Please do NOT alter Dark Knight AF for female characters.

[Kosmos992k]

You know, when I read the extremely numerous over the top responses in this topic and many others about the female Dragoon AF top, I can't help but wonder what happened to turn everyone into such prudish people. I mean, good god, the reactions to a bit of female character skin sound like those of fundamentalist religious leaders rather than normal open minded gamers.It's like stepping back into the Victorian era when displaying an ankle was considered scandalous, or perhaps 50's America before the bikini arrived in the early '60s when the display of a female navel was all but considered pornography and actually was banned from movies in the US, requiring heavy censorship to remove it from foreign movies.

I am not sure what is is that makes you all so uncomfortable, but it sure seems like your attitudes towards exposure of skin (seeming whether male or female) have been starkly affected by the politically correct trend of defending people against yet to be perceived offense, such as defending female characters from over exposure of their navel because that would obviously be exploitative...

Why, pray tell, is exposing a navel exploitative? We all have one, at least we did the last time I checked, unless revisionist history has somehow expunged the navel from our anatomy. I know that someone will reply that it's only the female Dragoon AF armor that does it, not the male. That's fine, so cut a hole in the male version too, or give them an asymmetric design that exposes half of their manly chest to show how macho they are... I don't care either way, equal opportunity exposure is fine by me. But the faux offense taken at the exposed midriff is just too reminiscent of the puritanical attitudes of the National League of Decency from the 30's, 40s, 50s and 60s in the US. some of your attitudes could use a 3 week stay on at European beach resort to retrain you as to what is/is not acceptable exposure of skin.

[Kalandros]

This is the female version

[Riepah]

This is the female version

I approve.

[axemtitanium]

Weren't people complaining that the Noct chestplate gave female characters abs? Regardless, I support gender equality in armor. Signed.

[saber_alter]

i would have to agree, but it seems that SE is already doing a pretty good job with not making armor oversexualized.

[Felis]

Needs armoured hotpants, a boob window, and some thigh boots with a nice stiletto heel.

Not sure what they should do with the female version, though.

It is tank gear, not melee gear

[Niwashi]

Different strokes for all the folks because those outfits look gorgeous.

Whether they look good or not is indeed in the eye of the beholder. (Individually, I'd actually think they look pretty good, too.) But the discussion was about female gear being sexualized compared to the male versions. Having all the females strutting around in nothing but a teddy while the males all have complete outfits is a perfect example of that, regardless of whether you think it looks good or not.

Now it's fine to have sexy, revealing outfits. In fact, I quite like some of the sexy revealing outfits FFXIV offers. But it's only ok in cases where both genders get a similarly sexy and revealing outfit. Outfits don't all have to be exactly the same between genders (though in many cases that's the best way to achieve it), but they do need to be equivalent to each other. This is all the more important when it comes to significant iconic sets like artifact armour.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

I feel like i'm the only one who doesn't care about "equality". If I like the look of a set of armor, I wear it, if I don't, I ignore it. Is that so hard to do?

[LineageRazor]

I am not sure what is is that makes you all so uncomfortable, but it sure seems like your attitudes towards exposure of skin (seeming whether male or female) have been starkly affected by the politically correct trend of defending people against yet to be perceived offense, such as defending female characters from over exposure of their navel because that would obviously be exploitative...

This discussion is not in ANY WAY about people being prudish about exposure of female flesh. It is about a double standard. Dragoon males are fully covered. Dragoon females have a belly window. Why the difference? There's pretty much no answer that doesn't boil down to, "The developers thought that their male players would find it appealing, and felt that their male players would be turned off by the same features on the male."

Male Dragoon is the Serious Dragoon. Female Dragoon is the Sexy Dragoon. THAT is what infuriates people. You can rationalize it all you like - females can be serious AND sexy, right? You can even trot out all the female players you like who will insist that they LIKE their avatars to be sexy. None of it changes the fact that this is a double standard, a difference that is applied to the female model BECAUSE they are female - and one that, realisitcally, would actually a detriment in combat. It's almost as bad as putting high heels on armor, a depth to which SE has THANKFULLY not plunged.

You don't have to agree that this double standard is a bad thing, but don't try to pretend that anyone is irritated with it because they feel that naked female flesh is sinful. Dragoon armour could consist of nothing but a spear and a thong, and it would be perfectly fine so long as the male armor is ALSO nothing but a spear and a thong.

[Adrian74]

Solve the drama, use the sacred 'toggle' option....

Make it so everyone's happy just by selecting with one click their option.


PS: I'd also prefer the normal set, without any modification... Dragoon AF looks especially.... Ridiculous in lalafell female.