Humanoid Avian Race?

[Kosmos992k]

They're always going to be humanoid though, no matter what new race we get. One of the aspects of any new race is that people must want to play them, it's easier to relate to an humanoid than something more different. So we get what we have with Miqo'te and Au'ra. Males that are more physically imposing than females,females are physically smaller and lean towards aesthetically pleasing. For races with larger, more physical females, SE already has data to go on, and I'm not sure that they will spend development effort on a new race that will be used by relatively few players.

Just to add to this and...rain on the parade for those wanting non-humanoid races. They will not add a race that is anything other than a bipedal being with an upright posture and two upper limbs and a head. The simple reason being their gear models. If you added a quadruped, you'd have to completely redo a huge amount of gear. Not only that but there are lore reasons, as at least one poster has mentioned.

However, I'll go back to the reason I was talking about. The ability to relate to a new race in a game such as this is important. There is no question that some players would have no problem identifying with whichever type of playable race takes their fancy, be it beastly, electronic or biomechanical, with 4 legs, 2 legs, wheels or thrusters. However the vast majority of players will not identify with such playable races. If you take into account the significant amount of effort a new race requires along with the marathon task of modifying the gear models, which would be even more for 'different' races, I just don't think it's possible to make a case for such a playable race. The same thing goes for races that do not heavily feature handsome males and pretty females.

Generally speaking heroes are handsome/pretty, charismatic characters. I frequently see people wondering about a new race that would be conventionally speaking, considered unattractive, beastly, and generally speaking unsympathetic. Such races would be so niche as to make even the rarest female Roegadyn look popular.

What we need is not another race (though cute/handsome humanoids with white wings and a noble disposition would not hurt the game IMHO... ), rather we need one or two additional faces (and features) for all current races to give a bit more variety and flexibility to character design.

Glaring needs for existing races....eyebrows for Highlanders, Highlander females need better complexions, both Au'ra and Miqo'te females need a face that looks old enough to vote and drink...

[Nektulos-Tuor]

That definition mostly refer to demons. These are suppose to be heroes with bird features. Example:

Shantae 1/2 Genie Hero. Its a transformation, but still means she's evil or anything.


Myutie is a harpy, she's no baddie though, just a cutie X)


Random manga drawing


Or at least something similar to the Harpuia race from Agarest War
They're like harpies but with just the wings, basically angelic but an excuse to be a bird. Just add feathers to the arms and its official lol.

I really like these designs the best. Honestly it would even fit pretty well into the game to have something beast-likish but humanoid. It would look nothing like Miqo'te/Viera/Au'Ra..

An avian playable race that can fly on under its own power? That will never happen. The entire playerbase would be in an uproar because their favorite race can't fly whilst the new one can. Not to mention it would require the creation of a new skeleton, new character movement physics, etc. Simply put, it would be a huge amount of work with little payoff other than complaints for SE. Instead, I think "mounts" that are worn by the players instead of ridden could be an interesting next step. Angel wings, Fairy wings, bat wings, light wings (like the achievement pony), and a jet pack are some options that could be explored here. I doubt something like this would happen either, but at least it's something that wouldn't polarize the playerbase.

Well, actually that is proven wrong. When EQ2 released the Fae and Arasai people were stumped that they couldn't fly. When they made them flyable by their own wings people didn't complain at all and in fact liked the changes. However they can only fly in areas other people can fly due to not being enough Wind.

[Nektulos-Tuor]

If they had unique legs but two arms and a head. It wouldn't be so much work. You can just have the wings stick out from the armor and take away instead of add.


Harpy with wings around arms:
What you do, is instead of remodeling all arm armor in the game. You simply add pieces to the wings for cloth that make it look like its cutting out from the armor. So it isn't hard to do and you can keep the armor model completely the same.

The legs are what will need some work, but dresses and all that can stay the same.

However, I would want them to go for the more beastly look with the arms and legs like Garuda, that would be EXTREMELY interesting.

[Kosmos992k]

An avian playable race that can fly on under its own power? That will never happen. The entire playerbase would be in an uproar because their favorite race can't fly whilst the new one can. Not to mention it would require the creation of a new skeleton, new character movement physics, etc. Simply put, it would be a huge amount of work with little payoff other than complaints for SE. Instead, I think "mounts" that are worn by the players instead of ridden could be an interesting next step. Angel wings, Fairy wings, bat wings, light wings (like the achievement pony), and a jet pack are some options that could be explored here. I doubt something like this would happen either, but at least it's something that wouldn't polarize the playerbase.

Indeed, wearable 'mounts' would resolve this issue in every meaningful way. There would be no need to rework the gear models or physics, and as you point out it would not polarize players - a huge vote in it's favor. Wearable 'mounts' would also allow for a continual provision of different styles of wing, tail or other aspect of the 'mount', and in grounded areas, they could 'hover' like the bomb chair and Ahriman (for example).

If they had unique legs but two arms and a head. It wouldn't be so much work. You can just have the wings stick out from the armor and take away instead of add.**snip**
However, I would want them to go for the more beastly look with the arms and legs like Garuda, that would be EXTREMELY interesting.

Clipping issues are already a problem. With this, clipping complaints would be off the scale. As for a more beastly look, I think that is simply too niche to work.

[Nektulos-Tuor]

Indeed, wearable 'mounts' would resolve this issue in every meaningful way. There would be no need to rework the gear models or physics, and as you point out it would not polarize players - a huge vote in it's favor. Wearable 'mounts' would also allow for a continual provision of different styles of wing, tail or other aspect of the 'mount', and in grounded areas, they could 'hover' like the bomb chair and Ahriman (for example).



Clipping issues are already a problem. With this, clipping complaints would be off the scale. As for a more beastly look, I think that is simply too niche to work.

Seems to work with Draenai in WoW, and that is a VERY popular race because its so different. They have unhinged opposite legs, and there are already "leggings" that give you goat legs so it can work.

Horns and helmets of Au Ra worked fine. Its the same thing.

[Kosmos992k]

Seems to work with Draenai in WoW, and that is a VERY popular race because its so different. They have unhinged opposite legs, and there are already "leggings" that give you goat legs so it can work.

That doesn't in any way address the clipping issue.

And besides that, this is FFXIV, I don't know or care what happens in WoW.

[Ayuhra]

Every other major MMO has gotten beast races to work in terms of armor. Armor is done with textures and anchor points, it's not a complete remodeling of every piece of gear.

[Tayolynn]

I've been saving my free fantasia for this reason only. Depending how they make the new avian race, I'd change my male hyur, kept the same since official ffxiv:arr launch, to a male avian race the second it comes out.

[Vurtney]

And besides that, this is FFXIV, I don't know or care what happens in WoW.

Humanoid races are always the most played races, that's a fact but implying there would be no demograph for non-human races is nonsense. You can feel what you want about Warcraft but it's a good example of race variety and its player base playing them for years now.

http://www.warcraftrealms.com/census.php

When it comes to rigging new models, texture mapping, weighting new gear models on characters and what have you, i'm sure they (SE) can handle a less traditional race than what we have now.

[Terrini]

While an avian race would be really awesome, some restrictions to keep in mind:
1) The race will be mainly humanoid, so no you won't get bird legs or taloned feet for simplicity in adjusting gear between races.
2) The race would NOT have large wings, these would be hard to model around and would indicate actual ability to fly - not something that they'd want to insinuate because flying is high level zones only and mount-based. Even if the new race COULD fly, they'd be restricted to Aether currents though and there would be irritation that the new race can fly without a mount and they'd want to too.

That being said, there are options to be more avian while being mainly human that would be unique and interesting, such as:

Feathered Eyelashes:


Feathered Ears:

Feathered accents on wrists or ankles:


MAYBE Small feathered wings and/or tail: