Improve male character customization and design in 7.0 please. This isn't good enough

I'm gonna compare FF14 with Lost Ark which I know will piss some people off. So let me just make a disclaimer that there are many things that FF14 is superior to Lost Ark at so you don't get too mad.

FF14 pros:

- Emote and animations are genuinely very, very good compared to the rest of the MMO market.
- Immersion is honestly on point. I've never been so immersed in an MMO. (Single player games still have better immersion but FF14 is honestly close).
- Much better RP.
- Unofficially, GShade and modding makes this game's character customization really great and go to the next level. I wish that they will officially support graphical modding in this game, to give PS5 players parity.
- Glamour options are much better in FF14. I can make awesome looking male glamours.
- A lot of race options that are all honestly pretty great.

https://i.ibb.co/tBJJ3W0/1.jpg

^ This actually looks awesome and better than anything in Lost Ark. It has a certain unique flair that gives it personality - a lot of Lost Ark's glamour look great, but lack that "spark".

Now onto things I wish they will improve in FF14. I'm not even looking at vanilla FF14 and there are things that I probably take for granted (like Highlander eyebrows).

1. Graphical fidelity on male characters

https://i.ibb.co/LZRnVTj/ffxiv-12042021-230645-449.png

Improved lighting and stuff just isn't enough. FF14 needs a small design overhaul on male characters IMHO.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...12/unknown.png

https://i.ibb.co/2hMc8r1/2.png

Male humans look way better in Lost Ark for example. I know there will be detractors on this forum but honestly every one of my friends believe that the character I have in Lost Ark look way more badass and cooler than my FF14 characters. Anyone but the most diehard FF14 simp will look at Lost Ark's male character and see it as better than FF14's male Hyurs. One of the biggest reason is because Lost Ark, and many other MMOs like BDO etc. just have a crisper graphical fidelity that allows you to see features that make a man look great - stuff like having a laugh lines and a more defined jaw structure, with skin that looks battle-hardened. These are things that come with graphical fidelity and I'm confident if they come to FF14 it'll only enhance RP experience and immersion. Lost Ark's male humans make me feel like I'm actually playing a battle-hardened veteran warrior. FF14's male faces look so much flatter in contrast.

2. Expanded customization options

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R8BrsDbXsTg/maxresdefault.jpg

https://fextralife.com/wp-content/up...ce-640x360.jpg

Not much to say here. Specifically, I wish they would expand customization options so we can fine-tune the faces that we have. It'd be great if they can change stuff like eyes to slider level customization. And hopefully more beard options.

3. Fix Highlander faces!

That's all I can think of ATM.

+1 I support this wholeheartedly

I agree with you there, I think one of the most annoying things to me is that there isn't a compromise between neanderthal and anime pretty boy. I think my Midlander's face looks decent but he is so scrawny that whenever I play DRK or War I look at him and go "Man, no way he has enough strength to lift some of these weapons"(Yes, I know that are characters are stronger than the average Eorzean).

Firmly agreed. I'd like to be able to play a male character that is tall, well-built and classically handsome. A Highlander with authentic eyebrows and more attractive facial options along the lines of Gladio, Basch, Jecht and Snow from the single player Final Fantasy games would be a dream come true for me.

I would very much appreciate Garleans as a playable race option too. They could potentially cover such aesthetics nicely.

Judging by the pictures of the steps in Thavnair, I think they will improve the character models substantially, I don't 100% know about adding the customization options and the character creator but it would be amazing if they did cover it as well. And yes, those lost Ark male characters def look better.

I hope they address the blockiness of the hands and feet as well. They look like a ps2 model character.

Signed. Fully agree that the changes are necessary. I am also hoping that as a result of the upgrades, we'll see the muscle tone and definition become much more evident. It's one of those things I wish I could adjust when playing au ra. Also keen to see how highlanders will look going forwards.

New graphical engine for Stranger of Paradise Jack Garland collab /hype

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Originally Posted by Alpheus

New graphical engine for Stranger of Paradise Jack Garland collab /hype

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If the devs or anyone who has hands in the matter does read this though, please, please don't just do the shaders and lighting. We want meaningful upgrades for our characters, as meaningful as the grass that was shown. THAT was an upgrade, we want the same for our character models.

Eidt: I don't know why I quoted you. But it is what it is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ath192

If the devs or anyone who has hands in the matter does read this though, please, please don't just do the shaders and lighting. We want meaningful upgrades for our characters, as meaningful as the grass that was shown. THAT was an upgrade, we want the same for our character models.

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They have my full confidence and however short they may fall, I know I can at least live with it. But if some people wish to ask for more that's certainly their prerogative. But I can't say that I'm worried about it.

Why would you post proof of yourself using mods... but I agree nonetheless

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Theodric

Firmly agreed. I'd like to be able to play a male character that is tall, well-built and classically handsome. A Highlander with authentic eyebrows and more attractive facial options along the lines of Gladio, Basch, Jecht and Snow from the single player Final Fantasy games would be a dream come true for me.

I would very much appreciate Garleans as a playable race option too. They could potentially cover such aesthetics nicely.

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I would love a Basch type character in this game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by anhaato

Why would you post proof of yourself using mods... but I agree nonetheless

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Because I have to fix the developers' game for them.

You're comparing brand new models to 10 year old models when we already know we're getting new models. I do wish though we would get more tuning options. From what little information we've been given thus far it does seem like they are making efforts into giving people more optional fidelity across the board.

I wish adding people to your ignore list made their threads disappear.

More male customization options!

Honestly I’m right here for this. Firm support for this in regards to male character model improvements.

Yes I'd love to not look like a waif lol.

My bright-eyed WoL Keeper of the Moon looked previously very innocent and nearly chlid-like, but I fantasia'd after Shadowbringers because I wanted to show how he aged via an older looking face, and because clearly our WoLs have seen some S***.

I think he looks better as I added a scar and gave him less "pretty hair" and made his face look older, but I'd love to have some muscle tone to go along with 8 years of saving the world.

I was trying to go for a more barbarian vibe when Warrioring but I'm so skinny shirtless it's a bit laughable.

Yes we need more hunky character models!