Male Au Ra Standing posture is way too "proper", namely his feet

Honestly, most of the Au Ra's animations are spot-on for what I would expect of them. They have kind of this "dudebro" vibe that's interesting compared to the other races. Even their dance, it has a lot of character.

Except... whenever they return to that default standing pose, it just looks really awkward, and maybe even inconsistent with the rest of their personality. They look almost identical to Elezen because of that posture, like they're already in that "Kain Highwind-pose", 24/7.

I feel like something a *BIT* more relaxed would look a lot better. For example, equip a Gladiator/Paladin weapon, and look at their alternate-stance there. The way they stand, their feet more at shoulder width, just looks way more natural. Being totally uptight just seems to clash with their more rugged animations and overall demeanor (doubly so for Xaela).

I agree, I see a lot of male Au Ra just standing in their default idle pose, and it comes off as ... idek. Very weird. Especially their arms. Love those more relaxed additional poses, love how they look in general - but that default idle makes me shake my head in a definite /no.

Yeah, it really bothers me how prim & proper they are.

It just needs to be changed from the default, make it one of the alternate /cpose's.

I see quite a few using the other poses regularly, myself included, and they're great. They come off with some sass and the sense of being imposing to them. The regular stance I still use from time to time, but not as often as I would other races.

To be honest, it's something I hope they consider changing; for people who like the current pose, make it into an alternate pose.

The reason I suggest that is because, no matter what animation plays, they always revert to that default pose, even for just a second. Plus, your character always uses the default pose in cutscenes, and just makes them look very stiff and rigid, like Elezen.

Also... again, super nit-picky stuff, but I actually wish the Au Ra had canines/fangs. It seems weird for them to have these perfectly strange, even teeth; with more prominent canines, I think they'd be a little more imposing.

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Originally Posted by Terin

Also... again, super nit-picky stuff, but I actually wish the Au Ra had canines/fangs. It seems weird for them to have these perfectly strange, even teeth; with more prominent canines, I think they'd be a little more imposing.

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I do miss that a lot about my mooncat, it was one of the reasons I picked Keeper over Seeker for him.

Edit: A bit more rough-around-the-edges or savagery to the Xaela wouldn't hurt.

Not all of the Au Ra wish to embrace your barbaric notions of race and gender.

/siptea

I kind of agree. Alot of their poses looked more like something I'd see a catalogue model be doing. Oh well, it's just a minor issue I have

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Originally Posted by Leep

Not all of the Au Ra wish to embrace your barbaric notions of race and gender.

/siptea

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Hmm, well maybe keep the current animation for the Raen? That would actually make sense, anyways.

Like I said, I would just think, if you wanted that kind of "vibe", you'd be as well off going Elezen.

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Originally Posted by Terin

Hmm, well maybe keep the current animation for the Raen? That would actually make sense, anyways.

Like I said, I would just think, if you wanted that kind of "vibe", you'd be as well off going Elezen.

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You give a dog a bone and the rest will want one as well.

Eh, I don't think it's unreasonable. I mean, they're a brand-new race, and a bit of further refinement would really help them. Like I said, you look at basically ANY of their animations, and they just look kind of awkward when their feet are stuck in this uptight, "proper" stance, when most of their animations depict them as being a little more jovial.

It's especially noticeable with their /dance emote. The way he has to just "re-sync" to his default position seems unnatural.

If anything, I feel like their default pose should err closer to one of the Highlanders' alternate-stances, the one with kind of a wide, power-stance, and their chin tucked down a bit, with more of a glowering stare. It looks really imposing, and to me, that's more the "vibe" Au Ra are meant to give off.

I agree also I would of much rather had a Idle stance like this.

http://media.indiedb.com/cache/image...x2000/Idle.png

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Originally Posted by Zeonx

I agree also I would of much rather had a Idle stance like this.

http://media.indiedb.com/cache/image...x2000/Idle.png

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That is just way too edgy looking, my Au Ra would look terrible in that pose

I find it hilarious they look like uppity-class Elezen's dragon's LMAO.
It's even more funny on a Xaela.
A warrin' clan but hey, at least they look proper and gentleman like.

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Originally Posted by Terin

Also... again, super nit-picky stuff, but I actually wish the Au Ra had canines/fangs. It seems weird for them to have these perfectly strange, even teeth; with more prominent canines, I think they'd be a little more imposing.

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100% agreed.
Also the females should HAVE black Sclera's too.

I guess it does look rather "proper", but personally I think it looks fine. Heck, if I was playing a male Au Ra, I'd consider it a plus. IMHO their rather intense face options combined with dragon-like features makes them look imposing enough that they can pull it off.

But hey, look on the bright side! At least their default isn't to stand around with their legs spread apart and pelvis thrust forward looking like they have advanced rheumatoid arthritis. :p

This is 'more beast like xaela' thread 2.0

No thank you.

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Originally Posted by Fleur

I guess it does look rather "proper", but personally I think it looks fine. Heck, if I was playing a male Au Ra, I'd consider it a plus. IMHO their rather intense face options combined with dragon-like features makes them look imposing enough that they can pull it off.

But hey, look on the bright side! At least their default isn't to stand around with their legs spread apart and pelvis thrust forward looking like they have advanced rheumatoid arthritis. :p

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Fortunately the Miqo'te have a /cpose that has them cross their arms against their chest without the little silly feet placement that the Au Ra do with that one

Like I said, if people want a "tall, noble-looking race", then just go Elezen. The whole deal with Au Ra is that they're supposed to be more masculine, something we see in their other animations. It's particularly strange because they exhibit a totally different personality the rest of the time, but their default standing animation just doesn't seem to mesh with them; not their appearance, nor their culture, nor their many other animations.

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Originally Posted by Natsuno

This is 'more beast like xaela' thread 2.0

No thank you.

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Perhaps if you want a cutesy Au Ra go Raen? Come on seriously folks, you've got your cutesy waifus throw us a bone sometimes too. SE really should've just held back the Xaela til 3.1 and made them more tough and beast like. That is to say they actually needed more time to do that (Which I doubt heavily).

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Originally Posted by Terin

Like I said, if people want a "tall, noble-looking race", then just go Elezen. The whole deal with Au Ra is that they're supposed to be more masculine, something we see in their other animations. It's particularly strange because they exhibit a totally different personality the rest of the time, but their default standing animation just doesn't seem to mesh with them; not their appearance, nor their culture, nor their many other animations.

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I'm not really seeing where you're getting this impression that their other animations are more masculine. All of their poses have a very "male model" feeling to them, not just their default standing pose. One of their /cpose even looks like they're posing for a camera. Nothing about any of their movements is even remotely intimidating.

http://i.imgur.com/3EsGlRc.png

Do either of those look "masculine" or "imposing?" I feel like you're trying to inject a personality into the race that was never there.

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Originally Posted by MisterLucie

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I don't know, considering the male (Xaela) Au Ra are the posterboy for Dark Knight, and the Xaela come from a tribal warring area filled with all sorts of weird stuff far from "male model", I'd say yes they're suppose to look masculine and imposing. They're also more muscular (A trait a lot of people associate with masculinity) than Elezen. Your picture has them in outfits that definitely seem more "Let's show off my body like a model" look to it too.

The picture was more for demonstrating the poses, not the outfits. You say their animations (aside from the default standing pose) are masculine and "dudebro"-ish, but it's simply not true. They look like they're always at the end of a catwalk.

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Originally Posted by MisterLucie

The picture was more for demonstrating the poses, not the outfits. You say their animations (aside from the default standing pose) are masculine and "dudebro"-ish, but it's simply not true. They look like they're always at the end of a catwalk.

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I'm not necessarily saying "dudebro"-ish, but they're definitely masculine. Clothing really does affect the feel of those animations really, get you and your friend to put on armor and retake the picture and it's an entirely different feeling. Some of the animations however just feel inherently more "elegant" (As opposed to neutral and up to interpretation) which is really unfitting for what the Xaela at least are.

I'll definitely concede, some of their other standing poses are a little... "odd", too. The thing is, probably 90% of their animations are the polar opposite, in some cases trying almost laughably hard to look "tough". You really see that side of their personality come out with their /cheer, the way a lot of their animations involve "slap on the back" style camaraderie.

I mean, it's not a complete deal-breaker or anything, I just think it would look *BETTER* to have their default standing pose modified. Nothing dramatic or anything, just a little more "casual". Like I said, more akin to when they're holding a one-handed sword; just kind of "a guy standing there", whereas now, they look almost pompous how they stand -- just like the Elezen.

i liked it, though

edit: As was said before, i feel like you're trying to impose characteristics onto the race that may or may not be true. We haven't heard a whole lot about them other than the Xaela wander a lot and sometimes war with eachother, but mostly trade.

Meanwhile the Raen are more domestic.

I don't think they're supposed to be the big burly man-men you want them to be. They could be quite sophisticated for all we know, despite those things.

I do not view their pose breaking any "ideas" of what manly is, the only one guilty of that is those who think men can not pose like this and still be manly

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

Perhaps if you want a cutesy Au Ra go Raen? Come on seriously folks, you've got your cutesy waifus throw us a bone sometimes too. SE really should've just held back the Xaela til 3.1 and made them more tough and beast like. That is to say they actually needed more time to do that (Which I doubt heavily).

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Why should they have? Actually any other race could be a beast race for the future, not just an Au Ra. We have our 'cutesy' race so if you want a Beast one, why is it that Xaela tribe that should of been that one to be changed for that want to be filled? We could all "have a bone" instead of just one side or the other.

Maybe they should of changed moonkeepers into some big furry lions with giant claws or some other race into whatever weird thing instead. :P

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Originally Posted by Averax

i liked it, though

edit: As was said before, i feel like you're trying to impose characteristics onto the race that may or may not be true. We haven't heard a whole lot about them other than the Xaela wander a lot and sometimes war with eachother, but mostly trade.

Meanwhile the Raen are more domestic.

I don't think they're supposed to be the big burly man-men you want them to be. They could be quite sophisticated for all we know, despite those things.

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I think a lot of people saw this and was expecting a male race with more muscles and such.

http://assets.rpgsite.net/images/ima...182014_A01.png

I'm more annoyed by the fact the females look like re-skinned Miqote with crap glued to them and half the males just look like some bad/halfhearted cosplay.

They just seem like a pretty unimaginative race. Or maybe the artists were hamstrung because the race had to be "pretty". They'd be far more interesting if they were truly reptilian like Argonians from The Elder Scrolls.

They need to be less proper and more muscular. Legs spread out... not perked in like an elezen..

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

Some of the animations however just feel inherently more "elegant" (As opposed to neutral and up to interpretation) which is really unfitting for what the Xaela at least are.

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Who says tribal can't be elegant? Not every tribe according to the lore are warmongering nomads. There's at least two or three tribes that gave that life up to either live on the edge of their lands and speak/trade with other races or live in isolation as farmers/goat hunters. There's tribes that accept exiles from other lands. There's a tribe that decides their leader through a game of chess rather than a bloody battle showing they prefer a good mind to a bloodied hand. Yes there's the two large tribes constantly going at it, but there's several others that embrace more peaceful lifestyles.

While it's true that I don't really like the posture, the real problem with it is that it's so similar to the Elezen. Given how different most of their *other* animations are, it just feels really off for them to "snap-back" into the really proper-looking posture. This tall, rigid stance just seems unnatural compared to the more physical animations the males show off.

And no, you can't have "elegant" and "tribal" as the same thing. They're basically polar opposites. Elezen already have "elegant" covered, I think.

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Originally Posted by DreadRabbit

Who says tribal can't be elegant? Not every tribe according to the lore are warmongering nomads. There's at least two or three tribes that gave that life up to either live on the edge of their lands and speak/trade with other races or live in isolation as farmers/goat hunters. There's tribes that accept exiles from other lands. There's a tribe that decides their leader through a game of chess rather than a bloody battle showing they prefer a good mind to a bloodied hand. Yes there's the two large tribes constantly going at it, but there's several others that embrace more peaceful lifestyles.

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Agreed with this entirely, don't forget clan Dotharl though, we would be on top of the mountain if there were more of us.

As far as the topic goes change pose works fine for this, it takes all of five seconds for your character to stop being formal, the first thing i did in fact was change it.. nothing like a max height xaela leaning forward slightly to emphasize how much bigger he is than the people he is looming over.. XD

But not everyone wants to be that way, some people like the elezen poses, and yes you can in fact be both elegant and tribal at the same time

I love the way male Au Ra stand and the majority of their emotes to be honest >.<

The only thing that irks me is the whole earring situation.

Please remove the 20 a day post limit so these massive posts happen less from me SE ;_;

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Originally Posted by Averax

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I don't get why everyone assumes "Can the Xaela changed to be at least be less sophisticated looking and more beast like?" equals "I hate all people and their dumb waifus!! Make the Au Ra all giant ugly monsters". I don't get why the Xaela have to be a color palette swap whenever it's clear that culturally they Xaela and Raen have very little in common. Like.. Doesn't anyone else find it awkward that the Raen and Xaela make such a huge distinction ("I'm from the Dusk Mother!" "I'm from the Dawn Father!" ) when the only real difference they've got is scale color?

Let's be honest folks, the reason why a lot of people don't like the idea because they want to have the standard Au Ra, cutesy girls high in neotony and guys with an awkward mix of "elegant" and imposing looks, and have black scales without any carefor those of us who know SE could've done things to make the clans different and thus make the new race appeal to a wider crowd. It's a little selfish imho, the non-apology-esque apologies all the clear "Nope, not gonna happen, 'sorry' the race isn't what you want maybe the next one will be like it" whenever someone brings it up. Are black scales really more important than making a race that appeals to even more people with distinctively different clans (Even if the distinction is just emotes)?

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Originally Posted by Lillia

Why should they have? Actually any other race could be a beast race for the future, not just an Au Ra. We have our 'cutesy' race so if you want a Beast one, why is it that Xaela tribe that should of been that one to be changed for that want to be filled? We could all "have a bone" instead of just one side or the other.

Maybe they should of changed moonkeepers into some big furry lions with giant claws or some other race into whatever weird thing instead. :P

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There's a lot of reasons adding races like the Miqo'te and Midlanders (IE cute races) will just make that chance of a more beastlike race smaller and smaller. Like.. The Au Ra (And this is specifically applies to the girls, but I wouldn't doubt the same reasoning was used with the guys with regards to a few modifications) were designed because not many people play the Roegadyn and highlanders (I personally find the highlander women a very debatable "Tough girl" option especially when compared to the Roegadyn) while most of the players played Miqo'te and Midlander, thus the Auri girls look closer to them. This is kind of a dangerous thought process with regards to adding a diverse set of race options.

They added another race with cute girls (And arguably men who do a bunch of elegant stuff), which just gives more players an option to choose another cute race, which only hurts the whole "No one plays "tough" races" issue. Like.. If you had a selection of pies and cakes with only one type of cake compared to plenty of options of pie, people coming in are likely going to choose the pies just because there's more variety. Now the answer to the problem is "Well guess we should add more pie!" it's "Let's add more cake so that people who don't like that specific kind of cake either don't have to settle or just go with pie because at least they have a choice there". Arguably, if SE also just gave a new set of options for a more savage/"beast-like" look to the Au Ra and stopped relying on correlational data to make decisions, and instead perhaps relied on player input (Polls and all) to make decisions things would be less of an issue and would be good for more people. Like.. Say they opened a poll and it received 30% of people saying "More Beast-like race" and 70% saying "Keep it cute", so they design the race with a focus on cute, and give several options to help make it more "beast-like" such as a face option and some toggle-able. Alternatively they design a "beast-like" race with tons of things giving it an option to make it look cute (Say like a Vanu-Vanu esque race is added where the 1/4 of the options keep it looking beast like, while the other 3/4th opt for a cute fluffy furball look).

I don't think I've seen one person that suggests all Au Ra be changed to look tough, just mainly the Xaela (Given their warrior tribal motif) or give options to do it with both, so it's hardly giving a bone to just one group. Currently what we're looking at with regards to the Au Ra is both clans appeal to one demographic (Albeit the majority but still). What a lot of people have suggested is change one of the clans (Or adding options so that they both can be made tougher/more beast like) so that more people can be satisfied, without taking away from the main/original demographic. Currently we also don't know if they'll even add another race, and considering SE's reasoning behind the Au Ra's appearance, if they do add another race it's heavily likely to just be another 'cutesy' race (A majority of players will be allocated to the grand total of 4 races with traditionally "cute" girl options, Lalafell, Miqo'te, Midlander, and Au Ra, so their reasoning with the Au Ra still holds), and if that's the case, what will you guys be doing? Will it be another case of "Just wait til you can have your race don't worry and deal with it for now", or will you guys decide that the only way to really be fair is to ask SE with us, even if it doesn't appeal to you?

Honestly it'd be the sunseekers, not the moonkeepers who'd have more reason to be changed.. But heck why not at least the option to add small fur patches or noses akin to the Roegadyn's noses (With the little black bit that is) to the Miqo'te would be appreciated without cutting into (And angering) the "I like cute races" demographic that plays Miqo'te.

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Originally Posted by DreadRabbit

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Whenever you have a tribe described as "Warring nomads" you generally expect them too. Besides it's a "Usual" clan thing for them to have tests of brawn to determine leadership. There's tons of tribes that suggest that Xaela life isn't "Elegant", heck it's why the Raen left Xaela, for more peaceful lives. Note, "Tests of mind" like the Malqir might just mean they prefer to be lead by a strategic person, it doesn't mean they avoid fighting, also note that the phrasing of the Malqir implies that "Tests of brawn" are the usual way they decide leadership. Besides, you seem to imply that there really isn't a pounded in "Cute and sweet" motif with the girls, which sure it's possible, but it's kinda dumb whenever it's pounded in the way it is.

There's several tribes who fight and love fighting or just live very "unelegant" lives. Adarkim ( The largest tribe and also war loving), Avagnar (Live within the Adarkim), Bairon (Live off their own bodily fluids), Bolir (Collect dung), Borlaaq (Described as warrior women), Buduga (Kidnap and battle), Jhungid and Kharlu (Prepare for a yearly battle against each other for domination over the region), Mankhad (Fight using poison blowdarts), Olkund (Engage in selective breeding to make their tribe as big as possible), Dazkar (Women are put in the hunting position and are very notable for that), Qerel (Warriors wear bone armor that they killed during coming of age ceremonies), Torgud (Naked all the time), Tumet (Leave their children for dead tied against a tree as a coming of age ceremony), Dorthal (Extremely violent with no fear of death), Goro (Marry horses), Ura (Miners don't live elegant lives normally), Horo (See being overweight as an attractive quality and will bloat their bellies). Tribal folks can be elegant, but it's definitely not posh "I'm a model~" elegance more "One with nature" elegance, kinda like the difference between Nobles in Ishgard and the Padjal. Less posh elegance, more natural elegance.

It's not that they can't be elegant, but whenever it shows that they're generally a pretty rough and rumble clan, elegent things look a little out of place. Plus... You know, I don't see folks asking for Lalafell, Midlanders, and Miqo'te to have some more savage/tough emotes and poses, or well, when you do most people are met with a "no" >.>

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

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I am not saying your idea is bad but a polls possibly wouldn't even work to the best of it's potential, even on here suggestions are likely made by a quarter of the community who actually have a problem/dislike/idea/opinion of something or another daily. Idk if this is an exact number of course but... it's definitely not the whole community, not everyone reads the news or clicks it either. But not everyone posts on these forums and a lot just avoid the forums due to various amount of reasons so you still have that population to consider too.

I have an option of the fourth face looks 'tough' or I suppose.. mature for females, but for xaela to be 'tough' like you said with miqo'te is what I think goes for xaela too; players who love their 'cutesy' character would probably be upset at a major change, the only difference i see with the miqo'te population is that it's probable that the population is bigger and they have been invested in their miqo'tes longer.

I still am all up for a race for more beast-like people but I don't think an established or shown off race of any kind being changed in a big way or suggested for big change is good unless for good reasonings.

I think the only small change I would suggest for SE is make the male Au Ra's a little shorter or I guess a tad taller for female and change the sclera for the Xaela to look... better? I saw it as them going for a more demonic look "black sclera with whatever color eyes" thing but I know that was one of the dislikes of others as well.... so maybe making that an optional thing inside 'scales' instead of a trait thing. Mind you, I personally have no care about either of these 'problems' but... like you said, why can't it be a equal exchange thing?

One thing I will say to everyone is that everyone should be careful when posting a suggestion of this or that, because you're suggesting a change with someone elses race too, this goes double for people who don't play the race because theirs will likely stay the same while another persons race could changed for better or worse by mere suggestions.

They stand way too proper. The Xaela and the white scales should have completely different postures and animations.

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Originally Posted by Nektulos-Tuor

They stand way too proper. The Xaela and the white scales should have completely different postures and animations.

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The Xaela and the farmers should have been two different sub-races like the Highlander and Midlander. I think if SE did that, they would have had new poses. Not that I dislike the sass that the male Au Ra have.

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

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I'm not saying you're wrong, however the whole "I'm a model" thing is your opinion, not a fact. For me and a lot of others who enjoy the Au Ra it doesn't look that way (or if it does, they like it). For me personally as an example, they just look really chill, sassy, or even lazy. Savage people aren't savaged 100% of their lives. We get that plenty while we're fighting in dungeons and such. What kind of poses do you expect a "savage" person to make (honest question, not sarcasm)? There's only so many ways a person can stand or sit.

Also, this:

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Originally Posted by Lillia

One thing I will say to everyone is that everyone should be careful when posting a suggestion of this or that, because you're suggesting a change with someone elses race too, this goes double for people who don't play the race because theirs will likely stay the same while another persons race could changed for better or worse by mere suggestions.

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Most of the people I've seen complaining about the Au Ra are people who have shown they have no interest changing into one, or haven't because they don't like the characteristics of them. That's fine, that's why you're not playing as one. The people who are playing Au Ra are doing so because they like them as they are now. I like that the main difference between the two clans are the scales. They did get a little lazy on the emotes, I'll agree, but the clans of the other races don't have nearly as stark of differences between them that people keep trying to say the Xaela and Raen should have. Why?

Personally, rather than change a race that from the hype they're getting a lot of people like as they are, these energies would be better put into asking SE for that more "brutal" race that people want. Use the time now to start petitions, because SE has shown that they do at least partially listen. And there's clearly enough support here on the forums for that sort of thing.

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Originally Posted by Samcaesar

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Honestly man, you nailed every point over the head.

They basically designed the Au Ra based on what people were already playing, and that's just not a good idea. They should be striving for diversity. Speaking for myself, the reason I never played Highlander to Roegadyn isn't that I don't like "big, tough" characters, but that I don't like *THOSE* characters. Highlanders, specifically, suffer the exact same problem as the Xaela now do; they're stuck sharing animations that don't really suit their culture. I mean, look at Hildibrand; would he honestly seem so hilarious, if things like their Sprinting animation weren't so goofy-looking?

I mean... looking at the Au Ra's concept-art, I LOVED those characters! Especially the early-concept art they showed of the females; very savage-looking! Or even the current, official art of the Males; they look way more physically imposing. The current one -- just the way they stand -- seems very "pretty-boyish".