viera being a playable race in this game. They're just humans with rabbit ears and weird feet. No bunny tails. All SE would need to do with them is paste some rabbit ears onto a Roegadame and... wait, that can already be done :o

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Originally Posted by Wolfyboy

I actually want to point this out.
JP NA GB FR DE
12.4% 08.3% 06.9% 18.1% 10.4% Reptilian beastmen (ex. lizardmen, draconians, etc.)
03.3% 07.3% 07.1% 06.2% 09.9% Mammalian beastmen (ex.) wolfmen, gnolls, etc.)
11.2% 12.5% 16.1% 09.1% 11.7% Reptilian demi-beastmen (ex. a race with demonic features such as horns, etc.)
24.9% 27.7% 26.1% 26.6% 31.0% Mammalian demi-beastmen (ex. a rabbit-eared race such as the Viera from FFXII, etc.)
21.4% 21.1% 21.8% 17.5% 16.2% More clans for existing races (ex. greater variation in physical build and appearance)
26.8% 23.1% 22.0% 22.5% 20.8% Races of mixed heritage (ex. Elezen-Hyur, Mi’qote-Lalafell, etc.)

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Across all communities:
11,22% Reptilian beastmen
07,12% Mammalian beastmen
12,12% Reptilian demi-beastmen (Au'Ra)
22,48% Mammalian demi-beastmen
19,60% More clans for existing races
23,04% Races of mixed heritage

It would be interesting to see the amount of votes for each community / choice.

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Originally Posted by BunnyChain

Across all communities:
11,22% Reptilian beastmen
07,12% Mammalian beastmen
12,12% Reptilian demi-beastmen (Au'Ra)
22,48% Mammalian demi-beastmen
19,60% More clans for existing races
23,04% Races of mixed heritage

It would be interesting to see the amount of votes for each community / choice.

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It's weird how they went with the option that's only 4th highest (And didn't even do it well IMHO >_>)
I mean, looking at the concept art, they teased around with all of the options with the exception of the highest requested and the 3rd highest option, look at the buff wolf guy, one of the Dragon_Race, and the Viera.

I kinda hope that SE opens up a poll with "What do you think of the Au Ra" with options like "I like them and am fine with how they are", "I like them, but I wish they were.. (Taller, Had more skin tone options, had a different body shape, et cetera)", or "I don't like them, I wish they were.. (More beast like, a Mammalian demibeast race, et cetera"

To which they'd use option 1 as "Well I guess we shouldn't do anything else with them til we rework everything" option 2 as "I guess we should focus on adding more clan options like the Highlander/Midlander thing" and option 3 as "Well guess the Au Ra didn't work, but this option is pretty popular, let's work something like this into the next poll"

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

It's weird how they went with the option that's only 4th highest (And didn't even do it well IMHO >_>)

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Let's break it down:
1) They need to sell the expansion
2) The expansion has a theme. Dragons.
3) They already have "Mammalian Demi-Beastmen" (Miqo'te)
4) They don't have "reptilian demi-beastmen"
5) the other 2 of the top 4 would be quite a daunting undertaking as you'd have to make multiple versions. With a new race, you have to make 4 options: Clan 1 F, Clan 1 M, Clan 2 F, Clan 2 M. With "half breeds," you either go the lazy route and just introduce one and get called lazy, or you have to make 9 of them (Miqo-Hyur, Roe-Hyur, Lala-Hyur, Lala-Miqo, Lala-Roe, Elezen-Hyur, Elezen-Miqo, Elezen-Lala, Elezen-Roe) which means 18 minimum variations. On the other end, new clans would mean 10 new variations AND getting the "lazy" stigma again since all the new subraces would just be the existing ones with a few new options.

In the end, going with the #4 option was the most viable as it was the most marketable and efficient to do as a first race. In short, they're unique ENOUGH.

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Originally Posted by Balipu

It's funny that the thread title asked for more original races (not more inhuman looking) and all examples of what should be a playable races are screenshots or concept arts from other games. That ain't original either.

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Precisely my thinking >_>

create it.

It's funny that the thread title asked for more original races (not more inhuman looking) and all examples of what should be a playable races are screenshots or concept arts from other games. That ain't original either.